Saturday, September 22, 2007

Spontaneous Science

I say "spontaneous" because I didn't have to do anything except gather up Nico's latest drawings and ask him what they were pictures of:

First he did a picture of a bat and a picture of a pteranodon, highlighting the difference in wing structure:



Then he drew a family of right whales: mommy, daddy, and baby:

He pointed out that he included the daddy whale's zizi (which we learned about here and here) and explained that the baby whale is a girl whale.

Then he drew a cross-section of a dolphin, showing its skeleton and a fish it has just eaten:


He also drew a liopleurdon with a cross-section showing the skeleton:


...and did the same for the mosasaur:


I'd never heard of either one of those until my kids got hooked on those BBC specials and the corresponding website. It seems crazy, but I swear they have dinosaurs today that we didn't have when I was a kid...

And here's a picture of a squid with a cross-section showing its skeleton:

If you look closely, you can see the squid's spine and ribs, as well as the bones in its tentacles...

Okay, it leaves something to be desired in terms of accuracy, but it's a pretty good guess for a five-year-old!!! He's turning six next week -- Happy Birthday Science-boy!!! :D

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are great! He's very gifted for a six year old.

Anonymous said...

I want to invite you to my blog! E-mail me your e-mail if you want me to link you up! J**M! My e-mail is txintx@aol.com

Liseysmom said...

Oh one of these days we MUST get my son and yours together. They are two of a kind, for sure.

The Exterminator said...

Well, you know how much I usually hate atheist bloggers talking about their kids' so-called accomplishments.

But wow! I love this post. You should be really proud. Nico is a born scientist. I'd like to think that his joy in investigating natural things is a product of the intellectual environment provided by his irreligious parents. He's free to draw zizis, non-digested fish dinner, skeletal structures, comparative anatomies, and dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago.

I know you can't necessarily pat yourself on the back for his mind. But you can certainly give yourself a big hand for allowing that mind to flourish.

hm-uk said...

Go Nico! These drawings are great and would be good for an adult! There's a real freedom to them, even though he's trying to accurately show the anatomy. I LOVE the BBC websites for children - they're brilliant...

Guess what was included in our Saturday paper: a glossy travel brochure for Bordeaux. What a gorgeous area if all the places do look like the photos!

C. L. Hanson said...

Thanks Aerin!!!

Hey Anonymous -- Sounds cool -- I'll email you!!! :D

Hey Liseysmom -- That would be fab!!! :D

Thanks Exterminator!!!

Thanks Hm-Uk!!!

Bordeaux really is that pretty -- you should come visit sometime and see!! :D

tina FCD said...

Wow! Great drawings.

C. L. Hanson said...

Thanks Tina!!!

Christy said...

Oh wow, I am so very impressed! He's not only a talented artist, but highly intelligent.

I've met Liseysmom's son, and I can see him drawing these exact same things. :)

C. L. Hanson said...

Thanks Christy!!!

You daughter's art is fabulous too!!! We should have an exmo kids' art show!!! :D