Spotlight on Sources:
Welcome to Renzulli Learning’s Spotlight on Sources, some of our most engaging resources to excite and inspire your students!
Summer offers a unique opportunity for students to work on ongoing projects that they are truly interested in! This week we bring you weekly activities that are all centered around Projects and Independent Studies! Students can explore these activities for inspiration to dig even deeper. Have your students start a Super Starter Project in My Projects OR Create Their Own. Looking for more inspiration? Browse Projects & Independent Study in My Enrichment Activities.
Once students complete their projects, set up a Summer Virtual Fair where your students can share all of their projects with each other. Students will be able to continue working on skills and critical thinking throughout the summer.
Check out a few of our favorite activities below!
Don’t forget, if you want to assign a weekly activity simply search the title of the weekly activity from your Teacher Dashboard and then send the activity to a student as a favorite! To locate these activities within Renzulli Learning you can SEARCH Enrichment Activities and type in the title of the activity you would like to locate. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Science Activities
Air and Flight
3 - 9
If we can't see air, how can it hold up an airplane? Check out this site, and conduct some experiments to discover the magic behind air!
BBC Science
3 - 12
Explore the world of science! Keep up with the latest science news, and examine the principles of astronomy, earth science, physics, health science, and more.
Fizzics Education: Collect Animal Footprints
K - 5
Ecologists use traces of animals to work out which animals inhabit an area. Traces can include tracks, fur, feathers, nests, hollows in trees and even their droppings! This website guides you in how to collect animal footprints and create your own collection! Grab an adult and a friend to head out and discover animal prints in your neighborhood.
Engineering Activities
25 Makerspace Projects For You!
3 - 12
Have you ever wanted to try a makerspace project but aren't quite sure where to start? Here are 25 projects that might just be for you! Some projects may require an adult's help gathering supplies, but most have supplies you can find in your home or classroom! Plus it's a great way to upcycle items you don't need anymore! Which activity is your favorite?
Boat Building Challenge
3 - 12
The oldest known boats were built around 6,000 B.C., although it's believed that these vessels may have existed 800,000 years ago! Regardless of when they were built, the first boats were constructed using the same principles as the boats that you see today. Build your own sailboat and experiment with such scientific principles as gravity, displacement, buoyancy, density, and friction. Find out how fast your boat can sail and how much cargo it can carry!
Make a Scribbling Machine
3 - 12
Scribbling machines are motorized contraptions that move in unusual ways and leave a mark to trace their paths. They are made from simple materials and set in motion by a vibrating offset motor causing them to bounce, spin, bump and move in interesting ways. Would you like to make one? How can you improve on this design?
Social Studies Activities
Digital Storyteller
3 - 9
This website gives you the opportunity to watch students’ interviews with real veterans who served in wars from World War II to the present. Once you have an idea of what these documentaries should look like, view the “How to Participate” section. Here you will find detailed instructions on how to create and edit a great-looking film. All you need now is a camcorder or digital camera, and you can start shooting!
Smithsonian Institute - NMNH: How Old Is It?
6 - 12
Humans don't live much longer than about 100 years, but there are things on earth that have been around for thousands of years! This exciting project explores relative dating techniques that archeologists use. Whether you love science or history, this cool project will challenge you with tricky questions and hands-on learning that you can do at home!
Zunal - WebQuest: Female Spies During the Civil War
6 - 9
You will learn what role women played as spies during the Civil War, both for the North and the South: Harriet Tubman, for the North; Rose O'Neal Greenhow, for the South; Belle Boyd and Loretta Janeta Velazques for the Confederates. Students will use the information gathered and create a "spy magazine."
Arts Activities
A Butterfly Optical Illusion Activity
K - 5
Have you ever made your own optical illusion? Follow the instructions on this website to make a butterfly optical illusion depicting two stages of a butterfly's life cycle.
Make Your Own Spin Art
3 - 9
Here are instructions on how to make your own spin-art using a turntable (record player)! You can watch a video of spin-art being made. If you click on "Spin-Art Gallery," you can even see examples of other students' work! So cool!
Buggy & Buddy: String Art for Kids Using Styrofoam and Toothpicks
K - 2
In this art for kids activity, you’ll be using styrofoam, toothpicks, and string to make some colorful 3-D string art! This is a fun activity for creating patterns and designs in a unique way.
Each week, we will send you teaching suggestions and a few examples of our best and most popular resources. For more ideas to infuse enrichment activities with your curriculum, please visit the Unit Supplements on the Teacher Site, under “Teach.” We can also link these enrichment resources to your regular curriculum if you send us a theme or topic.
Thanks for being a part of the Renzulli Learning family and we hope you find these resources helpful.
Your Renzulli Learning Team