February 10, 2005
A couple of weeks ago, I called Annie's teacher and indicated that since science doesn't seem to be a part of the curriculum, I'd like to help out in that capacity (what was I thinking??? oh yeah, Sierra Nevada). She thought it was a great idea, and this past Tuesday we had an experiment where the kids made crystals with epsom salts. True to nature, I had a presentation on the fundamentals of atoms and molecules.... with 21 five year-olds.
To get into character, I wore my Ph.D. hood, which Annie refers to as "Daddy's funny hat" (couldn't be more true - wish I had the robe to go with it). We started out talking about how the Greeks thought that matter was composed of earth, air, water, and fire (of course, I had examples of all). We then discussed how the Greeks were wrong (sorry), and that there are actually over 100 elements or atoms that make up everything, and at last count there were 118.
Next, we discussed covalent bonding. Ok, I didn't tell them it was covalent bonding, I just said that some atoms like to play catch... a lot. We demonstrated this by rolling a couple of balls between me (the oxygen atom), and a couple of students (the hydrogen atoms). I pulled out one of my foam-ball water molecules. Well, we kept it going and went into the symmetry and pattern requirement for crystals, as I laid out about twelve water molecules. Before I could even pull out my poorly constructed snowflake (didn't I used to be good at that?), someone said that it would be a snowflake.
We talked about crystals some more, and showed a quartz crystal, and talked about uses of crystals, and what happens to sand if it is allowed to crystalize, and one time, at band camp... Ooops, started to ramble too much. We did the experiment, which killed my back (why can't 5-year olds be taller?). It was a blast!
The highlight for me was while I was cleaning up, one of the kids, Jerry, came running in to see me from recess. He had found a rock that had a small crystal formation on it, and was glowing from the discovery. I was ecstatic.
Four hours later, I was on the way home from daycare with Annie. A proud and dedicated parent, I was sure that this was an experience (daddy going to school and "teaching") that she would remember for a long, long time. I began our ritual of describing her day:
Excited Father: What did you do today in Kindergarten?
Disinterested Daughter: I don't know...
Puzzled Father: What happend after you checked in this morning?
Disinterested Daughter: I don't remember... my brain isn't listening to me.
Frustrated Father: You don't remember anything special about today?
Disinterested Daughter: No. I think Noah-A-Sound came today.
Hurt Father: Annie! I came to Kindergarten this morning with you and spent the day with you and your friends talking about crystals!
Disinterested Daughter: Oh yeah.
Resigned Father: Oh yeah.
Interested Daughter: Did you get me any M&Ms today?
Lost cause?
Patterned and Symmetric
To get into character, I wore my Ph.D. hood, which Annie refers to as "Daddy's funny hat" (couldn't be more true - wish I had the robe to go with it). We started out talking about how the Greeks thought that matter was composed of earth, air, water, and fire (of course, I had examples of all). We then discussed how the Greeks were wrong (sorry), and that there are actually over 100 elements or atoms that make up everything, and at last count there were 118.
Next, we discussed covalent bonding. Ok, I didn't tell them it was covalent bonding, I just said that some atoms like to play catch... a lot. We demonstrated this by rolling a couple of balls between me (the oxygen atom), and a couple of students (the hydrogen atoms). I pulled out one of my foam-ball water molecules. Well, we kept it going and went into the symmetry and pattern requirement for crystals, as I laid out about twelve water molecules. Before I could even pull out my poorly constructed snowflake (didn't I used to be good at that?), someone said that it would be a snowflake.
We talked about crystals some more, and showed a quartz crystal, and talked about uses of crystals, and what happens to sand if it is allowed to crystalize, and one time, at band camp... Ooops, started to ramble too much. We did the experiment, which killed my back (why can't 5-year olds be taller?). It was a blast!
The highlight for me was while I was cleaning up, one of the kids, Jerry, came running in to see me from recess. He had found a rock that had a small crystal formation on it, and was glowing from the discovery. I was ecstatic.
Four hours later, I was on the way home from daycare with Annie. A proud and dedicated parent, I was sure that this was an experience (daddy going to school and "teaching") that she would remember for a long, long time. I began our ritual of describing her day:
Excited Father: What did you do today in Kindergarten?
Disinterested Daughter: I don't know...
Puzzled Father: What happend after you checked in this morning?
Disinterested Daughter: I don't remember... my brain isn't listening to me.
Frustrated Father: You don't remember anything special about today?
Disinterested Daughter: No. I think Noah-A-Sound came today.
Hurt Father: Annie! I came to Kindergarten this morning with you and spent the day with you and your friends talking about crystals!
Disinterested Daughter: Oh yeah.
Resigned Father: Oh yeah.
Interested Daughter: Did you get me any M&Ms today?
Lost cause?
Patterned and Symmetric