West Brook Students Seek Solutions to Consumer Needs

West Brook Middle School fifth graders have teamed up to find answers to some of the consumer world's more commonly asked questions.

Thursday afternoon all the students put the results to their weeks and weeks of product testing, experimenting and thensome on display for all to see in the annual West Brook Consumer Fair.

Approximately 160 students in the fifth grade took part in the project splitting up into small groups and setting out to prove a hypothesis based on a problem or complaint associated with a product.

For example, one group of students set out to find out which popcorn brand will leave behind the most unpopped kernels. Larry Calenda, vice principal, said the students wound up finding it was Orville Redenbacher which had the least unpopped kernels and it was because more butter in the recipe.

Students were to come up with a hypothesis based on consumer needs and take it through a scientific process until they can prove it right or wrong, explained fifth grade teacher Lynn Hershey who is credited with first bringing this excercise to the class about 10 years ago. The students have to identify variables, both controlled and uncontrolled, chart date and turn into graphs, explained Hershey.

Calenda said it is a "interdisciplinary approach to learning as in addition to science it ties in math skills and writing skills." Each student also had to prepare a slide presentation on their study which also integrated into a technology aspect as well, said Hershey.

Some students did their project on common household items liek paper towels and others tried to figure out what type of chocolate melted faster and did it or did it not have to do with what type of chocolate.

One group of students used Betty Crocker and Pillsbury cake mixes to find out which one produced the fluffiest batter and it was learned that Pillsbury won the challenge.

All the students displayed their projects in the cafeteria and parents, teachers and Principal Carla Alvarez toured the room to see the results of the students experiments.