tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77209507723873836272024-03-22T05:56:16.424-07:00Nerdy ScienceEveryday science for families with young children.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-59617824066344046722017-09-08T20:27:00.000-07:002017-09-08T20:27:51.601-07:00How do Animals Help Seeds Travel?<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Guest post by Jennifer from <a href="https://www.education.com/resources/kindergarten/" target="_blank">Education.com</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">In this </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.education.com/resources/kindergarten/&source=gmail&ust=1504477115590000&usg=AFQjCNEiHvoJyd02C5LoOJr9i6g4Kxg4_Q" href="https://www.education.com/resources/kindergarten/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">fun educational project</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, children discover firsthand how animals can help distribute seeds in order to spread them across the land.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br />
<br />
Many plants grow from seeds – their seeds are like baby plants. Seeds move around; that’s how plants start growing in new places. How do seeds move? Do mama trees push their seeds in dirt strollers? Of course not! One way seeds travel is by catching rides on animals: a seed in one place gets stuck to an animal’s fur, the animal moves, and then the seed falls off in another place. The animals help DISTRIBUTE the seeds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56mnB6Jm4KU20tYq6q_A-SVCoDhOAStbI4_YYsv8_sbzyVfT8r2oVySI9T995iGQaWGO9-qjuv35ARX2xJMLuAkI6M7tozZx8asid3Ih2coOPuNGryOkOZZ9Gd6RM0fK63aKPmE-VzQE/s1600/Animal+Seed+Travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56mnB6Jm4KU20tYq6q_A-SVCoDhOAStbI4_YYsv8_sbzyVfT8r2oVySI9T995iGQaWGO9-qjuv35ARX2xJMLuAkI6M7tozZx8asid3Ih2coOPuNGryOkOZZ9Gd6RM0fK63aKPmE-VzQE/s320/Animal+Seed+Travel.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Experiment Questions:</b></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Did you catch any seeds by acting like animals in your yard (or playground or park or nature area)?</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Did some fur catch more seeds than others?</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Did different kinds of fur catch different kinds of seeds?</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Did some seeds stick to fur better than other seeds?</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">What about the seeds helped them to stick?</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br />
<br />
<b>What You Need:</b></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Socks</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Scraps of fake fur in different textures</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Glue</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">An outdoor area with lots of plants</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br />
<br />
<b>What You Do:</b></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Glue the scraps of fur onto the old socks.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">After the glue dries, pull the socks on over your shoes.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Go play outside in your yard or playground or park or nature area.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">If there are more kinds of socks than kids, change socks now and then to give all the socks a try.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">At the end of your play, remove the socks and examine them carefully. Think about the research questions above.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Talk about the plants and animals you have in your outdoor areas and how you think they help one another.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">------</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Jess Note:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think my three year old would love to play pretend and be an animal carrying seeds around. I can't wait to try out the experiment though right now, everything around us is pretty brown and barren. I can see this being more effective during dandelion and prickly grasses(/high allergy) season. I'll circle back with how the lesson went at our house.</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-79132097963108967222017-08-27T21:24:00.000-07:002017-09-08T21:26:01.888-07:00Solar Eclipse 2017It didn't seem all too long ago we were blogging about the <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2012/05/solar-eclipse-2012.html" target="_blank">last solar eclipse</a> that was visible in our area. Five years flies by!! My then 3-year-old is now 8, and the newbie is now 3!<br />
<br />
A solar eclipse is where the sun is blocked by the moon. A total solar eclipse is where the sun is completely blocked by the moon. A total solar eclipse in a particular area is fairly rare. The last one in the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/back-1979-total-solar-eclipse/story?id=49310831" target="_blank">US was 1979</a>. There's another one in <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2024-april-8" target="_blank">2024 crossing over Texas</a>. Always take proper precaution when viewing eclipses, especially when viewing them with children.<br />
<br />
We knew the eclipse was coming. We even have family in the Salem, Oregon area. We also knew that 1. Oregon isn't 100% predictable for August weather (I moved into college in Portland on a super rainy day somewhere around the 20th of August many moons ago). 2. School would already be in session for J (and missing a few days during the second week of school for something that didn't seem to be a guarantee of a good view seemed a little irresponsible). 3. We hate crowds and traffic.<br />
<br />
Anyways, ~75% seemed good enough for me. The elementary school bought each student a pair of eclipse glasses and took the kids out during extremely well supervised (by parents/adults) increments to view the different stages, and they had a fun coloring/maker-type activity displaying the different phases of the total solar eclipse. At my daughter's preschool, the younger classes (of which my daughter is in) did not participate in the special event though they did talk about it.<br />
<br />
There was an impromptu viewing party at my work. I even made my company's social media page while viewing the eclipse. That's pretty fun. Here are my personal pictures from the event.<br />
<br />
The glasses were on, but the sun was hiding behind the clouds over my left shoulder (As it started, the sky was foggy in our area and super clear in Oregon, go figure).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxPj-r22x-bFXj3N8Dx9p6IqlJoXArOzkGaW4e8NRNJrmZ542hyVcxw07szIumyXJKQib6QB8R86O_JJa4Iq4T34apCmsWnaJRTYcJ-gWTBVUpMeS1k2yPeV60Oz5Y5RDbBqIJbf9SpE/s1600/solar+eclipse+glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxPj-r22x-bFXj3N8Dx9p6IqlJoXArOzkGaW4e8NRNJrmZ542hyVcxw07szIumyXJKQib6QB8R86O_JJa4Iq4T34apCmsWnaJRTYcJ-gWTBVUpMeS1k2yPeV60Oz5Y5RDbBqIJbf9SpE/s320/solar+eclipse+glasses.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally a part in the clouds as the eclipse just started (cell phone picture taken through the solar eclipse glasses):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDW4lhksNWySfYgpdwfEOkfwShJP01JbrJYRwH_X6nEpsBbQ5739oDiH4v6h6fvUi0EWSD_qntkkAhaZ4bXzOg4i0vLbowV7Oe9_AorA9ukHueRs8Db2GVw9CuYNfkiRN8kpOKev_bDx4/s1600/20170821_094138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDW4lhksNWySfYgpdwfEOkfwShJP01JbrJYRwH_X6nEpsBbQ5739oDiH4v6h6fvUi0EWSD_qntkkAhaZ4bXzOg4i0vLbowV7Oe9_AorA9ukHueRs8Db2GVw9CuYNfkiRN8kpOKev_bDx4/s320/20170821_094138.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Our maximum coverage from the Bay Area, CA. Since it was cloudy/foggy to begin with and only ~75% coverage, we didn't see too much noticeable change in light.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhcq_dfFi3OQJdwMcydfZ6g9mE_MT2eL-95R6YTAfkgqf47SAiGAjcer26tlkPojab9gxhoGP_Qdb2EDfRNCDzwK-2hXpyS2fSj0aktarZFGpfSCptXe2V9_jczvqM_QLdsFszdu-Ti4/s1600/20170821_101259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhcq_dfFi3OQJdwMcydfZ6g9mE_MT2eL-95R6YTAfkgqf47SAiGAjcer26tlkPojab9gxhoGP_Qdb2EDfRNCDzwK-2hXpyS2fSj0aktarZFGpfSCptXe2V9_jczvqM_QLdsFszdu-Ti4/s320/20170821_101259.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, I work at a pretty nerdy place. Someone grabbed a colander (lazy or not, this is a great substitute for a pinhole projector), and I suggested propping up the glasses in the picture.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA_rUG-sAnp4C9huJT2OqJ48Rs0GV7Xn4yGJHBWcHyXeZwmuiwCZbugkpqNkl4hs4dfhzU7qFKiAFBWcwSdBx6t_FlkMfW-ultGNV0jrWVuGZYwzfUmM8ZeQabDtwCMWEKKCJ0h4oQ_k/s1600/Solar+eclipse+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicA_rUG-sAnp4C9huJT2OqJ48Rs0GV7Xn4yGJHBWcHyXeZwmuiwCZbugkpqNkl4hs4dfhzU7qFKiAFBWcwSdBx6t_FlkMfW-ultGNV0jrWVuGZYwzfUmM8ZeQabDtwCMWEKKCJ0h4oQ_k/s320/Solar+eclipse+2017.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Explore more</u>:</b><br />
NASA has a great rundown of the <a href="https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how" target="_blank">Total Solar Eclipse</a> and what you can do the next time one is in your area.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-51213146891782107582017-02-25T12:39:00.000-08:002017-02-25T12:39:29.461-08:00Quick and Easy Pi Day Fun!Our family's favorite time of year is approaching, Pi Day!! Last year (and probably this year too), I didn't have a lot of time to devote to Pi Day Celebrations. Sad, I know.<br />
<br />
Last year, we had just returned from a week long family vacation at Disney World and were too exhausted to bake a traditional Pi(e) or go grocery shopping (and it fell on a Monday, boo), let alone blog about it in a timely manner.<br />
<br />
Here's our quick and easy way that we celebrated Pi Day (March 14, ~3.14):<br />
<br />
We made English Muffin Pi-zzas with English muffins cut in half, a tablespoon or so of store marina sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and 3 pepperonis (because Pi is around 3). I didn't take note of the time, but we baked in the oven, at 350 deg F, until the cheese was melted and slightly browned.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmJqJqZiw2mSbc_Pk9qgcZlou5OMfCmcnUvnq0GNhDXASRWPe5EDioB-hGZhi8vUu2ypGHxMYSmJT3PjNq169DMg87pwScdlEOhtQOuqEuZ82gygFbeW56Jf75M3lVd8zfRskDRcI7a4/s1600/PiDay_MiniPizzas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqmJqJqZiw2mSbc_Pk9qgcZlou5OMfCmcnUvnq0GNhDXASRWPe5EDioB-hGZhi8vUu2ypGHxMYSmJT3PjNq169DMg87pwScdlEOhtQOuqEuZ82gygFbeW56Jf75M3lVd8zfRskDRcI7a4/s320/PiDay_MiniPizzas.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then we decorated our (boxed) cake we baked the night before in our (affiliate link) <a href="http://amzn.to/2mpwNPs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pi mold</a>. It was quick and simple.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ql4uki1qEEvygnGO2w4CAl8GyhnzuZZj7j4InEN1rh3E06yaAa03MYGdkOv8TeXHlrHE7fiUBWULfOj4VEnCGFziyldRiVRR3UMjF8PjkvROV-hDhzpliGOJRLQqnn5LUWfi4WwpCP0/s1600/PiDayCake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ql4uki1qEEvygnGO2w4CAl8GyhnzuZZj7j4InEN1rh3E06yaAa03MYGdkOv8TeXHlrHE7fiUBWULfOj4VEnCGFziyldRiVRR3UMjF8PjkvROV-hDhzpliGOJRLQqnn5LUWfi4WwpCP0/s320/PiDayCake.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And the kids enjoyed it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtHarM5VCi0S3FTvs58p-8hnnLha_8MuSm2HPWvVdgh83X-ujuvvOx-J_a8YRDr0dCoC19F36w0SbAa0bHl0RLU8WDC0GudvB9IyAerZWlwSksqLgpdcvzk5JtA0VRIdp0fDRtbh2fjg/s1600/DSC_9417-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtHarM5VCi0S3FTvs58p-8hnnLha_8MuSm2HPWvVdgh83X-ujuvvOx-J_a8YRDr0dCoC19F36w0SbAa0bHl0RLU8WDC0GudvB9IyAerZWlwSksqLgpdcvzk5JtA0VRIdp0fDRtbh2fjg/s320/DSC_9417-001.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
As always, we took our annual Pi Day Family Photo in our Pi gear (the kids' paternal grandma makes the kiddos special shirts on her embroidery machine, lucky!!). Last year it was Mud Pi!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuw-UNlSofLjXZdzl8GpiVrm7_yvGPZhVZErbWDA4hctUVK3aQDVEiLTTzuosrmdGro6qF_0X3-dAv0p4isOruSYRy1fszsHrHrEQWk_mF4CLr4eHXbnIVrL64GQ9vsDbUFU61o_PheY/s1600/PiDay2016_familyphoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuw-UNlSofLjXZdzl8GpiVrm7_yvGPZhVZErbWDA4hctUVK3aQDVEiLTTzuosrmdGro6qF_0X3-dAv0p4isOruSYRy1fszsHrHrEQWk_mF4CLr4eHXbnIVrL64GQ9vsDbUFU61o_PheY/s320/PiDay2016_familyphoto.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Wondering how else to spend the day celebrating Pi? Check out the <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/search/label/pi" target="_blank">Pi Day Fun</a> that we've had in years past. My favorite has been the <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2015/03/pi-rate-treasure-hunt.html" target="_blank">Pi-rate Treasure Hunt</a>! I hope your Pi Day Party goes well!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-21462293982789806772016-11-25T10:36:00.000-08:002016-11-25T10:47:30.990-08:00Book Review: Ada Twist Scientist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iFG6tXJFi22C1bLQ9vqsfB2AxFJPguIRhdwaW1aFwtonkQUsLfa5tTi3945wx4Ykve-YczcSTmRCa3VqFu_ayA1QmTDkkPP0vJNDr8fldcgsSekqFjWA5xyZJRaR1DMcIVYHkDhTib4/s1600/ReadingAdaTwistScientist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iFG6tXJFi22C1bLQ9vqsfB2AxFJPguIRhdwaW1aFwtonkQUsLfa5tTi3945wx4Ykve-YczcSTmRCa3VqFu_ayA1QmTDkkPP0vJNDr8fldcgsSekqFjWA5xyZJRaR1DMcIVYHkDhTib4/s320/ReadingAdaTwistScientist.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Being a woman with a mechanical engineering background, I was really excited that <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/11/rosie-revere-engineer-review.html" target="_blank">Rosie Revere Engineer</a> took the literary place that I was hoping <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/03/goldie-blox-engineering-toy.html" target="_blank">GoldieBlox</a> promised. Rosie introduced us to Andrea Beaty. We loved the rhythm of the book and the message behind it: it's ok to fail, but you really only fail if you quit. I must have purchased that book for all of J's friends' birthdays for the next year (with much gratitude from their mothers). Fast forward a few years when I got notice (thanks Amazon!) that Andrea Beaty had a new book that I could pre-order, <a href="http://amzn.to/2gopzYh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ada Twist Scientist (affiliate link)</a>. Having had a super crazy schedule over the past little while, I forgot about it until it arrived in September. I glanced through the book with excitement, not truly reading it, and placed it on my end table to sit and get covered up. I was going to look at it more "later" and make my final opinion. We cleaned up after Halloween, exposing the book that I shoved aside, and immediately, my 2.5 year old wanted it because it was "Mommy's book." She has yet to put it down. We read it <i>at least</i> two times each night (once by Mommy and once by Daddy), and she's beginning to help with some of the words she has memorized. Here's my official review of <u>Ada Twist Scientist</u>:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ada Marie Twist is a curious kid who since before the time she could talk wanted to know everything about her world. She asks lots of questions and seems to have loving understanding, patient parents to guide her on her discoveries (and mistakes). She discovers a terrible stench and has two hypotheses which are not true. My husband and 2.5-year old daughter came up with hypothesis three based on the illustrations. If you have read it, what are your opinions on the stink?<br />
<br />
Like Rosie Revere, Ada Twist has a great rhythm though it takes a few reads to get it down. If you follow Andrea Beaty's books, you'll notice that the kids she writes about are all in the same class. Like Rosie Revere, Ada Twist is named after historical figures (read the last page to figure it out). Now, we joined the Andrea Beaty book bandwagon at Rosie Revere and still haven't read Iggy Peck Architect (though my dad's degree is in architecture - maybe a Christmas gift idea for the kids to get and read with Grandpa). My 7.5 year old son wants a book about a mathematician next, maybe Isaac Mission Mathematician?<br />
<br />
I'm also looking forward to hearing more about <a href="http://amzn.to/2gusQqd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers (affiliate link)</a>, set to be released in early April, just in time for Miss J's third birthday.</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-83299508621442798992015-07-19T19:51:00.000-07:002015-07-19T19:52:51.645-07:00Melting Ice in the FridgeSaturday night at dinner time had us conversing about our world. Somehow, the conversation was turned to, "What do you think will happen if we put ice in the fridge?" J, without hesitation, hypothesized that it would melt. Why? Because he's just that smart (intuition).<br />
<br />
John and J put an ice in a cup and placed it in the fridge over night.<br />
<br />
J checked on it during breakfast this morning and found that it wasn't completely melted! He was baffled. We left it in the fridge until lunch time, when it was found completely melted. They put another piece of ice in a cup and left if out between breakfast and lunch. That too was completely melted by lunch time.<br />
<br />
<b>Why did the fridge ice take longer to melt?</b><br />
<br />
The temperature in the fridge was above freezing, so the ice would melt. It took a long time since the temperature in the fridge was in the high 30 (deg F) range. The air from the fridge did melt the ice. It was just slightly warmer than the ice itself, so it took a long time.<br />
<br />
The temperature of the room (~72 deg F) was much higher than freezing point (32 deg F), so it didn't take as long to melt the ice cube.<br />
<br />
<b>Other things you can try with ice:</b><br />
<br />
Melt an ice cube in front of a fan. Have one away from the fan to compare the two. What happened?<br />
<br />
Record the temperature of various locations around your house (fridge, freezer, closet, patio, washing machine, etc.) with a thermometer and predict which ice cube will melt the fastest based on the knowledge you learned here. Place an ice cube in various locations and see if you're right!<br />
<br />
<b>Related Posts:</b><br />
*<a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/10/melting-ice.html" target="_blank">Melting ice, measuring temperature</a><br />
*<a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/10/melting-ice-and-colors.html" target="_blank">Melting ice with colors</a>Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-78997635585733915852015-05-16T21:50:00.001-07:002015-05-16T21:50:48.588-07:00Dolly ScienceSo, after Pi Day, my husband, John, came down with pneumonia for two weeks, we had Miss J's 1st birthday, and immediately after that, John came down with shingles (coincidentally, on the day Miss J was vaccinated against chicken pox and the day J's sixth birthday present of the <a href="http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/chickenpox.html" target="_blank">chicken pox</a> arrived on our doorstep). So needless-to-say, I've been working full time and mommying two (at times, sick) kids, basically on my own for two months. I'll admit that there have been days I've pooped out before 8p.<br />
<br />
Background on the lesson: I was able to save a few of my childhood dolls. Miss J has taken a particular liking to my Cabbage Patch doll, Meggie. She gets so excited any time we pull her out. Besides being a way to get her to stop evening screams, she is learning a lot. She took interest in this doll right around 7 months, and the bond has only grown stronger.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_Xsq6GIkwn6WyAsBSBrRp8V8mMupLikThdL2-yJH2uw_PMAphCD-v6SK2ElwA5Sbsnw5yAWrEwuEVKkT5yScE8kV0kZ0F2OVGfVRWroLNXEcAnyEHENcXfGYHIue8R7Q4SEvFFnyUBQ/s1600/doll_science.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw_Xsq6GIkwn6WyAsBSBrRp8V8mMupLikThdL2-yJH2uw_PMAphCD-v6SK2ElwA5Sbsnw5yAWrEwuEVKkT5yScE8kV0kZ0F2OVGfVRWroLNXEcAnyEHENcXfGYHIue8R7Q4SEvFFnyUBQ/s320/doll_science.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Science lessons learned by playing with a baby doll</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Anatomy</b>!! Ask about, describe, and point out parts of the doll's body. </li>
<ul>
<li>Miss J's favorites are the doll's nose, toes, and belly button.</li>
<ul>
<li>Big bro, J, is joining in on the fun and knows that the belly button is where babies were attached to their mommies and how they received food while inside their mommies.</li>
<li>J likes to help her identify body parts and will even sing songs (ie. Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, the Hokie Pokie, etc.) with her and the baby doll.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b><u><i>Have them teach</i></u></b>: Babies like to show you what they have learned. Ask him/her to point to the body part on the baby doll, him/herself, and you.</li>
<li><b><u><i>Relationships and conclusions</i></u></b>: Deciding what do do once you know a result is important. Ask your baby what to do if the baby doll is cold/tired/hungry/grumpy/happy/excited. How would the baby express if she is tired, happy, grumpy, etc.?</li>
<ul>
<li>Miss J loves to cover her baby with a blankie, giving hugs, tickling the baby, cheering with baby, clapping the baby's hands, giving the baby a binkie, etc.</li>
</ul>
<li><b style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Order and direction</b>: Science is full of order: you do this, then this, and then that (ie. put on bib, eat food, and clean up). </li>
<ul>
<li>In science, skipping steps can lead to bigger problems. Equate it to bathing your kid and then giving them that big giant bowl of chocolate pudding. Some things you just don't do out of order.</li>
<li>Show order while playing with the baby doll. See if your baby catches you doing something out of order or not what is expected. </li>
<ul>
<li>Do something silly like put the baby doll's shoes on before her socks. </li>
<li>Of course, discuss it with your child! Communication is key in science.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><u><i><b>Practice</b></i></u>: Retention (remembering how to do something) is important in science, so practice skills!</li>
<ul>
<li>Miss J loves putting bibs on Meggie and then pretend spoon feeding her.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just in case anyone was wondering, Big bro, J, also played with a doll at an early age (no gender bias here):</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFyZFJGssdA-3wQNH6UIO9vUOtqi4moqL4btQlV3Q648wndmdGmZFYKPwGEA3t8HxexdNuWJrjGgNT-rPDEMdrHFIXCppcWSYqKZx3g8IpciSOsFNfAiVhuTOtUZpV0GMM72dIUk1v20/s1600/J_doll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFyZFJGssdA-3wQNH6UIO9vUOtqi4moqL4btQlV3Q648wndmdGmZFYKPwGEA3t8HxexdNuWJrjGgNT-rPDEMdrHFIXCppcWSYqKZx3g8IpciSOsFNfAiVhuTOtUZpV0GMM72dIUk1v20/s320/J_doll.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What science lessons can you learn by having simple childhood toys around?</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-22017226004757480262015-03-22T20:56:00.001-07:002015-03-22T20:56:08.756-07:00Ultimate Pi Day Party! 3-14-15 9:26:53<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last week, we celebrated the Ultimate Pi Day (3.141592653...) with a Pi Party in the park. We had 20-30 people attend and had so much fun! Here's our Pi(e) spread complete with many homemade and store bought pies.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn0phq3CRbBxhGfZSU3UC1p2D7u_SoD5cEIE_9heo8BwgBkdvY3R4-XBot7Et0_15oaZ2EKhi6pc6TsTxx8FI6cKtEL79TNkZ8qlU39UXPVWQgeWysnpAiOwf_0TouhY23RKLzOIS3Qc/s1600/UltimatePiDayParty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn0phq3CRbBxhGfZSU3UC1p2D7u_SoD5cEIE_9heo8BwgBkdvY3R4-XBot7Et0_15oaZ2EKhi6pc6TsTxx8FI6cKtEL79TNkZ8qlU39UXPVWQgeWysnpAiOwf_0TouhY23RKLzOIS3Qc/s1600/UltimatePiDayParty.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One of our nerdy attendees made this sign by the pie. Do you get it? Also, our local grocery store got in on the Pi Day fun...notice the price of the mini pie?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4ztpSdU7eqZb6kPo4mzdy9q8EE_nMyPipZSuFkA9rcwrs6HAour3iBwVZm50n6bWikkbzFVgQzjZMiL3w_aAcp7azt5EQDZGH7d7hGxZZWbKWZuyulHqQQ2cn5fsBIV685YfLHLJa7g/s1600/i+8+sum+pi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4ztpSdU7eqZb6kPo4mzdy9q8EE_nMyPipZSuFkA9rcwrs6HAour3iBwVZm50n6bWikkbzFVgQzjZMiL3w_aAcp7azt5EQDZGH7d7hGxZZWbKWZuyulHqQQ2cn5fsBIV685YfLHLJa7g/s1600/i+8+sum+pi.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
We lined the other tables with butcher paper and traced circles for <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/pi-day-posters.html" target="_blank">Pi Day Posters</a> and <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/investigating-pi-for-preschoolers.html" target="_blank">Investigating Pi</a>. One of the attendees decided to reverse my investigating pi lesson to measuring the circumference with a string and seeing how many times she could measure the diameter from the circumference string (a little more than 3). The kids were more excited about the Pi-rate Treasure Hunt! Who can blame them?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiVH3DEeFgAI2i55lc-DYjrJ6YAE-XDuSnbmbH3a2AMI7rvBqTOAlpr4WBz0gPO35wurJsqr4lYPWNhn4kLEzYTBGZyY_IjPlkYePVeeDeRuuEQg3hIkUil8Zl1A-BMcZnYvrrGt3z3g/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiVH3DEeFgAI2i55lc-DYjrJ6YAE-XDuSnbmbH3a2AMI7rvBqTOAlpr4WBz0gPO35wurJsqr4lYPWNhn4kLEzYTBGZyY_IjPlkYePVeeDeRuuEQg3hIkUil8Zl1A-BMcZnYvrrGt3z3g/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+1.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWY_SytGS2f80Cn3lwheSGYlF1_LNdz3GKpd4chxp1pJRP_d7fMpt4c8OUbLzKZ6quKB4dAjSinKUIg4YEJMUl715n5PFNwZ6RI1FFLWz8sYbcgtx8WtzgVWZOudlNd2NVt2apoeyw6A/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWY_SytGS2f80Cn3lwheSGYlF1_LNdz3GKpd4chxp1pJRP_d7fMpt4c8OUbLzKZ6quKB4dAjSinKUIg4YEJMUl715n5PFNwZ6RI1FFLWz8sYbcgtx8WtzgVWZOudlNd2NVt2apoeyw6A/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+2.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwChhbyUioi0I5ma59R6b_df3gyxIumTOAD0CJ5NuDJKiLf1tIme_l5RCmVHX00GwGZyAKMMYuoJgwH99B3TMWrNatJB1VCtepUKlgCrDseDrCR-LKLE67AONIqakxEB2nCqJZImWAmGk/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwChhbyUioi0I5ma59R6b_df3gyxIumTOAD0CJ5NuDJKiLf1tIme_l5RCmVHX00GwGZyAKMMYuoJgwH99B3TMWrNatJB1VCtepUKlgCrDseDrCR-LKLE67AONIqakxEB2nCqJZImWAmGk/s1600/pi+rate+treasure+hunt+3.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlaT-9a4NU2dwav-RCaUSt0SmbykcYIsHuc23QYqFAF06VxlO2rPmYBimaOrGscruFOqInsjwIsEm6fvqCD_UZRG-x2BOD7ww8-xrC2PG5Lzof8VfQ_Jo5lTTpPk0inWU9216EM9fAow/s1600/Pi+rate+treasure+chest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlaT-9a4NU2dwav-RCaUSt0SmbykcYIsHuc23QYqFAF06VxlO2rPmYBimaOrGscruFOqInsjwIsEm6fvqCD_UZRG-x2BOD7ww8-xrC2PG5Lzof8VfQ_Jo5lTTpPk0inWU9216EM9fAow/s1600/Pi+rate+treasure+chest.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pi-rate booty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Pi-rate Treasure Hunt:</b><br />
<br />
I printed out an aerial Google Map of the park with clue #1 marked. The park where we had the event had a walking path, so I stuck the clues in obvious places along the path for the problems. Hints were more hidden, so the participants had to actively look for those if they needed the help. The kids had to answer 5 questions (preferably from the same set of questions) to get a prize from the treasure chest.<br />
<br />
I had three levels of math problems for the kids to find and solve. I cut and pasted the problems onto colorful 3x5 cards:<br />
<br />
Easy (green): Preschool<br />
Medium (orange): k-2 grade<br />
Hard (pink) = 3 grade+<br />
<br />
Then I had some problems for adults (yellow) who might have accompanied their kids around. Those were more high school math, up to pre-algebra.<br />
<br />
Here are the problems I came up with (note, my goal was to not make anyone cry).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Easy.pdf" target="_blank">Easy Pi-rate treasure hunt problems</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Medium.pdf" target="_blank">Medium Pi-rate treasure hunt problems</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Hard.pdf" target="_blank">Hard Pi-rate treasure hunt problems</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Adult.pdf" target="_blank">Pi-rate treasure hunt problems for the adults</a><br />
<br />
How did you fare on the Pi-rate Treasure Hunt questions?<br />
<br />
How did you celebrate the Ultimate Pi Day??<br />
<br />
<br />
Just for fun, here's our annual Pi Day Family Photo:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_D2NDMCoS1OUu0N98xQkyJkgl8-GJ6wWmmmqEaC-fDFgPGXNdP584sLZCAUNiXfGLTX6yqFYk5B_J4e-cKfMeYofKLoaj1WowjgDhJJM0Md-L-xe1Oj_gFRQF3goxx-X9uQ3YZs9J0k/s1600/Pi+family+photo+2015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_D2NDMCoS1OUu0N98xQkyJkgl8-GJ6wWmmmqEaC-fDFgPGXNdP584sLZCAUNiXfGLTX6yqFYk5B_J4e-cKfMeYofKLoaj1WowjgDhJJM0Md-L-xe1Oj_gFRQF3goxx-X9uQ3YZs9J0k/s1600/Pi+family+photo+2015.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
And one of the kids and me:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn67OnGiRhCgKo78Xc6F4xxi6zp4Iz5nXsh8g2gtdg56OfMgc_Ng2bUKmPKtC-QrzkBuuVTqbaBUOvgXo7xWbKjadRkuJ4oUgv5MBIv_yubKGj3htywrg1cGhaTxiVNK3qcKtqRqr0zsM/s1600/Pi+kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn67OnGiRhCgKo78Xc6F4xxi6zp4Iz5nXsh8g2gtdg56OfMgc_Ng2bUKmPKtC-QrzkBuuVTqbaBUOvgXo7xWbKjadRkuJ4oUgv5MBIv_yubKGj3htywrg1cGhaTxiVNK3qcKtqRqr0zsM/s1600/Pi+kids.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Previous years' <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/search/label/pi%20day%20photo" target="_blank">Pi Day Photos</a>.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-42153368556052908702015-03-12T21:47:00.000-07:002017-02-27T22:53:59.315-08:00Pi-rate Treasure HuntGuess what?? <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2011/03/prepping-for-pi-day.html" target="_blank">Pi Day</a> is my favorite nerdy holiday! My favorite activity so far has been celebrating with a Pi Party in the park. We made <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/pi-day-posters.html" target="_blank">Pi Day Posters</a> and <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/investigating-pi-for-preschoolers.html" target="_blank">Investigated Pi</a> (and ate pie, but that's a normal Pi Day activity). Along with that fun, I created a treasure map and some fun math questions and sent the kids on a Pi-rate Treasure Hunt!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9-YG8vWl9LCKcz98upCeKke-vJ1rp3OKodG-xQKMQO57Nqwhi4gVnBtuUx_N3cwjwtVqpQwSTvl246VhNaKx36kqY9IE2nboYSLClVbtP-MrGDqkVzsdZXYAUOad_mUFsaW45so6VX4/s1600/Pi-rate_treasure_hunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9-YG8vWl9LCKcz98upCeKke-vJ1rp3OKodG-xQKMQO57Nqwhi4gVnBtuUx_N3cwjwtVqpQwSTvl246VhNaKx36kqY9IE2nboYSLClVbtP-MrGDqkVzsdZXYAUOad_mUFsaW45so6VX4/s1600/Pi-rate_treasure_hunt.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>
<br />
I used a screenshot of the park on Google Maps using the satellite feature and marked a path for the treasure hunt. I had five stops along the treasure hunt, each stop had four different levels of math questions. Clues to solving the problems if they needed help were hidden nearby, so they had to look for them if they really wanted the help. The fifth problem was at a treasure chest. After solving that problem, the kids received a small prize (leftover party goodies, like mardi gras beads and silly glasses from years of storage). (Note: edited 2/27/17 to past tense and linked to the math problems).<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Easy.pdf" target="_blank">Easy</a></b> - 3-5 year olds (preschool)<br />
<b><a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Medium.pdf" target="_blank">Medium</a> -</b> 5-7 year olds (k-2nd)<br />
<b><a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Hard.pdf" target="_blank">Hard</a></b> - 7-9 year olds (3-4th)<br />
<br />
And just for the adults to play alongside their kiddos:<br />
<b><a href="http://www.nerdyscience.com/lessons/Nerdy%20Science%20Pi-rate%20Treasure%20Hunt%20Adult.pdf" target="_blank">Adult</a></b> - Trig and pre-calculus level - brush up on your equations :-)<br />
<br />
Happy Almost Pi Day to you!!<br />
<br />
<b>Related Post:</b><br />
<a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2015/03/ultimate-pi-day-party-3-14-15-92653.html" target="_blank">Ultimate Pi Party</a> - pictures of our treasure hunt included!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-67102332889959398062015-02-11T20:45:00.000-08:002015-02-11T20:45:32.873-08:00A Different Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGJoabepPabyu99GEsuCul7teXndB4ktd7M4uBShTcorJKaPNYtJmZhFYbu9pgVMQv0oRJC0R7ylz6nOYcWzg3Z6RlQWf3ILOiKLZkC1QyOZKJUUGd6761BVdL5TxFVrr3iQWae83fJ8/s1600/upsidedown_baby.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGJoabepPabyu99GEsuCul7teXndB4ktd7M4uBShTcorJKaPNYtJmZhFYbu9pgVMQv0oRJC0R7ylz6nOYcWzg3Z6RlQWf3ILOiKLZkC1QyOZKJUUGd6761BVdL5TxFVrr3iQWae83fJ8/s1600/upsidedown_baby.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
One of Miss J's favorite things recently is being flipped upside down. She'll crawl up to me and put her head in my lap as a sign to flip her upside down.<br />
<br />
I love caving in and letting her hang upside down. Why?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/08/babies-repetition-and-hypotheses.html" target="_blank">Babies love to predict what is going to happen next</a>. They crave routine.<br />
<br />
She is developing a hypothesis. I'm not so sure what hypothesis/hypotheses she is forming. Maybe it's if I put my head in Mommy's lap, she'll flip me upside down. Most of the time I'll swing her upside down. Every once in a while, I'll do something else, like tickle her to see her reaction.<br />
<br />
The world also looks different while hanging upside down. People seem to be hanging from the ceiling! It's not really so, but it looks like it when you're upside down.<br />
<br />
Your body feels different! Blood rushes to your head, and endorphins kick in. You try it - handstand on the couch, I won't tell anyone.<br />
<br />
Babies are discovering the world around them. Help them out a little bit.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-4759478407855500632015-01-23T19:30:00.000-08:002015-01-23T19:41:05.804-08:00Acute BabyI saw a design similar to this onesie when I was pregnant with Miss Baby J. We are kind of maker-type people (when we have the time). I put it on my list of things I want to make her, but I figured that I'd never get to it (much like updating this blog, which sat lonely for a few months while I was trying not to drown).<br />
<br />
Anyways, I had a few days over winter break to create my own shirt. I dyed a white body suit purple and drew the design in Inkscape before John helped me convert it into a digital file that is compatible with an embroidering machine. It's fun to have unique, nerdy pieces, and "acute" model to wear them:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStD3Ygd-KAwecRNUcDkpgqUbXP6txNg0SEkCIx4-aKIuF8AJKKiysu-u-k5wzqTqBDzUGsDVanq5VB-DMjwZSySm2V7N8x1AhdueRdWq5RyPbiSAz5RIgpwUcorqPYGW9iyFe9ncCAEo/s1600/Acute_Baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStD3Ygd-KAwecRNUcDkpgqUbXP6txNg0SEkCIx4-aKIuF8AJKKiysu-u-k5wzqTqBDzUGsDVanq5VB-DMjwZSySm2V7N8x1AhdueRdWq5RyPbiSAz5RIgpwUcorqPYGW9iyFe9ncCAEo/s1600/Acute_Baby.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-48045709320186356702015-01-21T20:58:00.000-08:002015-01-21T21:20:44.890-08:00Inside of a breast pumpThere, I've said it, "breast" is now on my blog. It's no secret that I work full time outside of the house. My breast pump provides me the opportunity to give my children milk during their first year. A few weeks ago, my older pump (~5 yrs old), which I currently use and keep at work, began acting up. It would oscillate and lose suction with each cycle. As an engineer, I wanted to find a fix.<br />
<br />
For a week or two, just re-positioning the tube connection to the pump would keep it in long enough for my pumping session. Then that didn't work. I just needed the external pump cylinder (what I'll be referring to as the "suction piece") to stop moving in and out of the pump. If it was stationary, the suction would work just fine. In a pinch, I grabbed some scotch tape (the only tape I had handy) from my desk. That worked for a session or two. Then I added more and more tape until finally I remembered to bring it home to ask John for some duct tape (which we didn't have! I feel like we failed as mechanical engineers).<br />
<br />
I explained the situation to John and that I just need the suction piece to stop moving and it works. John wanted to open it up. I was nervous, but it was well out of warranty and heck, we're engineers!<br />
<br />
Voila! The inside of the pump. It's so pretty, and fairly basic!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqGwcitGwActEu8U6FC7y339_4_MCqxINEbMnOzUTlinzyDL4Po9keIZ3i-TxfiE670aFZmWjkQuDChgSta6fg3D0mQrcFkxU44uYPN93EkmADGdX9X_6sCVmKnJwRoxKNHtAbdONDYo/s1600/inside_of_a_breast_pump.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqGwcitGwActEu8U6FC7y339_4_MCqxINEbMnOzUTlinzyDL4Po9keIZ3i-TxfiE670aFZmWjkQuDChgSta6fg3D0mQrcFkxU44uYPN93EkmADGdX9X_6sCVmKnJwRoxKNHtAbdONDYo/s1600/inside_of_a_breast_pump.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We saw the plastic clips that held the casing surrounding the suction piece were broken and coming off, allowing the piece to move in a way that it wasn't supposed to. We needed something to wedge in there. Luckily, I hoard milk caps (for science!). With a hole cut out to fit the pump cylinder, a milk cap was wedged into the pump. The pump was closed and tested out. It worked!! It's been ok for a week now, and I hope it lasts for another 3 months. A penny solution is much better than buying a new pump!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjish-7cFKq35Mn5hJhGNXxLQmiXtPA_FB7eBQQP3MjBi3b7_hprd2PtsenUyqmSl7bLhT-yvhukzrmm0yqalbV3Xcse0Fodax9jk2NafTPwf5iqwAN6KkSuDywszNa3Vp6KrHv_l03VI0/s1600/breast_pump_fix.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjish-7cFKq35Mn5hJhGNXxLQmiXtPA_FB7eBQQP3MjBi3b7_hprd2PtsenUyqmSl7bLhT-yvhukzrmm0yqalbV3Xcse0Fodax9jk2NafTPwf5iqwAN6KkSuDywszNa3Vp6KrHv_l03VI0/s1600/breast_pump_fix.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broken clips, like the one shown under the motherboard and our milk cap wedged in at the far right</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On a customer service note, my original pump did die 9 months into J (5 yrs ago). It was still under the first year warranty, so I called and they overnighted me a new one (which is the one that broke this time)! I was (and still am) a very heavy pump user, and until I acquired a second pump, I was bike commuting with my pump, which probably gave it some extra shaking. All-in-all, I've been very satisfied with my breast pump.<br />
<br />
<br />
Is there anything you recently took apart or reverse engineered to see how it works?<br />
<br />
Are there any mommy tools that could be helped through better engineering and technology?<br />
<br />
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) had an innovation contest to <a href="http://alltogether.swe.org/blog/mit-organizes-hackathon-to-spur-innovation-in-breast-pump-design.html" target="_blank">redesign the breast pump</a>. I'd love something quieter, less bulky/clunky, and more discrete!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-69872002949977261262015-01-10T10:37:00.000-08:002015-01-10T10:37:48.225-08:00Baby Science at Feeding Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN31aTWAsXjoWDZkRoEAeaPr1O6XcjxaTcP7m_1LAu27DCyoI1sUyteuBXaG6edsTeqOAYn5ERN9DnTwaSA7ijWyYfWm_k0mN13f0smeXc4dQ7LJSkIeqCKvi2TMfqaw5tCABM1RTgcwA/s1600/feeding+time+science.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN31aTWAsXjoWDZkRoEAeaPr1O6XcjxaTcP7m_1LAu27DCyoI1sUyteuBXaG6edsTeqOAYn5ERN9DnTwaSA7ijWyYfWm_k0mN13f0smeXc4dQ7LJSkIeqCKvi2TMfqaw5tCABM1RTgcwA/s1600/feeding+time+science.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
Simple science experiments that babies do on their own - and how you can embrace the science:<br />
<br />
*<u>Squish their food</u> - How does that feel on your hands? Give them something else to squish with a different texture. How does that feel? How does it feel on your face? How does it feel on your hair? (It's inevitable, you'll have to hose them down anyways).<br />
<br />
*<u>Prefer one food</u> - Give the baby a few different food items on the tray and watch him/her pick up the preferred items first. Once the preferred items are gone, watch which item disappears next. It's a form of sorting, the bin is just his/her mouth!<br />
<br />
*<u>Drop things</u> - Where did it go? Did you hear it hit the ground? Give the item back to them (assuming you're ok with whatever condition the floor is in). Whoa, did it happen again? Was it the same? Then offer something different (i.e. plastic, wooden, metal spoons). Did that sound different? How about this sippy cup? Whoops, the lid fell off. Did you hear the water splash on the ground? (you'll have to wait a few minutes while I clean it up!)<br />
<br />
Little Miss J is now 9 months! As you can probably tell by this post, we're well into the feeding craziness of babyhood. Oh, being a parent is fun!Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-15772594162242115282014-09-10T20:26:00.002-07:002014-09-10T20:26:53.179-07:00Card games for preschoolersWith the <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/04/new-to-nerdy-family.html" target="_blank">new baby</a>, we've been spending a lot of time at home and encouraging quiet activities. Being from Vegas, I have more than my fair share of cards, but J recently received a Batman deck for his birthday, which increased his interest in card games. Here are a few of our favorites so far and the skills that they teach the players.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kDQdr918KQhIYM66uVxbDoJb1NU2AxnXGJhs5lOHLPznS6Uv02S4RejIZuUskh_L2ol9xwOE9R3T6mqYabwfAkWFjimAKX8Z1qLqn4RVqI74A-PXuuYiCzWyUXNF4kADnVjd_1OcVLk/s1600/Card_games_for_preschoolers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kDQdr918KQhIYM66uVxbDoJb1NU2AxnXGJhs5lOHLPznS6Uv02S4RejIZuUskh_L2ol9xwOE9R3T6mqYabwfAkWFjimAKX8Z1qLqn4RVqI74A-PXuuYiCzWyUXNF4kADnVjd_1OcVLk/s1600/Card_games_for_preschoolers.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>Go Fish!</u></b>:<br />
<i><u>How to play</u></i>: Shuffle the deck of cards. Each person gets 5 cards, and the rest of the cards go in a pile in the between the players. The players look at their cards (not showing their cards to opponents), and if they have any matches, the players put them face up in front of them. The players then take turns asking one another if they have a card that would match a card that is currently in their hands. If the person asked has the card, they forfeit (give) the card to the asker, and the asker gets to go again. If the person asked does not have the card, they say, "Go fish!" and the asker picks from the pile of cards in between them. We play a variation that if the person draws the card that they just asked for from the "Go fish!" pile and gets that match, they get to go again. We play until one player gets rid of all of his/her cards. Then we count everyone's matches, and the person with the most matches win!<br />
<i><u>Skills</u></i>: Matching is important in science, especially biology with classification of species. Go Fish! also teaches the mathematical skill of strategy where the players have to listen and remember who asked for which cards. The players want the most matches.<br />
<br />
<b><u>War</u></b>:<br />
<i><u>How to play</u></i>: Shuffle the deck of cards. All of the cards get evenly distributed between the players (2-4). The cards are placed face down in a stack in front of each player. Nobody looks at their cards. Each player then holds their deck of cards face down and places the top card from their deck face up in the play area, in between the players. The player who drew the largest card gets the cards in that round (which the won cards go face down into a pile/stack in front of the player, when a player gets to the end of his/her deck, he/she picks up and shuffles the cards in front of him/her and resumes drawing his/her cards). If the largest card is a tie, the players go into "War" which requires the tied cards' players to place 3 cards face down (they put down 1 card per syllable while saying "I declare") and then one card face up (saying "war!"). The person with the largest face up card gets all of the cards that round. If it's tied again, repeat "War" until someone gets a larger card. All number cards (2-10) have face value, and then the face cards are greater than number cards. The order of face cards are Jacks < Queens < Kings < Aces. Repeat the drawing/collection of cards/War until one player has all of the cards (the winner has all of the cards).<br />
<u><i>Skills</i></u>: War teaches the mathematical skill of greater than/less than. This is a game of chance. It all depends on the cards the dealer gives whoever is playing. You aren't allowed to peak at your cards, so there's no strategy here. It would be nice if you get the higher, face value cards through wars, but you have no control over it.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for our "More Card Games" that we've taught J. They need a little more of a schematic description either via pictures or diagrams, and I'm not doing so well in the free time category at the moment.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-12330020160406656622014-08-26T22:11:00.001-07:002014-08-26T22:11:55.973-07:00Babies repetition and hypothesesMiss Baby J is growing so fast! Her giggles are contagious.<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyK7kkGkbGVduEwG2Rjg15cFVeiKU6Kz2aVcchAd9f6E68vXAH0B8KiwAQypr3zNqDgtwk_YA5JzCnmj-I9x5GUfWXGfeOyIm_9lyGaWxfqRNi51HrKXsVNlnLiNPZbZBFrvRAYxI_-k/s1600/DSC_3031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyK7kkGkbGVduEwG2Rjg15cFVeiKU6Kz2aVcchAd9f6E68vXAH0B8KiwAQypr3zNqDgtwk_YA5JzCnmj-I9x5GUfWXGfeOyIm_9lyGaWxfqRNi51HrKXsVNlnLiNPZbZBFrvRAYxI_-k/s1600/DSC_3031.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
She loves knowing what comes next (babies love repetition - that's how they learn). Miss Baby J loves to dance. We started singing a made up song, "a dancey dance dance, a dancey dance dance, a dancey dance dance dance ___" where ___ is "jump" or "kiss" or "dance," etc. We do the song and dance a few times one way and then switch it up saying it another way. We always get a giggle after the different one. It's almost like she's formed a hypothesis about what will happen next and giggles when it doesn't turn out to be what she predicted. Wouldn't that be fun if we all took our mistakes like that? "Oh, that was different. Ha."</div>
</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-27403220189639850552014-07-29T15:15:00.000-07:002014-07-30T09:57:31.810-07:00Keeping critters out of gardens with a crop cageA few months ago, I was 9 months pregnant, had just planted a <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/gardening-2014.html" target="_blank">garden</a>, and then had a <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/garden-disaster.html" target="_blank">garden disaster</a> where all of the leaves of our cucumber plants were chewed by a critter. The <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/05/do-plants-grow-without-leaves.html" target="_blank">plants subsequently died</a>. My husband took pity on me and purchased a few more cucumber plants and quickly built a crop cage out of PVC piping and leftover (affiliate link) >> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004RA0O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00004RA0O&linkCode=as2&tag=nerdscie-20&linkId=TOGLVEU2QIM5I7YS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">protective netting</a> << from <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/07/curly-green-bean-and-garden-update.html" target="_blank">last year</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp-NVezu6mNBkyPDNBX6cKe3arujyUlfUDdmNtPlsotNkKxDsJmY5-1d_eQuiGIKlXkqRgWN1BCi_QZ0B8E7nM_KKFg4OfVuWSE7IQ3P5MOq2XQ5jpgi3cXtx8HiZtjY7A81-9M4nPxs/s1600/homemade+crop+cage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZp-NVezu6mNBkyPDNBX6cKe3arujyUlfUDdmNtPlsotNkKxDsJmY5-1d_eQuiGIKlXkqRgWN1BCi_QZ0B8E7nM_KKFg4OfVuWSE7IQ3P5MOq2XQ5jpgi3cXtx8HiZtjY7A81-9M4nPxs/s1600/homemade+crop+cage.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The rectangular prism is PVC pipes cut to our custom dimensions (4 equal lengths for length, 4 equal lengths for width, 4 equal lengths for height), with eight 3-way elbows (our piping and fittings were spray painted to blend in with the netting). I recommend using PVC pipe glue to secure your structure (ours was made relatively quickly and was not glued in place, causing occasional frustration).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Each side was covered in protective netting held in place with zip-ties.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Originally, we were going to have a door that we could swing open for us to water and harvest, but there was a miscalculation on the amount of PVC pipe needed and ended up with a half door, which turned out better than anticipated, as I'll explain later. The door is 4 more PVC pipes cut to our custom dimensions (2 equal lengths for length and 2 equal lengths for height), with four 90 degree elbows. It was planned to be secured semi-loosely with zip-ties on one side and a string/latch on the other which would be used to open/close it. However, it's firmly zipped on both sides.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were considering placing sand in the bottom PVC pipes, but my husband forgot to buy sand when he was purchasing material for the cage. We played it by ear and would have purchased some later, but it stood by itself and held up to some stronger wind gusts, probably due to the larger size. The cage was too big to remove and replace for watering every day (plus the plants eventually grew into it). However, it was lightweight enough for us to lift the sides for harvesting the hard to reach larger crops in the far corners. Some crops like the smaller strawberries and green beans could be pulled through the netting. You can also water through the netting if needed.</div>
<div>
<br />
With a half door, we ended up not using the door at all. Instead, we draped the top section with the netting, which we moved up when we needed to water. The plants grew into the door, leaving it non-functional. The door is about hip height for me, which makes it hard to reach the stuff on the ground or beyond arm reach, but that's how I found out about the lifting of the cage to get the hard to reach stuffs. This complicated door design/access also could have deterred neighbors/strangers (we have our garden in a shared area), who, along with critters, we think were stealing some of our crops in previous years.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were concerned about the netting and pollination of the plants. The netting was big enough to allow bees entry for pollination.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We ended up with so many cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, and green beans that we were able to enjoy many for ourselves and share with neighbors!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8j0MsMvU5_7wuB5zCRWhSydXpJVlhyBTq_WUD9ZiHA5p6e3wkSrNTcyLZrRKDgK94IYgjyEzh4Jw9Pqa-CFwq9-LelZ7rCbzidLRWbssw_V8Q8JIqir1zeRLMr7lzWGQYdYE8gzmvbcg/s1600/homegrown_cucumbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8j0MsMvU5_7wuB5zCRWhSydXpJVlhyBTq_WUD9ZiHA5p6e3wkSrNTcyLZrRKDgK94IYgjyEzh4Jw9Pqa-CFwq9-LelZ7rCbzidLRWbssw_V8Q8JIqir1zeRLMr7lzWGQYdYE8gzmvbcg/s1600/homegrown_cucumbers.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate of fresh regular and apple cucumbers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I highly recommend a crop cage if your garden is suffering from critter problems.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Do you have any hobbies you do and improve upon based on trial and error?</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-67531223305772152482014-07-15T09:16:00.000-07:002014-07-15T09:35:16.190-07:00"Look Mom! It sticks!"Fun with friction!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2cg0oiDd5i5whTf7JFZx13GfdkGhWSbmnaGr1wJVq1UXrVYyQCZmRryDxZZVXTuoqq74q6KDkr3icTfBzkFFeOX4ZG38IQz0DfwtVzPosblkZxkh-DbFAqxxE9WVA1x217Wjlbl_nFg/s1600/pillow+sticking+on+back+of+couch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2cg0oiDd5i5whTf7JFZx13GfdkGhWSbmnaGr1wJVq1UXrVYyQCZmRryDxZZVXTuoqq74q6KDkr3icTfBzkFFeOX4ZG38IQz0DfwtVzPosblkZxkh-DbFAqxxE9WVA1x217Wjlbl_nFg/s1600/pillow+sticking+on+back+of+couch.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Felt and fleece work really well when it comes to adhering to other materials using friction alone. This is a great, quick science lesson to hypotheses about what will and won't stick vertically on things. Would the pillow stick to the wall? What about a heavier pillow? Would silky objects stick to the couch? Would silky objects stick to the wall? What if the materials were wet? Experiment and have some fun!<br />
<br />
What can you stick to the back of your couch?Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-91565343857081909032014-07-03T19:36:00.000-07:002014-07-03T19:36:02.218-07:00Doing science with your kids blog<a href="https://twitter.com/Trianglemancsd" target="_blank">Christopher Danielson</a> has been a reader of this blog since the beginning. He started the <a href="http://talkingmathwithkids.com/" target="_blank">Talking Math with Your Kids blog</a> where he discusses how he and his young children talk about math. We follow each other on <a href="https://twitter.com/NerdyScience" target="_blank">Twitter</a> where he virtually introduced me to <a href="https://twitter.com/rutherfordcasey" target="_blank">Casey Rutherford</a>. Inspired by <i>Talking Math with Your Kids</i>, Casey started the hashtag "<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dswyk?src=hash" target="_blank">#dswyk</a>" which stands for "doing science with your kid(s)," and I promptly joined the #dswyk party. A few days/weeks (I'm oblivious to time at this point in my life, thanks to Miss Baby J) later, he created a blog: <a href="http://doingsciencewithyourkids.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Doing Science with Your Kids</a>, and now I'm a contributor.<br />
<br />
My first entry is a <a href="http://doingsciencewithyourkids.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/sink-or-float/" target="_blank">lesson on sink or float</a> led by my 5-year old boy, J. Does a Duplo sink or float? The answer might surprise you. Click on over to check it out!<br />
<br />
I'll still be using this as my main blog and contributing as I can to Doing Science with Your Kids.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-44557882505732217622014-06-16T21:44:00.000-07:002014-06-16T23:25:42.303-07:00Baking soda and vinegar volcanoes via a 5 year oldA few weeks ago, J woke me up from a much needed nap telling me that he wanted to do science. I asked what he wanted to do, and he really wanted to do <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/02/scientific-observations-of-different.html" target="_blank">balloon science</a>, particularly <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2011/10/baking-soda-vinegar-blows-up-balloon.html" target="_blank">baking soda and vinegar blows up a balloon</a>. Frankly, I wanted to do something else (because though fun, it is a quick experiment that we've done more than once), but we kept the baking soda and vinegar part of the science he wanted to do. I asked him if he wanted to do volcanoes. He gave us an enthusiastic, "YES!"<br />
<br />
Being lazy and having a new baby (who at the time was content), I didn't want to spend time looking up the experiment online. We decided to experiment on our own on how much baking soda vs. how much vinegar and the size of the container we were using for the experiment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyw-fVUKAg20MDQNzCi5T3zccdbLj-8Jt4grgX-HnPybyasihv-M0mpqbEZ4J5IA7LDHtz3dGZ2kjnXU-SShmNASQjW9WVFu3TfKCxkRNb4R48ZoFIp2XF80VAquGRG1AWt_mua_6nKM/s1600/baking_soda_vinear_volcano_ingredients_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyw-fVUKAg20MDQNzCi5T3zccdbLj-8Jt4grgX-HnPybyasihv-M0mpqbEZ4J5IA7LDHtz3dGZ2kjnXU-SShmNASQjW9WVFu3TfKCxkRNb4R48ZoFIp2XF80VAquGRG1AWt_mua_6nKM/s1600/baking_soda_vinear_volcano_ingredients_1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>Mountainous material for the volcano</u>:</b><br />
I admit again that I am lazy. J had been given a lot of Play-Doh for a birthday last year, so I'd figure we'd use some up by covering the paper cup in different shades of Play-Doh. I don't want to be crafty at this point in my life, but here is a <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2011/01/homemade-playdough.html" target="_blank">homemade playdough recipe</a> if you'd like (painted paper mache volcano might be better if you have time to plan ahead and want it to look cool). The Play-Doh got soggy, but held up. We tossed it after we were done though we were thinking of saving it before we started, which is why we only put a small amount of orange and red on our volcano. We remained lazy and just used the Play-Doh container, without any decoration, to test a smaller container. J enjoyed it just as much as the decorated volcano since the "wow" factor is in the interaction between the baking soda and vinegar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8zrtwXfIEpf6BVfeXqD_ckd_F5HYIPOfdbmMI2AaEplctJquFzpDSwNUR5foF2y6ww8fBxGZRnk7umn1Nd4Q2NHjS9ldGcWL1fXDr161XtmIRy-Sjd_8MMKRuPR7qsJfRhVQI2DmtOU/s1600/playdough_volcano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8zrtwXfIEpf6BVfeXqD_ckd_F5HYIPOfdbmMI2AaEplctJquFzpDSwNUR5foF2y6ww8fBxGZRnk7umn1Nd4Q2NHjS9ldGcWL1fXDr161XtmIRy-Sjd_8MMKRuPR7qsJfRhVQI2DmtOU/s1600/playdough_volcano.JPG" height="320" width="271" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>Place volcano in a pan with high sides</u></b>, or you'll have quite a mess to clean up afterwards.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Amount of baking soda</u>:</b><br />
We used 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of baking soda as a starting point. We also used 2 tbsp, but 1 was enough to give multiple eruptions with our amount of vinegar, <i>see note below on limiting reagents</i>. We placed the baking soda in the cup first.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0QxD8hQLfioiiYdsG7g6ggP60D_2peekgFCsVZNI_zSrLs6EHiqFgTsGacUNnkDWGLZmIOl2eR7pi4whtfzk1u-PTMEucl5MnTpQMrn4HoPfiPm0296PIf9bE27CIojfse6X1E033Sw/s1600/volcano_1tbsp_bakingsoda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0QxD8hQLfioiiYdsG7g6ggP60D_2peekgFCsVZNI_zSrLs6EHiqFgTsGacUNnkDWGLZmIOl2eR7pi4whtfzk1u-PTMEucl5MnTpQMrn4HoPfiPm0296PIf9bE27CIojfse6X1E033Sw/s1600/volcano_1tbsp_bakingsoda.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Note:</i> We started with about 1/2 of a box of leftover old baking soda from the last time we switched it in the fridge, so there was plenty to experiment with.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Amount of vinegar</u>:</b><br />
We had a little under 1/2 gallon of vinegar to experiment with though we initially weren't planning to use it all. An adult poured it into a small 8 oz cup for J to handle. You definitely don't need a 1/2 gallon of vinegar, but we buy it by the gallon because it's cheaper and we can use it in impromptu experiments.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Size of container</u>:</b><br />
It turns out that if you have limited resources (ie. minimal amounts of mountainous materials, baking soda, or vinegar), go with a smaller container. If not, the bigger container works just fine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oGxCxEwxQ-I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b><u>Experiment</u></b>:<br />
Let your little one lead. We let J measure the baking soda and gave him the vinegar in a kid size cup. He knew what to do from other baking soda/vinegar experiments. I thought the reaction was over after the first pass of vinegar. J's curiosity lead to the discovery that 1 tbsp of baking soda can lead to multiple "eruptions" (reactions).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jKct4oma-yw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b><u>Notes</u>:</b><br />
With 1 tbsp of baking soda, the unmeasured vinegar (under 8 oz) poured in spurts seemed to be the <a href="https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=limiting+reagent+definition" target="_blank">limiting reagent</a>. We poured more vinegar, and the reaction kept going. This is an advance concept for preschoolers, but you can definitely point it out and see if they follow.<br />
<br />
<b><u>After experiment free play</u>:</b><br />
I'm big on letting my 5 year old continue to play once the experiment is over. This experiment resulted in a sensory bin since there was a big glup of baking soda in basically water. However, when he transferred his pile of baking soda from one part of the tray too another, he got a sizzle. There was still a reaction left!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TOO0-CogQs0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And apologies for the shaking camera. I was helping J with the experiment, and John was juggling the camera and this cute nugget:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAxJIkp55Z5NlZALXYSGJkr65bqDA7yygDlv4wxIKJLvAX9C5Ha4Hq5OgWg-cOcejI7OPsX4nxuvELE_nOyk-U8JqKyGR14Hy942m9s1xxss6qtfX53_v8JZVTfkxM1B2HXmbEsL6Z2w/s1600/miss_baby_J_likes_volcanoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAxJIkp55Z5NlZALXYSGJkr65bqDA7yygDlv4wxIKJLvAX9C5Ha4Hq5OgWg-cOcejI7OPsX4nxuvELE_nOyk-U8JqKyGR14Hy942m9s1xxss6qtfX53_v8JZVTfkxM1B2HXmbEsL6Z2w/s1600/miss_baby_J_likes_volcanoes.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
She liked the volcanoes too. Well, at least she didn't fuss.<br />
<br />
Have you experimented with baking soda and vinegar volcanoes? How did you model the volcano?Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-52006435025973683652014-05-29T14:28:00.000-07:002014-05-29T14:28:01.981-07:00What scientific things catch my infant's interest?*Shadows<br />
*Light<br />
*Pictures (perception, depth, light, colors)<br />
*Looking through a window (perception, depth, light, colors)<br />
*The baby in the mirror above her swing (<a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2011/08/reflections.html" target="_blank">reflections</a>)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSMQsrhmNByrlyvyX7dmQ29-bncn-jRz3EgNLHt1ue6r2RHZoByRYthdSnIShFDuDUTLlBz7DzJFhzgDAGP0EPsyH1lGNmlHtjCbb-Sd-C8FXbPBkcix5XZKAyvtPPKr0ZD7krdVxqBs/s1600/babyreflection_swing_NS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSMQsrhmNByrlyvyX7dmQ29-bncn-jRz3EgNLHt1ue6r2RHZoByRYthdSnIShFDuDUTLlBz7DzJFhzgDAGP0EPsyH1lGNmlHtjCbb-Sd-C8FXbPBkcix5XZKAyvtPPKr0ZD7krdVxqBs/s1600/babyreflection_swing_NS.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
It's amazing how quickly babies grow and develop. According to my "What is your baby doing this week?" email, at 7 weeks, she should be seeing more colors and in 3D. We've definitely noticed her focusing on objects at a distance. She definitely enjoys contrast. Blinds are some of her favorite things to stare at, and if I raise the blinds, she gets so excited to look out the window and explore the world with her new, sweet eyes. The best thing we can do is safely facilitate her curious interests (ie. don't let her stare into the sun b/c she likes light) and discuss what she sees.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-21879450573371259382014-05-21T19:53:00.000-07:002014-05-21T19:53:09.646-07:00How early is too early to start science?Miss Baby J is now 6 weeks old. Time is flying by, when it's not 2 am.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrM8g9uV8_MW0486MA_IA06Ope6BDb6q216ANt6eD6ER4HVlgbS67OECypuSsMX_5HLfsgV6xMtIi-aWXmn7viX3RfugM-nGspHlHidtOON6fNF_ovNHk7N6TifTaIPuCwowOARD6f5Q/s1600/MissBabyJ_6wk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrM8g9uV8_MW0486MA_IA06Ope6BDb6q216ANt6eD6ER4HVlgbS67OECypuSsMX_5HLfsgV6xMtIi-aWXmn7viX3RfugM-nGspHlHidtOON6fNF_ovNHk7N6TifTaIPuCwowOARD6f5Q/s1600/MissBabyJ_6wk.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
We're starting to get into a routine now that our special helpers/visitors have all gone home, which means that it's just me and Miss Baby J during the day (when J's at preschool). Research tells us that we should talk to our babies starting as young as possible, but what should we talk about? Science!<br />
<br />
She is calmer when she hears my voice, so I do love talking to her. Here are some things that I've talked about with Miss Baby J:<br />
<ul>
<li>Kiss a body part and talk about the body part (anatomy) - my personal favorite.</li>
<li>Count fingers, toes, and other body parts (math).</li>
<li>Colors (physics).</li>
<li>The weather (physics/thermodynamics).</li>
<li>Sing songs, clap rhythms (<a href="http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/" target="_blank">music</a>).</li>
<li>Identify noises we hear (physics/fluid dynamics).</li>
<li>How anything we come across that catches her attention works (various science categories).</li>
<li>Facts about different animals while pointing out the animal in J's and her stuffed animals (biology).</li>
<li>Trees and other plants (biology).</li>
</ul>
<div>
What do you discuss with your infant?</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-71846086470586959192014-05-02T21:40:00.000-07:002014-05-02T21:40:15.116-07:00Do plants grow without leaves?We recently had a <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2014/03/garden-disaster.html" target="_blank">rodent eat all of the leaves off of our cucumber plants</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlQa3Uq2ybJwm_IeKNeKsKdY9arxQoExJNIku9VB3rGaKahEdqSoJfMjNz7-Iz-JQTRBRHHaxOmicokcVZ_SkSCUy7TR5d_78bnsVTKJRB7C8iK9d6OwoQ_OaU0KZJkmHngpPe3qZTyw/s1600/canthisplantsurvive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlQa3Uq2ybJwm_IeKNeKsKdY9arxQoExJNIku9VB3rGaKahEdqSoJfMjNz7-Iz-JQTRBRHHaxOmicokcVZ_SkSCUy7TR5d_78bnsVTKJRB7C8iK9d6OwoQ_OaU0KZJkmHngpPe3qZTyw/s1600/canthisplantsurvive.jpg" height="295" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My husband had high hopes that they would recover. I, on the other hand, was not so optimistic and asked that we buy some more and replant. (my hypotheses: the plants wouldn't survive)<br />
<br />
We replanted, but we left the chewed plants for an experiment to see what would happen. We also had a cherry tomato plant that had its leaves only partially eaten. We let that one be without replanting.<br />
<br />
<b>The result?</b><br />
<br />
A month later both chewed cucumber plants were completely dead.<br />
<br />
<b>Why?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Leaves play an essential role in the process of photosynthesis - the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy. I like to think of leaves as mini solar panels, using sunlight to make energy. Without leaves the plant has very little to create the energy needed for the plants to grow bigger.<br />
<br />
<b>What about the half-chewed tomato plant?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The tomato plant was only partially eaten by the rodent, meaning that the rodent left some parts of the leaves. The plant has recovered and is flourishing.<br />
<br />
<b>What experiment can you do at home?</b><br />
<br />
You don't need a garden or bigger/expensive plants. Beans grow relatively fast from seeds. Plant 3 different beans in jars/cups. When they are big enough to have leaves, break all the leaves completely off of one, break the leaves half way off in one, and leave one to grow normally. Compare how they grow after that.<br />
<br />
<b>Personal lessons learned:</b><br />
<br />
We made a crop cage for our garden before planting the new bunch of cucumbers. The new plants have not been targeted. We might blog about the crop cage in the future, but it needs a few tweaks first.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-40164099647337555502014-04-21T07:38:00.001-07:002014-05-03T16:09:40.976-07:00New to the Nerdy FamilyWe welcomed Miss Baby J two weeks ago. She is a very sweet little girl. J is enjoying his new baby sister and has self-imposed big brother duties of reading to her (he taught himself how to read over the last few months to prepare for this role) and picking out what outfits to wear.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZRyev84Q9zqioN5tHMSqltKontwVwlPig7zTCOuXCnyi_PNQs0SAvDXx_Vs2LYhyphenhyphen4p-1kima0ubnJZKHtZmUMFBYYEY9hRcYUUtTWAXiIlJzapuaajYPs3ADvqEP50xS4lBQBKWI2Ww/s1600/IMG_20140410_030924-3171378221-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZRyev84Q9zqioN5tHMSqltKontwVwlPig7zTCOuXCnyi_PNQs0SAvDXx_Vs2LYhyphenhyphen4p-1kima0ubnJZKHtZmUMFBYYEY9hRcYUUtTWAXiIlJzapuaajYPs3ADvqEP50xS4lBQBKWI2Ww/s1600/IMG_20140410_030924-3171378221-O.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm hoping to return to the blogging world in the next week or two. I hope you are having an amazing April.Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-11843877884322093712014-04-05T17:15:00.002-07:002014-04-05T17:15:51.586-07:00Dancing Raisins - a Magic School Bus ExperimentThis Dancing Raisins experiment came from our <a href="http://www.theyoungscientistsclub.com/themagicschoolbus/" target="_blank">Magic School Bus Science Club</a> kit on solids, liquids, and gases. It involves raisins, tap water, and soda water. Concepts to discuss are density (what sinks, what floats), forces, and buoyancy.<br />
<br />
We started out placing raisins in tap water. They did nothing. Note that I left the sound on this video. J wanted to take over and conduct his own <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2011/05/sinkfloat.html" target="_blank">sink/float experiment</a>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/saGnUdhyeTk" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We didn't have soda water, but the kit came with an alkaseltzer tablet. We tried it. It was supposed to be for another experiment in the packet that we ended up observing/conducting on our own. It wasn't the best. The raisins bounced up and down a few times, but mainly it smelled as the gases were released from the tablet. J really didn't like the smell. Yay, science.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We put the experiment on hold while we walked down the street for dinner. The restaurant happened to have soda water available, so we took a cup of it home. We weren't 100% sure the carbonation would survive the 10 minute walk, but we repeated the experiment using soda water. It worked! This is what happened, note I left sound on for J's commentary:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/V8Jal3KsKg8" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So what happens is the gases in the soda water get stuck in the crevices of the raisins and give the raisins enough air (forces/buoyancy) to float to the top of the water. Once at the top, some bubbles pop and go into the air, and the raisin sinks back down to the bottom. Pretty neat, huh?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u><i>Notes:</i></u> </b><br />
I paid for the Magic School Bus Science Club Kits and have no affiliation with them.<br />
<br />
I'm taking a brief break from the blog to focus on my family. I'm sure we'll have tons of scientific discussions. I'll try to post some insights to our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NerdyScience" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/NerdyScience" target="_blank">Twitter</a> as they come and catch up on the blog once I come up for air.</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-78990736226570724952014-03-18T22:34:00.001-07:002014-03-18T22:34:53.651-07:00Garden DisasterI guess this is our punishment for 80 degree weather in March. Something ate all of our cucumber leaves!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WoFWyYrTuTLhirXmLVU8LTe4k3HCMIb0ReqbppABVH7qNh_zd5UBsoZPjqfcEhoLY3qlPApS1iy4nPfQKWcdZjY90RtbRCDN-OS6JI-yw8kfNvBaZhTHZtWc4Fm78ngmKTwPDR5UxyI/s1600/rodenteatencucmberplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WoFWyYrTuTLhirXmLVU8LTe4k3HCMIb0ReqbppABVH7qNh_zd5UBsoZPjqfcEhoLY3qlPApS1iy4nPfQKWcdZjY90RtbRCDN-OS6JI-yw8kfNvBaZhTHZtWc4Fm78ngmKTwPDR5UxyI/s1600/rodenteatencucmberplant.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k7uHCF54RX_9F99idBHzeK1-4OTbIrRT8XcOmlvVmRfEjOdSVuM8pIfyJRhFPycYWRZFPXOXM-NmB3trvg-XF4hGGN_TNWje9iyp-wPgq8waOWNopZBwNakclvp0_DdOVX8TqZJTsLU/s1600/rodenteatenlemoncucumberplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k7uHCF54RX_9F99idBHzeK1-4OTbIrRT8XcOmlvVmRfEjOdSVuM8pIfyJRhFPycYWRZFPXOXM-NmB3trvg-XF4hGGN_TNWje9iyp-wPgq8waOWNopZBwNakclvp0_DdOVX8TqZJTsLU/s1600/rodenteatenlemoncucumberplant.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
This makes us all sad (J was on the verge of tears upon discovering this scene today). We'll wait a few days and see what the plants will do. I'm thinking we'd have to invest in new cucumber plants (it is early in the season)...or maybe steer clear of cucumbers this year. It was a hot item for creek rodents last year (I never saw what was eating our plants, but I have seen raccoon and squirrels in the neighborhood). We didn't need to net the plants this early before. The problem with netting/covers is that it doesn't allow for J to freely pick his produce. The netting was more annoying than anything else. The rodents chewed through it, and the cucumber plants grew through it.<br />
<br />
I just bought a decoy owl and some Deer Off spray that should arrive by Thursday. We might have to still devise some sort of cage/cover. Sigh.<br />
<br />
Any tips for garden disaster recovery?Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7720950772387383627.post-23090691407877802182014-03-15T17:00:00.000-07:002014-03-15T17:00:22.704-07:00Gardening 2014After a month of much needed rain (and we still need more to not see sky-high produce costs this summer), we've been blessed with sunshine and weather in the 70s - perfect gardening weather. Being almost 9 months pregnant, I debated planting a garden this year. It's hard to get up and down from the hard ground at this point and keeping another living thing alive during the summer might be overwhelming with a newborn. However, the motivating factors won: fresh homegrown produce that tastes better than what you can buy from the store and J's excitement for eating said produce. Plus, it wasn't going to be as big of an investment this year since we had made big planter purchases over the last two years.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Tackling concern #1, getting the garden started at almost 9 mo pregnant:</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
J is almost 5. He's become quite the helper and was super eager to help us with all steps off setting up the garden. This was probably our most successful garden shopping experience yet with him. He wanted to buy almost every sprout at the gardening store (because of our limited window space, we start most of our garden with store bought sprouts). We settled on lemon cucumbers, regular cucumbers, and cherry tomato plants, and we are germinating bell peppers and green beans. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's J helping us plant the tomato plant:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkbeNHALEJh2hvCLr4H_RbyFB7be9ox3L8bjd-i4vb9hD_K2NyZkN89_GsFIml_j_uuftx7k1kLWfZxoZIQrVu9jrb_MIkJEqLluUXVrqaJGZbj7Dwvq3sYmvfUAXcpFidKhtHs4Dkcs/s1600/planting+the+tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkbeNHALEJh2hvCLr4H_RbyFB7be9ox3L8bjd-i4vb9hD_K2NyZkN89_GsFIml_j_uuftx7k1kLWfZxoZIQrVu9jrb_MIkJEqLluUXVrqaJGZbj7Dwvq3sYmvfUAXcpFidKhtHs4Dkcs/s1600/planting+the+tomatoes.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
He then staked the tomato plant since tomato plants like to have support to aid their growth.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9Qu59Ex83F69ZA4y1nm1_fYcdpjueebctBvr6WENUwMPqeApUEmyUnK108b7XJUHlOmX304oPrMhHPj7WzpCN321hgte5itc4QqjXOvJb8sZKdNtJR-hLUGELJWGd6joNG4j7MDC5d4/s1600/stakingthetomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9Qu59Ex83F69ZA4y1nm1_fYcdpjueebctBvr6WENUwMPqeApUEmyUnK108b7XJUHlOmX304oPrMhHPj7WzpCN321hgte5itc4QqjXOvJb8sZKdNtJR-hLUGELJWGd6joNG4j7MDC5d4/s1600/stakingthetomatoes.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Then he helped water all of the plants.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbmFljJ0xZpQpvtCxh7We4FrjcDtYbbvSAe9qU2cxWUTTeglVW_6_HDjnA0em6QusgvzvYyVkISzckBa5W4FhQOaJSZHwScstMeSbhIcbpsAXGVZYG9GZeYNPSnyxaPx2LnW1jhZ6-k8/s1600/wateringthestrawberries.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbmFljJ0xZpQpvtCxh7We4FrjcDtYbbvSAe9qU2cxWUTTeglVW_6_HDjnA0em6QusgvzvYyVkISzckBa5W4FhQOaJSZHwScstMeSbhIcbpsAXGVZYG9GZeYNPSnyxaPx2LnW1jhZ6-k8/s1600/wateringthestrawberries.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our strawberries survived another winter and already have buds! This surprised us because we're in the middle of the worst drought in CA record keeping (and we basically ignored them all winter). This is 3 years in a row for our strawberry plants - definitely a great investment for us. I still love our <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QILPXG/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001QILPXG&linkCode=as2&tag=nerdyscience-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">strawberry planter</a> (affiliate link).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSRD5mm8dRO2TtCzB-LsGPVjxDdQdsgWJGgqsWBigNUUO8g20aJdXxCJ1jqN0txKMJRlDar4pswa3a96onfI3NaQ5zExJEA8mYCHk-O8k1W_Fec2dsS8qr88DvtFZj8q9QY8zHLci1LI/s1600/strawberries_year3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSRD5mm8dRO2TtCzB-LsGPVjxDdQdsgWJGgqsWBigNUUO8g20aJdXxCJ1jqN0txKMJRlDar4pswa3a96onfI3NaQ5zExJEA8mYCHk-O8k1W_Fec2dsS8qr88DvtFZj8q9QY8zHLci1LI/s1600/strawberries_year3.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're trying cucumbers again this year. They were really successful <a href="http://nerdybaby.blogspot.com/2013/05/gardening-with-very-little-space.html" target="_blank">last year</a>, maybe even too successful because we saw how many cucumbers were growing, but they would disappear before we'd get to pick them (it was a hot summer last year and they are mainly water - the neighborhood critters got to them before we could). Going into gardening cucumbers last year, we didn't know/realize that they were a climbing plant, so this year, we spread them out a little more and gave them a cage to grow on. I hope keeping them off the ground will keep some of the critters away. We'll probably end up netting them again.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42CogEO6zBVKJwlowOm29XP8Fe-1SANJRZFX-sox4rcxyxenlV99fJ3a2EvGnB_zsVv9Y6tPYOFO8ArtFZTVCwZ_CHoVpgiQ4LT5mA4C-4ldWKVYcyvMpsQQnltOndr_tzQdaPI9aLvk/s1600/cucumbers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42CogEO6zBVKJwlowOm29XP8Fe-1SANJRZFX-sox4rcxyxenlV99fJ3a2EvGnB_zsVv9Y6tPYOFO8ArtFZTVCwZ_CHoVpgiQ4LT5mA4C-4ldWKVYcyvMpsQQnltOndr_tzQdaPI9aLvk/s1600/cucumbers.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We just planted the green beans and bell pepper seeds. They are currently in terra cotta pots in our window sill. I'm hoping they'll sprout in time to get them in planters before the baby comes. If not, it'll be shortly thereafter.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>As for concern #2, keeping other living things alive:</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think I can manage a garden, especially since I'm on maternity leave for a few months. The garden is right outside our apartment. If we had invested in a community garden plot, motivation to get out and about would be harder to find.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're focusing on planting things that can be harvested all summer long. I love seeing J pull off green beans and strawberries, wash them with the garden hose, and pop them in his mouth. We haven't had good luck with our larger tomato plants, but we've done alright with cherry tomatoes in the ground in the past. I'm hoping we can do alright with this year's cherry tomatoes in a pot to give J the satisfaction of eating them all summer long.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have any tips to get the most from our plants, I'd love to hear them. How do you deal with critters? Ours are mammalian (raccoon and squirrels). How often do you replenish your soil? Do you use any plant food? Do your kids eat more veggies when they help in the growing process?</div>
Jesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03604040327508418340noreply@blogger.com2