Science Fair

After returning from Nebraska, the First Little Nguyen had to scramble to finish his project for his school's science fair. This is an event that is really up his alley, and he really had fun choosing his project this year.

Writing a note: "Please do NOT immerse magnet wand in liquids!"

He wanted to do something with magnets, and he mulled it over for a day or two before deciding exactly what he would do. The First Little Nguyen wanted to test how strong the magnetic pull would be in liquids of differing viscosity. He used a magnetic wand and magnetic beads (another great "find" in mommy's teaching supplies in the attic!), testing them in liquids like water, orange juice, cream, and condensed milk. This year, he used the computer to record instead of journaling his findings in writing. He said it made him feel "more like a scientist." As he has stated incredulously before, "I know my teacher has to teach me to write things down in my science journal, but does she really think that actual scientists use notebooks?! They use computers!" Nice...keep that quiet, Little Nguyen.

Displaying his finished project.

A "test run", just for good measure.

The project was fun to do...something different...and I didn't give much help other than proofreading and teaching him how to center his sticker letters on the display board ("Did you learn that in college, Mom?"). He enjoyed setting up his experiement at school the evening of the science fair, and he even wrote a note to prospective testers NOT to immerse the magnet wands in the liquids! LOL! He demonstrated a few times but then was off to check out: 1) other experiments, 2) chicks, and 3) the action in the media center!

Cheesy grin from our Blue Ribbon Scientist!

The Second Little Nguyen disliked all of the commotion, but really liked the calm of doing geography puzzles in the Media Center. The overwhelming favorite though, as it would be for any five-year old boy, was watching a scientist freeze hot dogs with liquid nitrogen and then smash them with a hammer! Big fun!

Doing a world puzzle with Mommy in the media center. It was HARD!