Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#60: 1 word sentences

Reading Enrichment

Is it possible to make a complete sentence using just one word over and over? Complete this mini spark to find out.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #60: 1 word sentences

2. ‘Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo’ is a grammatically correct sentence. How? Emma Bryce explains how this and other one-word sentences illustrate some lexical ambiguities that can turn ordinary words and sentences into mazes that mess with our minds. Record 3 details from the video on your recording sheet.

3. Try figuring out the meaning to these sentences. Record your ideas on your recording sheet.

Police police Police police police police Police police.
Will, will Will will Will Will’s will?
Rose rose to put rose roes on her rows of roses.
If it is it, it is it; if it is it is it, it is.

4. After thinking about the sentences above check out this  guide which will have clues for you and a few more example. Write about your favorite example from this page.

5. To wrap up this mini spark, use this info page to find words to help you create your own silly sentence using one word. Record your sentence of your recording page.

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

#85 Spreadsheets and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD)

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) is how far, on average, all data values are from the middle. To find the MAD of the you can follow 3 easy steps:

  1. Find the mean of the values.
  2. Find the distance of each value from that mean (subtract the mean from each value, ignore minus signs which is also the absolute value)
  3. Then find the mean of those distances

For this Math Mini Spark, you’ll be finding the MAD on a spreadsheet.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #85 Spreadsheets and MAD
  2.  Calculate the MAD of this data set: 3, 6, 6, 7, 8, 11, 15, 16 
    1. Find the mean of the values.
    2. Find the distance of each value from that mean (subtract the mean from each value, ignore minus signs which is also the absolute value)
    3. Then find the mean of those distances

  3. Look over the first part of this post from Math is Fun that outlines the steps. Make sure that each of the steps you did were correct.
  4.  Make a Copy of this spreadsheet by clicking the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ndcgCZ1EeVcKausxtkmBkONVfCeilbQNE6ukdUCWYk8/copy
  5.  Watch the video and complete the steps shown in the video on your own spreadsheet.

 

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

NOTE:  This mini-spark can be used as 1 spreadsheet lesson for the Spreadsheet Superstar Badge.

 

Social Studies Spark #45: Map for Time Travelers

Social Studies Enrichment

                                                                          Source: IFL Science

The Internet has a new favorite interactive map system!

ORBIS, the Stanford geospatial network model of the Roman world, allows you to check how long it would take you to travel from location to location during Roman times.

It’s customizable too! In the unlikely event that you were transported back to 200 BCE and yet somehow the 4G network traveled back in time with you, thanks to these maps you’d be able to calculate how long it would take you to get from Londinium to Corinthus by ox, or Augusta Treverorum to Alexandria as part of a military march.

As well as time, the map, which is of course based on historical evidence, shows you how much each journey would cost.

“Conventional maps that represent this world as it appears from space signally fail to capture the severe environmental constraints that governed the flows of people, goods and information,” Stanford wrote at the time of the release of the first version of ORBIS. “Cost, rather than distance, is the principal determinant of connectivity.”

We thought we’d have a look at how long it would take us to get from Londinium to Ierusalem, to ask them a few questions about what made them eventually change the I in their name to a J.

We gave the parameters that we would be traveling by donkey (as well as boat where necessary) and during the winter. According to Google, if we floored it and didn’t need things like sleep, we could arrive by car in 52 hours, or a much nicer 6-8 hours by plane. But, we know that that the journey would take a lot longer in Roman times:

“The Fastest journey from Londinium to Ierusalem in January takes 53.5 days, covering 5,433 kilometers [3,375 miles]. Prices in denarii, based on the use of a faster sail ship and a civilian river boat (where applicable), and on these road options:

Per kilogram of wheat (by donkey): 22.74
Per kilogram of wheat (by wagon): 27.45
Per passenger in a carriage: 1897.51″

If you were to select the cheapest route, it would take you 98.4 days to complete a 6,129-kilometer (3,303-mile) journey. However, you would save yourself nearly 1,000 denarii per passenger, and 7 denarii per kilogram of wheat. And is it really a holiday if you aren’t shipping a wagonload of wheat back with you as a souvenir?

Check out the map for yourself, it’s pretty cool to play with!

In the comments below, let us know what you discovered!

#84 Doodling in Math Class

Math Mini Sparks

What?  Did that say DOODLING?  Yes!

Have fun learning about math while doodling from one of my favorite mathematicians/doodlers…Vi Hart!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #84 Doodling in Math Class
  2.  Choose 3 of the videos on this post to watch.
  3. Create a doodle page for each showing what you learned.
  4. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#55: 1-hand book review

Early Enrichment

Before you share a book with a friend, it helps to share a quick, ‘handy’ book review. Learn how in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your mini spark recording page: #59: 1 hand book review

2. Read over these instructions and write down the 5 sentence starters on your recording page.

3. Choose a book that you have recently read and enjoyed. Write the title on your recording page.

4. Open this sheet and read it. You can print it if you want. You will use this as a guide to writing your own.

5. Create your own script on your recording page.

6. Choose at least two people and read your 1-hand book review to them.

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

 

 

#59: 1 hand book review

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Before you share a book with a friend, it helps to share a quick, ‘handy’ book review. Learn how in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #59: 1 hand book review

2. Read over these instructions and write down the 5 sentence starters on your recording page.

3. Choose a book that you have recently read and enjoyed. Write the title on your recording page.

4. Open this sheet and read it. You can print it if you want. You will use this as a guide to writing your own.

5. Create your own script on your recording page.

6. Choose at least two people and read your 1-hand book review to them.

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

 

 

#53: STEAM Challenge: Mystery Bag

Full STEAM Ahead

In this design activity, you will use a bag of mystery materials (an assortment of recyclables and other random items) and then a challenge card stating a building challenge to do with those materials. Then you use those “mystery” materials to complete the challenge.  

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #53: STEAM Challenge: Mystery Bag

2.  Print out the free mystery bag challenge cards. Cut them apart.

3. Gather 8-12 different materials. You’ll want to be sure the items are varied. Each bag should contain at least one larger item that can serve as a base for the design, and then an assortment of smaller items.

***Tip: it’s more challenging if a teacher/sibling/or parent fills your bag

  • One bag (you can use gift bags, lunch bags, grocery bags, or even large baggies.)
  • Scissors
  • Tape (scotch tape or masking tape)
  • Various kinds of recyclables (cardboard tubes, cardboard, newspaper, aluminum foil)
  • A variety of other materials (paper plates, plastic cups, string, yarn, pipe cleaners)
  • Mystery Bag Challenge Cards (print and cut these if you can)

4. Pick a challenge card. You could put the cards in a container to draw from or place face down on a table.

5. Record your challenge on your recording page. You could also take a picture of the challenge and add it to your page.

6. Complete the challenge on the card using only the materials in your bag. ***Tip: it’s more challenging if you set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes.

7. Take a picture of your challenge and add it to your recording page.

8. Write one about what was easy about the challenge and one sentence about  what was hard.

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

Use this project as your first project mystery bag design challenge badge from the EY website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

#83 The Luhn Algorithm

Math Mini Sparks

The Luhn algorithm or Luhn formula, also known as the modulus 10″ or “mod 10” algorithm, was developed in the 1960s as a method of validating whether or not identification numbers provided by a user are accurate.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #83 The Luhn Algorithm
  2. Look over this chart.   What do you notice about each of the rows?

3. Read this article about the formula and how it is used in real life to catch errors when shopping online.

4. Research the creator Peter Luhn and make a timeline about his life.

5. In this video you will learn how to use the Luhn Algorithm. Make the table on paper as you watch.

6. Complete the math challenge presented by CEMC math . Print it out, read the page and look at the different strategy that they present to you.  Work on the challenge presented.

7. Check you work with this answer key.

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

# 58:Halloween Roll-A-Story

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Ready for some Halloween writing fun?

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: # 58:Halloween Roll-A-Story

2. Grab a die or use this online version

3. Use the guide below to choose elements of your story. Record these on your recording page.

4. Now you are ready to begin writing  your story on your recording page.

5. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and your spooktacular story with your teacher/EY coordinator.