09:39 – As we build inventory of the biology, chemistry, and forensic science kits for the coming new school year, I’m thinking about which science to do next. Physics may seem the obvious choice, but the truth is that while most high-school students take biology and chemistry, relatively few nowadays take physics. And many of those who do take a physics course do a lecture-based course rather than a lab-based course.
We could do AP biology and/or AP chemistry, but again the potential market for those is much more limited than the market for the mainstream first-year courses. The same is true for more specialized courses like marine biology, anatomy, and environmental science. We’ll do all of those eventually, I’m sure, but for now we want to concentrate on the more mainstream courses. That means working down to the early high-school/late middle-school level. There are two science courses commonly taken in grades 8, 9, or 10 that we don’t have covered: earth science and physical science.
13:52 – My cell phone didn’t last as long as the effects of the Spanish bailout. I ordered the phone back on 21 March. When it arrived a couple days later, I put it on the charger, but never got around to activating it. So late this morning I stuck it on the charger again. It took all of 10 or 15 minutes to show fully charged. Then I went over to the PlatinumTel website to activate it.
As I was doing that, Barbara called to say that her dad was in the emergency room again. She’d taken him to a doctor’s appointment, intending to get him back home and get to work before lunch. But her dad fell, and so she took him to the emergency room. I think his doctor’s appointment was at the hospital, so they didn’t have far to go. Barbara’s cell phone had died, although she’d just charged it. When we hung up, Barbara was leaving to go get her mother and said she’d see if her phone would work plugged into the car charger.
A while later, I heard the key in the front door and was surprised to see Barbara, who was making a flying visit home to grab something for lunch and then head back to the hospital. Of course, I gave her my cell phone. It was all mine for almost 27 minutes. Now it’s hers.
Her dad seems to be okay. He fell to his knees, and doesn’t seem to have done any major damage. Barbara was terrified because he started yelling when he fell and she thought he was seriously injured. So she’s headed back to the hospital to sit with her mom. If they release her dad before 5:00, she’ll take them home. Otherwise, her sister will come over and pick up their parents at the hospital so that Barbara can meet two of her friends for dinner, which was previously arranged.
Would there be enough of a market to write a book on “General Science
Experiments” for, say sixth graders? And would it be possible to put
together kits to sell at a profit? I was thinking of some simple
chemistry, a handful of physics and mechanics experiments, and so on.
The general stuff that elementary school kids are exposed to.
Or, speaking of “exposed”, how about a book on human anatomy, with lots
of hands-on experiments, generally performed in pairs. It ought to be
easy to write: just start from the Kama Sutra and revise for modern
America. You can be the book would be very popular with the teenagers
it’s written for, and your share of the religious homeschool market is
probably negligible anyway (I mean, you’re teaching science.
And observation and critical thinking. That’s simply
intollerable!)
From my own experience dealing with fellow homeschoolers, I think Physics would be more marketable than AP Chemistry or AP Biology. My son is doing Physics this coming school year. I know a few other people personally that are as well.
I think homeschoolers I know would be interested in earth science or physical science kits for middle schoolers. That being said, I do know that some of the homeschooling families I know don’t spend as much on curriculum at the middle school or elementary school level as they would be willing to for high school.
Or, speaking of “exposed”, how about a book on human anatomy, with lots
of hands-on experiments, generally performed in pairs.
As opposed to a self help book.
As my physics professor would say, physics is the science that makes all of the other sciences work. He was one of those that considered physics the ultimate science and sort of looked down his nose at all others.
Aren’t those just synonyms for geology and physics?
What ever happened to “Illustrated Guide to Homeopathy Experiments”?
You could have a full chapters on the dangers of Di-hydrogen Oxide.
Rick in Portland where there has been a surplus of Di-hydrogen Oxide lately.
Chad wrote:
“As my physics professor would say, physics is the science that makes all of the other sciences work. He was one of those that considered physics the ultimate science and sort of looked down his nose at all others.”
Sounds like a wise man. I suppose physics has replaced theology as the queen of the sciences… 🙂
The hierarchy goes as follows:
Chemistry is what physicists do in their spare time.
Physics is what mathematicians do in their spare time.
Bob, have you or Barbara asked your FIL’s doctor about elevating the foot of his bed? I wouldn’t just do it without consultation, but I suffer from oedema on occasion, and elevating the legs above the kidneys drains a hell of a lot of liquid out, without medication. If he’s got obstructive cardiac problems, I’d definitely consult the physician first, but it might help to do something as simple as putting bricks or cinder-blocks under the foot of his bed. Second step, maybe you could pick up a second-hand hospital bed for him to use. A good one of those is about endlessly adjustable, and he could still sleep in the same room as his wife – maybe, if it’s still important to them, spend time in their double bed, then retreat to the hospital bed just to sleep.
Bob, I vote for Physics. I loved Chemistry as a sprout in the ’50s and ’60s, the the Physics I learned in H. S. and college has kept me in work for the past forty years.
Miles_Teg has it right:
Chemistry is what physicists do in their spare time.
Physics is what mathematicians do in their spare time.
I bought a Kindle Fire for my business, for developing apps and for making sure that my books look good in color.* I hadn’t even gotten it out of the box when The Brat (aka, Precious Princess Preschooler) stole it. In practice it doesn’t much matter because I need it only to check how a book looks or whether an app works — usually just a few minutes here and there. But it’s the principle of the thing.
* They don’t. The pictures are rendered very differently between the regular Kindle and the Kindle Fire. I haven’t yet figured out a size and quality and color that look good in both.
For what it’s worth, she likes both the iPad and the Kindle Fire. She has many more apps on the iPad, both educational and games, but that may simply be because my wife likes the iPad better and spends more time looking for apps on that platform. As a developer I prefer the KF, but as a developer I despise Apple so much that I never gave iOS development a real try. And as a parent, I prefer that the 4-y-o use and carry around the KF because it’s smaller and lighter and therefore easier for her to carry without risk of dropping, it’s more drop-resistant, and it’s a third the price in case she does drop it. It also fits into the cargo pocket of my shorts, so I can easily carry it if we’re going out somewhere and give it to her if we’re stuck in a long line or something.
I vote for an earth science course that gets into geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy, while sneaking in the level of physics that kids have the math for at that age and for those courses.
I had only two years of science in high school, the minimum required at the time; earth science, which I was OK at but not great and biology, which I did very well at. No math beyond Algebra I and Plane Geometry. But by Jeezum, four years of AP English, AP American History, Latin, and all the “social studies” courses they offered, including International Relations, Russian Studies, Sociology, Psychology, and Economics.
Oh, and I see now we have the geheimstatzpolizei on my case here:
“Your comment is awaiting moderation.”
Guess I said some pretty riotous stuff, eh?