Friday, February 25, 2011

All In the Name of Science


Dane brought home the dreaded assignment a couple of weeks ago: The Science Fair.

Well, dreaded to me, anyway. I am not cut out for tri-fold boards and writing with magic markers. Fortunately, I married a man who loves him a good creative school project, so while I worked an entire weekend, Dane and Brandon put the scientific method to work.

A first grade science project is not an open-ended invitation to blow stuff up, burn household objects, boil eggs, or add Mentos to diet coke. Dane was assigned to "measure an object using two non-traditional forms of measurement, then compare your results using a math statement". But of course. For example, does it take more q-tips or paperclips to measure the length of my shoe? Dane didn't do that problem. It would have been much too simple, not very time-consuming, and all of the participants would have fit neatly on his desktop at school without mom and dad having to pose for pictures, print pictures, and cut pictures to scale.

Dane's problem?

"Which will take more, Harpers or Geronimo Stilton books to measure my dad?"

This is why Brandon helps with these projects, not me.

Dane's hypothesis?
"I think it will take more Geronimo Stilton books than Harpers to measure my dad."

Data?
Yes, those are Brandon and Harper paper dolls.

So, in conclusion:

We're hoping that NASA can use this ground breaking scientific discovery on their next mission.

Brandon and I took the pictures, Brandon printed the pictures and made the paper dolls (he calls them "figurines", instead of paper dolls. But we all know better.), and made the special "Geronimo paper" for the display. Dane wrote the information himself, and did the measuring and the math. Brandon also helped assemble the project sometime after Dane's bedtime, and posed for this all-too important picture:

All in the name of science.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Awesome!

I think my favorite part of the project is Dane's conclusion, "Yay! I got it right!" Boy after my own heart, that one. :)

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The Driskells said...

Love it, love it, love it!!!! One thing you can say is that your family will never be accused of being dull or boring! What fun!