All posts by Katie Sindt

#40: The Shang Dynasty

Social Studies Enrichment

The Shang Dynasty is the earliest ruling dynasty of China to be established in recorded history, though other dynasties predated it. The Shang ruled from 1600 to 1046 B.C.. They were known for their advances in math, astronomy, artwork and military technology.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #40: The Shang Dynasty

2. Watch this video and record 5-8 details on your recording page.

3. Study this article about Shang Dynasty. Add  5+ details to your recording page.

4. Create a colorful fact page with 8-10 facts that you learned.  You can make your fact page digitally or on paper.

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

 

 

#39: The Presidential Election Process

Social Studies Enrichment

How does anyone become President of the United States? An election for president of the United States happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #39: The Presidential Election Process

2. Watch this video to see the process explained from beginning to end.  Write a 6 question quiz about the content from the video. Use multiple choice questions, short answer, and true and false questions. Include an answer key.

3. What is the Electoral College? Watch this video.  Record the vocab words from the video with a short definition in your own words on your recording page.

  • elector–a person who casts a vote in the Electoral College. Each state legislature decides how its electors are chosen.
  • Electoral College–a group of people called electors who vote for president and vice president of the United States once every four years. Electors cast their votes on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December.
  • electoral vote–the vote taken by the electors. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A majority, or 270, of electoral votes is required to elect a president.
  • electoral majority–at least one more than half of the total. A person must win a majority of the Electoral College votes (270 of 538) to become president.
  • popular vote–the votes of all the citizens together. The popular vote for president is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. However, states provide voters with other ways to vote if they cannot or choose not to vote in person on that date.

4.  Set your timer for 3 minutes. Study this infographic.  How does this infographic help you understand the electoral college? Be very specific and include 3-4 details.

5. What questions do you still have or what parts of this infographic are not clear. Share your suggestions and/or what parts are not easy to understand in 2+ sentences.

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

 

Early Enrichment Mini-Spark #48: Pipe Cleaner Superheroes!

Early Enrichment

Source: https://frugalfun4boys.com/pipe-cleaner-superheroes

If you are a superhero fan, you will not want to miss this awesome craft! You will have a blast creating your own jointed and posable superheroes out of very simple materials. Pipe cleaners, straws, beads… You probably have most (if not all) of the supplies on hand!

First, grab your supplies:

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Felt, for capes
  • Straws – we used paper straws, but regular straws are just fine (and much cheaper)
  • Googly eyes
  • Pony beads
  • Wooden beads – we used 3/4 inch diameter beads
  • Tacky Glue
  • Hot glue
  • Scissors
  • Markers – we used Sharpie oil based paint markers. They bleed less on wood than regular Sharpies.

Step 1: Start by drawing hair and superhero masks on the wooden beads.

Step 2: Glue on googly eyes – SO CUTE! Then draw a little mouth.     

Step 3: Grab three pipe cleaners. Twist them together in the middle. I found that three “twists” was enough to hold them securely together. Then adjust them so that they are in the arrangement shown.

Step 4: Slide three pony beads onto BOTH of the bottom two pipe cleaners. This will form the body.

Step 5: Cut a straw into 8 one inch segments. (Or feel free to adjust the size!) We found that we could get 7 segments out of each straw, so you’ll need two straws per superhero, with quite a bit left over.

Step 6: Build each limb by sliding on a straw segment, then a pony bead, then another straw segment.

Step 7: Bend the ends of the pipe cleaners into hands and feet. I found that it helps to wrap some of the excess around the wrist or ankle to make it secure. Then trim off any excess ends.

Step 8: Slide the head onto the final two pipe cleaners. Then trim off the excess.

Step 9: To make the head more secure, attach it with Tacky Glue. Squirt some glue onto the pipe cleaners. Then slide the head on. We had a little bit of glue ooze out at the bottom of the head. Just wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
Step 10: Cut out a cape from felt and use hot glue to attach it to the backs of the arm segments.
In the comments below, share a picture of YOUR Pipe Cleaner Superhero!
**Extra challenge**: Write a story with your Pipe Cleaner Superhero (or heroes) as your main character. Share the story with the EY Coordinator at your building!

#47: Moving Mammals

Early Enrichment

Mammals inhabit a wide range of environments, from the frozen Arctic to the hottest deserts. With over 5,400 species, they exhibit diverse modes of movement, including walking, hopping, swimming, and even flying through the air.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Early Enrichment mini spark recording page: #47: Moving Mammals

2. Get your recording page ready. Make a section for the 6 animals you will study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Go to this website and read the top of the page.  Then you will check out how bats, bears, dolphins, gazelles, gibbons, and kangaroos move and read the fun facts about each!

4. For each mammal, choose 1 fact to add to your recording page.

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

#37: Constitution Day!

Social Studies Enrichment

Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day, is observed every year on September 17th to commemorate the signing of the US Constitution. The constitution was created more than 200 years ago in 1787,  and contains the highest rules and laws for the United States.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #37: Constitution Day!

2. Read this teaching page about the US Constitution. Make a list of 10+ bullet points as you read.

3. Watch this Schoolhouse Rock video about the Constitution to celebrate Constitution Day! Write the Preamble of the Constitution  on your recording sheet.

4. Set your timer for 3 minutes. Study this infographic. Record 5+ pieces of information on your recording sheet.

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

#36: Alexander Hamilton

Social Studies Enrichment

If you watched “Hamilton” on Disney+, or are lucky enough to have seen it in-person, you know that Alexander Hamilton was an important founding father who probably doesn’t get enough credit for his role in our history.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #36: Alexander Hamilton

2.  Watch this video to learn more about Hamilton in history. Record 4 of the roles he played outlined in the video.

3. Read this article. There are information sections listed about Alexander Hamilton. Choose 3 of them and them on your recording sheet.

4. Go back to the article and study the two graphics.  Make a tiny timeline on your recording page showing 5 dates from his life or make an argument as to why there should be a dedicated monument honoring Alexander Hamilton.

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

#46: CALLING ALL READERS

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Are you an enthusiastic reader who likes to read current event articles from a variety of sources? Check out…………DOGO NEWS!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #46: CALLING ALL READERS

2. DOGO NEWS consists of daily news sites and includes text, photos, graphics, and audio and/or video materials prepared about current events, social studies science, and more! The main topics are at the top of the page.

3. Go to DOGO News and explore. Pick out 3 articles to read and complete step 4 for each one

4. For each article you choose to read follow these steps.

  • Put the name of the article on your recording sheet.
  • Record several of the bolded words from the article.
  • If there are videos included on the page, watch at least 1 and write one sentence about it
  • If there are maps, graphs, or infographics take the time to look at them and write one sentence about each one.
  • Summarize the article and type a question you have after reading the article

4. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

 

#35: The History of Pandemics

Social Studies Enrichment

The word “Pandemic” is a pretty scary word. It almost seems like it is something that no one else ever has before. But, that isn’t true. Pandemics have existed throughout history.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #35: The History of Pandemics

2. This a group of mask-wearing citizens, Locust Avenue, California, during the flu pandemic of 1918

Photograph: Raymond Coyne/Courtesy of Lucretia Little History Room, Mill Valley Public Library. © The Annual Dipsea Race.

Read about this pandemic at Kiddle. Look up and record the definitions of these words.

Influenza

Pandemic

Cytokine storm

Epidemiological

Antiviral

3. Scroll to the very bottom of this post and look over the definitions. Check with those that you wrote to make sure you were on track.

4. To learn about the history of pandemics, read the Time For Kids article.  Make a mini timeline with the pandemic dates from the article.

5. Read this information page about the bubonic plague that took hold of London in 1665. What caused the plague? When was the cause of the plague discovered? What were the two ways that the plague finally came to an end?

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Influenza: a highly contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system, causing symptoms such as fever, cough, and body aches.

Pandemic: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population.

Cytokine storm: an excessive immune response in which the body releases too many cytokines, leading to inflammation and damage to tissues and organs.

Epidemiological: relating to the study of how diseases spread and can be controlled within populations.

Antiviral: a type of medication that specifically targets viruses to treat viral infections, preventing them from multiplying and spreading in the body.

#34: The San Diego Zoo

Social Studies Enrichment

The San Diego Zoo is a beautiful 100-acre wildlife park that is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals representing over 680 species and subspecies.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #34: The San Diego Zoo

OPTIONAL: Print this recording page to use for this mini spark

2. Do you know where San Diego, California is? It’s waaaaaaay at the bottom of California – check it out on the map. On your recording page, write 5 facts that you found while looking at the map.

3. Divide your recording page into 3 sections. Choose 3 letters of the the alphabet and label each section with one of the letters you picked.

4. San Diego has an incredible zoo. You can meet and learn about just about any animal from A-Z at their website! Visit the San Diego Zoo!  For each letter that you picked, research an animal that starts with that letter. For each animal record five to ten facts.

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

Check out Save the Animals or Roaring Keynote at the EY website.

 

 

 

#45: Khan Academy Reading Course

Reading Enrichment

Inside Khan’s Grade 2-10 reading & vocabulary courses, you’ll find: several units, each with a mix of practice exercises, fun and insightful video instruction, and vocabulary articles.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #45: Khan Academy Reading Course.

2. The courses are set up in units and each unit has several lessons.

3. Choose the grade level that fits you. If you need help deciding, ask your teacher to help.

 

4. On your recording sheet, add the grade level you choose.

5. If you want, you can take the course challenge before you start (pre-test). When doing the course challenge, if you don’t know an answer, just click skip and move on.

6. To earn this mini spark complete at least 3 lessons. Add your lesson scores to your recording page.

7. Would you recommend this learning resource to other students? why or why not. Please record your opinion on your recording sheet.

OPTIONAL: Khan Academy also has a grammar section for you to explore.

8. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and visual with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Khan Reading and Vocabulary badge on the EY website.