Elements are the basic building blocks of everything around us, including solids, liquids, and gases. They are pure substances made up of just one kind of atom. This means they cannot be broken down into simpler substances or changed into something else without losing their special qualities.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #20: Elements

2. The  periodic table, organizes all discovered elements in rows (called periods) and columns (called groups) according to increasing atomic number. Scientists use the periodic table to quickly refer to information about an element, like atomic mass and chemical symbol. Record the bolded words on your recording sheet.

3. Watch this video. Respond to this prompt on your recording sheet: What is an element, and how does it differ from a compound?

4. To earn this mini spark, choose an activity to complete.

• Explore this element webpage to research an element that is new to you. Click the element you want to learn more about.  Make a colorful learning page with 10 details about the element you choose.
• Review the elements on this webpage.  Choose one element and research that element. Make a quiz game for it using what you have learned. Write 5 questions with answers on your recording page.
•  Learn more about atoms at this page. Make an atom fact list with 10 items on your recording page.

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

Hydrotherapy is the use of exercises in a pool as part of treatment for conditions such as arthritis or back pain. Go along with two cute flamingos as they attend their hydrotherapy session to help them heal.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #19: Flamingos and Hydrotherapy.

2. Read the flamingo fact card and other information at National Geographic Kids. While you are reading record a 3-5 pieces of information on your recording sheet.

3.  Watch this video. How the flamingos are being cared for? Write a 3-5 sentence response on your recording page. Include specific details from the video.

4. Choose one of these projects to complete. Add your work to your recording sheet.

• Write a mini flamingo dairy from the point of view of one of the flamingos from the video. Include 3 entries. Talk about the relationship with the zookeeper, the therapy, as well as the stingray encounter.
• Learn about 3 species of Flamingos and make a list  of 8-10 facts for each one.
• The flamingos in the video at the zoo have different experiences than flamingos in the wild. Do research and create an information page comparing and contrasting the two groups.  Use this image as a guide.

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

The dodo was discovered by Dutch soldiers on an island in the Indian Ocean around 1600. It became extinct less than 80 years later due to deforestation, hunting, and the destruction of their nests by animals introduced to the island by the Dutch.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #18: Dodo Discovery 

2. Watch this video. Record 8 details on your recording page.

3. On our recording g page,  choosed two questions to answer. Please use 3-5 thoughtful sentences for each one.

• Describe the origin of dodos as explained in the video.
• How did dodos adapt to their environment on the island of Mauritius?
• Discuss the factors that contributed to the downfall of dodos.
• How did human activities, such as the arrival of Dutch sailors, impact the dodo population?
• In what ways did the dodo prove to be a survivor on its island home before facing extinction?
• How did the introduction of invasive species contribute to the decline of dodos and other Mauritian animals?
• Reflecting on the extinction of the dodo, what larger lesson can be learned about human impact on wildlife?

4. Take a trip to visit Google arts and Culture and learn more about the dodo.  Scroll down slowly and read all of the information. There is so much to learn. Record your 3 favorite ideas on your recording sheet.

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

We have been to the moon before and we did it again. In this mini spark you will learn about a recent mission to the moon, some history about a moon landing in the past, and what the future looks like for space travel.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #17: Back to the Moon!

2. Watch this intro video about Odysseus’ landing that occured in February of 2024. Take detailed notes as you watch.

3. In the video, they use the idiom at the 11th hour. On your recording page, write the meaning of at the 11th hour: the latest possible time before it is too late. Example: still making changes at the eleventh hour

4. In the first video you watched, it mentions humans going to Mars and how that has not happened.  Watch this video about this topic and record 5 details from the video.

5. Write down two reasons explaining why humans have not made the trip to Mars.

6. In two sentences, explain how going to the moon might help us get to Mars in the future.

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

Check out the Mission to Mars badge and Space traveler badge at the EY Website.

Snowflakes can vary significantly in size and shape, often influenced by atmospheric conditions as they form. Each snowflake is unique, showcasing a fascinating array of structures due to the intricate process of crystallization that occurs as water vapor freezes in the atmosphere.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #16: Snowflakes

2. Watch this TED-Ed video. Take detailed notes on your recording sheet.

3. At this site you can see some snowflakes under a microscope and read about how snowflakes are formed. Record 5 things you learned on your recording page.

4. Create a script where you are interviewing a snowflake. Include 3 or 4 interview questions with the snowflake providing answers. You can use the questions ideas below as a guide or you can create your own.

• What initiates the formation of a snowflake and how does it evolve into a complete snowflake?
• Explain the process of crystallization and how it contributes to the symmetrical shape of a snowflake?
• Why do snowflakes have six sides?
• How does the temperature and humidity of the air influence the basic shape of an ice crystal?
• What are the types of ice crystals formed at different temperatures, and what conditions contribute to their formation?
• Describe how the atmospheric conditions encountered by an ice crystal affect the intricate shape and arms of a snowflake.
• How do the different paths from the sky to the ground influence the unique appearance of individual snowflakes?
• What are some of the diverse forms and patterns that individual snowflakes can resemble?
• In what ways do slight changes in the surrounding temperature or humidity impact the growth and direction of the arms of a snowflake?

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

Check out the Story of Snow badge at the EY Website.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #57-Baby Dinos in the Arctic

2. Read this article about dinosaurs to find out what scientist have discovered. For each of the main sections in the article, record at least 2 details on your recording sheet.

3. Answer each of these questions from the point of view of a baby dinosaur.

• Locate Prince Creek Formation on a map. How would you describe the winters here?
• Why do we now think that both large and small dinosaur species lived in the Arctic year round?
• We think that dinosaurs must have been well-adapted to survive the Arctic winter. What adaptations do we think they may have had?

4. Go back to the article and look over figure 1 and figure 2 carefully. On your recording page, record your observations for each figure on your recording sheet.

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

Check out the dinosaur badges at the EY Website.

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. Learn about this outrageous place in this mini spark.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #14: Could You Survive the Twilight Zone?

2. Watch this video about the amazing creatures that call the twilight zone home. Take 5-8 notes on your recording sheet as you watch.

3. Choose 2 prompts below to show your thinking and learning. Add all of your work to your recording page.

•  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.
• Do some research about the fangtooth mentioned in the video. Record what you learned in an interesting manner.
• The anglerfish has a bioluminescent lure. Do research to find 10 other animals that are bioluminescent.
• What is so unique about the dragonfish?
• 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?

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

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

Scientists have identified many new species over the  years, such as an electric blue tarantula, two types of pygmy squid, a quiet frog, and small chameleons the size of a thumb. Experts believe that fewer than 20% of the species on Earth have been recorded by Western science. While a species might be new to scientific study, it may already be familiar to local and Indigenous communities, who often have their own common names for them.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #13: Discovering a New Species

2. Read this information page. For each question, write 3-4 sentence with information from the article.

• Have we discovered every species alive on Earth?
• What does it mean to ‘discover’ a new species?
• How do scientists formally describe a new species?

3. Record 3 of the new species names from the article and write a description about each one.

4.  What is it like to discover a new species. Watch this video to find out. Take 5 notes on your recording page.

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

Check out the New Creature Species badge on the EY website.

Nanotechnology is like playing with tiny Lego blocks that are smaller than a speck of dust, allowing scientists to build cool gadgets at a scale where even ants would need a microscope to see them. By tinkering with matter at this super small level, they create bizarrely awesome things that could make our everyday lives a bit more sci-fi!

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #12: Nanotechnology

2. Watch this video that shows how measurements can be done on a very small scale.  On your recording page, write 5 details from the video.

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

4. When you are done watching the video one time all of the way through, rewatch while you answer the questions. Pause the video as needed.

1. Record the measurement for the human hair in nanometers (it is on the little piece of paper)
2. Record the measurement for the red blood cell
3. Record the measurement for when you are smaller than he wave of visible light
4.  Record the measurement for the Rhino virus
5. How can nanotechnology be used in the future?

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

Check out the STEAM Mini Spark Nano Details of Our World.

Check out the Lessons on Nanotechnology Badge at the EY website

Every year, humans churn out about 400 million tons of plastic, and shockingly, 80% of it ends up as trash.  But don’t worry, nature has its own cleanup crew in the form of microbes, ready to chow down on our plastic mess.

Spark you thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #11: Microbes Eating Trash

2. Watch this TED-Ed video. Record 5 interesting vocabulary words on your recording sheet.

3. 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?

4. Advanced Option:Read this article and record your thoughts about this process.

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