https://sites.google.com/westside66.net/mathminisparks/math-mini-sparks
Step 1: What is a Tweet? Read the definition below and look at the examples.
Step 2: Look over the Tweet options below and choose one to complete. Turn in your finished work to your teacher or EY coordinator.
What would a character from a favorite book “tweet” at the end of a chapter or section. Write it as though you are that character using Twitter.
Character Tweet Example:
Character Tweet Template:
Think of a chapter of a book or section of a movie and summarize what happened twitter style.
Chapter/Section Template:
Book Review Tweet Examples:
Choose a person from a historical event. What would this historical figure “tweet” after this event? Write it as though you are that person using Twitter.
Historical Figure Template:
Step 3: Use the contact form below and type your Tweet in the Message section. Hit Submit
Every two years, a selection committee creates the medals that symbolize triumph at that year’s Olympic Games. They must adhere to certain guidelines while also having the creative freedom to design medals that reflect the true essence of the Olympics.1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #35: Olympic Medal Designer
2. Watch this video and record 5 ideas about the process of creating medals for the Olympics hosted in Japan on your recording sheet.
. View the history of Olympic Medals. Pick 3 different years and compare the medals from those years (designer, composition, diameter, and mint). Display your findings in a creative manner and add a picture to your recording sheet.
4. Imagine you are part of the Olympic Medal Design committee! Design your own Olympic medal that pays tribute to the world’s top athletes in a distinctive manner. Answer these questions on your recording sheet
5. Do some planning and research. Add ideas to your recording sheet
6. Design your medal on paper or digitally. Add a picture of your design to your recording page.
7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Idea adapted from https://kid-museum.org/maker-playground/olympic-medals/
“I Have a Dream” is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#33: I Have a Dream
2. There are three art choices for this mini spark. Make an I have a dream image, mobile, or vision board. Read about each one below. On your recording page write a short summary for each.
3. Decide which one you will do and gather your supplies.
6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your project with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Snowflakes are created in clouds when water droplets freeze around tiny particles in the air. These particles can be things like dust, pollen, smog, or soot. This process is known as nucleation. Water droplets need something to stick to in order to freeze, so they usually freeze around these small airborne particles.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #32: Make Snowflakes
2. For each of the facts below, write the question and a summary of the information on your recording page.
The average snowflake ranges from a size slightly smaller than a penny to the width of a human hair. But according to some unverified sources they can grow much larger. Witnesses of a snowstorm in Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887 claimed to see milk-pan sized crystals fall from the sky. If true that would make them the largest snowflakes ever spotted, at around 15 inches wide.
At least in the case of snowflakes with broad structures, which act as parachutes. Snow that falls in the form of pellets travels to Earth at a much faster rate.
The air doesn’t need to be super moist to produce impressive amounts of snow. Unlike plain rainfall, a bank of fluffy snow contains lots of air that adds to its bulk. That’s why what would have been an inch of rain in the summer equals about 10 inches of snow in the colder months.
Aomori City in northern Japan receives more snowfall than any major city on the planet. Each year citizens are pummeled with 312 inches, or about 26 feet, of snow on average.
Snow crystals usually form unique patterns, but there’s at least one instance of identical snowflakes in the record books. In 1988, two snowflakes collected from a Wisconsin storm were confirmed to be twins at an atmospheric research center in Colorado.
3. Now that you’ve learned all kinds of facts about snow, let’s use the “A” in “STEAM” to make some snowflakes! Watch the video tutorial below and make your own!
4. Add a picture of your snowflake to your recording page.
5. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Check out the Story of Snow badge at the EY website.
Check out the science mini spark Snowflakes
Musical glasses are a fun way to combine art, math, music and science.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #31: Make Water Glass Music
2. Gather the materials you need. Take a picture and add it to your recording page.
8 identical water glasses
water
a set of measuring cups
food coloring (optional)
1 plastic spoon
1 sheet of paper
Tape
pen/pencil
3. As you create this experiment. Take pictures of all of your steps.
Steps
3. Label your glasses. Use the image below as a guide.
4. With a plastic spoon, gently tap each glass and listen for the sound it makes.
5. Notice which glass makes a lower sound and a higher sound.
6. Try playing these simple songs or create your own. Take a video of a song.
4. The science of sound is all about vibrations. When you hit the glass with the spoon, the glass vibrates, and it’s these vibrations that ultimately make the sound. You discovered that tapping an empty glass produced a higher-pitched sound than tapping a bottle full of water did. Adding water to the bottle dampens the vibrations created by striking the glass with a spoon. The less water in the bottle, the faster the glass vibrates and the higher the pitch. The more water you add to the bottle, the slower the glass vibrates, creating a lower pitch.
5. On your recording page, write about what you learned from this mini spark.
6. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your video with your teacher/EY coordinator
Activity adapted from Musical Water Glasses at https://www.connectionsacademy.com/resources/instructographics/music-water-glasses and https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/pop-bottle-sounds/
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.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.
In this STEAM mini spark you will learn how to sign in to Bitsbox and how to code your own apps. You will learn about the text and stamp commands, as well as how to work with coordinates.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page:#29: Bitsbox-Code an App
2. Watch this intro video. On your recording page, record 5 new things you learned about coding.
3. Bitsbox is an online resource. Click this link to get to bitsbox.
4. Click the sign in with google button to get to your tablet.
5. Go back to the video from step 2 and code “snacks, please”. You do not need to sign up with your email like he does in the video since you are already logged in with google.
6. After you finish the app, you can modify it with your own stamp, text, and colors.
7. Take a picture of your code and add it to your recording sheet
8. Click this link to get to a few free coding projects provided by Bitsbox. If you would like, you can print them out.
9. Code 3 of the projects. Take a screenshot of your code and add it to your recording page.
10. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
National STEAM day is celebrated on November 8, but you can create STEAM all year long! Check out this rocket launcher experiment that you can do to celebrate the national day dedicated to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #28: Rocket Launcher
2. Watch this video. Write down the materials you will need on your recording page
3. Collect the materials you need. Contact the EY coordinator in your building via email if you need help with this step. Add a picture of of your supplies to your recording page.
4. Go back to step 2 and rewatch this video while you are working.
4. Take pictures from your experiment and add them to your recording page.
5. Take a video of your rocket launcher.
6. On your recording page, create a one paragraph summary about your project.
7. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page and your video with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Check out the DIY superstar badge on the EY website
Post adapted from https://projectmc2.mgae.com/#/experiments
Spiders are master builders, and the webs built by these tiny creatures can be used as a source of inspiration for scientists.1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #27: Spider Silk
2. Read this article at Wonderopolis. Answer these questions on your recording sheet.
3. Watch this video and record 5 new pieces of information on your recording page.
4. Now that you’ve discovered that spider silk is remarkably strong and has potential applications in body armor, explore other innovative concepts for utilizing spider silk. Do a 5 minute brainstorming session. What additional items could be created using spider silk? Perhaps climbing ropes for mountaineering? Or even nets for fishing? Challenge your imagination and consider other possible uses for this extraordinarily strong spider silk. Record all of your ideas on your recording page.
5. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
