O.K. folks, heres my situation.Hope you don't burn me at the stake for asking :>). I try to enhance my sons state provided education with in depth home based projects , especially in science ,whenever possible. With the popularity of the HP books now, I am considering trying to overlay some of the magical storylines in them over simple elementary science projects sort of like the ancient "magic spinning stones" that were actually magnets in almost perfect line of force balance. This way, I could teach him simple science and physics, while letting him see how ancienct magicians may have only been performing primitive science. What are your ideas on this?

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Answers

Well, Jay, my year in HS Phys. Sci. was a series of laughable mishaps. I don't remember what we were supposed to be demonstrating, but the exercise that was supposed to produce bubbles of gas INTO a beaker of water contrarily insisted on sucking the water out of the beaker and in onto the compound that we were heating, causing a huge mess. The teacher made me and my partner do it over while he watched, with the same results. HE couldn't figure out what went wrong either! So, I don't think I can help you with this project . . . .

As for burning at the stake, not here! The idea that the Harry Potter books are 'EVIL' is laughable, if not downright idiotic.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Hey Jay do they show "Bill Nye the Science Guy" on your PBS station? They used to show it around here and it was wonderful. Even at 5 my son was glued to it. There were always good experiments on that show, easy ones you could reproduce at home. If Harry Potter interests him and you can tie it in with that, so much the better. As for HP being "evil" my 8 year old son has gone from reading at 2nd grade level to 6th grade level because he wanted to be able to read HP on his own. I can't find anything evil about that.

As Bill Nye says, "Science rules!"

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Jay......got your forums confused??? ;>) I think tayloring the learning experience to the students interests makes for more learning and more interest in learning. Does anyone remember Mr. Wizard??? Wow I used to just love that show.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Gee, Jay, if we had had more teachers like you who are trying to make science more "user friendly" to their students, perhaps we would get more future researchers to develop more and improved eco-friendly and economical inventions to help save the planet and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Way to go Jay, we need more of you man!!!

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

I definately agree that science is cool. Last year when Dj and his class were studying landfills and methane generation, he brought a few classmates over to see the ventpipe that we use to draw gas off of the slop pit in our garden. And Mr Wizard!! Wasn't the boy assistant named "Billy" (like Bill Nye)? I think if I can get a decent set of experiments together, I may work with my sons school to present a "magic in science" program. Think I'll go read some HP now and see what direction to go.

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

I liked Mr. Wizard, and Bill Nye the Science Guy was a hit around here (our household!) as recently as last year (off the air for now...just too many re-runs. It was filmed in Seattle, mostly.)

I think it's a great idea. Teach those kids where they live! And Harry Potter finally got kids to read again!

A Harry Potter Fan,

-- Anonymous, November 02, 2001

Jay, I don't have any ideas, but just want to say that what you are attenpting sounds So cool. Your kids are lucky to have ya.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

Well shucks, now with all this Harry Potter talk everywhere, I have had to go and give in and read the dang thing;I'm the only one around here, or most anywhere I guess, who hasnt. Started it about three times before, fell asleep, just never been a fantasy kinda person, sorry soul that I am. So my daughter digs out her falling-apart copy for me this morning and now I'm halfway through it, and havin fun this time! I'll be all ready for the movie in a couple weeks.

Yes, Jay! This is indeed what homeschooling is like all the time for us.......having the kids learn stuff in fun ways, in their ways, in real tangible ways rather than book memorization, which lasts not at all.

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

EM, I haven't read them either! I GOT the first one, intending to read it, then pass it on to my favorite "nephew" (a cousin, actually). However, when we got together, I still hadn't read it, so I just gave it to him. Then I got the next two (cheap, at Sam's), never read those either, finally donated them all to the tiny little library in my hometown. They had copies, but there was always a long list waiting for them, so they were happy to have a second set. So, I don't know the ins-and-outs of the stories. But with all the articles about the books, I guess I know some of it. If I go to see the movie, it will be on a school day matinee, I think! ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 03, 2001

I'm not sure about tying HP in with science but you might as well say we have HP book club going in this homeschool. My 6, 8, and 16 yr. olds have read it as well as my husband. The 16 yr old has read all 4 books and the younger two are reading the second book now. They are all anxious for the movie to come out.

If you come up with some science projects let us know. That would be fun!

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001

I just read the first one in the last month and see nothing at all evil in it. If its evil then so is the Narnia series by C.S Lewis and we know that ain't so! I thought it was a fine bit of young sci- fi/ fantasy and I wonder if my son's would enjoy them when they are old enough..maybe I should find some copies now and tuck them away. The rest of the books are always out at the library so I can't find out if the rest of the series is as good as the first one.. :o( Dang kids takin' all the good books out.. By the way Jay, how about showing your son how to make invisible ink? I think the idea of showing how ancients performed "magic" a great one! You rock!

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001