The Navigators and Spirits Winter Performance

Be sure to watch until the very end for the All STAR performance of the North Skelton Saber Dance. 

Full STEAM Ahead: Integrating Science Across the Curriculum

In science we have been studying weather and the states of matter. But, as you can see, these topics are more than just science. 

STEAM:

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math

Science:

Hands-on discovery of air pressure

Hot air expands, cold air contracts

Spur of the moment experimentation

Lots of inquiry, student-led experiments and discovery

We record our findings

We label our drawings.

Our personalities show up!

The swirls show moving air.

Technology:

We use an interactive weather map to learn the symbols used by weather forecasters.

We discover that weather forecasting is not easy!

We each choose a place we'd like to visit. We create and then present a PowerPoint Weather Forecast  at our all school Gathering. This map has a cold front and a warm front about to collide. Watch out central Washington!

Disney World is experiencing a high pressure system with sunny days in the mid to high 70's. 

This weather forecaster is able to find his house on the internet and incorporates it into his presentation. 

Hopefully Madagascar will recover quickly from Saturday's freak snow storm!

Engineering:

We've begun our study of the Renaissance by marveling at Leonardo da Vinci. 

We make some simple flying machines and experiment with design, number and size of wings and weight (amount of paper clips added.)

Art:

Observing and drawing the clouds

We read Little Cloud by Eric Carle and then make our own cloud pictures using glue and shaving cream. 

Math:

We discover that math and science go together a lot!

Bar graphs and pie graphs

Percentages

The Rube Goldberg Formula

Classroom Supplies + 1 hour + Gifted Students = Amazing Rube Goldberg Machines

"A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption, invention, device or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered to perform a very simple task in a very complicated fashion, usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg." Wikipedia

First Fridays are a chance to bring the entire Seabury School together and participate in activities that engage and thrill our gifted and talented students. With just a motivation video, a classroom of regular stuff, one hour of time and a bunch of multi-aged brilliant kids, amazing machines were engineered that would make Rube Goldberg smile. It sure made all the kids and their teachers smile!

Tacoma's Tinkertopia and Fabulous FabLab

Our creative juices start to flow at:

To kick off our study of inventions, the Navigators and the Spirits took the short trip around Commencement Bay to the unique and trendy downtown Tacoma district. Our first stop was Tinkertopia, "a destination for teachers, students, artists, crafters, inventors, makers, hackers and tinkerers (of any age) in search of unusual materials for any creative venture." That's us!!

First we get a bag. 

Then we go shopping.

A builder's heaven!

Bins and bins of good stuff to choose from

Hmmmm...what could I make of this?

So much to look at

They even have wire!

Our bags are full of treasures. 

We're ready to face the rain and trek on up the UW Tacoma's steps to FabLab!

"Do you need help with a product idea or invention? 

Visit FabLab Studio...."

We are introduced to the 3D printer and the amazing things it can do.

It can make 37 layer frogs,

little statues,

a wrench that was printed out in space for use on the International Space Station,

and working guitar parts.

This is a ball within a ball within a ball. 

We also learned about 3D printed prosthetic hands

that cost $45 instead of much, much more

and the world's first 3D-printed apartment building in China. 

Thank you, Tinkertopia and FabLab, for inspiring some future innovators and inventors.

We're so excited to get tinkering!

 We went back home with our treasures and started to dream and plan. 

A design for a new kind of fishing boat

Plans for a comfortable bed in the sun 

complete with drink holders and book shelves. 

Sign me up!