All posts by lspady

Task: Ask your parent’s permission first!! Then, find a muffin tin and 12 ordinary household items that make you ask….”Does this melt in the sun?”

Write those items down on a piece of paper and then divide that paper into 2 columns: 1 column for predicting and the other column will be your results. It can look like this:

Choose a day where the temperature is at least 85 degrees. Put your muffin tin with the items in the full sun and wait at least 20 minutes.

I know it’s hard to wait 20 minutes, but you can do it!!! After the 20 minutes is up, go check on your results! Fill in the column with the results of your experiment.

Now, for the most important step: CLEAN UP AND PUT THINGS BACK!

Finally, take a picture of your paper with your predictions & results and email it to your EY teacher!

We can’t wait to see it!

Lesson adapted from: https://frugalfun4boys.com/simple-science-experiment-for-kids-what-melts-in-the-sun/

Newspaper Engineering

August 7, 2023Full STEAM Aheadlspady

Newspaper Engineering

NOTE: You don’t have to get the daily newspaper to do this mini spark. Ask your neighbors, ask your teacher and/or EY Coordinator and have fun!

Challenge # 1: Build the tallest freestanding tower with only 2 sheets of newspaper and 12 inches of tape. No wedging or taping to the table or floor! You can manipulate the newspaper in any way you wish.

Challenge #2: Using 10 sheets of newspaper and 18 inches of tape, build a tower that holds a textbook 6 inches above the table for at least 3 seconds. The tower must be free-standing, which means no taping or holding to the table.

Challenge #3: Use 3 large sheets of newspaper and 24 inches of tape to make a piece of clothing that you can wear.

When you’re finished with your projects, take a picture and email it to your EY Coordinator.

FOOTBALL STEAM

August 7, 2023Full STEAM Aheadlspady

It’s Fall Y’All and when I think of Fall, I think of FOOTBALL!

For this STEAM mini spark, you will need to…

Build football goal posts out of materials you have around your house.
Fold a paper football (instructions linked below)
Design an experiment, create a competition, or come up with your own original idea to use what you built. Your project should include collecting some sort of data and analyzing it.
Share your project with your EY Coordinator.

Paper Folding Football Instructions: https://www.instructables.com/How-To-Make-A-Paper-Football/

Football Image Source: https://openclipart.org/detail/102853/football

# 94: Pixel Power

April 20, 2023Math Minute, Uncategorizedlspady

Pixels are the smallest unit in a digital display. Up to millions of pixels make up an image or video on a device’s screen. Each pixel comprises a subpixel that emits a red, green and blue (RGB) color, which displays at different intensities.

In this mini spark, you will learn about the basics of pixels and pixel colors. You can extend your learning on this topic by completing the Pixel Power Badge! (coming soon)

Step 1: Start by taking out your math notebook or opening your math mini spark doc. Put the date at the top and put the title of this mini spark. Record all of your work on this page.

Step 2. Use this slideshow of images, which zooms a picture of raft. The final slide shows that the entire photo is actually made from individual squares of color. How does looking at these pictures help explain creation of the digital images that you see? What other images might you see today that are made from pixels?

Step 2: Watch these two videos. The first video is a reminder binary numbers. It will help to see this before watching the second video.

Take notes as you watch both vidoes.

After watching the second video answer these questions in your notebook.

What is the RGB name for turquoise?

How does a computer name turquoise?

Draw the math steps that were used in the video to explain how a function is used to filter an image.

Step 3: Turn your notes and responses to your teacher or EY coordinator.

#93 Cake Pop Math

March 31, 2023Math Minutelspady

Did you hear that Scooter’s Coffee broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cake pop?! This mini spark will give you the opportunity to learn more, explore spheres, and maybe even make your own cake pops!

Activity choices for this math mini spark

Read the article and leave a comment about something new you learned: https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/scooters-coffee-breaks-guinness-world-record-for-the-largest-cake-ball
With an adult’s permission, make your own cake pops. Send a picture of your finished product to the EY Coordinator at your school.
Learn about SPHERES at https://www.splashlearn.com/math-vocabulary/geometry/sphere and think of a creative way to show what you learned.
Look at the website linked below to find the diameter of some of your favorite sports balls. Calculate the SA and Volume and display your learning in a creative way. https://www.topendsports.com/resources/equipment/ball-size.htm
Have you ever bought a cake pop? How much was it and was the cost worth the taste? Explore the price of cake pops from different stores and make a table comparing the data. You can find out the cost by visiting a place in-person, or find a website that tells you the information. Display your data in a creative way and share with the EY Coordinator at your building.

Science Mini Spark #14 Could You Survive the Twilight Zone?

March 16, 2023Science Mini Sparklspady

The twilight zone is a layer of water that stretches around the globe, just beyond the reach of sunlight and beyond the limit of photosynthesis in the ocean.

Watch this video about the amazing creatures that call the twilight zone home.

Choose 2 prompts below to show your thinking and learning after watching this video.

You just bumped into a friend who wants to know what a hatchetfish is. Describe this creature to your friend using MANY details from the video.
Do some research about the fangtooth mentioned in the video. Record what you learned in an interesting manner.
The anglerfish has a bioluminescent lure. Do research to find 10 other animals that are bioluminescent.
What is so unique about the dragonfish?
Life in the twilight zone looks weird or even frightening to us, but these animals have evolved to survive, and even thrive, in conditions that we could never hope to endure. What are some of the ways twilight zone animals might think we look weird or even frightening?

Lesson adapeted from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/could-you-survive-the-real-twilight-zone-philip-renaud-and-kenneth-kostel#digdeeper

#92: 18 Ways NASA Uses Pi

March 14, 2023Math Minute, Uncategorizedlspady

π Day 2023

Pi is one the most studied numbers in mathematics and on March 14 (or 3/14), we celebrate Pi Day because 3.14 are the first digits of pi.

On this Pi Day 2023, learn about 18 ways that NASA uses Pi! https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/list/oh-the-places-we-go-18-ways-nasa-uses-pi/
Learn about other interesting Pi Facts at https://www.piday.org/pi-facts/

Ice Ice Baby!

February 26, 2023Full STEAM Aheadlspady

Math Mini-Sparks are in the process of moving to a new Google site! You can still access all 94 math mini-sparks on the EY Website by scrolling down, but new mini-sparks will be posted here:

What Melts in the Sun?

This summer was HOT!! There were even stories about eggs frying on a sidewalk. This makes you think….what ordinary items might melt in the sun?

Newspaper Engineering

It’s Fall Y’All and when I think of Fall, I think of FOOTBALL!

For this STEAM mini spark, you will need to…

Pixels are the smallest unit in a digital display. Up to millions of pixels make up an image or video on a device’s screen. Each pixel comprises a subpixel that emits a red, green and blue (RGB) color, which displays at different intensities.

In this mini spark, you will learn about the basics of pixels and pixel colors. You can extend your learning on this topic by completing the Pixel Power Badge! (coming soon)

Step 1: Start by taking out your math notebook or opening your math mini spark doc. Put the date at the top and put the title of this mini spark. Record all of your work on this page.

Step 2: Watch these two videos. The first video is a reminder binary numbers. It will help to see this before watching the second video.

Take notes as you watch both vidoes.

After watching the second video answer these questions in your notebook.

What is the RGB name for turquoise?

How does a computer name turquoise?

Draw the math steps that were used in the video to explain how a function is used to filter an image.

Step 3: Turn your notes and responses to your teacher or EY coordinator.

Did you hear that Scooter’s Coffee broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cake pop?! This mini spark will give you the opportunity to learn more, explore spheres, and maybe even make your own cake pops!

Activity choices for this math mini spark

The twilight zone is a layer of water that stretches around the globe, just beyond the reach of sunlight and beyond the limit of photosynthesis in the ocean.

Watch this video about the amazing creatures that call the twilight zone home.

π Day 2023

Pi is one the most studied numbers in mathematics and on March 14 (or 3/14), we celebrate Pi Day because 3.14 are the first digits of pi.

On this Pi Day 2023, learn about 18 ways that NASA uses Pi! https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/list/oh-the-places-we-go-18-ways-nasa-uses-pi/

Learn about other interesting Pi Facts at https://www.piday.org/pi-facts/

Post a comment about something new you learned!

Alright Stop! Collaborate and visit…

These 3 “cool” websites with some awesome ice inventions!

For this STEAM Mini Spark, check out the 3 websites listed below. Each one has a video and some information to read.

For each website/video, write down:

3 new things you learned

2 things you wonder

1 question you have