All posts by lspady

2016 Science Olympiad Ticket

Uncategorized

toy_paper_plane_01

A common experience most everyone shares is folding a paper airplane.  But what is the “perfect design” and do you have what it takes to build Westside’s furthest flying paper airplane?

Calling all 3rd and 4th graders at Westside Community Schools…

  1.  Fold 2 different paper airplanes.  Use the resources below or come up with your own designs.  Take a picture of your 2 completed paper airplanes.
  2. Collect data on your 2 airplanes.  Fly each one 3 times and record the distance flown in centimeters.  Find the average distance of each airplane.  Take a picture of your data.
  3. Take a 10 second video (or less) of your furthest flying airplane.  In your video, include your first name, the name of your airplane, and of course video of the airplane flying.
  4. Send the 2 pictures and video to the EY Coordinator at your building by April 12.  Only 40 students will be invited to attend the Science Olympiad on April 28 so make sure to turn in your best work!

Airplane Resource 1:  https://blog.adafruit.com/2014/11/25/how-to-fold-the-worlds-best-paper-airplane-arttuesday/

Airplane Resource 2:  http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/Basic_Dart-old.html

Airplane Resource 3:  http://www.funpaperairplanes.com

 

Reading enRichment: Essay Contest CLOSED CHECK BACK IN SPRING 2018

Other Events & Contests

SERTOMA CLUB OF OMAHA

2016

FREEDOM ESSAY CONTEST

In our continued efforts to promote good citizenship and appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in America, the Sertoma Club of Omaha is again sponsoring our annual essay contest for students.

This year’s contest will involve 5th grade students in the greater Omaha area.

TOPIC : “What Freedom Means to Me”

DUE DATE : April 4, 2016

FORMAT : The essays will be judged on their content, not their method of presentation. Essays must be legibly written or printed, typed or computer printed. Added graphics, whether computer generated or hand done, will not be considered in judging. Each author must attach his/her name to the essay, their teacher’s name and the name of their school.

LENGTH OF ESSAY : As a guideline, each essay should be limited to approximately 150 words.

PRIZES : Five students will receive the cash equivalent of US Savings Bonds. First place is a check for $100, the purchase price of a $200 savings bond. The four runners up will receive $50 checks, the purchase price of a $100 savings bond.

JUDGING : Participating teachers should forward essays to Sertoma Club of Omaha for judging.

AWARDS CEREMONY : Winners will be honored at a ceremony and pizza dinner. Winners, their parents and teacher will be our guests. Each winner will be asked to read their essay at the ceremony.

STUDENTS:  Please submit your completed essay to the EY coordinator at your building by Monday, April 4th.  The coordinator will make sure the essay gets to the appropriate place by April 5th.

Essay Contest!

Other Events & Contests

SERTOMA CLUB OF OMAHA

2016

FREEDOM ESSAY CONTEST

In our continued efforts to promote good citizenship and appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in America, the Sertoma Club of Omaha is again sponsoring our annual essay contest for students.

This year’s contest will involve 5th grade students in the greater Omaha area.

TOPIC : “What Freedom Means to Me”

DUE DATE : April 4, 2016

FORMAT : The essays will be judged on their content, not their method of presentation. Essays must be legibly written or printed, typed or computer printed. Added graphics, whether computer generated or hand done, will not be considered in judging. Each author must attach his/her name to the essay, their teacher’s name and the name of their school.

LENGTH OF ESSAY : As a guideline, each essay should be limited to approximately 150 words.

PRIZES : Five students will receive the cash equivalent of US Savings Bonds. First place is a check for $100, the purchase price of a $200 savings bond. The four runners up will receive $50 checks, the purchase price of a $100 savings bond.

JUDGING : Participating teachers should forward essays to Sertoma Club of Omaha for judging.

AWARDS CEREMONY : Winners will be honored at a ceremony and pizza dinner. Winners, their parents and teacher will be our guests. Each winner will be asked to read their essay at the ceremony.

STUDENTS:  Please submit your completed essay to the EY coordinator at your building by Monday, April 4th.  The coordinator will make sure the essay gets to the appropriate place by April 5th.

Early Enrichment #18: Pi Day

Early Enrichment

Pi

Not, Pie, but Pi! Have you ever heard about it?

Pi is the 16th letter in the Greek Alphabet, and it is also a math symbol used with circles.

radius

Pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d). The interesting this about pi is that mathematicians who have been working on this number believe that it is infinite, meaning that it’s not the quotient of two integers. In other words, the number pi goes on and on and on, and we don’t know where it ends!

Today, March 14th or 3/14 is celebrated around the world as Pi Day! 

Try out this fun Pi Day Early Enrichment activity below. Watch this video about the never ending number and download the Pi Day Grid Art!

 

Pi Day Grid Art 

Share your artwork with your EY Coordinator!

** Project adapted from Tinkerlab.com

#19 Exponent Exercises

Math Mini Sparks

Stretch your thinking with this math mini spark!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #19 Exponent Exercises
  2. Watch this exponent activity at Khan. Take notes on your recording page.
  3. Review exponents at Math is Fun. Make a mini teaching page about exponents,  negative exponents, and what to do it the exponent is 0 or 1 on your recording sheet.
  4. Practice your exponent math by playing Power Play at Transum. Pick the level that fits you. Play the level until you get a trophy. Add a picture of your trophy to your recording page.

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

Social Studies Mini-Spark #9: The First Filming of an Inauguration

Social Studies Enrichment

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Ever wondered when the media first became involved in the Presidential Election process?

Well, one could say it began right about this time of the year, 83 years ago! That’s right! The first Presidential Inauguration ever filmed was filmed on March 5th, 1933!

It was the Inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Click on the link below to watch this first inauguration ever on film:

Then, respond in the comments section below with your thoughtful reaction!

#16: Biography Study

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

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A biography is the story of a real person’s life, whether they are alive today, from centuries past, famous, forgotten heroes, or a unique group of people.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #16: Biography Study

2. Check out the this website. It contains biographies of many people. You will find world leaders,inventors, scientists and many more. Click on 3 of the names. What topics do the pages introduce?

3. Choose someone you have not heard of before and read that person’s biography. On your recording page, add the person’s name and 3 of the most interesting facts you learned.

4. Create a mini-quiz (5 questions or less) about your subject and add it to your recording sheet. Include an answer key.

5.  Repeat this process for 5 different people.

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

Check out the Who was Making History Badge or the Who was Badge at the EY website

#18: Weird But True! Numbers

Math Mini Sparks

This math mini spark explores Weird But True!  Number Edition.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #18: Weird But True! Numbers
  2. Explore math facts at National Geographic Kids Weird but True! Number Edition.
  3. To move from fact to fact click the arrows
  4. There are 8 facts in total. Record your favorite four facts on your recording sheet.
  5. Do research about each of the four topics so that you can add 3-5 more details for each one.
  6. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Social Studies Mini-Spark #8: This Day in History!

Social Studies Enrichment

Screen Shot 2016-02-23 at 10.44.45 AM

Ever wondered what happened on this day in history?  Now you can find out by going to this link:  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/today.html.

For example, today I learned that United States General Zachary Taylor was victorious over Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in the Battle of Buena Vista on February 23, 1847. Named for a nearby hacienda, the Battle of Buena Vista was fought near Monterrey, in northern Mexico. On the evening of February 21, General Taylor received a message from General Santa Anna offering to accept an American surrender and be spared the battle. Taylor reportedly replied: “I decline accepting your request.” For the next two days, the Mexican army of over 15,000 troops assaulted the smaller U.S. force of only 5,000 men. The agile field artillery and advantageous battle position, however, favored General Taylor against overwhelming odds. By nightfall of February 23, the exhausted and dispirited Mexican army retreated; Taylor elected not to pursue the troops and remained to secure the region.  This event helped to secure our victory in the Mexican-American war.

Go to the above link and respond below with what you learned about the day you chose to research!

Early Enrichment #17: Energy and a Roller Coaster

Early Enrichment

This week, the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, celebrated its 60th birthday!

They planned a huge celebration full of musicians, artists, and sneak peeks

Checkout behind the scenes of Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Celebration

Can you imagine how much work has gone into making the happiest place on earth? Especially when designing all of fun rides? Like this one:

Roller coasters take a lot of planning, and there are people that have jobs to create new rides. Isn’t that awesome? You could have a job designing roller coasters when you grow up!

Before you can design a roller coaster, you will need to know a little bit more about the different types of energy required. Click here to see how the two types of energy help a roller coaster move. (may require flash, for additional resource: click here).

What two types of energy are there in a roller coaster?

Potential and Kinetic Energy

Try and design your own roller coaster on a piece of paper. If you can, mark down where there will be Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy. Share your designs with your EY Coordinator!