Clouds, Thunder & Lightning!
/Whales continued their exploration of weather this week. In our study of cloud formations, we took a cloud walk and spent time looking up at the sky through our Whale Weather Watcher Sky Viewers. We used the viewers to help us decide what type of cloud was in the sky, what the color of the sky was, and what we believed the clouds and sky might tell us about predicting the weather for the day. Whales noticed that the clouds moved in the same direction as the wind, "Look Ms. Ellie! That wind is just pushing those clouds right along!"
Later in the week, we began a study of Thunder and Lightning. Whales discovered that lightning is electricity! We found that the electricity that's made inside a storm cloud is just like the kind of electricity that happens sometimes when we walk across a fuzzy carpet and then get a little zap from a doorknob when we touch it - static electricity! We learned that thunder actually happens when the electricity is released in the cloud from the lightning bolt, and all that hot air and pressure makes a gigantic BOOM when it's released! To help us understand the process even better, we made lots of static electricity by rubbing balloons on our heads. We made enough "lightning electricity" that we were able to light a light bulb! WOW!! After all of us had a chance to see little bits of lightning, we created some booming thunder when we blew up paper bags, filling them with hot air and pressure; and then exploded them with our hands. What a BOOM that was!
That same day, Whales gathered on carpet in the morning and listened to a book by Patricia Polacco called Thundercake. We talked a little about what it feels like to hear thunder and lightning, and what it feels like to do something, even when you are afraid. We closed our eyes and imagined being in a thunder and lightning storm as we listened to the sound of Mr. Mark's thunder instrument. It was exciting!
After finishing the book, Whales worked together to make Thundercake. We ate it later in the day and decided it must have been the secret ingredients (thunder & smooshed tomatoes!) that made it taste so good!
