Interrupted by Fog and Spider Webs

We interrupt our regularly scheduled  program, 

to bring you this wonder-filled lesson.

Our Monday morning journal writing would have to wait. 

The Puget Sound area had been socked in by fog for several days and so we took advantage of the phenomenon

 and headed outside for an inquiry lesson.

We wonder:

What is fog? 

Why are we getting wet?

How do water drops get on a spider web?

How do they stick?

Why does it curve?

Where did the spider go?

How do spiders start their webs?

How many spider webs can you find? 

Are they all the same?

 

How long will this fog last?

Where does it go?

How does it end?

 

 What happens when the sun comes out?
Where is the sun?

Is this fog "as thick as pea soup"?

What do you think that means?

How can you describe fog?

How can you draw a dew-drop filled spider web?

How would you start it?

Would you start it like a spider?

How can you draw fog?

As you can tell, one question leads to another question, 

which leads to another. 

And so it continues. 

Sometimes the lesson is just taking time to enjoy

 the wonder. 

Discovering the Magnetic Force of the Earth

How do we use the magnetic force in navigation?  

That was the question of the week. 

First of all, we experimented with the force.

What "sticks" to a magnet and what does not?

Then we felt the force.

Sometimes the force attracts. Other times it repels.

These are important scientific words to know. 

We can make cool things using the force. 

Sometimes the force is like magic!

Then we saw the force.

We looked at iron shavings being affected by the north and south poles of a bar magnet. 

We wondered why the earth also has north and south poles. 

We then discovered that the earth has north and south poles

 because it is a giant magnet.

It was a wonderful light bulb moment!

We used the force to make magnetic compasses. 

Instead of cookie cutter compasses, each student decided what materials to use. There was a lot of trial and error in the process and a lot of learning happening.

We rubbed a needle on a magnet 100 times to make the atoms north and south poles line up. 

  

We discovered that corks and packing peanuts float well. 

AND IT WORKED!

OUR NEEDLES POINTED TO THE NORTH POLE!

We discovered the secret (and the scientific reason) for how navigators (including Christopher Columbus) use magnetic compasses to figure out where they are in the world. 

For Seabury's first grade Navigators, this might be very useful someday, as we are learning to navigate the world around us!

Grandparents and Special Friends Day 2018

Thank you Grandparents and Special Friends for visiting us. 

We hope you enjoyed your Seabury experience.

Heave Ho! We Are Vikings Tall and Strong!

 Heave ho, to the beat of the drum

We are Vikings tall and strong

Sailing across the sea.

Heave ho, to the beat of the drum

We have big beards and worship the sun

So pack your bags and flee!

The past two weeks we have integrated Vikings in almost everything we do--reading, writing, science, art, engineering, map making, and even a bit of singing. 

It's amazing what the Navigators learned as we played Viking!

Painting our shields

Painting our longboat's sail

The swirly tail

A sea serpent/dragon head

Lots of rivets to hold the wood planking together

Making "food" for our long journey

Practicing our song

Donning our helmets and setting sail

Singing our "Heave Ho" song at our all school Gathering

Each student presented a snippet of Viking information

 to an audience of curious students and proud parents. 

 And here are the happy, hard-working Vikings!