All posts by Katie Sindt

#67: Discover the Stock Market!

Social Studies Enrichment, Uncategorized

Imagine you want to open a giant lemonade stand business, but you need $100 to buy lemons, sugar, and cups. You only have $10. What do you do?

You could ask 90 of your friends to give you $1 each. In return, you give each friend a tiny piece of your business. If your lemonade stand makes a big profit, your friends get a share of that money. If it fails, they lose their dollar.

That is exactly how the stock market works, just on a much bigger scale!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page #67: Discover the Stock Market!

2. Read the information and answer the question, “What is a stock”, on your recording page. Use 2 sentences.

What is a Stock?

A stock (also called a share) is a piece of ownership in a company. When you buy a stock, you become a shareholder. If you buy a share of a famous company like Apple, Disney, or Nike, you actually own a tiny, microscopic piece of that company.

Companies sell stock because they need money to grow. They use the cash from investors to build new factories, invent new products, or hire more workers.

3.  Read the information and answer the question, “How did the stock market start”, on your recording page. Use 3 sentences.

 How Did the Stock Market Start?

The stock market wasn’t invented overnight. It started hundreds of years ago because of sea voyages.

The First Stock: Sea Monsters and Spices

In the 1600s, Dutch explorers wanted to sail across the ocean to bring back valuable spices like cinnamon and pepper from Asia. These trips were incredibly expensive and risky. Ships could sink, get lost, or be attacked by pirates.

No single person wanted to risk all their money on one ship. So, in 1602, the Dutch East India Company decided to try something new. They asked regular citizens to fund the trips. In exchange, citizens got a paper certificate showing they owned a “share” of the voyage’s profits. This was the world’s very first official stock market.

Under the Buttonwood Tree

In America, the stock market started out on the streets of New York City. In 1792, a group

of 24 businessmen met outside on Wall Street under a large buttonwood tree. They signed an agreement to trade stocks with each other. This outdoor meeting spot e

ventually grew into the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which is now the biggest stock market in the world.

 

 

 

4. Read the information and answer the question, “How does the stock market work today:, on your recording page. Use 2 sentences.

How Does the Stock Market Work Today?

Today, people don’t meet under trees to trade stocks. It is almost entirely done on computers. The stock market acts like a giant, digital supermarket where buyers and sellers trade shares.

The prices of stocks go up and down every second based on a rule called supply and demand:

  • High Demand: If a company invents an awesome new video game console, a lot of people will want to buy that company’s stock. Because the stock is popular, the price goes up.

  • Low Demand: If a company makes a bad product or loses money, people will want to sell their stock. Because everyone is selling and nobody is buying, the price goes down.

People invest in the stock market hoping to buy a stock at a low price and sell it later at a higher price, making a profit.

5. There is always a risk involved! The stock market involves risk. There are NO guarantees. If a company goes out of business, the value of its stock can drop to zero and investors can lose ALL of the money they put in. Summarize this information using 5 words.

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

Want to try it out for yourself? Learn more about the stock market by completing the Stock Market Badge at the EY website.

#71: All About Art!

Early Enrichment

The National Gallery of Art, located in Washington, D.C.  is an art museum that preserves, collects, exhibits, and studies Western art, from the Middle Ages to the present, and is free to the public. Explore and learn about some of the most famous works from the National Gallery’s collection, make your own art, and share it with friends!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your early enrichment mini spark recording page:#71: All About Art!

2. Read this paragraph about the National Gallery of Art and add 3 details to your recording page.

The museum was founded in 1937 when the financier and philanthropist, Andrew W. Mellon, donated to the government a collection of paintings by European masters and a large sum of money to construct the gallery’s building, which was created by the architect John Russell Pope and opened in 1941.
The National Gallery now holds a very large collection of European and American paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and graphic works from the 12th to the 20th century. The museum has especially amazing holdings of works by Italian Renaissance painters, as well as by Dutch and Spanish Baroque and French Rococo artists.

3. Check out the famous works of art below that are located in the National Gallery of Art! Click on the name of the art and you will go to an information page. If you click on the words “visual description” there is more information about the art.  Choose your favorite one and write about what you like on your recording page.

 

 

Georgia O’Keeffe Shell No.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pablo Picasso  Family of Saltimbanques

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leonardo da Vinci Ginevra de’ Benci

 

 

 

Louise Bourgeois Spider 

 

 

 

 

5. OPTIONAL: You can discover the world of art in a fun and easy way. Explore and learn about some of the most famous works from the National Gallery’s collection, make your own art, and share it with friends at Paint -n- Play. Take a screenshot of your creation and add it to your recording page.

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

Check out the Paint and Play mini spark where you can create your own art inspired by one of the pieces from the National Gallery of Art.

#61: Dia de los Muertos

Social Studies Enrichment

Source: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/day-of-the-dead

Many of you are VERY excited that Halloween is coming up? But, did you know that Halloween (or All Hallow’s Eve) is the night before Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? The celebrations for each culture are woven together in interesting ways!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies spark recording page: #61: Dia de los Muertos

2. Read the following information and record 8-10 pieces of information on your recording page.

Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. The holiday, which is celebrated mostly in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd, is like a family reunion—except dead ancestors are the guests of honor. Day of the Dead is a joyful time that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate their memory.

First, people set up a candlelit altar in their homes so spirits can find their way back to their relatives. The altar also offers some of the favorite foods of the deceased—just in case they get hungry. Items that were important to the ancestors when they were alive, such as a favorite book or musical instrument, are placed on the altar as well.

Then it’s off to the graveyard for a big party. Families bring a huge feast to eat while they clean tombstones, sing songs, and talk to their ancestors. Parents might even introduce a baby to a grandparent who died before the baby was born.

And don’t forget the skeletons. During Day of the Dead, life-size papier-mâché skeletons and miniature plastic or clay skeletons are everywhere. Why? Mexicans honor their ancestors on Day of the Dead, but they’re also reminding themselves that death is just a part of life. Hanging out with skeletons reminds people that one day they will be skeletons—but not for a very long time!

The skeletons are posed doing all sorts of wacky things, such as playing guitar, taking a bath, or making tortillas. Apparently people aren’t the only ones who get to have fun on Day of the Dead!

3. Look over the pictures at National Geographic Kids. Choose one of the pictures and describe it in detail using 3-5 sentences.

4. Some of you may have seen the Disney movie, Coco! Click on the video below to see how Coco honors Dia de los Muertos. Watch the clip carefully. Write down 3 things you liked about the clip. Explain why you liked each thing. Write 2 suggestions for how the clip could be improved.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page and visual with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#69: Dinosaur Facts

Early Enrichment

Did you know that dinosaurs are related to birds? Or that the biggest dinosaurs had hollow bones?

Spark your thinking!

1.  Set up your Early Enrichment Mini Spark recording page: #69: Dinosaur Facts

2. Dinosaurs are a group of reptiles that have lived on Earth for about 245 million years. In 1842, the English naturalist Sir Richard Owen coined the term Dinosauria, derived from the Greek deinos, meaning “fearfully great,” and sauros, meaning “lizard.” Dinosaur fossils have been found on all seven continents! Record the bolded information on your recording page.

3. There are all kinds of fun facts about dinosaurs! And, there are so many types of dinosaurs scientists are learning about! Choose a dinosaur fact page to read about at National Geographic Kids. Record the name of the dinosaur and 3 facts from the article.

4. Watch and learn fun facts about dinosaurs. At the end of the video there is a review. Pause the video and  write the answers on your recording page then unpause your video and check your answer.

5. Share your Early Enrichment Mini Spark recording page with your teacher or EY Coordinator.

Did you that there are two digital badges about dinosaurs? Check them out at the EY website.

#48: Ada Lovelace

Social Studies Enrichment

Ada Lovelace is often celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer. Her visionary work and ideas laid the foundation for the modern computer technology we rely on today.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies  mini spark recording page: #48: Ada Lovelace 

2. Look over this info card from National Geographic about Ada Lovelace. Record 5 details about her on your recording page.

3. Listen to this Ada Lovelace book. On your recording sheet finish these sentence starters. Use an example from the story in each sentence.

Ada Lovelace was

Ada Lovelace proved

Ada Lovelace changed

4. Read this article. Record 3 details about Ada that you did not already know.

5. Share your Social Studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

# 64: Earthquake Lesson

Early Enrichment

What do you know about earthquakes?  Let’s find out!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your early enrichment mini spark recording page # 64: Earthquake Lesson

2. Read this teaching page written by an earthquake. If a word is bold, record it on your recording page.

Greetings! I am an Earthquake.
I usually occur at the edge of tectonic plates, which are the outer layer of the Earth. Made of rock, these plates are constantly on the move.

My Trigger: Getting Stuck!
I happen when the tectonic plates get stuck but continue to try to move. As they remain stuck, pressure builds up until I can finally break free with a sudden movement!

Foreshocks: My Warning Signals!
Before I make my grand entrance, I sometimes send foreshocks your way. These are smaller earthquakes that occur before the main event, which is known as the main shock. Scientists can use these signals to predict when I might arrive.

Aftershocks: My Echoes!
Once I’ve made my appearance, aftershocks usually follow. These are smaller earthquakes that occur after the main one, as the Earth’s crust adjusts to the changes I’ve caused. They can be very dangerous, especially if buildings are already damaged from my initial impact.

My Seismic Waves!
The shock waves I create as I move through the ground are called seismic waves. They are strongest at the center of my occurrence and travel to the surface, causing the ground to shake and leading to destruction.

Measuring My Strength!
Scientists use the Moment magnitude scale to measure my strength. This scale accurately measures the energy I release. In the past, they relied on the Richter scale, which measured the size of my seismic waves but wasn’t as precise.

My Birthplace: The Hypocenter!
I always start somewhere underground, and that place is known as the hypocenter. It’s the hidden origin of my power.

The Epicenter: My Surface Spot!
The point directly above my hypocenter on the ground is called the epicenter. The difference is clear: the hypocenter is underground, while the epicenter is above, where the effects are felt most.

My Record-Breaking Event!
The strongest earthquake ever recorded was in Chile in 1960, measuring 9.5 on the Moment Magnitude scale—an extremely high value! I lasted for a full 10 minutes, leaving a significant mark.

My Frequent Home: Japan!
I tend to occur most often in Japan, located within ‘The Pacific Ring of Fire,’ which sits at the edge of the Pacific Ocean where tectonic plates meet. Other countries affected by my presence include the Philippines, the United States, Chile, and more.

3. Which of these 10 facts surprised you the most?

4. Write a 5 question quiz about earthquakes. Make an answer key as well.

5. Share your early enrichment mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Natural Disaster Reporter Badge at the EY Website.

 

 

 

 

#53: Amanda Gorman

Social Studies Enrichment

Amanda Gorman is an L.A. native poet and humanitarian activist. Through her works, she tries to talk about oppression from the police, racism, discrimination, and women’s rights. She graduated from Harvard University in 2020 with a cum-laude status and was named the youngest poet ever to read an inauguration poem in U.S. history.

Spark your thinking!

1.  Set up your Social Studies Mini Spark Page: #53: Amanda Gorman

2. Watch Amanda Gorman read her poem “Talking Gets Us There”. Choose one of these question sets to thoughtfully answer on your recording page.

  • Social Justice: Where do we see examples of racism? Where do we see examples of people who have “talked about it?”
  • Poetry: How does Amanda Gorman use rhythm to keep readers/listeners engaged? What lines stand out and why?
  • Art: How does the art/video enhance the meaning of the poem? What changes would you make to the art if you had the chance.

3. Watch this video. On your recording sheet list 5 ways that Ms. Gorman changed America.

4. Read this interview.  Choose one of the Q and A and write about your reaction.

5.  Write a rhyming poem about one of these topics: yourself, Amanda Gorman, poems,  or promoting change. Use this rhyming dictionary if you would like.

6. Share your Language Arts Mini Spark recording page with your teacher or EY Coordinator.

5. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#62: Comets

Early Enrichment

Comets are large objects made of dust and ice that orbit the Sun. Scientists believe that comets are made up of material left over from when the Sun and the planets were formed. They think that about 100,000 million comets orbit the Sun. Some comets orbit the Sun like planets. Their orbits take them very close to and very far away from the Sun.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your early enrichment mini spark recording page #62: Comets

2. As of 2021 only about 4,584  comets have officially been cataloged, a number that is steadily increasing as they are discovered. However, this represents only a tiny fraction of the total potential comet population, as the number of comet-like bodies in the outer Solar System is estimated to be one trillion. That’s a LOT!  Write the number one trillion on your recording page.

3. Learn more about comets by watching the video below. Write 3 facts about comets on your recording page.

4. Go to this link and watch a short video to learn more about comet tails. Draw a picture of a comet tail on your recording page.

5. Share your early enrichment mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the space traveler badge at the EY website.

#61: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Early Enrichment

In January, we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If you could change something about the world, what would you change?

Spark your thinking!

1.  Set up your Early Enrichment Mini Spark recording page: #61: Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Read these informational points. On your recording sheet record all of the bold words.

  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s father was a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Martin was a very smart student and earned several university degrees.
  • He wanted to be a minister, and he gave his first sermon at his dad’s church when he was just 18 years old.
  • In December 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black woman, was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for not giving up her bus seat to a white man.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. became the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which organized a bus boycott, where people stopped using the buses to make a change.
  • The bus boycott lasted 381 days, and in the end, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that segregation was not allowed anymore.
  • Martin believed in peaceful protests, but he faced many dangers, including having his house bombed and being arrested multiple times. Sadly, he was shot and killed at the age of 39 in Memphis, Tennessee.
  • His famous speech, “I Have A Dream,” was heard by 250,000 people, and now Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated as a public holiday in the USA on the third Monday of January.

3. Watch Kid President tell the story of Martin Luther King, Jr.  On your recording page, tell us how will you celebrate and honor Dr. King.

4. Share your Early Enrichment Mini Spark recording page with your teacher or EY Coordinator.

#52: The Acropolis

Social Studies Enrichment

Ancient cities were often built around a fortress on top of a hill. When a city spread to the area below, the high part came to be called the acropolis, which means “city at the top” in Greek. The best-known acropolis is in Athens, Greece.  The Acropolis of Athens contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #52: The Acropolis

2. Watch this introduction video and respond to this prompt: Why was it important to the Greeks to have a location high above the city? 

 

3.  You will go on a virtual tour of the Acropolis of Athens. The Virtual Tour of the Acropolis highlights the most prominent monuments. Record these 4 monuments on your recording sheet: The Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. Leave room so you can record 3-4 details about each one.

4.  Watch this introduction video.

Go to https://www.acropolisvirtualtour.gr/ to start your tour. Add details on your recording sheet for each monument.

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

Check out the Greek Mythology badges at the EY website.