Category Archives: Full STEAM Ahead

Rollercoasters

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 take pictures to document your progress.

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

 

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!

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

Explore 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 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!

Engineering and Paper

Build 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 and share it with the EY teacher at your school.

 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence: A machine is said to have artificial intelligence if it can interpret data, potentially learn from the data, and use that knowledge to adapt and achieve specific goals.

Source: https://www.pbs.org/show/crash-course-artificial-intelligence/

For this Mini Spark, have fun exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the following ways…

Mask Design

Masks are required in school and each day, more and more public places are requiring masks before you can enter.  Whether you agree with wearing a mask or not, if you have to wear one, it’s important to find something you like.

QUESTION: When it comes to wearing a mask, do you want it to be Fashionable? Functional? A good Fit?

  • You can make a physical mask using materials you have at your house. Take a picture of the mask and/or you wearing the mask and upload & submit it using the Google Form link below.
  • You can draw your mask design on a piece of paper labeling the materials needed, parts of the mask, etc. Take a picture of your paper and upload & submit it using the Google Form link below.
  • You can use an application on a computer or iPad to design your mask. Export your project as a .pdf or picture file and upload & submit it using the Google Form link below.

Mask Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/mask-facemask-face-mask-cover-5323807/

Stop Motion

stop-mo·tion noun

For this mini spark, create a stop motion video. Watch the 2 videos below or find your own resources on how to create one.

Musical Glasses

Musical glasses are a fun way to combine

Art, Math, Music & Science!

For this mini spark, you’ll need a few materials.  Feel free to experiment with other materials you have at home as well.
  • 8 identical water glasses
  • water
  • a set of measuring cups
  • food coloring (optional)
  • 1 plastic spoon
  • 1 sheet of paper
  • Tape
  • pen/pencil

Instructions:

  1. Use a measuring cup to fill each of the glasses with the correct amount of water. Use the image below as a guide.
  2. For fun, you can add a drop of food coloring to your glasses or two drops to make green, orange, or purple.
  3. Label your glasses.  Use the image below as a guide.
  4. With a plastic spoon, gently tap each glass and listen for the sound it makes.
  5. Notice which glass makes a lower sound and a higher sound.
  6. Try playing these simple songs or create your own.

For your submission, you can make a video of yourself playing a song with your glasses or you can create a Pic Collage with pictures of your process.  You may also choose another creative way to display your learning.  Submit your work using the link below.

The SCIENCE behind the MUSIC

The science of sound is all about vibrations. When you hit the glass with the spoon, it vibrates and it’s these vibrations that ultimately make the sound. You probably noticed that tapping an empty glass produced a higher-pitched sound than tapping a glass full of water. Adding water to the glass dampens the vibrations created by striking the glass with a spoon. The less water in the glass, the faster the glass vibrates and the higher the pitch. The more water you add to the glass, the slower the glass vibrates, creating a lower pitch.

Activity adapted from Musical Water Glasses at https://www.connectionsacademy.com/resources/instructographics/music-water-glasses and https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/pop-bottle-sounds/

Paper Plate Design

Check out this quick STEAM challenge using a paper plate. Make a pic collage to document your work.

Want to make this challenge harder?
Try Setting a timer for 10 minutes, try building without using tape, or do your build while wearing mittens!
Take it a step further and complete the STEAM with Paper Plates Badge:
 Google Docs Version:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BwkfibE0T1CVYxPu6QK_vzUi8Msst2bM9D4rYSKp9G0/copy
PDF Version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KhyTn3_Kmx5ZKQdDV2jSUtYyx694zzN4/view?usp=sharing