Category Archives: Uncategorized

#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 you 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.

#24: Orangutan Lessons

Science Mini Spark, Uncategorized

Orangutans are the largest tree-dwelling mammals and the most solitary of the great apes. The three species—Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli—are critically endangered due to habitat loss.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #24: Orangutan Lessons.

2. Watch this TED ED video and record 3 details from the video on your recording page.

3. Read 9 facts at this information page from World Wildlife.  Choose 3 and record what you learned.

4. Read this journal from scientist who photographed orangutans in 2022. Write down the 3 main lessons on your recording page.

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

Jane Goodall  is a scientist who is helping endangered animals. Check out the Jane Goodall Badge at the EY Website.

#23: Rachel Carson

Science Mini Spark, Uncategorized

In an era when the threats to our environment were largely overlooked, marine biologist and author Rachel Carson courageously called on the US government to step up and safeguard both its citizens and the planet. Her passionate advocacy illuminated the urgent need for environmental protection and inspired a movement that would change how we view our relationship with nature.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #23: Rachel Carson

2. Watch this intro video lo learn about Rachel Carson. Record 3 of her accomplishments on your recording sheet.

3. Read about DDT and record 3 details on your recording sheet.

4. Read this Silent Spring book summary. On your recording page choose TWO of these questions to answer in two sentences or more. Reminder for your teacher that the answer key can be found in the science mini spark folder.

  • What evidence does Rachel Carson provide to support her claim that the introduction of chemicals is making the earth unfit for life?
  • How does Carson differentiate between the effects of inorganic chemicals used before World War II and the chemical pesticides introduced later? What implications does this have for pest control practices?
  • In what ways does Carson suggest that the interaction of multiple chemicals can increase cancer hazards in polluted waters? Analyze how this complexity affects public health policies.
  • Carson discusses the destruction of beneficial biological species due to chemical treatment of soils. What are the potential long-term ecological consequences of this destruction?
  • How does Carson’s notion of “delayed physiological symptoms” challenge the traditional understanding of safety regarding pesticide exposure? Provide examples from the text to support your analysis.
  • What criticisms does Carson raise about the government’s role in pesticide regulation and public safety? How does her perspective reflect broader concerns about environmental governance?

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

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