Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#20: Open a Book

Reading Enrichment

Have you ever wondered what’s happening in your brain while your are reading to turn all these weird symbols into meaning? Check out this reading mini spark to learn more about this process.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #20: Open a Book

2. Reading is something you’re doing effortlessly right now. Ever wondered how your brain turns symbols into meaning? This video will help you rediscover the amazing process of reading.

3. After watching this video, choose 5 of these questions to respond to on your recording page. Each response should be at least 2 sentences. Remind your teacher that the answer key is in the reading mini spark folder.

  1. What secret does Joe mention about how we read?
  2. How do rounded letters differ from flat-topped letters in terms of height?
  3. Explain the “Müller-Lyer illusion” and how it relates to letter recognition.
  4. What is the “paradox of reading” that Dr. Erica Brozovsky discusses?
  5. Describe the concept of “neural recycling” as explained in the video.
  6. How do our eyes gather information when we read, according to the video?
  7. What is the “Word Superiority Effect,” and why is it important in understanding reading?
  8. Discuss the role of the fovea and parafovea in reading. How do they contribute to our ability to recognize words?
  9. How does the brain process the shapes of letters and words according to the video?
  10. What happens in our brains when we recognize a word, as described by Joe in the video?

4. Read this article about benefits reading. List your top 3 on the recording sheet.

5. On your recording sheet write title of the book you’re currently reading and write about your opinion about the book at this time. Support your decision with 3 specific examples and 3 details.

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

Early Enrichment #26: Metric Me!

Early Enrichment

Did you know that during the Olympics things are measured differently?

At school, we learn how to measure with inches, feet and yards. However, during Olympics races are measured using the Metric System. They use centimeters, meters, and kilometers.

If you look closely at a ruler you can see the centimeters system. 

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Download and print the Metric Me! worksheet to practice measuring using the metric system.

You’ll be ready for the Olympics in no time!

** Metric Me! By Jackie Higgins, downloaded from TPT 

#23: A Yummy Infographic

Math Mini Sparks

infographic |ˌinfōˈɡrafik| noun- a visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data. a good infographic is worth a thousand words.

I went out to lunch recently with my family and noticed an eye-catching infographic at the center of each table.  I wish I could post a picture of it, but that would ruin the surprise! In this math mini spark you are going to create your own infographic using the data from the restaurant.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #23: A Yummy Infographic

2. Explore some infographics created for kids. Write about what you noticed/liked/didn’t like on your recording page.

3. Your job is to create a picture/word combo (INFOGRAPHIC) that displays all the information.  The only requirement is that all the information below is somewhere on your 8 1/2 x 11 page.  Use colors, crayons, pencils, Canva, or another digital tool…whatever!

Data to be included on your infographic…

  • 39,598,080 mini gingerbread muffins devoured last year from this salad bar
  • 1980 was when this restaurant introduced a salad bar.  It was based on the suggestion of a radio salesperson.
  • 10,000,000+ salad bars were ordered at this restaurant in 2020
  • The original salad bar at this restaurant offered 9 ingredients.  Now there are 50+ ingredients and they include select USDA-certified organics.
  • There are 1,906,884 possible combinations for a 5-ingredient salad with a base of lettuce.
  • If you had 1 salad a day, it would take 5,224 years before repeating a salad combination.
  • No MSG since 2008 and everything on the salad bar is trans-fat free.

4. Share your minit math spark recording page and infographic with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#19: Awful (fictional)Olympic Host Cities

Reading Enrichment

 

Have you ever been frightened by places you’ve read about in books or seen in movies or on television?  What if those places were under consideration for hosting the Olympics?  Can you IMAGINE???

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #19: Awful (fictional)Olympic Host Cities

2. What cities have hosted the summer or winter Olympic games? Go to this page, read the intro and look over the list. Record 5 of the cities on your recording sheet. Find them on the map and find 3-5 facts about that city.

3. Go to the following link and read about the 6 fictional places that the author hopes NEVER hosts the Olympics. Add all 6 places to your recording sheet and explain why it would be an awful venue. If you haven’t heard of the place or don’t understand the information about the location, do some research so you can tell why it is so terrible.

4. Think about books you have read, movies or  tv show you have seen.   What fictional place do you hope never hosts the Olympics and why?  Please add 3 responses and reasoning to your recording sheet.

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

Early Enrichment #25: The Olympic Games

Early Enrichment

Ready to dive into the new year with Early Enrichment?

Let’s learn all about the Olympics!

 

Once every four years countries put together teams of  the best athletes  to compete for a gold, silver, or bronze medals. During the summer olympics, athletes compete in wrestling, weightlifting, volleyball, track, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, and many more sports.

Read about the sports that are part of the Olympics at Wonderopolis.

Read more about the Olympics at Britannica 

If you were to be an olympic athlete, what sport would you want to compete in?

Comment Below!

 

#20: Animal Olympians

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

Welcome to the Animal Olympics, where species compete daily in the wild to thrive and survive.  Different species have adapted different athletic abilities to succeed in their respective environments, from running fast to chase prey to swimming great distances in search of food and safety. Animals are amazing athletes and their performances in the wild are of often above and beyond Olympic caliber. And the medals go to……..

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #20: Animal Olympians

2.  Record make a section for each of these categories on your recording sheet.

  • Event #1: The Marathon
  • Event #2: 100 meter sprint
  • Event #3: Swimming
  • Event #4: The high jump
  • Event #5: Weightlifting

3. Read this article and take notes for each event on your recording sheet.

4. This article compares humans to animals. Pick 3 of the examples and record the animal and human details on your recording page.

5. Look over the fastest animals on this document and record the name and one detail on your recording page.

And the medal goes to………

6. Choose an animal not on any of these lists, but who should be! Decide what the category should be, and how this animal beats out all of the other animals to win the gold medal. Be specific and add facts to support your choice. Design the medal for you animal olympian as well. Add all of this to your recording page.

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

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#22: A Mile of Pizza

Math Mini Sparks

This mini spark is all about giant pizzas. Take a look at the math involved in making a mile long pizza.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #22:A Mile of Pizza

2. May 19, 2016:  Along the seafront of Naples in Italy, 100 chefs collaborated to create a 1,853.88 metres (6082.2 feet / 1.15 miles) long Neapolitan, which Guinness World Records confirmed is officially the Longest pizza ever made. This record was broken the following year in California.

3. Read this article to find out about all the “numbers” associated with creating the mile-long pizza in Italy!  Many of the measurements in the article are given in metric units.  Use an online conversion calculator to change any of the measurements from metric to customary. Record these on your recording page.

4. Instead of looking at a mile of pizza , let’s watch a video about a mile of Pi. One your recording page write about what challenges the the researchers faced while doing this project.

5. If you could choose to make a “mile” of your favorite food, what would it be?  What ingredients would need?  What special tools would you need to have on hand?  Write a few paragraphs about your “mile of food” and include an illustration. If you would rather write a story about your mile of food, that is great!

6. Read about other food-related world records.

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

#18: About You!!!

Reading Enrichment

Tell others about you. Complete this ABC reading mini spark get to know you activity.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #18: About You!!!

2. Please respond to the following stems on your recording page.

A- Age:

B- Biggest fear:

C- Current time:

D- Your favorite day of the week:

E- Every day starts with this activity:

F- Favorite song:

G- What makes you giggle?:

H- Hardest obstacle you’ve overcome:

I- Itching to buy:

J- Favorite joke:

K- Last kind deed you performed:

L- Last meal you ate:

M- Middle name:

N- Number of siblings:

O- One wish:

P- Person you last called:

Q- Question you’re often asked:

R- Reason to smile:

S- Song last sang:

T- Time you woke up today:

U- Something that makes you unhappy:

V- Dream vacation destination:

W- Your worst habit:

Y- Your favorite food:

X- X-Rays you’ve had:

Z- Zodiac sign:

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

Early Enrichment #24: Goodnight, Elephant and Piggie

Early Enrichment

On May 3, the 25th and final book in the “Elephant & Piggie” series goes on sale. In “The Thank You Book,” Gerald (the elephant) and his pal Piggie thank everyone they know, but not before embarking on one more endearing experience.

–Mia Geiger, Washington Post

Elephant and Piggie books, by Mo Willems have been children’s favorites since they were first published in 2007. Since then, Willems has published 25 adventures with the beloved characters. The final book, The Thank You Book, was released on May 3rd, 2016.

Thank You Gallery.small 27247476 Read Elephant and Piggie

Image Source

To celebrate the Elephant and Piggie books, check out the Thank-O-Rama Website. You can create a thank you for someone special, learn how to draw Piggie, make puppets, and color.

Mo Willem’s Thank – O – Rama

Also try:

  1. Elephant and Piggie Mad Libs 
  2. Create your own Elephant and Piggie Story 

Before you go, comment below and share your favorite Elephant and Piggie book or memory!