Class blog 2

In class we learned about oil. Oil comes from mostly hot areas such as deserts in Middle Eastern areas. It is derived by holes drilled in the ground then sucked out into tanks which later get preserved in either reservoirs underground or above ground facilities. Oil is made from organic layers in the earth getting compressed and heated. We did our own experiment were we got to experience a simulation of what oil drillers have to do to retrieve oil. We did this by picking points on a map then drilling those points in a tray overlapped with foil. Under the foil was kitty litter, which was representing erths crust, and syrup, which represented oil in the crust. We drilled whole with a pointy stick then we recorded our results. The results not only consisted of if we found oil or not, but the price for drilling the holes and other factors such as the mass of the hole. To sum up, this experiment took a lot of knowledge about oil finding to find the exact point where the oil could be located. And it was also very realistic to real life oil drilling. It was and educational and fun experiment overall.

Class blog 1

In class we built our own kites, which we later tried to fly outside. When building the kite, we had to take the shape of the kite into consideration as well as the size/weight. Because if the shape is not correctly made, the kite won’t fly straight or it might not fly at all. And if it is too heavy it will fall, but if it’s to light it will be unbalanced and out of control. After the kites are made, the next step is to fly them. I order for the kite to fly, you have to get enough velocity going so the kite can get up in the air. For there, you can control it by pulling or loosening the string. The way the kite gets into the air is by wind. In this case, the wind used to fly my kite was a local wind. A local wind is a wind, which covers up a shorter distance and blows in any direction. Local winds come mainly from land breezes and sea breezes. Since we are not exactly by the shore, the sea breeze can come from nearby rivers or lakes. Global winds would not fit into this category because they blow in a specific direction and cover much longer distances. Overall, this experiment needed us to be clever with the way we designed our kites. This was also a fun experiment, which also taught us the winds used.

The Water Cycle

The Water Cycle
When I was young
I used to think that water camefromthe kitchen sink.
But now I'm older,and I know,that water comes
from rain and snow.
It stays there, waiting,
in the sky,
in clouds aboveour world so high.
And when it falls,
it flows along,
and splashes outa watery song,
as each raindropis joined by moreand rushes tothe ocean shore,
or to a lake, a brook, a stream,
from which it rises,just like steam.
But while it's down herewhat do you think?
Some DOES go tothe kitchen sink!
by Helen H. Moore

Science weather poem

Poem: The Water Cycle
By: Helen H. Moore

In the poem “The Water Cycle” by Helen H. Moore, she uses weather to tell a story of how she imagined water to travel when she was young, then how she later finds out how it travels. The poet’s knowledge of weather helped enhance this poem because of the way she later described the way the water cycle works with vivid and very specific detail. If the author didn’t know a lot of back round information she would have given a preschooler’s description like water comes from the sky and into the ocean.
If weather was not mentioned in this poem, it would be totally different because the author wouldn't be comparing her thoughts about weather from when she was a child to when she was an adult. So the whole poem would be pointless because there is no main focus or topic (Weather.) One literary technique used was a metaphor when she said watery song. Another literary term used was a simile when evaporation was compared to a rising steams. This poem enhanced my knowledge of weather because it taught me more about what happens in the water cycle in every stage in a simpler and cooler way.

Social studies Yellow homework

One item I could not have accepted from the old days would be the television. Okay, to start off it the colors were all black and white. Everything was just boring and plain. A movie with out colors is like a story without a plot, pointless. Next thing was there were only 5-10 channels! How could 5 channels possibly be entertaining? Also, besides 5 channels, they were all basically the same things. Another thing was the TVs where ridiculously huge for the size of the screens they provided. Also, the TVs were not satellite, which means you had to get up and tune up the connection in order to get a sketchy reception of a channel. Last but not least, there were no remotes which means you have to get up to change the channel. Well I guess it cant be that bad if you only have 5 channels but its still horrible. Today I am very thankful for my flat screen HD TV with a satellite receiver and a wireless remote because it is so much better than the TVs back then.

"Everyday Math" program: Does it add up? (ExtRa CreDiT # 3)

How is basic math most commonly learned? Multiplication tables, for instance, were learned for the most part by doing them multiple times to master them. Now, the Beaufort County School District is moving away from that type of elementary school math education to a controversial method called "Everyday Mathematics." Basically, Everyday Math, a K-6 curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School of Mathematics, uses a method called "spiraling," where a teacher spends just a few days on a topic and moves on. Classes come back to the topic later and build on the information learned. This curriculum heavily relies on games and other fun activities. Which is very different to what most students are used to. Basically, Everyday Math, a K-6 curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School of Mathematics, uses a method called "spiraling," where a teacher spends just a few days on a topic and moves on. Classes come back to the topic later and build on the information learned. Everyday Math has been criticized nationwide, both from parents who don't understand some of the teaching methods used, and mathematicians who say students who are taught by that method simply don't learn the basics. which has lead it to become a very controversial topic in these schools. But according to district officials, they say strong test scores in Bluffton schools surely prove that their method works. I think this curriculum is not really good because in my opinion i think students should develop a strong base in math buy consistently solving problems. this way, they have them memorized so when they use them in the future for more complex problems, it would be much easier and faster for them. Overall, I disagree with this "Everyday Math" program.

http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/story/248418.html

At L.A. school, Singapore math has added value (ExTRa CREdiT # 2)

In 2005, just 45% of the fifth-graders at Ramona Elementary School in Hollywood scored at grade level on a standardized state test. In 2006, that figure rose to 76%. What made this huge difference? The difference between the two years may have been Singapore math. In the beginning of the 2005-06 school year, Ramona began using textbooks developed for use in Singapore, a Southeast Asian city-state whose students consistently rank No. 1 in international math comparisons. Ramona's math scores rapidly rose. "It's wonderful," said Principal Susan Arcaris. "Seven out of 10 of the students in our school are proficient or better in math, and that's pretty startling when you consider that this is an inner-city, Title 1 school." Ramona easily qualifies for federal Title 1 funds, which are intended to alleviate the effects of poverty. Nine of every 10 students at the school are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. For the most part, these are the children of immigrants, the majority from Central America, and some from Armenia. Nearly six in 10 students speak English as a second language. The decision to approve the books could place California ahead of the national curve. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel, appointed by President Bush, will issue a report Thursday that is expected to endorse K-8 math, in many ways, are very similar to the Singapore curriculum. Although this curriculum is very successful in many ways, not all teachers like it, and not all use it. The Singapore books aren't easy for teachers to use without training, and some veterans are more comfortable with the curriculum they have always followed. But you can tell when you walk into a classroom using Singapore math. The Singapore curriculum "requires a considerable amount of math background on the part of the teachers who are teaching it," said Milgram, "and in the elementary grades, most of our teachers aren't capable of teaching it. . . . It isn't that they can't learn it; it's just that they've never seen it." So based on the teachers attitude towards this curriculum, the students will either improve or just stay the same or even get worse. I thought this article was very intriguing how America is restoring to countries in Asia for help in education. I hope this curriculum doesn’t come to New Jersey because based on this article, it would be very hard.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-math9mar09,1,2133870.story?track=rss

Connecting to the world through math (EXTra CrEdit # 1)

Connecting to the world through math

MONTROSE- Excitement for math was in the air Wednesday, March 15, as local elementary school students tested their skills against thousands of other students around the world in a World Math Day competition. This day, more than 150 countries were taking part of a competition for students where they had a chance to go head to head against students from places such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and El Salvador via the World Wide Web. During each 17-question round, the students rushed to be the fastest to answer addition, subtraction and multiplication problems. World Math Day takes place every March 5. The main point of having this day is to unite the world through numbers. More than 1 million students from about 20,000 schools competed in the 24-hour competition, according to World Math Day figures. About 75 students competed Wednesday from Northside. Each student had a chance to compete for about 30 minutes. What made this more engaging for student was that after they would win by placing first, they would receive ten credits. These credits contribute to buying clothes for their character. Though the characters grab the students' attention, the ultimate goal is to answer as many questions as possible in the 24-hour period. Last year, Hong Kong had the most individual contributors, and two Hong Kong schools also held the top two places for school contributors. The UK was second for individual contributors with Portugal in third. The top 15 mathletes receive a special World Math Day trophy; all students competing receive a participation certificate. I thought this competition is very cool. Mainly because you get to compete with kids all around the world. Which could be very entertaining and competitive. Overall, I thought it was very interesting.
http://www.montrosepress.com/articles/2008/03/09/news/doc47cf6eaaeef1c679362852.txt

Fake flipper sought for sea turtle

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - When tourists found a 5-inch green sea turtle bloody and missing three of her flippers, the people who run a hospital for the endangered animals here gave her little chance of survival. But the turtle didn’t give up and survived, due to injections of antibiotics and a forced diet of squid. Somehow, she swam with just one flipper, even though she can only move in counterclockwise circles and has to push her now 10-pound body off the bottom with her head to breathe. Since her rescue, her wounds have healed very nicely. But the problem is that she can’t swim very well. What her doctors are looking to give her for the future is a sea turtle fitted prosthetic arm. If this operation is successful, this sea turtle will be the first to have a prosthetic arm. Three flipper turtles that get injured can go back to sea and two flipper turtles can survive in captivity after given the right care. As for those left with only one after predator attacks or run-ins with boat propellers are usually killed. But this turtle was spared because an intern begged for a chance to nurse her back to health the summer she was found. Since then, she has adapted and grown to normal size for her age. But because an Atlantic green sea turtle like her can grow to 450 pounds and live a century or so, her long-term prognosis with only one flipper is not promising. She could be destined to shallow water for the rest of her life, which becomes a quality of life issue. This triggered the idea for her caregivers to make her a kind of bionic turtle. “If we can do something for other turtles, then keeping her alive is worthwhile," said Guillen. "We're hoping we can accomplish something with Allison that will benefit other turtles." I found this article to be very interesting. At first, I wondered why they are trying so hard to keep one animal alive. Well now it make sense to me because she is going to be tested on for prosthetic turtle flippers. And if it is successful with her, it could also be successful to all the other impaired turtles. I also think what these doctors are doing is very kind to the turtle.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080229/ap_on_sc/bionic_turtle;_ylt=AiYzh8EmS0v2LHUY6LmsD_QPLBIF

Tinkering extends life of organism by 10-fold

Scientists have increased the lifespan of yeast, microbes responsible for creating bread and beer, by 10-fold (ten times). That’s twice the previous record for life extension in an organism. This accomplishment is mostly going towards efforts to extend human lives. The yeast lived for about ten weeks instead of living for only one week through genetic tinkering and a low calorie diet. "We've reprogrammed the healthy life of an organism," said Valter Longo, a biologist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles who led the life-prolonging experiments. "Evolution designed our genes, our army, to be ready for growth and reproduction," Longo told LiveScience. Problem is, pooling the body's efforts into growing makes room for genetic errors that lead to age-related disease. "We can use our energy to grow and reproduce, or protect ourselves."Longo and his team previously found two genes related to growth and development in cancer that are similar in humans and yeast. They are so alike that you can put the human one into the yeast one and it will still work. Longo thinks that genes act like generals of the genetic army, ordering troops to protect the body’s DNA under caloric stress instead of fighting for growth. To find out how the age-defying treatment works in humans, Longo and his group are now studying Ecuadorians who have similar mutations in age-controlling genes used in the yeast. “People with two copies of the mutations have very small stature and other defects,” he said. Despite the problems, Longo said, the people likely benefit from their condition. "So far, we have never seen cancer in people who have two copies of the mutated genes," he said. “We are now identifying the relatives with only one copy of the mutation, who are apparently normal. We hope that they will show a reduced incidence of diseases and an extended life span." In my opinion I don't actually think Longo is going to get anywhere with this. I just don't believe it is possible for humans to play "God" with humans. Also, plants are not as complicated as humans.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22651648/

Is She Or Isn't She?

Cairo, Egypt- A couple of months after Egypt announced that acherologists have identified a mummy as the most powerful queen of her time, scientists in the basement of a muesmem are still trying to analyze the DNA from the bald 3,500-year-old corpse to try to back up the claim aired on TV. Progress is slow, but so far results indicate the linewrapped mummy is most likely, but not comclusively, Queen Hatshepsut. Egyptology has been led by foriegners for the last 200 years. It’s time Egyptian scientists took control, said Zahi Hawass, Egypts antiquities chief. Many history channels such as Discovery Channel have aired shows and documentries about this unaccurate information. In June, Egypt announced that Hashepsut’s mummy has been found. Discovery Channel aired another documentary, even though the DNA testing is incomplete. Now scientists are comparing Hatshepsut’s DNA to her granmother’s DNA from her mummy that has been alredy identified. But this was incomplete, proving nothing. So the mummy is a mystery people are trying to make reality. In my opinnion, unless you are a hundred percent sure you are correct, don’t make and conclusions or idenifications because it is incorrect. I also think that Discovery channel should stop helping to give out he wrong messages because they are not accurate.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/12/24/mummies.dna.ap/index.html