All posts by lspady

#88: EWeek

Math Mini Sparks, MS Learning Opportunities

Calling all FUTURE ENGINEERS…Every year in February we celebrate EWeek. No matter what month it is, you can dive into this engineering career study and learn more about what types of work each engineer does to help our world.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #88: EWeek
  2. Learn about 5 different types of engineers. Record the type of engineer and a description of the work they do https://www.mathcounts.org/resources/engineers-week

 3. Look over the descriptions for Hydraulic engineering and Geomatics Engineering.

Hydraulic engineering is a subfield of civil engineering that centers around the transport and management of water resources.Hydraulic engineers design things like channels, canals, dams and levees. They must consider many factors before beginning a project, including the collection, storage, flow, measurement and use of the water, in order to ensure its control, safety and cleanliness

Geomatics engineers collect data and then analyze and interpret it to find solutions  Geomatics engineering plays an important role in construction, transport, communication, mapping and research.

4. Choose one engineering type and work on two (or more if you want) of the problems from the problem set.

Hydraulic engineering problems: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gTPnXgw68FQ03PoWzCNx07jd4m-4gPUWPMRrjutzTYo/copy

–Geomatics Engineering problems:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p3tkRCP3-rBDfzT8hB11_lsWcKmyjFwD/view?usp=sharing

5. Ask your EY teacher to check your work. Solutions are in the mini spark folder.

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

Code Crush – 8th Grade Girls

MS Learning Opportunities

CodeCrush is a series of iSTEM immersion experiences for 8th and 9th grade, female-identifying students, designed to show them the innovative world of Information Technology (IT). The program will inspire students to take a deeper look at IT through hands-on experiences with emerging IT fields such as bioinformatics, IT innovation, music technology and cybersecurity.

This experience is all free and will take place from April 21-23.  Part of the experience includes staying overnight on UNO’s campus.

For more information, check out: https://codecrush.unomaha.edu/

Email Dr. Spady at spady dot lynn @westside66.net if you’re interested.

NJHS Application Help Sessions

NJHS

NJHS Application Help Sessions

Last year the WMS NJHS Faculty Council noted that some students might benefit from instruction on how to fill out an application, specifically how to highlight applicable experiences and how to phrase answers to the question(s) being asked.  We decided to offer some application help sessions this year to see if it would improve the quality of applications.

Here are some details about the help sessions:

  • The help sessions are not mandatory.  Students may attend none, one, or multiple sessions.
  • The first 10-15 minutes of the help session will be spent going over some tips for filling out applications.  For the remainder of the session, students can get one-on-one help with their application and/or just sit and work on completing the application.  Passes will be written for the late bus and/or sports.  Students can also leave early if a ride is picking them up.
  • Sessions will run from 3:20-4:00 in the PAC or during Warrior Time (see below).  Please fill out the Google Form if you plan to attend a session.  Students will be sent a reminder email the day before the session.

Help Session Dates:

  • Thursday, February 10 (during Warrior Time)
  • Tuesday, February 15 (after school)
  • Thursday, February 17 (during Warrior Time)
  • Tuesday, February 22 (after school)
  • Thursday, February 24 (during Warrior Time)

Google Form Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsIP_cDMsXzLQjpCfSzfRucN2jNPaTz8G2puXNH5d7QG9JmA/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

Why I Want to Go to College (Writing Contest for 7th-8th Grade)

MS Learning Opportunities

The Omaha Storm Chasers are proud to once again partner with Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante for the “Why I Want to Go to College” writing sweepstakes.  Entries will be due Thursday, April 4, 2022.

Prizes will be awarded to 12 winners in seventh and eighth grades who will receive contributions to the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) college savings accounts – including $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. Three winners will be chosen from each of Nebraska’s three Congressional districts, and three winners will be chosen from outside Nebraska.

Each Nebraska winner will receive four tickets to an upcoming Storm Chasers game at Werner Park in Papillion at where they will be recognized during a brief ceremony.

Find out more information at: https://www.milb.com/omaha/community/wiwtgtc.

#68: National Opposite Day

Reading Enrichment

We celebrate national opposite day on January 25th. We don’t have to only celebrate opposite day on January 25th. Check out some of these resources to celebrate any day of the year!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #68: National Opposite Day

2.  Watch this video. Oh, SpongeBob! Write about your favorite part on your recording sheet.

3. On your recording page, make a list of 10 things you could do today that are the opposite of what you would normally do. Examples: eat breakfast for dinner, greet your friends with “goodbye” instead of “hello”, or write your name backwards all day.

4. Palindromes are words written the same forward as backward. Mom and Dad Are Palindromes, written by Mark Shulman, has many examples palindromes. Watch the video and write down your 5 favorite palindromes from the story on your recording page.

5. Contronyms are words that have contradictory or opposite meanings.

  • CLIP can mean to “cut off” (as in clipping a coupon) or “attach” (as you do with a paperclip)
  • DUST can mean to “to remove particles” or “add fine particles” (as in dusting a cake with sugar)
  • LEFT can mean “remaining” (as in one piece left) or “departed” (as in “she left ten minutes ago.”)
  • SEED can mean ” seeds put in” (as in “seeded with native grasses”) or “to remove seeds” (as in “seeding a watermelon”).

Add these words to a list on your recording page and think of 2 more on your own.

6. Check out more examples here and add a few more to your list.

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

Lesson ideas are from Big Ideas for little Scholars . 

2024 Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest Grades 5-8

Events & Contests, MS Learning Opportunities

Website: https://omahalibrary.org/virginia-frank-memorial-writing-contest/

Create your own original fiction featuring a character from a book you read on your own.

Deadline:  Friday, February 24

Check out the website for more details and read the winning entries from last year’s contest.

2021-22 EY Challenge #6 (ACT SOON!)

Current Challenge

Calling All Origamists!

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/5657827090

Origami by Children (OBC) is an annual exhibition of outstanding origami by children from around the world. It is a wonderful opportunity for young folders to share their work!

Entries are due January 31!  Find out more here: https://origamiusa.org/obc2022-entry-form
Even if you’re not interested in entering the contest, try your origami skills by checking out and completing the Origami Design Badge on the EY Website: https://sites.google.com/westside66.net/eybadgepage/fine-arts-badges

Readers Wanted!

MS Learning Opportunities

https://www.angelawelchprusia.com/

Young adult author Angela Welch Prusia is inviting you to read a book (or 2) from her new “Bully Bracket” series, Headlock and Pinned.
Students who sign up for this learning opportunity will be sent a .pdf of Headlock, the first book in “The Bully Bracket” series.  Sometime mid-February, we will meet during the school day to have a book talk/seminar.  If interested, students can go on to read the second book in the series, Pinned.  Sometime in March/April, Angela will come to WMS and do a writers workshop.  More details to come!

If you are interested in this opportunity, please email Dr. Spady to get a .pdf copy of Headlock.

 

Joslyn Art Museum Seminar-Feb. 3

MS Learning Opportunities

https://www.joslyn.org/

Who:  I have space for nine 7th and/or 8th graders

What & Where:  Docent-guided tour at Joslyn Art Museum, Topic: Leadership: Making a Difference

When:  Thursday, Feb. 3 (leave after 2nd period and return after lunch)

If you have already participated in a seminar this school year, please allow others who haven’t attended a seminar the opportunity to sign up first.  Email Dr. Spady if you are interested in attending.