All posts by lspady

#90: A Ridiculous, Long Way to Find Out the Day of the Week You Were Born

Math Mini Sparks

Do you know what day of the week you were born on?  If not, you could…

  1. Ask your parent(s)/guardian(s) if they remember the day of the week.

  2. You could “Google”: What day of the week was May 16, 1975 (that’s my birthday)

OR

You can do this ridiculously long way…which is more fun IMO!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #90: A Ridiculous, Long Way to Find Out the Day of the Week You Were Born

2.  Follow the steps. If you would like to see an example of the steps, scroll down to the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Take the last 2 digits of the year in which you were born.

Step 2: Divide that number by 4 and ignore any remainder.

Step 3: Add the day of the month to the answer from step 2

Step 4: Add the month’s key value to the answer from step 3.

January and October:Key Value = 1

February, March, and November: Key Value = 4

April and July: Key Value = 0

May: Key Value = 2

June: Key Value = 5

August: Key Value = 3

September and December: Key Value = 6

Step 5: Subtract 1 for January or February of a leap year.

Step 6:

Add 0 if the date is in the 1900s

Add 6 if the date is in the 2000s

Add 4 for the 1700s

Add 2 for the 1800s

Step 7:  Add the last 2 digits of the year.

Step 8: Divide by 7 and take the remainder.

Remainder 1 is Sunday

Remainder 2 is Monday

Remainder 3 is Tuesday

Remainder 4 is Wednesday

Remainder 5 is Thursday

Remainder 6 is Friday

3. Now double-check your work by searching on Google!

4.Create a product that shows your work!  Example:

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

#89 Matrices

Math Mini Sparks

Matrices are rectangular arrangements of rows and columns. In this mini spark, you will learn about the basics of matrices.

Here are three examples.

    

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #89 Matrices

2. Watch the 2 videos below and take notes with the new information you learned.

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

You can extend your learning by completing the Marvelous Matrices badge!

Peculiar Pets 2022 | Poetry Contest for Elementary

Other Events & Contests

Peculiar Pets poetry writing contest is now open to 

elementary school students ages 6-12 years old.

What would your perfect peculiar pet be? An acrobatic bunny? A tech-savvy puppy? A vegan crocodile? A bird that’s scared to fly? A giraffe that likes to race? A superhero cat?

You can create an animal mash-up, be inspired by your perfect pet, or make your own awesome animal to write a poem about.

Visit the website for more information!

Download the Entry Form HERE!

Deadline:  Friday, October 28, 2022.

2022-23 Challenge #2

Current Challenge

Newspaper Challenges

NOTE:  You don’t have to get the daily newspaper to do this challenge.  Ask your neighbors, ask your teacher and/or EY Coordinator and have fun!

Challenge # 1:  Build the tallest freestanding tower with only 2 sheets of newspaper and 12 inches of tape. No wedging or taping to the table or floor! You can manipulate the newspaper in any way you wish.

Challenge #2: Using 10 sheets of newspaper and 18 inches of tape, build a tower that holds a textbook 6 inches above the table for at least 3 seconds. The tower must be free-standing, which means no taping or holding to the table.

Challenge #3:  Use 3 large sheets of newspaper and 24 inches of tape to make a piece of clothing that you can wear.

When you’re finished with your challenge, take a picture and email it to your EY Coordinator.

2022-23 WMS EY Learning Opportunities

MS Learning Opportunities

Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year!  EY at the middle school looks a little different than elementary.

You will not be pulled out of class regularly like you were in elementary.  Instead, there will be various contests/learning opportunities offered throughout the year.

In addition, your WMS teachers work extremely hard to offer voice and choice in their individual classrooms and provide many opportunities for your to challenge yourself.  Make sure to take advantage of those opportunities and continually seek out ways to take ownership of your learning.

The list below is not all-inclusive, but gives you a starting point for some of the opportunities available this year.  Be sure to fill out the Google Form so Dr. Spady can contact you when these opportunities become available.

Battle of the Books: This contest is a mix of comprehension book knowledge along with project based activities specific to the books. Students are not required to read all ten books, but instead the reading can be spread out amongst the team members.  Check out the list of books here: https://ey.westside66.org/2022-23-wms-battle-of-the-books/

United States Academic Pentathlon (USAD): Academic Pentathlon tests students in five different subject areas (math, literature, fine arts, science, and social sciences).  Students can choose to compete in 1, 2, 3, 4 or all 5 subject areas. There will be review sessions prior to the competition and the regional competition will take place in February.

Quiz Bowl: Quiz Bowl will meet on a weekly basis after school on Mondays from 3:20-4:00.  Additional after school times and Warrior Time may be added.  Quiz Bowl members will have an opportunity to participate in various Quiz Bowl competitions throughout the year.

Cribbage and Chess Club (CCC): CCC will meet on a weekly basis after school on Tuesdays from 3:20-4:00.

MATHCOUNTS: MATHCOUNTS provides engaging math opportunities to students of all ability levels in order to build confidence and improve attitudes about math and problem solving.  The WMS MATHCOUNTS Team will meet on a weekly basis after school on Tuesdays from 3:20-4:00.  We may also occasionally meet during Warrior Time.

Writing Contests:  Various writing contests pop up throughout the year and there are usually prizes involved.  If you’re a writer and would like to be notified when a contest starts, mark it on the Google Form.

Spelling Bee:  All WMS 7th and 8th graders will take a qualifying spelling test in their LA class sometime between Oct. 10-21.  Approximately 50 WMS students will be invited to participate in the WMS Spelling Bee which will be Friday, Nov. 18.  This will be an online test provided through Scripps.  The top 2 WMS students will be invited to participate in the District Spelling on December 16.

Geography Bee: All WMS 7th and 8th graders will take a qualifying geography test in their Social Studies/History class in early January.  Approximately 50 WMS students will be invited to participate in the WMS Geo Bee which towards the end of January/early February 2023.  During the WMS Geo Bee, students will also have an opportunity to participate in a Science Bee and a History Bee.

Don’t forget to fill out the Google Form!

#11: Microbes Eating Trash

Science Mini Spark

Every year, humans churn out about 400 million tons of plastic, and shockingly, 80% of it ends up as trash.  But don’t worry, nature has its own cleanup crew in the form of microbes, ready to chow down on our plastic mess.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #11: Microbes Eating Trash

2. Watch this TED-Ed video. Record 5 interesting vocabulary words on your recording sheet.

3. After watching this video, answer these questions in an interview format. You are the interviewer and the interviewee is a plastic starfish.

  • How are man made polymers different than those found in nature ?
  • What are some common forms of plastic?
  • How do you break plastic’s chemical bonds?
  • What  never before identified bacteria was found in the lab from this video.
  • Why type of engineers worked on the project to create super enzymes?
  • What was discovered in Japan?

4. Advanced Option:Read this article and record your thoughts about this process.

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

2022-23 WMS Battle of the Books

MS Learning Opportunities

Did you participate in Battle of the Books in elementary school and wish there was a way to participate in middle school?  Well you’re in luck because on May 11, 2023, there will be a Middle School Battle of the Books Competition at ESU #3!

Send an email to Dr. Spady (spady.lynn @ westside66.net) if you’re interested in participating in Middle School BOTB!

2022-23 Middle School Battle of the Books Book List

  1. Barefoot Dreams – Petra Luna
  2. Before the Ever After – Jacqueline Woodson
  3. I Must Betray You – Ruta Sepetys
  4. Echo – Pam Munoz Ryan
  5. The Last Cuentista – Donna Barba Higuera
  6. Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story – Nora Baskin
  7. Lines of Courage – Jennifer A Nielsen
  8. Inside Out and Back Again – Thannha Lai
  9. Fall Out: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War – Steve Sheinkin
  10. Amari and the Night Brothers – BB Alston
  11. Flight of the Puffin – Ann Broden
  12. Beyond the Bright Sea – Lauren Wolk

#70: Why is there a “B” in doubt?

Reading Enrichment

Cat- C-A-T     Dog. D-O-G. Not all words have spellings that are as clear and easy to remember as these two. Watch this TED ED video about why there is a “B” in doubt.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #70: Why is there a “B” in doubt?

2. Watch this video. Record all of the forms of doubt and double from the video and 3 other details.

 

3. Do some research to find words with silent letters that are new to you. Record some that you have found on your recording sheet.

4. Read more about silent letters at Wonderopolis. Take the Wonder Word Challenge and Test Your Knowledge when you are done reading. Record both scores on your recording sheet.

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

2021-22 EY Challenge # 8

Current Challenge

Countdown to Summer!

Summer is almost here and this EY Challenge is going to help you think of different ways to express and think of the numbers 20 to 1 as we countdown to summer!

Task:  Create a Google Slides presentation, Pic Collage, or use any other app on your iPad to create a graphic for 20 days, 19 days, 18 days, etc. (see picture below). NOTE:  If you don’t start this challenge until later this week or next week (or the following week), you don’t have to go back and do the ones that have already passed.  BUT, in order to be included in the prize drawing, you have to complete at least 15 days total.

When you are finished with your 15+ days, you can email them to Dr. Spady at spady.lynn @ westside66.net

Some resources that might help you…