Category Archives: Learning Opportunities

#77: Pandemic Poetry

Reading Enrichment

What Happened When We All Stopped is a children’s book and animated poem by Tom Rivett-Carnac, illustrated by Carla Kreuser and Bee Rivett-Carnac. It explores life after a health pandemic, like COVID-19, from the viewpoint of people at home observing nature. The story suggests that this time of quiet can help the Earth heal and remind us how to live in harmony with nature.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #77: Pandemic Poetry

2. Read this article about Jane Goodall.  Record 5 details about her life on your recording sheet.

3. Tom Rivett-Carnac wrote the children’s book What Happened When We All Stopped in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute. The book, read by Jane Goodall, is about what happens after a health pandemic and how to build back better.  Watch this animated poem.

4. On your recording page

  • write about what changed from the beginning of the poem to the end
  • write about your favorite part of the poem

5. Choose one activity

  • Write a 5-10 sentence personal reflections about a natural place that feels peaceful. Incorporate sensory images to help the reader understand what it feels like to be there.
  • Write your own  poem about nature.

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

Check out the Jane Goodall Badge at the EY Website.

#76: Diary of a Wombat

Reading Enrichment

Wombats are like the adorable couch potatoes of the animal world! These furry little marsupials come in shades of brown, tan, or grey and can grow up to 1.3 meters long!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #76: Diary of a Wombat

2. Listen to the story Diary of a Wombat.  Focus on viewpoint, voice, and flow as you listen to the story.

 

3. Explore opposing viewpoints. Choose one event. On your recording page describe the same event from two points of view

Mothball vs. family members.

4. Diary of a Wombat is a humorous text. Identify the various devices Jackie French and Bruce Whatley have used to make this book entertaining. To get you started- What is Mothball describing as a ‘flat, hairy creature? How does this add humor?  Think of 2 more funny examples and add them to your recording page.

5. In literary texts, dialogue plays an important role in character development. However, there is no dialogue in Diary of a Wombat (from Mothball). Analyze the text to gather information about Mothball. How has the author developed Mothball’s character without the use of dialogue? Record 3 things you know about him,

6. Mothballs main motive in life is to find carrots to eat. Make a list on your recording sheet of all of the ways he does this.

7. Read this National Geographic article. Make a tiny information page with 5 facts about wombats on your recording sheet.

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

Check out the Diary of a Creature badge at the EY website.

#100: Checkerboard Math

Math Mini Sparks

Count all of the squares on the checkerboard or a chessboard- This is a classic problem. You will look at how to solve it using drawings, using patterns, and solving a simpler problem. Also look at how how to solve a variation of this type of problem that may pop up on math contests.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #100: Checkerboard Math

2. Print a  paper copy of a checkerboard.

3. The challenge for this mini spark is to count ALL of the squares on the checkerboard. Start watching this video, pause to copy the chart he creates and STOP at 2:40. Record the answers to these 3 questions.

How many squares on an 8 X 8 board?

How many squares on an 1 X 1 board?

How many squares on a 2 X 2  board?

 

4. Figure out the next answers using your chart and the copy of the board you printed. Without watching the rest of the video try to find the answers for each of the following questions.

How many squares on a 4 X 4 board?

How many squares on a 5 X 5 board?

How many squares on a 6 X 6 board?

How many squares on a 7 X 7 board?

5. When you have a solution click  to watch the rest of the video to see if you have recorded the correct numbers.

6. Solve this second problem written by CEMC math. Print this board if you want a new copy to help you. Record all of your work and your answers on your mini spark recording sheet.

Bart and Lisa counted all squares on a checkerboard.   On the same checkerboard, they decided to count the number of small rectangles-1 unit by 2 units  or 2 units by 1 unit. 

They were careful to count all of the overlapping rectangles. If they counted correctly, what was their total? Look at this picture before you start. 

***Reminder for your teacher that the solution can be found in the math mini spark folder.

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

You can use step #6 as one of your problems for the Problem of the Week CEMC Math badge that can be found on the EY badge page.

 

 

#99: Applications of Mathematics

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

I didn’t know you needed to know math for that!

Find out how math is used in movie graphics, roller coasters, swimsuit design, and so much more!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #99: Applications of Mathematics
  2. Explore this website and find a topic that interests you.
  3. In your math notebook, record the topic title and 1-2 interesting things you learned.
  4. Repeat until you have read and recorded information about 6-10 math topics.
  5.  Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#98 Chocolate Math

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Chocolate’s flavor is a combination of sweetness, bitterness, and creaminess that many people find irresistible. We celebrate national chocolate day in July every year. Check out this math mini spark to learn more about chocolate and math.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #98 Chocolate Math
  2. Read this Bedtime Math post about the world’s largest chocolate kiss!  Do one of the math questions on your recording page before scrolling all of the way down to see the answer.

A Day for Chocolate

3. Check out this math trick that reveals your age and how many times a week you like to eat chocolate at this chocolate math site. Write about this site?

4. Read about chocolate facts at this site. Create a math data page with all about chocolate. Include at least 8 facts

Fun Facts About Chocolate

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

Check out the Chocolate Lessons badge at the EY Website.

#97:The Mysterious Mobius Strip

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Möbius strip, a one-sided surface that can be constructed by affixing the ends of a rectangular strip after first having given one of the ends a one-half twist.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #97 The Mysterious Mobius Strip

2. Watch this introduction video. Record 5 details on your recording sheet.

 

3. Follow the steps on this site  to make  a Mobius strip.

4. Take a picture after completing your mobius strip and add it to your recording page.

5. On your mini spark page, record interesting ideas from this mini spark.

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

#96: Different Types of Numbers

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized
Real or Imaginary? Rational or Irrational? In this Mini-Spark, you will learn about different types of numbers and their classifications.
Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #96:Different Types of Numbers

2. Start by watching  this video. Take notes on your recording sheet while you watch.

 

3. Make a colorful teaching page about the classification of numbers. Here is an idea for how to organize the numbers

this image was found at https://mathequalslove.net/real-number-system-graphic-organizer/.

Include each of these in your visual : rational numbers, whole numbers, irrational numbers, counting numbers, and integers.

4. When you are done, sroll to the very bottom of this post to see how you did.

5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher or EY coordinator.

#95: The Chaos Game

Math Mini Sparks

In mathematics, the term chaos game originally referred to a method of creating a fractal, using a polygon and an initial point selected at random inside it.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #95: The Chaos Game
  2. Watch this video. Record details on your recording page.

3. Watch this video to learn how to play The Chaos Game. *****This video is long–> looking for other video

Follow the instructions in the video.  Take a screenshot of your final picture and add it to your recording page.

4. Link to the GeoGebra Website to find the chaos game.

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

#48: Ada Lovelace

Social Studies Enrichment

Ada Lovelace is often celebrated as the world’s first computer programmer. Her visionary work and ideas laid the foundation for the modern computer technology we rely on today.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Social Studies  mini spark recording page: #48: Ada Lovelace 

2. Look over this info card from National Geographic about Ada Lovelace. Record 5 details about her on your recording page.

3. Listen to this Ada Lovelace book. On your recording sheet finish these sentence starters. Use an example from the story in each sentence.

Ada Lovelace was

Ada Lovelace proved

Ada Lovelace changed

4. Read this article. Record 3 details about Ada that you did not already know.

5. Share your Social Studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

#65: Learn your ABCs

Early Enrichment

Learn to sign letters in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your Early Enrichment mini spark recording page: #63: Learn your ABCs

2. Watch this video and practice all of your letters. On your recording page record the 5 letters that are the most difficult for you to remember.

3. After watching the video several times, write down the spelling of your favorite animal.  Using the chart below practice spelling this using sign language. When you are ready share this with your teacher or a classmate. Have your teacher sign your recording sheet.

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

Check out the sign language badges at the EY webpage.