#WonderWednesdayTN

#WonderWednesdayTN

Wednesday April 15, 2020
Da Vinci Notebooks


Have you ever heard of Leonardo Da Vinci? He lived during the 16th Century, and he was well known for his many interests including inventing, painting, math, engineering, and much more! Some people think Da Vinci was born a genius! What they may not realize is he worked hard to figure out things on his own or from mentors.

Da Vinci recorded his thinking and ideas, observations, words from other people, or connections he made in notebooks. You may have seen pictures of his notebooks. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he filled around 50 notebooks!

Step 1: Find a notebook from school or staple or tape pieces of paper together. This will serve as your Da Vince notebook!

Step 2: Go on a walk around your neighborhood or look out a window. What do you observe about the world around you? An observation is something you notice using your senses. An example of an observation would be that tree has pink flowers blooming on its branches. Write down several observations using different senses.

Step 3: For each observation you wrote down, ask yourself why that might be the case. For example, why might the tree have pink flowers? Write down your questions next to each observation. 

Step 4:
Take an educated guess to answer each of your "why" questions. For example, the tree's flowers are pink to attract pollinators. You just made what are called "inferences" or educated guesses to explain the world around you. Scientists, engineers, inventors, and artists make inferences every day in their work.

Step 5:  Ask your teacher or a family member to share your observations and inferences on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN and #LearningInPlaceTN.

You now have a Di Vinci notebook! Over the coming days, observe the world around you and following your curiosity! What is the first thing in nature you observed today? Let us see your “Da Vinci” Side! 

Additional Resources:

Wednesday April 22, 2020
Earth Day Challenge


April 22nd is Earth Day, an event that takes place each year to celebrate the Earth and engage in activism to protect our world.  
For today's #WonderWednesday, you will explore opportunities to take action to help our planet. 

Step 1: Learn about the history of Earth Day. Read or ask a family member to help you read about the interesting history of Earth Day. As you read, make notes in your Da Vinci notebook. What do you wonder about the Earth?

Step 2: Visit the Earth Day Challenge Website. The Earth Day Challenge provides 22 opportunities to get involved in the protection of our planet.

Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page and you can see the options for getting involved with Earth Day. Ask a family member to help you select three of the opportunities to get involved. Each activity has resources and information to help you get started. Three of our favorites are "Become a Citizen Scientist," "Do a Plastic Audit," and "Start a Dialogue."

Step 4:  As you complete your three Earth Day challenges, make notes in your Da Vinci notebook. What did you learn? How does it feel to help the planet? What other steps can you take to help? What kinds of jobs would help with this challenge?

Step 5: Ask your teacher or a family member to share your challenges on social media using #EarthDay2020, #WonderWednesdayTN, and #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources:


Wednesday April 29, 2020
Visual Learning


What would you say if I told you that doodling was good for you? It’s true! Doodling helps people solve problems and increases memory, creativity, and focus. We all learn differently. For many kids and adults, doodling or "sketchnotes" can help them make sense of what they learn. 

Step 1: Learn about Sketchnoting. Watch this Intro to Sketchnoting video to better understand what sketchnoting is why it is helpful for learning and remembering information.

Step 2:  Let's practice! Sketchnoting can be used to help you remember information that you see and you read. We're first going to practice sketchnoting videos. Select two videos from the National Geographic Kids - Things You Wanna Know Series. As you are watching, try to sketchnote what you learn in your Da Vinci notebook. Feel free to pause the video to allow you time to sketchnote as you go.

Step 3: Let's practice sketchnoting to help you remember information that you read. Visit the Time for Kids website and select your grade-band. Select an article for your grade-level. As you read, practice sketchnoting what you learn.

Step 4:  Later today or tomorrow, share what you learned from the videos and the article with a family member. Do you find you can remember the information better because of your sketchnotes?

Step 5: Ask your teacher or a family member to share your sketchnotes on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN and #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources:

Wednesday May 6, 2020
Exploring Nanotechnology


When we observe the world around us, there are some things we cannot see with the naked eye. We use magnifying glasses, zoom lens, and microscopes to see what those objects look like in more detail.

Nanotechnology is an exciting emerging field of research with applications in all STEM disciplines including the physical, chemical, life, earth and environmental sciences. By making small changes, nanotechnology scientists can create and discover new materials that have exciting new qualities—some of these materials might even make you think of favorite science fiction or comic book characters!

Step 1: Explore the MicroCosmos Magazine from Aquila. Be sure to investigate the Beauty of Ancient Nanotechnology on pages 4 -5.

Step 2: Complete this Scientific American Nanotechnolgy Engineering Exercise using paper items you have around the house! You’ll compare the strength of paper as you put it under different conditions.

Step 3: Check out these amazing nano-images and sketch your favorite one in your Da Vinci notebook.

Step 4: Select an object around your house (a cup, a plant, a piece of fabric, a toy, etc.) and imagine the nanostructure of that object. In your Da Vinci notebook, sketch, paint, and/or color what you think that object would look like if you were to look at it under a powerful electron microscope.

Step 5: Have a family member or teacher share your drawing on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN and #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources:

Nanotechnology Scale Video


Wednesday May 13, 2020
Exploring Biomimicry


In 1997, Jenine Benyus coined the term "biomimicry" - which means designing something to imitate things found in nature. Today, engineers and designers all over the world study plants, animals, and habitats to solve problems by observing and mimicking what they see.

Step 1: Watch this video to learn about what biomimicry is and the three types of biomimicry. How did scientists look at nature to design new inventions or technologies?

Step 2: Join MODA’s Biomimicry Design Challenge and work through the lessons. As you work through the videos and resources, consider sketchnoting your discoveries in your Da Vinci notebook.

Step 3: Go outside and observe a plant or animal in its habitat. In your Da Vinci notebook, write down three observations about that plant or animal. What did you notice about the plant or animal that makes it successful in living in that particular habitat? 

Step 4: Time to put on your inventor's cap! Think about the animal or plant you observed. What adaptations has it developed that could be beneficial to humans? In your Da Vinci notebook, design a new invention for humans based on what you observed in that plant or animal. 

Step 5: Have a family member or teacher share your biomimicry invention on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN and #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources: 




Wednesday May 20, 2020
Exploring Perspectives


Perspective-taking is the ability to understand another person's point of view besides your own. It's where you consider someone else's thoughts and feelings about something in order to see things from their perspective. 

Today we're going to explore how our "perspectives" shape the way we see the world and how it is important to think of other people's perspectives when making a decision. 

Step 1:  Watch this video reading of "The Tale of Two Beasts". What were the two perspectives in the story? Why were their perspectives different? 

Step 2:  Study this infographic called, "How Pets Affect Our Well Being." What is your perspective on the impact of a pet on well being? Would you like a pet in your household? If you have a pet, would you like another? Why or why not?
Write your responses in your Da Vinci notebook.

Step 3: Pick two other family members and write their names at the top of a new page of your Da Vinci notebook. Ask the family members for their perspective on getting a pet, or getting another pet, if you already have one. Take notes about their perspective. 

Step 4: In your Da Vinci notebook, answer the following questions about your perspective study:
-Do I have the same perspective on this issue as the family members I interviewed? Why or why not?
-How would a pet impact their life differently than mine?
-Why might their perspective be different than mine?
-Why is it important to consider someone else's perspective? 

Step 5: Have a family member or teacher share what you learned about perspective-taking using #WonderWednesdayTN and #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources: 




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