# Levi the Leopard is going to the Science Fair!



## Team Gomberg (Feb 17, 2016)

My 7 year old signed up for the science fair this year! We homeschool through a public charter school with about 1000 kids, so there will definitely be some good competition! He's really excited and hoping to win a ribbon :shy: 

I helped him come up with the experiment idea. "Do tortoises have a favorite color?" Honestly, to us it's kinda silly but I wanted something that would involve a cool tortoise, be interesting for kids and easy enough for my first grader to do ON HIS OWN! (..too many parents do the work for the kids...)
I'm hoping that when the judges see he did it all himself, that'll stand out more than the elaborate parent performed experiments LOL

Anyway, back to the tortoise. We have permission to take Levi to the school and put him on the table next to the trifold board.   my son is very excited!

Here's what we have so far.. 



The plan is to make 5 colored boards and clip a piece of lettuce to each one. See which one he walks up to and eats from. We'll do it every day for a week, maybe 10 days and record it. Maybe we'll determine that he has a "favorite color" when he chooses to eat from a particular color? LOL 

My son thinks he'll choose green because it looks like grass. Good hypothesis! I think he'll choose red but only because of what I read on here. 

This should be interesting! I'll share more photos later when we begin experimenting


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## wellington (Feb 17, 2016)

Very cool, great way to educate on tortoises as I'm sure some tort question will come up.
Btw, my money is on white.
Good luck to your son and don't forget to keep us updated


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## Yvonne G (Feb 17, 2016)

We're not going to be able to talk to Mr. Big Head after he has his day of fame (the tortoise, not your son)!


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## naturalman91 (Feb 17, 2016)

that is awesome and i think everyone who sees it will love seeing levi is someone going to stand there and hold him on the table? lol 

my money is on red orange or yellow


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## wellington (Feb 17, 2016)

naturalman91 said:


> that is awesome and i think everyone who sees it will love seeing levi is someone going to stand there and hold him on the table? lol
> 
> my money is on red orange or yellow


Come on, pick one color


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 17, 2016)

We wont test white. Just blue, red, green, orange and yellow. 

Levi has been to multiple events so he's used to it.  hehe

And yes, I'll be at the table with my son the whole time! Not leaving Levi for one second. 

Hey, naturalman, you're in Medford...you should come by for the exhibit!


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## naturalman91 (Feb 17, 2016)

wellington said:


> Come on, pick one color



orange. lol


Team Gomberg said:


> We wont test white. Just blue, red, green, orange and yellow.
> 
> Levi has been to multiple events so he's used to it.  hehe
> 
> ...



depending on when it is i might be able to i'm getting ready to go on a 2month vacation to my brothers wedding in Louisiana then catch up with my family in Arkansas for a while then possibly La california for a couple weeks. depending on how much time i have lol


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 17, 2016)

Ok no worries.. The science fair is Monday, March 14 @2:30.


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## MPRC (Feb 17, 2016)

I vote for yellow...Or whichever board is closest!  I'll stay tuned for the results.


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## wellington (Feb 17, 2016)

Team Gomberg said:


> We wont test white. Just blue, red, green, orange and yellow.
> 
> Levi has been to multiple events so he's used to it.  hehe
> 
> ...


WHAT, come on, you know white will win. Tisk, tisk, I protest.


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## GotTort (Feb 17, 2016)

I think he'll pick whichever is closest. You should change up the order of the colors.


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## Team Gomberg (Feb 18, 2016)

GotTort said:


> I think he'll pick whichever is closest. You should change up the order of the colors.


Good idea, thanks... We'll change the order each test.



wellington said:


> WHAT, come on, you know white will win. Tisk, tisk, I protest.


Convince a bunch of first graders that white is a color! LOL


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## wellington (Feb 18, 2016)

Team Gomberg said:


> Good idea, thanks... We'll change the order each test.
> 
> 
> Convince a bunch of first graders that white is a color! LOL


A box of crayons has white. If it's in crayons, it has to be a color


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## Gillian M (Feb 26, 2016)

naturalman91 said:


> that is awesome and i think everyone who sees it will love seeing levi is someone going to stand there and hold him on the table? lol
> 
> my money is on red orange or yellow


Mine is on RED, meaning danger.


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 3, 2016)

Day 1 of testing complete! 

Here are the color boards. My son painted them and glued the clothespin himself.


(Not very scientific by grown up standards...but remember, it's first grade)

Then we got Levi out of his house and placed him in front of the color boards. 



It felt like FOREVER while we watched Levi just bask in the sun! My son was getting impatient LOL. So, he documented that in his journal  but it really was only 5 or so minutes...






Finally, Levi started to move...And look what color he chose!





YELLOW!

So, it's been recorded and we'll continue testing for about a week


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## Yvonne G (Mar 3, 2016)

Withhold food for a day between tests so Levy is more hungry. I love the picture where your son has his arm and head resting on his knee.


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 3, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> Withhold food for a day between tests so Levy is more hungry. I love the picture where your son has his arm and head resting on his knee.


Aw, thanks  he's so happy to be doing this with Levi!

Levi is an eating machine these days. He lost a lot of weight when we had to stay with my MIL and her concrete only yard! He's so happy to be back on grass and weeds...And he's finally feeling dense again. Yay!


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## MPRC (Mar 3, 2016)

So far I'm right...not sure that means much yet!


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 8, 2016)

So far, yellow is in the lead! 
Yellow: 3
Red: 2
Green: 2
Blue: 0
Orange:0

We rearrange the boards every test. This last time he was going for yellow again but last minute turned to the next board over, green LOL...


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 14, 2016)

Today was the science fair!! Levi was a hit of course  
I am so proud of my little boy. He did amazing. My husband laughed because he was a mini version of me doing a "tortoise presentation". I guess it runs in the family 

Btw, YELLOW WON. He tested 10x and yellow was chosen 5x. Technically 2 other times he was headed for yellow but as he got closer, he turned his head and ate the lettuce from the neighboring board because it was longer and caught his attention at the last second. If he hadn't done that, yellow would have had 7.

Here he is setting up the table..



His table was crowded pretty much the whole time, so I didn't get a good table photo. Here another kid is already checking it out..



Levi needs a much bigger display tub LOL



He presented to a panel of judges first then, well, as he said it, "I have a lot of customers to talk to!"



He won 2nd place. He was so happy!! And I'm so proud. He did this on his own and worked really hard. 

Happy kid!



Anyway.... Not that you all care.. LOL
But I think the tortoise science experiment was the best choice and super fun to do!


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## Momof4 (Mar 14, 2016)

Team Gomberg said:


> Today was the science fair!! Levi was a hit of course
> I am so proud of my little boy. He did amazing. My husband laughed because he was a mini version of me doing a "tortoise presentation". I guess it runs in the family
> 
> Btw, YELLOW WON. He tested 10x and yellow was chosen 5x. Technically 2 other times he was headed for yellow but as he got closer, he turned his head and ate the lettuce from the neighboring board because it was longer and caught his attention at the last second. If he hadn't done that, yellow would have had 7.
> ...



I care!! Your son is adorable and I loved his project!! If my kid enters a science fair we may have to steal his idea!! Hee hee!

Congratulations to him!


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## MPRC (Mar 14, 2016)

I guessed right!


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 15, 2016)

LaDukePhoto said:


> I guessed right!



What was your reason for choosing yellow? 

I was shocked, I didn't expect that all. My son guesses it's because it's the collie of the sun, he was drawn to it


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## MPRC (Mar 15, 2016)

I'm not really certain why I chose yellow. I just had a good feeling.


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## Team Gomberg (Mar 15, 2016)

Hehe well ok! 

I had my bet on red.


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## MPRC (Mar 15, 2016)

Guess I should go bet on the horses or something. Let my gut choose, though it will likely pick a horse named after a baked good if the grumbling is any sign.


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## Oxalis (Mar 20, 2016)

Team Gomberg said:


> My 7 year old signed up for the science fair this year! We homeschool through a public charter school with about 1000 kids, so there will definitely be some good competition! He's really excited and hoping to win a ribbon :shy:
> 
> I helped him come up with the experiment idea. "Do tortoises have a favorite color?" Honestly, to us it's kinda silly but I wanted something that would involve a cool tortoise, be interesting for kids and easy enough for my first grader to do ON HIS OWN! (..too many parents do the work for the kids...)
> I'm hoping that when the judges see he did it all himself, that'll stand out more than the elaborate parent performed experiments LOL
> ...


That is adorable! I love it!! So glad he scored 2nd place! Rock that scientific method, little dude!


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