I am NOT a science minded mom

One of the major grades for fourth graders at our school is a science fair project.

Here are some facts:
1.Macy loves, loves, loves science. And animals. And things that combine the two.

2.We are told pretty much at the beginning of the SCHOOL year that we have to complete a project & it's due the end of January.

3. I'm not big in the science department, neither is my husband.  He took physics in college to cover one of his science credits.  Personally, I don't think that should count as it has almost more to do with math than science.

Fast forward to the beginning of January (possibly even in December) & we get a reminder, stating that the kids need to have an idea to present to Mrs. R.  We start looking for project ideas...and aren't coming up with anything that interests Macy.  She is wanting to do something with a live animal & the paperwork & requirements involved with using animals made it impossible-for example, we had to have several visits with a veterinarian to make sure the animal wasn't "stressed".  Oie.  Not an option.  So, I found what sounded like a simple experiment using crickets.  Macy was excited (it was something live) & I was excited (it didn't require a vet bill).  It's now the middle of January...we decide we better get started. Macy & her dad run to Petsmart & purchase 12+ crickets.  Would now be a good time to tell you that neither my husband or I can stand to be around crickets??  (I know, I know-it was my idea to begin with) Then comes the foreshadowing-the salesman at Petsmart says "Yeah, I've never hear those suckers chirp."

We get them home with all our supplies & begin the experiment.  All we have to do is heat & cool the tank & see which temperature makes the crickets chirp.  Nothing happens.  No chirping.  That's okay, we'll try the next night.  Uh, same thing the next night-those creepy little suckers would. not. chirp.  At this point we are running out of options and time.  I decide we should get some different crickets from another store.

We go to a local fish store (I don't like fish either & to be honest, this fish gives me nightmares) & buy some different crickets & peruse the gigantic fish they have on display.

Night #2, new crickets, same outcome.  Uggggh!  No chirping!  Now we are at mission critical-there's less than a week left & we have no data for this project.  It's time to sink or swim...and we decided to abandon the ship & start all over on a new project.

Both parents are hitting the web at 10:00pm, looking at "24 hour science fair projects" (so comforting to know we're not the only ones out there!) and we come up with a new project.  It wasn't glamourous or super-creative, but it worked and didn't require any special purchases.  And, what's better-Macy actually understood the process & what we were trying to accomplish.  She owned it.

Macy did a great job presenting to the judges and got a second place ribbon for her project.  She also got an A (yay!!).  Next year we will be starting a lot sooner on the science fair project, like maybe in the summer.  Ha!!