Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#76: Día de los Muertos vs. Halloween: Compare and Contrast

Social Studies Enrichment

Have you ever wondered how Halloween and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) are alike and different? Although both celebrations take place around the same time of year, they have different histories, traditions, and meanings. In this Mini Spark, you will watch a video and explore how these two celebrations compare. You will discover how traditions reflect the history and beliefs of different cultures.

Spark Your Learning!

1: Set up your Social Studies Mini Spark recording page: #76: Día de los Muertos vs. Halloween

2: Watch the video about Día de los Muertos and Halloween. Record 3+ details on your recording sheet.

 

3:  Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two celebrations.

Include at least 3 details in each section.

  • Halloween Only: What traditions, activities, or symbols are unique to Halloween?
  • Both Celebrations: What traditions, symbols, or ideas do the celebrations share?
  • Día de los Muertos Only: What traditions, activities, or symbols are unique to Día de los Muertos?

4: Answer one of the following questions using 2+ complete sentences.

  1. What is the main purpose of Día de los Muertos? How is it different from the main purpose of Halloween?
  2. How do traditions help people remember their history and celebrate their culture?
  3. Why is it important to learn about celebrations from cultures different from your own?
  4. If you could ask someone who celebrates Día de los Muertos one question about the holiday, what would you ask and why?

5: OPTIONAL:  Imagine you are creating a museum exhibit about Halloween and Día de los Muertos. Write a short paragraph explaining one important similarity and two important differences between the celebrations. Include details from the video to support your ideas.

6: Turn in your Mini Spark to your teacher or EY Coordinator!

LESSON ADAPTED FROM BRIAN TOLINTINO

Opera OMAHA: Poetry & Music Project 26/27 Call for Submissions

Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

Students in grades K-12 from Nebraska and Iowa are invited to submit works of poetry on the theme of Memory. Selected poems will be set to music and premiered during a public concert in May, 2026.

“Belonging”

Belonging – the sense that we are connected to ourselves, to the people and places we call home, and to the natural world around us – is the glue that binds us together and makes us feel cherished. This year, we invite you to write about belonging, thinking about the people, places, and surroundings that make you feel connected, or buzz with excitement, like you’re part of something bigger than yourself, like you’re the perfect puzzle piece we’ve been missing all along.

If you need inspiration, check out the project prompts.

Contest Steps and Submission Instructions- Link

Submission Guidelines

  • Open to all K-12 Students in Nebraska and Iowa
  • Students may only submit one (1) poem
  • All work must be original
  • Poems should be in Google Doc or Word file format
  • Poems should be in Times New Roman, Helvetica, or Arial font
  • Poems may be in any structure, but may not be more than 150 words long
  • Poems should not be more than 1 page in length
  • Poems submissions should not include images
  • Poems can be submitted via the online submission form
  • Poem Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026

Please reach out to the EY coordinator in your building to help you with your poem an submission.

Calling All Doodlers 2027! Check back in mid October 2026

Events & Contests, Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

Doodles are the fun, surprising, and sometimes spontaneous changes that are made to the Google logo to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists, pioneers, and scientists.

Who: K-12 students are invited to bring their imagination to life in a doodle of the Google logo, using any medium they choose.  Introduction video

What is the 2027 theme-TBD

Due Date:  TBD

Check out the contest page to see past winners and to get some ideas!  All information can be found  @ https://doodles.google.com/d4g/.
EY Badge link 

#65: Make a Maze

Full STEAM Ahead

A maze is a puzzle made of pathways, twists, turns, and dead ends. People have enjoyed solving mazes for thousands of years, from ancient labyrinths to giant hedge mazes and even digital games. In this Mini Spark, you will explore different kinds of mazes and then become an engineer by designing your own marble maze!

Spark Your Learning!

1. Set up your STEAM Mini Spark recording page: #45: Make a Maze

2.  Learn about mazes by reading the Maze Fact Sheet.

As you read, record:

  • Three facts you learned about mazes.
  • One fact that surprised you.

When you are done, scroll to the bottom of this page to see some answer options.

3. Try to solve a few mazes with your eyes only!

Record:

    • Which maze was your favorite.
    • Which maze was the most challenging.
    • One strategy that helped you solve a maze.

4. Watch this video to learn how to make a marble maze. Record the materials you will need. Ask you teacher for help collecting the materials.

5. Create your own marble maze.

Your maze should:

    • Have a clear start and finish.
    • Include at least 3 turns.
    • Have at least 1 obstacle or challenge.
    • Successfully guide a marble from start to finish.

6. Test your maze and make improvements.

Record:

      • What worked well.
      • What did not work well.
      • One change you made to improve your design.

7. Submit your completed Mini Spark recording page and a photo of your marble maze to your teacher or EY Coordinator.

There is a Maze Design badge to try at the EY website.

Suggested Answers for Step 2

  • Mazes and labyrinths are not exactly the same thing.
  • One of the earliest recorded mazes was the Egyptian Labyrinth.
  • The legend of Theseus and the Minotaur takes place in a labyrinth on Crete.
  • Scientists have used mazes to study how animals learn.
  • The world’s largest permanent hedge maze is located in Hawaii.

Your answers may be different if you found other interesting facts!

# 75: News for Kids

Social Studies Enrichment

News helps us learn about important events happening around the world. Reading current events can help you understand science, history, government, technology, sports, and people from different places. In this Mini Spark, you will become a young journalist by reading and summarizing a news article written especially for kids.

Spark Your Learning!

1.  Set up your Mini Spark notebook: Social Studies Mini Spark #75: News for Kids

2. Visit: https://newsforkids.net/. Choose one article that interests you and read it carefully. Record the title of the article and the date it was published.

3. Write a summary of the article in 5–7 sentences.

Include:

  • The main topic
  • Important facts
  • Why the event is important

4. What was the most interesting thing you learned from the article? Explain your answer in 2–3 sentences.

5. Browse the website and find three other articles you would like to read.

Write the titles of the articles and explain why each one interests you.

  1. Why I want to read it:

  2. Why I want to read it:

  3. Why I want to read it:

6. Submit your completed Mini Spark notebook pages to your teacher or EY Coordinator.

Use this mini spark work as one of your article projects for the News Nut badge from the EY Webpage.

#73: How Little Golden Books Changed Childhood

Social Studies Enrichment

Little Golden Books transformed children’s reading habits in the early 20th century. A Little Golden Book is a highly popular, classic series of children’s hardcover storybooks featuring an iconic metallic gold spine and colorful illustrations. Launched in 1942, the line revolutionized publishing by offering affordable, high-quality picture books (originally for just 25 cents) that were sold in everyday supermarkets and department stores. Before World War II, most children’s books were expensive and often available only to wealthy families. Little Golden Books changed that by offering colorful, affordable books with modern stories that millions of children could enjoy.

In this Mini Spark, you will explore how these books became a part of American childhood and why they are still remembered today.

Spark Your Learning!

1. Set up your Social Studies Mini Spark notebook: # 71: How Little Golden Books Changed Childhood

2. What are little golden books? Listen to this read aloud of a classic little golden book. By a famous author- margaret wise brown.  This book is known for its poetic quality and simple lesson that mistakes make beautiful colors. On your recording page, write a sentence about your favorite part of the book.

3.  While watching this video about little golden books, think about:

  • Why were Little Golden Books affordable?
  • How did World War II and the New Deal influence families and children’s reading?
  • Why was it significant that Little Golden Books were affordable?
  • Why was it important for books to be accessible to more people? What impact do you think that had?
  • Did you recognize any books in the episode? If not, how can you find them or learn more?

Choose 1 of the questions to answer on your recording page.

 

4. Do you think Little Golden Books changed childhood in America? Explain

your answer using at least two facts from your research.

5. Submit your completed Social Studies mini spark recording pages to your teacher or EY Coordinator.

Check out a few of the many book badges at the EY website.

#74: Ellis Island Interviews 

Social Studies Enrichment,

What was it like to leave your home, cross an ocean, and arrive in a completely new country? Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island on their way to a new life in America. Today, we can learn about their experiences by listening to real interviews from people who made that journey. Become a history detective and explore these personal stories in this Social Studies Mini Spark!

Spark Your Thinking!

  1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #74: Ellis Island Interviews
  2. Watch the background video about Ellis Island

 

As you watch, record:

  • 5 facts about Ellis Island.
  • 3 reasons people immigrated to America.
  • 2 challenges immigrants faced when they arrived.
  • 1 question you have about immigration.

3. Visit the Ellis Island Oral Histories website and choose three immigrant interviews to listen to. For each one make a list and include the following information:

the title of the interview

any dates that are given (date arrived in america, date of interview, birthdate)

the country the person came from

a brief summary of the interview. 

4. Answer TWO of the following questions in complete sentences.

  1. What character traits do you think immigrants needed in order to leave their homes and start over in a new country? Use examples from the interview.
  2. Was immigrating to America more of a risk or an opportunity for the person you listened to? Explain your reasoning.
  3. How might America be different today if millions of immigrants had never come through Ellis Island?
  4. What sacrifices did immigrants make in order to create better opportunities for themselves and their families?
  5. Why do you think oral history interviews are important for understanding history? What can we learn from personal stories that we cannot learn from textbooks?

OR 

Create a “Suitcase of Memories” for an immigrant from step 3. Draw a suitcase and place 5 items inside that represent important parts of their journey. Label each item and explain why it would be meaningful.

5. Share your Social Studies mini spark page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

 

To learn more about this topic, find the Ellis Island Inquiry Badge to complete.

#72: State Research Challenge

Social Studies Enrichment

Have you ever asked what gives each state its own character? Each state holds its own past, landscape, emblems, notable places, and well-known people. In this Mini Spark, you’ll act as an investigator and discover the United States state by state through brief videos packed with fun facts.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #72: State Research Challenge

2. Choose one state that interests you from the Untold History State playlist. Choose on that your don’t already know much about, from the video playlist. Before watching, record:

  • The name of the state
  • Its location in the United States (advanced Latitude and Longitude)
  • Three things you already know about it

Then make one prediction:

What do you think makes this state unique?

3. Watch the video for your chosen state.

As you watch, record:

  • State capital
  • State nickname
  • State bird
  • State flower
  • Population (if given)
  • Largest city
  • One famous landmark
  • One interesting fact

4. Share your Social Studies  mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Check out the badge, The 50 States Research Challenge, at the EY Website.

You can use this mini spark for one of your states.

You can also try the State Savvy badge from the EY website.

 

#90: The Hero’s Journey

Reading Enrichment

Why do so many stories from around the world follow a similar pattern? From Harry Potter to Moana, Percy Jackson to Luke Skywalker, heroes often go on adventures, face challenges, and return changed. This storytelling pattern is called the Hero’s Journey. Discover why this ancient story structure continues to appear in books, movies, myths, and legends in this Language Arts Mini Spark.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Language Arts mini spark recording page: #90: The Hero’s Journey

2. Before you begin, think about a favorite book, movie, or video game character.What makes someone a hero? List at least 5 qualities you think heroes should have and explain why each quality is important.

3. Watch the TED-Ed video: What Makes a Hero?  

Choose 1 of these questions to answer

  1. Explain in your own words what the “Call to Adventure” is and give one example from the transcript (or a story you know).
  2. Describe two events from the Hero’s Journey cycle that happen after the hero crosses the threshold into the special world. Use details from the video.
  3. The video says the hero may face “death and possibly even dies, only to be reborn.” What does this mean symbolically for a real person? Give one real-life example the video mentions or implies.

4.  Study this hero’s journey graphic for kids to use when determining the parts of the hero’s journey. What do you like about it? What suggestions do you have to improve it?

5. Read the article: The Hero’s Journey. What strategies does the writer have for you? Record them on your recording page.

6. Share your Language Arts mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

#70: The Underground Railroad

Social Studies Enrichment

How far would you go to help someone gain their freedom? During the 1800s, brave people risked their safety to help enslaved people escape to freedom through a network known as the Underground Railroad. Historians recently discovered evidence of a hidden room in a New York City home that may have been used to shelter freedom seekers. Learn about this remarkable chapter of American history in this Social Studies Mini Spark.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #70: The Underground Railroad

2. Watch this video and record 5 important facts about the Underground Railroad.

3. Watch the video about the hidden room discovered in a New York City house connected to the Underground Railroad. As you watch, record:

  • 3 details about the hidden room.
  • 2 risks faced by people helping freedom seekers.
  • 1 question you still have after watching.

4. Set your timer for 5 minutes. Read a post at National Geographic for Kids. Study the map on the page as well. Explain what the different colors on the map represent.

5. Do you think ordinary people can make a difference during difficult times in history? Use examples from the videos and National Geographic Kids to support your answer.

6. Share your Social Studies mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Check out Social Studies Mini Spark #44 to learn more!