3 ms·

I'm right in the middle of this. I have two sons (11 and 8 yo). Yesterday was the cub scouts Pinewood derby. The "kids" each build a 4-wheeled car out of a pin

by busyant 12y ago

I'm right in the middle of this. I have two sons (11 and 8 yo). Yesterday was the cub scouts Pinewood derby. The "kids" each build a 4-wheeled car out of a pinewood block. There are various rules that need to be adhered to. I resisted putting my stamp on the cars, but most of the cars in that derby looked like they were machined by Ferruccio Lamborghini. My kids' cars looked like someone had vomited on a block of pinewood. They did okay in the race, so that made me happy. On the other hand, my 11 yo has an upcoming science fair at his elementary school. This time, I "became what I hate", because I helped him a little too much. I got lab equipment from work. We're not doing anything fancy, but my "fingerprints" are all over it. He's making the poster, but I told him that the poster should contain his name and also state "with help from Dad."

bricabrac 12y ago
Ha! I can relate to this. When I was a kid I lived in a town near a Boeing plant and several of the kids in the local troops had parents who were Boeing engineers. It quickly became apparent at race time who had access to an industrial wind-tunnel.
dalke 12y ago
I'll share my first science experiment that I was happy about. I came up with it in a college class, so well after my science fair days, but it might be something your kids could do. There was pathway with a circular fountain in the middle. The path goes around the fountain. People have the choice of going left or going right. On the outside of the path are benches. My question was, will people avoid walking near someone sitting on the bench? I still remember the numbers. I only measured it when a person was walking alone on the path. If no one sits then 90% of the people veer right to go around the fountain. (Clearly I want to re-do this in the UK.) When I sat on the bench on the right side, only 80% of the people would take the right. 10% of the people changed their path to avoid me, sitting on the bench, reading a book. This is the sort of observational research that your eldest could easily do. Observational research the basis for a lot of research, though often overlooked in favor of flashier technology and lab equipment. The author of one book I read - I believe he was a field biologist - wrote that he gets asked how to encourage someone's child to get involved in science, and he suggests to buy a hand-held click counter. http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/revolving-doors/ http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/revolving-doors/ is an example of how test which sign is the best way to get more people to use a revolving door than a regular door, with the goal of reducing the heating bill. Down this way also lies eccentricities, like John Trinkaus, who won an IgNobel Prize http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ig_Nobel_Prize_winners#2003 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ig_Nobel_Prize_winners#... for publishing reports like "percentage of young people wear baseball caps with the peak facing to the rear rather than to the front". That's pure observational studies, with no experimental variable or control. It won't do well in a science fair.

by busyant 12y ago

bricabrac 12y ago

Ha! I can relate to this. When I was a kid I lived in a town near a Boeing plant and several of the kids in the local troops had parents who were Boeing engineers. It quickly became apparent at race time who had access to an industrial wind-tunnel.

dalke 12y ago

I'll share my first science experiment that I was happy about. I came up with it in a college class, so well after my science fair days, but it might be something your kids could do. There was pathway with a circular fountain in the middle. The path goes around the fountain. People have the choice of going left or going right. On the outside of the path are benches. My question was, will people avoid walking near someone sitting on the bench? I still remember the numbers. I only measured it when a person was walking alone on the path. If no one sits then 90% of the people veer right to go around the fountain. (Clearly I want to re-do this in the UK.) When I sat on the bench on the right side, only 80% of the people would take the right. 10% of the people changed their path to avoid me, sitting on the bench, reading a book. This is the sort of observational research that your eldest could easily do. Observational research the basis for a lot of research, though often overlooked in favor of flashier technology and lab equipment. The author of one book I read - I believe he was a field biologist - wrote that he gets asked how to encourage someone's child to get involved in science, and he suggests to buy a hand-held click counter. http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/revolving-doors/ http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/revolving-doors/ is an example of how test which sign is the best way to get more people to use a revolving door than a regular door, with the goal of reducing the heating bill. Down this way also lies eccentricities, like John Trinkaus, who won an IgNobel Prize http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ig_Nobel_Prize_winners#2003 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ig_Nobel_Prize_winners#... for publishing reports like "percentage of young people wear baseball caps with the peak facing to the rear rather than to the front". That's pure observational studies, with no experimental variable or control. It won't do well in a science fair.