Grade 5 Students Take on the Science Olympics at Cardston Elementary

The end of the school year at Cardston Elementary doesn’t mean slowing down—it means levelling up. Each year, Grade 5 students trade in textbooks for teamwork during the Science Olympics, a week-long celebration of innovation, experimentation, and fun.

From teepees that withstand the wind to boats that defy sinking, this hands-on experience challenges students to think critically, collaborate, and apply the science concepts they’ve learned throughout the year.

“We started Science Olympics about four years ago,” said Grade 5 teacher Curtis Spencer, who helped launch the event. “It’s something I remembered from my own school days, and I wanted to bring that excitement and challenge to my own classroom. Our whole Grade 5 team supports it, and it’s become a tradition we all look forward to.”

This year’s challenges included:

• Newspaper Teepees designed to shelter a teammate and survive a wind test

• Gummy Bear Catapults launched for distance and accuracy

• Buoyancy Boats built to float while holding weight

• Egg Drop Containers engineered to protect their fragile cargo

Over 100 students rotated through the four events in teams of four or five. Points were awarded not only for performance but also for creativity and, most importantly, teamwork.

“I like working with my friends,” said student Eva Caldwell with a smile. “That’s the best part.”

“It’s fun because it helps us think creatively,” added Sage Easthope. “We try different ways to solve a problem and help each other grow.”

Minnie Hyde agreed: “We learn how to make things in new ways. And we get to do it with our friends—that makes it even better.”

But the Olympics weren’t without their challenges.

“Sometimes your teammates don’t agree, and it gets a little crazy,” laughed Bexley Vadnais. “But the fun part is figuring it out together. You can always come back from mistakes and build something really cool.”

Bexley’s team built a boat that held an impressive 161 coins in the buoyancy test—one of the top results of the week.

“We had to decide between decorating it and keeping it light. I told them every little bit of tape adds weight!" she said. "In the end, we compromised and it worked!”

Mr. Spencer said the event is designed not only to reinforce science concepts, but also to build real-life skills.

“We want them to work through problems, disagree respectfully, and find solutions together. Every event includes a teamwork component in the scoring—it’s just as important as science.”

The Science Olympics concluded with an end-of-year celebration, complete with t-shirts and small prizes for the top teams. For many students, though, the real reward was the experience.

“We love seeing how far they’ve come by this point in the year,” said Spencer. “They’re creative, capable, and confident—and this week brings that all out.”

As these four students and their classmates prepare for junior high, they leave Cardston Elementary with a little more knowledge, a lot more confidence—and a reminder that science can be fun, challenging, and best of all, shared.