Sharks, Shuttles and Such

TAKE NOTE: The curriculum has been building toward today for a few weeks now. First the kids were introduced to the musical staff, then they got to play around with it in various formats (a huge version on the floor, a poster size, a placemat size). But today they actually wrote notes on a staff. (Does that make them composers?)

During the parent participation part, we all played a suspenseful game. We sat in a circle with our eyes closed and hands behind our backs. One person, carrying a key and a coin, stands up and makes their way around the group, giving the items to someone(s). While they're doing that the group sings, "Here comes Johny, 'round comes he, he's hiding the money and the key." Then the group sings, "Who has money?" and whoever has it sings back, "I have the money." And then we sang, "Who has the key?" and whoever has it sings back, "I have the key."

It sounds kinda lame, but it was fun, I swear. ;)

SHUTTLE PUZZLE: Yesterday at Goodwill, I scored the Best Puzzle Ever for 99 cents. It's of the Space Shuttle and it's no ordinary puzzle. In fact, it's multiple puzzles. There's a big one of the Space Shuttle and one cool feature of that one is it actually has two nose sections (an interior view of the cockpit/crew quarters and an external view). And not only is there an over-sized shuttle puzzle, there's also banner-shaped puzzle that includes illustrations of and information about the shuttle launch, orbiting and landing. And there are even several astronaut cut outs AND a Hubble Telescope cutout. (Did I mention I found it for 99 cents?!) The kids spent well over an hour today assembling it and then playing action/adventure with the astronauts. The brave astronauts were trying to repair the Hubble, but some evil astronauts were trying to thwart them. High drama in orbit!

OOZE AND AAHS: Another Friday, another science session. It was down in Columbia City again today, so about a 35 minute drive for us.

Those who read about CJ's adventure in science class last week will not be surprised to hear that on the way there we had a loooong talk about expectations. I expect him to pay attention. I expect him to use his eyes and ears - to both watch and listen not just to the instructor, but to his classmates too. He assured me he would and that it wouldn't be a repeat of last week.

Yeah, well. ... Talk is cheap. Sigh.

For the first half of the class he was pretty much present in body only. I could tell he wasn't listening to any of the information or directions (and it showed when it came time for him to do something per direction). I actually went over to him more than once to try to get him plugged in, but it really didn't work. Heavy sigh.

With about 20 minutes left in the class his brain kicked in and he was engaged, and after class he was really helpful cleaning up. I suppose I should be grateful for that, but frankly, being engaged 30 percent of the time isn't exactly stellar.

I'm a bit flummoxed because during the first session of these science classes, he was almost entirely engaged the whole time. I'm not sure why things are getting worse, not better. Part of me wonders if it's the change of venue. (The first class was in Ballard. The last two have been in Columbia City.) Who knows ... I do know that he simply has to do better next week. Seriously. I think we might do some practice sessions using "social stories" (reenacting or play acting real life events) between now and then and see if that helps.

OK, enough of my b*tching. In today's class they made two interesting colloids. The first was slime - gloppy stuff that has a huge ooze quotient.

The second concoction was more along the lines of silly putty.

FRIENDLY FRIDAY: After science concluded, we went to the home of one of the kids' friends from yoga for a "play date." (What is it about that term that bugs me? And why do I use it even though it bugs me?)

We were there nearly 2 hours and the kids had a blast playing with her and all of her toys. :)

SHARK TANK: Around dinnertime, the kids watched another "Kenny the Shark" DVD from the library. They're on a big Kenny kick. So big, in fact, that CJ has decided he's going to build an aquarium.

CJ asked Christian how many kinds of sharks there are, and after Googling, Christian told him there are over 400 species. At that, CJ declared, "When I have an aquarium, I'll have all 400 kinds of sharks in it."

Speaking of sharks, you really gotta see this specimen recently discovered off the coast of Greenland. (Photo by Greenland Institute of Natural Resources - which has a great Web site BTW. Just make sure you click on the British flag if your Greenlandic or Danish isn't up to snuff)

This, my friends, is from the Iceland catshark species. It lives at ocean depths ranging from 2,645 to 4,625 feet (800 and 1,410 meters), where it feeds on fish, marine worms, and crustaceans such as lobster and crabs, according to National Geographic.

I wonder if the other sharks make fun of him. Or her. :/

CJ's 'to do' list is growing longer. In addition to establishing an aquarium, he's going to have a chocolate factory and he's going to open a pizza restaurant (that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert pizzas). He's also going to be a scientist with a research laboratory and he's going to work at Pacific Science Center. He is also going to design video games and make movies (a screenwriter-slash-producer-slash-director). He is NOT, however, going to be an astronaut, he tells me. I asked why and he said he'd be too worried about his space suit getting a hole in it and him losing oxygen.