Lots of Science

Chloe wanted to do the painting of the Christmas paper (we paint our own onto plain brown paper), however at 4:30pm I didn't have the energy to do that. Mildly annoying that she didn't want to do the paper painting earlier when I wanted to, but she wanted to make chocolates at that time. So I'm a bad mother and suggested she might want to watch some television instead. Had no arguments about that!

This leaves me free to blog :-).

Tuesday

Mad Science day. B organised a double bill of Mad Science. I'm not a Mad Science fan really. I've seen two presenters do the sessions and was left with the impression that it's a franchise business and not necessarily run by people with a great deal of science knowledge. One was a birthday party which was good but so many kids there it was more crowd management with a bit of science thrown in - so I guess not the best experience from which to make an impression. The other was a HE event where one child (an aspie kid and I'm always blown away with how much knowledge aspie kids have - no wonder it's reputed serious academia is full of Asperger adults) in the audience clearly knew more than the chap running the session. In the end the man running the session (they are all called "Cosmic . . .") just waved his hands in the air and said it's all magic. C enjoyed it but then she was 7 and just enjoyed the pretty colours.

B arranged for someone who is known to have worked extensively with a nearish Home Ed group to come up and spend the day with us. He was good :-).

He also provided the following info, which saves me much effort thinking about what to type.

MORNING SESSION 10.30am – 12.00pm Forces

DEMONSTRATIONS: Various fascinating demo's showing Forces at work using certain children coming up to help, and the whole group in discussion and predictions.

ACTIVITY 1: Overcoming Gravity with Balloon Rockets

Using balloons, straws, sellotape and thread in small groups to make balloon rockets.

This activity is designed to show Newton's 3 laws of motion in action.

ACTIVITY 2: Mad Science Stunt Planes

Following the special Mad Science Delta Dart design, each child makes and decorates a paper stunt plane. Designed to travel far and fast this streamlined design can be flown across the hall.

DISCUSSION: The Four Forces of Flight: Thrust, Lift, Gravity, Drag. It will be shown that these forces should be in balance for an aircraft to fly. Movement in three dimensions: It will be shown that all aircraft manouevers are a combination of PITCH, YAW (side to side movement) and ROLL.

ACTIVITY 2 continues: Modifications to wing and rudder can then be made creating flaps which will cause the dart to move left or right, pitch up and down or execute a roll.

DEMO: The Bernoulli Effect . Using such objects as a hair dryer, leaf blower, balloons and beachballs we show in a dramatic way how difference in air pressure creates LIFT.

AFTERNOON SESSION 1.00pm to 2.30pm States of Matter

DISCUSSION : Solids Liquids and Gases: definitions. States of Matter - how materials can change between solid, liquid and gas states. Nature of normal fluids.

DEMO: Non Newtonian fluids: 'Magic Mud' Cornflour and water gets thicker 'under stress', ie when stirred or prodded. We discuss other liquids that do something similar or in some cases the opposite.

ACTIVITY 1: We mix two chemicals: PVA and Borax to make 'Mad Science Slime' - a weird halfway house between liquid and solid states. Each child makes a small amount to take home with them.

DEMO / ACTIVITY 2: Dry Ice.

We explore the special nature of frozen carbon dioxide: 'a special kind of ice which never melts'. We demonstrate what happens when the material is heated: clouds of vapour appear and we show Harry Potter style bubbling potions. We discuss how the stuff is used in films and TV to make cloud effects or spooky graveyard scenes.


After all that we collected AL who came back to our house. They made some bird food from a book C bought on Sunday, the Amazing Flying Bird Bread. Then they played.

After AL had been collected and we had dinner, C spent a lot of time playing with the silly putty she'd made at Mad Science:




Referring to the"Solids Liquids and Gases: definitions. States of Matter - how materials can change between solid, liquid and gas states." element of her Mad Science day, she shared with me an insight; "even the food in your body turns from a solid, to a liquid to a gas".

Wednesday was another early start. We took M to the station and returned home for breakfast and for C to play some more with her silly putty. She made some excellent bongo drums and an amazing extending necklace:



Then a mad dash to get dressed and in the car to go to Latinetc. We arrived exactly on time :-). Following Gina's revised timetable to account for Katy being out working, we rattled through all subjects other than Latin and French. I particularly loved listening to M reading in his group for the musical stories. His english is extraordinary seeing as he's only been here a couple of months:



C enjoyed Music Theory - had no problems at all. She has some homework from that that she is happy to do. Science was not as successful as Helen would have liked but C enjoyed it anyway. After lunch, Katy returned and Latin was done followed by Parachute Games in the field, in French. Katy persuaded children to come in by bribing them with hot chocolate (it was a sunny, blue sky day but very nippy!), which was our cue to have to get to guitar.

Got there 10 mins early so refuelled and grumbled about the cost of that, before standing on Gad's doorstep freezing, getting back into the car and texting him to see where he was. He was still in town (having decided to do some shopping), so we brought him home and C still got a 40 minute lesson, which, to be honest, is all she was up for as she was coming down with a cold. I had prepaid for this lesson so he is giving her her next lesson for free in compensation.

C&I were originally going to go home but she wanted to go to the shops, mooched around John Lewis and Marcus met us there in the toy department:



That's Chloe with a Lego basketball player, not Marcus ;-). She bought herself the piggy she's holding.

We then treated ourselves to dinner in the JL restaurant as I wanted to minimise the amount of cold air C was exposed to. A visit to Waitrose and then it was time for M's guitar lesson. I read more of "Who Runs Britain" about Philip Green's success and C read the National Geographic magazine she'd picked up at Waitrose.

Today, Thursday, we didn't go to Italian as I'd texted the night before saying C was sniffling and snuffling. Deb didn't get the message and rang to see where we were and said in future she doesn't mind about colds. Especially as her children are either in school or nursery. She also said most people aren't worried but I am about other people bringing bugs to us so try not to do it to other people. Anyway, C had cried about missing Italian so I will just take her bugs and all next time.

Did take her to Stitch and Sew as that's not in someone's home - also told the lady running it that C was sniffly with cold and to isolate her if necessary. C was happy to get to that, home and in the car I suggested cancelling tennis tomorrow as it's outside and I want to keep her chest warm. So she was mad about that, tried to storm into the house, found M had gone to work so had locked the door and had to come back to the car to ask for the door key. Unlocked the door and dumped my keys on the side before storming up to her room and shutting the door.

I made a lovely cup of tea :-).

Then went up to ask why she was mad at me when I only want her to not get really ill. Made up and left her there reading (she finished the fifth Heartlands book) and I tidied up downstairs.

Then when she'd finished we had lunch.

C made some chocolates after lunch and we wrapped her Secret Santa present. Then she played the Playmobil Egyptian CD-ROM picked up for free at JL last night, then watched some tv (after me not wanting her to do the painting as first mentioned above), then I remembered Beccy had lent us "Victorian Farm" and "Tales from the Green Valley" so suggested she watch one of them. She chose Victorian Farm.

I'm researching Shoe Goo to fix my much loved very comfortable walking shoes. The uppers are fine but the soles have holes that allow water ingress. (I do have another pair that don't leak but am still wanting to not throw something away if it can be repaired). Thinking it may fix M's Timberlands too that have both cracked across the sole.

Also this week we have been watching "Shackleton" as I wish to return it next week. We've stopped evening watching now as I'm worried about her seeing something disturbing and consequently having bad dreams. Saturday morning will be a tv morning.