Humanities 8 Shri

What is Power?

2009-05-17T23:23:00.000-07:00

Power is a word that can, and does, mean many different things to many different people. A quick Google search of the definition of power came with the result that power is “the possession of controlling influence.” That definition branches off into many different subtopics, for lack of a better term, as you can have “controlling influence” in different aspects of life. Over all, from what we’ve learned in class, power can exist through political ways; by holding government and enforcing rules to a group of people, power can exist through economic ways; by having the most, or better known as being the “richest”, and power can exist through personal ways; by standing up for your own ideas at home or in the work place.
In my opinion, power is most noticeable in politics. Politics is basically just an easy way for people to gain and hold power. Two different examples of power in systems of government are dictatorships and democracies. In dictatorships, one man holds power. One man decides what happens to a big group of people and how the people of a country’s lives will function. Dictators often suppress peoples’ rights of speech, rights of freedom, and rights to religion, as is strongly evident in North Korea. With dictatorships, that one man, the dictator, holds all the decisions of a country in the palm of his hand, because he holds the strongest “possession of controlling influence”. In democracies, a country has a right to vote on who they want to lead. The citizens of a country usually choose their leader based on the ideas and opportunity that the candidates are willing to give. In democracies, the people have more power at the start as they have the power to decide who “wins”. After the winner or next leader is selected, he/she usually holds the power along with those who stand by the ideas of the leader. In government systems, it’s easy to see who holds power and who doesn’t.
Power also exists in the form of economical power. Through history, it’s always been the rich having more power. During slave times in North America, it was always the whites who had power over the blacks, and mostly because the whites had more money. During the Industrial Revolution, those who had money were the ones who were getting more money as ideas began to form into reality, such as Andrew Carnegie. Now, during our day and age, it’s still obvious that those who have more money are the ones who have more opportunity to move forward and thrive over those who don’t have much money. Mr. Coyle always used to say, “As the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.” This is extremely true in places like India, where the rich are the ones who get the good jobs and better opportunity to get more money, whereas those who live on the streets are usually bound to a life of under paying jobs. Through this, those who have more money simply have better opportunity, causing them to rise above those who don’t have much money. Economic power is also very easy to see, whereas personal power isn’t.
To me, having personal power is the ability to stand up for what you believe in, and being able to get others to listen to your ideas. Personal power is also being able to make the right decisions for you and yourself. Often in families, it’s the parents who hold power, as they are the ones who are making the decisions for the family as a whole, trying to determine what’s the best for everyone. In the workplace, it’s the boss who holds power as they are the ones who are trying to do what’s best for the company as a whole. At an individual level, you are the one who holds power. You decide what best for yourself, and you do what you know is right for yourself. Personal power can exist in many different forms.
It is very apparent that power exists in many different ways, through politics, through economy and through personal ways. Power is everywhere and many people hold it in different ways. Power is often the basis for many people’s lives. I believe power is one of the most fundamental things in the world today.

Net Effect of Globalization

2009-05-15T02:40:00.002-07:00

There are many pros and cons to globalization. For pros, the spread of culture has somewhat benefited various countries and brings in new ideas so the whole world can move forward together, instead of countries moving forward part by part. It helps create a lot of new jobs in countries where finding a good job is often hard. ALso, it helps take technology through the world and help improve various aspect of everyday life. Globalization also helps the consumer get good quality products for a cheaper price. Also, companies have sent many jobs to other countries around the world so that people could could kind of rise out of the poverty cycle. Sometimes though, out sourcing jobs is seen as being bad, which brings me to the cons.

Though globalization helps people get out of poverty in certain occasions, it also takes away jobs from many people, such as people in the US getting laid off so that people in India can take the jobs for less pay, as we saw in the thirty days video. This is a big problem in the US. Also, because of globalization, asian countries are becoming more western and are slowly losing their culture.

Overall, I believe that globalization had a good net effect, as the pros outnumber the cons.

Feedback.

2009-05-15T02:30:00.000-07:00

I would post the cartoon I was asked to analyze, but my blogger is being very weird.

The overall main visual elements are the family eating dinner and the caption at the bottom that says "Well yes, we could read your blog, or you could just TELL us about your school day." The child in the family is in a high chair, so its kind of saying that everyone, young and old is using technology for everything now. I don't think the cartoonist likes the way technology is taking over, because it says "or you could just TELL us." Kind of like, there are so many other ways of doing things, but we always just resort to technology. This cartoon is ironic because the kid is like three, and thats actually just kind of stupid for a three year old to be using a blog instead of telling his parents about his day. We talk about how common technology is now and how much people use technology in class all the time, and this cartoon shows that. I think this is a pretty persuasive cartoon.

Power and the Giver

2009-05-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

The theme of power is very evident in the novel, The Giver. The Chief Elders are believed to hold all the power at the beginning of the novel; from assigning people their jobs, to matching people with their mates and children. They decide what happens in the community, they set all rules and hold all rules. The Chief Elders were, in my opinion, basically like dictators, but referred to in softer terms. As the novel progresses and Jonas receives his assignment as the Receiver, it becomes somewhat apparent that the Giver has a lot of power as well. If the Giver was to run away, or apply for release before giving Jonas all the memories, he would burden the community with the truth. As the story further progresses and Jonas begins to receive the memories, he has as much power as the Giver. If Jonas was to allow the memories to pass to the community, there was nothing that could stop them. The Chief Elders would have no way of holding back the memories, and all the information lies in the hands of Jonas and the Giver. I believe that though the Chief Elders make all the decisions for the community, Jonas and the Giver are the ones who hold the true power, because they are the ones who can make or break the community.

Feedbackk;.

2009-05-04T01:04:00.000-07:00

I cannot manage my time at all, and PoP taught me a little bit more how not only important time management is, but also how to do it right. I had everything done with about a day or two to spare to double check except my data analysis, because I had no idea what that was about. It also taught me how to organize essays better, and how to plan essays out better. And lastly, I learned how to be more patient, because at times the printers wouldn't print, and teachers would be talking to someone else so you couldn't talk to them, and sometimes the computers would stall, all when you're under this big deadline. It drove me crazy, having all these things not working when I was trying to get PoP done, but in the end I learned that if you wait and be patient, it goes a lot smoother than worrying and freaking out about things not working.

PoP Feedback

2009-04-16T02:43:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, the 14th.

Do more research
Start organizing information

Wednesday, the 15th.

Finish organizing
Put into outline format

Thursday, the 16th.

Start first draft

Friday, the 17th.

Edit draft
Get someone else to edit
Start second draft

Weekend, the 18-19th.

Finish second draft
Edit

Monday, the 20th.

Start and finish final.

Feedback

2009-03-23T01:58:00.000-07:00

What is technology?
What are the 5 most and 5 least important technologies used today?
How do you feel about the amount of and use of technology at AES?

1. Technology is usually something that is developed and uses electricity.

2. Most Important
Computer
Telephone
Automobiles
Clock
Light bulb

Least Important
Self-powered floor vacuums
Coffee Makers
Electric Toys
Christmas Lights
IPod speakers

3. I think we use a good amount of technology, as its usually incorporated in every class. I think it's important for us to use technology as in the future, its quite possible that our entire world will just be based on technology.

Kurt Vonnegut

2009-03-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

“Do you know what a Luddite is? That’s a person who doesn’t like newfangled contraptions. Contraptions like nuclear submarines armed with Poseidon missiles that have H-bombs in their warheads, and like computers that cheat you out of becoming. Bill Gates says, “Wait till you can see what your computer can become.” But it’s you who should be doing the becoming. What you can become is the miracle you were born to work—not the damn fool computer.” - Kurt Vonnegut

I understand what Kurt Vonnegut is saying, but I don't know if I completely agree. I can understand why someone would believe that computers can hold you back from growing up, especially with kids who spend all their time in front of the computer. But at the same time, computers and technology have moved our earth a lot further, and had we not had technology, we would be living in very hard times.

Quarter 4 GOALSSSS !

2009-03-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

Quarter Three Goals:
1. Start reading at a higher level, and I'll do that by reading more complex books.
2. Develop my geography skills, by spending time looking at maps and such.
3. Turn in my homework with a higher degree of effort, and I'll do that by spending more time on it.

I accomplished 2/3 three of my goals. I did start reading higher level books, as well I spent more of my own time learning about the landscape and culture of different areas in the world. In terms of my last goal, the homework I did turn in ( :) ) was usually pretty good, but I didn't turn in two assignments, which brings me to my QUARTER FOUR GOALS !

My quarter four goals are :
1. Turn in EVERYTHING. (I say this pretty much every quarter, but I will do it this time)
2. Meet all my own personal deadlines for UBD such as for research that needs to be done in our own time.
3. This quarter, I would also like to speak more during Socratic Seminar, which was my second quarter goal, but I could not work on it as we didn't have any Socratic Seminars.

WWIII?

2009-02-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

Do you think there will be a World War III in your lifetime?

If you don’t think WWIII will occur please explain why you feel this way. What structures are in place that will prevent WWIII from happening?
If you do think WWIII will happen what will be the causes? Which nations will be on each side? Where will it be fought? What will be the net effect?

World War I began due to political and economic reasons, and World War II began due to ethnic as well as economic reason. I think there will be a WWIII due to the economy, which is declining quite quickly, as well due to differing opinions about various things, such as religion, as well as a battle for natural resources. I also think that the unrest in Israel will add to it. I think the war will be fought between the larger economies, such as the US and against China with European countries on the side of the US and the Middle East on the side of China. I think the war would be fought through the desert areas of the Middle East, as well as in Africa, as there is barren land there. As far as technology, I think it will be mainly aireal warfare, and not so much naval warfare or trench warfare.

Anne Frank Discussion Question

2009-02-17T00:26:00.000-08:00

In The New York Times the writer Anna Quindlen asked, “Would our understanding of the Holocaust be quite the same if Anne Frank had not taken a small plaid diary into hiding with her?” Respond to this question and explain your answer.

My answer to this question is yes and no. To the extent of understanding the events of the war, no, because Anne didn't go into much detail about what was going on outside of her "home". Yes, she talked about the air raids, and about a few occupations, but not very much. But on the other side, she gave the world a deeper understanding about what it was like to live in hiding during the war, and the things they had to go through on a daily basis. Without her diary I don't think people would have known how difficult it was for her family, and the families like them. So in conclusion, I think Anne Frank's diary has and has not helped the further understanding of the war.

WWII Recipe Poem

2009-02-16T21:08:00.000-08:00

Throw a can of fascism into a big bowl,
and make sure you throw away the treaty of versailles.
Sprinkle in some failure of the league of nations,
and grate some Hitler, Stalin, and Musolini right on top.
Crumble in some appeasement,
to taste.
Place on a pot halfway filled with hatred,
put on medium heat,
and bring to a boil;
and allow to explode.

Feedback

2009-02-01T19:17:00.000-08:00

Of the characters in Animal Farm, I believe I'm most like Benjamin as I have a very cynical attitude. Also, I believe Benjamin knew that the whole plan of taking over the farm wouldn't work, but he didn't really say anything, or do anything about it , which is something I would do. I usually stand to the side, as I'm not much of a leader. I think Benjamin kind of knew that the commandments were changing but he did nothing to fix that, which is something I would do as well. I just let "nature take its course".

Feedback Januray 27th

2009-01-26T23:38:00.000-08:00

The word tyranny means the rule of an absolute ruler, which is kind of what Farmer Jones is. Farmer Jones takes the animals' milk, and kills them for his food without thinking about them, he does it for himself. Which is also injustice. Injustice means to be unfair towards other things or people, which is how the animals see Farmer Jones as being. The animals want self-determination, which means to run things as you want, according to your own needs. I think these three words all relate to the overthrow of Farmer Jones, as the animals all wanted to be self-determined and live their lives as they wanted, and they saw Farmer Jones as a tyrant who did things based on himself, which could also be considered self-determined. The animals also saw Farmer Jones as being unjust, which ties it all together.

Feedback

2009-01-19T00:58:00.000-08:00

As on July, 2007 there are 538,128 people enlisted in the US army. The US army is all on a volunteer basis, so you only have to join if you want to. The only reason I would join the army would be for financial assitance for college. if my parents were unable to pay for me to go to college, then I would definitely find it a necessity to join the army. Also, if my country were to face a shortage in soldiers, then I would also find it necessary to join and defend my country.

Cartoon Analysis

2009-01-12T01:36:00.000-08:00

The main visual elements in this cartoon are the various countries, illustrated through people in uniform. I think this image shows how alliances are made, but also broken. You can see that almost everyone is shaking hands with someone, but the Netherlands to the side is crying, possibly because an alliance was broken or they could not make an alliance with anyone. Also, Germany and Austria-Hungary are in the center, shaking hands with the most people, but not each other, which shows that the illustrator felt they were the key people in the war. Also, the two countries in the center do not share any allies except for Italy, which also shows that Germany and Austria-Hungary are against each other.

Second Quarter Feedback.

2009-01-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

My three goals for second quarter were to 1. get better at Socratic Seminar, which I couldn't work at because we didn't have any Socratic Seminars. 2. Understand what we do and talk about in class, and I feel I did achieve that for the most part. Lastly, 3. pay more attention in class, which over all, I kind of did, as I definitely didn't talk as much as before for the most part.

My quarter three goals are;

1. Start reading at a higher level, and I'll do that by reading more complex books.
2. Develop my geography skills, by spending time looking at maps and such.
3. Turn in my homework with a higher degree of effort, and I'll do that by spending more time on it.

SQ3R Geography

2008-12-11T21:48:00.000-08:00

East Africa has many different geographical features. East Africa has many highlands as well plains, but East Africa is mainly known for the Great Rift Valley. Most of the East African population lives on highlands, as more vegetation grows there. Mt. Kilimanjaro is 5,895 meters, and stands in Kenya. There are many elephants, giraffes, lions, zebras, and flamingos. To protect wild life in East Africa, a national park was established in Tanzania. Africa's largest lake, Lake Victoria, is also in East Africa. The highlands are very wet and rainy, and the plains are very dry.

Scramble for Africa

2008-12-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

1. Our strategy was to get all the land with the places that had the resources we needed, as well as the places that the other teams needed.
2. The factors we considered were what resources we needed and where they were found, as well as what the other teams may need. 3. I think that all the teams may have won in their own way, as most of them got the places they wanted, though some countries had more land than the other.
4. As I said, most of the countries got the places they wanted, but had less than others. By going by who had the least land, I'd have to say that Spain lost.

Cartoon

2008-12-11T21:26:00.002-08:00

The main visual elements of this cartoon are Africa, and the massive footprint. I think the footprint symbolizes the mark Europe left on Africa, and the artist sees it as a very negative thing, as the footprint takes over almost all of Africa. Also, the land under the shoe print is very cracked and dry, making it seem like the Europeans took their resources, and stripped them of their necessities.

SQ3R Modern Africa

2008-12-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

Today in East Africa, you'll find skyscrapers in the capital cities of countries like Tanzania and Kenya, but then also nomadic herders roaming through Somalia. Most of the East African countries economies heavily rely on agriculture. For example, Sudan's economy is based almost entirely on agriculture, and Ethiopia, who has never been ruled by another foreign country, exports coffee, livestock, and oilseeds. Other countries also depend on tourism.

Feedback- Pros ad Cons of Imperialism

2008-11-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

Positives

Often boosted the economy of the country.
Helped colonize and modernize Africa.
Newer machinery was brought to Africa.
Schools were developed.
Health care was brought in.
Stable Governement was enforced.

Negatives

Africans were taken as slaves to other parts of the world.
Many were killed.
Sometimes, the original culture of a place was overtaken by Western culture.
When the Westerners left, countries like Rwanda broke out into Civil War.

East Africa History

2008-11-16T23:47:00.000-08:00

The earlier civilizations in Eastern Africa were well developed. Later on, Islam and Christianity influences life in East Africa. The arrival of Europeans, trade, ethnic conflict, and independence also influenced life in East Africa. About AD 300, Christianity was first introduced to Ethiopia. Around AD 700, Islam was the major religion Egypt, and spread to northern Sudan. Eastern Africa was a big part in slave trade. By the late 1700's, Zanzibar, an East African island, became an international slave-trade center. After slavery was ended, the British gained control over most of East Africa. In the early 1960's, most east African countries gained independence from European rule.

The European rule has played a major role in East Africa. French is the official language in Rwanda, Burundi, and Djibouti. English is the main language in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. African languages are also spoken in Eastern Africa. Swahili is spoken in Tanzania and Kenya, as well as English. Somalians speak Somali, and Ethiopians speak Amharic.
Religions in East Africa vary greatly. A lot of East Africans follow animist religions, which means they believe the natural world contains spirits. Some religions are combined with animist worship, such as Christianity. Islam is also practiced.

To Be A Slave- Can We Trust?

2008-11-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

I think for the most part we can trust what Julius Lester is saying in To Be a Slave. I think that because he's using letters and stories directly from slaves. And also, since most of the accounts from the slaves are very similar, I also think most of it is true. Then again, we haven't heard the side of the story from the slave owners, but I don't think all the slaves came together.

After doing more research about Julius Lester, I am beginning to wonder how much you can trust him, as he is an African American and his ancestors were slaves. He may have used accounts of real slaves in his book, but he used maybe a hundred or two of the thousands of slaves there were.

5 Themes of Geography

2008-11-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

I think this image shows the 5 themes of geography. Movement, because it shows people moving around the place, and walking to and from the park. This shows region because, not all places have blue skies and green trees, due to pollution and things. Human-environment interation as people are buying and eating food, and if you look close, there are some people putting the wrappers in places other than bins.
The picture's location is Central Park, New York.
Place, because as I said earlier, the green trees and blue skies show that it's in an unpolluted place, which is something not all places have. Also, the statue and architecture of the walls and things make it unique as well.

http://aguyinnewyork.com/images/2005photos/CentralPark103005.JPG

Feedback

2008-11-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

Evaluate this quote, “Violence leads to more violence.” Use evidence from Julius Caesar and current world events to support or reject.

In my opinion, the quote "violence leads to more violence" is true. In Julius Caesar after the conspirators kill Caesar, the citizens plot to kill the conspirators- or at least that how it seemed up to the point we had read to. Also in our everyday lives, usually when you hurt someone, like punch them or something, they punch back. That's just how it works at our age. And in the world, when one country bombs another country, they usually fight back.I think this statement is definitely true.

Brutus's Dilemma

2008-10-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

If I were Brutus, and had to choose between my country and my friend, then I'd choose my friend. I would do so because I think you can always change a person. Even though Caesar may be becoming too powerful, you can always change his opinion. I think that by having Brutus's support, Caesar would be able to become the change that all the conspirators want him to be. Also the people aren't positive that he will become an evil dictator, and because of that, they can also try to steer his mind in the right direction. Brutus and Caesar were also good friends for a very long time, so Brutus probably knows the true Caesar, if it's not the big dictator that he's portraying. If Brutus is a loyal friend, he wouldn't let down Caesar like that. Brutus should stay loyal to his friend, and try to change him instead of killing him.

Leadership

2008-10-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

In 8th grade, I don't think there are any student leaders, as everyone gives their own input whenever necessary. There are some people who step up a bit more than others, like the SLAMS members, but I wouldn't call them "leaders." I would say the qualities of a good leader would be someone who is willing to take time out of their own life, and work at making things better for other people, as well as helping others, and being a good example for others. I don't think anyone in the 8th grade really does that.

Imperialism

2008-10-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

When comparing the 4 cases of Imperialism that we talked about in class, India, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast India, there are a lot of similarities. First of all, when overthrowing another country or empire, they were all after one thing; the natural resources of the country they were overthrowing. When they ran out of resources they would travel to different countries abundant in that certain resource, like Britain did with India for cotton. Also, sometimes the domination was to gain more respect, to be the first to overthrow that specific country, to gain "glory", as Mr. Coyle put it. Also, in some cases they were trying to spread God, or at least used God as an excuse to go into a different country. Strong countries would overthrow the weaker countries mostly by bringing armies, or by changing the economy. Sometimes countries would change culturally, like in the case of India. In all cases that we studied, the domination brought on new leadership. In India and Southeast Asia, there was a case of hunger and better school and health care.

First Quarter Feedback/Second Quarter Goals

2008-10-06T22:30:00.000-07:00

My first quarter goals were to keep up with my homework, and to really understand what we were learning in class. In terms of my homework, I turned in all but one assignment, which was a big improvement from last year. I hope by the end of next quarter I'll turn in everything :]. When it comes to my second goal, I think I achieved that, too, except for some little things and the economic stuff. There was a lot of information in a little amount of time, and I think I just got really confused, but as I think about what we learned more, I think I'm starting to understand more as well.
One of my second quarter goals is to get better at Socratic Seminars. I talk once in awhile, but I really want to get more involved in them more. But that is where my second goal comes in :] Once again, I would like to really understand what we do in class. I tried last semester, but as I said, I didn't completely understand everything. I really would like to try to pay more attention in class as well, as that will probably help too.

2008-09-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

In your blog please analyze the above cartoon which was originally published in the New York Times on June 10, 1911.
As part of your analysis please address the following:
What are the main visual elements?
What issue is this political cartoon about?
What is the cartoonist’s opinion on this issue?
What evidence in the cartoon leads you to believe that the author feels this way?
What other techniques could the cartoonist have used to make this cartoon more persuasive?

The main visual elements of this cartoon would have to be the big man with the ribbon that says "capitalism", the man he is holding labeled "labor" and the bags of money below that say "profits from child labor". Obviously, this cartoon is about Capitalism, and how unfair it is. The big man seems to be shaking money out of the laborer, and then has bags and bags of money from child labor. The cartoonist doesn't seem to like the idea of capitalism, and makes it seem like the only people who benefit it are the owners of companies, not the workers. I think he also finds the factory owners greedy. I think this because of how he makes the man shaking the laborer so much larger, and how the man is shaking the laborer's money on the bags and bags of money he already has.

image from:http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/laborpress/images/Socialist Voice

Feedback

2008-09-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

This week marks the mid-point of the first quarter. Please review your humanities goals for the quarter (posted on your BLOG) and evaluate how well you are meeting them at this point. Revise your goals if you need to.

My first goal was to keep up with my homework, and so far I've been doing well. I've had everything turned in on time, and finished everything else by the due date. I hope to keep this up throughout the year. My second goal was to really understand what we're learning in class, and again, I've been trying my best to do that. When I didn't understand something, I went home and researched it some more on my own time, which has really helped me in class. I also hope to keep this up as the year progresses.

Industrial Revolution Pros/Cons

2008-09-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

One of our essential questions this quarter is: What is the “net effect” of the Industrial Revolution? To begin thinking about this question please begin to create a list of positives and negatives of the Industrial Revolution. Make sure you explain yourself well enough that a person not familiar with the IR would be able to understand your ideas from reading your post.

Pros

In the beginning, more women and children were needed to work, so more people had jobs which meant more money.
Industries began to boom, causing entire countries to become wealthier.
When machines were introduced, products could be made more efficiently, for a cheaper price.
Faster transportation, so goods could be transported quicker and goods could be solder faster.

Cons

Because machines produced goods faster, more people lost their jobs.
Children were forced to work, because of their small size, so they were forced to climb into machines, which was very dangerous.
Countries became polluted due to excess use of coal.
Destroyed arable land to make factories.

Factory Game 2

2008-08-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

The next day, we had a competition. Who had created the best "toy"? After selecting the best, we had a new task. To create an assembly line, and recreate the same figure. We were in competition with the rest of the 8th grade humanities classes. I was taken out to the hall by Mr. Coyle. I was the "manager" of the assembly line. We win the competition, I get a soda, we lose, my grade goes down. Oh, dear.
We began. Everyone was so busy talking, and nothing was being made. It took 10 minutes before we actually made anything; but after that we were making little bears by the minute. We could've worked more efficiently, if no one had talked.
I think the second day was a better way of making product, because each person was doing a little part. The first day, we each had to do everything, so it took longer. Though our second day's work was messier, it was produced at a quicker rate, which is what was expected.

Factory Game 1

2008-08-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

Our task? To envision ourselves as peasants way back when, and to create a "toy" for our little brother's birthday. We each received a sheet of paper with little cutout pieces, and those were our materials, along with glue and crayons. We had 15 minutes. We all sat, carefully cutting our pieces out, debating whether to make a bear or a pig. I'll make a rabbit.
"What are you making?"
"I'm not sure, how about you?"
Soon enough the time was up, and no one was finished. We were to take our projects home and complete them, using the same materials.

A Roller Coaster Ride

2008-08-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

The roller coaster is inside of a cave. All around is darkness, like night. The cart we are sitting in begins to move. It is too late to turn back. The cart's bottom scrapes against the tracks. Screeeeech. My heart begins to beat faster and faster. The candy apple red cart begins to move at a steady pace. Splash, splash. The water below the tracks begins to splash against the pitch blackness of the cave walls. A musty smell fills the air, almost like we are out to sea in a ship from Columbus's time. I can taste the ocean in my mouth. I begin to feel sick. Maybe riding the roller coaster wasn't the best idea. The cart begins to move faster. Chug, chug, chug. We are out of the cave, into the blinding sunlight. Oh, fresh air. We being to move upwards. I see a long trail of tracks. I look over the cart, and I remember. I am afraid of heights. Deathly. Afraid of heights. I close my eyes. The cart stops for a second. I calm down. Suddenly, a gush of ice cold air blows onto my face. AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! All around me, people are screaming. My heart is close to exploding. The cart is crying out for help, the friction is so strong. I truly believe I am going to die. Please don't let me die; I'm too young, I silently pray to myself. The wind stops blowing. I open my eyes. It's over. I am alive. I congratulate my self and take a few calming breaths. Inhale, exhale. I turn to look at my companion.
"Let's go again."

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

2008-08-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” Inventions are usually created in order to make living easier. Things like the airplane, telephone, and cotton gin were invented to make tasks simpler. The airplane was invented to make travelling great distances quicker. The telephone was created to pass messages without have to leave the benefit of your home. The cotton gin was invented to make a task usually done by 100 people, so that only a person was needed to run the machine. All in all, inventions are invented to make living more efficient.

Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/whocaresz/419033340/

How I Learn Best.

2008-08-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

I learn best visually. When I read something, I tend to understand and process the information better than if I just listen to someone talk about the subject. Also, when just listening I always seem to lose focus and my mind begins to "wander." I enjoy reading in my free time, so carrying that into class is something I would prefer to do rather than listening to lectures. I also like to learn by doing simulations or activities, because they stand out in my mind when I think back, rather than just hearing lectures. I think class would be easier for me, personally, if we were to get up and move around more, and also if we read more material about our subjects.

Feedback :]

2008-08-13T05:21:00.000-07:00

The first two weeks of school was full of a lot of things, but the main two highlights would have to be seeing my friends again after two months, and meeting my teachers.

I think Humanities will be great. I have a lot of friends in Humanities, which is always a plus. Also, it's a pretty laid-back class. I think Humanities will be the class I look forward most to going to. We'll see what it's like a few more months into the school year, though.

I didn't do so well in Humanities last year. I have issues with keeping up with my homework. One big goal I've set for myself is to make sure I'm doing my homework, and turning it in on time. The other thing I'm going to try to accomplish by the end of the quarter is to really understand what's happening. When I was younger, I did the minimum of what I had to. I would really like to try to understand more of what I learn.

My Gang

2008-08-12T02:13:00.001-07:00

My friends, my "gang". When I'm at school, and even outside of school, I mainly hang out with a group of about 6 people. There's Isabelle, my best buddy. We do everything together, all the way to buying pet fish. At least we plan on it. There's also Kartik and Sebastien. Me and Kartik like to joke around a lot, but me and Seb just fight. He's still my friend, though. Then there's also Casey and Jon. Casey is in a lot my classes. We've had some great bonding time! HAHAHA. No. Just kidding. Jon is in a lot of my classes, too. He always makes me laugh. He's a good person to have around. Most of the time. There's also Michaela. We met in Humanities class in 7th grade. We got in a lot of trouble. Not cool. But that's okay.
My friends are GRRRRRREAT. Just like Frosted Flakes. I almost love my friends as much as frosted flakes, too.