Um, one of my brothers did his compsci doctorate at UTAustin and they have a robot dog soccer team, participate in the RoboCup and everything. Maybe they'd let your science team visit and watch a match? Seeing as how the technology is not just applicable to robodog soccer but to real robot warfare, it might interest your little mad scientist.
Hmmm, I wonder if Rocketboy would be interested in this: http://www.learningfun101.com/index.html ?
Hi, I'm from the Bureau of Awesome Post Titles and I'd like to congratulate you on your first place finish for this month.
All of those academic group names are kickass as well.
I thought fighting robots were real? Weren't they on Judging Amy?
Well, it's not a group, but if you give him the proper chemicals and have him mix them up in the toilet under the guise of cleaning it, you could get some interesting results. Something that might qualify for both the second and third groups. ;O)
Ooh, he sounds like my little brother! We used to worry about him. A lot. He was forever designing stuff that explodes. But, he grew up to be a really good mechanical engineer. Not sure what he designs now - if you ask, he always says "If I told you, Id have to kill you." Maybe it's better not to know.
RM, Junior will happily join Rocketboy in the blowing-things-up with chemicals group. He has already mastered the popping plastic sandwich bag using (I think) vinegar and baking soda. I put a stop to the air cannon with flour ammo, though. Outside, I insisted.
I'm assuming he already watches mythbusters? (we discovered it only this month: science! blowing things up!)
Mentos and Coca-cola fountain, baby!
And of course the non-dairy creamer cannon,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y...h?
v=yRw4ZRqmxOc
Yes, get him a small-size tyvek suit, a half-face respirator with HEPA particulate cartridges, rubber boots and gloves and send him out to clean the chicken coop!
Almost as good as HAZWOPR training! 
I agree that cleaning the chicken shed qualifies as junior hazmat squad. If he needs gear, it's a small price to pay.
Oooh! Check out LEGO League robot competitions! You could put a team together for the formal competitions, or use the MindStorms robot kits to do projects at home. (A chicken-feeding robot?)
http://www.usfirst.org/what/fll/...ult.aspx?
id=390
http://www.usfirst.org/community/fll/
cleaning the coop is a good idea make it fun
I have nothing practical to offer you...I'm just enjoying the post and the comments!
Nothing to offer but my sympathies.
A few months ago, I came home to find a hole burned into my ugly olive green and brown laminate kitchen counter. I wondered how the heck Male Offspring could've done that preparing Kraft macaroni and cheese. I confronted him. "Um, I sort of did it using magnesium for a chemistry experiment."
The good news? Last week he officially registered for college classes in the fall for Running Start - a program where you do high school and college simultaneously. His degree plan? Pre-engineering - math and chemistry.
I guess the counter needed to be replaced anyway...
Good luck with Rocketboy.
Commenting by HaloScan
