All posts by Jenny Henningsen

#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.

 

#71: Civil War Invention-The Telegraph

Uncategorized

How can a war lead to new inventions? During the Civil War, inventors and innovators created new technologies that changed communication, medicine, transportation, and warfare. Some of these inventions are still influencing our lives today! Discover how necessity and innovation shaped history in this Social Studies Mini Spark.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #71: Civil War Invention-The Telegraph

2. Before you begin, think about this question: What invention do you use every day that would be difficult to live without? Record:

  • The invention
  • How it helps people
  • What life would be like without it

3. Watch the video about The Telegraph. As you watch, record:

  • 5 important inventions or technologies used during the Civil War.
  • 3 ways these inventions changed people’s lives.
  • 1 invention you think had the greatest impact and why.

4. Read the article about the origins of the telegraph. Record 3 details from the article.

5. Explore this morse code translator.  Write your name in Morse code.

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

Check out the Civil War Inventions Badge at the EY website. Use this mini spark as one of your tasks.

#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!

 

#69: Chief Oshkosh and the Menominee Forest

Uncategorized

Can people use natural resources without destroying them? More than 150 years ago, Chief Oshkosh and the Menominee people believed they could. While many forests across the United States were being cut down, the Menominee developed a way to use their forest while protecting it for future generations. Today, their forest is considered one of the best examples of sustainable forestry in the world.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #69: Chief Oshkosh and the Menominee Forest

2. Before you begin, think about this question: If you were in charge of a forest that your family and community depended on, what rules would you create to make sure the forest would still be healthy 100 years from now?

Record at least 3 rules and explain why each rule is important.

3. Watch the video: Chief Oshkosh and a History of Menominee Forest Conservation.

As you watch, record:

  • 5 important facts about Chief Oshkosh.
  • 3 facts about the Menominee people.
  • 2 ways the Menominee cared for their forest.
  • 1 fact that surprised you.

4. Go to this site and scroll down to find a book about Chief Oshkosh. It is purple and there is a button on it that says, “OPEN THE BOOK”. Set your timer and read for 5 minutes. The Menominee believed they were stewards of the forest and should only take what nature could replace. Why do you think protecting forests was especially important to the Menominee people?

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

#68: The Lost Colony of Roanoke

Social Studies Enrichment

What if an entire town disappeared without leaving a trace? More than 400 years ago, over 100 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island hoping to build a new life in North America. When help finally arrived three years later, the colony was empty—and the mystery has never been fully solved. Discover one of America’s greatest historical mysteries in this Social Studies Mini Spark!

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #68: The Lost Colony of Roanoke

2. Watch this video about the lost colony.  Why do historians think Croatoan Island may be connected to the disappearance of the colonists?

3. Sketch simple map on your recording page.

Add these labels

  • Roanoke Island
  • Croatoan (Hatteras) Island
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Virginia
  • North Carolina
  • Jamestown

4. Watch the PBS video, Discovering New Clues About the Fate of the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island. As you watch, record:

  • 5 important facts about the Lost Colony.
  • 2 clues archaeologists have discovered.
  • 1 theory about what may have happened to the colonists.

5.  Read this article. Many historians believe the colonists may have joined nearby Native American communities, while others suggest different explanations. Recent archaeological discoveries have provided new clues, but no final answer has been proven.

Answer in 3-4 complete sentences:

Do you think the Lost Colony mystery will ever be completely solved? Why or why not? Support your answer with evidence from the article and videos.

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

 

 

 

#66: Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride

Social Studies Enrichment,

What would you do if you had to deliver an important message that could change history? In 1775, a silversmith named Paul Revere rode through the night to warn American colonists that British soldiers were coming. Learn about his famous ride and why it became an important part of American history in this Social Studies Mini Spark.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #66: Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride

2. Before you begin, imagine there are no phones, text messages, or computers. How would you quickly warn people about an emergency? Record at least 3 ways you might spread important news in the 1700s.

3. Watch the video about Paul Revere.

As you watch, record:

  • 5 important facts about Paul Revere.
  • 3 details about his famous midnight ride.
  • 1 question you still have after watching the video.

4. Read the Britannica Kids article about Paul Revere. Create a web diagram with Paul Revere in the center. Add at least 6 facts you learned about his life, career, and contributions to the American Revolution.

5. Choose A or B

A. Imagine you are Paul Revere on the night of April 18, 1775. Write a diary entry describing:

  • What you see and hear during your ride.
  • How you feel as you travel through the countryside.
  • Why your mission is important.
  • What you hope will happen when people receive your warning.

Include at least 5-8 sentences with details that make the reader feel like they are there with you.

B. Many people know Paul Revere’s name, but other riders also helped spread the warning. Answer this question in 3–5 complete sentences:

Why do you think some people become famous in history while others who helped are less remembered? Use evidence from the video and article to support your thinking.

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

#65: The New Deal

Social Studies Enrichment

What should a government do when millions of people lose their jobs and struggle to afford food and housing? During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced a series of programs called the New Deal to help Americans recover. Learn how these programs changed lives and decide whether you think they were successful in this Social Studies Mini Spark.

Spark Your Thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #65: The New Deal

2. During the Great Depression, many Americans lost their jobs, homes, and savings. President Roosevelt’s New Deal created programs to provide jobs, support families, and help the economy recover. Before you begin, predict: What kinds of programs would you create to help people during a national crisis? Record 2+ ideas on your recording page.

3. Watch the video about the New Deal.

As you watch, record:

  • 5 important facts about the New Deal.
  • 3 programs or projects created during the New Deal.
  • 1 fact that surprised you.

4. Read the Khan Academy lesson about the New Deal and then choose A or B or C to complete.

A: Thinking Like a Historian. On your recording page, create a T-chart labeled:

Benefits of the New Deal Criticisms of the New Deal

Record at least 3 ideas in each column.

B: Creative Writing Challenge
Imagine you are a newspaper reporter living in 1935.

Write a short newspaper article (one paragraph) describing a New Deal program that has just arrived in your town. Include:

  • A headline
  • What the program does
  • Who it helps
  • How people in your town are reacting to it

Part C: Critical Thinking
Answer this question in 3–5 complete sentences:

Do you think the New Deal was a good way to help Americans during the Great Depression? Why or why not? Use evidence from both the video and the reading to support your answer.

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

Check out these Social Studies mini sparks about other events during the Great Depression

Art Inspiring Art-Youth Art Show

Events & Contests, Other Events & Contests

Opera Omaha & Joslyn Castle’s Youth Art Show invites artists ages 18 or younger to showcase what sparks their creativity! Just like how Opera Omaha’s production of UnShakeable uses the legacy of Shakespeare to craft an original new story, this exhibit explores how the arts themselves inspire us to create art.

 

Share a piece inspired by your “inner museum:” the collection of art, poetry, literature, or music that has made a lasting impression on you. Show us how art can echo, transform, and become something new through your imagination.

Have you ever looked at a piece of art, listened to a song, or read a poem, and been moved by the work?

What did it inspire you to create?

What memory did it spark or leave behind?

How did it connect you to other people?

What would happen if you stepped inside the artwork?

How would you retell a poem, song, or story in your own visual language?

What artwork, character, or line of text do you keep returning to?

 

This is your opportunity to share your own unique perspective, showing how art continues to evolve, inspire, and transform through you!

When: May 21- June 9, 2026
Where: Joslyn Castle Carriage House Gallery, Omaha
Who: Artists 18 and younger (up to seniors in high school)
Entry Fee: None—completely FREE!
Submissions: Up to 2 pieces per artist

Go to this form to learn more about submitting your art.

 

 

A selection of pieces will move to the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center June 5-7 to be displayed during Opera Omaha performances of UnShakeable.

 

#66: Pentahexaflexagon Folding Calendar

Math Mini Sparks

PENTAHEXAFLEXAGON. Say it 3 times fast! In this mini spark learn about math while doing this “fun” make-it-yourself calendar project. The calendars do require cutting and gluing so they are not truly origami; rather they would be under the category of paper fun.

Spark your thinking!

  1. Set up your Math Mini Spark recording page: #66: Pentahexaflexagon folding calendar
  2. Learn about different types of -flexagons. Record 3 ideas from the teaching page. How do these puzzles connect to mathematics?
  3. Watch this video before printing out the project.  On a scale of 1-5 how hard do you think it will be to create this project? 

4. Open the calendar template and read the instructions on the top. Gather your supplies. 

5. Print the template. If you would like the template in color, as your teacher for help. Rewatch this video as you build.**Note-If you would prefer written instructions with steps, this webpage has them created for you.

6. Share your Math Mini Spark Mini Spark recording page and your finished project. with your teacher or EY Coordinator.

OPTIONAL: If you would like to try folding this project without the calendar dates you can use this template.

Note Lesson adapted from https://make-origami.com/flexagon-calendar/

If this mini spark has not been updated with the current year’s calendar, ask your EY teacher to modify it.

 

Check out math mini spark #39 for more folding fun