What Causes the Weather?

What causes the weather? 

Here are some of our answers:

wind

water

air

clouds

God

not sure

And thus began our inquiry-based study of meteorology. 

We've been observing that there is a change in the air. The days are cooler, the days are shorter, the mornings are foggy, there's a lot of dew on the grass and there are lots of spiders making webs. We grabbed our science tools and our sketch books and began our investigations. 

We were greeted by spider webs in the morning. 

"Are they very strong?"

"This looks like Halloween city! The webs are everywhere!"

The webs in the bushes are randomly and tightly woven. 

The webs in the trees have patterns. 

There are dew drops hanging from the strands.

Some of the webs have spiders. They are usually in the center.

They have long strands to hold them to the trees.

Let's take the temperature. 

The air is getting cooler. 

And the fog often comes in the morning. 

We had fun trying to read the poem in an eerie way.

  

We used chalk to make the eerie looking fog. 

Notice the red light on the Space Needle. 

It's the "Wheedle on the Needle." 

So, what causes the change? 

Here are our ideas:

fall

seasons

heat

the sun

One child then shouted out, "the earth going around the sun!" 

We're curious and ready to discover a whole lot more. 

What Is It? A Taste of Seabury Creativity

At Seabury "we challenge gifted children in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery, and creativity." 

This mission statement  is so true as we love to use our vivid imaginations in creative ways!

This week the Navigators took the following shapes...

... and turned them into works of art!

 

 

 

 

First Friday Building Extravaganza

The first Friday of each month the Seabury community gathers together for enrichment activities. This month one of the activities was "building." Young and old alike got into the action and had some serious fun!

 

The Feudal System: M&M's, Dioramas and Chess

We've been learning all about the feudal system of the Middle Ages through lots of hands on activities and conversation. 

Making a chart of the four levels of society: 

serfs, knights, nobility and clergy, royalty

The first pyramid scheme! The serfs paid taxes (M&M's) to the knights who in turn gave much of what they received to the nobility and clergy. They, in turn, gave much of what they received to the king. 

Who can do the math? I can!

Was this system fair? A resounding no!

We then had a great conversation on how this system compares to our system of government. 

Making dioramas of the four levels. 

We later proudly presented them to the entire school at Gathering. 

What level would you like to have been?

"I would like to have been a king. I would have given everything back to the people." 

"I made a checkered floor for the throne room. There are banners on the walls."

"This is a hovel. It has a thatch roof. These are the dragons...."

 

"This is the armory where the knights kept all their weapons. I made a lot of catapults."

"I made a round table for the knights. Plus I made a long table for the feast in the Great Hall of the castle."

"My castle even has a secret escape route. You go through this noodle that is on the side..."

"The serfs work, work, work. All they do is work. These are the bundles of grain they harvested. This is a cart to haul stuff."

Ms Head and the 5th grade Narwhals came and explained the meaning behind the game of chess. We then got down to some serious business of playing chess.