What is the Wonder Fair? A twist on the typical science fair, the Wonder Fair is a collaboration between the Happy Valley PTA and WWU which encourages K-5th Grade students to pursue an area of interest, develop their own inquiry projects (with the optional support of a WWU student mentor), carry them out using an inquiry-based model, and share them at the Wonder Fair, to be held on December 19th!

What support is available? A FREE afterschool enrichment opportunity is available for students who can stay after school at Happy Valley from 2:30-4pm on Tuesdays in Mrs. Finlinson's (Room 253) classroom, starting on Oct 1st. All students, whether they use the mentorship classes or not, will receive a trifold poster board in order to assist with their display. 
 
Set up for projects will be Thursday, December 19th after the school day. Our open house where students can share all the amazing projects with our school community and families is 5:30-7:30 pm!

What does your student wonder about?! We have the following categories to choose to study and present on:

Collect - Collect and organize something of interest. The collection should answer questions related to observations made while exploring the world.  Examples: What types of tree leaves can be found on my street?  What kind of tracks can be found in the local park?  How old are all the pennies in my piggy bank?

Experiment - To answer a question about the natural world, conduct an experiment. The students should do some preliminary research, propose a hypothesis, plan and conduct an experiment, and analyze the results.  Bonus points if there is any real-world application of what was learned.

Invention/Innovation - Everything we use, work with, or wear was invented or repurposed to answer a need.  Objects are designed to solve a particular problem or need.  This is the time to be an inventor.  Use science, math, and creativity to design a thing or a process that solves a problem or meets a need.  Use the following process: State a problem, conduct a research background, devise a  solution, plan and design, create the solution, and improve upon it.

Connection to Learning- Determine something that is of personal interest to your child and now he/she will read books/magazines/internet sites; visit institutions; speak with experts; etc.  The display board may include drawings, photographs, charts, graphs, dioramas, etc.  As International Baccalaureate learners, we ask our children to make connections to what they learned every day.  Connections can be to other learning topics; looking at a problem from a new/different perspective or a connection that inspires the students to take action because of what they learned.  Example: Why does the ocean appear blue?  Once the student has researched this question, see if they are inspired to learn more about what allows humans to see color, or if they are inspired to learn how other animals and bugs see color? 

Creativity - Amazing things happen when students are creative.  This project showcases true imagination.  A student must create something new.  This can be music, dance, art or poetry. It can include writing, but it MUST be an original and unique expression of ideas, thoughts, or points of view.  

We encourage you to brainstorm with your child different ideas and possible projects they may want to pursue.  The possibilities are endless!

If you have questions regarding the Wonder Fair, please email the planning committee at wonderfair@happyvalleypta.com. 

Thank you!