All About India!

On Wednesday, the theme at Eureka was India. There were so many things to do and I learnt a lot!

If you ask me, the creepiest thing was the silk worms. There was a bowl of little cocoons made out of silk and you could rub them with a toothbrush until they opened! It took ages because the tiny strands of silk were really really strong. Inside there was a tiny pupa that, in the wild, would have hatched to be a moth.

The silk worms start out as caterpillars. They shed their skin, with each skin being roomier. Once the caterpillar has grown enough, it pupates and starts making a silk cocoon. It takes around 3 days for the cocoon to be made around the pupa.
Three weeks later the pupa emerges as a moth, but only lives for around 5 days. Interesting, right?

I also made an Indian anklet with Liv-Astrid and Lilli! Anklets made in India often use many layers of chains and have jingling bells and colourful beads; they are an important part of ceremonial weddings. Anklets that had a lot of bells on them were often used by women that danced to make an accompanying jingle while they were dancing! There weren't a lot of colours to choose from when we were making our anklets and most of the colours seemed Christmassy to me, so I made a Christmas one!

I also learned about a special tradition called Mehndi. Mehndi is the traditional art of painting on the hands. The paint is usually from dried and powdered leaves of the Henna plant that leaves a red dye. Mehndi started out as just a dot of the plant dye on the Indian's hands  to cool them down, but people started adding lines, swirls and patterns to it and eventually it became the same magnificent patterns we see today!

There was a lady with a huge snake. It was a Burmese Python! I was quite scared but I think I was brave!

Trying not to look scared!

It was heavy!

Not Indian themed, but Easter themed; a chick in a nest!

I didn't have time to do much else at Eureka because my friends Summer, Lilyanna and Liv-Astrid were there! Near the end of the day we all went outside and played in the freezing cold wind until it was time to go home. I wonder what the theme will be next month?

In other news, on Saturday I'm going to the Big Bang Science Show in Birmingham!We went last year and it was AWSOME!

I've got my grade 3 piano exam on Monday. I'm so excited (and very nervous) for it! Mom's been bribing me with money if I get a distinction, so I've been working extra hard. Wish me luck!

I am now a full member of the Pony Club. I got a cool badge, a lovely rosette and a yellow sweatshirt. (I will post a photo of my sweatshirt later)