All posts by lspady

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #7: Book Review and Tweet

Current Challenge

This week’s Weekly Challenge has you sharing a 60 second (or less) book commercial on Flip Grid for a book you’ve read or one that you’re currently reading.  Then, you can create a tweet from a character in your book using the Google Slides template linked below.

Step 1: Decide on a book you’ve read or have read in the past and create a 60 second (or less) commercial for it.  Record your commercial on Flip Grid using the link below.  All videos will be reviewed before they are made public.  If you DO NOT want your video posted on Flip Grid for others to see, please say, “No post” at the end of your video.

Flip Grid Link: https://flipgrid.com/2819c4ff

Step 2: Create a tweet from a character in your book using the template linked below.  Share the Google Slides template so that anyone within Westside Community Schools can view.  Copy the link and include it in your Flip Grid submission. Here is a guide for you to use to help with your tweet creation

Tweet  Creation Guide: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/116lJm_xlXf3jaP22ST1jM2LRxud7DX72h_PDoYhzn04/copy

Tweet from a Character’s Point of View (Google Slides template): https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FUbgm2iulqA84mFhPbc4xsMJrNzCAKUv_ol-JububMQ/copy

Math Counts Team (7th and 8th Grade)

MS Learning Opportunities

MATHCOUNTS provides engaging math programs to US middle school students of all ability levels to build confidence and improve attitudes about math and problem solving.

Check out these sample questions:

The WMS Math Counts Team is forming now!  If you’re interested, take the 10-question qualifying test linked below.  NOTE: You are not obligated to join the Math Counts Team if you take the qualifying test, however, there will be a prize for the top 3 scores on the test!

Take the qualifying test by Oct. 15 to be considered for the team and to be entered for the prize drawing!

Qualifying Test Link: https://forms.gle/f8KN6SpVy73sVymk8

Answers to Sample Problems: 5/16 and 3 1/2 hours

 

2020 Code Crush – 8th Graders Only

MS Learning Opportunities

Many of you have heard about Code Crush at UNO and now is the time to apply!  Applications are due October 4.

Details:
  • 8th and 9th-grade students from the Midwest who are interested in the future of Information Technology are invited to apply.
  • A teacher nomination is needed so contact Dr. Spady, Dr. Bolamperti, or Mrs. Shabram if you’re interested in applying.
  • The 2020 fall Code Crush experience will be held Nov. 5-7 and will be online.  Check out the link below for details.

https://codecrush.unomaha.edu/ImmersionExperience

Weekly Challenge #5 Highlights

Weekly Challenge Highlights

You were all so creative in your stop motion creations!

Our favorite was Emmett and Oliver’s Athena and Poseidon creation.  Check it out below!

Here are some of our other favorites!

Don’t stop creating!  Whether it’s another stop motion or a project from another Weekly Challenge, continue to share your work with your EY Coordinator and it might just show up on the blog!

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #6: Musical Glasses

Current Challenge

Musical glasses are a fun way to combine

Art, Math, Music & Science!

For this week’s weekly challenge, you’ll need a few materials.  Feel free to experiment with other materials you have at home as well.
  • 8 identical water glasses
  • water
  • a set of measuring cups
  • food coloring (optional)
  • 1 plastic spoon
  • 1 sheet of paper
  • Tape
  • pen/pencil

Instructions:

  1. Use a measuring cup to fill each of the glasses with the correct amount of water. Use the image below as a guide.
  2. For fun, you can add a drop of food coloring to your glasses or two drops to make green, orange, or purple.
  3. Label your glasses.  Use the image below as a guide.
  4. With a plastic spoon, gently tap each glass and listen for the sound it makes.
  5. Notice which glass makes a lower sound and a higher sound.
  6. Try playing these simple songs or create your own.

For your submission, you can make a video of yourself playing a song with your glasses or you can create a Pic Collage with pictures of your process.  You may also choose another creative way to display your learning.  Submit your work using the link below.

Submission Link: https://forms.gle/PsjGfsA2nVJXXc589

The SCIENCE behind the MUSIC

The science of sound is all about vibrations. When you hit the glass with the spoon, it vibrates and it’s these vibrations that ultimately make the sound. You probably noticed that tapping an empty glass produced a higher-pitched sound than tapping a glass full of water. Adding water to the glass dampens the vibrations created by striking the glass with a spoon. The less water in the glass, the faster the glass vibrates and the higher the pitch. The more water you add to the glass, the slower the glass vibrates, creating a lower pitch.

Activity adapted from Musical Water Glasses at https://www.connectionsacademy.com/resources/instructographics/music-water-glasses and https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/pop-bottle-sounds/

NewzBrain Leaderboard

NewzBrain

Week of  August 30, 2021

Teacher in the Lead:
Student in the Lead:

Week of  May 3, 2020

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 340

Week of  March 22, 2020

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 300

Week of  March 1, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 250

Bakari O: 220

Teacher in the Lead:

Week of  Feb. 15, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 270
Teacher in the Lead: Mrs Johnson with a score of 360

Dr. Spady: 310

Week of  Feb. 8, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 300

Bakari O. with a score of 250

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 240

Week of  Feb. 1, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 260

Bakari O: 250

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 360

Week of Jan. 25, 2020

Student in the Lead: Bakari O. with a score of 230
Teacher in the Lead:  Mrs. Johnson with a score of 310

Week of Jan. 20, 2020

Student in the Lead: Sydney M. with a score of 310

Violet Y.: 240

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 270

Week of Jan. 11, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. and Bakari O. with a score of 300
Teacher in the Lead:

Week of Jan. 8, 2020

Student in the Lead: Violet Y. and Bakari O. with a score of 260
Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson & Dr. Spady with a score of 300

Week of Dec. 14, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 340
Teacher in the Lead:

Week of Dec. 7, 2020

Student in the Lead: Bakari O with a score of 300

Jake N: 280

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 360

Dr. Spady: 290

Week of November 30, 2020

Student in the Lead:  Jake N. with a score of 330

Violet Y: 230

Bakari O: 210

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Sindt with a score of 340

Dr. Spady: 320

Mrs. Henningsen: 290

Mrs. Thompson: 280

Week of November 23, 2020

Student in the Lead:
Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Sindt with a score of 350

Mrs. Johnson and Dr. Spady: 310

Mrs. Henningsen: 280

Mrs. Thompson: 270

Week of November 16, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 310

Violet Y: 220

Bakari O: 210

Teacher in the Lead: Dr. Spady with a score of 280

Week of November 9, 2020

Student in the Lead: Violet Y. and Leo K. with a score of 310

Bakari O: 280

Jake N: 260

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Johnson with a score of 320

Mrs. Limbach: 270

Dr. Spady: 260

Week of November 2, 2020

Student in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 360

Violet Y.: 290

Teacher in the Lead: Mr. Wieczorek with a score of 360

Mrs. Painter & Dr. Spady with a score of 320

Mrs. Johnson: 300

Week of October 26, 2020

Student in the Lead: Leo K. with a score of 340

Jake N.: 260

Sidney M.: 230

Bakari O.: 210

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs. Shabram with a score of 310

Dr. Spady: 250

Week of October 19, 2020

Students in the Lead: Violet Y. with a score of 350

Jake N: 290

Bakari O: 260

Teacher in the Lead: Dr. Spady with a score of 340

Mrs. Shabram: 190

Week of October 12, 2020

Students in the Lead: Jake N. with a score of 180
Teacher in the Lead: Dr. Spady with a score of 280

Mrs. Shabram: 240

Week of October 5, 2020

Students in the Lead:  Eli BB. and BingYi W. with a score of 320

Leo K: 290

Jake N., Grant R., and Bakari O: 270

Addison T. and Bella G.: 240

Teacher in the Lead: Ms. Sherrill with a score of 350

Mr. O’Brien: 320

Mr. Horton: 310

Mrs. Case: 290

Mrs. Limbach: 270

Mrs. Shabram: 240

Mrs. Painter: 230

Dr. Spady: 200

Week of September 28, 2020

Student in the Lead:  Jake N. with a score of 310

Josh N. – 220

Bakari O. – 200

Teacher in the Lead: Mrs Shabram with a score of 320

Dr. Spady: 240

Week of September 21, 2020

Student in the Lead:  Leo K. with a score of 280
Teacher in the Lead: Dr. Spady with a score of 210

 

#3: Glue or Tape?

Science Mini Spark

The oldest glue in the world is over 8,000 years old and comes from a cave near the Dead Sea. Today, we have enough types of tape and glue to build and repair almost anything. But what gives glue and tape their stickiness? And is one stronger than the other?

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #3: Glue or Tape?

2. Watch this video. Record at least 10 science words that you hear.

3. This is a vocabulary rich video. Create a mini dictionary with at least 8 terms and definitions to go along with the video.

4. Choose one project to complete

  • Write a short speech from the point of view of tape or glue explaining why it is better than the other.
  • Who invented Scotch Tape? Do some research to answer this question. Use at least 5 sentences.
  • Why would you want to use duct tape to hold a chain of bowling balls together instead of glue? Explain this using 5 sentences.
  • Make a list of all of the the types of tapes and glues that you know about. try to come up with at least 15. Don’t forget those made by nature.

5. Share your science mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Source: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/which-is-stronger-glue-or-tape-elizabeth-cox#digdeeper

2020-21: Weekly Challenge #5 – Stopmotion

Current Challenge

stop-mo·tion noun

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, create a stop motion video. Watch the 2 videos below or find your own resources on how to create one.

Submit your video for this week’s Weekly Challenge by Friday, September 25 at 12:00 pm.
https://forms.gle/YrsArCo4YSXSr3r29

Weekly Challenge #4 Highlights

Weekly Challenge Highlights

“Just make a mark and see where it takes you”

― Peter H. Reynolds, The Dot.

Thanks to everyone who participated in Weekly Challenge #4.  Check out the dot creations from our talented learners!
Caitlin, Vivian, Brooke and Olivia created pointillism artwork using a technique called stippling.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Landon, Maxfield, Kaiden, Joseph, Bethany, and Matilda took the engineering route and created dot structures.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Don’t forget to check out this week’s challenge!

#38: History of Plastics

Social Studies Enrichment, Uncategorized

Plastic is not just used for milk jugs and bottles of soda…it’s EVERYWHERE! Watch the video below about the history of plastic and then do some further research on something specific mentioned in the video.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #38: History of Plastics

2.  Watch this video.  Record the names of plastics along with dates that they are invented, if mentioned.

3. Choose 2 questions to answer after watching the video. Remind your teacher that the answer key can be found in the social studies mini spark folder.

  • Who invented celluloid, and in what year did this invention occur? Describe the characteristics of celluloid that made it unsuitable for billiard balls.
  • What two substances were combined to create Bakelite, and why was it considered an improvement over celluloid?
  • List at least three types of plastics that were developed after Bakelite and briefly describe their uses.
  •  Explain the process of the manufacturing technique was invented that allowed for rapid production of plastic items?  
  • How did the production of plastics change during World War Two? 
  •  Discuss some of the environmental issues associated with plastic production and usage as mentioned in the video.

4. Check out Jeff Kirschner’s TED Talk. Learn more about the environmental impact of plastics and other litter and how solutions as being spread around the world.

The task for this step is to record the cities or countries Jeff Kirschner says in the video on your recording sheet. There will be 6 in total. ***Note: The last two places mentioned at the very end of the video. They are cities, and they both start with H.

5. Look over your list. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see if you have them all recorded. Put a star next to those that you can find on a map easily. Put a check by those places that you need to look up. Use a map to find those places. Change your checkmark to a star..

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oakland (mentioned a few times)

China

San Francisco

Amsterdam

Honolulu

Hanoi