Big brood hatches science fair fun for students

Fairfield Intermediate School ended its term with a hiss and a roar.

The last week of school saw the finale for the science fair, mobile competitions, X factor and school production under way.

Librarian Judy Clarke says the school was absolutely humming. The mayhem was added to by a clutch of chickens hatched as part of a science fair experiment

Three science fair classes incubated and hatched the 21 chickens, which took turns in various classrooms, running around with the kids.

Judy says everyone, including herself, learned so much watching the process of them hatching into chickens.

The kids from room two said this was their second batch of chickens to hatch.

Maddison Arnel, 11, placed one chicken on her head, where it perched untroubled.

The chickens have gone to the farm of one of the students.

The week's big attraction was the science fair. The school was open to the public to view this year's boards.

Projects were completed by all students and the winners will go on to the Waikato Science Fair.

Principal Mr Roberts thought there were a lot of good science fair boards.

"The classrooms are full of projects, everyone has done something. I am impressed," he said.

First prize in the science fair was Year 8 Nina Paripovich, who investigated which liquid was the most stable over a range of temperatures. Nina is in France playing tennis.

Teacher Mrs Prestige says Nina is one of the hardest-working students she has come across.

Second went to Year 7 Max Culver, who used kawakawa to test if it could anaesthetise the skin.

"It numbs your mouth when you chew it, so I was wondering if it would numb the skin too.

"We found out that it did numb the skin quite a lot. I am excited and nervous about the Waikato finals. I want to win an award. It will be hard going against the other years."

Third went to Year 8 twins Benjamin and Daniel Wheeler, who knew the ropes after coming second in last year's science fair.

The electrolysis project about current in water was a lot of fun, said the boys.

Judy says Fairfield took out the science fair two years ago, even against the high schools. Science fair is annual competition for Year 7 to 13 students.