All posts by Megan Thompson

#72: Golden Line Writing

Reading Enrichment

Stretch your thinking and unravel your ideas with this Golden Line activity!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #72: Golden Line Writing

2. Watch this introductory video about the Golden Line Writing Activity.

3. Print the Golden Line Activity and begin writing with the provided “Golden Line” by  C.S. Lewis. You can also open the page and record your writing on your recording page.

4.  Now that you have experienced this writing strategy. Research some other quotes that would make great writing prompts. Make a list of three to five quotes on your recording page.

6. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and Golden Line writing page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Flower Power

Full STEAM Ahead
Spring is in the air! Learn all about the blooming power of flowers and then do a hands-on activity creating a blooming flower and card to give to someone special.

Step 1: Watch this Mystery Science video about how flowers bloom.

Step 2: Gather needed materials to complete the activity.

  • Crayons
  • Scissors
  • Dot Stickers or Tape
  • Plastic Paper Plate or Bowl

Step 3: In this activity, you will make a colorful paper flower and a greeting card that they can give to any special person in their life. When placed in water, the paper flower will unfold, appearing to move and bloom in front of your eyes! You may want to use this as a Mother’s Day activity, but you choose who will receive the card, so it can be for anyone special.

Click on the image below to print template and view step-by-step instructions.

Once your flowers are complete, place them in water to watch them bloom!

Extension: You can see for yourself how water moves inside a plant. Fill a glass with water and add a few drops of red or blue food coloring. Place a white flower in the glass. Wait a few hours and watch to see what happens. Look closely at the flower petals. What do you notice? Repeat this experiment, but use a stalk of celery or a lettuce leaf. What do you predict will happen?

#71: Nonfiction Poetry

Reading Enrichment

Nonfiction poetry focuses on conveying facts about subjects through engaging and creative narratives. Nonfiction poetry can be a fun and thought-provoking way to tell a story or impart information.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #71: Nonfiction Poetry

2. Learn about an important historical event (Apollo 11) by reading the article, The Moon Landing on the National Geographic Kids website.  Record 5 details from the article on your recording page.

3.  Listen to this example of nonfiction poetry about Apollo 11, Eight Days Gone.

4. Explore these websites and choose an article of interest. Read the article 1-2 times.

5.  Create your nonfiction verse in the form of a Cinquain poem. Cinquain poems follow a specific 5 line pattern. Print off these Poetry Planning Sheets – Cinquain Poem to further analyze your article/topic and draft your poem.  You can put your final poem on the recording page or the poetry planning sheets.

6. Find a photo to accompany your poem, choose an app on your iPad to create a visual display of your work.

7.  Share your language arts mini spark recording page, your poem and your illustration with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#67: Literary Device Lesson-Personification

Reading Enrichment

Personification is the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #67: Literary Device Lesson-Personification 

2. Watch this video clip that illustrates the use of personification. Record some examples from the video on your recording page.


3. Check out how these examples of personification are illustrated.

 

3. Draw an illustration to match each example of personification and then one of your own.  You can draw these on your recording sheet or click on image to open the document to print.


4. Write a story about a day in the life of an object, using plenty of personification. Include an illustration. You may do this on your recording sheet or on the template linked below (click on image).

5. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and any other pages with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#63: All About Axolotls

Reading Enrichment

Do you love Axolotls? Learn more about the amazing Axolotl with this fun mini spark!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #63: All About Axolotls

2. Read the species profile page and answer these reflection questions on your recording sheet.

Before you read the article, what did you know about axolotls? What new information is most interesting to you?

Axolotls are an endangered species. What types of things could be done to help the species survive and thrive?

3.  Did you know that Axolotls have an incredible ability to regenerate? Watch the video below to learn more!  Record some details on your recording sheet.

4. Research. Find out even more by doing your own research about Axolotls. Use the sheet below as a guide (Description, Habitat, Diet, Lifespan, Conservation).

5.  Create! Show us what you learned about Axolotls in a creative way. Choose from one of the following options.

  1. Social Media Post – Using these templates, create an Instagram or Facebook post from the perspective of an Axolotl. Print out the sheet you would like to use.
  2. Minecraft Habitat – Design an ideal habitat or underwater playground for the Axolotl using Minecraft. You will need to complete this option at home. Take a photo or screenshot and send to your EY Coordinator so it can be added to your recording page.
  3. PicCollage- Explain the process of regeneration. What other Amphibians have the ability to regenerate? Create a PicCollage that shows us what you discovered.

6. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and any other pages you made with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#62: Literary Device Lesson-Simile

Reading Enrichment

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #62: Literary Device Lesson-Simile

2. What is a Simile? The official definition of a simile is a noun that means: “a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid.”

3. Watch this word girl video.

3. Look at the Simile list below. Come up with a scenario for each one and write it on your recording page.

Example: as sly as a fox

Hillary was (whisper as sly as a fox) , as she to gingerly placed the fruit bat into her backpack.

  • Easy as ABC
  • Like two peas in a pod
  • Straight as an arrow
  • Wise as an owl

6.  Watch and listen to the book, “My Dog Is As Smelly As Dirty Socks”.

 

7. Write a “Simile Me”.

  • First, jot down five words you would use to describe yourself.
  • Use your five words and make comparisons to something else, writing your own version of a “Simile Me”

Here is my example:

1 – busy                                                                                                                                 

2 – creative

3 – hardworking

4 – happy

5 – sleepy

I’m as busy as a timer,

As creative as a stained glass window,

As hardworking as an elephant,

As happy as a well-loved dog,

And as sleepy as a pillow.

8. Use an app of your choice to create a fun illustration/visual of your “Simile Me”

9. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and your final project with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#61: Caption This!

Reading Enrichment

Even if a picture is worth a thousand words, it still needs a caption. Captions are easy to write if you begin with the basics.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #61: Caption This!

2. Caption:  A caption is text that gives additional information about a picture or illustration. Record this definition on your recording page.

3. Look over this example:

4. Write your own caption. Begin by brainstorming Who, What, When, Where, and How. Once you have written down these details from the photo, write a caption that gives these details and some additional information (use the checklist below).

Caption Writing Checklist:

  • describe the picture
  • provide additional information
  • written in complete sentences
  • include adjectives and additional details

5. Try a few on your own on your recording page. Use the checklist for each one.

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

Check out the Caption This! Badge at the EY Website.

 

Teachers: Ask your EY Coordinator for this 65 page resource (PDF), would be great for warms ups and exit tickets to help students practice caption writing!

 

 

Mystery Bag Design Challenge

Full STEAM Ahead

Looking for a really fun STEM challenge that you can do at home? This mystery bag STEM design challenge is a blast!

Step One: Gather Materials
  • One bag (you can use gift bags, lunch bags, grocery bags, or even large baggies.)
  • Scissors
  • Tape (scotch tape or masking tape)
  • Various kinds of recyclables (cardboard tubes, cardboard, newspaper, aluminum foil)
  • A variety of other materials (paper plates, plastic cups, string, yarn, pipe cleaners)
  • Mystery Bag Challenge Cards (print and cut these if you can)

Step Two: Fill Your Bag (Tip: it’s more challenging if a sibling or parent fills your bag)

Place about 8-12 items into the bag. You’ll want to be sure the items are varied. Each bag should contain at least one larger item that can serve as a base for the design, and then an assortment of smaller items.

Step Three: Print out the free mystery bag challenge cards. Cut them apart.

Step Four: Draw a challenge card. You could put the cards in a container to draw from or place face down on a table.

Step Five: Complete the challenge on the card using only the materials in your bag.

Bonus: Earn a  badge. If you complete FIVE mystery bag design challenges, you can earn the Mystery Design Challenge Badge. Go for it!!

Here is video I made at my old school where I challenged my students to create an innovative dog toy. Just ignore anytime I say, “Hey Bobcats”

 

 

# 58:Halloween Roll-A-Story

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Ready for some Halloween writing fun?

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: # 58:Halloween Roll-A-Story

2.Grab a die or use this online version

3. Use the guide below to choose elements of your story. Record these on your recording page.

4. Now you are ready to begin writing  your story on your recording page.

 

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