I did not know what
Galena was, what it was used for or what it was used in. However, after Tanner's science project we all now know - and that is a good thing. Tanners science assignment for science was to create a tri-fold brochure on Galena, a mineral, talk about it's properties, uses, where it is found, how it is mined, and what the effect be on the world if this mineral were gone forever.
Yes, Tanner is only in 6th grade, and finding out what the world would be like if all the Galena reserves were gone was just one of five projects due during the month of May.
I don't believe Tanner could have been given a mineral more appropriate to his specific needs. Galena, as we all learned, is in every single battery produced in the world. Tanner is the battery king. He loves batteries. He loves all things requiring batteries. He has done battery science projects. He has an energizer bunny on his shelf. He is indeed the battery king.
Therefore, he knew exactly what would happen to the world if batteries were no longer able to be made due to a loss of Galena. Here is his quote on his brochure.
"If the supply of galena was depleted there would be screams heard throughout the world. We would no longer be able to make batteries! No more remote controls for the TV's, no batteries for flashlights, no batteries for gaming system controls and our cars would slowly die and transportation relying on batteries would come to a halt. Oh this would be tragic! Oh the humanity!"
He also had to create a model for a use of his mineral and he decided to replicate an emergency preparedness radio. I wonder where he got that idea from? When he was building the model he wanted everything to be exact and he wanted the radio to actually make noise. The conversation went like this.
I said, "Son, it doesn't have to make noise. It is perfect just like it is."
"No Mom. I want it to make noise because Mr. Harper likes that."
"He likes things that make noises?", I asked.
"No, he likes things that are made well and make noises."
"Yours is made well. You don't really need a noise maker, it won't really matter", I added.
"MMMMOOOOOOMMMMM", he whined.
"You don't know what he wants but I do. I want a noise maker inside the radio", he whined again.
"We are not spending any money to put a noise maker inside your project. If you can find something in the garage then we can put it in, but I am not going to the store to purchase one thing for this project. Which, by the way, is already perfect."
"I know the perfect thing!", he bellowed.
"Remember the doorbell I made in scouts when I was earning my electrical badge?"
Actually I did remember, but I was highly doubtful we would be able to find it in the garage, and even more doubtful it was still working and all the parts were there.
"Yes son. I remember the doorbell. Just go see if you can find it in the garage. But you know, we are now going to have to cut open this perfectly good radio just to put a doorbell in it, and are you okay with that?", I said knowing he would not find the doorbell.
"Yes Mom. It is fine. It will be fine. I will go find it", he assured me.
Two minutes later Tanner comes running in from the garage, "I found IT! And it works! Can you cut open the radio?"
So I began surgery on the radio and was trying to make the smallest incision possible to insert this doorbell into the box, and we would have to cut a circle for the button on the front. About 10 minutes later surgery was complete, the scar was minimal and the emergency preparedness radio made a noise.
Moral of the story: NEVER underestimate the power of an 11 year old boy who wants to make noises!
Tanner in the end was right. Mr. Harper loves things that make noises and are made well. Tanner scored 105 points on his model. He got extra credit because it made a noise! Go figure.
I love Tanner and his enthusiasm and persistence - most of the time.
2. It took one night (three hours) to make the dough
