Category Archives: Uncategorized

#107: Hidato Puzzles

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Hidato Puzzles (or Hidoku Puzzles) are the creation of Dr. Gyora M. Benedek, an Israeli mathematician. The Hebrew word “hida” means riddle. In a hidato puzzle, you are given a grid with a selection of the numbers already filled in.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #107: Hidato Puzzles

2. Watch THIS VIDEO and write down, in your own words, how to solve a Hidato Puzzle.  A sample sentence can be found at the end of this post.  You can also visit THIS SITE and get some additional information about Hidato Puzzles, as well as some tips for solving them.

Dig a little deeper!

3. Try solving some Hidato Puzzles on your own!  THIS LINK will take you to several puzzles at varying difficulty levels.  Work with your EY Coordinator to decide how many you need to complete to finish this Mini Spark.

4.  Want to go further?  You can by earning the Hidato Puzzle Badge!  Check out the requirements HERE.  NOTE:  Scroll to the bottom of the page.

Sample Sentence:  One can solve a Hidato Puzzle by connecting numbers in ascending order (starting at 1)  to the next number either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

#62: State Challenge

Uncategorized

In this mini spark you will study the state and try out a state placement challenge.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies spark recording page: #62: State Challenge

2.  Set your timer for 7 minutes. Study this map. Record your starting time and stopping time on your recording sheet.

3. Print out a set of state cards. They do not have to be in color. Print them out one sided.

4. Cut your cards apart.

5. Layout your cards face up on a table or on your desk.

6. To earn this mini spark you need to put all 50 states in the correct place.  Since they are not drawn to scale, they won’t all fit perfectly and you can overlap cards as needed. Look over the options and decide what fits you. Write your choice on your recording sheet.

OPTIONS

Do this challenge with a map

Do this challenge without a map

7. When you are done, check your cards with the map.

8. Fix and states that are in the wrong place. Take a picture and add it to your recording page.

9. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

 

#105: The Birthday Problem

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

 

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #105: The Birthday Problem

2.  Watch this video. Write a summary of the birthday paradox to someone who has not heard of it before. Use at least 3 sentences.

4.  Carefully, read this article at Wonderopolis.  Take the wonderword challenge and the did you get it quiz after reading. Record your scores.

5. Watch this video from the beginning. Take notes while watching when they start to do the math around 2:00 and record the percents as well. Continue to take notes. On your recording page, explain why people are not able to answer the birthday problem very easily.

6. Advanced option-Read this lesson at Math is Fun.  Record details as you work through the lesson.

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

 

#83: All about storytelling

Uncategorized

Storytelling has been an important part of human cultures for a very long time. For thousands of years, storytelling was the main way to pass on cultural knowledge and beliefs from one generation to the next. Stories teach and entertain, which has helped keep traditional ways of life going. Cultural ideals, medical practices, folk wisdom, historical accounts, and religious beliefs have all been shared through stories told by many people over the centuries. Storytelling is still important today, even though the ways stories has evolved. 

Spark your thinking!

  1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #83: Storytelling
  2. Watch this interview from PBS. Record at least 5 important details from the video.
  3. Read this article.  Choose 3 questions to answer with 2-3 sentences.  Remind your teacher that the answers are in the LA mini spark folder. 
  • What is the main purpose of storytelling according to the passage?
  • What is the earliest evidence of storytelling mentioned in the text?
  • Describe the different forms of oral storytelling that are discussed in the passage.
  • How did the tradition of oral storytelling originate for works like The Iliad and Aesop’s Fables?
  • What are some reasons why people are drawn to stories according to the passage?
  • What are some ways that stories can help people develop empathy for others?
  • Why does the passage suggest that storytelling has been important for human cooperation and survival?
  • What does the passage suggest about the enduring nature of storytelling throughout human history

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

# 81: Origin Myths-Fire

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

An origin myth is a special story about imaginary people meant to answer difficult questions such as, “Where did the seasons first come from?” or “How was earth was formed?”. Myths are passed generation to generation in order to teach a lesson about a people’s customs or virtues. In each of the myths you will hear a story from a different tribal group.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page:  #81: Origin Myths-Fire

2. Read these two paragraphs. 

Native American or Indigenous peoples of North America do not share a single, unified body of mythology. Each of the many different tribal groups has developed their own stories about the creation of the world, the appearance of the first people, the place of humans in the universe, and the lives and deeds of deities and heroes.

Despite the great variety of Native American mythologies, certain common mythic themes, characters, and stories can be found in many of the cultures. Underlying all the myths is the idea that spiritual forces can be sensed through the natural world—including clouds, winds, plants, and animals. Many stories explain how the actions of gods, heroes, and ancestors gave the earth its present form.

On your recording sheet answer these two questions. What is the purpose of myths? What are some common elements in myths? 

3.  You will use a chart for the step 4.  You can create one on your recording page, print out this PDF, or make your own digital copy to add to your digital recording sheet.

4. Listen to or Read these 4 myths about how fire was created. Fill out your chart for each story. 

The First Fire – Cherokee

 

Coyote Brings Fire to the People – Shoshone

 

Fire Race- Karuk

 

How Beaver Stole Fire – Nez Percé 

How Beaver Stole Fire from the Pines

5. For the last task, decide which two origin stories that are the most similar.  On your recording page record the titles. Make a bulleted list of 5 ways the stories are the same and then list 5 ways that the stories have differences.

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

#60: Hidden Figures

Social Studies Enrichment, Uncategorized

“Hidden Figures” is a biographical book about four African American women who worked as mathematicians at NASA during the Space Race and played pivotal roles in the Apollo program. Their contributions were essential in advancing America’s space exploration efforts, particularly during the historic Apollo missions to the Moon

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #60: Hidden Figures

2. Record the names of the mathematicians you will learn about in this mini spark on your recording page: Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden.

3. Listen to Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.  For each of these dates you hear in the story, pause the story and write a phrase about that date.

1943, 1945, 1951, 1953, (1950s), 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1969

 

4. In 3-5 explain how Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. Use details from the story. Add your response to your recording page.

5. Read more about Katherine Johnson at this Wonderopolis page.

  • Read the page
  • Take the wonderword challenge. Add your score your recording page.
  • Do the Did you Get It quiz. Add your score your recording page.

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

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

#80: Word Fit Puzzle

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Fit words into a grid in this popular game, often seen in puzzle magazines as fill-ins. The grid looks like a crossword, but there are no normal clues. Instead you must find the right place in the grid for each word from a given list.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #80: Word Fit Puzzle

2. Watch this short intro video. What is the goal of this game?

3.  Go to the Word FIt Puzzle website. Explore the grid sizes and the difficulty levels. Record all of those on your recording page.

4.  Start easy to get the hang of it. Choose a level. Record your choice. Play a level. Take a screenshot of your ending time and add it to your recording page or write your ending time on your recording page.

5. Move to a harder level.  Choose a level. Record your choice. Play a level. Take a screenshot of your ending time and add it to your recording page or write your ending time on your recording page.

6. What do you like about this game. What changes would you recommend?

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

 

Want to keep playing? Keep moving up levels as you are ready. Document your progress. Talk to your EY coordinator about doing these puzzles to earn a badge.

 

#79: Peter Reynolds

Uncategorized

Peter H. Reynolds is a champion of creativity and a best-selling author and illustrator. His books, including The Dot, Ish, The Word Collector, and Happy Dreamer, are published in over 25 languages. They inspire children and adults with messages about creativity, bravery, empathy, and self-expression.

Spark your thinking!

  1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #79: Peter Reynolds
  2. Listen to The Dot, by Peter Reynolds. On your recording sheet, summarize the story and share some thoughts about how a teacher could use this book in classroom.

3. Read the information about Peter Reynolds, his book The Word Collector, as well as the interview at this website.  On your recording page, record at least 5 details about what you learned from reading the interview.

4. Hutch Magazine is a semi-annual literary and creativity magazine for kids, directed by Peter H. Reynolds. It showcases stories, art, poetry, book reviews, travel logs, and interviews created by children. Add one sentence to your recording sheet explaining Hutch Magazine.

5. Go to the Hutch Magazine site.  The issues are numbered and the theme of the issue is written under the number. Pick an issue that you would like to read. Record the issue # and the theme you choose on your recording sheet.

6. Choose 5 different stories/poems to read from the issue. On your recording sheet record the following 3 items for each piece you read.

  • Title
  • What you liked about the piece/What you disliked about the piece
  • What you learned
  • Tell a little bit about the author.

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

To write your own story to be submitted to be part of Hutch Magazine, check out the Hutch Magazine badge at the EY website. Check out the Dot Day STEAM Mini Spark.

#1: A Weird Story

Uncategorized

In this mini spark, you will  narrative about a routine activity you frequently engage in, such as brushing your teeth, shopping at the grocery store, or cycling. Next, introduce an unusual twist by altering a single detail. For instance, imagine if your toothbrush were replaced by a banana, the grocery store stocked only umbrellas, or your bike tires were actually snakes

Spark your thinking!

  1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #1: A Weird Story
  2.  As you listen to this story, briefly describe some of the parts that are funny, silly,  or that make you smile.

3. What makes the title of this story funny? What would you change about the title?  Write your ideas on your recording page.

4.  Look over these prompts. On your recording page record the two ideas that you like best.

  • Write a story about what would happen if every round object on Earth was suddenly a cabbage.

  • Write a story about two characters who are opposites. They could be opposite in size (one big, one small) or opposite in personality (one grumpy, one cheery) or opposite in what they want (one wants to sleep, one wants to dance). What happens when these characters meet? Do they become friends? Or enemies?

  • Write a story about an everyday object or animal (for example, a door, a carrot, a puppy, etc) that is secretly evil.

  • Write a story about a pigeon and a kid who swap bodies.

  • Write a story about an everyday activity you do all the time – for example, brushing your teeth, visiting the supermarket, riding your bike, etc. Then make the story weird by changing one small detail. For example, your toothbrush might be a banana. Or the supermarket might only sell gorillas. Or the tyres of your bike might actually be snakes.

5. Print off this prompt page. Choose one of the prompts and record your work on the page. You can choose to write your story on your mini spark recording page if you want.

6. Choose a title for your story and record it.

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

Post adapted from https://realpigeons.com/activities/how-to-write-a-silly-story/

#78: Literary Device Lesson-Irony

Uncategorized

The definition of irony as a literary device is a situation in which there is a contrast between expectation and reality. Check it out in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #78: Literary Device Lesson-Irony

2. Record this definition on your recording page:

IRONY- The use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning.

3. Set up your recording page with three sections.

Situational irony                      Dramatic irony                        Verbal irony

3. Discover three types of irony using this TED-Ed lesson. Read all of the teaching paragraphs and the watch each video. Record 3 details for each video on your recording page.

4. To show what you learned from the TEd-Ed lesson page create a visual with definitions and examples. Include at least 10 ideas on your visual.

5. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and visual with your teacher/EY coordinator.