 November 2, 2012 - 6:00am | My 6 year old told me yesterday that she wanted to be a scientist and bring a magnifying glass to the park to look at bugs. That got me thinking. My Stepson had a BEAM Robotics book about 8 years ago and it seemed cool- we built one robot IIRC I was think that, particularly for my 1o year old (11 in a few days) that BEAM robotics might be a cool thing to do here at the house- though I suspect I need to buy a new soldering iron. I also have a kids microscope in the basement IIRC and thought teaching the girls how to collect a sample and put it on a slide and examine it under a microscope might be equally a good activity. Thought I'd post a thread for discussion on science activities for kids. BTW: I helped my stepson with a science project for plate techtonics. Drilled two holes into block of 2X4 at 90 degrees that met in the middle. This let us jam a caulk gun into the side hole and have caulk come up on top. We then attached two pieces of angle iron to the sides so that they would hold in place a techtonic plate (1/2" pice of plywood) with holes in a line down the middle and the angle iron allowed for this plate to slide but not be pushed off the 2X4. He was able to graphically demonstrate the formation of the Hawian islands. I also coached him on writing the paper and how to collect is basic facts on index cards. (I also made sure he was using good sources and even found a few for him on the net). I never told him that the next step I used was laying them all out on your bed so you could see them all and arrange them into groups but that's what he did which surprised me and I showed him how his basic groups gave him his outline and so he wrote the paper and outline then I went back and circled in ink all the mispelling and gramar mistakes I could find and made him recopy it (which he hated doing). Thing was at 12 he produced paper that was on par with what a college freshman might do here in America and his teacher gave him an F and accused me of writing it! Absolutely crushed him after all that hard work he put in over the summer so that he could advance to the next grade. I had to go to bat for him and could plainly tell that the principle thought I was full of crap but since it was a Christian school and she and I professed to be Christians I couldn't very well tell her she was a "stupid witch" with a B and she had to be polite and not call me a liar to my face. In the end I challenged them to quiz him on his knowledge of plate techtonics and see if he didn't know the facts presented in the paper. Poor kid- the public school had had him in a pod learning experiment which meant his natural urge to talk and socialize sabotaged him into constantly talking to the kids who's desk were shoved up against his. Which lead to the teachers pushing to have him examined by a physician which lead to a diagnosis of HDD and a riddlin perscription to drug him into insensitivity. By the time I was on the scene he was considered a problem (because the mother had stopped the drugs fairly quickly). I moved him to a private school with traditional set up of desks in isles and rows and he stopped talking and started paying attention. unfortunately his bad study habits had been solidly formed at the public school and the christian school pegged him as one of the kids that would be better off at the public school so he didn't bring down there test numbers. plus we weren't member of that church nor of the same theology so that put me at a certain disadvantage that requied all my seminary experience to try to sweet talk them. He did eventually end up at the public school and counciled to join the army for structure and career. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2012 - 6:00am | I guess I rambled there- original point was to convey the plate techtonic demo. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 2, 2012 - 7:21am | Wow man. As I was reading the rambling part, I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes: "The greatest cause of ATHIESTS is CHRISTIANS who acknowledge Jesus with their mouths, and deny him with their lifestyles." That is really bad the way that was handled by the school. It sounds like once she jumped to conclusions, the school felt the need to back her and that is just not right. As a pastor, I cringe every time I hear a story like this one. Mostly because I see yet another opportunity for people to draw the (incorrect) conclusion that GOD=this person. Teachers and leaders are help to a stricter judgement because of the tendancy for people to base their view of God on his (mis)representatives. It makes me sad that one of your stepson's foundational memories will be of a "Christian, Church, School" that did something like that to him. On the plus side, I guess the incident spared him from having to actually ATTEND a school that would handle things like that. Perhaps the lack of long term influence on his life is an actual plus? Anyways, cool about the plate techtonics experiment. :) |
November 2, 2012 - 9:24am | @OFO: Actually it became obvious that they were looking to invite him to leave, at least it seemed that way to me and I did a lot fast talking, quoting of key verses of scripture and even teared up on one occassion talking about how I just wanted to honor God as a father (tears were not faked either no matter how cynical I sound now) though I plainly played on some key points of christian guilt- a bible college education will equip you for that. Unfortunately Diego gave them one too many excuses to kick him out. It was actually all good as i was beginning to detect some personality cult going on with worship of the pastor - some of the principle's reactions to and statements about the pastor combimed with a story I heard from somone concerning that church leads me to say that about the personality cult. Its either that or the principle had a serious crush on the pastor; i dunno which it was but probably for the best we ended our association with them. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2012 - 9:26am | So back to science for kids: I thinking in terms of hands on fun kind of stuff though probably staying away from chemistry. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2012 - 9:34am | @OFO: Actually it became obvious that they were looking to invite him to leave, at least it seemed that way to me and I did a lot fast talking, quoting of key verses of scripture and even teared up on one occassion talking about how I just wanted to honor God as a father (tears were not faked either no matter how cynical I sound now) though I plainly played on some key points of christian guilt- a bible college education will equip you for that. Unfortunately Diego gave them one too many excuses to kick him out. It was actually all good as i was beginning to detect some personality cult going on with worship of the pastor - some of the principle's reactions to and statements about the pastor combimed with a story I heard from somone concerning that church leads me to say that about the personality cult. Its either that or the principle had a serious crush on the pastor; i dunno which it was but probably for the best we ended our association with them. I say good riddance. Shake the dust off your feet. Rom 8:28. Maybe he was spared something even worse... And yeah, science is cool. |
November 20, 2012 - 7:55pm | Today is Rachel's Bday and i got her a discovery kit from the learning store on electricity- after reading the book with them and helping them set up several circuts light bulb, LED, motor, and buzzer the two of them have happily played away the hour with it setting up circuts with and with out a switch. We haven't gotten into the difference between series and parallel circuts but they're having fun. already have a request for another kit for Christmas. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 22, 2012 - 11:37am | I bought some books on beginners electronics and beginners robotics for my kids as Christmas gifts. The plan is to work through the books as a family and each build their own robots outlined in the books. My oldest two are excited about robots thanks to SF's. It should be a good winter. |
November 22, 2012 - 11:49am | I'm trying to locate the BEAM robotics book my stepson had but may have to just plunk down more money for another. The girls have done and redone every exercise in the book except for the ones on parallel citcuts (mostly because I didnt explain it). I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
