Black Holes for 4th Graders

New Year's Resolution 10: further the public understanding of science (originally suggested by Jack 2 years ago). Well, here are some members of the public, the 4th grade class of Orion Elementary School, Redwood City, and that's me explaining to them that 1) black holes curve space in the same way that this bowling ball is curving my table cloth, so that light (like that marble) no longer travels in straight lines, and 2) astrophysicists like to build models of the Universe and then play with them. Steven, Teddy and I spent the morning with them - they had a *lot* of questions and it was a lot of fun. Teachers do, I think, an enviable job. Our exploits did not go unnoticed - I am now signed up to lead the SLAC Kids' Day in August (inbetween UK trips...)