Science Stuff

Recently we've been learning about the carbon and nitrogen cycles, and everything linked to that, as part of our ongoing semi stuctured, but only cos we've got a book we like and are ploughing through it when we feel like it, usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning. We like our experiments too and we record what we do in picture form with labels. That's how we've always done it. Our pictures just have more labels these days.

But also I just wanted to add in two brilliant science learning sessions that arose out of life. Its how home ed works for us and why it's just so blooming fantastic.

One day I was washing up, yes it happens occasionally, and I'd run the water a little too hot and as I was thinking that very thought "mmm this water's a little hot", a glass broke into my hand and cut my finger rather badly. Within in minutes I was set for a part in a horror movie with blood running down my arm at an alarming rate and bits of tissue stuck all over the place. I kid you not. Anyway eventually it calmed down, Myster C lovingly legged it to the corner shop, as I couldn't find the plasters, for some more. Any way the conversation turned to the broken glass and the how and the why of its demise. Half an hour or learning and looking up all about the effect of heat on metals, stone and glass and all about thermal shock. The particular glass in question had rather a thick bottom which just didn't heat up as quick as the rest and hey presto, it shattered under the pressure of 1000 lbs per square inch apparently.

Another day I was running a bath, trying to sneak a moment of calm and solitude, but Myster C went and turned the tap on in the kitchen for something and no water came out. He was a bit put out that my bath was stealing his water and set to find out why. Ten minutes of turning taps on and off, wondering whether the different types of tap made a difference, was it the distance from the heater, was it the direction they faced or was it the size of taps and pipes. Finally he sussed it. Water pressure and the distance of the tap from the ground with the water taking the easiest option to go downhill again. The lowest tap had the monopoly. Science stuff sorted. I eventually had my bath. Lukewarm solitude sorted.