Friday Sprog Blogging: Microcosmos!

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Elder offspring: The dung beetle rocks!

Dr. Free-Ride: The dung beetle rolls!

Elder offspring's eyes roll.

* * * * *

The sprogs finally watched Microcosmos -- which, of course, prompted a second, and third, and fourth viewing in close succession. (They may be young, but that doesn't mean they're not obsessive about details.) Some of their reactions to the film:

Elder offspring: I liked the dung beetle best.

Dr. Free-Ride: Yeah, it seems like the dung beetle is set up to be the hero of the movie.

Elder offspring: It has to be pretty smart to figure out how to get the ball [of dung] around that twig. Also, pretty strong.

Dr. Free-Ride: I suppose so.

Elder offspring: It's like it has HM4.

Dr. Free-Ride: What?

Elder offspring: HM4. (Pauses, then explains slowly, as if to a little kid or a doddering parent:) Hidden Machine 4, which is strength. It's a Pokemon thing.

Dr. Free-Ride: Oh.

* * * * *

Younger offspring: I like the part with the ants gathering seeds. They get lots and lots of food stored for the colony. I don't really like the part with the bird.

Dr. Free-Ride: Oh, you mean the pheasant?

Younger offspring: Yeah. Actually, I like the part with the pheasant a little.

Dr. Free-Ride: Remind me, does the pheasant eat the ants' seeds?

Younger offspring: No, the pheasant eats the ants.

Dr. Free-Ride: Do you think it would be nicer if the pheasant ate their seeds instead of eating the ants?

Younger offspring: No, 'cause then the ants would starve to death. The ants die either way.

* * * * *

Dr. Free-Ride: What do you guys think of the part with the snails? [The snails are mating. In slow motion, as snails do.]

Elder offspring: It's cool, but the music [a "moving" operatic piece] is annoying.

Younger offspring: I think the part with the snails is silly. But I really like the ladybugs, especially the part where the one ladybug climbs on the other ladybug.

Elder offspring: Well, they didn't add any annoying music to that part!

More like this

Even though August has barely started, it turns out that the Free-Ride offspring have already been to quite a number of museums and related centers of edutainment this summer. We review the line-up:
Last weekend, the Free-Rides visited the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Here are some of the animals we saw:
Yesterday afternoon, I attempted to talk with the younger Free-Ride offspring about erosion. It would seem, from our conversation, that it is not just rocks that can erode -- recall of material learned in science class can also erode, as can patience.
Today, the Free-Ride offspring have lots of questions. Maybe science can answer some of them. Younger offspring: Why do the stars shine so bright? Elder offspring: Why do snails come out on rainy days?

I remember watching a Discovery channel type thing when I was a teenager about backyard critters. It included snails mating. Which is when my mother walked in and said "Are you watching snails having sex??"
I believe I rolled my eyes at her.

This one sounds like a fun video for kids!

Please ask your offspring which Pokemon game they like the most. I need to know if I have to add more names to my list.

By Thomas Winwood (not verified) on 10 Sep 2006 #permalink