Sunday 25 July 2010

SUNDAY - WHERE?


I baked, in sensible suits and sturdy shoes, for days that felt like weeks. So, why is it that almost from the moment the bell sounded the end of the school year, the skies have been overcast at best? 

Umm, hot and grey and I don't mean me in my best school-ma'am outfit. (So many images disappear when it isn't spelled school-marm. No old-west, one-roomed school complete with gas lights, wooden stove or lunch pails set on desks in school-ma'am.)

Anyway, it is Sunday so time for some sun thoughts.

The Sun is large, hot and dangerous to stare at. These are important facts you just can’t get away from. But, as for the rest: I’m bad. I can’t count the number of times the words, “Look at how the sun is moving across the sky!” has been heard by the children I have taught. Of course, I then followed that statement (expressing the obvious but factually incorrect information) with a lecture setting the children straight – doing Galileo proud.

I like to use these two facts to create a more accurate picture and supplant the erroneous information. Firstly, our sun is a Yellow G2 Dwarf. Very few children forget that, up-levelled, piece of information. And, for hysteria and comic/dramatic impact, I add that it is an average, middle-aged star. Science is supposed to be interesting: acting out the various stages of the life-cycle of a star is memorable lesson.

How do you think an average, middle-aged star feels about his day?

2 comments:

  1. Fun post :)

    The sun is fascinating - imagine having all those objects orbitting you, relying on you. Hope he holds up well with all that pressure :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good health and longevity to the sun. Hey Sun, fight the signs of premature aging just not with sunscreen!

    ReplyDelete