Category Archives: Current Challenge

2021-22 EY Challenge #1

Welcome to the 2021-22 School Year!

The EY Team is excited to offer challenges again this year!  Check out Challenge #1 for the 2021-22 school year by visiting the website linked below and/or watching the video for instructions.

When you’re done, submit your work using the Google Submission Form.

Website Directions for Challenge #1:  Creating your own stamp in Bitsbox

Video Directions for Challenge #1:  Link

Don’t forget to submit your work!

This challenge closes September 3

EY Submission Form Link: https://forms.gle/t68yVnM1jn3uiWGX9

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #22: Doodling

Doodle and Learn!

Vi Hart is one of my absolute favorite mathematicians and doodlers (I’m sure she has many more talents, but those 2 are the ones I admire the most).  Watch some, part, all of the videos below and create a doodle for this week’s weekly challenge (also probably the last challenge for the 2020-21 school year).  Don’t forget to submit your doodle using the link below!

 

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/hZNjptZXYiXUfsSk9

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #20: Engineers Week

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about various types of Engineers, complete some math problems, and possibly win PRIZES!
  • There will be 5 problems posted this week (linked below) and each problem has multiple parts.  You can submit your answers to the problems anytime during EWeek (Feb 21-27), so don’t panic if you get started late!
  • Each correct answer you get will be a ticket in that day’s prize drawing.
  • Everyone who participates will be entered in a prize drawing! Submit answers to at least one Problem of the Day and you’ll be entered to win, even if you don’t get correct answers.
  • Each individual prize drawing winner will get a $10 Amazon gift card and each group drawing winner will receive a $50 gift card to the MATHCOUNTS store!

Monday’s Problem (Environmental Engineering): https://www.mathcounts.org/resources/problem-of-the-week/eweek-2021-environmental-engineering

Tuesday’s Problem (Systems Engineering): https://www.mathcounts.org/resources/problem-of-the-week/eweek-2021-systems-engineering

Wednesday’s Problem (Software Engineering): https://www.mathcounts.org/resources/problem-of-the-week/eweek-2021-software-engineering

Thursday’s Problem (Aerospace Engineering): https://www.mathcounts.org/resources/problem-of-the-week/eweek-2021-aerospace-engineering

Friday’s Problem (Chemical Engineering): https://www.mathcounts.org/engineers-week

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #19: Cold Weather Science Experiments

Below Zero Temperatures = Science Experiments!

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, try one of these Cold Weather Science Experiments and figure out if it’s real or a myth!  Don’t forget to share your results!

  1. Freezing Soap Bubbles: Head outside with some bubble solution and blow some bubbles!  NOTE:  Try heating up the bubble solution in the microwave beforehand.  You can make your own bubble solution with 2 cups of water, half a cup of dish soap, and 2 teaspoons sugar.
  2. Banana Hammer: Hang a banana outside for a few hours and it will freeze solid-solid enough for you to be able to hammer actual nails with it.
  3. Make An Ice Thrower: Fill a Super Soaker with boiling water and then shoot it out into the cold.  When very hot water meets very cold air, the water vaporizes, turning it into ice crystals…essentially, homemade snow.  Don’t have a Super Soaker, just use the pot you boiled the water in.
  4. Freeze-Fry An Egg: Don’t actually eat it, but leave a frying pan outside for about 15 minutes and then crack an egg into it.  What happens?
  5. Instant Freeze Water – Bottle Slam

If none of these experiments catch your interest, a simple Google search for “Cold Weather Science” will display several options.  Have fun and don’t forget to submit your learning!

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/PcVvit1VbANsZfBcA

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #18: Engineering a Snow Creation

SNOW + ENGINEERING = FUN

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, submit your best snow person/people, forts, and/or other snow creations!   The EY Team’s top faves will be entered in a drawing for a cash prize!

Learn about the engineering behind snow building by watching the videos below.  Scroll to the bottom to find the link for submitting this week’s Weekly Challenge!  Have fun!

NOTE:  Since elementary students are no longer bringing their iPads home and cannot receive an email from someone outside the district, one workaround is to have a parent or sibling take a picture on their phone and then have them email it to your EY Coordinator or classroom teacher.  Just make sure to have them to make a note in the message that the picture is for a Weekly Challenge. Then, the EY Coordinator or classroom teacher could forward the message to your Westside Gmail account. This obviously creates more work, but it’s one workaround.

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/PcVvit1VbANsZfBcA

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #17: Roller Coasters

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Rollercoasters are all about physics! Unlike most moving vehicles, cars, trains, and buses that rely on engines, rollercoasters rely on gravitational potential energy. What goes up, must come down.
For this week’s Weekly Challenge, you will be building your own roller coaster.  Visit the Instructables website linked below to find templates you can print and cut out.  Or, use your own materials and come up with your own design.  Get creative and don’t forget to share your work using the submission link below!

Instructables Website (with instructions and templates): https://www.instructables.com/Create-Your-Own-Roller-Coaster-With-Downloadable-P/?utm_source=teachernewsletter&utm_medium=email

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/7csLBcnVF1xHvyGX6

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #16: Intro to Opera

Art requires creativity and imagination and enhances flexibility, adaptability, productivity, responsibility and innovation – all required skills for a successful career in any field of study.  
The ‘A’ in STEAM represents ‘Art’ which includes music.

source: https://sproutsupplies.com/blog/steam-the-importance-of-art-in-stem-education/

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, you’ll have an opportunity to explore the world of opera.  There are several different learning choices.  Pick as many activities as you’d like and then demonstrate your learning by creating a product.

You are welcome to find other resources of your own.  Have fun!

Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/UmK5n4AXx9V5gpG78

NOTE:  There is a Marvelous World of Opera badge available if you’re interested.  Get a copy of the recording sheet here: https://sites.google.com/westside66.net/eybadgepage/fine-arts-badges?authuser=0

2020-21 Weekly Challenge #15: Snowflakes

image source: https://pixabay.com/vectors/flake-snow-snow-flake-snowflake-2029377/

Whether you’re creating one with a folded piece of paper and pair of scissors or you’re learning about the science and math behind them…
Snowflakes are so FASCINATING!

For this week’s Weekly Challenge, you have several different learning choices.  Pick as many activities as you’d like and then demonstrate your learning by creating a product.

Feel free to find other snowflake resources!  Learn something new and have fun creating!
Submit Your Work Here: https://forms.gle/xis68jyeLR31efLj7

2020 – 21 Weekly Challenge #14: Paper Tower Challenge

Week of December 7 – 11

For this week’s weekly challenge, you will be building a freestanding structure that is as tall as possible and is made of only paper!

Rules:

  • Use only 20 sheets of paper.
  • No tape, staples, paper clips or glue, but you may cut or rip the paper.
  • Use printer paper only!
  • Once you’ve built your structure as tall as possible with your 20 sheets of paper, measure it – use inches as your unit of measure.

When you are finished with your structure, and you’ve measured it, take a picture of your structure with your iPad.

Submit your picture and your measurement via this Google Form link: https://forms.gle/gcZPMXShSm1wLWur6