The first meeting was with the Director of Education Sam Ocen and his science faculty to discuss various possibilities for the science fair. It became quite obvious very early in the meeting that the teachers had many excellent ideas. One teacher had even participated in a science fair when he was a student. He knew firsthand the benefits of hands-on experimentation since a question on his subsequent A level exam concerned one of the experiments in his earlier science fair. He aced the question.
In order to focus attention and to make the science fair manageable within the period of time allotted, two or three experiments were selected for each disciplines, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Agriculture-- demonstrations that would be visually stimulating, and relevant to everyday life.
The fair was scheduled for the following Wednesday afternoon. Lloyd Dahmen set up schedules and gathered needed materials from the science buildings and found others in the town of Soroti. The teachers selected a range of experiments for each science division. For Physics: resistance heating by an electrical current, and the effect on density of dissolving salt in water (egg floats in salt water, sinks in pure water). Chemistry would demonstrate : fractional distillation of ethanol, preparation of soap, and the preparation of salts. Microscope viewing of prepared slides and student prepared slides showing the cell formation in onions, various tests for vitamin C in vegetables using locally prepared indicators, and the deleterious effect of boiling on vitamin C were the selected demonstrations for Biology.
Finally, for Agriculture: goat castration and subsequent examination of its alimentary canal, and the examination of the reproductive tract in a hen. To perform these experiments, we needed to acquire a 12 V automobile battery which could also be used later for other electrical experiments, six eggs, a half kilo of salt, fat for soap manufacture, a he-goat, and rental of a castration tool. We also discovered that the school had six student microscopes which could be used along with the excellent Zeiss microscope, which we had brought along. The student microscopes needed a thorough cleaning, which was cheerfully done by Emily Sampson and Kristen Matchett.
By Tuesday, any concerns about readiness and enthusiasm were gone. The students were rehearsing their explanations, the distillations were bubbling away, and everyone had been busy making signs and charts for each department's experiments.
On Wednesday at 2 p.m., Patrick Ongodia, Pilgrim's In-Country Director, began with introductions at the usual assembly spot under the giant fig tree. Under the neighboring tree was the first demonstration, Agriculture, wherin the he-goat gave his all for science. Incidentally, there was one student who had evidently done this many times, and was thoroughly at home with all phases of the experiment, including the final butchering of the carcass which was then turned over to the kitchen to be prepared for the evening meal. One of the hens actually had an egg in the process of manufacture which added to the verisimilitude of the demonstration.
The crowd of students dispersed to the various Physics, Biology, and Chemistry demonstrations in the science rooms, crowding about tables and even standing on benches to see. The microscopes were in constant use with students politely taking turns viewing as many of the 100 prepared slides as possible. Fortunately, it was a sunny day, so the microscope reflecting mirrors had plenty of light.
The fair ended at four o'clock, followed by a rousing volleyball game, and hopefully a commitment for many more science fairs in the future.
(Thanks to Lloyd Dahmen for this report, and to others on the team for photographs)
Related Links: Beacon Of Hope Secondary School
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