What's Your Favorite Pun?

^{This year's Family Trivia Night theme is "A Night of PUN." Some of my younger students have been asking, "What is a pun?"}  

^{The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pun as:}

a humorous way of using a word or phrase so that more than one meaning is suggested

Some examples of puns are:

1. The delicatessen is sandwiched, if you'll pardon the pun, between two stores.

1. She's a skillful pilot whose career has—no pun intended—really taken off.

There are many different ways to write puns. A pun can be of two types: Typographic and Visual. Therefore, yes, you can dress in a "Punny" costume for Family Trivia Night!

Typographic is further divided into five categories:

• Homophonic -They use homophones (similar sounding word pairs) which are not synonymous. Example: Why is it so wet in England? Because many kings and queens have reigned there.

• Homographic - These kinds of puns are where words are spelled the same (homographs) but have different meanings and sounds. Example: You can tune a guitar, but you can't tuna fish. 

• Homonymic -These words are both homographs and homophones.  Example: Bank (meaning embankment) and bank (where money is kept).

• Compound -That contains two or more puns in the same sentence. Example: Where do you find giant snails? On the ends of giants' fingers.

• Recursive -In this case, the second aspect of the pun relies on the understanding of the first. Example: Infinity is not in finity.

Visual Puns - They are those which use non-phonetic writing.
Example: In 'The Muppet Movie', Kermit and Fozzie are driving. Then Kermit looks at the map and says they need to turn at the fork in the road. At this point, he lowers the map at which point and sees a giant fork in the middle of the road.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR FAVORITE PUNS IN THE COMMENTS.  MAKE SURE THEY ARE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE!  

It IS Rocket Science!

I'm sure you have all heard the expression, "It's not rocket science."  Well, believe it or not, that's exactly what our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students are learning...ROCKET SCIENCE!  Last week, students tested how the length of a straw rocket can affect the distance it travels.  This week, they will be experimenting with angles and nose cones.

Join us for a night of PUN!

Building a Crane

This week's Instant Challenge required students to build a crane to hold weight.

Ice Cream Cone Stack

We started the year off with some Instant Challenges...SWEET!  This week, students were challenged to stack as many ice cream cones on a basketball as possible.  They were given string, rubber bands, clothes pins, pipe cleaners, spoons, Dixie cups, and a CD to assist with this task.  The cones could not touch each other or the table.  We have some very creative problem solvers!

Alphabet Photography

We are going to be doing an "Alphabet Photography" project at all grade levels (to display in the hallway).   If your child sees an object that looks like a letter in the alphabet, please let him/her take a picture of it and send it to me.  You can share the pics on the Challenge Facebook page, email them to me, text them to me,  or send them in on a CD or jump drive...whatever works best for you!  Here are some examples!

Destination Imagination Challenge Previews

The Destination Imagination 2014-2015 Challenge Previews are out!  The previews will give you an idea which challenge your team may want to solve.  Grades 4-5 participate in Destination Imagination.

Creature Feature:  Would you like build a creature that performs a technical task?

Making Waves:  Would you like to design a sound machine?

Lose to Win:  Would you like to build a structure with removable parts?

Feary Tales:  Would you like to create a fairy tale about a phobia?

Brand Aid:  Would you like to address a need in the community?

The Improv. Games:  Would you like to perform improvisational sketches about street performances?