Secondary School - 17th February 2019

This year’s Science Fair was changed into NAISAK’s first ‘STEAM FAIR’ and was a much-anticipated event by the whole school. It is indeed through such a platform that educators can bring forward the right kind of ideas and innovations that will provide a boost to our educational system. STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student-led inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking. The end product shows students who take calculated risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process. These are the innovators, educators, leaders and learners of the 21^st century! If you would like to learn more about the STEAM approach, please explore the following link:https://educationcloset.com/steam/what-is-steam/

The purpose of the Fair was to provide the opportunity for our students to imagine and create something that would help mankind, using three Superhero themes. We had close to 67 exhibits with more than 134 students participating. Students rose to the challenge and produced some wonderful exhibits. One stall presented the idea of using Holograms to send out danger signals, while another notable demonstration was a Telesbow Glove; a combination of telescope and bow and arrow, and was designed to be used for self-defence. Many unique ideas and creations were on show from students across Key Stage 3. Students experienced frustration with repeated failures; however, our students learned about perseverance through this, and a deep and sincere sense of accomplishment once their experiment succeeded. Every year, NAISAK pupils are breaking records, with a significant increase in the number of students participating in the fair since last year. Having hosted these events for last seven years, I have realized how numbers are growing. Year on year, the number of exhibits in the fair has grown by a massive 50%, while only being hosted by Key Stage 3 this time round. So, what makes this event so popular?

Well… It encourages critical thinking skills, opens opportunities to work on scientific concepts, gives students hands-on experiences, develops collaborative skills, strengthens public speaking aptitude and, as mentioned above, trains students to increase their persistence levels. The idea of linking it to the MIT Superhero challenge inspired such creativity in our students!

Having the whole school body and parent visitors at the fair motivated students to do their best. It was a pleasure seeing our students being so ambitious to put their mind together and make a difference in the world!

Reena Singh
Head of Science