All posts by lspady

Spooky Sagas-Creative Writing Contest

Events & Contests, Other Events & Contests
Spooky Sagas 2023 | Creative Writing Contest

Due date Nov 1, 2023
There is nothing better than reading a thrilling story, one that grips you so tightly and puts your senses on alert simply through the power of words. Spooky Sagas is a fantastic way to practice writing in this way by using tension, suspense, and atmosphere.
Write a mini saga (a story told in up to 100 words) can be funny or creepy, scary or odd, but must be your own work.
Read the student info page for more ideas.

The contest closes on Nov 1. If you would like help with your submission, make sure to get your story to the EY teacher in your building before this date.
Student Planning Sheet 
https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/elementary/spooky23

Essay Contest: Celebrate “Stars and Stripes Forever”

Other Events & Contests

Attention 5th-8th Graders

On May 14, 1897, John Philip Sousa played his new march,

“The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

This song would become the national march of the United States on December 11, 1987.

Essay Contest:  Imagine it is 1897 and you are a newspaper reporter for The Philadelphia Times. Your newspaper editor has asked you to write an article about the new song performed that day. Your article needs to tell about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song. It is the first performance of the song, so make sure your article includes thoughts about the music and how the audience reacts to what was seen and heard that day.

Title of Essay: The Stars and Stripes Forever

Subtitle (optional)

Length:  Grade 5: 300-600 words and Grades 6-8: 600-1000 words

Entry Deadline: December 15, 2023

Type your essay in Google Docs and share it with your EY Coordinator so they can help you with formatting/submission of your essay.

Upcoming Events & Contests

Uncategorized

Thursday-Saturday, September 28-30: Code Crush at UNO for 8th Grade Girls Only

Friday, October 6: Mixed Media Grunge Cake Art Seminar with Julie Fjell (12pm – 3pm)

Tuesday, Oct. 10:  Middle School Science Olympiad at Gifford Farm

Week of October 23: Qualifying Spelling Test in ELA Classes

Friday, October 27: NPR Podcast Challenge Workshop

Wednesday, November 1: Deadline for Spooky Saga Creative Writing Contest

Friday, November 17: Hydroponic Adventures at Yates Illuminates (10:00am – 1:30pm)

Friday, November 17: Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl Competition (9th Period & Warrior Time)

Monday, November 27: WMS Spelling Bee

Friday, December 15: District Spelling Bee at WMS

Friday, December 15: The Stars and Stripes Forever Essay Contest due

Friday, Feb. 9: Mad Hatter Quiz Bowl at ESU 3

Friday, April 19:  Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl Competition

Tuesday, May 7: Extreme Math at ESU 3

Friday, May 10:  Middle School Battle of the Books at ESU 3

Science Mini Spark #15 What Melts in the Sun?

Science Mini Spark

What Melts in the Sun?

This summer was HOT!! There were even stories about eggs frying on a sidewalk. This makes you think….what ordinary items might melt in the sun?

Task: Ask your parent’s permission first!! Then, find a muffin tin and 12 ordinary household items that make you ask….”Does this melt in the sun?”

Write those items down on a piece of paper and then divide that paper into 2 columns: 1 column for predicting and the other column will be your results. It can look like this:

Choose a day where the temperature is at least 85 degrees. Put your muffin tin with the items in the full sun and wait at least 20 minutes.

I know it’s hard to wait 20 minutes, but you can do it!!! After the 20 minutes is up, go check on your results! Fill in the column with the results of your experiment.

Now, for the most important step:  CLEAN UP AND PUT THINGS BACK!

Finally, take a picture of your paper with your predictions & results and email it to your EY teacher!

We can’t wait to see it!

Lesson adapted from: https://frugalfun4boys.com/simple-science-experiment-for-kids-what-melts-in-the-sun/

 

Newspaper Engineering

Full STEAM Ahead

Newspaper Engineering

NOTE:  You don’t have to get the daily newspaper to do this mini spark.  Ask your neighbors, ask your teacher and/or EY Coordinator and have fun!

Challenge # 1:  Build the tallest freestanding tower with only 2 sheets of newspaper and 12 inches of tape. No wedging or taping to the table or floor! You can manipulate the newspaper in any way you wish.

Challenge #2: Using 10 sheets of newspaper and 18 inches of tape, build a tower that holds a textbook 6 inches above the table for at least 3 seconds. The tower must be free-standing, which means no taping or holding to the table.

Challenge #3:  Use 3 large sheets of newspaper and 24 inches of tape to make a piece of clothing that you can wear.

When you’re finished with your projects, take a picture and email it to your EY Coordinator.

FOOTBALL STEAM

Full STEAM Ahead

It’s Fall Y’All and when I think of Fall, I think of FOOTBALL!

For this STEAM mini spark, you will need to…
  1. Build football goal posts out of materials you have around your house.
  2. Fold a paper football (instructions linked below)
  3. Design an experiment, create a competition, or come up with your own original idea to use what you built.  Your project should include collecting some sort of data and analyzing it.
  4. Share your project with your EY Coordinator.

Paper Folding Football Instructions:  https://www.instructables.com/How-To-Make-A-Paper-Football/

Football Image Source: https://openclipart.org/detail/102853/football

# 94: Pixel Power

Math Minute, Uncategorized

Image result for pixels are.

Pixels are the smallest unit in a digital display. Up to millions of pixels make up an image or video on a device’s screen. Each pixel comprises a subpixel that emits a red, green and blue (RGB) color, which displays at different intensities.
In this mini spark, you will learn about the basics of pixels and pixel colors.  You can extend your learning on this topic by completing the Pixel Power Badge! (coming soon)
Step 1:  Start by taking out your math notebook or opening your math mini spark doc.  Put the date at the top and put the title of this mini spark. Record all of your work on this page.

Step 2. Use this slideshow of images, which zooms a picture of raft. The final slide shows that the entire photo is actually made from individual squares of color. How does looking at these pictures help explain creation of the digital images that you see? What other images might you see today that are made from pixels?
Step 2: Watch these two videos. The first video is a reminder binary numbers. It will help to see this before watching the second video.
Take notes as you watch both vidoes.

After watching the second video answer these questions in your notebook.
What is the RGB name for turquoise?
How does a computer name turquoise?
Draw the math steps that were used in the video to explain how a function is used to filter an image.
Step 3: Turn your notes and responses to your teacher or EY coordinator.

#93 Cake Pop Math

Math Minute

Did you hear that Scooter’s Coffee broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cake pop?!  This mini spark will give you the opportunity to learn more, explore spheres, and maybe even make your own cake pops!

Activity choices for this math mini spark

Science Mini Spark #14 Could You Survive the Twilight Zone?

Science Mini Spark

The twilight zone is a layer of water that stretches around the globe, just beyond the reach of sunlight and beyond the limit of photosynthesis in the ocean.

Watch this video about the amazing creatures that call the twilight zone home.

Choose 2 prompts below to show your thinking and learning after watching this video.

  1.  You just bumped into a friend who wants to know what a hatchetfish is. Describe this creature to your friend using MANY details from the video.
  2. Do some research about the fangtooth mentioned in the video. Record what you learned in an interesting manner.
  3. The anglerfish has a bioluminescent lure. Do research to find 10 other animals that are bioluminescent.
  4. What is so unique about the dragonfish?
  5. Life in the twilight zone looks weird or even frightening to us, but these animals have evolved to survive, and even thrive, in conditions that we could never hope to endure. What are some of the ways twilight zone animals might think we look weird or even frightening?

Lesson adapeted from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/could-you-survive-the-real-twilight-zone-philip-renaud-and-kenneth-kostel#digdeeper