Listening to what she describes as a “monotone lecture” earlier in the school year, Shannon Boley’s mind began to wander. The Westfield High School junior wondered how much of the information she would actually retain, as “putting it frankly, I was quite bored.”
This boredom got her to thinking… if such lectures were a bit more animated, would those listening remember and be able to recall the information better? Inspired, Boley began researching the topic—Effects of Intonation on Cognitive Recall—for her entry in the school’s annual Science Fair. Now, hers is one of two projects that will compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Pittsburgh, Penn. in May. The other, “The Adverse Effects of Consumer and Pharmaceutical Goods on Plant Life,” is by fellow Westfield High students Addie Fleron and Bridget Lewis.
These two projects were among 14 from Westfield High to compete in the Region I Science Fair, held recently at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. Their high showings there moved them through to compete at the ISEF level.
“It is wonderful to be able to showcase the amazing work of our students,” said Donna McKay, chairwoman of the WHS Science Department.
According to McKay, who coordinates Westfield’s annual science fair alongside physics teacher Renee Sweeney, this competition is a good example of project-based learning. Upon selecting their topics, students’ research begins—they must maintain a lab journal and write a scientific paper on the topic, presenting their work and findings to the science fair judges at each competition.
Fleron and Lewis, who have each been competing in the science fair for several years, were top finishers at the Region I competition. For their project, they studied the effects that 11 common household chemicals have on sugar snap pea plants. For six weeks, the duo watered the plants with solutions containing a variety of natural and synthetic common household products such as hand soap as well as solutions containing common, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals like cold medicine and daily vitamins; recorded height measurements of the plants; and made visual observations (looking for things like discoloration or wilting in the plants). They then measured the plants’ health based on growth curves, overall physical appearance, sugar levels, and dry weight.
“We used the data to draw specific conclusions as to which of the contaminants are harmful,” Fleron said, adding that their study found that most of the products and pharmaceuticals had some type of harmful effect on the plants.
Fleron and Lewis decided on this project after learning that there are increasingly high levels of certain chemicals, such as an antimicrobial disinfectant, in ground- and surface-water supplies. They had also been learning about the related topic of development of new scientific methods to filter heavy metal contaminants out of soil. As these heavy metals are bad for the environment, so too can are the chemicals found in common household products and pharmaceuticals.
“We felt the need to begin exploring an issue that has immediate real world applications,” Lewis said.
Both students are proud to present their project to a larger audience, in part so the conclusions of their study may alert people to the growing issue of environmental contamination.
Boley is excited to compete, as well.
“I broke into tears when I found out I was going,” she said.
Her project, “Effects of Intonation on Cognitive Recall,” examined whether a presenter’s tone of voice affected students’ ability to remember information. Boley wrote a script for an educator to recite in two separate videos—one featured the educator speaking in a monotone voice, while the other was presented in a more animated tone. Different students watched each video and were tested on what they heard. Boley’s study found that those who watched the video featuring a monotone voice performed better on the test; it seemed that the more animated video distracted students from the words they were hearing.
Listening to a “monotone lecture” served as her inspiration for the project, as has her interest in the subject of psychology. Boley enjoys participating in the annual science fairs because it has allowed her to connect with others “who have the same drive and passion for learning.” She said she is thrilled to compete in this educational event beyond the walls of Westfield High against a high caliber of students. Fleron and Lewis agree, adding that the overall experience is what they all look forward to each year.
“[Competing] puts us on level with 1,600 of the most innovative of our peers,” Fleron said. “It’s a lot of work, but in the end, it’s worth it.”
