Sure, most cats are soft and furry. But this one has gone bonkers. Sophie the cat holds the world record for the longest cat fur. Measuring more than 10 inches long, Sophie’s fur might be longer than your own hair.
Judging from the look on her face, we’re not sure she likes having all that fur…and you can’t blame her. Her owners have to brush her out 2-3 times every week to keep it neat. But now that she holds the Guinness World Record for furriest cat, maybe it’s worth it.
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #76 World Record Cat
Check out this post about the world record cat, Sophie!
Go to the world record’s page and read about Sophie.
Create a PicCollage on the topic of Sophie and some of the facts . Do a bit of extra research to add a few more bits of information related to the topic.
Research other animals that hold world records. Add this information to your PicCollege.
Create some of your own math problems using the data from the post about Sophie. Add these and the answers to your PicCollage.
Share your math mini spark recording page and your PicCollage with your teacher/EY coordinator.
What do these numbers have in common? What pattern do you see? These numbers are a part of what is known as the fibonacci numbers. Fibonacci numbers are found by adding the two previous numbers. So the number after 144 would be 233. The Fibonacci Sequence is a simple sequence of numbers that anyone can learn!
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #74 Fibonacci Fun
“Too much of the mathematics we learn in school is not effectively motivated.” ~Mathemagician Arthur Benjamin. Watch his TED Video about the Magic of Fibonacci Numbers. Take notes on your recording page.
3. Watch this Numberphile video about Random Fibonacci Numbers. Take notes on your recording page.
4. Then, try the activity he explains in the video using a coin. Record your project. My sons Toby and Trevor and I recorded ourselves doing the activity here:
Do you have your own secret code that you use with your friends? Do you like writing notes to people? Do you like to write in a diary? Do you like solving puzzles and finding patterns? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to check out this math mini spark.
Spark your math thinking!
1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #73: Codes Are Cool
3. Learn about the Pigpen cipher (also known as masonic cipher, Freemason’s cipher, Napoleon cipher, and tic-tac-toe cipher) by watching this video. Take notes on your recording sheet.
4. Write a message using what you learned.
5. Learn about the Caesar Cipher by watching this video
6. Create a message for someone else to figure out. Be sure to include the shift number!
7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
The entire field of mathematics on a single map! This shows how pure mathematics and applied mathematics relate to each other and all of the sub-topics they are made from.
Spark your math thinking!
1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #72: The Map of Mathematics
2. Watch this video. Taking notes on this will be hard since there are SO many math terms introduced. Record 5-10 math ideas that are in the video.
3. Go to this image and zoom in. Record all of the titles that are in yellow boxes and purple boxes. Define each of those terms using the info from the video or a google search.
4. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
In the 2020 Olympic Games, 80,000 tons of mobile phones and small electronic devices around Japan were used in the crafting of every gold, silver and bronze Olympic and Paralympic medal awarded to athletes.
The 2024 Olympic medals are special because they have a piece of the Eiffel Tower in them. The medals contain 18 grams of iron taken from parts of the Eiffel Tower that were replaced during renovations. Athletes who win in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics will receive these unique medals.
Spark your math thinking!
1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #71: Olympic Medals
2. Read this article containing 5 facts about the 2024 games in Paris. Create a note taking page and include any at least 5 interesting details you come across in the article.
3. Dive in deeper to the 2024 medal creation process and learn more about the design at this Olympics 2024 website. Record 5 ideas on your recording page.
4. Read this article about the recycling project from the 2020 Olympics. Record at least 3 number facts on your recording sheet.
5. Watch this video. Record specific details about the makeup of the gold, silver and bronze medals, how many were made for the Olympics in Paris, and the value of a medal.
6. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
One of the things some students struggle with when taking Algebra is the use of letters (variables) to represent numbers. However, if we remove the letters and replace them with pictures, somehow Algebra becomes a little more manageable.
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #70 Algebra in Pictures
Figure the picture puzzle stating what the ? represents in the final “equation”. Images to create this puzzle taken from pdclipart.org
Create your own picture puzzle. I used Keynote, but you could use Explain Everything, Pic Collage, or another iPad app. Pictures for your puzzle can be found at https://www.pdclipart.org/ . Please include an answer key.
Solve at least 8 of these 11 puzzles pictured below. Each on
Thank you Mrs. Bridwell for the inspiration to create this post! Thank you to Mrs. Bridwell’s 6th graders for all the great puzzles below!
Puzzle 1
Puzzle 2
Puzzle 3
Puzzle 4
Puzzle 5
Puzzle 6
Puzzle 7
Puzzle 8
Puzzle 9
Puzzle 10
Puzzle 11
5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Check out one of the solvemoji badges on the EY badge page.
Create 1, 2, or 3 different graphs to display the data above from Omaha or data from the UNL site if you prefer. Use the Create-A-Graph website to make a graph of the data. Be sure to include a title and label your axes.
Top 5 Snowiest Februarys
The Top 5 Snowiest Winter Seasons (Dec-Jan-Feb)
Top 5 Snowiest Winters (Jul 1- Jun 20).
Take a look at the graphs in the image below. For a larger image of the graphs, click here. The information in the blue box is particularly helpful in reading the graphs. Answer any of the following questions by leaving a comment and/or leave a question for someone else to answer.
How many times in January/February 2019 did the temperature range fall mainly in the record highs? What about the record lows?
On how many dates was the temperature range very small (short blue bar)?
How many times did the temperature range fall in the average section (green)?
What do you find interesting about these graphs?
5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
This Math Minute was inspired by the Pringles commercial that played during Super Bowl LVII. I’ve always been intrigued by the shape of Pringles, but this commercial took it to the next level and had me pondering the mathematics behind this beloved chip!
Spark your math thinking!
1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #68 The Math Behind Pringles
4. Create a list of 5 things you learned from the article.
5. Choose 1 project to complete:
A Pringles can is a cylinder that is 30 cm tall. The circles at each end of the can have a radius of 4 cm. Find the surface area and volume of the can. Click here for help with the formulas. Record all of your math on paper.
Watch this video on stacking Pringles in a complete circle. Check out Cooper and Jack’s attempt! Record some ideas about the strategy you would use to make the ring. What problems will you face? If you want to try this project, talk to the EY coordinator at your school. The #spadyboys had a friendly Pringle Stacking Competition/Taste Test the other night. Check out the video!
Create a package that will hold a single Pringle. Send it to yourself (or a friend) in the mail and see if your package kept it protected during its journey (didn’t cause it to break).
6. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
a public procession, especially one celebrating a special day or event and including marching bands and floats.
Who doesn’t love a good parade? People throwing out candy from elaborately decorated floats, listening to marching bands while baton twirlers dance by, watching the line of fancy cars drive by with kings and queens waiving…the list goes on!
A favorite tradition is watching the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day. There have been over 135 Rose Bowl parades in Pasadena, California.
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #67: Rose Bowl Parade.
Watch this video about the design and Manufacturing process for floats.
3. Record what you learned and an idea for a float.
4. Ask your EY teacher for the Rose Bowl Parade math page from the Mini Spark folder. You will calculate the number of flowers used to create the floats.
5. Work on this math activity at Bedtime Math. The answers to the math problems are at the bottom of the page, so don’t scroll all of the way down until you are ready to check your work.
3. Take a snapshot of anything that reminds you of a math concept/problem.
Images to create this puzzle taken from 
This Math Minute was inspired by the Pringles commercial that played during Super Bowl LVII. I’ve always been intrigued by the shape of Pringles, but this commercial took it to the next level and had me pondering the mathematics behind this beloved chip!
parade 