Calling all math detectives!! This is a challenge that combines writing and math.
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #82: Math in a book
Watch this video and pause it at 34 seconds. Try to figure out the pattern that this poem uses. Hint: It has to do with math. Write down your guess. Continue watching.
When you are done, create your own short poem using the first 10, 15 or 20 numbers as your guide. Write your poem on your recording page.
Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Pictured above is one of my favorite poets – Amanda Gorman. In the picture, she is reading a poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden! And, she is just 22 years old!!
Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, as well as an award-winning writer! She has written for the New York Times and has three books forthcoming with Penguin Random House.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, she began writing at only a few years of age. Now her words have won her invitations to the Obama White House and to perform for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, and others.
In 2017, Amanda Gorman was appointed the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate by Urban Word – a program that supports Youth Poets Laureate in more than 60 cities, regions and states nationally. She is the recipient of the Poets & Writers Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award, and is the youngest. board member of 826 National, the largest youth writing network in the United States.
Click on the link below to watch Amanda Gorman read her poem “Talking Gets Us There”.
Revisit the extraordinary life story of Harriet Tubman – a freedom seeker, conductor on the Underground Railroad, abolitionist, suffragist, and human rights activist. Tubman was born around 1822 Maryland. She is widely celebrated as one of the most respected individuals in American history.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #44: Harriet Tubman
2. Read this information about the underground railroad. On your recording page, create a web diagram with a circle in the center and 10 circles around the center. Record “underground railroad” in the center.
3. Read these paragraphs and fill in 5 of the spots with information about the underground railroad.
4. Watch this TED-ED on the life of Harriet Tubman. Use information from the video to fill out the remaining 5 spots on your web with information about her.
5. Look at a map, and imagine Harriet, in her 20s, running away, alone, on foot. She managed, with the help of the Underground Railroad, to make it a hundred miles to the Pennsylvania border, and freedom. Bravely, Tubman went back – 13 times over 10 years – leading more than 70 people to freedom. Why did she risk her life to do this? Respond to this prompt with 3+ sentences.
6. Choose one prompt and respond with 2-4 sentences.
Discuss the significance of the Underground Railroad in Harriet Tubman’s life.
What role did Harriet Tubman play during the Civil War, and what was one of her notable achievements?
Describe Harriet Tubman’s involvement in women’s suffrage and her contributions to the cause.
7. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Step 1: What is a Tweet? Read the definition below and look at the examples.
What is a Tweet? A tweet is a status update on a social media platform called Twitter that is broadcast to other users. Limited to 280 characters or less, tweets can express how users are feeling, what they’re doing, and anything in between.
Step 2: Look over the Tweet options below and choose one to complete. Turn in your finished work to your teacher or EY coordinator.
Option 1: Character Tweet
What would a character from a favorite book “tweet” at the end of a chapter or section. Write it as though you are that character using Twitter.
Character Tweet Example:
Character Tweet Template:
Option 2: Chapter/Section Tweet:
Think of a chapter of a book or section of a movie and summarize what happened twitter style.
Chapter/Section Template:
Option 3: Book Review Tweet
Book Review Tweet Examples:
Option 4: Historical Figure Tweet
Choose a person from a historical event. What would this historical figure “tweet” after this event? Write it as though you are that person using Twitter.
Historical Figure Template:
Step 3: Use the contact form below and type your Tweet in the Message section. Hit Submit
Cargo Bot is puzzle game for iPad designed to introduce programming concepts. In this game, players control a robotic arm to relocate crates to a specified area, aiming to accomplish this in the fewest moves possible. There are five levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard, Crazy, and Impossible.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #52: Cargo Bot Coding
2. Watch this video until you get to 1:25. Record what the lesson was about on your recording page.
3. Learn about loops starting at 1:26. Record information on your recording page.
4. Go to Mosyle and add the Cargo Bot app to your ipad.
5. Spend 15 minutes coding. After the 15 minutes are up, record where you ended up on your recording page or add a screenshot to your page.
6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
A triangular number or triangle number counts objects arranged in an equilateral triangle.
Spark your math thinking!
Set up your math mini spark recording page: #81 Triangular Numbers
Use this interactive tool to construct triangular numbers until you can see the pattern to answer this question.
This is a teaching page that REALLY gets into the math behind these types of problems. Use the formula and see if you can get the right answer to the counter problem.
When you have a solution and a written statement about what you did to solve the problem you can click here to see the solution.
Check out this triangular number chart. After looking over the first page, click on “getting started” to explore this resource.
Connection: Research the original Lite-Brite, a 1960s toy. Come up with some unique ideas on how teachers can use these toys to teach math, science, and art.
Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
1. Set up your early enrichment mini spark recording page: #53: How to Catch a Unicorn
2. Listen to the book How to Catch a Unicorn
3. On your recording page, make a list of the traps they tried in the book.
4. On our recording page, make a drawing of your own plan for a unicorn trap.
5. Design a unicorn-Include a description about where it live, what it looks like, what it eats, and its powers. Include a picture of your unicorn in its habitat. Make a pic collage about your unicorn and its features.
6. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
You will use your scientific calculator in science and math classes in middle school and high school. Work on this STEAM mini spark to learn how to use this tool.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #51: Scientific Calculator Lesson
2. Find a scientific calculator to use for this mini spark. If you don’t have one you can use an online one. Type “Scientific Calculator” and one will come up for you.
3. Print this reminder sheet or open it up. This is an image of a graphing calculator, but most of the buttons will be the same on a scientific calculator. Record all of the words and what they do on your recording sheet.
4. Watch this video. Take note on your recording page and try out the different keys she discusses on your own calculator while you watch.
5. Write down any of the common mistakes that the teacher discusses in the video.
6. Explain to another student how to find the square root, take a number to the 3rd power, and how to write a number in scientific notation.
7. Remember to ask your teacher before using a calculator on an assignment. There are times when it is ok to use a calculator, and times when your teacher wants you to practice the math skills.
8. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Roller coasters are all about physics! Unlike most moving vehicles, cars, trains, and buses that rely on engines, roller coasters rely on gravitational potential energy. What goes up, must come down.
1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#50: STEAM Challenge: Roller Coaster
2. For this mini spark, 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.
3. Go to the Instructable website and read the information from the top to the bottom. Record examples of potential and kinetic energy on your recording sheet.
4. On your recording page, make a list of the supplies you will need. If you need help getting supplies talk to your EY coordinator.
5. Print out this template. If you want to used colored paper, talk to your EY coordinator about getting some to use.
6. Complete all of the steps. Take at least 5 pictures of your process.
7. Take a picture and a video of your challenge.
8. Add all of your pictures to your recording sheet. If you would like to make Pic Collage of your challenge that is great.
9. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your video with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Revisit the extraordinary life story of Harriet Tubman – a freedom seeker, conductor on the Underground Railroad, abolitionist, suffragist, and human rights activist. Tubman was born around 1822 Maryland. She is widely celebrated as one of the most respected individuals in American history.
Cargo Bot is puzzle game for iPad designed to introduce programming concepts. In this game, players control a robotic arm to relocate crates to a specified area, aiming to accomplish this in the fewest moves possible. There are five levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard, Crazy, and Impossible.
Check out these unicorn topics to stretch your knowledge about this mythical beast.
You will use your scientific calculator in science and math classes in middle school and high school. Work on this STEAM mini spark to learn how to use this tool.
Roller coasters are all about physics! Unlike most moving vehicles, cars, trains, and buses that rely on engines, roller coasters rely on gravitational potential energy. What goes up, must come down.