Here Comes Science
from They Might Be Giants has been much enjoyed by some friends of ours, whose sons love science in all its forms. Our kids aren't quite as advanced as their boys, but we're always looking for ways to have fun with science so we checked it out from our library.There are some great songs introducing scientific concepts and terms like the elements and the periodic table, but there are a few songs we did not enjoy.
Science Is Real
is the first song and the most problematic:I like the stories
About angels, unicorns and elves
Now I like those stories
As much as anybody else
But when I'm seeking knowledge
Either simple or abstract
The facts are with science
...
The proof is with science
The truth is with science
The song doesn't specifically mention religion or faith with the stories, but we felt it was too easy to say the stories of our faith are not sources of Knowledge or Truth. Whenever we played the CD, we skipped this song entirely. You can find the complete lyrics here.
Electric Car
. Kansas Dad thinks this one just doesn't seem to fit in with the main theme of basic science (the elements, planets, etc.). We don't have anything against electric cars necessarily, but I have to wonder what they're going to tell my kids while they're riding around in the car...probably environmental indoctrination of some sort or another.My Brother The Ape
. While the theory of evolution isn't excluded by our Catholic faith, at some point, people became human, in the image of God, and set above the animals and other creatures of God's Creation. This song blurs the line between people and animals a bit too much for our taste.There were, however, some songs we really enjoyed.
I Am A Paleontologist
because that's what First Son want's to be. It's also catchy. (Though I hope First Son is much more than just a paleontologist, if he ends up pursuing that dream.)Roy G. Biv
First Son and First Daughter's absolute favorite (and how they request the album). It's very catchy. In fact, I dare you to listen without getting it stuck in your head. There's no way you'll ever forget the colors of the spectrum once you've listened to this song a few times.And I just like What Is A Shooting Star?
. It's performed as a round and it's fun and informative.We've enjoyed many of the songs on this CD. If we wanted to own it, though, we would import the CD to the computer (or just buy the MP3 files), then burn a CD without the three songs I mentioned in the first half of this post. I think many of the songs (like Meet The Elements
, Why Does The Sun Shine?
, and Photosynthesis
among others) could be wonderful supplements to a science program, especially for older children.
