Young Einsteins — or Edisons — test their theories

Ogdensburg — An assembly of inventors that would have made Thomas Edison proud put their inventions to the test at the Ogdensburg School. They attempted to separate iron particles from sand in small scale versions of an iron ore concentrating plant Edison operated on Sparta Mountain almost 110 years ago. As part of an Edison Expo the sixth-grade science students at Ogdensburg School were asked to invent and build devices that will be judged during the Science Fair being held tonight, March 26, at 7 p.m. See related story on page 14. “The only restrictions are that the devices be no more than about a foot in depth and no more than four feet tall,” said science teacher Marc Gaydos. “The entries will be judged Thursday night on the inventions and an accompanying informational display. The inventions will be rated for theory, blueprints and over-all design.” The descriptive displays, somewhat resembling a lab report with hypothesis, materials, procedure and conclusion, will be rated on “clarity, whether the theory was confirmed or disproved and several other points,” said Gaydos. As in the past, the eighth-grade class will also take part in the Science Fair. They have to develop and run an experiment to test a chosen hypothesis. Last year’s experiments included effects of temperature on paintball gun accuracy, several investigations involving off-road motorcycles, a survey of phobias and physiological effects of video games.