All posts by lspady

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #19: Cold Weather Science Experiments

Current Challenge, Uncategorized

Below Zero Temperatures = Science Experiments!

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, try one of these Cold Weather Science Experiments and figure out if it’s real or a myth!  Don’t forget to share your results!

  1. Freezing Soap Bubbles: Head outside with some bubble solution and blow some bubbles!  NOTE:  Try heating up the bubble solution in the microwave beforehand.  You can make your own bubble solution with 2 cups of water, half a cup of dish soap, and 2 teaspoons sugar.
  2. Banana Hammer: Hang a banana outside for a few hours and it will freeze solid-solid enough for you to be able to hammer actual nails with it.
  3. Make An Ice Thrower: Fill a Super Soaker with boiling water and then shoot it out into the cold.  When very hot water meets very cold air, the water vaporizes, turning it into ice crystals…essentially, homemade snow.  Don’t have a Super Soaker, just use the pot you boiled the water in.
  4. Freeze-Fry An Egg: Don’t actually eat it, but leave a frying pan outside for about 15 minutes and then crack an egg into it.  What happens?
  5. Instant Freeze Water – Bottle Slam

If none of these experiments catch your interest, a simple Google search for “Cold Weather Science” will display several options.  Have fun and don’t forget to submit your learning!

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/PcVvit1VbANsZfBcA

Service Learning Opportunities

MS Learning Opportunities, NJHS

There a many ways to help serve in our community! 

Check out the opportunities below!

Want to keep Omaha beautiful? How about litter clean up?
https://shareomaha.org/litter-cleanups
Make sack lunches for the hungry:
https://shareomaha.org/make-sack-lunches-hungry-during-covid-19
Like to do data entry?
https://shareomaha.org/data-entry-assistant
Want to roll candles?
https://shareomaha.org/candle-rolling
Time on Mondays? Help flood victims
https://shareomaha.org/flood-volunteers-still-needed
Like to cook?
https://shareomaha.org/kitchen-assistant-you-can-become-great-serving-others
Love animals and have time on Fridays?
https://shareomaha.org/morning-ranch-hand-pen-cleaner
Fight against hunger? (need 2.5 hours at a time)
https://shareomaha.org/pack-sort-and-stock-fight-hunger-morning
Every 2nd Saturday – help feed families:
https://shareomaha.org/2nd-saturdays-drive-thru-pantry-millard
Like to dance? Enjoy working with little kids? (2 hour increments) Help on Saturday’s:
https://shareomaha.org/love-ballroom-dance-or-want-learn
Love horses? Got 5 hours?
https://shareomaha.org/sidewalker-adaptive-riding-and-therapy-sessions
Want to make plastic bag blankets for the homeless?
https://shareomaha.org/crochet-plastic-bag-mat-homeless
Sew? Crochet? Knit?
https://shareomaha.org/sewingcreativity-volunteers
Love flowers? Crafty? Make bouquets!
https://shareomaha.org/create-floral-bouquets
Like soccer?
https://shareomaha.org/soccer-tournament-volunteer-april-17-2021
Like Music and instruments?
https://shareomaha.org/omaha-special-musicians-session-volunteer

 

#52: Cargo Bot Coding

Full STEAM Ahead

Cargo Bot is puzzle game for iPad designed to introduce programming concepts. In this game, players control a robotic arm to relocate crates to a specified area, aiming to accomplish this in the fewest moves possible. There are five levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard, Crazy, and Impossible.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #52: Cargo Bot Coding

2. Watch this video until you get to 1:25. Record what the lesson was about on your recording page.

 

3. Learn about loops starting at 1:26. Record information on your recording page.

4. Go to Mosyle and add the Cargo Bot app to your ipad.

5. Spend 15 minutes coding. After the 15 minutes are up, record where you ended up on your recording page or add a screenshot to your page.

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

#81 Triangular Numbers

Math Mini Sparks

 A triangular number or triangle number counts objects arranged in an equilateral triangle.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #81 Triangular Numbers
  2. Use this interactive tool to construct triangular numbers until you can see the pattern to answer this question.
  3. This is a teaching page that REALLY gets into the math behind these types of problems. Use the formula and see if you can get the right answer to the counter problem.
  4. When you have a solution and a written statement about what you did to solve the problem you can click here to see the solution.
  5. Check out this triangular number chart.  After looking over the first page, click on “getting started” to explore this resource.
  6. Connection: Research the original Lite-Brite, a 1960s toy. Come up with some unique ideas on how teachers can use these toys to teach math, science, and art.
  7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Image source: https://nzmaths.co.nz/sites/default/files/TriangularNumbers.pdf

US Geography Championship – Sign up by Feb. 4th!

MS Learning Opportunities

In the past, students in grades 4-8 at Westside Community Schools have participated in the National Geographic Geo Bee.   While this year’s experience won’t look the same as it has in the past, we are excited to offer students an opportunity to participate in another contest!

The US Geography Championship 2021 will be held the week of February 15.  The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions and students will have 20 minutes to complete the exam.  In order to participate, sign up using the link below by February 4.
tinyurl.com/WCSGEO2021
You will be sent an email on Feb. 5th with your testing date, time, and location.

#57: Unicorn Study

Reading Enrichment

Check out these unicorn topics to stretch your knowledge about this mythical beast.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #57: Unicorn Fun

2. Read this unicorn fact page. Using ideas from this page, create your own colorful unicorn fact page.

3. Read the Article-Siberian Unicorn Fossils. On your recording sheet, make a 5 question quiz with answers about these creatures.

4. Watch this Video-Unicorns of the Sea. Take detailed notes on your recording sheet while watching this video. Record at least 5 items.

 

5. Read this article about the unicorn puppy. On your recording sheet, summarize the article in 3 sentences.

6. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and your unicorn fact page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#53: How to Catch a Unicorn

Early Enrichment

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your early enrichment mini spark recording page: #53: How to Catch a Unicorn

2. Listen to the book How to Catch a Unicorn

3. On your recording page, make a list of the traps they tried in the book.

4. On our recording page, make a drawing of your own plan for a unicorn trap.

5. Design a unicorn-Include a description about where it live, what it looks like, what it eats, and its powers. Include a picture of your unicorn in its habitat. Make a pic collage about your unicorn and its features.

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

 

#51: Scientific Calculator Lesson

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized

You will use your scientific calculator in science and math classes in middle school and high school. Work on this STEAM mini spark to learn how to use this tool.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:  #51: Scientific Calculator Lesson

2. Find a scientific calculator to use for this mini spark. If you don’t have one you can use an online one. Type “Scientific Calculator” and one will come up for you.

3. Print this reminder sheet or open it up.  This is an image of a graphing calculator, but most of the buttons will be the same on a scientific calculator. Record all of the words and what they do on your recording sheet.

4. Watch this video. Take note on your recording page and try out the different keys she discusses on your own calculator while you watch.

5. Write down any of the common mistakes that the teacher discusses in the video.

6.  Explain to another student how to find the square root, take a number to the 3rd power, and how to write a number in scientific notation.

7. Remember to ask your teacher before using a calculator on an assignment. There are times when it is ok to use a calculator, and times when your teacher wants you to practice the math skills.

8. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

“Why I Want to Go to College” Writing Sweepstakes

MS Learning Opportunities

The Omaha Storm Chasers are partnering with Nebraska State Treasurer John Murante for the “Why I Want to Go to College” writing sweepstakes.  Entries will be due Thursday, April 1, 2021.

  • 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.

Click on the links below to get started!

Cover Sheet

Additional Details

Rules

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #18: Engineering a Snow Creation

Current Challenge

SNOW + ENGINEERING = FUN

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, submit your best snow person/people, forts, and/or other snow creations!   The EY Team’s top faves will be entered in a drawing for a cash prize!

Learn about the engineering behind snow building by watching the videos below.  Scroll to the bottom to find the link for submitting this week’s Weekly Challenge!  Have fun!

NOTE:  Since elementary students are no longer bringing their iPads home and cannot receive an email from someone outside the district, one workaround is to have a parent or sibling take a picture on their phone and then have them email it to your EY Coordinator or classroom teacher.  Just make sure to have them to make a note in the message that the picture is for a Weekly Challenge. Then, the EY Coordinator or classroom teacher could forward the message to your Westside Gmail account. This obviously creates more work, but it’s one workaround.

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/PcVvit1VbANsZfBcA