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:

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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