Experiments

Grandma and Grandad got Orla a couple of science activities for Christmas. She has been desperate to try them, so we had a go today. This is our water filtration column. I am telling her about grain size and porosity, to explain why the liquid moves very quickly through the gravel but then very slowly through the sand. I also explained how to write up an experiment in your lab book. She was then "very busy" writing two pages of her special scribble writing and drawing diagrams :)

As well as doing clean water science, we also started growing a crystal. She is mega excited about this, so I hope it works. The experimental conditions were not quite optimum!

We watched the first of the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures today. They are about developmental biology. Today's was about cells. Orla already knows lots about cells and DNA and she followed the lecture pretty well until about half-way, when it got a bit much for her. Still, she is only five. It's easy to forget that. I was explaining to her about Conor's bronchiolitis. I started off by describing how the trachea comes down from the throat into the lungs. Then I said it splits into smaller tubes: "yes mummy, the bronchioles" said Orla. Amazing what YouTube videos on the iPad can teach!

It wan't all science today though, she watched plenty of Jake and we watched Mary Poppins. Orla has never seen it before. I think she was a bit bored by the story, but liked the songs. Conor absolutely loved it.

Another rubbish day weather-wise and the forecast is bad for tomorrow. I hope it doesn't put a dampener on the Hogmanay celebrations.