Category Archives: Uncategorized

#15: Juliette Gordon Low

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized

Inventor, Juliette Gordon Low, or as her friends called her, “Daisy,” was like the superhero of Girl Scouts, zooming around with courage, confidence, and character! In 1912, she waved her magic wand and created Girl Scouts of the USA, where girls could gather to unleash their amazing powers in STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math! Just like a science experiment gone right, she turned her dream of girls teaming up to celebrate their strengths into a fantastic reality!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM  mini spark recording page: #15: Juliette Gordon Low

2. Watch this video to learn about Ms. Low. Take notes on your recording sheet.

3. Read and examine all of the pages on these sheets which share Ms. Low’s patent for a liquid container made out of paper.  How do the different labels and figures help understand the drawings.

4. Print page 2 of this information sheet. Work on the folding project. Reminder: You will need to study the patent drawing page to find the steps.

5. Now add your own creativity! Think of 3 new uses for this invention.

6. Take a picture of your product and your three ideas and add it to your recording page

7. Did you know that Juliette Low also has a Design Patent? It may look familiar to you. It is the inspiration for many trademarks utilized by Girl Scouts of America. Study this image. Do some research to find out what a design patent is. Record your findings on your recording page.

8. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Kids Invent Stuff Badge the Problem Solving Invention Badge at the EY website.

Breaking Barriers Essay Contest for Grades 4 – 8

Uncategorized

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The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for students in grades 4 – 8 to share their personal stories and show how they use Jackie Robinson’s values to face their own barriers.  There are prizes for the winners!!!

Visit this link:  http://www.scholastic.com/breakingbarriers/kids/  for more details.

If you have any questions, please ask your classroom teacher, or your school’s EY teacher.

Deadline for entry is March 14th, 2016-Check in the spring for a new contest

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described here.  The sharing of this information is provided as a community service.

#13: BOTB Reading Goals

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

The Battle of the Books is a quiz-bowl competition where students work on teams to read books from this year’s list.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #13: BOTB Reading Goals

2. Check out the reading lists for elementary and middle school. If the list has not been updated, email your EY teacher so they can be changed.

3. How many books do you want to read this year?  Add a list of the book titles that you are going to read to your recording sheet.

4. Everytime you finish a book, add a picture of the book to your recording sheet.

5. When you meet your goal, share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the BOTB badges at the EY Website

Do Space

Other Events & Contests, Uncategorized

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Have you been to the new Do Space in Omaha?  I haven’t, but I just signed up for a FREE workshop on January 10th to create a glowing hoodie sweatshirt!  I’m so excited!

Check out the website and the calendar of events below.  If you end up going to Do Space, post a comment about your experience.  Better yet, take a picture of what you created and send it to the EY coordinator at your building!

Click here for the website

Click here for the Do Space calendar

Westside Community Schools does not sponsor or endorse the organization or activity described here.  The sharing of this information is provided as a community service.

#11: Video Game Math Problems

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized
I have 120 minions (btw…minions can fly).  Each minion has 50 health.   The archer tower does a big damage on the minion.  The minion loses 38 health.  How much health does the minion have left?

My boys love their video games!  Minecraft, Clash of Clans, Where’s My Water…I can’t keep up with all of them.  One way I don’t go crazy with all the gaming is that I have them write math story problems that go along with the game.  Check out these problems my son Trevor wrote about Clash of Clans:                                                                                                                Image taken from https://www.flickr.com/photos/85217387@N04/8638068371ClashofClans

  1. An army camp can hold 50 spaces.  If a giant takes up 5 spaces, how many giants can fit in that army camp?
  2. I am attacking with 75 barbarians.  I place down 40 barbarians.  How many barbarians do I have left?
  3. I have 20 dark elixir.  If I attack and gain 90 dark elixir, how much dark elixir do I have now?
  4. One of my valkyries hit 2 dark elixir drills.  One drill had 100 dark elixir and the other had 59.  If I already had 1,350 dark elixir, how much do I have now?
  5. I have 10,000 gold and I spend 2,000 gold on walls.  If one wall costs 100 gold, how many walls can I get?
  6. I have 120 minions (btw…minions can fly).  Each minion has 50 health.   The archer tower does a big damage on the minion.  The minion loses 38 health.  How much health does the minion have left?
  7. I have 30,292 gold.  Overnight, somebody attacks me and gains 9,929 gold (that means I lose 9,929 gold).  How much gold do I have now?
  8. I have 1,347 trophies.  In the battle, I gain 25 more.  How many trophies do I have now?
  9. When a clan has 1,962 trophies.  Round this number to the nearest hundred.
  10. In my army camp, I can hold 200 spaces.  A giant level 4 takes up 6 spaces.  I have 2 wallbreakers that each take 2 spaces.  How much space do I have left in my army camp?
  11. A wallbreaker breaks 4 walls at a time.  If there are 6 wallbreakers, how many walls will be blown up?
  12. My clan castle can hold 30 spaces.  TiTi, a clan member, donates 5 lv 5 barbarians.  They take up 5 spaces in all in my clan castle.  How many spaces do I have now?

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #11: Video Game Math Problems
  2. On your recording page, write 12 creative math story problems to go along with a video game that you like to play.  Make an answer key for your problems as well.
  3.  On our recording page, write the step by step directions for three of your hardest problems.
  4. Answer 5 of the Clash of Clans story problems from above.  Write the number of the problem, show your math and include your answer.
  5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#10: Benefits of Fire

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities, Uncategorized

Why would anyone want to start a forest fire on purpose? In this STEAM mini spark you will find out the answer to this question along with many more ideas about this topic.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #10: Benefits of Fire

2. Find the answers to these questions using the sources below.

  • How can you conduct a controlled burn/prescribed burn?
  • What types of scientists/professionals work in this field?
  • What components of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) are important to the controlled burn process?

Research Links: While reading/watching each resource, record information that is new to you, is interesting, or sounds important.  

National Geographic article, Controlled Burning.

Firefighter from Florida interview question 1, “How has a place like Florida been shaped by fire?”

Firefighter from Florida interview question 2 “What does it mean to do a prescribed fire or controlled burn?”

Fontenelle Forest Website page, Prescribed Fires

Smokey Bear Website page, Benefits of Fires

National Geographic article, The Ecological Benefits of Fire

3. Record your answers to the 3 questions on your recording sheet.

4. When you are finished researching and answering the 3 questions, display your learning somehow.  Push yourself to try a new app or a new way of showing your learning.  Here are some examples:

  • Write a letter Fontenelle Forest
  • If you could interview a restoration biologist, what questions would you ask?
  • Make an infographic with terms, images, and details about the topic.

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

Check out the Natural Disaster Reporter badge at the EY website.

Early Enrichment #6: Alternative Endings

Early Enrichment, Uncategorized

 

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Have you ever wished a story ended differently in a book?

I know I have!

Maybe it was missing more action, a happy ending, or a hook that makes you want to read more.

Try your hand in being an author, and write an ending for a story. You can use a book that you have read before, or checkout the ideas at this website.

http://www.stuartstories.com/activities/finishme.html

Comment below how you would end the stories!

#11: That’s hard to pronounce!

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

A heteronyms are words that have the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings.  For example, wind and wind can easily cause confusion since both word are spelled the same BUT can be pronounced differently and have different meaning. We’ll outline heteronyms and some other words that are hard to pronounce in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #11: That’s hard to pronounce!

2. Write this definition on your recording sheet. A heteronym occurs when two or more homographs – words which the same spelling – are pronounced differently. In a written text, this can be confusing.

3. Watch this video. On your recording page record at least 10 ideas you learned from this video.

 

4. Look at this list of words. Practice the different ways the word can be pronounced.  Ask your teacher to listen to you say the words in the correct format. Have your teacher put her signature on your recording sheet by step 4.

  • Bass – a fish, or a low-pitched instrument
  • Bow – a thing you fire arrows with, or when you bend over in a respectful greeting
  • Desert – to abandon, or a (usually sandy) area with little rain
  • Moped – when you were sad, or a low-powered alternative to a motorbike
  • Perfect – when you get really good at something, or when something is flawless
  • Polish – when you make something metal look great, or something from Poland
  • Wind – when you twist something, or when the air moves

5.  Number your recording sheet from 1-9.  Your challenge is to try to think of a word that will fit into both blanks. These are tricky but spend at least 5 minutes trying to work on these challenge.  GOAL-Try to solve at least 6!  After 5 minutes or when you have at least 6, scroll way to the end of this page to check your work. Put a star for those that were correct and add in correct answers for those that were blank.

    1. She will ———- if you try to bring that ugly ———-into her house.

     2. I saw a ——– in her eye when he threatened to ——– up the agreement.

     3. They were able to ———- the gates before the enemy got too ———-.

     4. The secretary will ——– the items until she has a complete ———-.

     5. A ———- occurred when the prisoners were ordered to line up in a ———-.

     6. It took less than a ———— to identify the ———— virus.

     7. His followers will ———- him if he forces them to live in the arid ——–.

     8. He ——– all that he can to protect the ———- from harm.

     9. The will written by the ———- was declared by a lawyer to be ———-.

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

Check out mini spark #9 The Dove Dove which is about words and how they are used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWERS

1. Object

2. Tear

3. Close

4. Record

5. Row

6. Minute

7. Desert

8. Does

9. Invalid

Lesson idea from https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/aug/12/super-quiz-heteronyms/

Quarter 1 is behind us!

Sindt Blog, Uncategorized

First quarter is over!  Wow – this year is flying by already!

We have had a busy, fun first quarter.  Our focus has been on invention and innovation, which has always been a fun theme for students. We had a variety of events and experiences that provided students with the opportunity to explore invention and innovation both inside and outside the classroom.

One such event was the Invention Convention Seminar in September.  This was open to all students grades 2 – 6 (at two separate seminars) and had a focus on the engineering process, as well.  Fifth and sixth grade students had the opportunity to create their own musical instrument, work through the reverse engineering process, market their invention, and look at improving the world through inventions all while creating an engineering notebook.  Second through Fourth graders worked through the process of engineering by creating electrical circuits and they even got to put together a light up greeting card using a circuit they made.  It was exciting to see all of the innovative thinkers we have at Westside!

Math and Reading enrichment classes are in full swing now.  For reading enrichment, we are doing some higher-level novel studies.  The students enjoy digging deeper into their reading and writing.  When we’re not working on a novel, students are encouraged to complete their Current Events on the Google Doc, and look into Reading Enrichment opportunities in the EY Blog.  For math enrichment, we’re working off of a Math Enrichment menu, which gives students the opportunity to personalize their own math enrichment experience.

We continue to encourage all students to check out the EY blog regularly for enrichment opportunities in many interest areas both within their classrooms, and beyond.  Please encourage your student(s) to explore the blog at home as well.  Like I always say…the blog doesn’t ever take a day off!

Thank you for making this first quarter a success!

#7: Mayan Math

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

The Mayans were a classical civilization of Mesoamerica.  Originating in the Yucatan around 2600 B.C.E., they rose to prominence around A.D.E. 250 in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, western Honduras, El Salvador, and northern Belize.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #7: Mayan Math

2. Mayan Math was the most sophisticated number system ever developed in the Americas.  Astronomers and architects used Mayan Math, but it was also simple enough to be used by uneducated traders and farmers.  Where we use ten different symbols to represent numbers (1, 2, 3, 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0), the Mayans used only three: a dot for a one, a bar for five, and a symbol (usually a shell) for zero. (The Maya were the first civilization to discover and understand the concept of zero.)  The chart below shows the Mayan numbers 1 – 19. Draw this chart on your recording page or use this online tool to practice making the numbers 1-19.

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3.  We use a decimal system, based on the number ten, but the Mayans used a vigesimal system, based on the number twenty. So, where we learn to count on our fingers, Mayan children counted on their fingers and toes. In fact, the number twenty was very important to the Mayans, so much so that the words for “human being” and “twenty” share the same root in most Mayan languages. Record a summary of this information on your recording sheet.
Watch a video about base 20 and how it is used. Record important details on your recording sheet.

4. The Mayans wrote their numbers from top to bottom rather than from left to right, but apart from that, their system was not so different from ours. For example, to write the number 34, we place a three in the tens column and a four in the ones column. The Maya put a one in the twenties column and a fourteen in the ones column. Draw this image on your recording sheet.

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5. Practice making larger numbers at Round 2 at Mayan Math Games. Then you will move to Round 3 at Mayan Math Games where you make numbers in the base 20 system.   If you think you can move to round 3 without starting in round 2 that is ok. Add a note to your recording page about what you learned.

6. Adding in the Mayan system is simply a matter of juggling the dots and bars. To calculate 36 + 13, for example, you start by adding the units (i.e., 16 + 13). This gives you 29, so you leave 9 in the ones column and carry the 20 up, giving you a grand total of 2 twenties and 9 ones = 49.

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Pretty smart, right? Especially, when you consider that the Ancient Egyptians never cracked the concept of zero and that complex calculations with Roman numerals were way too complicated for ordinary Romans. Practice adding in Round 4 at Mayan Math Games.

7.  Optional: If you would like to try subtraction go to Round 5 at Mayan Math Games.

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

Check out the ancient number systems badge at the EY website