Category Archives: Full STEAM Ahead

#43: Mini Stop Motion

Full STEAM Ahead

stop-mo·tion noun-a cinematographic technique whereby the camera is repeatedly stopped and started, for example to give animated figures the impression of movement.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #43: Mini Stop Motion

2. Watch this video to get started. On your recording sheet respond to these prompts.

  • What are some techniques used to create facial expressions in puppets
  • How has the introduction of 3D printing influenced the production of stop-motion animation?

 

3. In this video, the steps are outlined for how to use the app Stop Motion Studio.

 

4. Record your idea for a tiny story, what materials you would use for your stop motion and your set.

5.  Collect a few materials, add stop motion studio to your ipad, and create a tiny stop motion.

6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your stop motion with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Stop Motion Animation Badge on the EY website.

#42: New Inventions

Full STEAM Ahead

What inventions need to be invented? How about a bed-Making Machine: A fun machine that automatically makes your bed for you! Maybe a Spaghetti Twirling Fork: A rotating fork that helps you twirl spaghetti perfectly for a delicious meal. In this mini spark you will learn about some new inventions that were launched in 2023.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #42: New Inventions

2. Every year, TIME magazine puts out its list of the year’s best inventions. Some of these help us solve problems. Others make life easier, or more fun. TIME for Kids features 10 of them here.

3. Go to the TIME for Kids webpage dedicated to the best inventions on 2023.

4. Number your recording page from 1-10. Write the name of each invention showcased in the post and a 5 word summary.

5. At the bottom on the page explain which one of the inventions you think is the best?

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

 

#41: STEAM Challenge: Paper Plate

Full STEAM Ahead

Are you ready for a fun PAPER PLATE building challenge? Grab a paper plate, scissors and tape, and let’s get started! With just these three materials, you can create amazing structures.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #41: STEAM Challenge: Paper Plate

2. Look over your STEAM Challenge:

3. Make a sketch of what your structure will look like and any ideas that you have. Add a picture of your sketch to your recording page.

4. Gather the materials you will need. Ask an adult to help you find a paper plate if necessary.

5.  Take a picture of your supplies before you start. Add the picture to your recording sheet.

6. Take a picture of you final project at add it to your recording sheet. Explain your project,  what you did well on this challenge and where you can improve.

7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Use your project as one of the activities for the STEAM with Paper Plates Badge at the EY Website.

 

#40: STEAM Career Collection

Full STEAM Ahead

November 8th is national STEAM day!

STEAM Day is an opportunity to focus on helping kids advance in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Celebrate STEAM any day of the year by learning about careers that fall under each letter.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #40: STEAM Career Collection

2. Get your STEAM carrer collection page. You can print a copy of this recording page or make a digital copy

3. Go to this website and read about the different careers. Write each title in the chart under the correct letter.

4. On your sheet, put a start next to any that sound interesting.

5. After choosing careers to summarize, read the next three paragraphs at the website, answer these questions on your recording page.

  • Why have the arts been underemphasized in favor of an education focused on math and science?
  • How can a STEAM education translate to career success?
  • What do we lose as a society when we don’t acknowledge the importance of arts in education?

6. OPTIONAL. Do some more research to find other jobs not listed. Not sure what category the careers that you find fall under? That happens because all of the parts of STEAM are connected and work together! You choose where you put the other careers you find.

7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the My Future is so Bright I Gotta Wear Shades Badge at the EY website.

#39: Tallest Buildings

Full STEAM Ahead

As of 2024, the tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa, located in Dubai! Many buildings have held the title of “world’s tallest building” over the years. For example, the Lincoln Cathedral in England, the Empire State Building, and the original World Trade Center, both in New York City, were once the tallest. It’s exciting to think about how buildings can be so tall and amazing!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #39: Tallest Buildings

2. How tall is the tallest building you have seen? Read this information about the tallest buildings in the world. Make a chart on your recording page and record details about the the 5 tallest buildings.

3. How do you go about building a tall building? Watch this video to learn more.

4. So how can we build such a high building without it toppling over? Those clever engineers came up with an amazing design. Explain it with words or pictures on your recording page.

5. The world’s tallest building has some amazing stats. Create a visual displaying them. Add it to your recording page.

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

#38: STEAM Challenge: Cardboard Tubes

Full STEAM Ahead

Are you ready for a fun paper tube building challenge?  With just a few materials, you can create a cotton ball launcher.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #38: STEAM Challenge: Cardboard Tubes

2. Watch this video. On your recording page write about what will be easy about the STEAM mini spark and what will be more challenging.

 

3. Read this step by step instructions on how to build the launcher. On your recording page explain if you liked the video instructions or the written instructions.

4. Collect your Materials. Ask the EY coordinator at your building for help getting supplies if needed.

  • Short pencil or popsicle stick
  • Thin rubber bands (2)
  • Cardboard tube (2 empty toilet paper tubes or empty paper towel tube cut in half)
  • Packing tape or other strong tape
  • Scissors
  • Cotton balls
  • Single hole punch

 

5. Take pictures of your supplies and add it to your recording page.

6. Use the video or teaching page from steps 2 and 3 as a guide and start building. Make sure to take pictures of your progress.

6. Test it out! If you need to make modifications, do so at this time.

7. Read this information. In this activity, you used two types of energy to load and launch your cotton ball. As you drew back on the pencil with the cotton ball loaded, you added potential energy to the system. The farther you pulled back on the pencil, the more potential energy was being stored. When you released the pencil, the potential energy became kinetic energy, and the cotton ball should have gone flying through the air!

8. Make a pic collage with the pictures from your project. Include the energy terms, information from step 7,  and definitions.

9. Add your pic collage to your recording page

10. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Source: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/cotton-ball-launcher#instruction

#37: International Dot Day

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities, Uncategorized

International Dot Day is on September 15th. There are so many ways to celebrate that dot 365 days a year!  A dot might be small, but it’s a powerful way to show your unique individuality and creativity.

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #37: International Dot Day

2. Get started exploring the dot by watching “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds. What is the message of the book? Record your answer on your recording page. Use at least 3 sentences.

 

3. Listen to the song, the Dot. What things do you do to encourage others, show persistence, and spread positivity.  Write 2-3 sentences about this on your recording page.

4. Timed Creative Challenge. Have another person print this challenge sheet you so you don’t see it until you are ready to start.  You need a pencil or colored pencils and a timer set to 3 minutes. Turn the challenge over and read the directions. Start your timer. When you are done add a picture of your drawings to your recording sheet.

5. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your dot challenge with your teacher/EY coordinator.

OPTIONAL PROJECT

Create a dot on a piece of paper. You can use markers, crayons, paint, or colored pencils.

Chatterpix Dot Day.gif

Animate your dot. Use the app Chatterpix Kids. Launch Chatterpix Kids. Snap a photo of your art, then add a talking mouth. You now have 30 seconds of recording time to talk about your dot!

 Save the Chatterpix Kids video onto your camera roll, then share it with your teacher.

 

Check out the Dot badge on the EY Website.

 

 

 

 

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#36: Draw a 3D Art

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

Learn how to draw a 3D ladder and chair. These are  optical illusions from Trick Art for Kids by artist Jon Harris.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #36: Draw a 3D Art

2.  Learn how to draw a 3D ladder.

3. Gather you materials. Materials used: cardstock, Grey Bic Marking Pen (any gray marker will work), Black Sharpie Pen, toy car. Take a picture of your materials and add them to your recording sheet.

4. On your recording page, write about what is going to be hard about this art and what is going to be easier, in your opinion.

5. Using the video as a guide, make the ladder.

6.  Recreate the optical illusion of  cars driving under the ladder. Capture your work with your ipad camera.

7. Create this image as well.

8. Capture your work with your ipad camera.

9. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your two art pieces. with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Image from Artist Howard Lee.
Image from Artist Howard Lee.
Image from Artist Howard Lee.

 

 

 

#35: Olympic Medal Designer

Full STEAM Ahead, Mini Challenges

Every two years, a selection committee creates the medals that symbolize triumph at that year’s Olympic Games. They must adhere to certain guidelines while also having the creative freedom to design medals that reflect the true essence of the Olympics.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #35: Olympic Medal Designer

2. Watch this video and record 5 ideas about the process of creating medals for the Olympics hosted in Japan on your recording sheet.

3. View the history of Olympic Medals.  Pick 3 different years and compare the medals from those years (designer, composition, diameter, and mint).  Display your findings in a creative manner and add a picture to your recording sheet.

4. Imagine you are part of the Olympic Medal Design committee! Design your own Olympic medal that pays tribute to the world’s top athletes in a distinctive manner. Answer these questions on your recording sheet

  • Which Olympic Games will your medal represent — an upcoming event or a fictional one?
  • Will you concentrate on the Summer or Winter Olympics?
  • Will you maintain the classic design features on one side of your medal, or will you opt for innovative concepts?
  • What figures, locations, or symbols will you choose to celebrate on the front of your medal?

5. Do some planning and research. Add ideas to your recording sheet

6. Design your medal on paper or digitally. Add a picture of your design to your recording page.

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

Idea adapted from https://kid-museum.org/maker-playground/olympic-medals/

#34: Animal Robots

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized,

While the word “robot” can conjure up an image of a cyborg human with lights for eyes and super powers, animal-inspired robots are accomplishing tasks in all kinds of medical, military and rescue work. These anibots perform tasks that would be difficult and often dangerous for mere mortals, or even human droids, to accomplish

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #34: Animal Robots

2.   Pneupard is a robot that is designed to be agile and fast like cheetahs and other cats. Pneupard has artificial muscles made from rubber tubing that are covered in nylon and filled with air. The pneumatic muscles have lifelike skills that allow the bot to replicate the range of motion and strength of a real cat!

3. On your recording sheet define Pneupard.

4. Watch this video about Pneupard. Record 5 details from the video on your recording page.

5. Answer the following questions.

  • How are these engineers using robots to learn about nature?
  • Why are cheetah’s ultra complex to recreate?
  • What did the engineers learn when the were in the park
  • What animal would you choose to recreate as a robot? What part or parts of this animal would be ultra complex to recreate?

6. One modern robot flier is called ornithopter. Ornithopter looks and flies much like a real bird. One sweet little ornithopter is used as a nano-spybot, equipped with a tiny camera.

7. On your recording sheet define ornithopter.

8. Watch this video about Ornithopter and write a summary of the video on your recording page.

9. On your recording page, answer these questions.

  • What materials are used to make this robot?
  • What other material come to mind that might work?
  • Have you ever seen a servo motor? If not where else might it be used? If you have seen one, what was its purpose?
  • What is visually interesting to you about this robot? What woud you change?

10. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.