Category Archives: Uncategorized

Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest

Other Events & Contests, Uncategorized
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.

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.

#38: Duplicator Lab Riddles

Math Mini Sparks, Mini Challenges, Uncategorized

This Math Mini Spark is brought to you by Steve Wyborney.  Steve is an award-winning teacher and instructional coach from Oregon.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #38: Duplicator Lab Riddles
  2. Click here to watch the Duplicator Lab Riddle Video. It does not have sound.
  3. Answer 1, 2, and/or 3 riddles posed at the end of the video. Do all math on your recording page.
  4. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator. *reminder answers for are in the math mini spark folder.

Family Code Night

Other Events & Contests, Uncategorized
You’re invited to Family Code Night at Westside Middle School. Bring the whole family for a fun evening of computer programming. Don’t know how to computer program? No worries, there will be plenty of activities for the whole family to learn.
Date: December 7
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Westside Middle School Library
Stations Include:
Sign-Up Here:  https://goo.gl/forms/ZiSEQRIsGex10jNw2

L. Arts Mini-Spark #31: Growth Mindset Part 2

Learning Opportunities, Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

What did you learn today?  What mistake did you make that taught you something?  What did you try hard at today? ~Carol Dweck

Learn more about Growth and Fixed Mindset by completing the LearnStorm course on Khan Academy.  There are 6 activities total and each one has an accompanying worksheet (linked below).

You can either print the activity sheets yourself by clicking the links above, or you can ask your classroom teacher or the EY Coordinator at your building for copies.  When you are finished with all the activities, hand in your papers to your classroom teacher or EY Coordinator.  Make sure to fill out the Badge Request Form to earn your Mindset Badge.

brain image taken from: https://pixabay.com/photo-1295128/

#30: Growth Mindset Part 1

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset?  Does it depend on the situation?  Do you believe you are born with innate talents and gifts?  Find the answers to these questions and more by checking out the resources below.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #30: Growth Mindset Part 1

2. Watch this video from John Spencer. On your recording sheet record 3-4 details that were new to you, interesting, or sounded important.

3. Watch the 3D animated short short Soar. Write a detailed description of the tiny flying machine, focus on component parts.

4. Respond to 2 of these prompts on your recording sheet after watching the video, Soar.

  • A theme is the message or lesson that the author wants you to learn from the story. The theme is often inferred. What themes are present in this animation?
  • What did the characters learn?
  • Did all the characters learn the same thing?
  • How did the characters grow throughout the animation?
  • How does this animation fit with what we know about growth vs. fixed mindset?
  • What message can we take from this animation and how might it apply to our lives?

5. Read this article, “A Quick Note About Getting Better at Difficult Things”. Record the answers to questions 1-4 on your recording sheet, question 5 is optional.

6. Read the poem, “I PRACTICED” by JonArno Lawson.  Choose 1 of these prompts and respond with 5 sentences.

  •  Think of an activity or skill that you have practiced a lot. Why do you practice it? Do you think becoming perfect at a skill should be the goal of practice? Why or why not?
  •  Do you think practicing a lot makes you successful? Why doesn’t the speaker succeed at the skill even though they practice all the time?
  • In the poem, the speaker describes practicing a new skill, but not doing it. How do you think fear could stop someone from trying a new skill or activity?

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

Check out the Growth or Fixed Mindset Badge at the EY Website

Early Enrichment #36: Sign Language

Early Enrichment, Uncategorized
Do you know sign language?  Can you spell your name in sign language?  The next 5 Early Enrichment Mini Challenges will help you to learn how to sign your name, common requests, and more!

Week 1:  Animals

After watching the videos, you can…

  1. create a video of yourself doing 5 animal signs.
  2. work with a partner (if it’s OK with your teacher) and create a video of 10 animal signs.
  3. make a class video where each child does a different animal sign.

Image taken from: https://pixabay.com/p-28716/?no_redirect

WOW! That’s Engineering Event Sept 30, 2017

Other Events & Contests, Uncategorized
Who: 6th-10 Grade Girls interested in engineering fields 
When: Saturday, September 30, 2017 – 8:30 AM to 3 PM
Where: College of Saint Mary
7000 Mercy Road
Omaha NE  68106
Cost: FREE!! Pre-registration is required due to limited space.
Parents & Educators are welcome to join us for our Parent & Educator Track!!
Our event is aimed at encouraging young women to pursue careers in Engineering and Technology!
Students will experience:
Mechanical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Systems Engineering
Registration Materials  Click here
Screen Shot 2017-09-14 at 1.12.44 PM

#26: Use Every Meaning

Reading Enrichment, Uncategorized

Homonyms can also have identical pronunciations and spellings but different meanings, such as “quail” (the bird) and “quail” (to cringe). This mini spark will let you be creative in your writing to create fun sentences.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #26: Use Every Meaning

2.  This morning before school, I made a racket when I dropped my racket down the stairs. What do you notice about this sentence? Check out this website that shows some words with multiple meanings. Record the 3 most interesting and each of the meanings on your recording page.

3. Look over this sentences On your recording page, write all three of the definitions for subject.

Evil King Byrd liked to subject his subjects to lectures about his favorite subject: the history of the toothpick.

4. Write 5 of your own sentences that are like the sample above.  If you want to look at a list to get started then click here. You are not limited to just using words with two meanings. You can use your own ideas as well. Record your sentences on your recording sheet.

5. Increase the complexity to include multiple meanings of three different homographs in one paragraph.  Look over this sentence with duck, bank, and dove. On your recording page, write the both of the definitions for duck, bank, and dove as used in this sentence

The skateboarding dove banked her skateboard off a river bank, ducked into a spin, and then dove under the water, barely missing a duck.

6. Write your own sentence that are like the sample from step 5.

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

Lesson adapted from https://www.byrdseed.com/homographs-homonyms/

#24: Adjective Form Poem

Uncategorized

Build your writing skills by studying adjectives and creating poetry.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #24: Adjective Form Poem

2. Print this handout. You will use it for this mini spark.

3. Listen to this book. When you are done record 10 adjectives the describe apples. The list should includes words that describe how the apples look, smell, feel and taste.

4.  Look at the following poem  by Terry Henkelman.  Review the words in the poem and notice out how each one is a synonym for the adjective funny.

FUNNY…
So amusing
So comical
So humorous
So mirthful
So laughable
Sooo… funny

5.  An online thesaurus will be helpful for step 6.

6. Use the handout  you printed from step 2 and write a 2 form poems for Apples and follow the instructions on the handout. If you want to type it on your recording sheet instead you can.

7.  Watch this video. Select 10 adjectives from the book and list them on your recording sheet.

8. Keep practicing writing form poems. Select two adjectives from the list to begin additional poems on the Form Poem Handout. Use the online thesaurus if needed.

9. Share your language arts mini spark recording page and handout with your teacher/EY coordinator.

red, green, round, shiny, waxy, bruised, ripe, speckled, spotted, smooth

 

Lesson adapted from Read, Write, Think

#25: Sweet Math

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

This math mini spark has you diving into a box of donuts and solving a variety of math problems.

“Donut” let this opportunity slip by!

Start solving these “sweet” math problems today!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #25: Sweet Math

2.”You can think of almost anything as a math problem!” Ms. Fibonacci in Math Curse by Jon Scieszka.

3. Print out the PDF or make a copy of the digital version of the doughnut activity page. Due to the complexity of some of the questions, It’s acceptable to use your resources (ie. teacher, older brother or sister, Internet to look up a formula, etc.) and ask for help.

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