A few days ago, being the start of summer and all, I brought home one of my dissecting microscopes for my kids to play with. This is because they're outside a lot, picking up things, and on a bit of a bug kick right now. Anyway, this is a shot of them checking out a spider (Pholcus phalangioides), apparently dead on the window sill with a smaller bug (also dead) in mid clutch. We couldn't figure out what this other insect was, but I was all excited that my kids were being so sciency.
Still, not sure how I should feel about that. Science is one of those rewarding disciplines that come part and parcel with a significant slog factor. I mean I had to go all the way up to Grade 23 before I "officially" finished school, and I'm still sort of in "school" being an academic and all (I wonder how long did the others around here go?).
Anyway, another reason I put this up is because next week, I'm attending a children's book workshop. Consider it sort of another quest to hone my teaching capabilities (we do a lot of outreach with high school students, but have over the years been broached by a number of elementary school folks). As well, was hoping to shop an idea or two (Ed. note: one of them is yours, Jonathan - the other, my own and a nod to you, Bill).
So I suppose you can expect posts that relate childen's literature to science next week.
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One year when i was in grad school, I spent Christmas with my sister and her grade school aged kids. On hearing that their grey bearded uncle was back from school, one of them looked at me and asked what grade I was in. "Twentieth," I answered. His eyes widened and you could read the fear that said, "Oh God, it never ends!"
Am I allowed to average the two graduate programs, do I take the length of the shorter of the two, or do I add it all up? (I was just one quarter past grade 20 when I was "official" as a chemist, but the whole philosophy thing afterwards screws up the count. Having babies during the tail end of that didn't hasten its completion, either.)
D'oh! I meant to add: The Sprogs would be happy to review any kids science books, or science-y kids books (or joke books, for that matter) once they've come into existence. (Their psychic powers are still pathetically weak.)
I think, actually, you should add them both up. Since in my opinion, the person with the biggest grade number gets to be called Yoda (which is a good thing in my books).
beautiful kids, and i'm proud somehow just seeing them use a microscope. hope they become what they want, but good scientists are sorely needed.