Hi Everyone, If you need science ideas, here's a quick one you can do right now: Place a naked bar of Ivory soap in the microwave for about two minutes (or less). Other bars don't seem to work quite so well, but if you find anything interesting, let me know! Aurora
Not another ad! I have much science education tips I can share with you, and my posts are meant to share what know, not to be used as an ad. If you do go to my site, you will see many resources that are free, including an online article archive of many physical science experiments. Aurora P.S. Be careful with microwaving soap - it can get larger than the microwave if you're not looking! *grin*
Tell us a little about who you are. Are you a homeschooler? How did you come by all these science tips?
More about me! About me... I taught in the mechanical engineering department for several years (and was the youngest prof there in YEARS), and taught loads of classes at the university, from taking engines apart to working on rocket fin designs to vibrations, dynamics, and fluid mechanics. I went to Stanford for a PhD in combustion and worked at a local children's museum at the same time, where I really had a great time bringing my university classes to the younger crowd. I started my first set of classes teaching high school students how to make robots and rockets in a week-long day camp. (The robots worked fine, but the rockets didn't go quite as planned.) I came back to my hometown and started teaching at the university again and started another outreach program to all schools in my area - schools (elementary, junoir, and high school) would hire me to teach their science hours. I learned a lot about where schools needed the most help - in the physical science area - and that's where I really shine. I traveled to schools, toting all my science stuff for each class. That's where I developed over 200 classes to do with kids... I worked with kids K-12, but my favorite ages are to work with 7-12 years old and homeschool groups. I was so popular teaching classes on site than in a few months, I was doing 60 classes each week (that's a LOT of traveling) in addition to teaching university students... so I hired a dozen people as teachers to help me, and not being a business person, partnered with a very unethical person... but no more about that. Needless to say, the business collapsed and I was very overworked. Then I had the idea to record my ideas so I could reach and help more families. Over the course of time, I recorded myself teaching classes and video taped instructional demo tapes, and now I have the wonderful opportunity to serve the community without working myself into the ground. I still teach classes, and the groups I teach now I use to work on new classes. The one we just finished this week is the Zoobot Robotics class where we make real working robots from junk in the back desk drawer. One kid actually got his to fly. I am a teacher, inventor, and one of the most energetic people you will meet (at least, that's what people tell me when they meet me!). I think I wrote too much for a post - sorry about that! I'm just so excited to do science and share it with everyone that it just comes out. With Mr. Wizard and Ms. Frizzle as role models, and Einstien and Feynman as teachers, I have a lot to offer. Speaking of which, did anyone get the soap to work? We just did three of them here, and I understand you can still use it in the shower afterwards. Warmly, Aurora
Thanks Aurora, I looked at your website and it looks pretty cool. Thanks for posting! You sound like you have a very accomplished and exciting career. I didn't have a bar of Ivory...so I didn't get a chance to try it. I assume you use Ivory because of its purity...so another will not work, correct? Thanks!
Aurora, I think you explain your self well. I liked your web site and think there is enough free stuff on there for anyone to start some science stuff. Best luck with your web page
Ivory seems to be the only kind that works... Ivory claims that it's the soap that floats because it's so pure - well, it floats because of all the extra AIR they whip into it to make it less dense than water so it floats. It's the water molecules in the air they whip in that get excited and expand in the microwave (a microwave's only job is to excite water molecules, which is why weird stuff happens when you put in things that don't contain the H2O molecule). Another quick experiement for kids: Blow a balloon up so that it is just a bit larger than the opening of a large jam jar and can’t be easily shoved in. Light a small wad of paper towel on fire and drop it into the jar. Place the balloon on top. When the fire goes out, lift the balloon… and the jar goes with it! (The air gets used up by the flame and lowers the air pressure inside the jar. The surrounding air outside, now at a higher pressure than inside the jar, pushes the balloon into the jam jar.)
Wow...if I were as knowledgable as you in science I would have a blast convincing my kids for the first so many years of life that I was magical. LOL. My dd would never have fallen for it...buy my son is a sucker. lol.
I am NOT a science person! It's one of those things that are "against my religion", lol! (Running is another thing against my religion. In college, I would say that so flippantly, a woman once asked a friend what church I went to that didn't allow running, LOL!!!) Anyway, I finally found a science curricullum that is working for us. Right now, my youngest two are learning about simple machines. We found a pattern for an Archemedes Screw from cardboard and a two liter bottle, which has Phillip all excited. (Though it won't lift water, because of the cardboard, but it WILL lift popcorn!)
Jackie...what was the name of the science curriculum you are using again? Maybe it is because I am not a science person..that I can never settle on a science program. For awhile I was using Abeka science since I used Abeka language...lol...yep that was logical. I always figured I would use that until I found something better. Then I used McGraw Hill thinking the same thing. I have bought science unit studies...like on light, crystals, things like that. I need to commit...lol. Being of an unscienific mind I feel I never really know what I am looking for.
I used "Considering God's Creation", which worked well for me. This was more of Life Science/Earth Science. I would not use it for JUST younger kids...a lot of really tedious cut and pasting. Right now, I'm doing "Great Science Adventures" by Dinah Zike and Susan Simpson. We're currently doing "Tools and Technology" (translation: simple machiunes), and I also have "The World of Light and Sound". Dinah Zike is big into Lapbooking, and her materials reflect this.
I'm game. We have Ivory. BUT we have company coming this weekend. I won't get to try it until Monday. I will try to take photos of the experiment so that all can see the results. Aurora - (sorry if I got that wrong) I'm assuming I should put a plate under it? THANKS!
