Seabury School challenges gifted children in a community that cherishes each individual and fosters a love of learning, discovery and creativity.




Thursday, March 24, 2011

Deosn't get any more hands on than this!

We took advantage of the beautiful spring weather to start preparing the garden for a delicious fall harvest.  The Explorers were with us as they prepared the Native habitat, while the Sharks weeded the front garden beds.  We are currently collecting data on ground temperatures to determine the best time to plant our seeds. We will be germinating several plants after spring break, and maintaining the vegetable garden until school lets out in June. 
Today in class, the students worked in their own cooperative groups on self-directed projects.  Some students were planting seeds with a control and variable, testing the affects of soda vs. water, soil vs. rocks, and if baking soda affects plant growth.  Others were building mazes for our class beetles, and timing how long it took for them to travel different differences.  They observed the strength of the beetles when they saw how it pushed a dice out of its way to reach its food.  A new testable question emerged as one began to wonder if beetles have eyes and can see, or rely on the sense of touch and smell.
All in all, a busy open-ended learning day!
GH and JE breaking up the ground to pull weeds

LW found an old root ball

CS hard at work

MP and DS finding new critters and picking up compost

Great teamwork EJ and CH!

A new friend...can we put him under the microscope?

Finding lines of symmetry with pattern blocks

AD and JE observing the preying mantis egg.  When will it hatch?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Observing our World Through Math and Science

The Sharks have had a lot of opportunities to construct their learning through manipulatives and other tools.  In math, we have talked about 2-d and 3-d, as they occur naturally or are manmade.  We have a great time at the Tacoma Art Museum finding shapes within photographs taken right here in Tacoma. We observed that shapes in nature do not have nor need to have perfect sides and corners to be considered shapes.  We even saw many organic shapes! In the classroom, the Sharks used toothpicks (edges) and marshmallows (vertices) to create their own figures.  In science, I pulled out our BRAND NEW (Thanks fund-an-item 2010 donors!!) microscopes, as the Sharks observed various seeds and recorded their observations in their journals.  One student commented on how he noticed that the same type of seed can come in different shapes and sizes.  Several noticed parallel line patterns on the seeds.  They really enjoyed using the scientific equipment! 

This Thursday is the Science Fair from 6-7:30.  A bake sale will be from 7-7:30 to collect donations for Japan Tsunami/Earthquake relief.  One student's family in our class has family members in Toyko!  I am happy to report they are all okay.  We are also doing a coin drive and all donations will be given to Red Cross.  If you would like to donate a baked good, please bring individually wrapped goodies with your child on Thursday and I will pass them along.  The middle school is hosting the event.

CS, MP, LW and NB constructing 3-d figures
AD, GH, and JE busy finding hidden figures in their shapes
GH, AD, and LW using the microscopes to observe seeds
EJ and DS looking closly at an acorn seed
CH studying her observations

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Cooperative Learning

The Sharks loved everything about mapmaking!  After we worked in small groups building maps, there was such an interest to continue that our focus went to building a 3-dimensional city.
It didn't take long to decide what to do.  They wanted to build Seaburius, after the made-up city in their auction movie.  Some kids went right away to adding roads and laying the plan out, while others built. 
Each day, new items were being added or removed.  One day they wondered about a power station.  Another day they decided the city had enough money to build a casino.  After awhile, a need for a neighborhood came up.  Bringing in people to the city also brought in a cemetary and even a mausoleum!  The Sharks had to negotiate their wants and needs for football stadiums, stores, parks, and a transalantic tunnel to the castle.  The builders had to take in account the size of their building and roads.
This project went on for a couple of weeks, engaging in the building process for hours!
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.  Even though the "final" product was never completed, the skills and concepts incorporated in the arts, social studies, math and cooperation will carry over to future lessons.
EJ is adding road and speed limit signs to Mushroom Road

AD's strip mall to include a bank and a Godfather's Pizza

NB and GH discussing plans on paper

CS adding a pasture for the horse stable