Calling All Origamists!
Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/5657827090
All posts by lspady
Readers Wanted!
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
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.
History and Science Bee
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
‘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.
Nebraska History Day 2022
Nebraska History Day
Nebraska History Day offers academic programs that engage middle- and high-school students throughout Nebraska annually in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. These research-based projects are entered into contests at the local level, where the top student entries have the opportunity to advance to the State Contest at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. Top ranking state contest projects have the opportunity to advance to the National Contest held at University of Maryland at College Park.
The 2021-2022 theme is:
Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.
Check out the contest dates HERE
Exhibit guidelines can be found HERE
Nebraska History Day Website: https://www.nebraskanhd.org/
National History Day Website: https://www.nhd.org/debate-diplomacy-history
#87: Palindrome Party
From time to time we are lucky and have a Palindrome “Week”. In May 2025 we had a 10 day stretch where the dates could be written as a palindrome!
The date reads the same forward as it does backwards. This doesn’t happen often!
Spark your math thinking!
1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #87: Palindrome Party
2. Check out these palindromes for kids: https://www.cbc.ca/kids/articles/palindromes-theyre-the-same-backwards-and-forwards. Pay special attention to any words that are new to you and phrases that are palindromes. These items should all be included on a taking page.
3. Watch the video about palindromes and pause the video as needed to record any new words/phrases that are palindromes.
4. Check out this AMAZING trick write about the patterns you observe and the steps you see: http://somethingorotherwhatever.com/sum-of-3-palindromes/.
6. Check out some palindrome phrases at: https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/brainteasers/palindromes/index.htm
What is your favorite phrase from this post?
7. On a piece of paper, make a list of the answers to the following math problems. You may use a calculator. 11 x 11 111 x 111 1,111 x 1,111. 11,111 x 11,111 111,111 x 111,111 Based on these answers, can you predict what the answer will be to 111,111,111 x 111,111,111?
8. Where can you find 🅿🅰🅻🅸🅽🅳🆁🅾🅼🅴🆂? Look for these around your school, home, and when you are out and about. Write about what you have noticed.
9. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Check out the palindrome badge at the EY website.
2021-22 EY Challenge #5
Get ready for Computer Science Education (CS Ed) Week!
CS Ed Week is December 6-12 and it is an annual event to inspire students to learn about computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners in the CS field. https://www.csedweek.org/
- Scroll to the bottom of https://www.csedweek.org/ to learn about the computer science careers of a robotocist, laser designer, data scientist and more! Make a pic collage showing what you learned.
- Check out the BAM! Bitsbox coder badge at the EY website. You can also code the Submarine Explorer app in Bitsbox using these instructions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1at8h00BAjAFPCxigFrE2y6peUF2vN8ib/view?usp=sharing
- Try poem art at Code.org ( https://code.org/poetry) or Hello World (https://code.org/helloworld)
If you want to save your progress:
1. Sign in with google @ code. org
2. Go to course catalog on the top left
3. Scroll down and click on hour of code view more choices.
4. Take a screenshot of your certificate when your project is complete.
#66: How to use a semicolon
The semicolon might appear to be misunderstood. It resembles a combination of a comma and a period, which could explain why we often misuse these punctuation marks, treating them like grammatical confetti. This lesson aims to provide clear guidance and best practices for the correct usage of the semicolon.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #66: How to use a semicolon
2. Watch the video. Pause the video as needed to record notes. Pay special attention to any words that are new to you, rules, specific examples and sample sentences. These items should all be included on your recording page. You should have at least 5 items on your note page when you are done.
3. Write two sentences of your own and include them on the note taking page.
4. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Lesson video by Emma Bryce, animation by Karrot Entertainment.
Nov. 9 Field Trip to The Durham Museum
Are you interested in exploring the vast and fascinating history of our great city? Then read on!
Who: 7th and 8th Graders
What & Where: Field Trip to The Durham Museum to explore the exhibit: Omaha Uncovered: Revealing History Through Art and Story
Click here for more information about the exhibit.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 9:30-1:00
There is room for 9 students on this field trip. Please email Dr. Spady at spady dot lynn @westside66.net by Friday, October 29 if you are interested in attending.