This morning I spent some time with Rachel while Allison went to help Mama Suz with her work stuff. They had to put together Suz's lessons for the summer. She's a teacher, you know. That's just one of the reasons she's a fun, book-loving human! Anyway,I snuggled Rachel when she got sad over a silly phone call - and then just kept her company.
It was only when Allison and Suz came home that things got...strange.
My humans down at the kitchen table, but instead of eating food like they usually do there, they began to SQUISH it! Squish went the grape in a tiny bowl. Squish went the strawberry in another bowl. Squish went the spinach leaves in a third. What were they doing?
I pawed at Allison's foot from my spot under the table. Woof?
"Wondering what we're doing, little man?"
Yesss! I snuffled my answer into her flip-flop.
"Well, we're doing something called an experiment," Allison told me. She crushed a pepper with a rock and continued, "Rachel wants to know if we can use the colors from these fruits and veggies to make a kind of paint."
Arooo?
"An experiment is an attempt to answer a question by doing something. You can think of possible answers and test them out. Like when you ring the bell over and over and over to go outside even when you don't have to do your business - just to see if we'll respond."
Ahem. I tried to look sheepish, but only managed a pair of sweet puppy eyes. I was curious...that's all.
"Silly pup! Anyway, doing science experiments and asking lots of questions is part of solving mysteries."
Allison was right. Detectives have to stay focused and use science to answer questions and help others!
It also helps to discuss mysteries with your fellow detectives!
These books below - which star two canine crime-fighters - teach human-pups some wonderful ways to use science and what Allison calls "logic" to be detectives!
In the the Lu and Clancy series, illustrated by Pat Cupples (authored by various humans), a couple of pups (Lu the Scottish terrier and Clancy the bassett hound) solve mysteries together. In Crime Science, a litter of little puppies go missing. So Lu and Clancy must use things like paw/finger-printing and comparing footprints to catch the dog-nappers. In Secret Languages, a foolish cat burglar tries to keep stolen jewels hidden with a bunch of secret languages and codes. But ha! Lu and Clancy track the criminals through an aquarium to solve the case. With a variety of activities with step-by-step easy instructions, from making invisible ink messages to speaking in code, these books will be a hit with human-pups. The grown-up humans will smile at punny phrases like "furrin language." One paw up for these books. Great for Grades 1-4 (but little ones will need help with the activities!). Look for other Lu and Clancy reads if you like these!
Click me for a National Geo video about a real-life dog detective!
Click me for a National Geo video about a real-life dog detective!
As for me, I've got to go curl up next to Allison's bookcase for a nap. A puptective needs to keep up his strength for more adventures! Allison says we'll be doing another chapter book next. Arooooo! Hurrah! I'll get to practice my new experimenting skills!
Yours in clues and science,
Sam I Am
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