Sense and Insensibility

Yesterday I was in my daughter's class for another Scientists in the Schools session. So far I've done Insects twice for both kids in J.K. (playdough bugs, head, thorax, abdomen -- I think we still have one somewhere), Forces with Angus in grade three (physics - hard) and Pulleys and Levers for Angus last term (in French -- hard). Smarter than a fifth grader? Well, yesterday was The Five Senses with Eve's grade one class, and I hit that one out of the park, but everyone from the second grade up can pretty much kick my butt all over town.

I had the Hearing Station. Did you know that animals who live in the desert generally have big ears because they lose body heat through their ears and it keeps them cooler, and animals who live in the arctic have smaller ears because ipso facto ergo hence? Go ahead, tell me you knew that, I won't believe you. The kids didn't know it either, so they're still not smarter than me. We looked at blown-up pictures of animal and insect ears and tried to guess which animal they belonged to (why the hell would they put a shrew in? You know a lot of six or seven-year-olds who are familiar with shrews?). We talked about sign language and learned how to spell everyone's name (Eve was easy. Marianna and Demitrianna gave us all a hand cramp). We experimented with me saying 'hello' to them with their hands in front of their ears and behind, and with small cups and larger cups with the bottoms cut out over their ears (which for some reason made all the boys say 'I come in peace').

Later on in the van on our way back to school for Eve's choir concert she was trying to tell Angus about it. "It was about the five senses. Hear, smell... see..... um, see, touch, taste.... um....see, hear, smell..." finally she said "I figured it out. It's everything on your face, plus your hand."

Comments

The Mayor! said…
Well I thought it was PLENTY funny! Partly because I too, have done them all!! Better yet, YESTERDAY MY GR. 1 daughter did the BUGS!! Ewwwwwwww!!! One went missing, it got pretty hairy for awhile there!! I've done so many of them, I can't even remember them all anymore!!! My fave though was when I got to run the tent station with the constellations on the ceiling of it....I just layed there all afternoon with a flashlight telling stories...NICE!! Gotta say, Eve nailed it, that's a GREAT way to remember them! :-D Happy Friday, thnx for joining in chickie!!
Fascinating info about the ears.
Anonymous said…
I love Eve's explanation of the 5 senses. She is one cool cookie, that kid.

As for the ear thing, I did know it, but only because I saw it on an episode of 'The Magic Schoolbus' a year or so ago. The Frizz knows all.
Mary Lynn said…
I must confess I did not know that about ears. I must've missed that episode of The Magic Schoolbus.
Pamela said…
Cute story! I would be so terrible at one of those science thingies - I totally sucked at science in school and now that I'm almost completely senile, wouldn't have remembered anything anyway!
Heligirl said…
You gotta love how they figure stuff out. Love the story about how she figured the senses. Kids say the darndest things. Well, you know that for sure.

Thanks for stopping by Heligirl my dear. Pleasure to make your acquaintance!!

--Jen (Heligirl)
So cute -- everything on your face plus your hand!

Come on over for some mom inspiration and encouragement.
Smart girl, that Eve!
You worry me. I have to do a maths day in my daughter's class - same age group - on Tuesday. The focus is "containers". We're going to make polyhedra... I hope. And we'll weigh things. At least I don't have to worry about doing it in French!
Julie said…
ooh, fun facts that i mut extole on younger ones who will think me infinitely smart.

eve cracks me up.
BeachMama said…
And I missed it this year, darn Mom visiting my Sister ;). J loved it as I imagine he will every year. And I do remember knowing the thing about the ears years ago, but since it isn't relative to my day to day I just let it float on by.

Eve knows just how to explain things right.
Rosemary said…
I had the taste group when I volunteered in Holly's class a few weeks ago. Kids will eat a spoon full of ketchup blindfolded and accurately name it but banana baby food...they had no clue. Of course would you want to eat bananas after you ate a spoon full of ketchup??? And I totally love the one sylable (sp?) name. :) Short and sweet that Eve.
Anonymous said…
"I figured it out. It's everything on your face, plus your hand." - now that is the cutest thing I have read this past week. I like the way Eve thinks.
Kelly Miller said…
I didn't know that info about the ears, but I'll totally be sharing it with other folks as though it's my own bit of wisdom!

Also, Eve cracks me up. What a smart girl!

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