All posts by lspady

#16: Discover Circles

Math Mini Sparks

Circles are EVERYWHERE, and wherever there are circles, there’s math to be done!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #16: Discover Circles
  2. Read this circle fact page. Record 3-5 ideas on your recording page.
  3. Find circles in your environment and snap some pictures.  Make a Pic Collage (or use another app of your choice). Add the finished project to your recording sheet.

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  4. Get a ruler. Snap a picture of a circle that you have found with a ruler going through the center This is measuring the diameter of the circle.  Calculate the circumference of the circle by taking pi (3.14) times diameter.  C = πd. Record your math and the answer on your recording page
  5. Read the following steps to see how you can get to Pi!

Step 1:  Measure the diameter of a circle.  I used the top of my QT cup in the picture below. I measured the diameter as 11.5 cm.

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Step 2:  Measure the outside of the circle (circumference) with a string (I used a piece of making tape folded in half because I didn’t have a string handy).

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Step 3:  Measure the string.  I measured the circumference of my QT lid as 36.5 cm.

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Step 4:  Divide the circumference by the diameter (36.5 divided by 11.5).

I got 3.17391304.  Not too bad!

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5. Do steps 1-4 with your own circle. Record all of the math on your recording page.

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

#15: Spheres with Pi

Math Mini Sparks

Learn about how Pi relates to cylinders, cones, and spheres in this math mini spark.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #15: Spheres with Pi
  2. Watch this video. Practice drawing the sphere with the teacher on your recording page. Record 3-5 other details from the video.

3.  Read about cylinders, cones, and spheres. Answer the questions the show up as ????  with a blue background and keep moving along the teaching journey.

4. Read this teaching page that shows how to calculate the surface area of a sphere. Record the steps on your recording sheet.

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

#7: Zip Codes and More!

Social Studies Enrichment

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #7: Zip Codes and More!

2. Watch this video about how mail is sorted.  What is culling? Describe the bar codes and explain why they are added to the envelopes.

3. Watch this video. Record 5 ideas from the video on your recording page.

 

4. Zip codes are helpful, but what are some other ways mentioned in the video that we can use to find locations

5.  A full ZIP code has five digits, like 12345. But the first three digits are super important because they tell you which main post office, called a Sectional Center Facility. Look over this list of the first 3 Zip code numbers from all over the US. Find 5 cities you have not heard of before and record the state, city name, and the SCF.

6.  Share your Social Studies mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

 

Enjoy this spark? Look for these badges at the EY website. 

Early Enrichment #14: One Hundred

Early Enrichment

This week we celebrated 100 days of school!

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Can you believe that we have been in school for one hundred days! Wow! That is a lot of school! Can you imagine what it would be like if you went to school for a hundred years! That’s even crazier. 

Imagine all of the things you could learn in 100 years.

Imagine all of the things you would have made in 100 years. 

Imagine what a classroom would look like in 100 years. 

Imagine what you would look like in 100 years! (use this app if you are curious!) 

Brainstorm about what a classroom might look like in the year 2116, what you would be like,  and what you may have learned if you were still a student. Create something to share your ideas. You can make a Pic Collage, write a story, comment below, or share your work with your EY Coordinator!

#14: Story Starters

Reading Enrichment

A story starter is one specific type of writing prompt that you can use when you need an idea for a story. In this mini spark, you will find writing starters and comic starters that go along with the Dav Pilkey series: Dog Man, Cat Kid, and Captain Underpants.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #14: Story Starters

2. Who is Dav Pilkey? Read a little about him on this page. Record 5 details on your recording page.

3. Watch this video interview. On your recording page, write 2-3 sentences about how Dav started his writing journey.

4. Look over an example of a  writing starter and a comic starter.

Look at the comic starter for Dog Man.

Look at the writing starter for Dog Man.

After looking at each type, would you prefer to write and illustrate comic or write the next part of the story? Add your response to your recording sheet and explain your choice.

5. Choose one of these starters to complete. You can choose to do the comic starter or the writing starter. Print out your choice to use to create your story.  

Comic starter for Dog Man Lord of the Fleas

Writing starter for Dog Man Lord of the Fleas

Comic starter for Dog Man Fetch-22

Writing starter for Dog Man Fetch-22

Comic starter for Cat Kid Comic Club Influencers

Writing starter for Cat Kid Comic Club Influencers

Comic starter for Dog Man

Writing starter for Dog Man

Comic starter for Captain Underpants 25 ½ Anniversary Edition

Writing starter for Captain Underpants 25 ½ Anniversary Edition

6.  Share your language arts mini spark recording page and project if you printed it, with your teacher/EY coordinator.

There are many more choices at the main Story Starters website. If you are interested in doing these projects for a badge, talk to your teacher or your EY coordinator.

Social Studies Mini-Spark #6: Test Your Geography Knowledge!

Social Studies Enrichment

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How well do you know the United States of America?

This website tests your knowledge of the geography of the USA!  Go here to take the test:  http://lizardpoint.com/geography/usa-quiz.php

Then, once you’ve mastered US Geography, broaden your horizons!

Test your knowledge of World Geography, Africa, The Americas, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Europe and more by clicking the links!

In the comment section below, respond with your score!

Tinker Lab

Heflin Blog

It is hard to believe that the year is halfway over, and February is just around the corner. I have really enjoyed my role so far as a part of the EY Team, and wanted to share about a new enrichment opportunity that is taking place in my schools.

After attending, NETA last spring I was inspired as a librarian to start a Makerspace in my library. Many of you are probably wondering, what is a Makerspace or Tinker Lab?

Check out this presentation to learn more about Makerspaces and Tinker Labs in our district. 

It took quite a bit of planning, grant writing, and organizing, but it is up and running. Just recently I have opened it up to classes to come and Tinker. Here are some pictures of our #tinkeringpandas.

 

 

I can’t wait to see what else my students create in their tinkering!

Mini Labs (Directions)

#28: Newest Elements

Science Mini Spark

The seven rows in the periodic table are like the levels of a video game, and the eighteen columns are like the cool teams you can join! The latest “superheroes” added to the table are Nihonium, Moscovium, Tennessine, and Oganesson—talk about an elemental upgrade!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Science mini spark recording page: #28: Newest Elements

2. As of the date of this post, Aug 2024, 118 elements have been discovered. Watch this video about the newest elements and take detailed notes on your recording page about them.

3. Jim Roberto, ORNL associate lab director for science and technology partnerships, says “The discovery of new elements is actually very exciting on a number of different levels, and what we have done with our partners is change the periodic table, and we have changed every high school chemistry book.” Discuss the collaboration involved in the discovery of element 117. Which institutions were mentioned as partners? Record your response on your recording page.

4. Element 117 has been discovered and it is a very interesting process. Why is the creation of superheavy elements like element 117 significant in scientific research? Respond on your recording sheet.

5. We have a lucky connection to this discovery! Mrs. Sindt, EY teacher at Rockbrook, Oakdalem and Hillside, has a brother who is the Isotope Production Manager at Oak Ridge National Lab.  His name is John Krueger and he is an alum of Hillside Elementary and Westside High School! 

6. Some Rockbrook students asked John Krueger questions and received some very detailed, interesting responses. See the questions and responses here.

7. OPTIONAL: Think of a question you have about this discovery, or about science in general, that you’d like to ask him.  Email your question to your EY coordinator and will make sure it gets to Mr. Krueger.

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

Early Enrichment #13: Writer’s Block

Early Enrichment

Have you ever heard someone say “writer’s block?” It sounds kind of silly doesn’t it?

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A writer on a block? A writer that uses a block? A writer writing about a block? What is it?

A writer’s block is when you have a hard time of thinking about what to write about or how to keep going in your stories.  Sometimes it is hard to know where to start or where to continue.

Here are a couple of different ways to get over having “writer’s block.”

 1. Listen to music. Music can relax you or inspire you. 

3. Have a snack. Make sure your brain is properly fed when you sit down to write.

4. Look for inspiration around you. Take a walk, look around, use pictures to inspire you. 

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Use this writing prompt and comment below with your story. Try some of these helpful tips if you are facing writer’s block!

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To Code or Not to Code, That is the Question

Spady Blog
“Code is the next universal language. In the seventies, it was punk music that drove the whole generation.  In the eighties, it was probably money. But for my generation of people, software is the interface to our imagination and our world. And that means that we need a radically, radically more diverse set of peopleto build those products, to not see computers as mechanical and lonely and boring and magic, to see them as things that they can tinker and turn around and twist, and so forth.”
~Linda Liukas

Two of the #spadyboys sharing their coding knowledge with Westside teachers during Professional Learning Day, January 18 #WestsidePL

I have written about my passion for coding/teaching kids to code before, but I thought I would jot down and reflect on some recent experiences related to coding…

  • A parent emailed me awhile back asking if I had heard of Bitsbox.  It rang a bell and I remembered signing up for a free teacher’s kit.  I’m a little embarrassed to say that when the kit arrived, I set it aside because I wasn’t sure what I supposed to do with the little booklets.  Anyway, the parent’s email prompted me to dig out the booklets and show them to some students.  WOW!  Talk about instant excitement and engagement!  Words cannot express the joy and excitement on these kids’  faces when they created something with code!  In addition, students were helping each other troubleshoot and problem solve when something didn’t work.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard a student say, “You forgot an apostrophe!” or “That needs to be capitalized!”  Who knew…punctuation and capitalization matter not only when writing, but in coding too!  My first subscription to Bitsbox arrived last week…20 beautifully illustrated pages filled with coding projects.  I can’t wait to share them this Saturday at Coder Dojo!

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“If you can create the technology you want, you can create the future you want, too.” ~Ayah Bdeir
“Build in extra learning time for failure, trial-and-error, and space to really tinker and, therefore, learn. Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast. Give learners time to explore the new tool, strategy, or knowledge.” ~Jasmine Escalante

 http://www.eschoolnews.com/2016/01/28/why-we-all-need-time-to-tinker-with-tech/2/

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  • Like most teachers, I really enjoy learning!  I love putting myself in the student role and experiencing the struggle that often accompanies learning.  Believe me…that struggle happened this past Saturday when I attended #NodeSchool_Omaha at @ObjectPartners (A confession, I signed up primarily because they were offering free lunch-Woo Hoo! @qdoba)  I immediately felt in-over-my-head surrounded by people who knew a lot more about coding than I did.  Luckily there were mentors there to help me every step of the way and I ended up earning my badge!

I could go on and on about my experiences with teaching kids to code.  So for me, To Code or Not to Code is not a question.  I’m interested in your thoughts though.  Below are some articles/blog posts about the topic.  Leave a comment and share your thinking and/or other resources to consider.

Learn to Code, Code to Learn:  https://www.edsurge.com/news/2013-05-08-learn-to-code-code-to-learn

The President Wants Every Student To Learn Computer Science.  How Would That Work? http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/12/462698966/the-president-wants-every-student-to-learn-computer-science-how-would-that-work

Should we really teach all kids to code? https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/teach-all-kids-code-why-how-david-carroll

Best Jobs in America: https://www.glassdoor.com/Best-Jobs-in-America-LST_KQ0,20.htm

5 Reasons Some Doctors are Learning to Code: http://ww2.kqed.org/futureofyou/2015/12/14/5-good-reasons-why-doctors-are-learning-to-code/

Future of Work: Why Teaching Everyone to Code is Delusional

Code.org Promote Computer Science: https://code.org/promote

5 Unbeatable Reasons Your Kid Should Be Coding: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/5-unbeatable-reasons-your-kid-should-coding.html

It took awhile, but schools are starting to boot-up computer coding classes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B59p7nLR3kODdGhmNzlnQ1R6a3c/view?usp=sharing