Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#39: It’s All About the Heart

Reading Enrichment

For many years, the heart was a mystery.  What did it do?  What was it there for?  Let’s learn all about this muscle.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #39: It’s All About the Heart

2. This TED-Ed lesson will help you investigate how the heart keeps you alive. Record 5 details from the video on your recording page.

3. Years ago, people thought emotions came from the heart!  Read this article to find out more about how the heart works. Record 3-5 facts that you did not already know.

4. Choose one of these prompts and respond with 3-5 sentences.

  • What are some ways to keep your heart healthy?
  • What are the four chambers of the heart called, and what does each chamber do?
  • Why was it so difficult for scientists and doctors to figure out what the heart was for?

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

 

#68:The Math Behind Pringles

Math Mini Sparks

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

2. Watch the commercial.

 

3. Read this article at Bedtime math

Potato Chips That Rock ‘n Roll

4. List 2 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.

#67: Rose Bowl Parade

Math Mini Sparks

parade | pəˈrād | noun

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!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #67: Rose Bowl Parade.
  2. Watch this video about the design and manufacturing process for floats. Record 3 things you learned and an your idea for a float.

 

3. Grades 5 and 6 Students: You will calculate the number of flowers used to create the floats. Open this page or print out the sheet. Do problems 1-7 on your recording page.

Ask your EY teacher for the Rose Bowl Parade math page answer key from the Mini Spark folder when you are done.

Grades 3 and 4 Students: Work on the math activity at Bedtime Math.  Read the paragraph at the top of the page. Then do all 4 of the math problems listed. They start very easy and get more difficult. 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.

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

image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/karmakazesal/4146346672

#38: The Mystery of the Upside-Down Catfish

Reading Enrichment

Learn about the interesting Upside-Down Catfish by completing this reading mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #38:The Mystery of the Upside-Down Catfish

2. Watch video about the upside down catfish. Record a few parts of the script that you thought were interesting.

3. Respond with 3-4 sentences for each prompt.

  • Using many details, explain why an upside-down catfish swims upside-down.
  • How does this fish use camouflage?
  • What part of the video was most interesting to you and why?

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

#25: Winter Solstice

Social Studies Enrichment

 

What is the Winter Solstice? According to Dictionary.com the Winter Solstice lasts for just one moment. It occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. This usually happens around December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere or June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #25: Winter Solstice

2. Read these 3 paragraphs. Write a  5 question quiz after reading.  Include multiple choice , true and false, and short answer questions. Make an answer key as well.

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, during the solstice the sun will be at its southernmost point in the sky. The higher in latitude you are, the more you’ll notice that the solstice has the shortest day and longest night of the year.

In ancient cultures around the globe, the winter solstice was marked with ceremonies and celebrations. For example, in the days of the Inca Empire the winter solstice was honored with Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun. It involved a ceremony in which an Inca priest would “tie” the sun to a column stone in a symbolic effort to keep it from escaping.

Halfway around the world, indigenous people in Finland, Sweden, and Norway participated in the Beiwe Festival. On the winter solstice, worshippers honored the goddess Beiwe by sacrificing white female animals and covering their doorposts with butter for Beiwe to eat on her travels.

3. Watch this video and choose 5 of the questions to answer thoughtfully. Remind your teacher that that answers can be found in the social studies mini spark folder.

1. Describe what would happen to our planet if it did not tilt as it revolves around the Sun.

2. Explain how the tilt of the Earth affects the length of days in the northern and southern hemispheres during winter.

3. What are solstices, and how do they mark the change in seasons?

4. Discuss how civilizations in history, like the Babylonians and Maya, recognized the patterns of Earth’s movement around the Sun.

5. How does the experience of seasons differ for someone living near the equator compared to someone living near the poles?

6. Why might the changing lengths of days and nights be considered important by ancient civilizations?

7. In your opinion, why is it essential for us to understand the relationship between the Earth and the Sun?

8. Describe how the Earth’s movement around the Sun can provide reassurance during the coldest nights of winter.

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

#14: Alpha Bravo Charlie

Social Studies Enrichment

Say what?

A student recently asked me if I knew the NATO alphabet.  I hadn’t heard of it so I told him to send me an email about it and voila…We have a new Social Studies Mini Spark!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #14: Alpha Bravo Charlie
  2. Read about the NATO phonetic alphabet by visiting this site.  Record what you have learned.
  3. Learn about how the alphabet was chosen write about some new information that you learned.
  4. Watch this video and then record the spelling of your first name using the correct NATO alphabet words.

5. Check out how the U.S. Navy uses alphabet flags, numeral pennants, numeral flags, and special flags and pennants for visual signaling.  Even though the flags are not used for spelling out words, draw the flags that would spell your first name.

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

CM (Charlie Mike): Means continue mission.  Keep moving forward.  

#24: Dry Tortugas National Park

Social Studies Enrichment

Almost 70 miles west of Key West lies Dry Tortugas National Park. This 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands.  You can only get there by boat or seaplane! The park is known all over the world as the home of magnificent Fort Jefferson, beautiful blue waters, lots of coral reefs and marine life, and the tons of bird life that visit the area!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies  mini spark recording page #24: Dry Tortugas National Park

2. Read this information page about Dry Tortugas National Park. Record several details about the park on your recording sheet.

3.  Watch this video and respond to these questions:  Describe the design features of Fort Jefferson that make it unique compared to other forts? What types of wildlife can be found in the Dry Tortugas, specifically on Hospital Key?
Why is Loggerhead Key important for turtle nesting, and what historical events took place there

 

4. There are around 300 shipwrecks in this area. Read this teaching page about the Windjammer Wreck. Take number notes while reading. Reminder: Number notes are recording all of the number facts/details that you come across in an article.

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

 

#30: Make Slime

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities, Mini Challenges

 Slime is a fun way to study science. Check out this mini spark to learn about the science behind slime. Then check out the Slime Science badge to make your own slime.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #30: Make Slime

2. Watch this video about making slime.  Take notes on your recording sheet while you watch.

3. Using the information from the video, create a quiz for other kids to play. You can use kahoot or google slides. Include at least 10 questions and include the answers as well.

4. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your slime quiz with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Make slime using the Slime Science Badge at the EY Website.

#29: Bitsbox 1-Get Started

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized

In this STEAM mini spark you will learn how to sign in to Bitsbox and how to code your own app, food fight.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#29: Bitsbox 1-Get Started

2. Watch this intro video.   Write the first line of code that you will type when creating the app food fight.

3. Copy these instructions on your recording sheet.

4. Click this link to get to bitsbox or go to www.bitsbox.com and follow the instructions from step 3 to get logged in.

5.  Click on the food fight icon and follow the written instructions step-by-step to code the whole app. Take a screenshot of your app and add it to your recording page.

6. Now, modify  your app it with your own stamp, text, and colors.

7. Take a picture of your new app and add it to your recording sheet.

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

Check out the bitsbox badge on the EY website.

#54: Bitsbox 2-Code an App

Full STEAM Ahead, Mini Challenges

In this STEAM mini spark you will watch how to code an app at Bitsbox and code your own apps. You will learn about the text and stamp commands and as how to work with coordinates.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#54: Bitsbox 2-Code an App

2. Watch this intro video.  On your recording page, record 5 coding terms from the video.

3. Click this link to get to bitsbox or go to bitsbox.com. Click kids sign in on the top right, then click the sign in with google button to get to your tablet.

4. Click this link to get to a few free coding projects provided by Bitsbox. If you would like, you can print them out.

5. Click the new app button. and then add in the 4 digit code on the coding card.

6. Code 1 or 2 of the projects. Take a screenshot of your code and add it to your recording page.

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

Check out the Bitsbox badges at the EY website.