Biology humor is rampant in a homeschool that contains mostly boys. A few days before starting our Apologia Biology book, I wrote down the four criteria for life on a sheet of paper and taped it on the wall:
- “All life forms contain deoxyribonucleic acid, which is called DNA.
- All life forms have a method by which they extract energy from the surroundings and convert it into energy that sustains them.
- All life forms can sense changes in their surroundings and respond to those changes.
- All life forms reproduce.”
Without saying a word, my oldest two sons apparently looked at the page and learned it. On the day before starting biology, we were just finishing up dinner when I asked the children what makes something alive.
My 10-year-old son rattled off the four criteria for life word perfect, and my oldest son said the same thing in his own words.
“Nuclear acid?!” said my third son, giggling. “All living things have to have nuclear acid?!” Everyone started laughing.
“Deoxyribonucleic acid, you know, DNA.” I turned to my 7-year-old daughter and said, “Can you say ‘deoxyribonucleic acid’?”
“That word is too long,” stated my daughter matter-of-factly. So I broke the word down into syllables, and she said each syllable.
“What else do you think is necessary for something to be alive?” I asked the kids.
“All life forms must have boogers,” stated my third son, causing hilarity.
“But plants don’t have boogers, and plants are alive,” I stated calmly. The kids laughed so hard they nearly fell out of their chairs.
