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Rainy Day Science
May 12, 2009
We had a couple rainy days last week. Time to pull out the big "educational" guns. An old printer that stopped working earlier this year and that Damien (secretly) stashed for such a time as this - rainy days & restless kiddos stuck indoors.
The taking apart continues still and we finally put the pieces that were spread all over the living room floor into a bin to save our feet from stray circuit boards and electronic do-dads. It was too bad we couldn't have it fixed; many modern electronics cost more to fix than to buy new (but don't get me going on planned obsolescence). Although the pieces will all eventually end up in the landfill (ouch) at least for now we're extending it's useful life as an educational tool.
Just when I start to wonder if the kids are learning anything "scientific" from taking apart the trash they show us how the printer's mirrors make reverse/inverse(?) reflections. And Celine pipes up, "Did you know that the way the light comes in your eyes you would see everything upside down? Your brain sorts it out."
Hum... she must of read that somewhere because I certainly didn't teach it to her. Maybe our everyday life approach to learning science (read lots of books, nature study, take apart stuff and mix baking soda and vinegar in the kitchen) is actually working.
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Naomi on May 19, 2009, 5:49 p.m.
Hahaha! I could not help but chuckle when I saw this post because collecting old electronic equipment is one of Glen's favorite things to do... just in case he might need some parts ;0) We've had computers, printers, microwaves, dvd players and cd players, all nicely packed into cardboard boxes waiting to be pulled apart on a rainy day. Glen still remembers the first electronic thing he opened up when he was a kid was his dad's old electronic razer.
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Kathie on May 13, 2009, 1:08 a.m.
Do you freecycle? If so, try freecycling those torn apart printer parts - you might be surprised what the tinkerers in your community might want...
renee on May 13, 2009, 2:07 a.m.
Thanks for the idea. I do freecycle now and then (the e-mail list gets too many e-mails to keep up). I would definitely pass on the parts if they aren't too destroyed from the kiddo's explorations!