Science Fair

Dash and Angelina participated in a local science fair yesterday. The sponsoring couple is a homeschool family and they've really put a lot of work and thought into the planning for this first year. While the participation wasn't as great as they hoped, I think it really has the potential to turn into something wonderful for our homeschool group and anyone else who wants to participate.

Computers make it so much easier to create displays and allow a younger child to have an easy to read display. I helped the kids format thier text on the computer and I used the paper cutter (I don't let any of the kids use the paper cutter ... it's my fun toy and in my opinion, none are old enough to use it properly, yet!). The kids were in charge of creating the text, using rubber cement to attach the text to the background paper, and placing the text on their display board. The foam-board displays were even gridded, aiding placement greatly.

Angelina did a simple experiment that showed the effects of calcium loss in chicken leg bones. It's a simple experiment, but perfect for her age. She called her project "Funny Bones". We kept her experimental jars lined up on the kitchen counter and made observations every couple days.





Dash exhibited an electrical device/toy called a Vibrobot*. This hand-made toy is an example of closed circuit electricity, but it's much more fun than the standard light switch mounted on wood.







On this Vibrobot model, one connects the black wires and the bot will start to move around. It's cute and fun.

*I first saw the Vibrobot on a Martha Stewart show. What can I say, it was a weak moment in the early morning when I sat down to have a snack. I've watched the show maybe 5 times in the last 8 years. Anyway, I was definitely meant to watch this particular clip; the Vibrobot is perfect for someone like Dash. It was cool ~ I'm pretty sure any boy in the 12yo age range (and probably a few technic-minded girls) would enjoy this project!