Gittin' some larnin'

Karen and Emily have embarked on a new adventure this year. For 7th grade, Karen is homeschooling Emily.

They've been going for about 6 weeks now, and beyond not killing, maiming or emotionally wounding each other with their continual proximity to the other, they've actually thrived. They're both really enjoying learning & teaching at home.

It's been a really great experience for them.

I wish any of my junior high teachers had been this hot.Of course, I probably wouldn't have gotten much done if they had.

I also wish I could have worked on my Algebra whilst sipping an iced coffee......with this view.But again, I probably wouldn't have had as much self-discipline as Emily and would have ended up hopped up on caffeine and daydreaming about rock-climbing.

One of the most fun things about their home school has been the science experiments they've done, some of which I've been able to witness, and some we re-did with the other two Smithereens.

One involved the density of different liquids and how their density keeps them from combining.Another investigated chemical changes when substances are added. Here, Emily filled a balloon with ammonia then waved it under her sleeping sister's nose to see how fast she would wake up. The liquid in the bottle is what Anya threw up mixed with the ammonia from the balloon. An interesting look at chemical bonding.
Okay, really she watched water dyed blue by purple cabbage turn pink when vinegar was added, then release gas and fill up the balloon when baking soda was added to that and then the solution in the bottle turned blueish yet again. It really was an interesting look at chemical reactions.

For this one, she discovered the principle of surface tension and what kind of things break up surface tension most efficiently. Pepper was sprinkled across the top of this bowl of water.

She dipped several items in with little or no effect on the pepper. But when she dipped a piece of soap in the water, voila!The pepper scattered to the sides, as the thin film was broken by the soap and pushed the pepper away.

I've noticed the idea of soap has a similar effect on small children. They scatter when they see it coming.

This one was the effects of exercise on small visiting children and dim-witted dogs.Okay, that wasn't really an experiment. More of an observation. Shocking how activity made them so tired.

I'm considering signing up for a few classes at Smith Academy. I've developed a crush on one of the teachers.