All posts by lspady

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.

Nov. 9 Field Trip to The Durham Museum

MS Learning Opportunities

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.

 

Ashoka Changemaker Mindset

NJHS

Do You Have a Changemaker Mindset?

The Ashoka Changemaker Index is a self-assessment tool that will determine where you are on your Changemaker Journey and help you understand and improve your Changemaker Skills.  NOTE:  This is an optional activity, not required.

  • Step 1:  A grown-up at home will need to review and agree to the Privacy Policy so be sure to ask before you begin.
  • Step 2:  Go to: https://cmi.ashoka.org
  • Step 3: Select “TAKE ME TO THE QUIZ”
  • Step 4:  Enter the Access Code: NIG010921BX
  • Step 5:  Take the assessment and then review your results
  • Step 6: Complete the exercises to learn more and how to advance along your Changemaker Journey

 

 

2021-22 WMS Future City Team

MS Learning Opportunities

The WMS Future City Team is forming now!  Do you have what it takes to make the world a better place?

The WMS Future City Team will imagine, research, design, and build a city of the future that showcases a solution to a citywide sustainability issue.  The 2021-22 theme is: “Waste Free Future”

If you are interested in joining the WMS Future City Team, send an email to Dr. Spady at :  s p a d y . l y n n @ w e s t s i d e 6 6 . n e t  by Friday, October 29.

https://futurecity.org/about

2021-22 EY Challenge #4

Current Challenge, MS Learning Opportunities, Other Events & Contests

There are several writing contests happening in the next few months.  For this EY Challenge, check out the writing contests below and find one (or two or three) to enter!

Image Source: https://publicdomainvectors.org/en/free-clipart/Hand-writing-letter/36281.html