Stomp rocket

You know these things? You can buy 'em, but they're oh-so-easy to make. What's not so easy, is getting a real photo that demonstrates what is happening, so I'll tell you: they stomp the bottle and the burst of air causes the rocket on the end of the pipe to shoot up in the air surprisingly high, usually eliciting much excitement and laughter from the little ones. You can find the instructions here, at this great website, www.sciencetoymaker.com.

Slime is fun....

Solution A:
1 c. water
1 c. white glue
2 tbsp. liquid tempera paint or 7-10 drops food coloring

Solution B
1 1/3 c, warm water
4 tbsp. borax

Mix ingredients for solution A in a medium bowl. In a second medium bowl, mix the ingredients for solution B until the borax is completely dissolved. Slowly pour solution A into solution B (do not mix!). Roll solution A around in solution B 4-5 times. Lift solution A out of solution B and knead for 2-3 minutes. Store in airtight container or plastic ziplock bag.

for your birdie friends...

...or perhaps for a special Mom in your life.... or have your kid make it for their teacher, though teacher appreciation week is about past... I'm relating this information to you a bit on the tardy side....

Anyway, it's a very easy and cool-looking little bird feeder that I just made with my science and nature class. And then this afternoon I made one with Jack, for him to take in for his teacher tomorrow. Everyone really enjoyed making it, and it was easy to prep for. I found the idea at Kleas.

So see, here's what you do. Find a smallish piece of wood. She uses rugged chunks of tree, and that was what I was planning on doing too, but then I realized that what I had on hand was actually some biggish chunks of lumber, wood scraps from my carpentry class, and I used these instead of going to the bother of getting out the saw and doing all that work of cutting up a big tree branch. So this is quite a proper project for using up any old wood scraps you may have lying around. Ours were big rectangular chunks so these came out looking kind of modernist and spare, which I found pleasing. Anyway, now drill a big, shallow hole in your piece with a spade bit. Underneath, drill a smaller hole, in which you will stick a twig or a dowel on which your birdie can perch to peck out the bird cake you will be stuffing into the bigger hole above. And pre-drill a hole up top and the kids can twist in an eye screw for hanging the whole contraptions somewheres. I also gave my kids some sandpaper (stapled onto blocks of wood for easier handling) so they could smooth it up some if they wished. Jack (almost 6) really got into this part and even oiled his as well. The bird cake recipe is as follows:

1 c. bird seed
1 c. shortening (or lard)
3 c. corn meal
1 c. peanut butter

Delicious! Stuff the stuff into the shallow hole, hang in a tree, and your birds will go bonkers.

These pictures are from Kleas, my camera and computer still aren't communicating (please work on your communication skills, guys!)... (can you tell I've been drinking? I came home and my husband was drinking cachaca with his friend... and I was powerless to resist...).

baby froggies

ERGH, this is so frustrating... for the last few weeks I haven't been able to upload any of my own pictures due to a computer crash that is still nowhere near fixed. In the mean time, I'll have to scavenge pictures from the wilds of the internet AND try to paint pictures with my words, which I'm not all that good at... I'll give it a go, though...

We are raising POLLYWOGS to FROGS and it is so much FUN! I've actually never done it before. We went to Reed Park last week because we went there late last summer and there were tens of billions of trillions of TINY little peepers, everywhere you stepped along the creek hundreds would leap up, tinier than the tip of your finger. They were really adorable and entertaining. So anyway, we knew that there must be tadpoles deluxe there in the springtime. It was funny, we arrived and there was not a tadpole to be seen. Disapointment. Other creatures were pursued. Jack dipped his bucket into the creek to capture a water skipper, and as we all peered in to observe, to what did our wondering eyes appear.... but dozens and dozens of very tiny, very motionless... you guessed it... tadpoles. I had envisioned them really darting and bopping about but it appears that they exhibit different behaviors at different times. They're so interesting. Better than sea monkeys. But then again, I've never raised sea monkeys, so what do I know. Sometimes they'll all be floating near the surface, scarcely a wag of their tiny tails, noses to the heavens, all in a flock, and you'll think the little darlings have met their maker until you shake the jar and they all re-commence wiggling about just as hale and heart as ever. Sometimes they'll all be hiding down at the bottom amongst the rocks we provided to make it a more authentico environment. Last night I gave them some boiled lettuce which according to this website is their snack of preference and it's been cute to see them chow down, too. Whatever they do , they appear to like to do it together. Mass mentality, or just a good old fashioned sense of family... I don't know.
Of course Matt also pointed out to me that their jar, which is filled with creek water and has been sitting outside for a few days, is chock full of mosquito larvae, too. We covered the top of the jar so those nasty little buggers won't hatch and join the flocks of others that are already plaguing us. However, I kinda want to save them and observe them in science class on Thursday... they're interesting creatures too....
Did anyone catch that dung-beetle-ologist that was on Fresh Air yesterday? That was so funny what he said at the end... I've never heard Terri Gross get so GROSS-ed out! She was basically like, please shut up now. Lady, you asked a dung beetle specialist to be on your show, if you can't take the heat...

Anyway, go fetch yourself from tadpoles if you'd like an interesting and free new pet! Return them to whence they came once they've morphed, I doubt they want to live with you forever. And don't forget to get them fresh new creek or rain water every 5 days or so. They will die if you give them tap.

Now go mollycoddle those pollywogs! (I don't really know what that means, but it sounds fun...)

Here's to Science!

Making volcanoes and digging for earthworms with Eliza, Fiona, Liam, Bruno, and Anna! Thanks so much to Sarah Bradley for these great pictures.

Digging for worms...

... this is just something that works. I finished up an art class at my house this morning. I was tired and wanted to just clean up and be quiet for awhile. Bruno felt oppositely: he wanted to get his mess on and be loud and riotous. He also wanted to squish the baby. I felt my ire rising... I felt that old familiar agitated feeling... I felt my jaw getting tense and my voice getting more unpleasant.... and that's when I decided to drop everything and invite Bruno to dig for worms with me. I think it was a good idea, don't you?



We decided to hydrate the worms we did find with a little water we had in a squirt bottle. That was fun, too. Bruno kept wanting to hold the grubs we found, after all, " A Grubb just like me!" he said, but those things freak me out! I find worms much more unassuming.

BUBBLES!

Bubbles are always a hit. I was just practicing in the backyard with Bruno for some bubble making we're going to be doing in our Art 2 class tomorrow (we're studying circles). I used to make homemade bubble solution when I was a kid, but since I've been a mom and a teacher these last few years I have had a devil of a time mixing up a solution that worked at all. I used to be able to make giganto bubbles... I finally figured out today what the problem has been. HARD WATER. We've got hard water here at our house. Tap water was not cutting it. I bought distilled water from HEB and presto chango. Huge beautiful bubbles and Bruno jumping around screaming, shrieking, laughing, having himself a time. Bubbles are one of those great crossover activities that are awesome for all ages, from babies to big kids to, uh, certain 34 year olds who get way too excited about stuff like this. Anyway, here's the recipe I used:

6 c. distilled water
1/2 c. Joy or Dawn
3/4 tbsp. light caro syrup or glycerin.

Don't forget that anything with holes can be a bubble wand. We used a potato masher and other kitchen implements, a funnel, a diving ring, and a flyswatter. Not everything works but you'll have fun experimenting. Or not.

Much more bubble recipes found here. Though I would so love to make this someday:

The Secret Formula

The Base Mix:
1 and 1/2 Gallons of steam distilled (only) water
60 ounces Miracle Bubbles
40 ounces Super Miracle Bubbles
20 to 25 ounces Dawn Complete (Dishsoap), green or blue
25 ounces Dawn Lift-Action, red (wildflower Medley) or Yellow
This, I call the base mix. This seems to store pretty well and so I wait to add other stuff until I'm within one or two days of bubble time where I will use it all up.

The "lubes":
Also, in advance, I mix up the "lubes" with another 2 gallons of water.
Some of the "lubes" need to be premixed a day ahead.
4 ounces Astroglide (personal Lubricant), purple box into one gallon of water. (Found in the unmentionables department)
2 and 1/2 ounces of Equate (personal Lubricant)(a walmart brand) into 1/2 Gallon of water. wallmart sucks and you may be able to substitute a pharmacy product called Surgilube.
6 to 8 ounces Light Karo Corn Syrup into 1/2 Gallon of water.
Shake the lubes occasionally and before adding to the base mix.

The Beer:
Lastly, one beer. We use an 11 ounce "Full Sail Session" Lager (5.1% alch.)

This makes some mondo bubbles, as you can see.