Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#17: Science Simulations

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

Have you ever wondered how an atom is created?  Or maybe you find yourself wondering how energy forms and changes.  Do building fractions and creating creatures from area formulas excite you?  Then this simulation website is for you!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #17: Science Simulations

2. PhET Simulations is an interactive website full of simulations that introduce you to many different areas of math and science such as force and motion, energy forms and changes, the Greenhouse Effect, Glaciers, and more! Watch this tutorial that shows you how to find the different  simulations. On your recording page, describe the static electricity simulation.

3. Click here to get started on your own simulation journey!  The site has the simulations divided into 5 categories. Record the main topics that you can explore on your recording page.

4.  Set your timer for 10 minutes. Explore the site and try out some of the options.

*Be sure to hold your iPad horizontally while working with the simulations.*

5. What was your favorite simulation? Write a paragraph explaining the simulation.

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

#18: Weird But True! Numbers

Math Mini Sparks

This math mini spark explores Weird But True!  Number Edition.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #18: Weird But True! Numbers
  2. Make a chart on your recording page. Title it my favorite weird but true facts.
  3. Explore math facts at National Geographic Kids Weird but True! Number Edition.
  4. To move from fact to fact click the arrows. There are 8 facts in total.
  5. Record your favorite four facts in the chart on your recording sheet.
  6. Do research about each of the four topics so that you can add 3+ additional details for each one.
  7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Weird But True badge at the EY website.

 

#8: The Pony Express

Social Studies Enrichment

What was the importance of the Pony Express to the settlement and expansion of the American West? Find out in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies mini spark recording page: #8: The Pony Express

2. Read this article. Record 5 details about the Pony Express.

3. Watch this video. Record 5 details from the video.

4. Share two interesting facts about the Pony Express.

Describe three things about the riders.

Give four reasons why you would want to be a Pony Express rider or four reasons why you would not want to be a Pony Express rider.

5. Share your early enrichment mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Check out the Pony Express badge at the EY website.

Early Enrichment #17: Energy and a Roller Coaster

Early Enrichment

This week, the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, celebrated its 60th birthday!

They planned a huge celebration full of musicians, artists, and sneak peeks

Checkout behind the scenes of Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Celebration

Can you imagine how much work has gone into making the happiest place on earth? Especially when designing all of fun rides? Like this one:

Roller coasters take a lot of planning, and there are people that have jobs to create new rides. Isn’t that awesome? You could have a job designing roller coasters when you grow up!

Before you can design a roller coaster, you will need to know a little bit more about the different types of energy required. Click here to see how the two types of energy help a roller coaster move. (may require flash, for additional resource: click here).

What two types of energy are there in a roller coaster?

Potential and Kinetic Energy

Try and design your own roller coaster on a piece of paper. If you can, mark down where there will be Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy. Share your designs with your EY Coordinator!

#16: Eggstraordinary Experiment

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

For this Mini Spark we are going back to the beginning…of STEAM that is.  So in honor of the “S,” try this egg science experiment. It take 7 days to do, so it might be one you try at home. You can also talk to your teacher about setting it up at school.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #16: Eggstraordinary Experiment

 2. This mini spark teaches you how to do the  The Dissolving Egg Shell & Bouncing Egg Experiment. This experiment is simple, you place eggs in water and also eggs in vinegar. It involves a lot of observation and the results are really interesting to watch. You will set up your experiment and do 4 reflections on your recording page.

3. Reflection 1: To start with, take time to reflect on what you think will happen when the eggs are put into the vinegar and water.  Make a note of your reflection on your recording page.
4. Gather your materials. Take a picture and add it to your recording sheet.

What You Need:

  • eggs
  • (we used raw eggs – 2 brown & 2 white)
  • vinegar
  • water
  • clear cups

5. Set up your experiment. Take a picture and add it to your recording page.

  • Set up 4 clear cups.
  • Put 1 egg into each cup.
  • Add vinegar to 1 of each cup containing a white & brown egg.
  • Add water to the other 2 cups.
  • The eggs should be covered completely by each liquid.
  • Observe

 

The Dissolving Egg Shell & Bouncing Egg Experiment

Day 1 Reflection 2:

What do you notice happening in the 2 cups?

Can you explain why these things are happening? This might require some research to answer. Add your responses to your recording sheet.
A few hours later…
Reflection 3:
What do you notice about the egg in each cup?
Do you have a hypothesis as to why this is happening? (again, you may have to do a little research)
Write a prediction about what you think will happen to all 4 eggs at the end of 7 days?
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 5:
Day 7:

End of Experiment – Day 7: Reflection 4:

What has happened to the eggs?
Test your eggs to get more information by dropping them on a protected surface (adult approved of course).
What observations did you make?
 
And Now, The Science:
What is the chemical reaction that is taking place in this experiment?
Why does this happen?
How could you change this experiment to learn more about this reaction?
You can read the info at the top of this page to help you answer these questions.
or
This video explains some of the science. Watch it to help you answer the questions above.

6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator
Adapted from http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/

#15: Rebus Puzzles

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

A REBUS is a picture representation of a name, work, or common phrase. Look at the puzzle in the read box.  Since the word HEAD is over the word HEELS, the answer to the puzzle would be HEAD OVER HEELS!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #15: Rebus Puzzles

2. Number your recording page from 1-8.  At the rebus quiz page, examine the puzzle, record your guess, and then check your work. Add a star if you got it correct and add in the right answer if needed.

3. On your recording sheet write each of these topics on its own line:

Positioning

Try it out 1

Highlighting

Font Properties

Try it out 2

Homophones

Repetition

Try it out 3

Context and Clues

3. Read this teaching page that explains some strategies so you can learn more about how the position of the words will help you solve the puzzle. As you read each section on the page, write examples and hint on your recording page.

****NOTE: There are 3 “try it out” sections on this teaching page. For each “try it out”click the link to find a puzzle, record your guesses/thoughts, and then check the answer.

5. Go to this website where you will find 18 rebus puzzles. Number your recording page from 1-18, Choose 8 to solve. Record your guess  next to the correct number. When have a guess written down, click the box to check your work. Put a star on your page or write in the correct answer if needed.

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

#15: Juliette Gordon Low

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized

Inventor, Juliette Gordon Low, or as her friends called her, “Daisy,” was like the superhero of Girl Scouts, zooming around with courage, confidence, and character! In 1912, she waved her magic wand and created Girl Scouts of the USA, where girls could gather to unleash their amazing powers in STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math! Just like a science experiment gone right, she turned her dream of girls teaming up to celebrate their strengths into a fantastic reality!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM  mini spark recording page: #15: Juliette Gordon Low

2. Watch this video to learn about Ms. Low. Take notes on your recording sheet.

3. Read and examine all of the pages on these sheets which share Ms. Low’s patent for a liquid container made out of paper.  How do the different labels and figures help understand the drawings.

4. Print page 2 of this information sheet. Work on the folding project. Reminder: You will need to study the patent drawing page to find the steps.

5. Now add your own creativity! Think of 3 new uses for this invention.

6. Take a picture of your product and your three ideas and add it to your recording page

7. Did you know that Juliette Low also has a Design Patent? It may look familiar to you. It is the inspiration for many trademarks utilized by Girl Scouts of America. Study this image. Do some research to find out what a design patent is. Record your findings on your recording page.

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

Check out the Kids Invent Stuff Badge the Problem Solving Invention Badge at the EY website.

Early Enrichment #16: Are We There Yet? (E.1)

Early Enrichment

Have you ever been on a trip and wondered…

Are we there yet?!

Traveling  to a new place can take a long time, a lot a planning, and cost a lot of money. What if you could take a trip from the comfort of your seat? What if you could take out the question “are we there yet?” by taking a virtual fieldtrip?

Starting this week, each month Early Enrichment will take you on a virtual field trip to visit places all around the world. You will be able to see the places, read about them, and learn about their culture.

This week we are traveling to visit the ancient pyramids in 

Mexico!Checkout these activities about the Mayan Culture : 

(1) Engineering Pyramids 

(2) Mayan Mathematics

(3) Mayan Culture

 

#17: Pi Numbers

Math Mini Sparks

Did you know…Among the digits of pi currently known, the concentration of each of the digits 0-9 are pretty close to equal. However, in the first 30 places of pi’s decimal expansion, there is a digit is completely missing?  Which digit is it?

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #17: Pi Numbers

2. Below you will see the first 98 digits of pi.  Record the number of times each digit appears.  Which digit is not used in the first 30 places?  Record your discovery on your recording page.

3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482534211706

3. Take this Pi Day trivia quiz  If you use a website to find an answer, make sure to note that on your recording sheet.

4. Memorize 100,000 digits of pi using this site:  http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/~huberty/math5337/groupe/digits.html  OK…that might be a little extreme, but try to memorize at least 30 places. If you can do 30 already stretch it further.

3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105…

5. Read this article with Pi facts. Record several new ideas on your recording sheet.

6.  Discover the circles around us by posting a Circle Selfie to this Padlet Wall: http://padlet.com/spady_lynn/piday16IMG_4136

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

Early Enrichment #15: Share the Love

Early Enrichment

I wonder who your valentine is this year?

Is it your parents? Maybe a friend?

Valentine's_day_M&Ms_in_the_shape_of_a_heart_(8418026760)

Valentine’s Day is an important holiday around the world. It is a day that we show those around us how much we care. But have you ever wondered about hot it started?

To check out more information go to,  Pebbe Go or by visiting this Valentine’s Day Wonderopolis.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that we celebrate our love for our friends and families, what else did you learn about the holiday? Comment below!

It’s always exciting having parties and getting cards from your friends, but think about those who might not receive valentines. This week’s early enrichment activity is to  “Share the Love” by creating valentines for senior citizens that live in Westside’s neighborhood. Make a valentine and send it to your EY Coordinator!