Genetics Lesson

Last night I had this nightmare that I had to be in meetings again all day unexpectedly. I was so relieved this morning when I realized it was just a bad dream. Anyway, it was great to be back with the kids again. I don't think they were nearly as happy to see me as I was to see them.
Nothing was really striking me as funny until my science lesson on genetics. There's a part where we introduce words that have the prefix homo- and hetero-(heterozygous and homozygous). My favorite part of that lesson is to look at the reaction on kids faces. The kids holding back laughter and smiling are making the connection to hetero-sexual and homo-sexual. They think it is hysterical because they are ten. One boy has this smile that makes me laugh because it looks like the smile on the Grinch. It is big and shaped funny too! Most of the kids are clueless to what the other kids are laughing at. I always try to assume there are a few mature ten year old who get the connection but are actually not laughing....maybe. The best thing to do it keep moving with the lesson. I did overheard this interaction though:

Boy 1 (with a sly look on his face): I've heard other words with the homo and hetero prefix. I've heard someone call another person a homo once. It wasn't very nice!
Boy 2 (a totally clueless science-y kid): There's nothing mean about calling someone a homo. When you call someone a homo, you are just saying they are a homo-sapien.
Boy 1: That is definitely not what it means.
Boy 2: What else could it be?
Boy 1: If you don't know, I'm not allowed to tell you. (Phew!)
Boy 2: Well, I think you are wrong anyways.

I love boy 2's innocence, and his "Mr. Know-it-All" attitude actually come in handy :).