National Science Week

For a week in March the children's schools observed National Science and Engineering Week, during which there were special activities and field trips relating to science. Timmy's class visited the Whipple Museum of the History of Science at University of Cambridge, a small but densely packed exhibit of tools and instruments from many different fields of scientific study. Like all of the museums we've visited here in England, there are activities especially designed for children with "Please touch" exhibits and written puzzles to solve. Annie's class visited the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden, which was just beginning to show signs of spring. It's definitely a place we'll want to visit again when everything is in bloom. Even Colin's class had a full day of science activities during which they made a Lego lighthouse with a battery operated light, baked bread, tested materials for being waterproof, and more.


The crown of the week for Timmy and Annie was a dress up day in which the children were invited to wear costumes with a science theme. Timmy had the bright idea to be Thomas Edison (above). He carried around a small light bulb to identify himself. Annie dressed as Sally Ride in dress blues (sort of), although at the last minute, she wished she could have been a nurse instead. She was not enthusiastic about her costume (hence no photo), but she was recognized at the school wide assembly for drawing an invention idea called the Beauty Chair 2009, a chair with many extra arms to comb, brush, braid, or style hair on a busy school morning. All of the children were asked to submit original invention drawings, and Annie was selected as best in her grade.