Children will always want the fun quotient very high. I think there is a difference between education and learning. If it sounds like education they switch off, if it is learning there is endless energy.

We started with a video clip from Kung Fu Panda … the coolest scene in the movie, the Dragon Scroll scene. Here are a few interesting questions to ponder on. The whole idea is to teach critical thinking and observe the subtle nuances … and express it back.

1. What is the significance of Shifu using the stick to extract the dragon scroll?
2. Pos asks “You believe I am ready?” and Shifu answers “You are, Po”. What is so special about that conversation and why?
3. If the Dragon Scroll is empty, why can’t it be shared with any one. Why not Tai Lung or Tigress?
4. Why is there a wave shown in the pond when the Dragon Scroll is held and the stick touches the pond?
5. As the rabbits and pigs escape with all their valuables, some pigs are seen taking something very odd. Can you spot it?
6. Po’s dress changes in the scene. When and why?

 

We had so much fun breaking out in groups and talking about these questions. As ever, amazed by how perceptive children can be, when they are ‘learning and not being educated’.

Revisited the concepts of waves. Think we have the intuition for amplitude, wavelength, frequency, velocity and energy of waves.

Experiments to generate oscillations. Some with hands. Others with fingers. One with his head. The highest was 8 Hz. Head shake.

Then we drew out what 10 the power of 24 is.

1000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

Imagine frequency of that magnitude. That’s Gamma rays.

Source: Khan Academy

Source: http://astro.unl.edu/naap/hydrogen/light.html

We then generated sound at different frequencies using the Physics tool kit app. And all the animals we can beat and the ones that beat us.

Source: University of Calgary

We are making sound and waves real !!