(09-08-2013, 12:06 PM)StolenToast link Wrote: [ -> ]My sister has a masters degree in technology in education. Â I assume that means she does this kind of stuff.
More than likely, Technology in Education is a very huge topic and definitely an important one. Teaching proper technological interaction in children also helps exercise their brains in critical thinking and problem solving (better than any traditional teaching methods ever did).
Think about it, I'll even use kerbal space program as an example:
Within that we have numerous principals of physics, thrust, lift, gravity, etc. Through that we can have the kids learn to problem solve. What is the minimum amount of thrust to allow your craft to reach a safe distance so that it can be positioned into a non-decaying orbit?
The kids will basically consider it a game, but they are problem solving, coming up with a solution, critically thinking.
With the planetary simulators you also have some of those same principals, however in this case the principals of mass to gravity are a more important item to teach. You can ask them to create a solar system in which the planets do, or do not have a decaying orbit, and include a periodic meteor on an elliptical orbit that would not hit the planet (at least for a millennia or two).
Creating an application, software, is logical thinking, algebraic expression (math), and problem solving in that as well. How do you get your application (or even game) to output the result you want to have it output?
The dish soap and butane thing is just kind of fun to do though. You can teach basic principals of, well, exothermic reactions.
I will advise you all to be careful as I describe these steps and urge to "not try this at home". Only do when monitored, should have safety goggles and someone nearby with a towel, or water, or fire extinguisher if something goes wrong. You will most likely lose hair on your hand or arm doing this. There is a chance of burning yourself.
Obligatory safety precautions out of the way, now to teach you how to set yourself on fire.
Take a large bowl (not a soup bowl, like a large salad bowl) fill it about 3/4 full of water (maybe a little less) and put dish soap into it mix it up some (try not to create too many bubbles you'll have plenty later)
Use a compressed butane refiller and press it to the bottom of the bowl. It will (obviously) bubble, as the liquid turns to a gaseous state within your soap/water you now have butane bubbles in the soap bowl.
Dip your hand in the water (submerge it, you'll thank me later)
Let it drip a little and grab a scoop full of bubbles (remember these are butane bubbles)
Scrape the back of your hand off on the edge of the bowl (you really don't want any large bubbles on the back side of your hand)
You now have a handful of butane bubbles and a soaked hand.
Hold hand away from cloth, body, face, anything flammable, etc
Use a lighter, and light the bubbles.
Butane ignites momentarily (you may have to close your hand to extinguish the flame so as not to burn yourself)
Overall the water covering your hand should protect you from most of the heat and it does not last long (a few seconds)
Congratulations you've set your hand on fire, this is one of the presentations my cousin does at the Mobius Science Center for Kids in Spokane, WA of course, they put electrical tape around the butane bottle and call it "the secret ingredient" and tell people not to try to do it at home.
That's one of his presentations he does... and so he uses it to teach about how the water protects his hand from burning.
![[Image: JBMytKv.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/JBMytKv.jpg)
