What Melts in the Sun?

This summer was HOT!! There were even stories about eggs frying on a sidewalk. This makes you think….what ordinary items might melt in the sun?

Task: Ask your parent’s permission first!! Then, find a muffin tin and 12 ordinary household items that make you ask….”Does this melt in the sun?”

Write those items down on a piece of paper and then divide that paper into 2 columns: 1 column for predicting and the other column will be your results. It can look like this:

Choose a day where the temperature is at least 85 degrees. Put your muffin tin with the items in the full sun and wait at least 20 minutes.

I know it’s hard to wait 20 minutes, but you can do it!!! After the 20 minutes is up, go check on your results! Fill in the column with the results of your experiment.

Now, for the most important step:  CLEAN UP AND PUT THINGS BACK!

Finally, take a picture of your paper with your predictions & results and email it to your EY teacher!

We can’t wait to see it!

Lesson adapted from: https://frugalfun4boys.com/simple-science-experiment-for-kids-what-melts-in-the-sun/

The twilight zone is a layer of water that stretches around the globe, just beyond the reach of sunlight and beyond the limit of photosynthesis in the ocean.

Watch this video about the amazing creatures that call the twilight zone home.

Choose 2 prompts below to show your thinking and learning after watching this video.

1.  You just bumped into a friend who wants to know what a hatchetfish is. Describe this creature to your friend using MANY details from the video.
2. Do some research about the fangtooth mentioned in the video. Record what you learned in an interesting manner.
3. The anglerfish has a bioluminescent lure. Do research to find 10 other animals that are bioluminescent.
4. What is so unique about the dragonfish?
5. Life in the twilight zone looks weird or even frightening to us, but these animals have evolved to survive, and even thrive, in conditions that we could never hope to endure. What are some of the ways twilight zone animals might think we look weird or even frightening?

Lesson adapeted from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/could-you-survive-the-real-twilight-zone-philip-renaud-and-kenneth-kostel#digdeeper

Read this article from CTV News to discover some of the flowers, fish, and scorpions that scientist have been found on our earth during the year 2022

Meet a rainbow fish and other new species discovered in 2022

What is it like to discover a new species. Watch this video to find out.

To earn this mini spark choose an activity  to complete.

1. Create a list of interesting creatures that have been discovered in the last decade.

2. Make an info page for a newly discovered creatures.

3. Research animals that have been listed as extinct in recent years.  Create a detailed visual about this topic.

4. What humans can do to protect the creatures that share the earth with us? Make a poster with 3 or 4 ideas for kids.

Listen to what these kids think of when they hear about Nanotechnology

Click here

Watch this short video a few times to learn about the tiny world that makes up pretty much everything.

When you are done watching the video one time all of the way through, get out a piece of paper and rewatch while you record some information. Pause as needed.

1. Record the measurement for

 *the human hair in nanometers (it is on the little piece of paper)

*the red blood cell

* when you are smaller than he wave of visible light

* the Rhino virus

2. What are nano materials? 

3. How can nanotechnology be used in the future?

Microbes that Could Eat your Trash

Each year humanity produces roughly 400 million tons of plastic, 80% of which is discarded as trash. Of that plastic waste, only one-tenth is recycled. 60% gets incinerated or goes into the landfills, and 30% leaks out into the environment. Fortunately, there are microbes that may be able to take a bite out of this growing problem.

After watching this video, answer these questions in an interview format. You are the interviewer and the interviewee is a plastic starfish.

How are man made polymers different than those found in nature ?

What are some common forms of plastic?

How do you break plastic’s chemical bonds?

What  never before identified bacteria was found in the lab from this video.

Why type of engineers worked on the project to create super enzymes?

What was discovered in Japan?

Turn your work in to the EY coordinator to earn this mini spark.

New Enzyme Sets a Speed Record

If you want to read about a new discovery check this out!!! This article is from May 2022.

These little creatures have it all figured out. Learn more about how insects breathe without lungs. 

Check out this Newsela article called “How Insects Breathe” to start building your background information about this topic.

Now watch this video.

This short article about ants will give you an idea about how oxygen circulates in insects and humans breathe differently.

Create a teaching page to share with your peers showing what you learned.

Take it further:

Compare and contrast humans and insect breathing processes

What is interesting about the way pill bugs breathe?

Below Zero Temperatures = Science Experiments!

When it is cold outside you can LEARN! Check out these Cold Weather Science Experiments and figure out if it’s real or a myth!  Don’t forget to share your results!

1. Freezing Soap Bubbles: Head outside with some bubble solution and blow some bubbles!  NOTE:  Try heating up the bubble solution in the microwave beforehand.  You can make your own bubble solution with 2 cups of water, half a cup of dish soap, and 2 teaspoons sugar.
2. Banana Hammer: Hang a banana outside for a few hours and it will freeze solid-solid enough for you to be able to hammer actual nails with it.
3. Make An Ice Thrower: Fill a Super Soaker with boiling water and then shoot it out into the cold.  When very hot water meets very cold air, the water vaporizes, turning it into ice crystals…essentially, homemade snow.  Don’t have a Super Soaker, just use the pot you boiled the water in.
4. Freeze-Fry An Egg: Don’t actually eat it, but leave a frying pan outside for about 15 minutes and then crack an egg into it.  What happens?
5. Instant Freeze Water – Bottle Slam

If none of these experiments catch your interest, a simple Google search for “Cold Weather Science” will display several options.   Show what you have learned in an interesting manner.

Artificial Intelligence: A machine is said to have artificial intelligence if it can interpret data, potentially learn from the data, and use that knowledge to adapt and achieve specific goals.

Source: https://www.pbs.org/show/crash-course-artificial-intelligence/

For this Mini Spark, have fun exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the following ways…

• Go to the website linked and see how AI is used in healthcare.  Jot down some examples in your notebook. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/07/27/how-is-ai-used-in-healthcare-5-powerful-real-world-examples-that-show-the-latest-advances/?sh=46cee435dfbe
• Watch Crash Course’s: What is Artificial Intelligence and take notes as you watch.

• Watch this TEDTalk about AI and Emotions: https://www.ted.com/talks/rana_el_kaliouby_this_app_knows_how_you_feel_from_the_look_on_your_face?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
• Find another resource of your choice and learn about another area of AI.
• Create a product using an app of your choice to demonstrate your learning and/or teach someone else about AI.