All posts by lspady

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.

United States Academic Pentathlon: Grades 6-8

MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

What:

Academic Pentathlon tests students in five different subject areas.  Students can choose to compete in 1, 2, 3, 4 or all 5 subject areas. All tests are online.

Where and When:

The 2022 Regional Competition (for Westside Community School students in grades 6-8) will be on Thursday, Feb. 17 at Westside Middle School.

Why?

Academic Pentathlon isn’t about demonstrating how good a student you already are. It’s about daring to push your limits.

If you are interested in participating in the Academic Pentathlon, please email Dr. Spady by Friday, Jan. 21.  She will provide you with additional details.

The 2021-22 United States Academic Pentathlon theme is:
Water: A Most Essential Resource.

Below is a brief summary of the topics covered.

SCIENCE: The science topic will be an introduction to marine biology.

LITERATURE: The literature curriculum will include critical reading, one long work of literature, and selected shorter works. The long work of literature will be the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park ISBN 978-0-547-57731-9.

FINE ARTS: The fine arts curriculum is a combination of art and music. The guide will focus on the impact of water on art and will explore the many ways water has influenced music.

SOCIAL SCIENCE: The social science curriculum will be the impact of water on human history.

MATHEMATICS: The mathematics curriculum will cover an overview of probability, permutations and combinations, statistics and algebra.

For more information, visit:  https://www.usad.org/Pentathlon.aspx

Math+: Advanced Math Learning Opportunity

Learning Opportunities, MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests
Math+ is an advanced math class that will be taught this spring by Jake Moore, a math instructor at Duchesne Academy.  Students in 6th-8th grade are invited to participate in this course which will focus on Logic and Proofs.

Starting on Wednesday, Feb. 2, the course will run for 6 weeks from 5:30-6:30 at St. Thomas More.  The program costs $250 and families can sign up at www.RedwoodPrep.com

For more information, check out the flyer linked below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dT0HZJ2kfvEQ3Wb1JLLLc9ZdIWfLFEGr/view?usp=sharing

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described in this material. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.

History and Science Bee

MS Learning Opportunities

Are you interested in history and/or science?  Do you like trivia types of questions?  If you answered yes to these questions, sign up for the WMS History and Science Bee!

When:  Thursday, January 27 Period 9 and Warrior Time

Where:  WMS PAC

Each test is online with 50 multiple choice questions.  Each test is timed at 20 minutes.

The top scorers on each test will be recognized.

Please email Dr. Spady by Friday, January 21 if you are interested in attending/competing on January 27!

Empowered | Poetry Contest

MS Learning Opportunities

‘Empowered’ Poetry Contest

YoungWriters is inviting students ages 10-18 to write a poem for Empowered, a poetry contest designed to help students find their voice and express themselves.

Check out the link below for some free resources including a video, poetry prompt ideas, and a graphic organizer to write your poem in any poetic style you choose.

DEADLINE:  February 11, 2022

https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/middle-high/empowered

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described in this material. The distribution of this material is provided as a community service.