Summer Museum School

The kids had Museum School this week at the city's science museum.  Faith went last year for a class about dinosaurs, but this year, Eric went as well.

Faith's class this year was Science Spectacular.  She had a great time.  It was a lot of chemistry.  They made chalk by pouring a solution through a filter and letting the residue dry, a baking-soda-and-vinegar volcano, and Gloop; they also put Mentos in Diet Coke and blew up balloons and film canisters with dry ice. There were only 7 students in her class, so she got to be very involved and enjoyed talking to her teacher; she hopes to be in a class with him again next summer.

Eric's class was Desert Dwellers.  They had a tarantula, a tortoise, a snake, and a rat in their classroom on various days and made hoodoos and cacti out of clay.

Here are some photos of them from the week.  The climb-on tortoise sculpture is a particular favorite, obviously.  The dinosaur topiary seems to be on the verge of extinction.  When they put it in last year, the idea was that it would grow into a big Chia-brachiosaur.  Apparently they forgot how hot and dry it stays here all summer.