Believing in the Un-Seen

I had an interesting teaching moment with my daughter today.  In her science lesson she was asked to imagine being invisible.  She was then asked to go throughout the house and open all the doors.  She was then asked, "Do you think anyone will know that a force was at work opening the doors even though they could not see you doing it?"  My daughter, who is 7, promptly replied, "Yes."  I then asked how they would know?  Again, promptly, she stated, "Because they see the open doors.  They could see what you did."

I just couldn't pass up the opportunity!  We took the next 15 minutes or so talking about "cause" and "effect".  On paper I first drew a bee and then a person.  I then showed the person getting stung by the bee.  I asked, "What was the cause of the person saying "Ouch!""  She said, "The bee." I then asked "What was the effect?"  Correctly, she said "The sting and pain."

I then asked here about the cause of the computer on our table.  She said that someone made it.  But I pointed out that she wasn't aware of exactly who.  How could you know fore sure?  I then took it one step further and asked, "What invented the computer, the hands that put it together, or the mind that came up with the idea?"  She rightly assessed "The mind."

I then asked her to look out the window at the house next door.  I asked "What built that house?"  She answered, "Builders." I replied, "Let's be more specific.  What invented the house?"  Again she replied "A mind."  I then said "One last question.  What is the effect you see?"  She stated, "The house."  "How do you know?" I asked.  "Because it wouldn't be there!  Duh!"  Slightly astonished, I asked, "So what you're telling me is that I can believe in the existence of something I can not see simply by observing it's effect?"  To which she simply said, "Yep!"

Despite the "Duh" issue I had to address I was quite impressed.  A 7 year old child has more common sense than many adults.

See you all tonight!

Ricky