Where is the Weather? Clever Mnemonics Help Us Know

During our study of the weather, one of the "question on the week" questions was, 

"Where is the Weather?"

We took a look at the atmosphere and discovered that weather occurs in the troposphere. 

We learned the typical mnemonic for the layers of the atmosphere.

Try serving mustard to elephants!

We then came up with our own  

very clever mnemonics

and illustrations:

Timing Snails Must Take Eons

Close up view part 1

Close up view part 2

Triceratops Starts Musical Trumpet Everyday

Triceratops Sew Many Things Eating

Tectonica Stops Marching Through Europe

Tornadoes Slam Microphones Twisting Everything

Try Sniffing Mice a Tiny bit on the Egg

Turtles Slide Mountains to Eternity

These kids!

They are a clever, creative, imaginative, 

fun, entertaining, amazing bunch.

It's no wonder they're called
"gifted and talented"!

Signing The Navigators' Compact with a QUILL PEN

As we began our study of  Colonialism, 

we took a look a painting of the signing 

of one of the first frameworks of government 

written and enacted in the territory 

now known at the United States of America.

Signing the Mayflower Compact 1620, 

a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris 1899

Reading and analyzing the primary source

There is just something exciting and intriguing about 

writing with a quill pen for a first grader!

So we gave it a try! After practicing letters and names, 

we decided to write real letters. 

We then came up with our own ideas 

for how to best govern our classroom 

and compiled them to become 

our own "Navigators' Compact."

Like the early settlers, we want a government that is 

for the good of the people, is fair, 

and ensures freedom and equality for all.

We gladly signed it, with a quill pen of course, 

and it hangs in a prominent spot in our classroom. 

Halloween Escape Room Fun!

The Navigators had spook-tacular costumes, 

a fang-tastic parade, brainy food, 

and an 

ESCAPE ROOM STEM ADVENTURE!

The challenge was to solve the puzzles 

and escape the haunted pumpkin patch.

Was it possible? Could we do it?!

Wait for it....

A shimmering dragon

Purple haired Mal from the Descendants

Hermione and her wand

"Chinese" girl purposely looking shy

Two-tailed, notch-eared cat, Yokai

Transformer Bumblebee

Wednesday Addams from the Addams family

A pink NASA Astronaut

Avenger's Endgame Thor

A flippy shirt

"Did someone say CANDY?

Another super superhero

Ms Wollum, our princiPAL, leading the parade of costumes

 

Pointing to the brainy food

Escape room clue #1

  

Using a mirror to read some of the clues

"Decode the message below to find your next clue."

Final task of our Escape Room Adventure: 

Build a bridge out of pumpkins and toothpicks 

that is strong enough to hold a big pumpkin.

Can we do it?

This astronaut is very educated and looks very determined....

Wait for it....

TA DA! 

With only minutes to spare, 
we did it!

We escaped the haunted pumpkin patch 
just in time to do round two...Trick-or-Treating!

(Click here to see the video)

Thank you, parents, for all who planned and helped out with our 2019 Halloween Party.

It was fang-tastically spook-tacular!

Showcasing STEM on Grandparents and Special Friends' Day

Grandparents and Special Friends' Day was quite a thrill this year. The Navigators and their special guests took on a STEM challenge that related to our study of weather and showcased our STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) focused science curriculum. 

So how do you make a working anemometer? That was the engineering challenge of the day.

Click here to see video.

"It works! Look!"  

"It's working!"  

"Mine's working!"

 [BIG SMILES]

Can you create a working anemometer

 (a device that measures wind speed) 

using the materials provided?

We collected our materials and began the STEM challenge. 

The Navigators and their special friends worked well together 

and came up with a variety of designs.

Now came the time to test our designs.

Bring out the fans! 

Later on we did a lab report and tried out a real anemometer.

Thank you Grandparents and Special Friends

for coming and making our day so grand and special.

We hope you enjoyed it, too!