Wednesday, February 20, 2013

"Science Project" is just another word for HELL

It's that time of year again. All over my neighborhood, people are pouring and measuring baking soda, vinegar, juices or boiling different liquids. They're making cookies 5 different times eliminating an ingredient each time to discover what that ingredient is used for.

School started this year in early August. By mid-August the other moms and I at the pick up point at school were already starting to dread Science Project Time. We knew it wasn't until February, six months away, but we still grumbled about it anyway.

Grumbles can be heard through out the crowd of moms and a few dads, "I HATE Science Project Time" or "The parents are the ones that end up having to do it anyway" or even "Do you think we could use his brother's project from last year?"

Halloween would come and some of us would bring it up again. "Do you know what you're doing for a Science Project?"

"No. I HATE Science Project Time!"




Christmas comes around and we're getting ready for the break. Of course, it's not really a break when you've got the worry of that damn science project hovering over your head. What are you going to do? What are you going to do? When do we start? Should we start now so it's less work? Do we wait until the boards are distributed?

Someone always says, "I HATE Science Project Time!!"

My idea for the science project was AWESOME!

My idea was to take two of the boy mice and separate them. Put a wheel in one cage and not in the other. Carefully measure their food for a week or two and see who eats more food. Does the mouse with the wheel eat more? Or does the mouse that is bored without a wheel eat more?



I thought it was a terrific idea and I was afraid to share it during kid pick up time at school. It was January and other parents were getting antsy, hovering around other groups of parents listening in for ideas. I even overheard some parents pretending to be interested in another kid's idea.

"So little Johnny, what are you doing for your science project?"

"My mom said not to talk to anyone about my science project"

Of course, Kat didn't want to do it. She wanted to clean pennies with juice. Like she's ever cleaned anything in her life, but anyway. I couldn't get her to change her mind. So, with new Tupperware that I got for Christmas, we lined up 5 little containers and tried 5 different juices.

She already knew the answer to the project because her friend's brother had done it last year. It's LEMON juice. Duh!

Erik worked with Kat on her juice and pennies. The Tupperware containers sat out on the table for about three weeks.

The boards didn't get out on time. First we were told that UPS was late. I did see UPS driving up to the school as the girls and I were leaving that Friday. I saw my neighbor run back into the office and moments later he came out with giant boards that we was trying to hide under his jacket.

Fine. We'll just get ours Monday.

Monday comes and it's raining. You can't get the boards when it's raining because it will ruin the cardboard.

I HATE Science Project Time!

Finally on Tuesday we got the boards. They were due in exactly six days. We could do this. No problem!

I was pretty impressed with Kat that she did the Power Point all by herself. I helped her add some clip art and I printed the pages. Until we ran out of ink. UGH! Panic.

$45.00 and 45 minutes later, we finally have the ink and we're printing again.

She uses the Cricut to cut her title. 

We decide to glue on the pennies and use Martha Stewart labels to add what kind of juice we used. I printed off some pictures and she glued them on.

6:00 PM Sunday night we're done! WE ARE DONE!

Monday, the day it's due, Kat is sick. I look at the giant piece of cardboard sitting next to the door and I decide to take it to school. I'm so sick of looking at it and I just know it's going to be a matter of time before either a dog pees on it, the cat throws up on it or someone just spills something on it.

Now we're all done and we can relax. At least until next August when school starts again and the parents and I start grumbling about it.

I HATE Science Project Time!






2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen. If I had only seen this last month we would have done pennies too! Instead, a mouse was involved, it died before the final 'testing', and last week had to get another mouse, who is now labeled jumping jenny and doesn't care what a mouse eats for dinner. It is Hell!

A Little Time said...

What was the project with mouse? I love the "Jumping Jenny". Your story made me giggle! Thanks!

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