The Small Moment that Made a World of Difference

Photo by hira3 on flickr
There are many small moments with my kids that I wish I could capture and remember for posterity.  I don't mean the award ceremonies, dance recitals and birthdays, although those are really special memories.  I mean the really small moments.  Where they ask questions or share ideas.  Or just surprise you with what they do.

Recently, my son looked across the kitchen table at me and said, "Mommy, do people on the other side of the world stand upside down?" I just had to laugh. 

His class just finished studying the author, Mem Fox and learning about Australia.  They even skyped a teacher from Australia!  I remember specifically talking to him about how it was midnight for her and we just finished breakfast.  I guess there is still room for misconception in there, but I'm struggling a little with how to make him understand. 

Any suggestions?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

For my kindergarten class, I get out the globe, and a bright light to represent the sun, then we turn off all the lights in the room and I show them how it's dark on one side and light on the other and how as the world rotates, morning, then daytime, then evening come.

Great idea! I will give it a try!

I'm not sure I know how to "fix" that misconception, but have you told him that the water in the toilet swirls in the opposite direction when flushed in the southern hemisphere? I've been to Australia and checked it out :)

No misconception! They do stand upside down in Australia insomuch as we North American's would point downwards towards them. A standing Australian's feet are in the down direction, and their head is another body length further down! That might just be the very definition of upside-down.

Of course, they don't have the same "down" as we do :)

Hi Melanie,

I really enjoyed your blog and learned a lot from it.

Thank you for your time and efforts,

Ahmed Khalifa