Who knew SNOWIEST was even a word?!

What was the  SNOWIEST February of all time?

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #69: The Snowiest February
2.  Use this information page from UNL and find the snowiest February in Lincoln.
3. Create 1, 2, or 3 different graphs to display the data above from Omaha or data from the UNL site if you prefer.  Use the Create-A-Graph website to make a graph of the data.  Be sure to include a title and label your axes.
   • Top 5 Snowiest Februarys
   • The Top 5 Snowiest Winter Seasons (Dec-Jan-Feb)
   • Top 5 Snowiest Winters (Jul 1- Jun 20).
4. Take a look at the graphs in the image below.  For a larger image of the graphs, click here.  The information in the blue box is particularly helpful in reading the graphs.  Answer any of the following questions by leaving a comment and/or leave a question for someone else to answer.
   • How many times in January/February 2019 did the temperature range fall mainly in the record highs?  What about the record lows?
   • On how many dates was the temperature range very small (short blue bar)?
   • How many times did the temperature range fall in the average section (green)?
   • What do you find interesting about these graphs?

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

This Math Minute was inspired by the Pringles commercial that played during Super Bowl LVII. I’ve always been intrigued by the shape of Pringles, but this commercial took it to the next level and had me pondering the mathematics behind this beloved chip!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #68 The Math Behind Pringles

2. Watch the commercial.

3. Read this article at Bedtime math

Potato Chips That Rock ‘n Roll

4. Create a list of 5 things you learned from the article.

5. Choose 1 project to complete:

• A Pringles can is a cylinder that is 30 cm tall.  The circles at each end of the can have a radius of 4 cm.  Find the surface area and volume of the can.  Click here for help with the formulas. Record all of your math on paper.
• Watch this video on stacking Pringles in a complete circle.  Check out Cooper and Jack’s attempt!  Record some ideas about the strategy you would use to make the ring. What problems will you face?  If you want to try this project, talk to the EY coordinator at your school. The #spadyboys had a friendly Pringle Stacking Competition/Taste Test the other night.  Check out the video!
• Create a package that will hold a single Pringle.  Send it to yourself (or a friend) in the mail and see if your package kept it protected during its journey (didn’t cause it to break).

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

parade | pəˈrād | noun

a public procession, especially one celebrating a special day or event and including marching bands and floats.

Who doesn’t love a good parade?  People throwing out candy from elaborately decorated floats, listening to marching bands while baton twirlers dance by, watching the line of fancy cars drive by with kings and queens waiving…the list goes on!

A favorite tradition is watching the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day.  There have been over 135 Rose Bowl parades in Pasadena, California.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #67: Rose Bowl Parade.
2. Watch this video about the design and Manufacturing process for floats.

3. Record what you learned and an idea for a float.

4. Ask your EY teacher for the Rose Bowl Parade math page from the Mini Spark folder. You will calculate the number of flowers used to create the floats.

5. Work on this math activity at Bedtime Math.  The answers to the math problems are at the bottom of the page, so don’t scroll all of the way down until you are ready to check your work.

More Than One Rose for Your Nose

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

image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/karmakazesal/4146346672

Say what?

A student recently asked me if I knew the NATO alphabet.  I hadn’t heard of it so I told him to send me an email about it and voila…We have our #66 math mini spark!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #66: Alpha Bravo Charlie
2. Read about the NATO phonetic alphabet by visiting this site.  Record what you have learned.
3. Learn about how the alphabet was chosen write about some new information that you learned.
4. Visit the site to learn how the alphabet has changed over time. Record some details.
5. Watch this video and then record the spelling of your first name using the correct NATO alphabet words.

6. Check out how the U.S. Navy uses alphabet flags, numeral pennants, numeral flags, and special flags and pennants for visual signaling.  Even though the flags are not used for spelling out words, draw the flags that would spell your first name.

7. What does the NATO alphabet have to do with math?

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

CM (Charlie Mike): Means continue mission.  Keep moving forward.  

How are smartphones built? What materials are used? Complete this math mini spark and learn more.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #65: Smartphone Materials

2. Print a copy of this worksheet.

3. Fill in the worksheet as you watch the video. Add a picture of your worksheet to your recording sheet, or include it when you turn in your mini spark.

4. Read some of the statistics about smartphones on this site.  Record a question about a statistic that you found interesting.

5. Review this metals in a smartphone infographic. Write 3 compliments and one suggestion that you have that would make it better.

6. Read about the rare earth elements at this page.  Create  a visual to display 8+ pieces of information about rare earth elements. Add this visual to your recording page.

7. Share your math mini spark recording page and worksheet with your teacher/EY coordinator.

So for now is sounds like we can’t divide by zero, but maybe there might be a rule that mathematicians could be tweaked to make it possible?  Check out this math mini spark and see what you think about this idea.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #64: Why can’t you divide by zero
2. Watch this video that explains why you can’t divide by zero. Write down 5 ideas from the video.

3. Record 5 vocabulary terms with definitions from the video.

4. Read this info page from Math is Fun. Record 5 details from this page.

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

Aibohphobia: the fear of palindromes

What’s there to be afraid of?  Palindromes are so cool!  Whether the phobia is real or made up, palindromes are definitely real and this week we’re going to have some fun with them!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #62: Aibohphobia
2. A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of symbols or elements, whose meaning may be interpreted the same way in either forward or reverse direction (i.e. mom, wow, racecar, 10501, etc.).  Create a list of palindromes using this resource.
3. Did you know that any number can be written as the sum of 3 palindromes?  It’s true!  Check out this Numberphile video. Record 5 details.

4. On your recording sheet, answer these questions after watching the video

• Describe the specific example used in the video to demonstrate how to write a positive integer as the sum of three palindrome numbers.
• How does the presenter compare the process of finding the palindrome numbers to solving a Sudoku puzzle?

5. Practice your multiplication by playing Palindrome Products. Take a screenshot when you are done and add it to your recording page.

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