Wow! Did I Trick My Munchkins

Okay, so the assignment was to bring in a sample of water from home. From what I could see, today, most everyone gets their water from the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority. What that means is, if we measure out 3-mL of water into a plastic test tube, add a drop of soap, and use a stopwatch to shake the test tube for 5-seconds, then, the height of the suds should be approximately, the same.
Guess what?
It wasn't. In fact, comparing the home water with water from my spigot at school, which, by the way, is also courtesy of the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority, most of my kiddoes recorded the water at school is being hard water, while their home water was soft. Hmmm, the same water, different results. Why?

4-Sight Testing
To accommodate the math and language arts teachers, giving this test, we had double-periods, today. That means, I met with Section 62 for two class periods and Section 63 for two class periods. Tomorrow, I get the other two sections.

Remember the Ions in Salt Water?
Children still did not understand why the sample of salt water was softer than distilled water. Even after reading the article on how a water softener works, and placing the order of events on softening water with salt, students still did not understand the relationship between the ionization in a water softener and the ionization of salt water in the classroom. I hope the light bulb comes on soon.

Joined the Archeology Society
With only five members in attendance, I joined the North-Central Chapter 8 of the Pennsylvania Archeology society, last night. This is the group that assisted with archeological digs at Canfield Island and at Muncy. We met at the Lycoming County Historical (Taber) Museum on West Fourth Street. Although unable to attend meetings, James Bressler, past president of the local society, was the topic of discussion as we were treated to a glimpse of paleo-indians exhibit. That's the first humans in our area over 10,000 years ago, when this valley was semi-tundra (without many trees and covered in permafrost). I was mesmerized as we talked about Bressler, who happens to be #2 in my hero worship, list -- preceded only by Benjamin Franklin. Take a look at the society website -- maintained by Robin Van Auken.

Will It Snow?
Arrrggghh, I hope not. It looks like we may be getting out early due to snow and sleet. Although I like the prospect of getting out early, I really need to get some old-fashioned teaching in. Worst, yet, I have to take off a half-day on Friday to drive to State College to pick up my daughter at the airport. YES!!! She is coming home for Christmas. I have not seen my baby daughter since the middle of August. Talk about separation anxiety -- daddy's got it.

Have a nice night and get your kids ready to shovel snow, tomorrow. I have the snow blower gassed-up and right next to the garage door.