I really don't mind helping out with the kids' school projects. But this one might take the cake! The entire 4th grade at CCS has to turn in a project for the Science Fair. No problem, right? Except there's a 12-page packet that came with the assignment, outlining just how it's to be completed and presented.
Um.......yea! I think they might be a little hard-core with the requirements, but who's to criticize a school that is actually making the kids work for their grades! It's just like the project that Ashley turned in, not too long ago, for her eighth grade Honors science class. So. Been there, done that. Now it's Mr Braden's turn. And being that he's my happy-go-lucky boy, it didn't seem to bother him that he delayed getting me the packet that he has had for almost 2 months. We started only 7 days before the project is due. (This is supposed to be well thought out, hypothesized, created and then reported on, with the results going onto a tri-fold poster board presentation).
No problem...I thrive under pressure. I asked Braden what he wanted to do. He thought that we should get two plants from Home Depot and see how long it would take to kill them. Killing things. Now, that's a boy for you. I quickly vetoed that idea because that was no project to learn from! Most of my plants don't survive very long...so what's there to investigate and prove? Then I came across a great project on a cub scout blog a few days ago--making crystals from sugar. There are several artificial sweeteners that are made from sugar...so the question will be: Do various forms of sugar or sugar-derived products make crystals? Braden was enthused and we started immediately, as it takes several days to grow the crystals.
We compared cane sugar, Splenda, and Equal. The density of each was different from the beginning. Equal and Splenda grew nothing. Splenda is supposedly made from sugar, and the natural conclusion would be that it too would grow crystals. (WHY do we even think that a chemically engineered by-product is better than what's organically found in nature? I love all the new studies that are coming out and exposing the truths behind the chemicals people inhale as fast as they can swallow all to avoid real sugar. Such non-sense! But that's a whole 'nother post.) The real sugar solution was the only one that grew crystals. That means yummy candy confections can't grow from the other two because they've been chemically altered.
Upon reading some of those 12 pages...I came across the part that said that the data section should include grafts that document the experiment. Sunday night, people!! It took me a minute to figure out how to create one in Microsoft word...but never fear, mother's here! I think it turned out pretty good. Braden did a great job. I can only accept grades for keeping it NEAT and in order. The boy conducted the experiment, sampled the goods, and crafted the board--exactly where I told him to.
**Disclaimer: We had a little catastrophe in the kitchen last night. Ironically, it was Braden that whipped a blanket around and knocked three of his glasses over, breaking two of them. He was in tears and got very upset about it. (A very real lesson in how all actions have consequences.) Obviously you can't childproof a kid's project. In his gripy-ness, he accused me of putting the solutions together wrong and that's why the Splenda and Equal solutions wouldn't grow crystals. WRONG! He quickly forgot that he was conducting a science experiment, and was collecting data to draw a conclusion, not an accusation. You can't force the hand of nature because 2 of the products he was testing weren't from nature. You can't get blood out of a turnip.
And the only winner is: Sugar! (Now is it any wonder! Seriously--when you can't get things to even grow from the artificial stuff...that you tell us something about it's composition and nature!) We'll be making the board this weekend. I'm sure the project coordinator will have me wielding a hot glue gun as he oversees the placement of his numerous photos and write-ups. And now that I know how much work this little charmer takes...we'll start looking for ideas now for my next fourth-grade project (in 3 years).
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