It's fun to be a boy

In gathering together the educational materials to send back to K12 I found a magnifying glass and paused the packing with a devious look in my eye. I called the boys over and showed them how the magnifying glass could be used to focus the sun with tremendous heat.

We took our experiment into the driveway with a metal pan to contain the piece of paper held in place with a rock. We had a cup of water close by to extinguish any flames if needed.

The spot of sun was surprisingly bright, even projected onto the paper. I gave the boys UV glasses to help subdue the brightness. We got some smoke and burned some holes in the paper. I don't think we ever got a good flame because the wind kept putting it out.

Later on, Andrew brought his 4x4 over to show off the articulation. He's headed for college this next year. He's a wonderful example for the boys (i.e. Eagle scout, strong testimony, smart and talented) and we've had him babysit on occasion. We're really going to miss him.