AIG - Weldon Middle School-Grades 5-8 Assignments

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. Do people really use robots?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about robots?

Bonus Activity: What's a chore that you do every week? Could you invent a robot to do it for you? Think like an inventor! Maybe a robot could make your bed, clean your room, or feed the dog! Once you know what you want your robot to do, think about the simplest robot that could do this task. To pour dog food into a bowl, for example, a robot might just need a way to hold the dog food and a way to know where the bowl is. Write down your ideas or draw a picture of your new robot helper!

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. What's the best place to look for dinosaur fossils?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about dinosaur fossils?

Bonus Activity: If you want to find dinosaur fossils, the first step is to study rocks! Ask an adult to go on a nature walk with you, and keep an eye out for rocks. What do you notice about each rock you find? What shape is it? What color is it? If you scratch the rock with your fingernail, do any little pieces come off? See if you can find five different rocks on your walk. Then, make a drawing of each rock. Do you think any of them are the type of rock that might contain dinosaur fossils? Why or why not?

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. How is a rainbow made?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about rainbows?

Bonus Activity: You can create rainbow colors at home! Squirt a dime-size amount of dish soap into a bowl. Add water. Use a straw to blow some bubbles. Can you see colors in the bubbles? Look carefully! If you can’t find colors, move the bowl to a spot with different light. Like a rainbow, the colors that swirl in a soap bubble come from white light. The surface of the bubble splits the light into many colors!

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. Why do beavers build dams?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have?

Bonus Activity: Beavers aren’t the only animal builders. Birds make nests. Bees build hives. Spiders spin webs. Many animals dig tunnels. Next time you go for a walk outside, look for signs of animal builders. Even in the city, you can spot ant hills and spider webs and sometimes even bird nests. Think about what sort of home you’d have if you built your own home, like these animals do. Would you want to live high in a tree like a bird or deep underground like a gopher? Draw a picture of the home you would make for yourself.

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. How do vaccines work?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about vaccines?

Bonus Activity: Getting a vaccine isn't fun, but it's better than getting really sick! Think of other not-so-fun things that you do to stay healthy. For example, you brush your teeth every day. You go to bed early to get enough sleep. Now think like an inventor! What can you invent to make these healthy activities more fun? Maybe your toothbrush can light up and play a song while you brush your teeth! Or you can turn your bed into a fort. Draw or write about your fun and healthy inventions!

Creativity is the use of imagination or original
ideas, especially in the production of an artistic
work, such as writing. Narratives are written about
real or imagined experiences, but have descriptive
details, well-developed characters, and clear event
sequences.

Choose five images. These images can be found
online, cut from newspapers or magazines, old
photographs, or a combination of these. Use
these images to write a holiday narrative.

Your narrative can be mini-stories for each image
integrated into a full narrative with clear event
sequences or the images can be connected to
create one story or full narrative. Use the five
images to add detail, character development, and
clear event sequence to your story.

Here are some suggested questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. What do garbage trucks do with garbage?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have?

Bonus Activity: The best way to deal with garbage is to throw less stuff away! Think about things that you use just once and then throw in the trash. Maybe you thought of plastic spoons, plastic water bottles, or plastic bags from the store. What else can you think of? How could you replace these throw-away items with things you can reuse instead? Make a list or draw a picture of the throw-away things. Be sure to include your ideas of what you could use to replace them!

Hurricanes are weather hazards that can impact not only coastal regions but also regions hundreds of miles onshore. Our state has been fortunate not to experience any hurricanes this season. Typically, the further inland a place is, the less impact a hurricane has on an area. Of course this is not always the case.

Barrier islands protect coastlines from the full impact of these storms, but what happens when humans construct homes and businesses on barrier islands?

Read “Barrier Islands Protect Coastlines- ButThey are Also Vulnerable” to consider the ethical issues with building on these islands.

Consider multiple perspectives on whether or not this should be allowed. Determine your position and write and record a Public Service Announcement either supporting or not supporting building on barrier islands. Make sure to support your claim with evidence from the article and/or other sources.

Beginning next Monday (October 19th), please complete the attached Weekly Learning Log to record what you learned in each core class and your elective courses.

Use your report card (and/or midterm grades if taking college courses) to complete the Grade Analysis sheet. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know how I can assist you.

Also, please share the completed document with your parents/guardians for their input and to allow them to ask any questions they may have.

Here are some questions to answer after you watch the mini-lesson:

1. Has anything like the coronavirus ever happened before?

2. What did this lesson make you curious about? What other questions do you have about the coronavirus?

Bonus Activity: Masks can protect us from germs. But when you’re wearing a mask, people can’t see if you’re smiling or frowning. Put on a mask and look at yourself in a mirror. Think about how you could show your feelings while wearing a mask. Could you use the parts of your face and body that are visible to show your feelings? What else could you do? Describe or draw your ideas.

What makes a maze difficult to solve? Is it possible to look at a maze mathematically or is it dependent on the perspective of each person? The eye can easily become lost in a set of parallel passages. Are you looking down on the maze, solving it by eye? With a pencil? What if you're walking around inside the maze?

Try the attached "Super, Hard Maze".

Now make your own maze using the online coding program, Scratch. There is a how-to video for using Scratch if you need help. Share the maze you create HERE.

Can’t get enough of mazes? Check out 9 of the "Most Impressive Mazes You’ll Find Around the World" linked below.

A mathematical equation is like a balance. The two expressions on either side of the equal sign must remain equivalent. When solving an equation it is important to perform the same computation on both sides to maintain equivalency or balance.

Visit the website and play with several different mobiles. The mobiles get more challenging as you progress.

After playing around with the mobiles (be careful this can be addictive), write the equation for five of the mobiles and solve them algebraically. Be sure to try to build your own feature and have a friend or family member try to solve it. Post the equations you solve and the ones you create here.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us had to adapt to a new learning environment. What are some things you had to change due to remote learning?

Spend at least three minutes brainstorming the ways remote learning was different from learning at school. Be sure to include benefits as well as drawbacks. Read the article to see how different students adapted to remote learning.

What can we learn from the experience? Write a letter to your school board members suggesting changes to how schools teach based on what you have learned.