Monday, March 16, 2009

Technology Strikes Again

In first grade science, we have just begun a unit on energy. In part 1 it introduces the sun as a source of energy. It uses the example of light turning to heat energy and suggested letting the children see, safely, how a light bulb gives off light that turns to heat that can be used as energy. So I turn on the lamp and describe to him how the light bulb will get hot and was going to let him put his hand near it, not touch, to feel the heat. He puts his hand near it and looks perplexed. As it turns out, I have those energy efficient, florescent bulbs in all of my lamps and they don't get hot. Ha Ha Ha. Oh the good ol' days when light bulbs gave off heat.