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TAISM students put their innovative talent on show

by Sarah Macdonald
March 18, 2013 , 9 : 57 pm | 1 comment

Mazen Ashkar and Ikhsan Reddy have designed a robot that can steer itself. Right, Omar Ansari and America Avalos tried to generate a new source of energy using magnets. Photo � Times of Oman

Muscat: Grade seven students at The American International School of Muscat put their hypotheses to the test over the past two months and came out with their output at their annual science fair on Monday.

The event allowed the students to come up with their own science experiments. Under the mentorship of university students in the USA with whom they corresponded over the internet, they proposed hypotheses, carried out tests, and examined the results to come up with conclusions.

"It gives them an opportunity to work on a long-term project, which they haven't done before and it also lets them practice the scientific method. They've chosen their projects and they're really invested," said Darcy Hindash, the grade seven science teacher who organised the fair.

The students showcased a variety of experiments on topics including examining bacteria in bathrooms, finding out what water bottles are the healthiest and how different genders react to different situations.

Some students looked at problems in the world around them and tried to address them. Omar Ansari and America Avalos knew that there is a need for alternative sources of energy, so they tried to generate electricity using magnets. Their experiment didn't work on a small scale, but Omar said it might work on a larger scale and in an area with less gravity.
"We learned about our mistakes and how it could actually work," Omar explained.

Mazen Ashkar and Ikhsan Reddy created a robot that is programmed to steer itself away from any obstructions. They tested out the robot on two mazes, one with reflective walls, and found that the robot moved more quickly thanks to sensing the light bouncing off the reflective maze.

"It could apply in the future with self-driving cars, or it could make sure you don't hit other cars in traffic jams," said Mazen.

The students' experiments will be judged and the top five groups will submit their work electronically to a regional competition. Regardless of which students win, they all learned a lot from the process. "It's an authentic opportunity for students to go through the whole process. It's a lot of work, but the students are pretty proud of what they've been doing for the past two months," said Peter Lee, TAISM's middle school principal.

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