Category Archives: Math Mini Sparks

#98 Chocolate Math

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Chocolate’s flavor is a combination of sweetness, bitterness, and creaminess that many people find irresistible. We celebrate national chocolate day in July every year. Check out this math mini spark to learn more about chocolate and math.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #98 Chocolate Math
  2. Read this Bedtime Math post about the world’s largest chocolate kiss!  Do one of the math questions on your recording page before scrolling all of the way down to see the answer.

A Day for Chocolate

3. Check out this math trick that reveals your age and how many times a week you like to eat chocolate at this chocolate math site. Write about this site?

4. Read about chocolate facts at this site. Create a math data page with all about chocolate. Include at least 8 facts

Fun Facts About Chocolate

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

Check out the Chocolate Lessons badge at the EY Website.

#97:The Mysterious Mobius Strip

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Möbius strip, a one-sided surface that can be constructed by affixing the ends of a rectangular strip after first having given one of the ends a one-half twist.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #97 The Mysterious Mobius Strip

2. Watch this introduction video. Record 5 details on your recording sheet.

 

3. Follow the steps on this site  to make  a Mobius strip.

4. Take a picture after completing your mobius strip and add it to your recording page.

5. On your mini spark page, record interesting ideas from this mini spark.

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

#96:Different Types of Numbers

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized
Real or Imaginary? Rational or Irrational? In this Mini-Spark, you will learn about different types of numbers and their classifications.
Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #98 Chocolate Math

2. Start by watching  this video. Take notes on your recording sheet while you watch.

 

3. Choose a worksheet version below to complete.

PDF Version

 Docs Version

4. Share your math mini spark recording page and your worksheet with your teacher/EY coordinator

#95: The Chaos Game

Math Mini Sparks

In mathematics, the term chaos game originally referred to a method of creating a fractal, using a polygon and an initial point selected at random inside it.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #95: The Chaos Game
  2. Watch this video. Record details on your recording page.

3. Watch this video to learn how to play The Chaos Game. *****This video is long–> looking for other video

Follow the instructions in the video.  Take a screenshot of your final picture and add it to your recording page.

4. Link to the GeoGebra Website to find the chaos game.

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

# 94: Pixel Power

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Pixels are the smallest unit in a digital display. Up to millions of pixels make up an image or video on a device’s screen. Each pixel comprises a subpixel that emits a red, green and blue (RGB) color, which displays at different intensities. In this mini spark, you will learn about the basics of pixels and pixel colors.  

Spark your math thinking!

1. Start by taking out your math notebook or opening your math mini spark doc.  Put the date at the top and put the title of this mini spark. Record all of your work on this page.

2. Use this slideshow of images, which zooms a picture of raft. The final slide shows that the entire photo is actually made from individual squares of color. How does looking at these pictures help explain creation of the digital images that you see? What other images might you see today that are made from pixels?

 

3. Watch these two videos. The first video is a reminder binary numbers. It will help to see this before watching the second video. Take notes as you watch both videos.

4. After watching the second video answer these questions in your notebook. What is the RGB name for turquoise? How does a computer name turquoise? Draw the math steps that were used in the video to explain how a function is used to filter an image.

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

Check out the Playing with Pixels badge at the EY website.

#93 Cake Pop Math

Math Mini Sparks

Did you hear that Scooter’s Coffee broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cake pop?!  This mini spark will give you the opportunity to learn more, explore spheres, and maybe even make your own cake pops!

 

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #93 Cake Pop Math
  2. Read the article and leave a comment about something new you learned:  https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/scooters-coffee-breaks-guinness-world-record-for-the-largest-cake-ball
  3. Learn about SPHERES at https://www.splashlearn.com/math-vocabulary/geometry/sphere and think of a creative way to show what you learned.
  4. Look at the website linked below to find the diameter of some of your favorite sports balls.  Calculate the SA and Volume and display your learning in a creative way.  https://www.topendsports.com/resources/equipment/ball-size.htm
  5. Have you ever bought a cake pop?  How much was it and was the cost worth the taste?  Explore the price of cake pops from different stores and make a table comparing the data.  You can find out the cost by visiting a place in-person, or find a website that tells you the information.  Display your data in a creative way.
  6.  Look up a few recipes for cake pops. Which one would you like to try?
  7.  Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#92: π Day

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Pi is one the most studied numbers in mathematics and on March 14 (or 3/14), we celebrate Pi Day because 3.14 are the first digits of pi.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #92: π Day
  2. Learn about 18 ways that NASA uses Pi!  https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/list/oh-the-places-we-go-18-ways-nasa-uses-pi/. Record a few ideas on your recording page.
  3. Learn about other interesting Pi Facts at https://www.piday.org/pi-facts/. Create a info page about what you learned
  4. Find your “Pi Day” using this site. Type in your birthday and record where in pi your date appears.  Do this for a friend or your teacher and record their pi day. I put in my birthdate and the sequence of numbers does not show up until digit 169, 266! 
  5. Choose an interesting way to represent Pi! Check out the ideas at the end of this post.
  6. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Pi Masters badge at the EY website.

PiSong1

Screen Shot 2016-03-01 at 10.28.23 PM

Pi Grid Art

#91: Mythical Mathematical Mind Reader

Math Mini Sparks

This is an interesting game to solve. When you are done, challenge yourself to explain your math thinking.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #91: Mythical Mathematical Mind Reader

2. Go to The Mind Reader website created by Transum and follow the instructions

         

The Mind Reader

4. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Record all of your math step-by-step on your paper.

5. Look for patterns

6. Brainstorm possible reasons why The Mind Reader is able to predict your symbol every time.

7. At the end of the 5 minutes, write a several sentences about how you think this game works.

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

lesson adapted from https://www.transum.org/Maths/Investigation/Mind_Reader/ and Yummy math

#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.