Presentation counts
Atherwood GATE students show off research projects to guests
By Angela Randazzo Special to the Acorn

KEEP MOVING- Wyatt Ingram, 11, explains the homemade perpetual motion generator he created to Atherwood Elementary principal Kathleen Roth during a special event held April 8 for students in the school's Certificate of Merit program.

More than 50 students in Atherwood Elementary's Certificate of Merit program displayed the final results of their long-term projects earlier this month.

Simi Valley Unified School District Superintendent Kathryn Scroggin and other school officials dropped by to view the students' work.

"These are opportunities for children to learn about various topics of interest on their own," Scroggin said. "They use the skills learned in school, and yet they have to do it in a different context, so it makes learning more powerful for them."

Students began working on the projects in the fall under the guidance of a teacher-adviser. They were asked to select a topic of interest in one of the following categories: science, social studies, reading, math, technology or art, and then create a research project.

SCIENCE IN ACTION- Dakota Maculec, 9, demonstrates her friction experiment. Maculec used matchbox cars and a long racetrack with four lanes, three of which she lined with aluminum foil, terrycloth, and sandpaper, to determine the lane with the least friction. Photos by IRIS SMOOT Acorn Newspapers

The program culminated with a fair in the school's cafeteria.

Atherwood started the merit program seven years ago to enrich the learning experience of GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) and high-achieving students in grades three through six. Students must qualify to be part of the program, but participation is optional.

"This isn't a competition," said Elaine Cobb, a teacher at the school and coordinator of the event. "The real winner is the children. They have worked hard on a project they are interested in, so that's the real reward."

Atherwood Principal Kathleen Roth pointed out that students are graded not only on the content of their projects, but on their presentation as well.

"I'm so impressed how articulate the students are explaining their projects," Roth said. "Oftentimes you can have a bright student, but conveying what they learned can be difficult. These students are doing a fabulous job not only showing off their projects but explaining (them)."

Third-grader Dakota Makulec, 9, did a project on friction which included Hot Wheels cars and a 12foot-long track.

A different material covered each of the track's four lanes. Dakota released the cars on the track to illustrate which track had the least friction and was therefore the fastest.

"My hypothesis is that the third lane, which is smooth plastic, would be the fastest," she said. "The number four lane with terry cloth would be the slowest."

A variety of school board trustees, teachers, GATE advisers and community members evaluated the projects.

Reina Weinstein, a teacher on special assignment from the district office, reviewed the projects.

"We're looking for what the students learned," Weinstein said, "what they enjoyed doing about the project and what they covered in their area of expertise."

Kelsea Bryant, 11, a fifthgrader, did a math project involving estimation. For part of the presentation, Kelsea interviewed her mother, a CPA, on how she uses math in her work.

"I get really good grades in math, so I thought it would be really fun to do the project," Kelsea said.

Sixth-grader Nick Lindgren, 12, did a project on the Jurassic Period.

"I did a timeline, visited the Natural History (museum) and did research on the period," Nick said. "I learned new facts about the dinosaurs and that fossils are found all around the world."

Students received certificates and awards at a ceremony attended by teachers, family and other supporters that evening. The participants will also go on a special field trip in the near future.

"Whatever area the students choose is something they are personally passionate about,"