All posts by lspady

#71: Olympic Medals

Learning Opportunities, Math Mini Sparks

In the 2020 Olympic Games, 80,000 tons of mobile phones and small electronic devices around Japan were used in the crafting of every gold, silver and bronze Olympic and Paralympic medal awarded to athletes.

The 2024 Olympic medals are special because they have a piece of the Eiffel Tower in them. The medals contain 18 grams of iron taken from parts of the Eiffel Tower that were replaced during renovations. Athletes who win in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics will receive these unique medals.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #71: Olympic Medals

2. Read this article containing 5 facts about the 2024 games in Paris.  Create a note taking page and include any at least 5 interesting details you come across in the article.

3. Dive in deeper to the 2024 medal creation process and learn more about the design at this Olympics 2024 website. Record 5 ideas on your recording page.

4. Read this article about the recycling project from the 2020 Olympics. Record at least 3 number facts on your recording sheet.

5.  Watch this video.  Record specific details about the makeup of the gold, silver and bronze medals, how many were made for the Olympics in Paris, and the value of a medal.

 

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

Tech Checkout Library

Book & Tech Checkout, Teachers

Tech Resources

Below is a link to a list of technology housed at the EY office.  Make sure to select Tech at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet contains the title of the tech available for checkout.  If/when you decide you would like to check out something, please e-mail Jenny Henningsen, who will then put your name in the “checked-out by” section of the spreadsheet.

Click here for a list of the tech available for checkout

 

#70 Algebra in Pictures

Math Mini Sparks

One of the things some students struggle with when taking Algebra is the use of letters (variables) to represent numbers.  However, if we remove the letters and replace them with pictures, somehow Algebra becomes a little more manageable.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #70 Algebra in Pictures
  2. Figure the picture puzzle stating what the ? represents in the final “equation”.    Images to create this puzzle taken from pdclipart.org
  3. Create your own picture puzzle.  I used Keynote, but you could use Explain Everything, Pic Collage, or another iPad app.  Pictures for your puzzle can be found at https://www.pdclipart.org/ . Please include an answer key.
  4. Solve at least 8 of these 11 puzzles pictured below. Each on

Thank you Mrs. Bridwell for the inspiration to create this post!  Thank you to Mrs. Bridwell’s 6th graders for all the great puzzles below!

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

Check out one of the solvemoji  badges on the EY badge page.

 

#69: The Snowiest February

Math Mini Sparks

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.

Writing Contest: Robots

Other Events & Contests

What type of robot would you invent to help people (or your community) and why?

WHO: 4th – 12th graders

WHAT: Essay answering, “What type of robot would you invent to help people (or your community) and why?

WHEN: Submissions are due March 15, 2019

WHY: To practice your writing skills of course!  You might also win a chance to meet Grant Imahara who has worked on some of the most famous movie and TV robots of all time including R2-D2 and the Energizer Bunny.

Visit https://www.nescifest.com/participate/essay/ for more details.

#68:The Math Behind Pringles

Math Mini Sparks

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.

#67: Rose Bowl Parade

Math Mini Sparks

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

2019 Nebraska Robotics Expo

Other Events & Contests

The Nebraska Robotics Expo will be held at  Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum on Saturday, February 16, 2019.  Westside would like to take 3 TEAMS to this amazing event!

Mr. Harold Sanchez, a Loveland parent, will be holding workshops on Saturdays in January to prepare for the event.  All 4rd-6th grade students at Westside Elementary Schools are invited to attend. Even if a child decides he/she does not want to participate in the Expo, they are still welcome to attend the Saturday workshops.

Descriptions of the Robotics Expo events can be found by clicking the links below.

Please fill out the form to reserve your spot for the Saturday workshops.  They will be offered on January 5, 12, and 26 (all Saturdays) in the Swanson Public Library (9101 W Dodge Rd, Omaha, NE 68114) basement.

There is only space for 20 participants at each workshop. Students will be working on teams.  If a child wants to be part of the teams participating in the Robotics Expo, he/she should be prepare to attend all three workshops.

  • 3:00-3:30 pm: General information about the event, and set up.
  • 3:30-5:30 pm: Practice
  • 5:30-5:45 pm: Clean up and closing

During each workshop, we will be practicing the activities.  If possible please bring a roll (or 2) of painters tape to assist in setting up the games/activities.  If your child plans to participate in the autonomous course (programming), it would be ideal for you to have a laptop computer (PC or Mac) with a USB port and the CEENBoT Commander software downloaded.  The CEENBoT Commander software can be found here: https://www.ceenbotinc.com/updates

#66: Alpha Bravo Charlie

Math Mini Sparks

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.