Janet D. Stemwedel (whose nom de blog is Dr. Free-Ride) is an associate professor of philosophy at San Jose State University. Before becoming a philosopher, she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry. Email her at dr.freeride@gmail.com.
At Casa Free-Ride, our science fair discussions take an unexpected turn:
Younger offspring: I want to do a science fair project, too.
Elder offspring: Hey, second graders don't have to do science fair projects!
Younger offspring: But second graders get to do science fair projects if they want.
Dr. Free-Ride: Seriously, it's not like the thirst for knowledge is restricted to the upper grades.
Talking a little later while the elder Free-Ride offspring was somewhere else, no doubt ruminating on the injustice of younger siblings:
Dr. Free-Ride: What kind of project would you do?
Younger offspring: I don't know.
Dr. Free-Ride: What kind of thing are you interested in finding out?
Younger offspring: Hmmm.
Dr. Free-Ride: About some piece of the world that maybe they won't teach you about in school ...
Younger offspring: Why is lava in the center of the earth?
Dr. Free-Ride: Why is lava in the center of the earth? That's a good question. But do you mean, why is the stuff in the center of the earth lava as opposed to something else, or why is lava at the center of the earth as opposed to being somewhere else?
Younger offspring: I think, the second one you said.
Dr. Free-Ride: OK. I guess we'd have to find out some stuff about lava, and its properties -- what it's like.
Younger offspring: Yeah.
Dr. Free-Ride: And maybe we could figure out, if we talked to some geologists, good ways to make stuff that acts like lava.
Younger offspring: Cool!
Dr. Free-Ride: We could maybe play around with different models of lava and rock and see why they behave the way they do.
Younger offspring: Yeah!
Dr. Free-Ride: Are there other questions you have or things you want to find out about science where we should think about whether we could do a project?
Younger offspring: I don't know. I can't think of them right now.
Dr. Free-Ride: Well, we can continue working on the brownie experiment. I don't know that it would be a good science fair project, but I know that our curiosity about it is ... strong.
Younger offspring: And hungry!
Dr. Free-Ride: Yes, we're hungry for knowledge. But please stop slurping on my computer!
Education & Careers
Physical Science
Comments
Yay! You've got a young experimental petrologist! (Or maybe a physical volcanologist.)
Next week is national Earth Science Week - I bet the USGS in Menlo Park has some fun things planned. (And I know they've got volcanologists working there. Maybe one of them would be willing to answer some of Younger Offspring's questions.)
Posted by: Kim | October 10, 2008 2:45 PM
My four-year-old Jack is still in a lava-fascinated space. He called it "Glubba" for the first two weeks, which just killed me. Videos on YouTube are a regular occurrence.
Posted by: Pat Cahalan | October 10, 2008 8:13 PM
Perhaps you and younger offspring can find out about lava bread. I'm curious about that one too.
Posted by: eddie | October 11, 2008 12:09 PM
You and your sprogs might like to learn a little cartography by coming out to an orienteering meet.
The Bay Area Orienteering Club (www.baoc.org) has meets coming up in the South Bay with courses for adults, families, and kids from about seven (with adults shadowing).
We have beginners clinics from about 9:30 on meet days.
Posted by: OriGuy | October 14, 2008 3:44 PM
If you want to combine a lava experiment with brownie production, some experiments using fudge as a substitute for lava were reported in the New York Times several years ago:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/science/07fudge.html
and the related recipe is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/06/science/07recipe.html
Posted by: Lab Cat | October 14, 2008 4:44 PM