Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Vocabulary

We did chemistry today.  Yesterday, (because it had to sit overnight), we mixed pickling lime with water to make lime-water.   (Not from limes... don't drink it.)   When we looked at the jar we'd used for mixing, we saw what looked like clear water with a chalky white powder at the bottom.  Which led to a discussion of terms like solution, suspension, saturate, and precipitate.  Of course, being from the Pacific Northwest, the boys are pretty familiar with precipitation, (*eyes roll*), though not in the chemistry sense, but they quickly grasped the concepts.

So later today, as we were driving somewhere in the van and the boys were talking my ears off, I was trying to look on the bright side and praised them on their diverse repertoire of language.  And I asked, "Why do you guys think you know so many words?"

Gunnar didn't miss a beat.  "Because we talk so much, Mommy."

"Uh, yes and no, sweetie.  I was thinking because you read so much."

Tate jumped in, proving my point.  "Well, it's probably because we read good books that enhance our vocabulary."

I kid you not.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Julie - I just wanted to tell you that I LOVE your blog and I check it for new posts every day. (I'm happy to see new ones today.) I love hearing about your "school" stuff and I really enjoy your "Simple Woman" things. And I LOVE the things your boys say!!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Love, Tricia

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Tricia - thanks for the encouragement :D

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT! What a blessing - they're HOME and YOU get to have these conversations with these fabulous little men!

leah said...

"Enhance?" Well, there you go. Point well taken from Mr. Tate! I think I would keel over if I heard a ten year old kid say the word "enhance," lol.

Reading and the conversations they have with their teacher (AKA: Mom) really do give them great vocabularies.