Main Character: Artemis Fowl
Summary: Artemis Fowl is back to being a criminal again because of the mind wipe that made him forget everything about the existence of fairies and dwarves. Opal Koboi was in coma ever since her plan was foiled by Artemis Fowl and the LEPrecon Police. But while in coma, Opal Koboi had been creating a plan. Opal creates a clone of herself to replace her in the J. Argon Clinic, and leaves to dominate the world. She gets surgery to become a human (remove pointy ears and put in growing genes) and plans to make the "mud" people discover the "regular" (fairy) people and give them weapons to destroy everybody. Then she plans to make herself the ruler of all people. Opal sets up a trap that Captain Holly Short and Commander Julius Root of the LEPrecon police fall for and she has Commander Root killed. But to all the other police officers it looks as though Captain Holly has killed her own commander and she is the suspect of a murder. Commander Root's last command was to save Artemis Fowl, who was being targeted by Opal. When Captain Holly goes to save Artemis, it looks as though she was running away, making her an outlaw. Butler, Artemis Fowl's bodyguard, is seperated from Artemis and has his memory returned by Mulch Diggums as Artemis had planned before the memory wipe. Artemis, Captain Holly, Butler, and Mulch Diggums must save the fairy world before Opal destroys everything.
1. power
2. If you have a gift, don't use it for bad, use it for good.
3. Artemis Fowl: clever, sneaky, intelligent
3a. I think Foaly (a friend of Holly who refused to believe that she shot Julius) is a good friend. Even though the evidence had clearly showed that Holly was shot Julius, he believed that she didn't and checked every single piece of evidence. Because of Foaly's loyalty to his friends, he discovered the truth about Opal Koboi's escape.
4. Julius Root's death was memorable. Opal Koboi was laughing and telling Holly that she had a chance to save Root's life and Root was telling Holly to save Artemis, but it was a trick to make it look like Holly was shooting Commander Root.
This scene was memorable because even though, Julius Root disliked Artemis Fowl, he actually admired his intelligence and quick decisions.
5. The author is trying to tell you that if you were born with talent or a gift, you should use it for good and not bad. Artemis originally used his genius for stealing and getting money, but after he met fairies, he changed and began doing good. Opal was using her genius for evil and therefore, she was caught and arrested. Good is better motivation than bad. Artemis had noticed that himself.
6. I would rate this book a 8 because the plot was interesting with lots of actions and cool parts, but it was a bit shallow.
7.
Beginning: Opal escapes the hospital and kills Julius Root
Climax: Mulch, Artemis, Holly, and Butler try to stop Opal and succeed
Ending: Holly quits LEPrecon police and becomes a detective with her partner, Mulch.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Book Worksheet- For Those of You Who Don't Know
Main Character(s):
Summary:
1. Write one word that best describes the story.
2. Write one sentence that best describes the story.
3. Describe the main character(s) with at least three adjectives each.
3a. Write about any character. (Doesn't have to be favorite)
4. Draw a part of the story that you think is the most memorable or impressive on a separate piece of paper (or on the back). Write one sentence why you chose that scene.
5. What is the author trying to tell you?
6. Rate this book from one to ten. Why did you rate it so?
7. Label the story graph below with the beginning, climax, and ending. Write one sentence for each part of the story. (I couldn't put the graph up)
Climax
Ending
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Sign Language at its Finest
Students from Ukraine made electronic gloves that not
only keep your hands warm, but they turn sign language
into actually speech. This can let deaf people talk
with people who don't know sign language and let deaf people talk using phones.
The gloves are part of a project called Enable Talk that won first place at this year's Microsoft Imagine Cup. Microsoft Imagine Cup is a competition that invites teams of high-school, college, and university students from all around the world to create new problem-solving technologies. The Ukrainian team created these gloves that have sensors that can tell how the wearer's fingers are flexing and moving. The gloves send information to a phone , which will translate the signs into text or spoken words. I think this is a really brilliant idea and I think it deserved 1st place.
Replay (Book Worksheet)
(Book by: Sharon Creech, one of my favorite authors)
Main Character: Leo (fog boy, the sardine)
Summary: Leo is a dreamer, he wants to become a famous actor make his parents proud. When Leo is given a small part, the old crone, in the school play, he doesn't care and dreams about being called on to stage in Broadway. Leo's father had been feeling down and sad every since his heart attack, but Leo secretly reads Leo's father's autobiography written at the age of 13. Leo reads about how is father once had a younger sister that he loved and how he was happy when he tap danced. Leo learns that even the smallest part that might seem extra, is indeed important.
1. part
2. Everyone has a role that is important for the role, but everybody chooses their own role.
3. Leo: curious, imaginative, wishing
3a. I think Leo's father was very sad at first because he couldn't do anything after the heart attack, but watching his children achieve the goals he had once wished to achieve must have made him proud of his children. They (including Leo) all become what he had once wanted to become; athletes, actors, singers. When Leo was reading his father's autobiography, he read about how his father wished to become a singer or an athlete. Leo's father had cheered all his children on at their soccer, football matches and at their plays or school stages.
4. The part when Leo cheered up all his siblings when they were all injured was very memorable. Leo told each of his siblings that that they did great and that their dad was very proud of them and that their dad was cheering them on, smiling. All the siblings were happy and glad. I think Leo was very kind to make all his siblings feel better.
5. I think that the author is trying to tell you that everybody has a part that is important to the world and that life is like a play but not like a play at the same time, you have a part of the play, but you choose the part, but there is no script, you have to improvise.
6. I would rate this book a 10. I liked the plot and theme. The ending was brilliant, it had the script of the play that Leo was a part of.
7.
Beginning: Leo gets a small part in the school play.
Climax: Leo's siblings are all hurt and severely injured from soccer, football, and choir.
Ending: Leo and everybody else does their part well in the school play and all of Leo's relatives and family members cheer for him.
Main Character: Leo (fog boy, the sardine)
Summary: Leo is a dreamer, he wants to become a famous actor make his parents proud. When Leo is given a small part, the old crone, in the school play, he doesn't care and dreams about being called on to stage in Broadway. Leo's father had been feeling down and sad every since his heart attack, but Leo secretly reads Leo's father's autobiography written at the age of 13. Leo reads about how is father once had a younger sister that he loved and how he was happy when he tap danced. Leo learns that even the smallest part that might seem extra, is indeed important.
1. part
2. Everyone has a role that is important for the role, but everybody chooses their own role.
3. Leo: curious, imaginative, wishing
3a. I think Leo's father was very sad at first because he couldn't do anything after the heart attack, but watching his children achieve the goals he had once wished to achieve must have made him proud of his children. They (including Leo) all become what he had once wanted to become; athletes, actors, singers. When Leo was reading his father's autobiography, he read about how his father wished to become a singer or an athlete. Leo's father had cheered all his children on at their soccer, football matches and at their plays or school stages.
4. The part when Leo cheered up all his siblings when they were all injured was very memorable. Leo told each of his siblings that that they did great and that their dad was very proud of them and that their dad was cheering them on, smiling. All the siblings were happy and glad. I think Leo was very kind to make all his siblings feel better.
5. I think that the author is trying to tell you that everybody has a part that is important to the world and that life is like a play but not like a play at the same time, you have a part of the play, but you choose the part, but there is no script, you have to improvise.
6. I would rate this book a 10. I liked the plot and theme. The ending was brilliant, it had the script of the play that Leo was a part of.
7.
Beginning: Leo gets a small part in the school play.
Climax: Leo's siblings are all hurt and severely injured from soccer, football, and choir.
Ending: Leo and everybody else does their part well in the school play and all of Leo's relatives and family members cheer for him.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Island of the Blue Dolphins (Book Worksheet)
Main Characters: Karana
Summary: Karana and her brother lived in the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Their father was the chief of the island. One day, Aleutian sea-otter hunters came and made a deal with their father. But the Aleutians did not keep their promises and they killed the chief. After the new chief went to explore another island, he came back with men in boats and promised that they would be taken some where else. But Karana and her brother Ramo stayed behind alone. Ramo was killed by wild dogs and Karana swore to kill the dogs that killed her brother. After a while she felt very lonely and tried to get off the island on a canoe but failed. Karana must learn to live alone for 18 years on this island. Karana makes new friends and faces many challenges, but in the end, she is saved by Aleuts.
1. people
2. Nobody can live alone without other people.
3. Karana: brave, sad, lonely, smart
3a. I think Karana was really brave to face those wild dogs and make weapons of her own. It is Karana's culture that women are not to make weapons. It is said that if a woman makes a weapon or tries to use one, it will break when they are in most danger. Karana was very afraid that rocks might fall from the heavens and crush her when she made weapons like her father had once said, but she still did for her own safety. I also think that Karana was brave enough to face the wild dogs. They are merciless and move in packs. She had even known that they killed her brother and that they can kill her. I think that Karana was very strong, because some people might have died, from loneliness, and from everything that Karana had experienced during those harsh 18 years.
4. The scene when Karana did not kill the leader of the pack when it was wounded and saved its life instead was very memorable. It showed how lonely Karana was- that she would not kill the very dog that killed her brother and was trying to kill her next. She made him her pet, and they quickly became friends.
This scene made me think that even if you have supplies, shelter, and food, you can't live without company.
5. The author is trying to tell you that you can't live without people. Even though, Karana had a lot of pets, after she met the Aleut girl, she was extremely lonely, and she was very sad.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really think it had a lot of meaning.
7.
Beginning: Karana and her brother remain behind at the Island of the Blue Dolphins while everybody else leaves, but Karana's brother is killed by wild dogs.
Middle: Karana is very lonely and makes friends with many animals
Ending: Karana is saved by Aleuts.
Summary: Karana and her brother lived in the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Their father was the chief of the island. One day, Aleutian sea-otter hunters came and made a deal with their father. But the Aleutians did not keep their promises and they killed the chief. After the new chief went to explore another island, he came back with men in boats and promised that they would be taken some where else. But Karana and her brother Ramo stayed behind alone. Ramo was killed by wild dogs and Karana swore to kill the dogs that killed her brother. After a while she felt very lonely and tried to get off the island on a canoe but failed. Karana must learn to live alone for 18 years on this island. Karana makes new friends and faces many challenges, but in the end, she is saved by Aleuts.
1. people
2. Nobody can live alone without other people.
3. Karana: brave, sad, lonely, smart
3a. I think Karana was really brave to face those wild dogs and make weapons of her own. It is Karana's culture that women are not to make weapons. It is said that if a woman makes a weapon or tries to use one, it will break when they are in most danger. Karana was very afraid that rocks might fall from the heavens and crush her when she made weapons like her father had once said, but she still did for her own safety. I also think that Karana was brave enough to face the wild dogs. They are merciless and move in packs. She had even known that they killed her brother and that they can kill her. I think that Karana was very strong, because some people might have died, from loneliness, and from everything that Karana had experienced during those harsh 18 years.
4. The scene when Karana did not kill the leader of the pack when it was wounded and saved its life instead was very memorable. It showed how lonely Karana was- that she would not kill the very dog that killed her brother and was trying to kill her next. She made him her pet, and they quickly became friends.
This scene made me think that even if you have supplies, shelter, and food, you can't live without company.
5. The author is trying to tell you that you can't live without people. Even though, Karana had a lot of pets, after she met the Aleut girl, she was extremely lonely, and she was very sad.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really think it had a lot of meaning.
7.
Beginning: Karana and her brother remain behind at the Island of the Blue Dolphins while everybody else leaves, but Karana's brother is killed by wild dogs.
Middle: Karana is very lonely and makes friends with many animals
Ending: Karana is saved by Aleuts.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (Book Worksheet)
Main Characters: Artemis Fowl
Summary: Artemis Fowl plans to end his criminal career after one more thing- sell his self-made super computer to Jon Spiro, a very dangerous man, for tons of gold. But Artemis's meeting with Spiro is a trap and Jon Spiro steals the cube. Artemis's best friend and guardian, Butler is severely injured and is killed. But with fairy magic, Artemis gets the captain fairy of LEPrecon police, Captain Holly Short, to help him bring Butler back. With the C Cube in the hands of Spiro, Jon Spiro can end up ruling the world, both fairies and people. But luckily, Artemis still has time because of the eternity code he had made in the C Cube's software. Artemis, Butler's sister, Captain Holly Short, and Mulch Diggums work together (although Mulch Diggums is a criminal and will be arrested afterwards) Artemis, Butler and all the non-fairies must be mind wiped after this last mission so that they will not remember the existence of fairies. But in exchange of letting Mulch stay out of prison, Artemis makes Mulch give him a token that would make Artemis remember the existence of fairies again.
1. power
2. Money, gold, and power is not every thing.
3. Artemis Fowl: Clever, sneaky, intelligent,
3a. Captain Holly Short is very kind to actually help save Butler. Although it is because Butler had helped the LEPrecon police. I don't think anybody else would have helped and risked everything, their job and life. But Captain Holly Short took the risk to help a friend.
4. The scene in which Artemis finds contact lenses with a layer of mirrors on them is awesome because I think that was a very good idea. The fairy police need to see the eyes of a person in order to mesmerize them, but Artemis used special lenses to block that. Mesmerizing can make people tell the truth. The LEPrecon think that they are smart because they aren't letting Artemis use sunglasses (another way to block mesmerization) but Artemis had a super secret plan.
I think that was pretty clever and cool.
5. The author is trying to tell you that just because you have a lot of money and power, you aren't always happy. Money and power isn't everything. Artemis's father realizes that when he is being tortured by the Mafiya. Artemis's father says that he would rather be poor and have a happy family relationship.
6. I would rate this book a 8 because it was a lot of action and fantasy/sci-fi.
I read this because I am reading this series. But I like the plot and ending.
7.
Beginning: The C-Cube is stolen by Jon Spiro and Butler almost dies.
Climax: Artemis, his fairy friends, and Butler's sister get the C-Cube back thanks to Artemis's geniusness.
Ending: Artemis gets mind wiped, but leaves a token that will bring back his memory.
Summary: Artemis Fowl plans to end his criminal career after one more thing- sell his self-made super computer to Jon Spiro, a very dangerous man, for tons of gold. But Artemis's meeting with Spiro is a trap and Jon Spiro steals the cube. Artemis's best friend and guardian, Butler is severely injured and is killed. But with fairy magic, Artemis gets the captain fairy of LEPrecon police, Captain Holly Short, to help him bring Butler back. With the C Cube in the hands of Spiro, Jon Spiro can end up ruling the world, both fairies and people. But luckily, Artemis still has time because of the eternity code he had made in the C Cube's software. Artemis, Butler's sister, Captain Holly Short, and Mulch Diggums work together (although Mulch Diggums is a criminal and will be arrested afterwards) Artemis, Butler and all the non-fairies must be mind wiped after this last mission so that they will not remember the existence of fairies. But in exchange of letting Mulch stay out of prison, Artemis makes Mulch give him a token that would make Artemis remember the existence of fairies again.
1. power
2. Money, gold, and power is not every thing.
3. Artemis Fowl: Clever, sneaky, intelligent,
3a. Captain Holly Short is very kind to actually help save Butler. Although it is because Butler had helped the LEPrecon police. I don't think anybody else would have helped and risked everything, their job and life. But Captain Holly Short took the risk to help a friend.
4. The scene in which Artemis finds contact lenses with a layer of mirrors on them is awesome because I think that was a very good idea. The fairy police need to see the eyes of a person in order to mesmerize them, but Artemis used special lenses to block that. Mesmerizing can make people tell the truth. The LEPrecon think that they are smart because they aren't letting Artemis use sunglasses (another way to block mesmerization) but Artemis had a super secret plan.
I think that was pretty clever and cool.
5. The author is trying to tell you that just because you have a lot of money and power, you aren't always happy. Money and power isn't everything. Artemis's father realizes that when he is being tortured by the Mafiya. Artemis's father says that he would rather be poor and have a happy family relationship.
6. I would rate this book a 8 because it was a lot of action and fantasy/sci-fi.
I read this because I am reading this series. But I like the plot and ending.
7.
Beginning: The C-Cube is stolen by Jon Spiro and Butler almost dies.
Climax: Artemis, his fairy friends, and Butler's sister get the C-Cube back thanks to Artemis's geniusness.
Ending: Artemis gets mind wiped, but leaves a token that will bring back his memory.
21 things to do when Life Gives You Lemons
When Life Gives You Lemons...
1. ask for limes
2. throw them at people
3. give it back to life
4. drink orange juice
5. eat a lime
6. make limeade
7. got milk?
8. throw them out
9. sell the lemons to a stranger
10. walk your dog
11. if you don't have a dog, get one
12. get a cat
13. place them in your refridge.
14. rater
15. make lemon pie
16. make key- whatever- pie
17. cut it open with a knife
18. ask for even more limes
19. make a list of 21 things to do when life gives you lemons
20. make lemonade (wait. Why is this lime color?)
21. ask for some sugar and water to make the lemonade!
conclusion: when life gives you lemons:
don't eat them.
got milk?
1. ask for limes
2. throw them at people
3. give it back to life
4. drink orange juice
5. eat a lime
6. make limeade
7. got milk?
8. throw them out
9. sell the lemons to a stranger
10. walk your dog
11. if you don't have a dog, get one
12. get a cat
13. place them in your refridge.
14. rater
15. make lemon pie
16. make key- whatever- pie
17. cut it open with a knife
18. ask for even more limes
19. make a list of 21 things to do when life gives you lemons
20. make lemonade (wait. Why is this lime color?)
21. ask for some sugar and water to make the lemonade!
conclusion: when life gives you lemons:
don't eat them.
got milk?
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Lego Mindstorms EV3
 |
| Generation 2 |
 |
| Generation 1 |
 |
| Generation 3 |
 |
| Generation 4 |
15 years ago the first Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System was released. You could put together motorized creations that can be programmed to do what you want. The online Mindstorms community has more than 17,000 different designs. On September 1st the most recently upgraded Mindstorms kit will be released. The EV3. The price will be $350. 594 pieces.
UPGRADES
1. Intelligence Upgrade
The "heart" of the new EV3 is an upgraded advanced processing brick. The 300 megahertz processor runs 10 times faster then the previous one from Mindstorms 2.0. The new brick can now monitor more sensors spontaneously. Because the system also has 64 megabytes of RAM, the response time of the brick is much quicker. Also, the brick has 16 megabytes of storage.
The EV3 robots can now navigate independently.
Designers added an infrared proximity sensor in the eyes (ultrasonic sensor) so that the robots can follow things, attack, or run away from something.
3. Motor Upgrade
Each Mindstorms set comes with 3 motors. Two big ones (170 rpm) with double-sided output drives and the two sides can do different things. The third motor is smaller and rotates at 250 rpm and is used for firing small little red balls or "flicking fingers".
4. Control Upgrade
The heart of the EV3 has a bluetooth radios letting you control and program your robot through an iOS or Android app. You can also connect a WiFi radio by a USB port on the processing brick.
5. Expansion Upgrade
For complex, large creations, you can connect four processing bricks together and the one "master" brick can send commands to the other bricks like "pinch together a thumb and forefinger"
I think this new set is pretty cool. I have the Mindstorms 2.0 and I there were a lot of major improvements like the remote control and faster motors. The Mindstorms EV3 has a lot of things that the previous Mindstorms sets didn't have.
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (Book Worksheet)
Main Character: Artemis Fowl
Summary: Artemis Fowl's dad is captured by the Mafiya in Russia. The Mafiya are holding Artemis Fowl's dad as hostage. When Artemis receives a mysterious email with a video of his dad pleading for help, he goes to save him but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police. They think that Artemis was behind a recent crime, but he wasn't. Artemis must help the fairy police in order to save the city as well as his dad.
1. respect
2. Everyone has at least one bad thing about them and a good thing about them, so you shouldn't judge somebody by only looking at their bad thing.
3. Artemis: smart, clever, sneaky
3a. I think Artemis can be lonely sometimes because he is so smart and different from everyone else. He hangs out with his butler. In the beginning of the story, Artemis, was brought to the counselor and was asked if he respected anybody and he didn't answer.
4. The part of the story when Artemis is brought to the counselor for the second time was memorable. This is because when the counselor asked him if he found anybody worthy of his respect, he said that he did.
5. The author is trying to tell you that you shouldn't look down to people just because they aren't as smart as you or can't do something you can do. Artemis didn't respect anybody and thought he was great. But after making friends with a lot of people and making mistakes, he learned to respect people.
6. I would rate this book a 6-7 because it was shallow and it mostly just had a lot of action. I liked the idea of mixing fantasy and sci-fi together.
7.
Beginning: Artemis goes to save his dad but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police.
Climax: LEP and Artemis team up to stop Opal and Cudgeon, two evil people trying to take over the city.
Ending: After Opal and Cudgeon are defeated, LEPrecon fairy police helps Artemis save his father who was held hostage for a ransom.
Summary: Artemis Fowl's dad is captured by the Mafiya in Russia. The Mafiya are holding Artemis Fowl's dad as hostage. When Artemis receives a mysterious email with a video of his dad pleading for help, he goes to save him but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police. They think that Artemis was behind a recent crime, but he wasn't. Artemis must help the fairy police in order to save the city as well as his dad.
1. respect
2. Everyone has at least one bad thing about them and a good thing about them, so you shouldn't judge somebody by only looking at their bad thing.
3. Artemis: smart, clever, sneaky
3a. I think Artemis can be lonely sometimes because he is so smart and different from everyone else. He hangs out with his butler. In the beginning of the story, Artemis, was brought to the counselor and was asked if he respected anybody and he didn't answer.
4. The part of the story when Artemis is brought to the counselor for the second time was memorable. This is because when the counselor asked him if he found anybody worthy of his respect, he said that he did.
5. The author is trying to tell you that you shouldn't look down to people just because they aren't as smart as you or can't do something you can do. Artemis didn't respect anybody and thought he was great. But after making friends with a lot of people and making mistakes, he learned to respect people.
6. I would rate this book a 6-7 because it was shallow and it mostly just had a lot of action. I liked the idea of mixing fantasy and sci-fi together.
7.
Beginning: Artemis goes to save his dad but is stopped by the LEPrecon fairy police.
Climax: LEP and Artemis team up to stop Opal and Cudgeon, two evil people trying to take over the city.
Ending: After Opal and Cudgeon are defeated, LEPrecon fairy police helps Artemis save his father who was held hostage for a ransom.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Mini Pencil Art
Miniature art has been around for a while now. The word miniature actually comes from the Latin verb miniare, which means to color with red lead paint. Medieval scribes used red lead to decorate capital letters of manuscripts with small, detailed, miniature scenes. This art took a lot of concentration, endurance, and a careful hand. Dalton Ghetti also works with miniature art. Ghetti carves the tips of graphite pencils into detailed sculptures of people, animals, and objects. Ghetti uses just three tools, a razor blade, a sewing needle, and a sculpting knife. (Surprisingly, no magnifying glass!) Because Dalton Ghetti grew up in Brazil, he learned to sharpen pencils by hand, and his mother (who was a seamstress) taught him how to use a needle. Ghetti finds most of his pencils on the streets or in the trash, but some of his friends lend him pencils. Most of his creations take at least months to finish. Ghetti has to have concentration to carve these miniature sculptures. When asked the question, why do you carve pencils, Ghetti answers that his motivation comes from all of the other miniature worlds of nature like insects and plants. After more than 20 years, his collection of miniature pencil art shows his hard working nature.
Friday, August 16, 2013
SherLEECH Holmes
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| Leech |
 |
| Saola "Asian Unicorn" |
The International Union for Conservation of Nature says that researchers don't even know about 15 percent of mammals enough to even determine if they are threatened by extinction or not. Many animals are still unknown to humans. Researchers try to track rare species by using footprints, dung, and motion-sensitive cameras, but the work is laborious, especially when researchers are working in dense rain forest. The Saola is a deer like animal with the nickname, "Asian Unicorn", it has two straight horns on its head. Researchers first saw these horns in hunters' homes in 1992, but ever since then they only found remains of Saola's and never a living one in the wild. Tom Gilbert, a geneticist University of Copenhagen, discovered an effective way to track rare species. Gilbert got this idea when a colleague that was monitoring rare tapirs in Malaysia was bit by a terrestrial leech and wondered if the blood inside the leech can be used for DNA analysis . Tom Gilbert tested his new idea by feeding 40 different leeches goat blood. After he ground them into a paste he saw that every one of the ground leeches contained goat DNA even after 4 months. (2010) Gilbert tried this new method on 25 leeches that had been captured in Vietnam. 21 leeches contained DNA from different mammals and two of theme were extremely rare. Although there was no evidence of the Saola, Gilbert had found the DNA of the Annamite striped rabbit. Scientists had seen this animals only once in a Laotian food market in 1995 but it was never seen since. Tom Gilbert is now analyzing blood DNA of leeches from countries all over the world including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Madagascar. I think that this idea was really creative and great.
List of Top 5 Rare Animals:
1. Thylacine
The striped meat-eating Tasmanian tiger was a marsupial the size of a large dog. Though experts agree the last one died in a zoo in 1936, some people have hope.
2. Javan Rhino
This animal may be extinct because it is hunted so much.
But scientists estimate that about 50 might survive on the western tip of Java.
3. Saola
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Scientist think that about a couple dozen to a few hundred of these rare animals live in the Annamite mountains of Vietnam and Laos.
4. Greater Bamboo Lemur
Even though the name might be "Greater" Bamboo Lemur, this creature weighs only five pounds. Researchers think that about 100-160 of these small creatures live in the bamboo forests of Madagascar.
5. Annamite Striped Rabbit
Researchers think that these rabbits are hiding in the same areas as the Saola.
(Annamite Mountains- Annamite Striped Rabbit)
Sources: Popsci
THIS is an article writing piece- meaning that I read articles and write stuff about it
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Bike Accident
Only 1 percent of the United States population uses bikes as a mode of transportation. Netherlands's population is 1/18 of the United State's population, but 26 percent of Netherlands population uses bikes as a mode of transportation. Because there are so many people use bikes, a Dutch company called TNO is creating a car airbag that deploys outside the vehicle to decrease bicyclist accidents. When the car hits something, the airbag (which is under the hood of the car) will inflate and make a cushion around parts of the windshield which will cushion the bicyclist. During tests last November, engineers used a drove a track guided car into bicycles with dummies on them. The car drove at 25 mph, the average speed of most bike accidents. Accelerometers were put in the dummy's head and neck and pressure sensors were inside the dummy's limbs. These sensors indicated brain damage and broken bones without the airbag. Dummies that were cushioned by the airbag had less injuries up to 45 percent of the time. I think this is a good idea but what about the driver of the car? Is there an airbag inside of the car too?
Sources: popsci??
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Ender's Game (BEST BOOK EVER) (Book Worksheet)
Main Character: Ender
Summary: In the future, there is a war with humans and creatures called buggers. Ender is a 6 year old genius. The military needs a genius commander to win the war, they recruit Ender and Ender gets many enemies on the way to victory. After Ender graduates battle school, Ender goes into Command School. In Command School, Ender plays a strategy game to help him train and become a commander, but when the day of his final test and he succeeds he learns that the game was actually real and that he was commanding real ships. Thanks to Ender the people won the war. But Ender believes that buggers aren't to different from people and he is sorry that he killed so many of them. In the future, Ender writes two books about buggers and how they are not evil, it's just that they didn't understand and also about his evil brother who has a lot of power over the world.
1. understand
2. You fear what you can't understand.
3. Ender: genius, awesome, lonely, happy, sad, (Ender feels) guilty
3a. I think Ender was very angry when he learned that he had killed so many pilots and buggers. Ender must of been afraid of himself and how he had killed so many people and things. Ender didn't really know how powerful he was and he was scared of his own power unlike Peter, Ender's brother, who used this power to take control over most of the world.
4. The part when Peter told Ender that he loved him and that he was sorry was memorable because it shows that Peter is not heartless and evil, and that he can be good, but he thinks he has no choice. Although he actually does.
5. The author is trying to tell you that when people don't understand something, they fear it. The people didn't understand the buggers and so they thought that the buggers were trying to kill them. But actually, the people will never really know. Ender was the closest to understanding buggers.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because this book is just awesome! Nothing else to say.
But, if I were to say something: I loved the plot, ending, beginning, characters, story, idea, author, just everything.
7.
Beginning: Ender is recruited to battle school
Climax: Ender goes to command school
Ending: Ender wins the war
2. You fear what you can't understand.
3. Ender: genius, awesome, lonely, happy, sad, (Ender feels) guilty
3a. I think Ender was very angry when he learned that he had killed so many pilots and buggers. Ender must of been afraid of himself and how he had killed so many people and things. Ender didn't really know how powerful he was and he was scared of his own power unlike Peter, Ender's brother, who used this power to take control over most of the world.
4. The part when Peter told Ender that he loved him and that he was sorry was memorable because it shows that Peter is not heartless and evil, and that he can be good, but he thinks he has no choice. Although he actually does.
5. The author is trying to tell you that when people don't understand something, they fear it. The people didn't understand the buggers and so they thought that the buggers were trying to kill them. But actually, the people will never really know. Ender was the closest to understanding buggers.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because this book is just awesome! Nothing else to say.
But, if I were to say something: I loved the plot, ending, beginning, characters, story, idea, author, just everything.
7.
Beginning: Ender is recruited to battle school
Climax: Ender goes to command school
Ending: Ender wins the war
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The Witches of Worm (Book Worksheet)
Main Character: Jessica
Summary: Jessica finds a baby cat in a cave and brings it to her neighbor, Mrs. Fortune, a cat-loving strange old woman. Mrs. Fortune tells Jessica to keep it and something makes Jessica look after the small cat. Jessica is interested in books about witches and magic but is forbidden to read them by her mother. With here father gone, and her mother having dinner dates with her boyfriend, Alan, Jessica only has her cat, Worm. All of Jessica's friends seemed to have left her. Jessica starts to do bad things that hurt other people but she thinks that it is Worm's fault and that he was the reason why she was doing these things. She can hear Worm talking to her. When she is caught doing these things, she would act innocent and she would get away everything. After Jessica breaks her old friend's trumpet and is caught, she talks with Mrs. Fortune (who had saw her pushing the trumpet out the window) She then begins to think that Worm is a demon and that a witch sent him. Jessica tries to destroy the demon but not worm, but she fails because Worm ran away but Worm dies from a fall. Jessica is very sorry and thinks that she is the witch. Then her friend reassures her that she is not a witch because Jessica was crying over Worm's death and witches don't cry.
1. friend
2. Only a true friend will stay with you
3. Jessica: Sorrowful, hurt, lonely
3a. I think Jessica must of been surprised and scared at the same time when she acted innocent and pretended she didn't remember anything and was passing out because people believed her. I don't think Jessica thought it would work at first but when it did I think she was surprised. I think she felt a bit guilty about using this to get away with things.
4. A memorable scene from the story was Jessica imagined that Worm was back alive in her dream. This shows that because Jessica believed that Worm was talking and that he was a demon, he was to her, but once she started to think differently, she dreamed that Worm didn't die and that the demon did instead.
5. The author is trying to tell you that whatever you believe is true to you. Jessica believed in witches and so they were real to her. If you believe in ghosts, you feel like you see them everywhere.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really loved the ending where Worm came back alive and you can either think that Worm actually did come a live or it was actually a dream.
7.
Beginning: Jessica finds Worm and takes care of him.
Climax: Worm talks to Jessica and Jessica starts to do bad things to other people because of Worm.
Ending: Jessica is very sad because Worm dies from a fall and stops believing in demons and witches.
1. friend
2. Only a true friend will stay with you
3. Jessica: Sorrowful, hurt, lonely
3a. I think Jessica must of been surprised and scared at the same time when she acted innocent and pretended she didn't remember anything and was passing out because people believed her. I don't think Jessica thought it would work at first but when it did I think she was surprised. I think she felt a bit guilty about using this to get away with things.
4. A memorable scene from the story was Jessica imagined that Worm was back alive in her dream. This shows that because Jessica believed that Worm was talking and that he was a demon, he was to her, but once she started to think differently, she dreamed that Worm didn't die and that the demon did instead.
5. The author is trying to tell you that whatever you believe is true to you. Jessica believed in witches and so they were real to her. If you believe in ghosts, you feel like you see them everywhere.
6. I would rate this book a 10 because I really loved the ending where Worm came back alive and you can either think that Worm actually did come a live or it was actually a dream.
7.
Beginning: Jessica finds Worm and takes care of him.
Climax: Worm talks to Jessica and Jessica starts to do bad things to other people because of Worm.
Ending: Jessica is very sad because Worm dies from a fall and stops believing in demons and witches.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Ice Cream Personality
Although you might think that you choose random ice cream flavors to eat, Dr.Alan Hirsh (founder of Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation) thinks differently. Dr. Alan Hirsh conducted a study for Baskin Robbins during the National Ice Cream month (July). Dr. Alan believes that your choice of ice cream flavor can show your personality.
Here are flavors and their personalities:
Vanilla: An impulsive person and an idealist. You are a pessimist.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: You are competitive and ambitious.
Very Berry Strawberry: You are tolerant, devoted and an shy.
Rocky Road: Aggressive and engaging. You are a good listener.
Mint Chocolate Chip: You are argumentative and very frugal.
Chocolate Chip: You are generous and competent.
People that enjoy exotic and strange flavors like Jamoca and Pralines 'n Cream are scrupulous, conscientious, and moral perfectionists.
I personally like vanilla. What flavor do you like?
Among the Hidden (Book Worksheet)
Main Characters: Luke, Jennifer
Summary: There is a new Population Rule in which each family can't have more than 2 kids. Luke is one of the lonely "shadow children". Shadow children are illegal, but families keep third children and hide them. Some of the children are caught by the Population Police and the family that keep the children must pay a large fee. Luke never went outside to meet anyone and besides his immediate family, he never met a person before. One day, Luke discovers a face in the window of his neighbor's house where he knew 2 boys lived in. He learns that there was also a third child in the other house who was a girl. Luke sneaks into his neighbor's house and meets Jen(Jennifer). Jen trusts Luke and tells him about a plan she is willing to risk her life for- a plan in which hundreds of shadow children are going to march to the government and protest for the rights that everybody else has. Luke is afraid and decides not to go. After the day of the plan passes, Luke gets worried and goes to Jen's house. Luke is caught by Jen's father and learns that Jen's own father works for the Population Police. Jen's father tells Luke that Jen and forty other shadow children have been shot down. Jen's father tells Luke to hide when more Population Policemen come to investigate. Jen's father then offers Luke a fake ID card so that he can live as somebody else and not be "illegal". Luke says goodbye to his family and becomes a new person- Lee Grant.
1. me
2. You are special because you are you and not me (I am special because I am me and not you)
3. Luke: scared, worried, kind
Jennifer: determined, proud, stubborn
3a. I think Jen was inspiring for some shadow children because of her determination to carry out her plan and show the government who's boss. Jen didn't listen to any of the pleads to not do the dangerous plans, instead she just kept on encouraging other people to help her with the plan. Jen didn't even care when Luke said that he wouldn't be part of the plan. I was very sad when Jen died.
4. The scene in which Jen's father told Luke to escape out of the secret closet backdoor was impressive. Jen's father had actually lied and only said that to make Luke go to the back of the closet.
I think that it was impressive because Jen's father didn't panic and just easily lied to make Luke hide in the back of the closet and I also think that Jen's father was very clever to do that.
5. The author was trying to tell you that you have to say what you want to say and believe what you want to believe even if you are at gunpoint or have a knife to your throat, just like Jen did. She believed that shadow children should be treated like everybody else.
6. I would rate this book a 9 because I liked the plot and the ending because it made me want to read the next book in the series. I didn't give it a ten because the idea was used in many books I read, for example, The Giver by Lois Lowry.
7.
Beginning: Luke meets Jen and learns about her plan to rally all the Shadow Children.
Climax: Jen dies and Luke is offered a fake ID card.
Ending: Luke leaves his family and becomes a new person, Lee Grant.
Summary: There is a new Population Rule in which each family can't have more than 2 kids. Luke is one of the lonely "shadow children". Shadow children are illegal, but families keep third children and hide them. Some of the children are caught by the Population Police and the family that keep the children must pay a large fee. Luke never went outside to meet anyone and besides his immediate family, he never met a person before. One day, Luke discovers a face in the window of his neighbor's house where he knew 2 boys lived in. He learns that there was also a third child in the other house who was a girl. Luke sneaks into his neighbor's house and meets Jen(Jennifer). Jen trusts Luke and tells him about a plan she is willing to risk her life for- a plan in which hundreds of shadow children are going to march to the government and protest for the rights that everybody else has. Luke is afraid and decides not to go. After the day of the plan passes, Luke gets worried and goes to Jen's house. Luke is caught by Jen's father and learns that Jen's own father works for the Population Police. Jen's father tells Luke that Jen and forty other shadow children have been shot down. Jen's father tells Luke to hide when more Population Policemen come to investigate. Jen's father then offers Luke a fake ID card so that he can live as somebody else and not be "illegal". Luke says goodbye to his family and becomes a new person- Lee Grant.
1. me
2. You are special because you are you and not me (I am special because I am me and not you)
3. Luke: scared, worried, kind
Jennifer: determined, proud, stubborn
3a. I think Jen was inspiring for some shadow children because of her determination to carry out her plan and show the government who's boss. Jen didn't listen to any of the pleads to not do the dangerous plans, instead she just kept on encouraging other people to help her with the plan. Jen didn't even care when Luke said that he wouldn't be part of the plan. I was very sad when Jen died.
4. The scene in which Jen's father told Luke to escape out of the secret closet backdoor was impressive. Jen's father had actually lied and only said that to make Luke go to the back of the closet.
I think that it was impressive because Jen's father didn't panic and just easily lied to make Luke hide in the back of the closet and I also think that Jen's father was very clever to do that.
5. The author was trying to tell you that you have to say what you want to say and believe what you want to believe even if you are at gunpoint or have a knife to your throat, just like Jen did. She believed that shadow children should be treated like everybody else.
6. I would rate this book a 9 because I liked the plot and the ending because it made me want to read the next book in the series. I didn't give it a ten because the idea was used in many books I read, for example, The Giver by Lois Lowry.
7.
Beginning: Luke meets Jen and learns about her plan to rally all the Shadow Children.
Climax: Jen dies and Luke is offered a fake ID card.
Ending: Luke leaves his family and becomes a new person, Lee Grant.
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