Days 134 & 135

7 x7 Seven Subjects & 7 things I learned                                                Days 134 & 135   April 12, 2013

1.       Math

a. I learned that any variables divided by itself equals 1. Examples: x/x = 1, n/n = 1, y/y= 1

b. I simplified some expressions using variables.

c. I assumed that all variables in the denominators do not equal zero.

d. (-1) (-a) (-b) + -a/ (a) (-b) = -ab + 1/b

e. (-2)(-x) (y) + yz/z = 2xy + z

f. -10 (-a)/ (-5) ab = -2/b

g. -9c (-d)/ 3d divided by c/(-2) = -6

 

2. Science

a. I learned that it is possible to create energy by using water. One way is to harness the natural movement and pattern of the Oceans tides.

b. Another way of creating energy is to store water in a reservoir, then direct the flow of the water to create energy. This is called hydroelectric energy.

c. In both Tidal and hydroelectric energy cases, the movement of water turns turbines to create the electricity.

d. Did you know that hydroelectric energy dates back to 1882.

e. The first hydroelectric station was opened in Wisconsin using the waters of the Fox River.

f. Hydroelectric systems usually require a dam by a steep water valley.

g. Tidal power plants draw on the back and forth movement of the tides. Moving water turns the turbines which, in turn, generate electricity.

3. History

a. I learned that the Nile inspired many great Egyptian science inventions: Like the calendar, paper, boats, and many mathematical formulas.

b. The Egyptians built the pyramids with k=just four simple tools, the lever, the inclined plane, the wedge, and the pulley.

c. I learned that the Pyramids have many rooms and tunnels. One room holds the Pharaohs sarcophagus.

d. I learned that to make the underground rooms and tunnels, the Egyptians worked with caissons, which we still use to construct tunnels today.

e. King Zoser’s pyramid was built about 4,500 years ago, It was the first pyramid ever built.

f. The Great Pyramid of Khufu was the largest Pyramid ever built Its base is as large as ten football fields.

g. There were 2,250,000 stone blocks used to build the pyramid and the pyramid weighs close to 5,000 pounds.

 

4. Language

5. Reading

a. Setting of the story

Time: at night

Place: On a sea coast.

b. The characters: Lee, the young sister of Chen, the fisherman

c. Main characters problem:

She thinks she has lost her brother at sea during the storm.

d. Events: What happens to keep the main character from getting what she wants?

First: The wind blew her lantern light out.

Second: She loses her whistle in the sea.

Third: The wind blocks out the noise of her yelling her brother’s name.

e. How is the main characters problem solved?

She sees a light in the horizon.

f. What is the final scene in the story?

Lee hears Chen calling to her.

g. I really liked reading this story.

6. Writing

a. In writing I learned that many people have strong opinions about issues such as these: justice, money, injustice, family, home, crime, safety, security, waste, education, conservation, and violence.

b. Here are some issues I feel strongly about: Medical issues, Gun laws, conservation/recycling, War threats.

c. I read a letter from a man named, “T. Tavenor” who sated his opinion on the library issue, he said that he volunteered at the school and that it made him furious to see the dark library with only one student working on a computer and the librarian not having enough money to buy new books.

d. T. Tavenor uses an emotional appeal that makes the reader feel made at the school board and sad for the librarian.

e. I wrote a letter in response to T. Tavenor’s:

Dear editor:

When I read T. Tavenor’s I could not believe what I was hearing, how the School board was not allowing time for the kids to go into the library, and even if they did have time, you aren’t providing them with the right books and the supplies they need to do their research. In my opinion you are doing a horrible job preparing these kids for high school where they will have to do their own research. The poor librarian sits in the dark room all day flipping through book catalogs but the school is not allowing her to buy any books for her students. If the school board keeps this up, Students will not only not have a library, but will not have other important classes as well. To these kids you are sending the message that books are not important, is that really the message you want to send?

7. Art

Days 132 & 133

7 x7 Seven Subjects & 7 things I learned   April 10 & 11, 2013    Days 132, 133

1.       Math

a. I like practicing math on Khan because it helps me practice doing math in my head, which I need more practice on.

b. The thing I wish Khan would change is when you typed the wrong number in for your answer, you lose all your points.

c. In arithmatricks today I practiced estimating by 49 and 51.

d. 700 / 49 = 14

e. 450 / 51 = 9

f. 320 / 49 = 6.4,

180 / 51 = 3.6

g. 910 / 49 = 18.2

270 / 51 = 5.4

 

2. Science

a. Today in Science I learned about geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is energy that comes from the heat of Earth’s core.

b. A geothermal power plant can capture the steam, and then run it through a turbine to generate electricity that can be transmitted to homes and businesses.

c. For every 328 feet you go into the ground, the temperature rises 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit!

d. So, 2.5 miles below the surface of the Earth, the temperature reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

e. To make steam in some cases where steam does not naturally come out from the Earth’s core, Cold water is pumped into holes drilled very deep. The cold water is heated naturally by hot rock below. Hot water resurfaces where it is used to create electricity.

f. Some of the things used in a geothermal power station are a generator, Insulating sedimentary rock, and a heat exchanger.

g. The hot springs at Yellow Stone National Park are a perfect example of heat in the Earth’s crust producing hot water and steam.

3. History

a. I learned that Cleopatra lived the fantasy life of a young princess, until her father was driven out of Egypt and fled to Rome for help. That’s when Cleopatra turned from a young princess to a shrewd queen- in- waiting.

b. Cleopatra quoted, “The people did not like my father. They called him Auletes, the flute player, and they scorned his sacrifice of money, dignity, and land to the Romans, and yet he protected the throne.”

c. Cleopatra was the second child born to King Ptolemy XII. Her father was a weak and unpopular ruler, who managed to remain in power only by paying huge bribes to the Romans.

d. I learned that the name of the time of the flood of the Nile was known as, “Ahket.” This was from July to October.

e. Egyptian farmers worked with cycles as the waters rose and fell. Farmers never needed to use fertilizers because the floodwater made the soil so rich by the nutrients and silt the floodwaters left behind.

f. Egyptian farm tools included plows and hoes.

g. Schemu was the season of harvest in Egyptian times.

 

4. Language

a. Today in Spanish I worked more with time. And what I do in my daily routine.

b. I learned that in Spanish, when you talk about a daily routine, you use the verbs present tense, the verb shows who is doing the action. Miro, como, voy, hago. I watch, I eat, I go, I do.

c. Some verbs are known as reflexive verbs. Reflexive verbs always have a pronoun in front of them. Me levento. I get up

Me visto I dress

Me lavo los dientes. I clean my teeth.

d. When the preposition “a” is followed by the masculine noun, el becomes al.

Voy al colegio I go to school.

e. To talk about a specific time in Spanish you use the word, “a” A las diez, At ten o’ clock.

f. Me levanto a las siete y media. I get up at half past seven.

g. Como el medioda. I have lunch at midday.

5. Reading

a. In reading today I read a story about two kids who won a science fair.

b. Who are the characters in the story? Sean, Dexter, Sean’s mom, Mrs. Frommer.

c. What is the setting for the story? Time of year? Fall

Place 1: Dexter’s garage

Place 2: The science fair

Place 3: the computer store

Place 4: the science fair.

d. What is the problem in the story? Sean and Dexter don’t have enough money to buy a computer chip for the robot they are building for the science fair.

e. How do the main characters try to solve the problem?

They get jobs to try and earn enough money together to buy the computer chip.

f. What event helps the characters solve their problem?

When their Science teacher gives them a coupon to the computer store.

g. At the end of the story Dexter and Sean win the science fair.

6. Writing

a. In writing today I worked with figuring out what was a fact and what was an opinion.

b. Write two facts from the article that Daniel Murphy wrote. Reading involves having access to books.

c. The library is not open before or after school, and there is not enough time between classes.

d. Then I wrote two opinions from the article. By choosing their own opinions from choosing their own reading material students would be more motivated to read on their own.

e. Our school should rethink the library and its use.

f. Write some opinion words. Think, should, need.

g. Write an opinion fact from the response from Juanita:

I know so many kids who don’t really know what’s in the library.

7. Art

Days 130 & 131

7 x7 Seven Subjects & 7 things I learned Day 130 & 131

1.       Math

a. In math today I learned how to multiply and simplify expressions using variables. The trick is to squish the numbers together and then multiply, like 5x * 3y = 15xy

b. I learned that when you have two of the same number variables like 6x * 2x the answer is not 12xx, it is 12xsq.

c. (-7y) (-2) (-x) (-y) = 14xsq.

d. (8g) (-2gh) = 16gsq.h.

e. (-9a) (-5b) (1/9a) = 5asq.b

f. (10w) (0.1) (2w) = 2wsq.

g. (163v) (0)v (6x) = 0

 

2. Science

a. In Science today I learned about nuclear energy, I learned that in 2009, approximately 14 percent of all of the world’s electricity was produced by nuclear power stations.

b. The bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima showed the destructive power of nuclear energy.

c. I learned that small amounts of nuclear fuel react; the resulting heat is transferred to water, the water turns into steam that spins the turbines and produce electricity.

d. The electricity made by nuclear energy is transferred by transmission wires to homes and businesses.

e. I learned that scientist Marie Curie discovered uranium which is an atom that is mainly used to create energy and nuclear power.

f. I learned that in some ways nuclear energy is the safest, cleanest, cheapest, and best option for energy, but it is also very dangerous if a nuclear power plant malfunctions.

g. I learned that process of how nuclear power is created.

3. History

a. Most people in Egypt lived in villages, in sun-baked mud brick houses that were crammed close together.

b. The homes of wealthy merchants were spacious and comfortable unlike a tomb-workers house.

c. I learned that the Nile river was the thing that made it possible for the Egyptian civilization to grow in the harsh, dry, climate.

d. I learned that the Egyptians invented the first irrigation system. They dug canals to direct the water from the Nile to the crops. Later the Egyptians built reservoirs to hold the water, so that they would have it for the dry season. 

e. I learned that Egypt was one of the first socialites to grow crops, and they were also one of the first groups of people to tame animals and breed them for work or food.

f. I learned that the Egyptians might have been the first people to make wine and brew beer.

 

4. Language

a. Today in Spanish I practiced conjugating the verbs Estar and Ser

b. I also practiced and learned the months.

c. I lrearned how to say my birthday “Es trieta la una el Agosto, es el cumpleanos de mi.” August 31st is my birthday.

d. I learned that from one to thirty, numbers are written as one word, from thirty one- it is two words.

e. I practiced sorting male nouns and female nouns in different lists.

f. I learned the names of the months in Spanish. Enero, Febrero, marzo, abiril, mayo, junio, Julio, agosto, septiembre, octobre, noviembre, diciembre.

g. I practiced my Spanish vocabulary.

5. Reading

a. In reading today I read a poem by Emily Dickinson called, “If you were coming in the fall.”

b. I practiced figuring out the conflict in the story and finding metaphors and similes.

c. What is the main conflict in the poem?

The speaker does not know when she will see her love again

d. What does the speaker say is here main worry?

She is “uncertain of the length” of time until she sees her love again.

e. Which one of these is a metaphor used in the poem?

Comparing the months to a ball of yarn

f. Which one of these is a simile used in the poem?

Comparing the summer to a housefly

g. Which one of these is a good summary of the poem and its conflict?

 

6. Writing

a. In writing today, I learned about persuasive writing. Persuasive writing is a way to show your opinion and try to make people feel or act in a certain way.

b. I read a paragraph that used persuasive writing about putting a 20 minute free library period in every middle school where students could go into the library and have free reading time.

c. I wrote a writing block stating my opinion and respond to Daniel’s article. (Daniel was the author of the free reading time library thing.)

d. My response:

“I agree with Daniel’s article and think that all students should have choice of their books and should have a set time and break from classes to sit quietly and read their books in the library. I think that the library should be open both before school and after giving students free willing motivation to read more often.”

 

7. Music