Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#2: Graph the Story

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Data visualization is a general term that describes any effort to help people understand the significance of data by placing it in a visual context.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #2: Graph the Story

2. Watch this introduction video.  On your recording page draw a sketch of the graph from the video. Add in these 4 labels on the 4 lines she drew-steep slope, slope, horizontal line, negative slope. 

3. Download and print this sheet. If you would prefer to do the graph digitally you can use this resource.

4.  Start this video and then pause it to get your graph set up to look like the graph in the video.

5. Restart the video and decide where you will need to plot the points.

6. Pause the video and complete the graph.

7. When you have completed the graph, resume the video to see how you did. If you need to make adjustments to your graph do so. If you are doing the activity online, add a picture of your graph to your recording sheet.

8.  Choose 3 more videos to watch, graph, and check. You can make them on paper or use the digital graph maker.

Video choices 

Height of waist off ground 1-The task is to graph the height of the person’s waist off the ground against time.

Air Pressure– The challenge is to graph air pressure against time.

Elevation-The task is to draw a graph of their elevation against time. The graph contains increasing, decreasing, and constant sections.

Distance from home plate-The task is to draw a graph of the player’s distance from the home plate against time. The graph shows linear piecewise sections.

Weight of cups-The task is to graph the weight on the scales against time.

9.  Share your math mini spark recording page and your graphs with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#7: Super Snail Detectives

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Finding ideas and inspiration for writing a story can be tricky for both children and adults alike. This mini spark makes it easy to start writing since the idea has been chosen-Super Snail Detectives!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #7: Super Snail Detectives

2. Watch this video about silly snail detectives. The narrator of this video offers a TON of suggestions on how to develop your own snail characters.

3.  After watching the video one time, go back and watch it again, pausing to record details on your recording page to answer the questions he asks.  This will help you develop your characters for your own Super Snail Detectives Story!  Aim for 10-15 pieces of information on your recording sheet for this step.

4. Using your notes as a guide, write the first chapter of your your own Super Snail Detectives Story.

5. Ask for edits to be make for your first chapter and make the suggested changes.

6. OPTIONAL: Create some illustrations to go along with your chapter.

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

Do you want to keep working on your snail story? Talk with your teacher or EY coordinator about what steps you need to take to make this into a badge.

 

 

#6: Book Spine Poem

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #6: Book Spine Poem

2. Have you heard of “a book spine poem?” It’s a kind of poetry that you don’t really write from scratch – instead, you “find” it by arranging book titles to make a poem. This type of poem can be serious or funny, just like in regular poetry. Write the poems you see her on your recording page.

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3. Watch this video to see the process. Record 3-5 details from the video.

4. Okay, ready to make your own book spine poetry?

  • You need is a stack of at least 8  books with interesting titles from around the house, your classroom, or your school library.
  • Place a few books on top of each other.
  • Play around with the titles to create a short poem, words that create an image, feeling or scenes.
  • Write down the titles when you find a combination you like.
  • As you write down titles, you might notice some that seem to go together to tell a funny or interesting story. Switch them around to get a poem you like.
  • If you are doing a digital recording page, also take a picture of your work in progress

5. Keep working on your final project. Your finished spine poems should have at least 4 book titles included. Document your poem by taking a picture and adding it to your recording page or typing the titles in a poem format.

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

Lesson adapted from :http://www.brainpickings.org/tag/book-spine-poetry/ and http://www.pbs.org/parents/adventures-in-learning/2015/04/book-spine-poetry/

 

#1: Strandbeests

Full STEAM Ahead

Artist Theo Jansen demonstrates the amazingly lifelike kinetic sculptures he builds from plastic tubes and lemonade bottles.  His creatures are designed to move – and even survive – on their own.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language Full STEAM Ahead recording page: #1: Strandbeests

2. Read this quote from Theo Jansen. “Every spring I go to the beach with a new beast. During the summer I do all kinds of experiments with the wind, sand and water. In the fall I grew a bit wiser about how these beasts can survive the circumstances on the beach. At that point I declare them extinct and they go to the bone yard.”

3. On your recording page, write about what you think a Strandbeest is like.

3. Watch this video. and gather more information.

4. Set your timer for 3 minutes. On your recording page explain a Strandbeest to someone who has not seen one before.

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5.  Watch this TED talk: Theo Jansen: My creations, a new form of life. On your recording page record 5 takeaways from the talk.

6. Visit Theo Jansen’s website.  Click on “Strandbeest” and then “Genealogy” in the menu to explore the photo gallery. In detail, choose one of the structures to describe on your recording page.

7. Write about what you you learned.  How does what Mr. Jansen create relate to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)?

8. Share your Full STEAM Ahead recording page and visual with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Early Enrichment #1: Pebble Go or Pebble Go Next

Early Enrichment, Uncategorized

EXPLORE ANIMALS, FAMOUS PEOPLE, SOCIAL STUDIES, and DINOSAURS

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Do love to learn new things? Pebble Go or Pebble GO Next is your go-to for facts, pictures, videos, and games!

  1. Choose a topic to learn about
  2. Learn 10 things
  3. After doing research at Pebble Go, create a pic collage, apple clip, explaineEverything, or your favorite presentation tool to share your findings.
  4. Share this presentation with your teacher. Respond to this post and share what topic you choose to research.

Create-a-Plant

Early Enrichment, Uncategorized
CREATE-A-PLANT

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Research to find out more about the parts of a plant

1. Watch this video

2. Study the parts of a plant at this site- kids growing strong

Show What You’ve Learned

You are a botanist who has just discovered a new type of plant. As every good scientist does, you will document your exciting finding. Design a fact sheet highlighting your new plant discovery. Be sure to include the following key pieces of information:

• your plant’s name
• your plant’s basic needs
• your plant’s parts
• where your plant lives
• a colored illustration of your plant in its natural habitat

Your fact sheet might have text features like labels, captions, maps, bold words, subheadings, and more.

lesson idea adapted from ilove2teach.blogspot.com/

#1: Zenzizenzizenzic

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Wow…that’s a mouthful!  I wonder how many points that would be worth in Scrabble?  Explore the meaning of this bizarre sounding word by completing some Math Minutes this week!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #1: Zenzizenzizenzic

2. Listen to how to pronounce the word Zenzizenzizenzic 5 times. Say it 5 times to practice. Can you say it FAST 5 times?

3. Find out the meaning of zenzizenzizenzic by reading this article.

4. Make a tiny Z math dictionary page.  Your page should have the word and definition for at least ten Z math words. Here are some other ideas of Z math words. You can use these or find your own.

Z-Intercept     Zenith     Zero Divisors    Zero Element    Zero slope  Zodiac  Zone

5. Find out how many points zenzizenzizensic would be worth in Scrabble using this online scrabble calculator. Record the points on your recording sheet.

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

 

 

#4: A Hummingbird Story

Reading Enrichment

A flash of harmless lightning, a mist of rainbow dyes, the burnished sunbeams brightening from flower to flower he flies.  ~John Banister Tabb

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #4: A Hummingbird Story

2. Start by watching a video about hummingbirds. Record 5 facts on your recording page.

3. Show what you learned by choosing 3 of the prompts to answer on your recording sheet.

  • Describe what makes the sky islands one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America.
  • Explain the significance of hummingbirds during their migratory route.
  • What unique ability do hummingbirds have that sets them apart from other birds?
  • Discuss how the brain size of hummingbirds compares to that of humans.
  • Why do hummingbirds remember every flower patch and feeder they visit?
  • What are the best times to observe hummingbirds, and why are those times optimal?
  • How does the southeastern Arizona bird observatory contribute to the study of hummingbirds?
  • What adaptations do hummingbirds have that help them avoid predators?

4. Listen to this this story and write a 3 sentence summary on your recording page.

5. Listen to this story and write 2-3 sentence about the hummingbird.

6. Read this interview with the author of the Courage of the Little Hummingbird. Record 3 details from the interview on your recording page.

7. In the interview, she talks about retelling the story and answers this question: What advice do you have for authors interested in retelling old tales? Write about her response and what you learned.

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

Snapple Facts

Early Enrichment
Light_Bulb_1 Did you Know?  The Empire State Building has 73 elevators.

If you’ve ever drank a Snapple before, you know an interesting fact is printed under the lid.  There are over 1,000 facts, but you don’t have to drink 1,000 Snapples to read them all!   Just head to the Snapple website and explore the facts for yourself!

http://www.snapple.com/real-facts/list-view 

Use Haiku Deck, Pic Collage, or another app to display your favorite Snapple facts.  Dig a little deeper by checking out resources (books, databases, internet, etc.) to find more information about your fact.