Special to the Times

Torit Montessori School students in Grades 1-6 recently hosted the school’s annual science fair, which was attended by parents, students, and friends.

“The Torit Science Fair is an opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge, but it’s also a time to reveal their curiosity,” said David Liebmann, head of school. “Montessori students are encouraged to draw on intrinsic motivation to drive learning, and the Torit Science Fair allows them to show how they think.

The students worked in teams to pose questions about simple machines, ice and salt, electricity, magnetism, states of matter, and acids and bases. Experimenting and observing the results, they drew conclusions and shared their findings in poster talks with their guests.

Sixth grader AJ Wu explored the interactions of ice and salt and used his knowledge and experience from previous science fairs to investigate the effects of different salt mixtures on thawing. Fifth grader Joanna Chen developed an experiment about vehicles with a compressed air drive. She built a model using the technology, explaining the pros and cons of the system as her vehicle raced across the gym floor. Fourth grader Henry Johnson explored acids and bases, taking time to carefully explain them to younger Torit children.

“Torit students are curious and creative,” Liebmann said. “As our oldest students begin to prepare for transitions to next schools, I have seen their best work. They will leave Torit ready for challenging academic programs around New England, and I know they will represent Torit’s core values of curiosity, independence, knowledge, and humility in the years to come.”

For more information about Torit Montessori School, located at 300 Cambridge St. in Boston, visit www.toritschool.org.