Galileo

William is involved in a class at school called SEM.  It provides enrichment opportunities for kids in the form of special projects and activities.  In 4th grade, they participate in an activity called Images of Greatness, where they do a research project on a historically significant person who has made a positive contribution to society.  William's choice - Galileo Galilei.

I was fine with this.  He has been really into astronomy for a while so I knew he would enjoy researching Galileo.  But I forgot that part of the final project is to participate in an Evening of Excellence where they have to dress up as their person.  I'm terrible at costumes.  Really bad.  The solution - an internet search for Galileo Costume for Kids.  This brought me to a company that sold a costume billed as a Galileo/Nostradamus costume.  A few clicks and $30 later it was headed my way.  Lazy?  You bet.  But it saved both me and William a lot of grief.  We saved that for the Sunday afternoon when we spent hours putting together his display, especially since he had left a good bit of the work he had already completed at school.  Sigh.  Still, we persevered and William became Galileo for an evening in May:

He and all his SEM buddies did a great job with their projects.  There were some interesting people profiled and I thought it was a great introduction to research for William.

Still, the irony of William's costume being billed as a Galileo/Nostradamus hybrid costume doesn't escape me.  Science/Speculation?  I guess they all dressed alike, even in the 17th century.