All posts by Jenny Henningsen

#20: Animal Olympians

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

Welcome to the Animal Olympics, where species compete daily in the wild to thrive and survive.  Different species have adapted different athletic abilities to succeed in their respective environments, from running fast to chase prey to swimming great distances in search of food and safety. Animals are amazing athletes and their performances in the wild are of often above and beyond Olympic caliber. And the medals go to……..

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #20: Animal Olympians

2.  Record make a section for each of these categories on your recording sheet.

  • Event #1: The Marathon
  • Event #2: 100 meter sprint
  • Event #3: Swimming
  • Event #4: The high jump
  • Event #5: Weightlifting

3. Read this article and take notes for each event on your recording sheet.

4. This article compares humans to animals. Pick 3 of the examples and record the animal and human details on your recording page.

5. Look over the fastest animals on this document and record the name and one detail on your recording page.

And the medal goes to………

6. Choose an animal not on any of these lists, but who should be! Decide what the category should be, and how this animal beats out all of the other animals to win the gold medal. Be specific and add facts to support your choice. Design the medal for you animal olympian as well. Add all of this to your recording page.

7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your with your teacher/EY coordinator.

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Stumper of the Week #11

Nordquist Blog

tree-clipart-stock-photos-image

As the trees begin to sprout and bloom, here is a new stumper for you…

Write the word acorn.  Drop the second and last letters.  Add an e.  Add a t in the middle.  Double the last letter.  Reverse the first two letters.  Add a k after the a, and divide the letters into two words that spell the result of a buried acorn.

Email Ms Skaggs with your answer!  🙂

Bright Ideas Calendar  McDonald Publishing 1991

#19: Patent, Trademark, & Copyright

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities, Uncategorized

Patents are like superhero capes for inventions, keeping them safe from copycats! Trademarks are the cool name tags for products and services, making sure everyone knows who the cool kids are! Copyrights are like magic shields for books and art, protecting them from sneaky pirates who want to steal their treasure!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #19:Patent, Trademark, & Copyright

2. Are you someone who keeps an eye out for the latest inventions?  Do you enjoy tinkering with objects to see what you can create?  Then knowing about patents and trademarks might be helpful in your future endeavors!  The USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) has a website to help kids understand more about the patent and trademarking process. Divide your recording page into 3 sections.

Patent

Trademark

Copyright

 

3.  What is a Patent? Trademark? Copyright? Read about this  the USPTO website. Take detailed notes about all 3 on your recording page.

4. Look at real life examples. Record the examples on your recording page.

5. Watch this three videos. For each one record 5 details.

 

 

7. On your recording page, add an idea you would love to create a patent for or something interesting you learned about the patent/trademarking process.

8. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Kids Invent Stuff Badge the Problem Solving Invention Badge at the EY website.

#18: Make a flip book

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

A flip book is a small booklet containing a sequence of images that gradually change from one page to the next. When the pages are turned quickly, they create the illusion of motion.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #79: Peter Reynolds

2. Print this instruction page or open it up on your ipad.  Read all of the information.

How does the flip book work? Why 24 pages? What is the patent history for this toy? Record this information on your recording sheet.

3. Watch this video

4.   He outlines several different ideas.  Watch the video to get an idea of how to get started

5. On your recording page write down the materials you will need and the idea you will use for your story.

6. Gather the materials and add a picture to your recording page.

6. If you want to use your ipad for a light source, watch this tutorial

7. Make your 24 paged flip book. Add a picture of some of the pages to your recording page.

8. Have a friend take a video of your flip book in action.

9. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and video with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

Calling all comic artists!

Other Events & Contests

 

ART CONTEST Grades 2–6

Jeff Kinney Design-a-Character-Contest

Due Date for Entries: April 30, 2016

Ten (10) Grand-Prize Winners will receive an original illustration by Jeff Kinney and a Wimpy Kid Prize Pack.

Ten (10) Runners-Up will each receive a Wimpy Kid Prize Pack.

Draw your own comic character. Include a speech bubble with some details about your character.

All entries must include student’s name, age, and grade; and teacher’s name, school name, address, and phone number.

Send entries to:
Jeff Kinney Design-a-Character Contest
P.O. Box 714
New York, NY 10013-0714

https://clubs2.scholastic.com/?fileName=contests-and-programs

Stumper of the Week #8

Nordquist Blog

Auric-Threshold

June 28, 1921

On this day in history, bridge builder Joseph Strauss submits his finished plans for the Golden Gate Bridge to city officials in San Francisco.  Some people worry that the bridge will spoil the natural beauty of the landscape.  After spending a dozen years convincing people that the bridge should be built, Strauss noted, “The value of an idea depends not only on the sweat you put into thinking it up, but also on the sweat you put into getting people to accept it.”  The Golden Gate Bridge is famous not only for its beauty but also for its span of 4,200 feet.

Challenge:  With your teacher’s permission, measure the longest hallway in your school and figure out how many times the hallway could be laid end to end on the span of the Golden Gate Bridge.  You could also do this with a hallway at home and compare.  Email Ms. Skaggs with your findings!

Day-By-Day Math  Susan Ohanian  Math Solutions Publications  2000

#17 Science, Math, & Technology at Your Fingertips!

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

Have you ever wondered how an atom is created?  Or maybe you find yourself wondering how energy forms and changes.  Do building fractions and creating creatures from area formulas excite you?  Then this simulation website is for you!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #7: Binary Code Names

PhET Simulations is an interactive website full of simulations that introduce you to many different areas of math and science such as force and motion, energy forms and changes, the Greenhouse Effect, Glaciers, and more!

Click here to get started on your own simulation journey!  Leave a comment with your favorite simulations.

*Be sure to hold your iPad horizontally while working with the simulations.*

6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator