The thing I hate the most is "helping" my kids come up with an original idea. Teachers have banned volcanoes, plants and water, the solar system, and teeth in soda experiments because they have seen them so often. So coming up with something new is a challenge, and my kids don't like my ideas. (Someday, I'll talk some one into doing an experiment on fluid intake vs output; they may have to pee into a container, but I'll bet no one has ever done it before!)
The other thing I hate is striking the proper balance between helping and taking over. It's supposed to be their experience, but when you go to the school displays, you can tell that there are some parents in serious competition. I don't like worrying about what kind of grade I'd get in 7th grade (or 2nd, or 4th) science.
All that said, here is Jake's experiment on diffusion (I'll introduce the fam more fully tomorrow; never waste good blogging material!). The idea and procedures were mine, but the work, the calculations, the poster board and the final report are his.
I hope we get a good grade!
Looks like it turned out great! Congrats to you and Sam, and let me know what your grade school GPA is!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the blog, Rebecca! I'm glad you are reading it. I told Sean that it was a great way to keep in touch without actually having to nail someone down to a phone call.
ReplyDeleteJust a note: we are using family aliases, so that a certain amount of anonymity can be preserved. It's pretty silly, actually. It presupposes that this blog will ever be read by people that don't already know who we are. Oh well. Dream big, I guess.
HEY! right on! hooray for you and your blog. I am totally addicted! if you need or want any pointers call me. just so you know now that u have a blog i will be a reagular visiter! wooo!
ReplyDeleteI agree totally and completely with you on science fairs. My kids are always being forced to enter for a grade, and when they announce that it's time to get their projects together, I sigh loud and long. My husband, who is a teacher, hates them, too. He did not require his class to enter, and he thinks that because only those who were really serious entered, it explains why several in his class went on to regions.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Jake! And I will be following this blog, Lyn! About time you got on the blogging bandwagon.