Category Archives: Uncategorized
20-21: Weekly Challenge #2-Kitchen Challenge
What’s Cooking?
This week’s EY Weekly Challenge has you cooking up something in the kitchen!
For this Weekly Challenge, please choose one of the following options:
- Ask a grandparent, relative, parent(s), etc. for a family recipe. Is it something you always have at a holiday gathering? Something only prepared on a special occasion? Submit a family recipe along with an explanation of its significance to you/your family.
- Make something in the kitchen and take a picture/video of the process and/or final product. Make sure your creation has a name and that you provide the ingredients necessary to make your recipe. Make sure to get an adult’s approval first before you start.
Google Form Link: https://forms.gle/RzHSWDHtnonnRvFu7
Image Source: https://www.clipart.email/clipart/kid-chef-clipart-33460.html
Weekly Challenge #1 Highlights
Wow! Over 80 mask submissions for our first Weekly Challenge!
Thank you all for submitting your fun, fashionable, functional and fitting mask designs for the first EY Weekly Challenge! Each week, we will pick out a few of our favorites to highlight.
Calista from Loveland went the fashionable route for her mask. Check out the reversible Halloween mask that her and friend Katie sewed themselves!
Whitney from Rockbrook sewed a mask with her Grandma. The pleats make for a functional and comfortable fit!
Click here to see Whitney’s mask.
Logan from Loveland went the functional route with cooling fans and a zipper for eating and talking.
Alondra from WMS looks like she is on her way to a business opportunity with her mask design!
Ada from Loveland was resourceful in her design as she up-cycled a sock for her mask.
Thanks for checking out the highlights for Weekly Challenge #1! Make sure to check back for the highlights of Weekly Challenge #2!
#2: Shadow Science
Learn about shadows, including what they are and how they form. Discover the way solid objects block light to form shadows and how shadows can change shape when the light source changes
Spark you thinking!
1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #2: Shadow Science
2. How are Shadows formed? Watch this video. Record all of the vocabulary words tha pop up on your recording sheet. If it is a new word for you, write a short definition as well.
3. Shadow puppetry is the art of using the shadows of puppets to entertain the audience. Research this art form at Wonderopolis and make a fact page about its history. Add a picture of your project to your recording page.
4. A long time ago, people observed the way shadows were formed by the sun and utilized this principle in making the world’s most primitive clocks, the sundials. Learn about sundials. Take notes about the process on your recording sheet.
5. Share your science mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Check out the Shadow Science Badge at the EY Website.
#49: Descriptive Writing
The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader’s mind. Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #49: Descriptive Writing
2. Watch this Ted-Ed Video. Watch this video. Record the sentence from Hurricane Fever on your recording sheet. Explain how the words are chosen to help the reader connect with the story with their senses.
3. In the video, the narrator describes the characteristics of descriptive writing and gives several examples. Read these 4 reminders and summarize each one on your recording sheet.
- Good descriptive writing includes many vivid sensory details that paint a picture and appeals to all of the reader’s senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste when appropriate. Descriptive writing may also paint pictures of the feelings the person, place or thing invokes in the writer.
- Good descriptive writing often makes use of figurative language such as analogies, similes and metaphors to help paint the picture in the reader’s mind.
- Good descriptive writing uses precise language. General adjectives, nouns, and passive verbs do not have a place in good descriptive writing. Use specific adjectives and nouns and strong action verbs to give life to the picture you are painting in the reader’s mind.
- Good descriptive writing is organized. Some ways to organize descriptive writing include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. When describing a person, you might begin with a physical description, followed by how that person thinks, feels and acts.
4. Give it a try! For the following sentences, rewrite it using rich descriptive language. Keep the five senses in mind. You can use the following and rewrite each OR use one as a prompt and write a descriptive paragraph or stort story. Record all work on your recording sheet.
- Sight – The girls went to the city park.
- Sound/Hearing – We went to the stadium to watch our favorite team.
- Smell – The waitress brought our food to the table.
- Taste – My grandma made us cookies.
- Touch – I walked to school this morning not knowing they had called a snow day.
5. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
#34: Animal Robots
While the word “robot” can conjure up an image of a cyborg human with lights for eyes and super powers, animal-inspired robots are accomplishing tasks in all kinds of medical, military and rescue work. These anibots perform tasks that would be difficult and often dangerous for mere mortals, or even human droids, to accomplish
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your STEAM mini spark recording page: #34: Animal Robots
2. Pneupard is a robot that is designed to be agile and fast like cheetahs and other cats. Pneupard has artificial muscles made from rubber tubing that are covered in nylon and filled with air. The pneumatic muscles have lifelike skills that allow the bot to replicate the range of motion and strength of a real cat!
3. On your recording sheet define Pneupard.
4. Watch this video about Pneupard. Record 5 details from the video on your recording page.
5. Answer the following questions.
- How are these engineers using robots to learn about nature?
- Why are cheetah’s ultra complex to recreate?
- What did the engineers learn when the were in the park
- What animal would you choose to recreate as a robot? What part or parts of this animal would be ultra complex to recreate?
6. One modern robot flier is called ornithopter. Ornithopter looks and flies much like a real bird. One sweet little ornithopter is used as a nano-spybot, equipped with a tiny camera.
7. On your recording sheet define ornithopter.
8. Watch this video about Ornithopter and write a summary of the video on your recording page.
9. On your recording page, answer these questions.
- What materials are used to make this robot?
- What other material come to mind that might work?
- Have you ever seen a servo motor? If not where else might it be used? If you have seen one, what was its purpose?
- What is visually interesting to you about this robot? What woud you change?
10. Share your STEAM mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
#46: CALLING ALL READERS
Are you an enthusiastic reader who likes to read current event articles from a variety of sources? Check out…………DOGO NEWS!
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #46: CALLING ALL READERS
2. DOGO NEWS consists of daily news sites and includes text, photos, graphics, and audio and/or video materials prepared about current events, social studies science, and more! The main topics are at the top of the page.
3. Go to DOGO News and explore. Pick out 3 articles to read and complete step 4 for each one
4. For each article you choose to read follow these steps.
- Put the name of the article on your recording sheet.
- Record several of the bolded words from the article.
- If there are videos included on the page, watch at least 1 and write one sentence about it
- If there are maps, graphs, or infographics take the time to look at them and write one sentence about each one.
- Summarize the article and type a question you have after reading the article
4. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Grade 6
Imagineering In A Box!
Source: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/
Walt Disney Imagineering Partners With Khan Academy To Bring You ‘Imagineering in a Box’
Imagineering fans, get ready! If you’ve ever been one of many guests who’s visited a Disney theme park and found yourself inspired to dream, build and create, there’s a new online program you just can’t miss!
‘Imagineering in a Box’ is a free online program that brings together the diverse talents of Disney Imagineers around the world for a one-of-a-kind learning experience and is part of Disney’s commitment to helping today’s youth create the future they imagine.
The series offers 32 videos in which Imagineers share how they use a wide range of skills – from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering – to create immersive experiences. The online curriculum aims to ignite curiosity, inspire creativity, and encourage innovation in the minds of students and teachers alike, while creating fun and engaging opportunities to explore new concepts.
Modules range from a tutorial on engineering software, to an interactive exercise where learners are encouraged to gather items around them and create something new. The program’s hands-on components will allow students to relate new concepts to real-world examples to bring treasured Disney stories to life. Each activity is designed to be scalable, allowing individuals to learn on their own or in a classroom setting.
Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest
The Friends of Omaha Public Library are currently accepting submissions for the Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest. The contest is for students in 5-8th grade. First prize in each grade is $100.
Here is a link to the contest https://omahalibrary.org/virginia-frank-memorial-writing-contest/
The Virginia Frank Memorial Writing contest is held each year in the spring to recognize the creative writing talent of area students. This contest, sponsored by the Friends of Omaha Public Library, recognizes the top three winners from each grade. Each winner receives a cash prize and certificate, is recognized in a ceremony at the library, and has their story published on the library website. The school libraries of each winning student are also recognized with a matching cash prize.
Eligibility Requirements
Stories must be submitted with an entry form to be considered. Complete all fields either online or on a printed entry form and submit with your story.
Students must be in 5th to 8th grade and live in Douglas or Sarpy counties.
Students may be enrolled in public, private, parochial or home school.
Stories must be typed and no longer than 750 words.
Entries must be original fiction featuring a character from a book you have enjoyed and read on your own. Identify the book and author from which your character originated in the title or subtitle of your story.
Only one entry per contestant will be accepted.
The decision of the judges is final.
All entries become the property of Friends of Omaha Public Library (FOPL) and may be featured by Omaha Public Library on its website or social media.
Deadline for entries is February 28, 2020.
Prizes
First ($100), second ($75) and third place ($50)
Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners from each grade.
The school library of the winning students will be recognized with matching cash prizes.
Read the winning stories from the 2019 Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest
About Virginia Frank
The Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest began in 2003 and is named in honor of a longtime Friends of Omaha Public Library volunteer. Virginia Frank was a Central High and UNO graduate. She acquired a master’s degree from Brown University and taught English literature and creative writing at UNO for many years. Her passion for students and young people inspired everyone around her, and her enthusiasm encouraged many students to explore their creative writing talents. Frank volunteered thousands of hours with the Friends of OPL to help ensuring a bright future for our public libraries.