All posts by lspady

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.

This Is Me | Poetry Contest

Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

‘This is Me’ Poetry Contest

It’s your time to shine!  YoungWriters is sponsoring a poetry contest and you have the  opportunity to explore and celebrate who you are and express yourself through poetry.  You can write about your dreams for the future or about someone that inspires you.  You can write about your emotions and even create an acrostic (using your name or a word that describes you).

Check out the link below for some free resources including a video, example poems, and a word bank to help you as you write your ‘This Is Me’ poem.

DEADLINE:  February 11, 2022

https://youngwritersusa.com/contest/elementary/me

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

MS Learning Opportunities

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

Speech and Debate Opportunity…STARTING SOON!

MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

WHAT: Guided by Kids is a non-profit which offers speech and debate education free of charge.

WHO:  Omaha area students in grades 5-8

WHEN:  Weekly meetings are on Thursdays, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., except for our first two classes, which meet on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 and Tuesday, December 14, 2021.

WHERE:  Sump Memorial Library in Papillion in the largest meeting room,

Class size is limited to 12 students in order to practice social distancing.  Guided by Kids also asks that all students who are part of Guided by Kids attend classes masked and be fully vaccinated (if vaccines are available for their age group).  Both instructors are fully vaccinated.

Find out how to apply here:  https://www.guidedbykids.org/application

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.

#87: Palindrome Party

Math Mini Sparks

From time to time we are lucky and have a Palindrome “Week”. In 2024 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

Current Challenge, Uncategorized

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/

             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

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

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.