Q. Barchan, stellar, and transverse are terms for different shapes of what type of land formation?
A. Dunes. Barchan dunes are crescent-shaped; stellar dunes are star-shaped and form where the wind direction is highly variable; and transverse dunes are broad and rippled like the ocean.
Earth science in the classroom...and on the playground.
Yesterday morning, a group of our 3rd-5th grade students had the privilege of spending some time with
Tek-Kids' Ian Riddell, who uses
Zometools (not to mention his engaging presence and kind manner) to teach geometry in 3D.
No, this isn't PE; it's their brains that are getting a workout. Drawing a triangle with one hand while drawing a square with the other is tough. Try it sometime!
It's no surprise that Ian has a theater degree; he knows how to capture an audience.
Look at the way these kids just rolled up their sleeves and got to work, building structures they might not have thought themselves capable of.
Symmetry, patterning, spatial relations, shapes, problem-solving, innovation, accomplishment, and wonder all rolled into one 90-minute session: It doesn't get much better than that! Thanks so much, "ZomeMaster Ian," for sharing your talent with TNCA.
Q. Which type of biome do we live in (in Western North Carolina)?
A. Temperate deciduous forest.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves for part of the year...making lots of kids very happy. (This photo was taken on our playground in October.)Are you interested in sponsoring a trivia question? Let us know.
On Friday afternoon, TNCA mom Juliette Benezra-Winston brought her drum circle,
Wild Bodema, to school for some West African drumming fun with the pre-K through 5th grade classes. (The middle schoolers were off on their own adventure in downtown Asheville.) Thanks, Wild Bodema, for making us smile, getting us moving, and giving us a nice tie-in with our school-wide geography unit on Africa to boot!
We learned how different drummers add in different rhythms, so what starts as a simple beat ends up layered and complex.
Everyone got an instrument--and a chance to practice keeping time; some students joined the circle for a bit with some makeshift drums.
We learned how to do a traditional harvest dance--tilling the soil, sowing the seeds, and bringing rain and sunshine for a good crop.
And we ended with a joyful free-for-all.
All in all, it was a glorious afternoon.
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