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Casper BLMers Help Judge Poison Spider Elementary Science Fair

By Lesley Collins, Public Affairs Specialist, High Plains District

Poison Spider school gymnasium. Karl Osvald helps judge a hydrology project. Shane Evan judges a project on the preferred snack for rabbits. A student presents a project on balloons to Tom Foertsch.

Employees from the Casper High Plains District and Wyoming State Office (WSO) Reservoir Management Group (RMG) helped judge over 120 science fair projects at the annual Natrona County Poison Spider Elementary School Science Fair in January.

According to RMG Geologist, Karl Osvald, “This was a great opportunity for the BLM to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to supporting the local communities that are both its beneficiaries and partners in managing the national system of public lands.”

Students in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades presented a wide variety of projects ranging from what kind of music dogs like to the geo-hydrologic analysis of a local drainage.
Projects were broken up into four categories including earth sciences, mathematics and engineering, physical science, and life science. Students were judged on use of the scientific method, experimental design, experimentation, data analysis, conclusion, and presentation of results.

Osvald noted, “Bringing in BLM science and technical professionals allows students to meet and benefit from the knowledge, experience, guidance and encouragement of working scientists and engineers that are not otherwise available in the small communities of the Rocky Mountain West.”

Poison Spider Science Teacher, Ryan Fuhrman, organized the event. Ryan’s primary goal of the annual Science Fair is to make the experience of learning science through experimental investigation and discovery both positive and rewarding for each student.