Sweet revelations and whirlwind activity at primary-level fair

IMPORTANT NEW research findings have emerged from the RDS – the top five foods that make kids hyper include Coca Cola, candy floss, Fanta, SunnyD and Skittles. You have been warned.

The findings formed part of a display at the Primary Science Fair put together by 36 sixth-class students from Terenure College in Dublin.

The fair, organised by the RDS to run alongside the exhibition, is always one of the liveliest places during the event.

No fewer than 3,000 primary pupils from 100 schools will take part in the fair which opened yesterday and continues until Saturday afternoon.

Terenure’s entry was all about the foods we eat and Bill, Aidan, two Davids, Parth and Edon were on hand to explain it all, along with their teachers Louise Quinlan and Venetia Mantero.

Students from Glenageary Killiney NS in Killiney, Co Dublin, were also there to talk about their project “Terrific Turbine”. Holly, Billie, Caoimhe, Emma, Sam, Stephanie, Jennifer and Seán were displaying various wind and water turbine designs and show how shaking a magnet in a tube wrapped in a coil of wire could generate electricity.

The sixth-class pupils explained how electromagnets work and had functioning examples and a working wind turbine on hand which was able to produce electricity. The posters and experiments were put together by 29 students from the school and teacher Nicola Cummins said the project was “brilliant”.

Teacher Peggy Cheevers brought fifth- and sixth-class pupils from Carrick NS in Ballinlough, Co Roscommon, with a project entitled: “We like to be cool so recycling is our rule”. Her team has spent months learning about recycling. Their stand was populated with model musical instruments, computers and robots all built from materials that had been thrown into the bin.

“It makes them much more aware of science all around us,” Ms Cheevers said of their participation in the fair.

“We want to encourage science first and the environment. It is also good to have groups working together. Every child has a good idea.”