Before the First Test

Before the First Test

1Inez spread a drawing across Tarek’s kitchen table. Three paper helicopters spiraled above a painted skyline, with a fan hidden behind cardboard buildings. “People will stop at our table for this,” she said. Tarek slid his notebook beside the drawing. He had written a question about whether blade length affected a paper helicopter’s falling time. Inez studied the small, plain sketch beneath it. “Where’s the part people will remember?”

2Tarek opened the science fair instructions on his tablet. The project had to include a question, repeated trials, and a record of results. His older sister’s display board leaned against the wall beside them. Their teacher had approved testing in the stairwell, but only during two lunch periods. “We have to finish the trials in those periods,” Tarek said.

3Inez tapped the skyline. “The fan could make the helicopters circle the buildings.” Tarek crossed out the fan before she finished speaking. “Then we’d be changing the air movement and the blades.” Inez pulled the drawing toward herself. “You could ask before crossing things out.” Tarek set down his pencil. “Last year my display looked finished, but I couldn’t explain why my results changed. I don’t want that happening with our names on it.”

4For a moment, neither spoke. Then Inez turned her drawing over. She listed matching paper, matching paper clips, and one marked release point. “Different blade lengths, but everything else the same,” she said. Beneath the list she drew three empty columns. Tarek leaned closer. “Those could hold the trial times.” Inez nodded, then wrote a question in the margin: Could the skyline go behind the results instead of around the falling helicopters?

5Tarek read the question twice. He erased the line through the fan and wrote, Demonstration only—not part of the test. “After we collect the results,” he added. Inez moved the skyline drawing beside the notebook rather than on top of it. They agreed to prepare two blade lengths that evening and use the first lunch period for trials. The second period would remain open in case they needed to repeat any measurements.

6At the door, Inez held out the drawing. “Keep this flat, please.” Tarek tucked it between two pieces of cardboard. He started to say that the skyline might take too long, then stopped. “Tomorrow, show me how it folds.” Inez smiled, but she kept the fan in her own bag. Neither had promised that every part of the original design would make it to the fair.