Barrett Vogel’s dad likes to bake.
His specialty is sourdough bread, but making it is a longer and more complex process than what’s required for a typical loaf. Thus, keeping the tangy bread fresh for as long as possible is important.
So, Vogel took on boosting the life expectancy of sourdough as his interest fair project. In his experiment, the fifth grader tested five different types of containers, from an airtight bread box to a Ziploc baggie to a paper bag. He wanted to find out which was best at holding moisture in the sourdough bread and preventing it from going stale the longest.
Vogel postulated that an airtight container would function best, but, using scientific method, he discovered that, although sealed containers hold in moisture the best, in them, the bread starts to grow mold after five days.
Instead, his research showed that a breadbox that is not airtight is optimal. That type of container, Vogel hypothesized, optimizes humidity and permits air to move around, keeping bread fresh for two to three days longer.
The judges at this year’s science fair, held in the commons last Friday, liked Vogel’s work, and so he was chosen as one of nine students from the fifth and sixth grade eligible to advance to the regional science fair, which will be held at Minnesota State University, Mankato on Saturday, April 25th.
Others eligible to show off their projects at the regional fair, all fifth graders, are Colby Wengert, Blake Berg, Liam Baker, Jax Hunt, Benjamin Zimmerman, Oris Kortuem, Cecil Ernsting and Chevelle Jordan.
Hunt determined what food chickens prefer. Zimmerman wanted to know if more expensive 3D printer filaments produced better quality printed objects than less expensive brands. Kortuem researched the accuracy of different brands of ammunition. Ernsting looked at which fruit can produce the most electrical energy. Wingert wanted to know what color of lure catches the most fish. Berg studied the efficacy of ice fishing lures. Baker learned which type of treat his dog preferred. Jordan studied the elasticity of different types of tape.
This year, the science fair was rebranded as the interest fair. Students could make a display about an interest other than science, but only science projects were eligible to advance.
Popular interest topics included sports and star athletes, pop culture, historical topics and figures, fishing, machinery and animals.
The interest fair is an opportunity for students to not only learn how to do research and practice scientific method, it is an exercise in displaying and orally presenting information.
Eligible to advance to the regional fair are, from L-R, front row: Colby Wengert, Blake Berg, Liam Baker and Barrett Vogel. Back row Jax Hunt, Benjamin Zimmerman, Oris Kortuem and Cecil Ernsting. Missing is Chevelle Jordan. (photo courtesy of Katie Wolf)
Barrett Vogel
Liam Baker
Cecil Ernsting
Blake Berg
Oris Kortuem
Colby Wingert
Benny Zimmerman
Sixth grader Lucy Smith studied the life and work of Laura Ingalls Wilder. She has read every book by the famous author. For the interest fair, she dressed the part.
Sixth grader Reid Johnson studied the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The topic especially interested him because it took place on the same calendar day as his birthday.
