Roller Coasters

Tech:
Click Here


Goals:
1. Stay just as good at communicating with others after the Academy.

Self Assessment:
For this project I think that I had strong points, but a few weak ones.  My first strong point was communication. It took a lot of communicating to set up our trip to Six Flags and find a date that worked for everyone.  I think that my weak point was that we didn't stay up to date with our project foundry. Though overall I think that this was one of my best projects.

The Movement of Tectonic Plates

Author's Note:
This is an essay I wrote using a report type voice and I'm focusing on formatting.

You watch as the earth cracks right in front of you, you hear the screams of hundreds. The ground is moving and breaking just under your nose and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Once everyone thought that all of the damage is done, the water comes. All of the water comes in huge amounts, crashing at the shore. Each wave is more than twenty feet tall and creating floods in all coastal cities. You think the worst of what has happened in only minutes. Thousands of people's lives are at stake through all of these natural disasters. What caused it is simple, the Earth's tectonic plates were shifting. Earth would be a wonderful place if each plate wouldn't move.

The overall pattern of movement of the tectonic plates is a widening of the Atlantic Ocean and a shrinkage of the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic is widening because sea-floor spreading at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge continues to create lithosphere. The Pacific is shrinking because much of it is ringed by convergent plate boundaries that are consuming its lithosphere.

Tectonic plates have been shifting for millions of years. According to the commonly accepted description of plate movement, all the continents once formed part of an enormous single land mass called Pangaea. This mass was surrounded by a giant ocean known as Panthalassa. About 200 million years ago, Pangaea began to break up into two large masses called Gondwanaland and Laurasia. Though each plate is only able to move four inches apart each year. These masses, in turn, broke up into the continents, which drifted to their present locations.

Each plate movement is a cause and each cause has an effect. The effects of plate movement are scary and depressing times. There can be devastating earthquakes and powerful tsunamis. These disasters cause one twenty sixth of all deaths each year on average. Could imagine being in one of these disasters and not knowing whether your even going to live or not?

Living through a massive earthquake is a great feat. All around the world, four percent of people die each year from disasters tectonic plates cause. While it may not feel it, the earth is moving right below us. It creates earthquakes and tsunamis, but has created the world that we know today.

Sources:

"Online Dictionary." Online Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2011. .

"Plate Tectonics." UCMP - University of California Museum of Paleontology. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2011. .

"Plate Tectonics." Plate Tectonics. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2011. .

"Plate Tectonics`." Plate Tectonics. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2011. .

Tuning Fork Experiment

Problem: How does the length of sound change when a tuning fork is tapped on different surfaces?
Hypothesis:  I think that the hardest surface will have the longest sound because it won't dampen any vibrations which create the sound.
Experimental Design:
• Variables
• Constant variables
• Tuning fork
• Where I hit the tuning fork on the object
• Independent variables
• The objects
• Dependent variables
• How long the tuning fork made sound
• External variables
• How hard I tapped objects
• Procedure
1. Gather materials
2. Get stopwatch ready
3. Test first object (wall) and time
4. Stop stopwatch
5. Record results
6. Get stopwatch ready
7. Test first object again (wall) and time
8. Stop stopwatch
9. Repeat steps 2-8 with the four remaining objects
• Materials
• Tuning fork
• Wall
• Table
• Notebook
• Natalie's Hand
Observations:

Conclusion:
I wanted to see what kind of objects would make longer sounds when a tuning fork is tapped on them.  My hypothesis was that the harder the object, the longer the sound.  Looking at my data, my hypothesis was supported. The harder objects, such as the wall or the table, had longer sounds than the softer ones. 
Once I did more research to find out why harder objects had longer sounds, I found it was because the vibrations weren't dampened as much.  So when the tuning fork was hit on the object the object didn’t absorb any of the sound that the tuning fork would make.  Though when I tapped the fork on my hand or the notebook, more of the vibrations were dampened because it wasn't completely stiff. 
My only external variable was that I couldn't hit the object with the exact same force for each object.  I tried to use about the same force with each object, but it wasn't perfectly accurate.  Overall, I overcame this variable as best as I could.

Why I Think Saying the Pledge of Allegiance is Wrong

Author's Note:

I wrote this essay about one of the greatest statements in history being untrue to me.  I am focusing on organization and formatting.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Many people know this as the Pledge of Allegiance, but I see it as a lie.  There are flaws in this statement and kids should not have to say it everyday. 

Students all across America are expected to say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday of school.  Americans, young or old, have forgotten why we say it.  We say it to honor the men and women serving our country, whether  here in America or in other countries fighting in the war.  In the pledge we say "one nation under God", but would God really want us to kill others?  A current example is Osama Bin Laden.  Osama killed others, so we killed him.  Talk about being a hypocrite.  Good or bad, God created people and killing them is stealing from God.

"One nation under God" is just one example in the pledge.  Another example is "with liberty and justice for all".  The key word in that sentence is all.  We do not say with liberty and justice for the good people.  Osama was not a good person, but he didn't deserve the unjust murder he got, no one does.  Since the pledge is only four phrases long and two are untrue, students should not be expected to repeat it daily. 

There are about 70 million kids that say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday.  All these kids repeat it because they are told to.  How many of them do you think actually know what they are talking about?  It should not be required to say, but given as an option.  So people can pledge allegiance to a flag all they want, but they should think about what they say before they say it.

Sources:

"Why We Say the Plede of Allegiance." Why We Say the Plede of Allegiance. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2011. <www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=5&sqi=2&ved=0CEsQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgodstopshelf.com%2F2008%2F01%2F22%2Fwhy-we-say-the-pledge-of-allegiance-to-our-flag%2F&rct=j&q=why%20do%20we%20say%20the%20pledge%20of%20allegiance&ei=qLjWTaHRCcnq0gGt0PXIBw&usg=>.

Sound

Author's Note:
This is a content essay on sound. I am focusing on formatting.

Music blasting out of speakers in your son's bedroom. Girls jumping on beds and running around in your daughter's. Your husband's out back with the lawn mower. You ask yourself if it could be any louder. Then the phone rings. There are too many noises around here. Even the slightest noise makes a bang right now. Crack! You can't stand all of this sound. Sound, while somewhat annoying, is still a quintessential part of life.

While sometimes loud, sound is made by air vibrating. The same is true for sounds made by musical instruments. The difference between noise and music is that musical sounds are organized into patterns that have pitch and rhythm. Noise is just random, unorganized sounds. Sounds are made and move the same way whether they are musical sounds or noise.

Most musical instruments have some device that creates sound waves when moved. Sounds are different because of harmonies, which are higher and quieter sounds mixed in. A musical sound is called a tone and is produced by air vibrating an inevitable number of times per second. These vibrations are called waves. These sound waves must be controlled in some way so that the entertainer can control the volume, value of the tone, and how long it plays.

The number of times that a sound wave vibrates in a second is called its frequency. Scientists even have a name for how they measure the frequency of sounds, they call it hertz. High notes have a higher frequency than lower notes and this changes their shape. Different types of sound waves have different shapes. The pictures shows what sound waves "look" like.

Sounds can be very different from one and other, but all we see, hear and feel is music, noise, and headaches. Also, sounds can be viewed between soft notes, high notes, loud notes, and loud notes. Finally, sound can be measured in cycles by units called hertz.

Sources:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEkQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdictionary.reference.com%2Fbrowse%2Fsound&rct=j&q=sound%20&ei=xXPSTdHRJcXAtgfU0_WuCg&usg=AFQjCNH4Eg2W_vPKvDJ_V-yXGVRmqhLutg&sig2=SfWvCZu0wjV_6_SrPniLlw&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CG8QFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Flibrary.thinkquest.org%2F26585%2F&rct=j&q=sound%20&ei=xXPSTdHRJcXAtgfU0_WuCg&usg=AFQjCNFzdhgN7kdqGXXpMgUSx543iAilQw&sig2=--AQOqZL3b_Ii-K9Ome9yg&cad=rja

Rihanna

Author's Note:

This is an essay about Rihanna's life.  I am focusing on organization and using a report type voice.

Walking up to the stage, ready to perform in front of thousands viewers.  The drums start, then the guitar, finally the piano.  Then she starts singing, her voice static-free and smooth.  Her voice is clear and annunciated.  Every word she says sounds magical.  To think from where she was when she was growing up, to where she is now, is breath taking.  This performer was Rihanna.  Rihanna is the greatest female artist of our generation thanks to her life, her style, and her voice.

Rihanna had gone through a lot growing up.  She was born in St. Michael Parish on the Caribbean island of Barbados. She is the oldest of the three children in her family. Rihanna's childhood was marred by her father's struggles with addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine and her parents' marital problems.  Her parents divorced when she was only 14 years old.  Rihanna also struggled with migraines for several years during her childhood, a condition she attempted to hide from her friends and classmates so that they would not think she was abnormal. 

As she was getting older, Rihanna turned to singing as a release from her troubles at home and school. Rihanna and two friends formed a band.  When they were 15 years old, they scored an audition with music producer Evan Rodgers.  Rogers was impressed by the young, beautiful, and phenomenally talented Rihanna. Less than a year later, when Rihanna was 16 years old, she left Barbados to move in with Rogers and his wife in Connecticut and work on recording a demo album. 

In January 2005, Rogers landed Rihanna an audition for Def Jam Records and its newly minted president, the legendary rapper Jay-Z.  The legend was every bit as wowed by Rihanna's stunning voice and commanding presence as Rogers had been two years earlier, and he signed her on the spot.  Only eight months later  Rihanna released her first single, "Pon de Replay," that skyrocketed to number  two on the Billboard singles chart and announced Rihanna as the next big pop star. Her first album, Music of the Sun, released later that month.  Music of the Sun, reached number ten on the Billboard albums chart and also featured the single "If It's Lovin' That You Want." Rihanna released her second album, A Girl Like Me, the next year, spawning two major hits in "Unfaithful" and "SOS," Rihanna's first number one hit.

Even though Rihanna is all glitz and glitter now, growing up with the family and life she had was not easy.  Rihanna was very lucky to get a chance to perform for Evan Rogers who made her hobby a career.  She stunned rapper Jay-Z with her voice and went on to even greater accomplishments.  Through thick and thin in her life she could always turn to music and feel relieved.  Rihanna is not just another singer she has become a legend.

Sources:

http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Rihanna/Biography/

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/rihanna-biography/1b2ea22412b9ecf548257061000d6c00

Dogs

Author's Note:

This is a cinquain poem about dogs.

Dogs

Gentle, fun

Running, playing, jumping

Small dogs are cute

Canines

Age

Author's Note:
This is a poem that I decided to write about getting older.

Growing up, growing old

Getting wiser every day

The lessons we learn

The people we know

With knowledge comes pride

With pride comes character

Forbidden words

Forbidden languages

Sounds of love

Sounds of laughter

Tastes of bitter

Tastes of sweet

This all comes with life

This all com with age

Names

Author's Note:

This is a haiku about names.

We're all called something

We all have our own labels

 We all know our names

Response to Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl

Author's Note:

This is my response to the first hundred pages of Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl.

While the book has sold over 25 million copies, it is actually just the diary of a girl who lived during the Holocaust.   The Holocaust was the time when Adolf Hitler was in power of Germany.  During the first hundred pages it describes, in detail, about the secret apartment that her family lived in and everyone living with them.  Anne writes extremely well in this diary and I found it to be very intriguing.

In her diary she tells about her troubles she had her mom and her sister.  She also talks about the deep love she had for her father.  In her diary she calls their hiding a Secret Annex, it was located in the top floors of her father's office building.  Finally, I thought the best part that she wrote about was when she told about all of her friends she had to leave when her family went into hiding.

Rube Goldberg Project

Tech:

CLICK HERE

 Narrative:

Dominoes falling, mouse traps snapping, and pulleys jumping.  The marble whips through a corner going around the track.  One thing leads to another until it stops.  The end product might have been accomplished several easier ways, but this was no simple machine.  This was a Rube Goldberg machine.  Abbie and I built a Rube Goldberg that we edited and improved to turn our jumbled up looking mess,  into a well-working envelope closer.

Before getting the machine to what it was in our video, we had to find what we needed to incorporate.  We found that we had to use six simple machines.  The first was a screw, which meant that we had to have something turn multiple times.  The second was a pulley, which means that we had to lift or lower something using something else's weight.  The third was a wheel and axel, which is just a rod with a  wheel on it.  The fourth was a incline plane, which is a board facing upward. The fifth was a wedge and wedges are slanted blocks facing either upward or downward.  The last was a lever, which is basically a teeter-totter.  Finally, we incorporated an extra simple machine, a spring.

Once we found ways to incorporate ways to incorporate every simple machine, we decided it was time to build the whole Rube Goldberg. As we started building we decided that the machine would turn on a sink to fill a glass of water.  Next we found that there was no object we could use that was heavy enough to lift up the handle.  Finally, the  two of us decided to start completely over.

It was Abbie's original idea to start over and to make the frame of the new Rube Goldberg.  After the draft was completed, I helped edit out flaws and fix parts that were breaking.  Doing this made the machine more consistent.  After a while, we agreed that it was time to video tape because we thought that it was working perfectly.  We soon realized that one of the turns wasn't working.  Then we fixed that problem and tried video taping again.  The second try, the whole thing worked almost perfectly, but we decided to try again and make it work as perfect as we could.  Finally, we recorded a run that was, in my words, perfect.

Creating this was no simple task, but we managed to use six simple machines to build a consistent, well-made Rube Goldberg envelope closer. 

 

Self Reflection:

I think that I worked really hard on this project and got a lot done.  Abbie and I completed an entire Rube Goldberg in only three weeks.  We stayed on task when we worked and completed tasks outside of school.  Both of us found a lot on information about friction, mechanical advantage, and more.  Overall, I think that the only thing we needed to work on was time management.

Goals:

1. Use more contacts
2. Follow task list better

Sources:

http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/keep/Mod1/Rules/EnTransfer.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210120/Mechanical%20Advantage.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210120/Answer%20to%20MA.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mechanical-energy.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210120/Answer%20to%20MA.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210120/Mechanical%20Advantage.html

Kinetic Energy

Author's Note:
This is an essay on Kinetic energy and what it is used for, how to create it, and what it is. I am using a report type voice and am focusing on word choice.


Zipping down a drop almost fifty feet tall, gliding through the air, and slicing through the turns. The person sitting next to you is screaming all the way down the hill. You're buckled up, but still scared you might fall off because it is moving so quickly. Remembering that all of your friends are riding with you makes you feel safe. The power that this machine would need, would have to be a very great amount. Once you get off, you turn around to look at it one last time, it was a roller coaster. A roller coaster is just one object that posses kinetic energy.


Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, seen as the movement of an object, particle, or set of particles. Any object in motion is using kinetic energy. For example, a person walking, a thrown baseball, even a crumb falling from a table. Objects that are not in motion possess potential energy, the other main type of energy. Basically, if it's moving, it obtains Kinetic energy.

Moving objects are everywhere, but there are some obvious examples, such as roller coasters, dribbling a basketball, or moving car. There are also a number less obvious objects such as walking, kicking, or jumping. Anything can have Kinetic energy whether it is a machine, an object, or a person. Big or small, they all use Kinetic energy.

Kinetic energy is, in my opinion, the most interesting kind of energy to learn about. Being able to understand how it is used, what it's used for, and more. Riding a bike or dribbling a basketball is all that needs to happen to obtain Kinetic energy. It can be found in a roller coaster or a falling piece of bread. Overall, Kinetic energy is the energy of a moving object.

Sources:
1. " Has Synonyms, Has Antonyms | Thesaurus.com." Thesaurus.com | Free Online Thesaurus of Synonyms and Antonyms. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. .
2. "Kinetic Energy." The Physics Classroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. .
3. "Kinetic Energy." Kinetic Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. .

Koalas

Author's Note:
This is an essay describing koalas and their environment.   I am using a report type voice and am focusing on formatting.


Climbing through tall soft trees, eating Eucalyptus leaves straight off the branches, having fun all by yourself and taking in all of the wind that blows by, you can barely feel the branches on top of your fur.  The warm, sunny days are ideal for your lifestyle and the tree's.  Your light, round body lets you wonder around the tree with ease and leisure.  Taking naps for hours upon hours on end all through the daytime.  This is just an average day for a normal koala.   Since they just lie around and eat, koalas obtain one of the easiest lifestyles you could ask for.


Koalas have a soft, wool-like coat that has gray hair on top and white hair on the bottom.  Their fur is mostly white below their necks and their ears have some white hairs on the tips. The koala resembles a bear, but it's actually a marsupial.  Marsupials are a special kind of mammal which carries its young in a pouch. Koalas can live to be seventeen years old, though high death rates for males lower their life expectancy to between two and ten years.  Most koalas are small, pudgy animals that normally weigh about 30 pounds and grow to be 2 feet tall. Overall, koalas are basically stuffed animals that breathe.


These plush creatures prefer to live in eucalyptus forests, coastal islands, and low woodlands.   Countries that koalas can be found in include Australia or New Zealand.  Koalas consume eucalyptus leaves and bark from several different eucalyptus tree species. Being nocturnal mammals, koalas sleep for up to 16 hours a day. Also, they are arboreal, which means that they live in trees. Lastly, they do not live in large packs or groups but rather prefer to live  alone.


Conserving koalas is becoming more and more important. Once numbering in the millions, koalas suffered major declines in population during the 1920's when they were hunted for their fur. Today, habitat destruction, attacks by dogs, and natural disasters kill an estimated 4,000 koalas yearly. Laws in Australia protect koalas, but each city is responsible for the animal's conservation. Right now, there are fewer than 100,000 koalas in the entire world.


Destroying koalas and their homes can leave harmful impacts on our planet.  Taking away koala’s homes don’t just endanger koalas, but it would also endanger the 600 other species that live there.  Another reason is that killing and hunting koalas could effect one of the rarest habitats in the world, eucalyptus forests.  Which might lead to other problems such as holes in the ozone and lack of fresh air.  None of this would happen if everyone stopped hunting and started protecting the harmless and peaceful koalas.

Sources:

• "Koalas: Photos, Video, Facts, E-card, Map -- National Geographic Kids." Kids' Games, Animals, Photos, Stories, and More -- National Geographic Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/koala/>.
• weeks, 13, and the young has attained a body weight of about 50 g. "Koala Information." koalas .org. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://koalas.org/koala-info.html>.

Solids Liquids and Gases of Saturn

Searching through a telescope.  Noticing all of the stars in the sky above you.  The stars, the moon, and planets are all shining so brightly.  You love being able to turn the telescope, because looking through it is like a kaleidoscope.  Everything changes in a blink of an eye just by a slight tilt. Gazing up you notice a large dot.   Your telescope lets you see the rings and color of this planet, it's Saturn.  All of the ice in the rings and the colorful gases changing the color of the planet itself.  Saturn is definitely the most beautiful planet in the sky because of this.

Saying that Saturn has a solid center is debatable, but still possible.  While Saturn might not have a rocky center, there are other solids in other places on the planet.  Such as the rings.  Each of the rings are made up of two main substances, ice and rock.  Ice is the greater substance in the rings, but there are rocky particles covered in ice that make up part as well.  The rest of Saturn is pretty much all liquids or gases.

Liquids can be found in man different parts of Saturn.  The center of Saturn has several liquids surrounding or around the area.  Closest inward you can find water and liquid metallic hydrogen.  Surrounding that is a layer of hydrogen and helium in a thick, sticky form.  The last place with liquids is one of the moons.  Titan has now had confirmed lakes of ethane which can also release mists and gases.

There are several types of gas on Saturn.  What we see from Earth is just wispy clouds of ammonia and perhaps water vapor. Below this is just hydrogen with trace amounts of helium. You would sink right down. And as you got deeper into the planet, the temperatures and pressures rise to the point that you would be crushed.  75% of the entire planet is made up of hydrogen and about 25% helium, so if placed in a big enough ocean, the planet itself would float!

From gases to solids, there are several substances floating around Saturn.  There are only two important solids, ice and rock, but there are several liquids on Saturn.  Because the largest part of the planet is made up from different gases and mists, if you put Saturn in a large enough pool, it would float right to the top.  From the core of the planet to the rings, there are many different materials flying around Saturn.

Resources

"Does Saturn Have a Solid Core?." Universe Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.universetoday.com/15303/does-saturn-have-a-solid-core/>.

"Saturn." Chris Mihos - Webhome. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/advanced/saturn.html>.

"Saturn." The Nine Planets Astronomy for Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://kids.nineplanets.org/saturn.htm>.

Denmark

Author's Note:

This is a content essay the five themes of geography on Denmark.  I am focusing on location, movement, and region. Also I am using a report voice.

Seeing the sites, walking down paths, taking pictures of everything around you, you see castles, you see  bikes, and most importantly you see culture.  There are rivers and lakes everywhere you turn.  As you walk around, you can't understand much because everyone's speaking a language you have yet to learn.   At the end of the of the day, you go back to your hotel.  Only, it's not a hotel, it's a castle.  Everyone unpacks and decides to go out to eat.  Burger King and Wendy's aren't on the menu. Foods such as fish and vegetables are traditional options.  Your trip to Denmark has already been life changing.  Denmark is one of the most remarkable countries in the world.

Denmark is a small, compact country located in central Europe.  It's exact location is latitude line 54.9 and longitude line 10.2.  So it isn't quite in the western hemisphere.  Countries than surround Denmark include Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway and Germany.  It's average altitude is only 31 meters above sea level and it's highest point is 171 meters above sea level.  Overall Denmark is a small flat country, right in the middle of Europe.

Since Denmark is flat, a lot of people get around by riding bikes or driving small cars.  Another reason is because since the country is so small, there aren't many places to go and you wouldn't need a big car.  Denmark's official religion is Lutheran, which is also popular in America.  Lutheranism is the religion that is practiced by their state church.  To summarize, small cars and bikes are a popular way to get around and Lutheranism is the official religion. 

Denmark is made up entirely of islands and peninsulas.  The biggest part of Denmark is the Jutland Peninsula.  Most of the country is pretty smooth and flat, but there are some  places on the Jutland Peninsula that have large hills.  Though there aren't any mountains anywhere in Denmark.  Surrounding Denmark is the Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea.  Most of the people in Denmark speak Danish or English. Lastly, Danish is the official language of the country.

Languages, religions, and cultures.  Denmark is a country of islands and flat lands.  Lutheranism is the official religion and Danish is the official language.  Surrounding countries include Sweden and the Netherlands.  The entire country isn't any bigger than half the size of Missouri and is about the same size as New Hampshire.  Finally, riding bikes and driving small cars are popular ways to get around.

Public vs Private

Tech:

Click Here

Author’s Note:

This is my narrative for mine and Abbi’s project Public vs. Private schools.  I am focusing on organization. 

Brookfield Academy costs $16,350 each year to attend.  Private schools all over America are expensive, but also have higher college acceptance rates, higher quality materials, and have small student teacher ratios for better learning environments.  Though public schools, which don’t have tuitions, are still fine schools.  I found that there are major differences between public and private schools academically, athletically, and extracurricular wise.  Though there are similarities too, such as they both start in September.  There are different types of private schools too.  Private schools are better schools than public schools, but they also cost a lot more.

Private schools, while they cost more, are high quality schools.  They have better and more materials in their classes and larger buildings, but less students in each class.  There are many types of private schools as well.  Such as regular private schools, religious, and boarding schools.  The first private school in America was started in about 1610 by Spanish or French explorers.  Now there are about 35,000 private schools in the United States. Lastly, most private schools are worth the money they cost.

While public schools don’t cost as much as private schools, they still are good schools.  Public schools get money from fundraisers, tax money, and the state government.  Normal public schools have larger class sizes than private schools, too.  The first public school was started in 1635 by Rev. John Cotton in Boston.   Most public schools now are just about the same and do not have as many types and private schools.  Finally, both types of schools start in September because, in the old days, American children would work on their family’s farms during the summer and the last part of spring, so schools took the summer part of the year off to make sure that kids weren’t missing school. 

The two types of schools each have differences and similarities and I wanted to know if any of this research was 100 percent correct.  So Abbi and I took a trip to Brookfield Academy for a day.  We were observing things such as their school’s standards, the types of clubs and sports they offer, and the classes.  The two of us found that their school has very high expectations, for instance, how they have to dress, how well they have to do in class and how they are supposed to act.  They are supposed to dress neat, “groomed” and are not allowed to wear tee shirts or jeans.  Finally, their athletic and club options include classic movie club, field hockey and more. 

Since private schools are better than public schools, it isn’t unexpected that there is a major cost difference.  The two schools have differences like cost, dress code, athletics, and academic standards.  Also, private schools have been around for just a little longer and was started by a Spanish or French explorer.  While public schools were started by an American in Boston.  Next, our trip to Brookfield Academy showed us that private schools do have more money for textbooks, extra rooms, and more teachers. Another fact is that private schools have many different types while public schools are mostly the same. Finally, both of the schools are great, both are fun, and both attract many students.

Goals:

1. When working in a group communicate better
2. Stay on track with task list
3. Get meetings set up better

Self reflection:

For this project I think that I did the best on this project than any other.  I think that getting to go on a field trip to Brookfield Academy was an experience that was fun and eye opening.  Abbi and I both worked on finding a time we could go and went in only a week.  Also, I think that I found a lot of interesting research to go with my topic.  Overall, I think that I did a good job.

 

Movie Effects

Author's Note:

This is on how movie effects have improved and I am mostly comparing Indiana Jones and Tron Legacy.  I am using an report voice and I am focusing on word choice.

The previews and advertisements stop.  Finally the movie starts playing on the wide, black screen.  There's lights, there's noises, and there's so many extravagant costumes that the actors are wearing.  All of the lights keep changing and the sounds are complex and robotic.  A lot of people from the eighties couldn't imagine that all of this would be possible in only twenty years.  They grew up with movies like Indiana Jones with little effects and peculiarities.  Movies have been expanding and will continue to expand in areas such as costumes, green screens, and background sounds and noises.  These advancements have made movie watching more interesting and entertaining.

One of the main advancements has been costumes.  Costumes may sound basic and non-important, but they play a huge part in the movie.  They can show a character's disposition or just portray how they are feeling that day.  Different examples of how costumes have grown are looking and Indiana Jones where all the "costumes" are really just clothes made to look adventurous.  And now with movies such as Tron Legacy, there costumes light up and are made out of plastics and rubber. 

While costumes are very important, green screens are the quintessence of a movie.  Using my example of Indiana Jones, you can easily tell that the editors are using green screens because there are black lines and they have an absence of shadows.  Thought in Tron Legacy people are in an unreal technical universe and it looks terribly real.  Presently, there are higher quality programs that allow people to easily put a person in any video or picture.  There used to be a monotony of backgrounds that could be used in movies, but now people are able to make it look like people are in Australia or in the mountains.  Overall, there are several improvements that have been made to the art of green screens.

So far, movies have costumes and green screens, the only part missing are the sounds.  Sounds have developed from playing instruments to using a computer to generate different noises and songs.  In the movie Indiana Jones, you can hear different trumpets and guitars, but not really computer noises.  Though in Tron Legacy you hear computer made songs and other edited sounds.  To summarize, there have been many additions to the several sounds and noises you hear in movies.

All of these improvements that have been made to movies have made movie watching a much more fun and enjoyable experience.  Costumes have grown by using different materials and using lights in the outfit.  Green screens have been used more and better by creating new software to make the cutting and pasting of images more realistic.  Finally, sound and music has advanced by making songs on computers and editing and changing the tone, length, or speed.

Llamas and Alpacas

Author's Note:
This content essay is based on the differences and similarities between llamas and alpacas. My voice is pointed more toward and essay tone of voice.  I am focusing on organization.
Alpacas are barely half the size of llamas.  A lot of people don't know that there are actually important differences between llamas and alpacas.   The two have totally different coats, one is rough and the other is fluffy.  Also, they have mostly the same personalities.   A majority of people think that llamas spit, but not alpacas.  The truth is that they both do.  Finally, the main difference is that alpacas are a billion times more cute and interesting.
There are some distinct differences between llamas and alpacas.  The main is that alpacas are half the size of llamas.  A llama weighs roughly 300 pounds while alpacas weighs about 150-160. There coats are different too.  A llamas coat is  while an alpacas coat is more .  Those are the two main differences between llamas and alpacas.
While there are differences between the two animals, there are some similarities.   Both of them have just about the same personality.  A myth about llamas is that they spit when they get angry, but alpacas don't.  The reality is that they both spit when they're angry, agitated, or bored.  Finally, their overall appearances are almost identical in every way besides size.
Some other facts that most people don't know about these animals are that they both live about twenty years.  Also, both of them originated in Peru.  Another cool fact is that alpacas were just brought to America about twenty five years.  While llamas have been in America since the early 1800's.  Lastly, both of them come in the same colors, browns, blacks, and reds.
The color similarity is one of the reasons people think that alpacas and llamas are basically the same.     There are other reasons too such as the overall appearance and that they both have the same attitudes.  A difference is that their coats are different from each other and that alpacas are half the size of llamas.  Finally, alpacas are easily more interesting, but llamas are alright too.
Sources:
1. Brown, Dur. Personal interview. 21 Feb. 2011.
2. "Alpaca Facts." Alpacas of Cedar Wind. Cedar Wind Products.. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.alpacasofcedarwind.com/Alpaca%20Facts.htm>.
3. Graham, Dale. "LlamaWeb: About llama colors." LlamaWeb: Llamas on the Internet!. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.llamaweb.com/about/colors.html>.
4. "History." Llama Lifestyle Marketing Association and Llama Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.llama.org/history.htm>.

Everyday Reactions

Tech:
Scroll down to see voki's

Essay:
Combining everyday household products is potentially dangerous. When mixing any products within a home, always check to make sure that it's safe.  I found that even mixing Dr. Pepper and salt gets a reaction. When cleaning a bathroom, always check that its safe to mix the cleaners or soaps being used because they can be life threatening. Lots of people know old tricks such as putting Mentos in Coke, but there are tons of other reactions you can find in any home.


I found that combining the simplest of products something can happen. A lot of people overlook the fact that reactions are everywhere. How do you think foaming cleaners foam? By reacting to whatever is on the surface you are applying it to. Reactions happen when two or more substances come in contact with each other and have ingredients that cause anything from explosions to plain odors. So from Scrubbing Bubbles and Mr. Clean to burning wood, reactions are all around.


Once I decided to test some of the combinations I researched, I discovered that most of the research I had originally found was supported. My first test was to see if gummy bears would melt in boiling water or stay the way that they were. My research said that they would melt and when I tested it I found that they did. The next test that I conducted was to see which has more of a reaction, combining salt and Dr Pepper or garlic salt and Dr. Pepper. The research I found said that salt would create a larger reaction and I would have to agree after conduction my experiment. Another test I tried was putting a can of either regular or diet lemon-lime soda in the snow for a two day period. I found that the regular has more a reaction. This supports the research I found. Overall, most of my results supported my research.


The one type of combination that I wouldn't try is cleaning substances. Different chemicals in cleaning solutions can cause lots of diseases and problems when mixed together. Once combined they can cause breathing problems, other lung diseases, and other fatal issues that could potentially lead to death. Even name brand and high quality products aren't necessarily safe when mixed. People have reported breathing problems after they mixed big products such as Mr. Clean and KABOOM. Overall, just know to watch out for what is getting mixed and be sure to look at 
labels.


Since some everyday products can create chemical reactions always check labels and make sure it is safe. There are some obvious ones like Coke and Mentos, but how about bathroom cleaners. How about gummy bears. Testing some combinations has really opened my eyes to see just how many different reactions can happen in any body's house. To conclude, mixing products at home shouldn't be taken too seriously when it comes to candy and soda, just be careful when using detergent or cleaner brands.



Self Reflection:
I think that I did my best work on this project. I think that I spent more time doing things and I think that I overall had a good outcome. I think I could do better on using more resources and making my task analysis accurate. Overall though I think I did pretty good.

Goals for next project:
- To use more resources
- Have more accurate task analysis

Scientific Process:

Problem:
What happens when you combine different household products?

Hypothesizes:
I thought for the two minute gummy bear test that half of the gummy bears would melt because since they contain gelatin, the candies are able to melt if heated enough. For the five minute test I thought that all of the gummy bears would melt because they would be in longer and would have more time to melt. For the salt and Dr. Pepper test I thought that the bowl would over flow while the garlic salt wouldn't do anything. For the can of soda in the snow test I thought that the diet would not do anything while the regular soda would explode. Finally, I thought that putting sugar in cran-grapefruit juice would have more of a reaction that sweetener.

Experimental Design:
Materials-
o Gummy bears
o Water
o Pot
o Stove
o Strainer
o Sink
o Timer
o Dr. Pepper
o Salt
o Garlic Salt
o Large bowl
o Can of regular soda(not coke)
o Can of diet soda (not coke)
o Snow
o Cran-grapefruit juice
o Sugar
o Sweetener

Variables:
Gummy bear
CV- Amount of gummy bears, stove, and amount of water
IV- Time that they are boiling
DV- The water temperature

Dr. Pepper
CV- Amount of Dr. Pepper, amount of added salt, and the bowl.
IV- Kind of salt

Soda in snow
CV- Roughly the same temperature and same type of soda
IV- Whether the soda is diet or regular
EV- The amount of snow

Cran-grapefruit
CV- Amount of sugar or sweetener, amount of juice, and kind of juice.
IV- Whether I used sugar or sweetener

Procedure:
Gummy bear
First what I did was I gathered all of my materials needed for this test. Next, I placed the pot on the stove, before it's hot, and added two cups of water. Next I placed in ten gummy bears. Then I turned the heat to high and waited for it to boil. Once it did, I had it boil for two minutes. After two minutes I took the pot over to my sink and dumped into a strainer to see if they all had melted. Afterward, I went back to the stove and, on a different burner, repeated putting in two cups of water and ten gummy bears, turning the heat to high, and now I waited for five minutes. Once the time was up, I did the same thing. I took the pot over to the sink and dumped it into a strainer.

Dr. Pepper
My first step was to gather all of my materials for this test. Next I took the large bowl and added a tablespoon of regular salt. After that, I poured in a liter of Dr. Pepper and waited. Once I recorded what happened I dumped the bowl into the sink. My next step was to put in a tablespoon of garlic salt into the bowl. Finally I put the last liter of Dr. Pepper in and waited to record my results.

Can of soda
First I got a can of regular lemon-lime soda and diet lemon-lime soda and put them in my fridge. Next I took the diet can outside and place it completely in the snow just before I left for school. The next day after school I checked to see if anything happened. The day after that I put the regular soda in the snow at the same time and waited the same number of days. I recorded my results and took the can out of the snow.

Cran-grapefruit
First I had to convince my dad to take me to Panera. Next, I took a soft drink cup and filled it with their cran-grapefruit juice. After that, I took a packet of sugar and went into the bathroom. I dumped in the sugar over the sink to see what would happen. Finally, I refilled my cup and did the same process as the sugar, but with sweetener this time.

Observations:

Conclusion:

All of the tests were pretty accurate though there were some external variables.  For the putting a can of soda in the soda test, the external variable was that for the regular soda it was completely covered in snow because of the big downfall we got and it probably wouldn't have any room to do anything.  Also the test with Dr. Pepper the external variable was that there might have been some salt in with the garlic salt because I used the same measuring spoon.  Though overall the tests were mostly accurate.

Sites:

• "Bathroom Safety Tips | eHow.com." eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/way_5467682_bathroom-safety-tips.html>.
• Category. "Chemistry in Everyday Life - Articles, Home Experiments, How Things Work." Chemistry - Periodic Table, Chemistry Projects, and Chemistry Homework Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://chemistry.about.com/od/everydaychemistry/Chemistry_in_Everyday_Life.htm>.
• Sandhyarani, Ningthoujam. "Chemical Reactions in Everyday Life." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/chemical-reactions-in-everyday-life.html>.
• "URGENT!!! HELP!!! I just mixed 3 different bathroom cleaners, am i going to die?!??!??? please help? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo! Answers - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2011. <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100402201849AAFttK

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Chinchillas

Author's Note:
I was inspired to write about chinchillas when I was thinking about exotic animals I could research. I am focusing on organization.

Quietly rustling through the sand on another humid day out in the wild.  Eating a cactus and basking under the cooling mid-day breeze.  Scurrying around the desert on dainty little feet.  Not being threatened by prowling animals. Distracting the predator by shedding the fur from where they have locked on to a defenseless back.   The highly curved spine extends as it dashes away from the predator.  The only animal active enough that this day could belong to, would be the chinchilla. 


Most wild chinchillas live in or near the Andes Mountains of South America.  They like it there because it's perfect for their natural needs.  The dry, mountainous environment allows them burrow into crevices of rocks and make a home.  Their thick fur allows them to withstand temperatures as low as fifty five to sixty degrees.  
 
A chinchilla's fur is only half as fascinating as the bone structure of one.  It has a spine that makes a curve that is close to a semicircle.  The arc allows the chinchilla to run swiftly and jump distances up to six feet.  Its top jaw bone overlaps the bottom bone making it look almost like buckteeth. Chinchilla’s feet are furry pads that are separated into small fingers.  The total skeleton of a chinchilla is a very complex and unique structure that almost no other animal has.


Since they are so small, predators see them as an easy meal.  Common predators are skunks, large birds, and wild dogs.  If a wild dog were to bite a chinchilla, a natural instinct is to shed the fur from where they were bitten and to spray urine at the predator.  This could distract a predator, giving the chinchilla time to run away.  In general, chinchillas aren't that easy to capture in the wild.   The main threat to a chinchilla are human poachers that try to capture them.


Chinchillas are very active animals.  Between saving themselves from dogs to making a home in between rocks, they can have extremely busy days.  One might be able to find a wild chinchilla burrowed in the Andes Mountains or somewhere in the surrounding area.   A chinchilla’s fur isn't just soft and fluffy, it is used to stay warm and as a defense against predators.  Finally, chinchillas are small attentive creatures that can be found scurrying around South America on their pad-like feet.

SOURCES:

• "Chinchilla Facts." Chinchilla Planet - A Guide for Pet Owners. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://www.chinchillaplanet.com/chinchilla-facts/>.
• "Chinchilla Facts - Information on Chinchillas." Chinchilla Facts - Information on Chinchillas. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://www.chinchillafacts.net/>.
• "X ray of a healthy chinchilla image by phillipnsarah on Photobucket." Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/x%20ray%20of%20a%20healthy%20chinchilla/phillipnsarah/toffeedraw.jpg>.