6-8 Grade GT Packet May 11-21

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6 -8 Grade GT Packet Weeks 7-8: May 11-21

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Middle School- Gifted & Talented Weeks 7 & 8

FRENSHIP ISD GIFTED & TALENTED PROGRAM Optional Assignments for Middle School Students WEEKS 7 & 8 (May 11-15 & May 18-21) 6th-8th Grade Students: During the last two weeks of school, after you finish your regular school work, try one or more of these activities to sharpen that awesome tool known as your BRAIN! __________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY 1: Online Simulations Do you like online simulations?

Do you like solving real-world problems?

Do you like fun and innovative activities?

You can sign up for FREE right now and participate in fun online simulations called Gizmos!

Explorelearning.com Some of the Gizmos you might enjoy exploring…

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Program a Mars rover to explore the surface of the red planet.

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Design a trebuchet to fling projectiles at a castle wall.

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Design a car to protect a test dummy.

Design your own digestive system to see what would happen if organs needed to be removed.

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Investigate the decay of a radioactive substance.

Perform multiple experiments using common household powders.

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Go on an African safari to observe the behaviors of wild animals across the savannah.

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And much more!

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Middle School- Gifted & Talented Weeks 7 & 8

ACTIVITY 2: At-Home Science Experiment

OPTIONAL: You can watch a video about this experiment on this site: https://sciencebob.com/t ry-the-egg-dropchallenge/

OPTIONAL: Other at-home experiments are available at this site: https://sciencebob.com

CHALLENGE: Redesign this science experiment using different materials. Before you attempt to conduct the experiment, hypothesize what your new results will be.

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Middle School- Gifted & Talented Weeks 7 & 8

ACTIVITY 3: Civil Discourse

JOIN THE DEBATE… Should state governments determine whether schools close for part of a year?

Why or why not? If not the states, whose decision should it be?

OPTION 1: Hold a remote debate over this issue with your family or friends.

OPTION 2: Participate in the online debate over this issue and many more at thinkthevote.com (sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute.)

ACTIVITY 4: College Field Trips It’s never too early to start looking at options for after high school!

1. Choose three colleges or universities you’d like to visit. Go to youtube.com and search for that school with the word “virtual tours” to see what is available. If you’d like, invite your family to go on the field trips with you.

2. After you’ve “visited” all three schools, visit each of those school’s websites and find out the average cost for one year at that school. Don’t forget that some schools have different rates for in-state versus out-of-state students.

3. Next, find out what the entrance requirements are for freshman students.

4. Finally, make a pros/cons list for each school you’ve researched.

5. Present your findings (remotely, of course) to your family or friends.

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Middle School- Gifted & Talented Weeks 7 & 8

ACTIVITY 5: Stay Calm and Create Art Op Art was an art movement which occurred in the 1960s. It was a time when the artist was very much interested in the idea of creating movement on a two-dimensional surface by tricking the eye with a series of optical illusions.

What you need: White paper Sharpie Crayons or colored pencils

Step 1: Start by drawing a curved line across the paper with a Sharpie marker. Think rolling hill‌ not roller coaster!

Step 2: Add 8 dots across the line. They should be different lengths apart. You need a dot close to the edges of your paper.

Step 3: Start connecting the dots with bumps. The lines from the dots close to the edge will go off the edge of the paper to an imaginary dot.

Step 4: The lines will eventually go off the top and bottom of the paper.

Step 5: Fill the whole paper.

Step 6: Pick a group of colors you feel work well together (2 or 3). Using pencil crayons, fill in the spaces. Press harder in the corners. As you get near the top of each bump, press lighter and lighter. Continue until the work is complete.

Kinderart.com/middleschool

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