The Kids homeschooling blog

Short stories

2011-05-15T18:12:00.003-07:00

The Veldt
The Short Happy Life of Francis MacComber
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
Sredni Vashtar
Young Goodman Brown

Oct 27 2010

2010-10-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

Read this poem aloud, as if you are acting the part.

The speaker is Ulysses (Odysseus) whom you know from the Odyssey. Write a couple of paragraphs and describe what is going on in this poem. Due to me tomorrow.

Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson

It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.

I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy’d
Greatly, have suffer’d greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honour’d of them all;
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!
As tho’ to breathe were life! Life piled on life
Were all too little, and of one to me
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
And this gray spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

This is my son, mine own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle,—
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and thro’ soft degrees
Subdue them to the useful and the good.
Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere
Of common duties, decent not to fail
In offices of tenderness, and pay
Meet adoration to my household gods,
When I am gone. He works his work, I mine.

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:
There gloom the dark, broad seas. My mariners,
Souls that have toil’d, and wrought, and thought with me—
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
Free hearts, free foreheads—you and I are old;
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks:
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends,
’Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Agriculture

2010-06-06T21:19:00.001-07:00

On Mon, May 31, 2010 at 10:02 PM, Sheridan Turton wrote:
> Agriculture was extremely important in the past. Many regions had it, such
> as, Mesopotamia, Nubia, Egypt, and many other places. However, there was one
> region which had agriculture later than other regions, and that is
> sub-Saharan Africa. There are three reasons to why agriculture spread to
> sub-Saharan Africa later than other regions. The climate was bad, the Bantu
> people were migrating all over the place, and they did not have enough
> supplies.
> The first reason why sub-Saharan Africa had agriculture later than other
> regions is because of the weather. It had a poor climate, and it had become
> a desert. It became increasingly hotter and drier. Thus it was more
> difficult
> to grow plants and gather food because of the poor arable land, and they
> had
> to rely on hunting. It also drove the humans and animals to the lakes and
> rivers to collect water.
> The Bantu people were also migrating across Africa around 2000 B.C.E. They
> were busy
> doing many things, including hunting, gathering, and trading with other
> people. They kept goats, donkeys, and raised guniea fowl. They lived in
> forests and interacted with other peoples.
> They also did not have enough supplies. They had to rely on trade and
> imports and exports. By the time the weather became good, they started to
> farm and domesticated animals. One day, the Malaysians came and gave the
> Bantu seeds, yam, and other foods. The Bantu took it and ran.
> T]here are three reasons for why agrilculture came later than other regions.
> The climate was poor, the Bantu people were migrating all over the place,
> and they did not have enough supplies. After the weather past, and the
> tradings began, they soon started to farm, plant, and gather. So after
> agrculture, they started to have their own life.

Zeb on rivers

2010-05-31T01:04:00.001-07:00

A river, is a natural watercourse where freshwater travels along toward a body of water, such as lakes, oceans, and rivers. Water within the river is usually collected from springs, glacier melting, rain drainage, and snow melt. The water usually flows along the bed leading to the other body of water, though it tends to overflow which leads to flooding. Ecosystems usually are found all along a river.

Now imagine a river from today's world. Lets pick the Indus River which orginates high up in the mountains in Tibet. The river itself relies on runoff from the mountain during the spring. However, the Indus river loses most of its water during the winter, resulting in its "death" since there is little-to-none water flowing down the channel. This also results in the local river ecosytem receiving severe damage, if not complete destruction, due to the lack of water for the local organisms.

During the Spring, as it gets warmer, the snow begins to melt and the runoff goes into the dry river bed, resulting in the "rebirth" of the river. The ecosystems along the river again grow and spread. The local human population might use the water for irrigation also since it is also planting and harvesting season. The runoff continues through the summer, as the hot weather causes more snow runoff, and rainstorms. When the river dies in the winter, it will be reborn again in the spring.

Sometimes its not that simple, especially with the largest rivers in the world. For example, the Amazon River never seems to disappear because of its sheer size and the huge amount of rain that falls on the area all year around, further helped by runoff from the Andes during the spring and summer, the numerous rivers that feed into the Amazon river.

In summary, that is the "death" and rebirth cycle of a river. "Dies" in the winter or of a drought which does happen occasionally and is reborn during the spring from runoff or rain. This is a natural process that continues over the years, though recent human activity may have affected the life and "death" river cycle enough to have an effect in the future.

May 26

2010-05-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well, now it has been eight years since we moved from America to come and live in Taiwan. This place is really great. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, and the markets are amazing.

Whenever I passed by someone, sometimes they look at me and smile. When Taiwanese realize I am part American, they try to speak English to me. Small kids point at me and say "Foreigner" in Chinese. It is really cool, but sometimes can be a bit annoying.

The food is awesome. They also have all kinds of vegetables. There are small food stands around, and they are usually delicious. I love the food here.

Unlike America, Taiwan has morning and night markets. The morning markets sell fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat. There are many stands. The night markets, unlike the morning ones, have games and small tea stands. It is very cool.

My experience: Taiwanese are friendly, the food s delicious, and the markets are amazing. Everything is wonderful. I love Taiwan!

Love, your daughter, Sheridan

(This is from my writing book! It had 5 topics and I picked this one: to write a letter.)

Week of April 19-23

2010-04-18T17:17:00.000-07:00

Mon/Wed/Fri
-- big math/writing

tues/thurs
chem

Every Day:
Traditions and Encounters
Chapter 1. Foundation of Complex Societies
Go to the website
Have a look at the primary source material
For this week, for the essay questions -- do a paragraph or two on any two of the essay questions. Do all the other quizzes and email the results to me using the form on the bottom when it is completed.

Reading for pleasure and learning!
Zeb: Heroes Die!
Danno: Red Mars

Zeb: Chinese characters

2010-03-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Dan dan

1. Book report on Watership Down. From last week.

2. Readings about the 1950s. Read about Brown vs Board of Education.

3. PHysics and math and chemistry!

Zeb

1. We're beginning a unit on colonization in Africa. These processes you go about today go in in the US and in Taiwan. Read this webpage. Answer the questions in Student Journal Activity, and write the one-page essay at the end.

2 physics and chemistry and math.

Week of March 1, 2010

2010-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

1. three articles in science, three in current events. As before, every day! From now on.

2. physics textbooks on tuesday, chemistry on thursday. chapter 1 in each. Do any questions and email to me.

3. Writing: Zeb, Chaps 1-3 in writing book. Writing a narrative on your trip to the Northern Cross ending with your crash.
Dandan -- write a book report about Watership Down.

4. history:
Dandan -- the 1950s. First topic is the African-American Civil Rights movement. We're going to look at Rosa Parks first. Read this entire website today, tuesday. for wednesday, read the Wiki entry on Rosa Parks. For thursday and friday we are going to read about Martin Luther King.
Zeb -- history we'll discuss a topic today.

5. Math books

6. art

7. Chinese for Zeb

8. Reading: Zeb Allan Quatermain
Sheridan: see me

2009-12-03T15:05:00.001-08:00

Zeb draft of Death of a Salesman paper today

Nov 19, 2009

2009-11-18T15:19:00.001-08:00

Zeb -- paper on Death of a Salesman!!!!!!

Dan dan & Zeb three articles!!!!

Thursday Nov 12 2009

2009-11-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

Zeb, write a two page response to Death of A Salesman. Address each of these questions:

Describe Willy, Biff, and Happy. What kind of people are they? How do the boys view their father? Use quotes from the play to support your ideas. Feel free to search around the internet for views and ideas about the play.

Danno, continue reading your EB Sledge book and the others.

2009-11-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

Do whatever is on your schedules plus:

Dan-dan
1. read the WWII for dummies and the EB Sledge book

2. Zeb + Dan dan three articles on science and three on current affairs!

3. Zeb read about the history of Afghanistan on the internet. Focus on the 19th century british colonialism and the Russian invasion in the 1980s.

Dnt forget big math

Thursday Oct 29

2009-10-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

1 big math and chemistry

2 writing books

3 Bbc trials of life

4. Both of you read science and current events articles

5. Zeb write an essay arguing for OR against the US staying in Afghanistan. i want a draft when I get home tomorrow.

6. Danno read about Hoovervilles http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1642.html

Oct 23

2009-10-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

1. big math
2. three articles from both of you
3. zeb - excercise!!!!
4. follow your own schedule.
5. Danno we're moving out of The Roaring Twenties and into the Great Depression. Read this

Oct 15

2009-10-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

1 big math books

2 three artciles (that means you dan dan!!!!) in current events and science

3 danno read about charles lindbergh, a great american of the 1920s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Lindbergh
Lindbergh became famous for flying nonstop across the Atlantic.

4 zeb start writing your paper on why spain did not industrialize in the 18th and 19th centuries. As assigned last week. You should look at things like: what are the natural resources of spain? what was its government like and how did that affect industrialization? etc. make notes and show me when we get home.

Oct 9 2009

2009-10-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

1. Continue with history books from yesterday.

2. Danno, look at Prohibition. Read this article.

3. Zeb, you'll be writing next week on technology and the industrial revolution. Your topic will be explaining why the Industrial Revolution did not happen in Spain in the 18th century. Start researching it today.

4. Quizzes on math, history, and science this afternoon when I have them ready.

Oct 8 2009

2009-10-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

1. Big Math for both of you

2. Chemistry today if you haven't done it

3. Writing books

4. Science for DD -- email me if you have a question

5. History -- continue with Rise and Fall, Danno. Also, for the 1920s and for literature, read The Great Gatsby. Also read this introduction to The Roaring Twenties. We'll belooking at them this week and next week we will start on the Great Depression. Prohibition Documentary -- banning alcohol in the 1920s (3 minutes). When modern drug legalizers look at history, they look at this.

6. Zeb: Find temple's The Genius of China, should be on bottom shelf of oversize books, on first bookshelf. that's your reading for today and tomorrow.

7. test tomorrow. Zeb, email me with the math chapters you have wrked on this week, along with dan-dan.

Oct 1 2009

2009-09-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hey guys

1. Big math

2. BOTH OF YOU 3 science articles and 3 current events articles

3. Dan-dan literature: The Two Towers
Zeb: Pick a book you haven't read, like The Many Colored Land

4. other stuff on the schedule. If it is not raining, go out on the bikes in the afternoon.

5. Social science: Dan-dan Rise and Fall of the Third Reich'
Zeb: Lost Inventions.

Sept 14 2009

2009-09-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

1. History: Sheridan, look up Margaret Sanger. We'll be writing on women's history this week.

About.com
Wikipedia.
TIME

Keep reading Shirer on the Third Reich.

2. Big Math books, both of you, writing practice book, and grammar books. I will look at them this week.

3. Zeb, Unbound Prometheus. Start thinking about a paper topic for this week.

4. Both of you read Chapter 6 in the Chemistry for Dummies. We;ll look at the workbook tomorrow.

practice your guitars, do chinese!

June 12 Friday

2009-06-11T16:17:00.001-07:00

1. History
Sheridan, Idiots Guide to World War I
Zeb: if you have finished Guns Germs and Steel start on The Great Game by Hopkirk

2. Math
both of you: big math book

3. English
Writing practice book

4. Chinese

5. Art

June 12, 2009

2009-06-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ok....

1. History

Zeb: on the internet, read the Wikipedia page on Hakkas.
Dan-dan: Read the Idiots Guide to World War I. We're moving into the 20th century.

2. Big Math book

3. Writing practice books.

4. English: read for pleasure.

5. Art

6. Chinese!!!!!!

7. Both of you either ride bikes for an hour or lift weights/treadmill

June 5

2009-06-04T16:19:00.000-07:00

1. Sheridan
History:
Read this on the Philippines Insurrection

2. Zeb continue with Cannibals and kings

3. Chemistry: both of you review the chapter from yesterday. Do another set of problems in the workbook.

4. Big Math books.

5. ordinary reading

June 4, 2009

2009-06-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

Sheridan:

1. History.
Back to American history. Two weeks ago we looked at the Spanish-American War. When the battleship Maine blew up in Havana Harbor, the newspapers in the US started blaming the Spanish and calling for war on Spain to free Cuba. The war took place in areas. First, in the Atlantic, in and around Cuba. Second, in the Philippines. In Cuba, future president Teddy Roosevelt led the Rough Riders. In the Philippines, Admiral Dewey became famous for his attack on Manila harbor. The Spanish were brave, but their ships were not as good as the Americans.

This excellent page describes the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines.

A key outcome of the war was that the US got its first overseas colonies, the Philippines, from Spain. After that we invaded the Philippines, whose leaders thought the US would make the independent. Read this account of the path to war between the US and the Filipinos. Tomorrow we'll look at the invasion of the Philippines by the US.

2.Chemistry: Dan-dan and Zeb: read the next chapter in the chem book, do the next set of questions in the workbook.

3. Big Math books

4. Science: Zeb continue reading Cannibals and Kings, Dan-dan Biology book

5. English practice books

6. reading: danno, either His Dark Materials or The Foundation Trilogy. Zeb, read some more stories in The Past Through Tomorrow (try "If this goes on....")

7. This day is the 20th anniversary of what?

8. Dan-dan THREE ARTICLES IN SCIENCE AND CURRENT EVENTS

2009-05-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

1. history Reading: Dan-dan Centennial Zeb The Code book

2. Math practice book

3. Chemistry book. In workbook, continue through next section of chpater 3 and do questions. Call me at 1:30 to discuss the answers from yesterday and today. Re-read chapter 3 in Chem for Dummies. Ask me if you have any questions.

4. Dandan -- big science book. Zeb: science continue with Plagues and Peoples.

5. Dan-dan history:
We've seen that from 1860-1900 the US went through several major changes. First, it occupied the western lands and drove the indians off. Second, industrialization went into full swing and a whole class of wealthy factory owners grew up. Now we are going to look at something else: the expansion of the US overseas -- the Spanish-American War. Start with this site which outlines the war. Pay particular attention to the role of the media, the press.

Zeb history: The Code book

6.Math: math practice books ONLY.

good luck!

2009-05-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

1. Dan-dan & Zeb; big math and math practice books

2. history: Zeb, continue code book. Dan-dan, we are going to read about John Rockefeller, one of te most famous big businessmen of the 19th century.

3. science: Dan-dan big science book, zeb and dan-dan, another section of the chemistry workbook together.

4. English: Act ONe, scene 2 of Othello. Carefully read Iago's passages and Othello's. What is Iago saying here, and who is he talking about?

Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity
Sometimes to do me service: nine or ten times
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.

Note that these words at the opening are addressed to Othello. Iago is saying he lacks the courage for cold-blooded killing -- so really he has to find someone else to do the dirty work for him. yerked = stabbed.

May 7, 2009

2009-05-06T16:45:00.000-07:00

1. Free Reading Dann0, if you are looking for something, try finding the Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

2. Literature: Read the first Act of Othello. Try Acting it out. See if you can figure out why Iago and Rodrigo are angry with Othello. Call me around 1:30 on Skype and we'll talk about it.

3. History: Zeb, begin the book on the history of codes.
Dan-dan: this month we looked a little at the Indian wars and at the Westward expansion. Now we are going to return to the east to look at industrialization in the second half of the nineteenth century.

First, for today, read about the background to industrialization, which was driven by the rise of steel.

4. Math
Big math books and practice books, both of you

5. Science
Dan-dan, big science book (biology)
Both of you -- review chapter 1 and 2 in the Chemsitry for Dummies, then do the workbook, chapter 1 TOGETHER. See if you can solve the problems. Then look in the back of the chapter for the answers. If you have question, save it for the 1:30

No writing books today.

For later study

May 2, 2009

2009-04-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

1. Free reading

2. Social Science/History:
Zeb: continue Betrayal of Trust,
Sheridan: The Apache Wars, this slideshow on Indian life in the Great Plains

3. Science: Zeb and Dandan: Read chapter 2 in the chemistry book. Dan-dan: Big Science book

4. Literature:
Danno, continue with Huckleberry Finn
Zeb: HG Wells The Time Machine

5. Math practice books ONLY

6. Art: On top of the bookshelves, on the end near the pillar, is a book of western paintings. That is assigned to you both.

LIST OF BOOKS READ LAST WEEK
Bold in her Breeches (women pirates), The City in History, The Story of Art

May 1, 2009

2009-04-29T15:53:00.002-07:00

1 ART
Zeb: Leonardo da Vinci. Pick a famous painting that you like of Da Vinci's.
Sheridan: pick a famous painting that you like of an artist you like.

Answer the following in an email to me today:

1. when and where was it painted?
2. what is the subject of the painting?
3. what is the painting's meaning or message?
4. what are some ideas or messages hidden in the painting (if any)?
5. what techniques and materials were used to create the painting (oil, watercolor, brush, canvas, paper, etc)

2. Math practice and big math books

3. Dan-dan: big science book, Zeb, the small book on the Maya

4. each of you read chapter 1 in the Chemistry Book

5. Free reading in the morning

6. Assigned reading: Zeb, continue with the Laurie Garrett book Betrayal of Trust
Dan-dan: read Huckleberry Finn

7. three articles BOTH OF YOU! read one on Swine Flu. Dan-dan, don't forget to do this.

8. Dan-dan History: the Ghost Dance. Read this website and this website.

Zeb on the Maya

2009-04-29T15:53:00.001-07:00

The Maya was a civilization that lasted from ancient times until the 1600s. The history of the Mayans is divided into three parts; Preclassic, Classic, and Post Classic. The Preclassic Mayans established early settlements and were just starting construction of ceremonial architecture. The Classic Period was when the the size of the Mayan urban areas and construction of the famous Mayan stepped pyramids reached an all time high. During that time, there was also plenty of art as well as a written language that described partly of what was going on. There was a great deal of trade with nearby civilizations. In the late Classic period, many Mayan settlements began declining and were abandoned, and there was a decrease in construction until there was none. Many debate on why this happened and there are many theories. The Post Classic period was when the Mayans continued in separate states, though smaller then during the Classic period until the Spainish arrived and destroyed the Mayans, with the help of diseases. I will discuss the theories on how the Mayans disappeared in the Classic period.

The first theory is natural events. Scientists say they have evidence that there was a two hundred year long drought there at the time of the decline of the Classic Maya. Some scientists say it is possible there was a disease outbreak among the Mayans since the urban desinty is very high.

The second theory is the envorimental destruction theory. It was possible that the Mayans, with their huge urban density could have impacted the envoriment around them. They cut down trees, reducing rainfall and causing widespread erosion and soil exhaustion. This is one of the most widely believed theories.

The third most widespread theory is foreign invasion and cut off of trade routes that might have also led to social insablity. However, many scientists believe that foreign invasion is not the main cause of the collapse of Classic Maya because no military defeat could explain its sudden decline.

Many sicentists still debate on the causes of the collapse of Classic Maya. Personally I believe that it is all three theories combined that describes the collapse, a combination of human and natural triggered events. The drought could have led to war among the Mayans or the enviromental problems could have caused them to flee and explain the sudden disappearance of trade. Hopefully, more research will enable us to understand the causes of the Mayan collapse.

Frederick Douglass

2009-04-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sheridan on Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass played an exraordinary role in American history. He was a American abolitionist, women's suffragist, editor, orator, author, statesman and reformer. He was a firm believer in the equality of all people. He became the first African-American to be nominated as a Vice Presidential candidate, running on the Equal Rights Part ticket. He also became leader of Howard University, the first University for African-Americans in the US. He was a great African-American.

Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland, 1818. He was seperated from his mother when he was still an infant, and had to live with his grandmother. He never saw his brother and his two sisters until he was seven years old. Everyone said that his father may be a white man, that his father was his owner, Aaron Anthony. But he never knew about his father's identity. At age seven, Frederick Douglass was seperated from his grandmother and moved to the Wye House plantation to live with his Aaron Anthony. When Anthony died, Frederick Douglass was given to Lucretetia Auld, the wife of Thomas Auld. And she sent Frederick Douglass to serve Thomas's brother Hugh Auld.

Frederick Douglass was taught how to read by Hugh Auld's wife, Sophia at age twelve. She was breaking the law teaching slaves how to read. When Hugh Auld found out, he disapproved, saying that if a slave learned to read, he would become dissatisfied with his condition and desire freedom. So she never taught him how to read again. But Douglass learned and he began to read newspapers, political materials, and other books. Later, Doulass was hired out to a Mr. Freeman, and he taught other slaves at that place how to read the New Testament at a weekly Sabbath school. When the word spread, slaves became very interested in learning how to read. In any week, more then 40 slaves would show up to attend lessons. It lasted for six months without being noticed. Freeman was complacent about their activities.

In 1833, Thomas Auld took Douglass away from Hugh after a dispute. Thomas then sent him to work for a poor farmer, Edward Covey, who had a reputatuion as a "slave-breaker". Douglass was whipped regularly. Douglass was only sixteen years old when he nearly broken psychologically by his ordeal under Covey. Douglass later fought back against the beatings. After losing a confrontation with Douglass, Covery never beat him again. Later, Doulass tried to escape from Mr Freeman and Covery, but failed to do that.

In September 3, 1838, a year after he met a free black, Ann Murray, Douglass tried to escape again, and this time succeeded. He escaped by boarding a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland, and he dressed in a sailor's uniform and carried identification papers that was provided by a free black seaman. He took a ferry to Susquehanna River at Havre de Grace, and went to Wilmington, Delaware by train. There, he went to "Quaker City" (Philadelphia, Pennslyvania) by steamboat, and reached to New York in less then 24 hours. He eventually married Ann Murray.

In 1845, Douglass spent two years in Great Britain and Ireland, and he gave many lectures there. On of his speeches which he gave in 1847 was, "I do not go back to America to sit still, remain quiet, and enjoy ease and comfort. . . . I glory in the conflict, that I may hereafter exult in the victory. I know that victory is certain. I go, turning my back upon the ease, comfort, and respectability which I might maintain even here. . . Still, I will go back, for the sake of my brethren. I go to suffer with them; to toil with them; to endure insult with them; to undergo outrage with them; to lift up my voice in their behalf; to speak and write in their vindication; and struggle in their ranks for the emancipation which shall yet be achieved." When Douglass was in England, he recalled he was treated not "as a color, but as a man." During his trip, Douglass became officially free by his own British supporters. Douglass also believed that education was the key for Afican-American to improve theier lives. In 1863, Douglass conferred with President Abraham Lincoln and with President Andrew Jackson on the treatment of black soldiers and the subject of black suffrage. Douglass believed the it was right to have freedom for the African-Americans and guarantee thier rights.

In 1847, Douglass published his owned newspaper called The North Star. And four years later, he merged it with Gerrit Smith's Liberty Party Paper to form Frederick Douglass' Paper, which was published until 1860. The North Star was the newspaper that escaping slaves followed north in search of freedom. Douglass agreed with Smith and Lysander Spooner that the United States Constitution was anti-slavery document. This reversed his earlier belief that it was pro-slavery. William Lloyd Garrisaon, who was concerned that the fabric of the constitution was part of the support for slavery, was worried that the North Star competed with his own Nation Anti-Slavery Standard and Marius Robinson's Anti-Slavery Bugle. So Garrison expressed his opinion by burning copies of the document.

When Lincoln was assassinated, some of the audience asked Douglass to speak. Douglass spoke frankly about Lincoln, saying good and bad things in his account. Douglass called him "the white man's president" and also stated, "Can any colored man, or any white man friendly to the freedom of all men, ever forget the night which followed the first day of January 1863, when the world was to see if Abraham Lincoln would prove to be as good as his word?". The audience was aroused by his speech and gave him a standing ovation. Someone later said, "I have heard Clay speak and many fantastic men, but never have I heard a speech as impressive as that." Later,people claimed that the widow Mary Lincoln gave Douglass Lincoln's favorite walking stick in appreciation.

By the time the Civil war ended, Douglass became one of the most famous balck men in the country, known for his orations to fight for freedom for the Afican-Americans and such issues as woman's rights. His statue was put up in Ireland and England. Douglass argued to the Abolitionists that because the war was to end slavery, that African-Americans should be allowed to engage in the fight for their freedom. Later, President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation declared in January 1, 1863, the freedom of all slaves in Conferderate-held territory. Douglass said as he was awaiting the proclamation: "We were waiting and listening as for a bolt from the sky...we were watching...by the dim light of the stars for the dawn of a new day...we were longing for the answer to the agonizing prayers of centuries.". Now that the North did not return the slaves to the South, Douglass fought for the equality for his people. So he made plans with Lincoln to move the liberated slaves out of the South. William Lloyd Garrison stated that, "Slavery is not abolished until the black man has the ballot." Douglass argued against that. Later, in 1865, Douglass traveled everywhere in the North, speaking out, warning the black suffrage supporters and the country that the former slaves were regaining control at the South.

In 1865, slavery was outlawed everywhere in the US by the post-war ratification of the 13th Amendment. The citizenship and equal protection under the law was provided by the 14th Amendment and all citizens were being protected by the 15th Amendment from discriminated against in voting because of the race.

In February 1866, President Andrew Jackson said he supported the interests of the southern whites and wanted to block voting rights for the blacks. He and Douglass later parted. Douglass wanted the African-Americans to have the right to vote. Many people supported President Johnson. In June 1866, the Congress passed the 14th Amendment, which guaranteered that the Civil Rights Bill was protected by the Constitution, and was finally ratified in July 1868 after the states approved it. Of course, it did not guarantee that blacks the right to vote, but in most states, blacks were already voting. In 1869, Douglass said that voting rights for blacks must be won immediately, and he tried to persuaded the woman suffragists, and that woman can wait. Douglass said, "When women because they are women are dragged from their homes and hung upon lampposts, .....then they will have the urgency to obtain the ballot". Doulass's relationship with the woman suffragists later became good. But the woman's right to vote did not come until later in the 20th century.

Frederick Douglass fought for what was right and what was wrong. Like Douglass said: "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.". He did many great things that many people cannot do. Douglass was an American hero.

April 23, 2009

2009-04-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

1. Dan-dan American history: Indian wars: Chief Joseph

Zeb, see if you can find a copy of the movie "I will Fight No More Forever" (1975) and watch it with Danno.

2. Society: Zeb, read the first part of Betrayal of Trust on Africa and Health Care. Dan-dan, continue reading Fast Food Nation.

3. Finish the Story of Art. Select one artist for exploring next week, and send me his/her name.

4. Math practice books and big math books.

5. Literature: read The Gentle Vultures in the Asimov book if you haven't read it. If you have, move on to the story entitled "Green Patches."

6. Science: Dan=dan, big science book. Zeb and Dan-dan, we will be starting chemistry when the books arrive next week. Zeb: reading the first part of Betrayal of Trust for science.

7. Chinese.

April 16, 2009

2009-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

1. Reading: Dan-dan, Fast Food Nation and Ecological Imperialism. Zeb, finish Paul Erlich.

2. Literature for Dan-dan and Zeb:

Read this story called The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. Answer the following questions and email them to me.

1) How are the people who live in Omelas? Describe the kind of lives they lead.

2) What is the bargain the people of Omelas have made with their gods?

3) Would you live in Omelas, or would you be one who walked away? Explain.

4) Is our modern world like Omelas? How? (hint, think about fast food nation)

3. MATH practice books only

4. History for Dan-dan. Read about the Sioux Wars. Then read the Wiki page on the Great Sioux War of 1876-77. Finally read Sitting Bull's autobiography.

History for Zeb. Read Mumford's The City in History. It is a fat white book on the shelf with the harry potter books.

5. Dan-dan Big biology book. Call me if you have a problem.
Both of you: three science articles., current events.

2009-04-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

1. Dan-dan history: read the last three units here, starting with Rights and Power. Zeb history: finish Ecological Imperialism

2. Literature: dan-dan finish tales of Shakespeare. hopefully I can get books for you from NCKU today. Zeb read your choice, or try The Stand.

3. Dan-dan: one unit in the big science book. Zeb: start Erlich's Genes, Culture, and Human Evolution

4. Math: big math books, practice books.

5. Chinese ask mom.

6. writing: zeb draft of your Maya collapse piece.

April 3

2009-04-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

1. Dan-dan: US history. Read this link on From Slave Labor to Free Labor. Now that you have found some websites on Frederick Douglass, the former slave, write a draft of a 5 paragraph paper about Frederick Douglass. Call me at 10.00 to discuss.

2. Dan-dan: Literature. Read Tom Sawyer. Should be on the shelf next to the Television. If not,you and Zeb search for it. Zeb: read The Great Gatsby. Should be on my shelf.

3. NO BIG MATH BOOKS. Math and English practice books only. Email me or call if you have a problem.

4. Zeb: social science/history. Building on Collapse, research the Mayan Collapse on the internet. In this case you will to produce a background describing the Maya, and then at least three reasons for the Mayan Collapse, to form a readable paper.

5. Chinese

6. Art. Continue 2 more chapters of the Story of Art, both of you. Now let's locate some art on the internet. Call me a t 10:00 to discuss this project, on my cellphone.

7. Dan-dan: Science: continue with the Big Science book. Zeb science: read three different sections of this website on chemistry.

April 2

2009-04-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

1. Dan-dan: US history. Read this link on the Meaning. Freedom for Slaves. You are going to have to write a short paper about Frederick Douglass. First, find some websites on Frederick Douglass, the former slave.

2. Dan-dan: Literature. Read Tom Sawyer. Should be on the shelf next to the Television. If not,you and Zeb search for it. Finish the Stand. Zeb & Dan-dan: literature. Watch The Great Gatsby with Mom this afternoon or tonight after dinner after you call me about the poem (see below)

3. NO BIG MATH BOOKS. Math and English practice books only. Email me or call if you have a problem.

4. Zeb: social science/history. Building on Collapse, research the Mayan Collapse on the internet. Prepare to write a paper on it. In this case you will to produce a background describing the Maya, and then at least three reasons for the Mayan Collapse, to form a readable paper. We have a book on Central American civilizations, if you can find it. Read the Section on the Maya.

5. Read this famous poem by William Blake. "The Tyger". What question is Blake asking in this poem? Call me at 1:30 to discuss it!

6. Chinese

7. Art. Continue 2 more chapters of the Story of Art, both of you.

The SWAT Team

2009-03-31T22:17:00.000-07:00

The SWAT Team
by Sebastian Turton

"You're late again, Wilson." growled the manager, who prefered everyone calling him that. His real name was Thomas, however.
Wilson rolled his eyes and explained to "Thomas" why he was late today, if "late" meant being twenty seconds over the required time.
"I don't care. You know what the city is like. Get up earlier." That was true. Wilson hadn't bothered setting his alarm clock. It was a wonder he even woke up before the bank opened.
Thomas then gave him the money figures for him to transfer. Wilson protested this fact since he was only a teller, but Thomas overruled him and everyone was back to work, with Wilson getting a big chunk of it. What a day to start work.

There were roughly a hundred people in the bank at this moment when a dozen people dressed in black entered from various entrances. The tallest of them, Mac, was their leader. He entered the lobby with four of his people. He was wearing a mask.
"Horse is in the house." said Mac into the earphone, quietly, but in case anyone heard him, they would have no idea what he was talking about.
Suddenly, Mac and his people drew their MP5s from underneath their jackets and began firing in the air. People were screaming like in a typical movie, panicking, not knowing what to do. The security guards were both shot down in mere seconds by more of Mac's people coming from the rear entrances.
"Get down on the ground now!" yelled Mac, waving the gun around at the gathering crowd. A few obeyed, so to speed up the process, Mac fired into the air, and everyone obeyed. "That's more like it."
Mac's "troops" sealed off the entrances and lead the remaining civilians and bank tellers to a room. The bank manager was brought before Mac. "You know the routinue, where is the money?"
"You know where." the manager simply said, he was understandably nervous which was obvious since he was shaking like mad.
"Alright, open the vaults now or I'll blow off some people's heads," said Mac, pleased with his role. This was going to be a piece of cake. As if to confirm his threat, he aimed the MP5 he was holding at Wilson, who was brought along as the hostage. "What will it be?"
"But I can't open them, I don't have the required keys." protested the manager.
"Wrong answer." Mac clamly aimed the MP5 at the manager and pull the trigger, releasing a burst of bullets that disfigured the manager. "Put him back with the others." Wilson was relieved to be alive, for now. Thomas was dead and how much mercy would they show him?

Officer Anderson halted his police cruiser next to the van the robbers had left behind. He quickly walked toward the bank where he was greeted by shots all around him. Anderson ducked behind a car and screamed into his radio for reinforcements. Whoever saw those armed men entering the bank was right. There was a robbery going on.
In barely five minutes, the entire building was surrounded. Police loaded their shotguns in anticipation of a fight. SWAT team arrived and waited to charge in. Captain French wanted a report.
"Unknown number of suspects. At least ten according to a lucky person who managed to escape the bank in time. Maybe a hundred hostages." reported Lieutenant Brown, who was putting on his bullet proof vest and speaking into the headset. "Area surrounded?"
"Area is surrounded. No one will get through unless they are invisble." said a deep voice on the radio.
"Hamson says area is tightly surrounded."
"No way out or in?" asked Captain French, slightly skecpictal.
"No way." repeated Brown.
"Any demands so far?"
Brown sighed and looked at the phone."None yet. We requested the robbers call this specfic phone if they want to negotiate."
There was a gathering crowd. Reporters had came in swarms, but police were blockading them from entering the street around the bank. Snipers were positioning themselves on buildings across the bank, so they had a clear view of the streets and the bank's roof.
"So, we're calling the....robbers inside?" asked Hamson uneasily to French and Brown.
"No choice, we haven't received a call," said French sighing,"and it is procedure. We're setting up equipment right now."

Mac looked out the window uneasily. He could see the police cars, SWAT trucks, and newsvans outside the bank, accompanied by hundreds of people blocked by a line of police officers. The cops were aiming shotguns at the bank, while others were passing assault rifles around to their comrades. Mac walked back to Joe, who was typing on a laptop connected to one of the bank's numerous computers.
"Any unseen developments?" asked Mac to Joe, who was the shortest guy of all of them.
"None, getting by the password was a lot easier than I thought. Soon, all the bank accounts here will be ours." said Joe, not bothering to look up from his laptop screen.
"How are the bank customers doing?"
Joe called up another screen and it showed all the hostages on a video camera, nervous and most likely wondering if they'd live. "Scared like hell, but not much else."
"How are the guys at the vault doing?"
Joe answered after a moment of silence, "The charges are rigged and they're set to explode when you give the command. Just press Enter and + here." Joe was pointing out to another laptop that was to send the detonation signal.
Mac nodded and was about to press Enter and + at the same time when a phone rang on a desk behind him
"Looks like our friends are impatient." he said.

Captain French made the call. He dialed the number that one of the police techs gave him and after three rings, someone answered.
"Hello," said a deep voice on the phone.
"This is Captain French of the NYPD and basicially I'm here to negotiate." said French calmly.
"Our demands are simple, we want passage out and we'll release the hostages we have." said Mac. This captain didn't waste time.
"How many hostages do you have?"
"That's a reasonable question and I'll answer it," said Mac, looking at Joe, who wrote "97" on his notepad, "We have about 97 hostages."
"97 hostages. What type of vehicle do you want?"
"A commerical bus is fine. Captain, just a warning. If any police officer attempts to enter the building, I will kill all my hostages with sharpnel grenades. Nasty."
This bank robber had a very serious voice. French knew sharpnel grenades kill people slowly. "No tricks from us, not that you'll believe me."
"Correct. You have two hours." Then the phone hanged up.
Joe was chuckling. "You make yourself sound all mysetrious. And sharpnel grenades? We only have one and I'm not even sure it works."
"Well, anything to scare them is fine by me." Then Mac typed Enter and +.

The entire building shook as the detonation destroyed the vault's blast door completely. Mac swore he thought the roof was going to fall in, but it didn't. The hostages were alarmed and now had wild imaginings about what the robbers were using the explosion for.
Joe cursed and said," You could have warned me. You might have disrupted the transfer!"
Mac found himself grining and asked," But I didn't, right?"
Joe gave in immediately, "You didn't disrupt it, luckily for you." Then he went back to typing.
Mac headed down to the vault where he found one of the black masked guys glaring at him.
"You might have killed me! Anyway, the vault is indeed open." said Frank, who was the youngest and their best expert on explosives.
Mac ignored him for a moment and walked inside. There was an endless line of gray vault boxs. "You know what to do."
Frank nodded and went to work. There was loot to take from the vault boxes.

Two hours later...
Mac found himself back in a telephone conversation with Captain French. Mac used a electronic device which made his voice sound deeper.
"Have you made a decision?" asked Mac
There was a rush of static then French said, "My superiors have ordered me to tell you that no decisions have been made."
Mac smilied, this was going exactly according to plan. "So I assume your SWAT team will be assaulting the place?"
French said nothing. The phone hanged up.
Mac ordered his people through the radios to finish their work and get onto the first floor as quickly as they can. The next few hours were going to be crucial.

Two SWAT teams, one from each SWAT truck had preped themselves for the assault. French, Brown, and Hamson were putting on bullet proof vests since they were also joining the assault.
"Position yourselves." said the SWAT commander into a headset he was wearing.
French grabbed his shotgun and followed the SWAT team who were now taking positions around the bank. Simulateously SWAT was to assault from all directions.
"Thats a go, people. Good luck." said the SWAT commander
SWAT broke open the doors with explosive charges and poured into the building, firing tear gas so hopefully the robbers would be surprised and confused by the smoke. French put on his gas mask and entered the building with three other SWAT officers. There were no lights since the SWAT commander also had the lights cut a few seconds eariler. French aimed his shotgun at the desks around and looked behind each one carefully. No one was around though.
Then there was a rush of footsteps up ahead, French looked up alarmingly and aimed the shotgun at the approaching dark shapes. It was another SWAT team. French went back to searching. He had no idea that the SWAT team he just met were the bank robbers.

Mac knew there was no way to hold off SWAT, so he had his team dress up as a SWAT team with himself as the captain when the real SWAT assaulted. He managed to get hold of the latest SWAT equipiment a few days before the robbery and quickly had copies made.
The plan went smoothly. The SWAT teams were ignoring each other and were looking for the "robbers" while Mac's "SWAT team" moved through the lobby, pretending to search. Mac then ordered the "team" to get to the fake SWAT truck that was waiting for them. Each of his men had several black bags, which were fashioned to look like standard SWAT packs. The bags were full of the items from the vault.
"Piece of cake." remarked Frank once the truck was driving off with the bank robbers and about one and a half billion dollars worth of money, diamonds, gold bars, and countless valuable antiques. What a haul.

French slammed a nearby desk, frustrated. The two SWAT teams had spent hours searching the place and admitted the robbers were gone. Along with what was in the vault. It would take days to fully check the bank, but it didn't matter, French knew the robbers had somehow escaped.
"They didn't dig underground, they didn't fly out of here, the bank is surrounded, so the only way for the robbers to escape was marching past by us." said French to Brown and Hamson, with coldness in his voice. The robbers had somehow fooled them.
"Most of the vault is empty." reported Hamson, who sounded unpleasant.
"Captain French, I have a complaint to make." said the SWAT commander.
"And what complaint is it?" asked French.
"Why the hell did a LAPD SWAT team join us?"
French was surprised. The man could see it on his face. "A LAPD SWAT team joined us?"
"Yes, and they drove away in the middle of the search process. In fact, I'll complain to LAPD headquarters." A few minutes later the SWAT commander came back, "They didn't send any team to help us." he said quietly.
"So who were..." began French, then the truth suddenly dawned on him,"They were the robbers. Right under our nose, they slipped past us with the haul."

March 27

2009-03-26T15:45:00.001-07:00

1.Both of you read The Story of Art, chapters 5 + 6

2. Dan-dan, Big Science book

3. Both of you, math practice and Big Math books and English practice books.

4. Dan-dan, four more chapters in To Kill a Mockingbird

5. Zeb, finish Shattered and Collapse.

6. articles on the web: Dan-dan, we are going to move along past the Civil War to look at the Reconstruction, the Indian Wars in the West, and the growing industrialization of the United States in the second half of the 19th century. Start with this site: read the Introduction and The New Birth of Freedom (more links here for next week)(and here)

7. Today's fun website: Icanhazcheezburger.com

Zeb Essay, March 18, 2009

2009-03-17T22:25:00.001-07:00

Over the years, I've raised lots of pets. Most of them are cats are dogs, but some are hamsters, turtles, and even fish. In various ways, the pets have influenced me alot. The three main things I learned are taking care of animals, help adjust with life, and learning how to love others.

Number one and the most important is that I've learned how to take care of animals. Feeding the cats and gos are various time periods. The cats sometimes "demand" being feed, but I only feed them on a morning/night schedule. You also need patientence when dealing with pets considering they're not human beings. Thus, I learned how to take care of pets.

Pets always have problems getting along with each other. For example, the dogs fight each other and we have to pull them away. Our cats always suffering a traumatic period immediately after arriving at the house. It takes days or even weeks to let the cats get used to life at our house. Now, normally the two cats that live inside cooperate, instead of hissing at each other, and they even playfully fight each other. (One of the inside cats does attempt to escape the house occasionally, but that's another story.) I help the animals get along with each other here.

As time goes on, you feel your pets are very best friends and you learn to love them and their ways. You feel like they are part of you. I always felt the inside cats are my very best friends. Cats are a fun to play with. I learned how to love others, even if they are pets.

My pets have influenced my emotions, patientence and numerous other things. If I had no pets, maybe my patientence would snap quickly, or no love for cats. Today, I continue to learn and be influenced by our pets.

Thursday March 5, 2009

2009-03-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

1. Big math books
2. practice books
3. writing (call me so we can talk about your writing practice books)

4. English
Monday poem (for thursday!)

Ozymandias
Percy Bysse Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled hp and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read,
Which yet survive stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
.And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my works. Ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

1. What did the traveller see in the desert?
2. What is the theme or meaning of this poem?
Call me AFTER you have answered these questions

5. Science
Dan-dan: Big Science book, continue with genetics.

Zeb: chemistry for kids: REACTIONS Do that page and take the quiz there. More tomorrow.
Dan-dan: read about the second law of thermodynamics here.

5.
Chinese!

Feb 23rd 2009

2009-02-22T16:05:00.000-08:00

1. Monday Poem

This poem is a riddle. What is she talking about? What has happened to her?

"Metaphors"
-Sylvia Plath
I am a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf’s big with its yeasty rising.
Money’s new-minted in this fat purse.
I’m a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I’ve eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there’s no getting off.

2. 3 articles

3. Dan-dan finish civil war book. Read Wiki page on Ulysses S. Grant.

4. Zeb -- read the 20-27th amendment and some of the related case law.

5. Big math books and practice book.

I'll check tomorrow morning!

Jan 12

2009-01-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

English Literature
Monday Poem

Whenever Richard Cory went downtown
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim,

And he was always quietly arrayed.
And he was always human when he talked,
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good morning," and he glittered when he walked

And he was rich-- yes, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grade:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Edwin Arlington Robinson (1897)

Answer the questions, each of you separately, in today's email:

1. What kind of person is Richard Cory? How do other people feel about him?

2. What do you think the point of the poem is? What is the poet trying to say?

________________

2. US History

SEBASTIAN: this week we are working on the Bill of Rights (what is the Bill of Rights?)

Carefully read the Wiki Entry on the Bill of Rights. Write a paragraph and email to me explaining why a Bill of Rights was adopted.

SHERIDAN:
1. Continue reading the Oregon Trail book

3. Taiwan History

SEBASTIAN & SHERIDAN
Today we are going to look at Indigo in Taiwan's history.

Read this article discussing it: (article)(and this one from Jeff's blog)
See if you can find the Indigo dyeing center from the first website. Maybe we can visit it this week.

4. Math practice books
no big math books.

Chinese & Art (ask mom)

Tomorrow: Writing, big math books, Macbeth!

Week of Jan 5

2009-01-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

Almost like Whale 2 chaps a day this week

Dan-dan diary of Oregon Trail

Zeb first amendment cases

http://www.anarchytv.com/speech/cases.html

Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:United_States_First_Amendment_case_law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_District
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engel_v._Vitale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Jonge_v._Oregon

January 5, 2009

2009-01-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

2009 already!

Science
Dan-dan and Zeb. Read Almost like a whale: intro chaps 1 & 2

(3 + 3 articles)

History:
Zeb we're continuing with the Constitution. Read Articles 5,6, and 7

Dan-dan: This week and next week we are looking at the US in the period between the Revolution and the Civil War. Four main trends here: expansion westward, conflicts with native americans, rapid economic growth, and the problem of slavery.

Dan-dan in A Nation of Nations
SKIM (read lightly, as you please) through pages 219-240
READ 240-243 on the doubling of the national size
SKIM 244-247
READ 247-252 on the Second War for independence

MATH
big books, math practice books

CHINESE -- both of you!

ENGLISH
Do your writing practice books.

This week we are going to look at the Shakespeare Play MacBeth. It is about a noble in Scotland who meets three witches that foretell his future. He then kills the king and takes over the throne, as the witches foretold. In the Macbeth book on the table, read Act 1, Scene 1 (it is very short). Read it out loud. Then watch it on Youtube.

Ask mom to find MACBETH, any version, on Yahoo.com. Particularly good is the 1971 Polanski version, but any will do.

Michael

Dec 28

2008-12-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

Both of you
1. big math books
2. math practice books, writing practice books
3. three articles from current events and from science
4. science -- I'll call you later.

Zeb
history -- Constitution:
Article 4
Answer questions in the email today
1. What is this article concerned with?

2. Read Section 1 carefully. What do you think is the real purpose of Article 4?

Dan-dan
history
War of 1812.
Re-read the US history book for seventh graders on the war of 1812. This was a very short but very important war. Nobody won, but America proved it would be independent.

The keys to the war are to understand that (1) Britain was fighting Napoleon and this war was not important to them. (2) the invasion of Canada failed (3) the US Navy performed brilliantly. (4) the US confirmed its independence from Britain

Read this five page account of the war of 1812.

5. MONDAY POEM
Robert Frost is a famous American poet. Skype me at 1:30 to discuss this. read it first. What event does the poem describe? Where does it take place -- what state and what kind of place? What kind of people are here -- country people or city people?

"Out, Out - "
by: Robert Frost

The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood,
Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.
And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behing the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont.
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
As it ran light, or had to bear a load.
And nothing happened: day was all but done.
Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour
That a boy counts so much when saved from work.
His sister stood beside him in her apron
To tell them "Supper." At the word, the saw,
As if it meant to prove saws know what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap -
He must have given the hand. However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all -
Since he was old enough to know, big boy
Doing a man's work, though a child at heart -
He saw all was spoiled. "Don't let him cut my hand off -
The doctor, when he comes. Don't let him, sister!"
So. The hand was gone already.
The doctor put him in the dark of ether.
He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
And then - the watcher at his pulse took a fright.
No one believed. They listened to his heart.
Little - less - nothing! - and that ended it.
No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.

Dec 22 2008

2008-12-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

1. Both of you:
-- articles on the news and on science
-- in the science CD on mom's computer, carefully view the next topic.
-- writing and math practice books (have mom look over your math practice books)
-- Big Math books (by my computer)
-- CHINESE

ZEB: FInd the Lewis and Clark book for Dan-dan!!!!!

2. Dan-dan
in the American History book on the table, find the War of 1812. After the Americans fought the Revolutionary War, we had to fight Britain again 30 years later.

Read this introduction to the War of 1812. Write me an email explaining (1) why the Americans were angry at the British and (2) what they hoped to get from the war

Activity: Look up the word IMPRESSMENT on the internet. Then read about the Chesapeake and the Leopard.

3. Zeb: Read Article 3 of the Constitution
Answer the questions and email them to me
(1) What is this article concerned with?
(2) According to the Constitution, who has authority over the Courts?
(3) Read about the case Marbury vs. Madison. Then read the Wiki page on it. What important principle was decided in that case?

MONDAY POEM (call me at 1:45 on Skype!!!)

Shakespeare was also famous for his poetry, in addition to his plays. Here is a Sonnet, a special kind of poem, that Shakespeare wrote. He wrote many sonnets.

1. My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
2. Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
3. If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
4. If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
5. I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
6. But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
7. And in some perfumes is there more delight
8. Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
9. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
10. That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
11. I grant I never saw a goddess go,
12. My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
13. And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
14. As any she belied with false compare.

After you have finished reading the poem, look up the words DUN, DAMASKED, REEKS, in the dictionary and find out what they mean.

Shakespeare is making fun of something in this poem. What is it?

Dec 18 Science stuff from ADVNATGE SYSTEM

2008-12-17T23:19:00.001-08:00

A Female Harem

· What communication channels do males use to transmit messages to one

another?

Antlers, stamping feet, look at each other, make noises

· What messages do the males transmit to one another and to the females

watching them?

I AM THE FITEST

· What is the advantage of communication between male deer before actual

combat?

To avoid injury

Dec 18

2008-12-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

BOTH
1. 3 current events, science articles

2. reading as always

3. Hands-on book of general science activities and science CD

4. Big math books.

5. rpactice books

6. writing books

Danno essay on Rev

2008-12-16T23:51:00.000-08:00

The American Revolution war took place from 1775-1781. There are three reasons why the Americans won the war and the British lost it. The Americans got help from the French, not many Americans supported the British, and the British had problems with terrain.

During the Revolutionary War, the Americans got help from the French. The French volunteered to fight. There were many soldiers and naval officers that served full-time in the French forces, and they supported the Americans. The Americans could not have survived without the French. During the Seven Years War, the British defeated the French, which is why the French hated the British. At first, when the Americans ask for their help, the French were not interested. But after the battle on Bunker Hill which the Americans lost, but fought hard, the French got interested. They decided to help, there were about 7,000 French troops when they joined, and the French managed to get their revenge. That is one of the reasons why the British lost the Revolutionary War.

Not many Americans supported the British. The only people that supported the British were religious leaders of the Anglican Church, and people with close business connections in Britain. Americans didn't support the British because both sides were fighting each other. The British didn't support the war, because they didn't like shooting people the saw as their own countrymen. The British had the help of the Hessians.

The British had no experience in fighting against the Americans. They only had experience in Europe. So, when they were fighting against the Americans, it was a whole new world. Everything was different, the men, guns, the leaders, and the towns. Loyalists were important, but the British also had a difficult time of fighting the war while simultaneously retaining the allegiance of Loyalists.

These are the three reasons why the British lost the war. The Americans got help from the French, not many Americans supported the British, the British had problems with the fighting. The last battle ended in Yorktown in October 19th, 1781. The British surrendered. 83 Americans were killed and 258 were wounded. The Americans had won the war, and America has finally got independence.

Monday the 13th Dec 2008

2008-12-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

Cross strait shipping and cargo starts today!

Pick up your tests on my desk and staple them to your notebooks. Another test this friday!

1. science -- three articles each -- We'll start new science program this week.
2. current events three articles each

History:
Sebastian
Constitution: Article 1 deals with the legislature. Article 2 deals with the Presidency. Answer the following and email to me.

1. How is the President elected?
2. What are the qualifications for office?
3. What are his powers?
4. How can he be removed?
5. The US constitution is driven by the idea of "checks and balances" between each branch of our three branches of the government, executive, judicial, and legislative. In the section on the powers of the President, what body has oversight on his appointments?

Sheridan.
You did an amazing job with the Revolutionary War, Danno! Now on to the next bit of business, the expansion of the United States after the Revolutionary War. First we are starting with the Louisiana Purchase

1. Print out this map. Find an image of the Louisiana Purchase online and draw (1) the area controlled by the US (2) the Louisiana Purchase. (3) the area controlled by Spain.

2. Read this easy website on the Lousiana Purchase. Then this difficult essay on the Lousiana Purchase.

3. Answer the questions in your notebook:

(a) Who did we buy the area from? How much did it cost?

(b) Who was living across most of the area at the time? Did we ask their permission?

(c) Why was Jefferson interested in acquiring this area?

(d) After he purchased it, who did he send to explore it?

This week's reading is the book on Lewis and Clark. It is sitting on the bottom, left shelf under where we keep the library books. Read the first few chapters.

MATH: practice books only

ENGLISH:Monday Poem. Read this poem aloud, each of you, and see if you can figure out what the poet is trying to do. Conference call me on sSkype at 1:30 to discuss the poem.

The Windhover: To Christ Our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion, king-
dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird,--the achieve of; the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermillion.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

Writing
Zeb: Madison and the Constitution! I want to see several good paragraphs.
Sheridan: five paragraph essay on the revolutionary war. Write a draft giving three reasons why the Americans won the war and the British lost it. Review the information from the Dummies book.

2008-12-10T15:57:00.001-08:00

poem finishes.

the cell, ben franklin, microcosmos, human cultural evolution.

big math books
practice books
three articles
music: early beethoven

2008-12-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Both:
3 articles in current events and science

Science
Sebastian: read the book on human cultural evolution.
Sheridan: continue reading The Cell

History
Sheridan: Revolution read the book on Ben Franklin that Zeb read
Sebastian: collect information on James Madison. (here and here for starters). Take notes to assemble a paper on him

Taiwan
Sheridan and Sebastian: Find the short book on my shelf called Taiwan: Studies in Local Chinese History by Lumley. Read the chapter entitled "The Lins of Wufeng"

Math: Big math book, practice book

Writing: practice book
Sebastian and Sheridan: we'll be doing five paragraph essays

Test friday on this week's science, current events, and history

Literature: read your chosen reading books until 9:30. Read this poem and answer the questions in your notebooks.

A poem by Emily Dickinson:

I like to see it lap the miles,
And lick the valleys up,
And stop to feed itself at tanks;
And then, prodigious, step

Around a pile of mountains,
And, supercilious, peer
In shanties by the sides of roads;
And then a quarry pare

To fit its sides, and crawl between,
Complaining all the while
In horrid, hooting stanza;
Then chase itself down hill

And neigh like Boanerges;
Then, punctual as a star,
Stop--docile and omnipotent--
At its own stable door.

Now that you are done, look up Boanerges, pare, stanza, supercilious, docile, omnipotent and prodigious in an internet dictionary to see what they mean.

Questions:
1) what does this poem describe?
2) The poem uses an animal to represent the thing it is talking about. What animal is that?

Nov 27

2008-11-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

Zeb -- constitution & franklin, ben franklin bio, gravity. (Manhunt about LIncoln assassin for pleasure reading)
Dan -- cells, vorkosigan saga, revolutionary war book.

music: guitar practice for Dan-dan, early beethoven. symphony number 1.

chinese, art, exercise (hiking, skateboard)

Dan-dan
Brownies are so delicious. Some people don't know how to bake brownies. They have to go out and buy it and brownies are not very cheap. But some people stay home and bake it, and don't have to go out and buy some and waste money. But if you want to learn how to bake chocolate brownies, there are three major steps, preparation, making and baking, and clean-up and eating.

First, you have to get out the ingredients. A medium-size bowl, 11 x 7 inch pan ( at least ), a blender, water, oil, and a egg. Remember, to grease the pan with crisco, otherwise, when you take the pan out of the oven, you won't be able to get the the brownies out.

Second, you are going to start making brownies. Prepare a bowl. You need 1/3 cup of water and 1/3 cup of oil for each pouch. Then, get an egg, crack it, put it in the bowl, and stir until the brownie mix is moistened. Next, get a pan and dump the brownie batter in it, and spread it around the pan. Finally, put the pan in the oven, set the timer for 40-45 minutes. If you want, you can add 1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecan or macadamia nuts. It will be much better!

Now when you are done, start cleaning up, otherwise, there will be ants crawling everywhere.
Put the dishes in the sink, fill the bowl with water,or you will not be able to wash the chocolate off. Wash the dishes and put the them away.

Now you have a wonderful, delicious chocolate brownies in front of you. Brownies are great! They are chewy, frosted, tasty and smells good, too! Now take the brownie out of the oven and start eating it. Now you have completed the three steps, preparation, making and baking, and clean-up and eating. Enjoy them while you can!

Monday Nov 24

2008-11-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

1. writing and math practice books.

NO BIG MATH BOOKS

Social Science
2. Zeb -- Ben Franklin and the Constitution, continue. Draft of the introduction by the end of the day. Today's assignment is Read the Preamble (introduction) to the Constitution. Then go here and read Article 1 of the Constitution.

Answer the questions in your notebook.
a ) There are three branches of the Federal government. Which is Article 1 concerned with?
b) The Article lists some of the powers of Congress. In Section 9, what are the limits on Congress' power? Look up "Bill of Attainder"
c) What are the rules for who can be a Representative? A Senator?
d) Section 7 defines the Presidential role in approving the laws of the nation. What happens if the President does not sign a bill?

Dan-dan:
Continue Reading the Barbara Tuchman book on the revolution.

Taiwan History: Hakkas
Zeb and Dan-dan each read this page on the Hakka in Taiwan. And this page too.

Current events: 3 articles each from Washington Post

3. Science
1. 3 articles on Science each
2. Dn-dan: start on chapter 3 or 4 of your science book. do the first section. Make sure to talk about it with me tomorrow morning.
3. Sebastian: we will continue to work on geology this week. As you know, rocks are made of minerals. do this page on identifying minerals

4. English
Read this poem by the very famous poet William Butler Yeats

I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,	5
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;	10
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

1. First, what is the structure of the poem...it is very simple. What is the rhyme? Now count the number of syllables in the last line of each stanza. How many are there?

2. What does the speaker in the poem want to do? Why do you think he wants to do this? Write it in your notebooks.

Nov 19 2008

2008-11-18T16:40:00.001-08:00

1. Science (D/S)
2. five paragraph essay writing.(D/S)
3. constitutional stuff(S)
4. taiwan history (D/S)
5. revolution (D)
6. Big math books, check, and practice books.

Monday, light day

2008-11-16T15:49:00.000-08:00

1. Do your math and writing practice books. Also do your Big Math books.

2. English
sheridan -- email me your five paragraph essay from last week
Zeb: you are going to write a long report on how the US Constitution was put together. This week you are going to collect information for it. See below. Take notes on what you read today.

Science
sebastian -- email me the topics of the first page of your science practice books, you and dan-dan. I will assign you readings later.

three articles in current events and science

2. Music Appreciation
Listen to Mozart's Requiem, the CD is on the shelf right next to the Stereo.

3. Chinese with Mom

4. History.
Sheridan -- continue reading the Revolutionary War book.

Zeb: we are going to study the Constitution. First read the US Constitution article at Wikipedia. Answer the following:

Who developed the US constitution -- what kind of people were they? Who were the major authors?
What resources did they use -- what constitutions did they study?
Why did they think the US needed a Constitution?

Taiwan history:
Both Zeb and Dan-dan: find the book on my shelf called _In Search of Hunters and Their Tribes. Read the first article by David Faure on aborigines before the modern era.

Monday the 10 of November

2008-11-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Mom's birthday. So be nice!

Dan-dan -- three more chapters in the Revolutionary War Book, finish Cordelia's Honor.
Zeb -- finish your book report on Lost Horizon

Do ONLY math and English practice books. Do one section in your big math books.

Zeb and Dan-dan: we will be going to the museum this week to look at rock samples. Field Trip!

Science:
ZEB
Look up the following igneous rock types:
basalt, granite, pumice, obsidian. Write down in your notebook how they are formed, and where they might be found. this will all be part of the test on friday!
DAN-DAN: email me the topic of the most recent page in your SCIENCE practice book.

Reaed three science and three current events articles

English:
Both of you read this poem
Crossing the Bar
Read it out loud, and slowly. Skype me this afternoon and we will try a conference call to talk about. After 1:30.

Meanwhile see if you can answer the questions below. Remember a "bar" is low island of sand outside a harbor.
1. What does the poet mean by "Crossing the Bar" ?
2. What do things like "sunset" and "evening star" make you think of?
3. Who is the pilot?

Nov 4 2-008

2008-11-03T19:25:00.000-08:00

Zeb
Science --
Rocks: Igneous rocks Now take a look at these pictures.

Dan-dan
Science ENSO/El Nino here first, here, here also read about La Nina there too.

Reading:
3 articles each science and current events
Revolutionary War
Zeb finish Lost Horizon & do book report

Monday nov 3 2008

2008-11-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

This week we will be moving toward a more formal schedule, folks! Now that i am back from US and caught up.

NO PRACTICE BOOKS TODAY!

So expect test on friday.

Zeb + Dan
Big math book one section
Dan dan no big science book

Science
3 articles at Discovery.com, National Geographic, or Science Daily (email titles to me)
Zeb, this week we are focusing on rock types (here)(here). On Friday you WILL be tested on this.

English
Zeb: please read the small book Lost Horizon
Dan-dan continue with Cordelia's Honor

Social Studies
Taiwan History
Zeb: Historic Forts and Batteries of Keelung. Some of these you have been to!
Danno: read what Zeb is reading
US history and culture
Dan-dan chaps 4-6 in American Revolution for Dummies
Zeb: Read about the electoral college on Wikipedia
Z& D: write up your election forecast and email to me. Who will win the election on Tuesday, and by how many electoral votes? Take a look at Fivethiryyeight.com Prepare for Wednesday, when we will all go to the Early Bird Grill to watch the Election returns.

Both of you work on art and chinese with Mom.

Find ICRT on the radio and listen for a while

Bill Watson
Discovery news
Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog Decline
It's Official: People Are Warming the Poles
Jurassic Plants Uncovered in Utah
Washington Post
The State Of the Races
NC, Montana, and Indiana are now tossup states. Even Arizona has become a tossup state.
Effectiveness of AIG's $143 Billion Rescue Questioned
Ohio Is a Ripe Target for Candidates

Rebecca Carter
washington.com
The State Of the Races
Effectiveness of AIG's $143 Billion Rescue Questioned
'So Sorry'
___________________________________________
discovery.com
It's Official: People Are Warming the Poles
Beauty Benefits Female Candidates, Study Shows
Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly Found

2008-10-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

1. tests

2. revolutionary war reading for Dan/ bully for brontosaurus Zeb.

3. poetry for Dan-dan

4. Zeb report

2008-10-29T23:03:00.001-07:00

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, was published at the turn of the century. The book tells the story of a dog named Buck who was kidnapped from California and sold to Alaska where he had went through many adventures. The book was very good but sad.

At first, Buck had a good life at his home, California. He was sent to Alaska and went through many terrible things. In Alaska he was sold to a man named Perrault. He watched a dog die, and killed another dog, and he learned that he was on his own. Then, after he caused so much trouble, he and his mates were sold to a family, Hal, Charles, and his wife Mercedes. Later, Buck was saved from death by a man named John Thornton, who taught him love and loyalty. But suddenly, Buck had become so violent, he started to kill lots of animals. When his home was attacked, and he saw the body of John Thornton, killed by Yeehats, he wanted revenge and he hunted them. At the end of the book, Buck has become a ghost to the Yeehats.

The reader knows how Buck felt in everything he went through. He was kidnapped and sent to another world, another place where many things happen. He learns how to kill, and hunt. The ending was a bit sad, cause John Thornton dies, killed by the Yeehats. But Buck has his wolf friends, and he and his friends will go off and hunt for the Yeehats. Later, he finds out who he really is.

The Call of the Wild is a very good, classic book. A book like this makes me want to read it a hundred times. Not just because of the story, but because Jack London is one of the world's great writers. I love this book very much and consider it one of my favorites.

Wednesday

2008-10-14T04:54:00.000-07:00

Sheridan & Sebastian
(1) do a unit in each of your practice books
(2) read three articles on current events in the Washingtonpost (www.washingtonpost.com) and three articles from one of the science sites.
(3) practice your chinese
(4) work with Mom to develop an art project to finish by the end of the week so I can see it when I get back.
(6) today NO big math book

Danno
(1) we're moving toward a study of the French and Indian War. Read these webpages on the war (follow the links)
(2) continue reading your Taiwan history book

Sebastian
(1) mortgages -- your assignment for today is to find out about the Keating 5 scandal. What were savings and loans? What happened? How is that crisis like today's crisis? What was McCain's role? Answer these questions in an email to me.

(2) finish the taiwan book and start robert accinellis Crisis and Commitment in the Taiwan Strait.
a red and black book.

light day!

Tuesday, oct 14

2008-10-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Dad is giving his big presentation today! Wish him luck!

Sheridan & Sebastian
(1) do a unit in each of your practice books
(2) read three articles on current events in the Washingtonpost (www.washingtonpost.com) and three articles from one of the science sites.
(3) practice your chinese
(4) work with Mom to develop an art project to finish by the end of the week so I can see it when I get back.
(6) today NO big math book

Zeb: Taiwan history, finish state and society in the taiwan miracle
Danno: I bought you a nice backgammon set! So you must read a taiwan book. read Kerr's book Formosa: Licensed Revolution and Home Rule. it's red and zeb knows it.

Zeb: economics/social sciences. Home mortgages. Explore on the internet: what is needed to get a home mortgage? Who gives them? Why do people want mortgages? What institutions are involved in the mortgage process? What was a subprime mortgage? Why made them so dangerous?

Light day folks, enjoy it. Weather in washington is beautiful. Zeb and Dan-dan, send me n email telling me what you are reading...

Monday 13th

2008-10-12T04:47:00.000-07:00

TODAY:

Sheridan & Sebastian
(1) do a unit in each of your practice books
(2) read three articles on current events in the Washingtonpost (www.washingtonpost.com) and three articles from one of the science sites.
(3) practice your chinese
(4) work with Mom to develop an art project to finish by the end of the week so I can see it when I get back.
(6) today NO big math book

Sheridan
(1) history: thank you for doing that map the other day. Now here is a page with maps done by people of the 18th century. Look at each one. What does that tell you about their knowledge of north america?

This week we are going to look at the French and Indian War. After you have looked at that map page, look for the French and Indian in Wikipedia and read that. Then go to this page and look at the different historical sites. Much of the war was fought in what is now western pennsylvania and ohio, places you have been to several times.

Sebastian
(1) Taiwan History: Read State and Society in the Taiwan miracle., a brownish orange book
(2) Get my copy of Stephen Gould's Wonderful Life and start reading that.

oct 6 2008

2008-10-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sebastian + Sheridan

1. practice books

2. big math books

3. Chinese

4. exercise/lift weights/bikes

5. Science: three articles from Discovery/National Geographic/Science Daily

6. Current events: three articles, be sure to read at least one on Sarah Palin from the Washington Post, the Economist magazine, or the NY Times

7. Zeb -- this week, we'll be looking at other aspects of the modern economy. We'll be studying credit cards. Let's start with reading about consumer credit. And then look at the articles here. Answer these questions....

A. What kinds of information are found in your credit records?
B. Why would you the consumer be interested in knowing about that?
C. What is the purpose of a credit record? Who uses it?

8. Zeb -- we'll be continuing our Taiwan history experience. I know you finished George Kerr's book, which was very good. Now find my copy of Thomas Gold's State and Society in the Taiwan Miracle read that for monday and tuesday.

9. Dan-dan: find some maps on the internet for our work on early American history. Capture this blank map and print it out. On this map draw the various European claims and holdings about the year 1750 in North America. What was controlled by England? Spain? France? What was claimed by England, France, Spain, and Russia?

10. Chemistry for both of you: we'll continue our study of the periodic table of the elements. Go here and review the periodic table and do the quiz questions. Go through the NEXT STOP ON THE SITE TOUR until you reach the end of the site, and do the quizzes.

Sept 22

2008-09-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

1. Practice Books

Dan-dan, do chap 4-1 of your science book.

Together: Atoms
read
history of atoms in thought (don't worry too much about the name of all the particles. Just pay attention to how the thinking changes as new discoveries are made).

A picture of Rtherford's famous experiment.

HISTORY/Social Studies:
Sheridan:
We're continuing with our story of Colonial America. Today we're looking at William Penn
First read this account of his life. Then read about his exploits in the new world. See if you can answer the following questions in an email to me.

1. What important things did Penn do? Why was he important
2. What is Quakerism? What did they believe? Why did other Christians hate and persecute Quakers?

Here is Penn in Wikipedia.

+++++

Sebastian:
We are going to start an section on economics and the modern world, looking at credit, debt, oil, and other factors that affect our economy.

First we are going to study Oil. Today's object -- Who has the oil. Make a list of the world's major oil producers (nations) and oil consumers (nations).

Next, see if you can find a map of the major oil reserves in the world's land areas, and one with major oil reserves in the world's ocean areas.

SCIENCE: both of you: three articles off Science Daily
CURRENT EVENTS: both of you Read three articles in the Washington Post, include one article on the problems on Wall Street. You will have to register, no big deal.

CHINESE PRACTICE: Zeb and Dan-dan, practice your chinese.

STANDARDS FOR 8th grade

Sept 17, 2008

2008-09-16T18:29:00.001-07:00

1. More on chemistry

http://www.chemicalelements.com/

2. Zeb: book report.

3. Math book.

4. science daily, national geographic, or discovery.com: three articles.

Sept 15

2008-09-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

Kids...

NO review books today. Do not do your writing, science, or math review books.

Do your big math books. Dan-dan, review chapter 3 in your science book.

Zeb, finish the French and Indian War book and write a review/report about it. Describe the book and what you learned from it.

Dan-dan, thank you for your work on North America. Now find the copy of 1491 in the pile of books. Read the chapter on MADE IN AMERICA. Start on page 279. Please read that chapter twice.

Zeb and Dan-dan, make sure you do some Chinese today.

Chemistry:
Both of you read this on atoms:

http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html

Take the Quiz on atomic structure when you are done. The link is at the bottom of the reading. Then read this carefully.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/atom1.htm
Read pages 1-7. Stop when you reach the page on quantum theory.

Then both of you write the definitions of each of these:

atom
proton
neutron
electron
nucleus
orbit
shell
Shells
molecule
ion
charge

Tuesday Sept 9

2008-09-08T17:41:00.002-07:00

OK folks, pretty much the same as yesterday.

Michael

Tuesday Sept 9

2008-09-08T17:41:00.001-07:00

OK folks, pretty much the same as yesterday.

Michael

Sept 8 2008

2008-09-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Dan-dan and Zeb:

two pages in each of your practice books, and your math book.

Zeb, read three articles on either discovery.com, national geographic, or science daily. show Sheridan and have her pick 3 articles. post the titles of the article in an email to me or in the comments here.

dan-dan, chapter 3 in your science book.

current events: zeb, do some research on fannie mae and write a paragraph on why it is so important. What does it do? Who does it help?

taiwan history: zeb, finish island of formosa past and present
taiwan history: dan-dan start formosa betrayed.

US history: dandan read two more chapters in The First Americans.

July 13, 2008

2008-07-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sheridan
1. Math
2. Science do the book and we'll go over it tomorrow.
Also, read about atoms here. Read these three pages:

>	Overview
-	Structure
-	Orbitals

3. US history: pre-European civilizations. This week we are looking at various American Indian peoples. First, read about potlatch. The read about the Tlingit and explore the links. Then go here and look at pictures.

Zeb
1. Math
2. Gun report: after Dan-dan is finished, finished writing on guns.
3. Science: chemistry, periodic table of the elements. Go look at this beautiful periodic table of the elements. Move the mouse over each square and read off the names, then click on carbon and oxygen and other elements you know, and read about them. Do this activity with Dan-Dan.
4. history: you and Dan-dan visit this site on Plimoth Plantation and look at all the pictures.

(more chemistry for this week)

Tuesday July 8

2008-07-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

Sheridan:

begin reading on the settlement of North America by Europeans. We are going to study the history of America in social studies this year.

Read this page on the peopling of north america.
Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Where did the first people in north and south america migrate from?

2. What routes did they take in their migration?

3. What kinds of animals did they encounter?

Read this on some of the first people to enter North America, the Clovis point people.
Answer the following questions in your notebook:
1. Why are they called the Clovis point people? What is a Clovis point? What is it made from?

2. When did they live? According to the article, what did they hunt?

When you are done, come see me for some tutoring on the 5 paragraph essay.
_________

Zeb
1. Math
2. science

We are going to look at symbiosis -- life forms living with each other. How do different organisms live together?

Read this page on mutualism.
Look at this page on predation and commensalism in the garden.

3. compile research for your article on gun control

4. history
taiwan history reading.
world history tomorrow!

June 9

2008-06-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

1. Finish up your paper on machine guns. Send me the draft TODAY.

2. Keep going on the math.

3. See if you can find a map of the British Empire in the seven years war, and of Europe during the seven years war.

4. From Columbus to Castro. Read to page 135, finishing the chapter King Sugar.

5.

2008-05-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

HTML
1. Zeb, I need the table from Monday. NOW.

2. I need the paragraph from monday. NOW.

3. finish chapter 10. do all the reviews.

4.

May 26 2008

2008-05-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

HTML
1. Review your HTML codes -- the table, rowspan, colspan, background, image, etc. Then make a table like this. Put an image in the big space. Notice that this table is 5X5 and the big space spans 2 columns and three rows.

Math.
keep going -- finish chapter 10 and do the review.

English
think about a report topic/start your story.

Science
Global climate -- we're going to start with the El Nino phenomenon.
First -- read the NASA page, too easy, read the Wiki page, but it will be too hard. Then read about El Nino and Australia.

Write a short paragraph explaining about El Nino. Is this year a La Nina or an El Nino year?

2008-05-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Weather:
1.Here are four types of clouds. identify them!

A.

B.

C.

D.

Then play the cloud matching game!

2. BULGE ESSAY I WANT TO SEE IT

3. Math chapter 10

4. Social Science
OK. Today you are to interview Mom about her Buddhist beliefs. Have her explain the altar in our house to you, and ask her to tell you some teaching stories about buddha. Prepare five good questions for her, and write up the answers and email them to me. Put them on your blog if you like.

Michael

May 18

2008-05-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

MONDAY
1. ENGLISH: finish Bulge draft and email to me.

2. more math, continue with another sections of chapter 1o. Call me if you have problems.

3. science -- this week we are studying clouds. Read about the development of clouds, starting with the introduction. What are clouds? See more pictures here. This page explains about warm and cold fronts. Read carefully at the bottom -- looking at the list of clouds and fronts, how can we use the clouds to predict the weather?

4. art and chinese.

5. Social science....we're moving from our study of geography to a study of the major religions of the world. Here's a list of the major religions of the world. Please be careful, the numbers are very general estimates: List at Adherents.com. Then read these short pieces on religions. Your project for TOMORROW is to discuss Mom's religious beliefs with her. Ask her what she believes, when she started believing it, what the major practices etc. We'll do that tomorrow.

may 14

2008-05-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

Math

Simplify.

1. (a +3)(a -2)

2. (a² + a - 2)(a)

3. (4 - a)(7a + 2)

4. (6a + 5)(x - a)

5. (3x + a)(a + a²)

6. a[3(a)]

Solve for a
1. a + b = 2a - c

2. 4a - b = c/2

3. a² - c = f -c

Solve:

1. 4x - 3 = 13

2. 2x + 4 = 4x -2

3. 10x + 20 = 20x -10

4. 3/2x + 4 = x + 6

5. x(2 + 3) - 4 = x + 12

2. Social Studies
Chilean volcano: what's the latest? Find out from the news -- which volcano? FInd it in pictures and on video.

3. Finalize draft of Bulge report. I want to see a complete draft.

4.

Tuesday May 13

2008-05-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

1. Science
Back to the weather. Use the weather system here. Don't register. When the activity comes up, click The Weather Maker. Then wait a moment for it to load up. then try setting different temperatures and humidities and see what happens! Call me immediately if you have trouble, I think your browser must block pop-ups.

Send me an emailing explaining what relative humidity is and how the temperatures at the poles and in the tropics are related. What happens when humidity is high? When it is low?

2. Social Studies
South America. Recently we have the big volcano in Chile.
Volcanoes. What are the continent's important volcanoes? Why are there volcanoes in South America (what processes form them).

3. Math
do another chapter in the textbook. I'll have some math problems for you later.

4. Report on the Battle of the Bulge.

2008-05-04T16:27:00.001-07:00

EVERY DAY:

Math
1. Continue Chapter 9 move on to chapter 10. Be sure to do the chapter review at the end of Chapter 9

2. Science
Every day, 3 articles from Nat Geo or Discovery or Science Daily. I'll bring you back some science books.

3. Chinese

4. lift weights

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Monday
Social Science
South America
Read this Rolling Stone article on the failure of the drug war

English
Report on the battle of the bulge 10 pages
identify key organizations,individuals, and events in the battle -- make a list of a total of 20
create or copy a map of the battle

Science
We're still reviewing the Weather let's llook at Tornadoes
Read this fact page
Then search Youtube for tornado videos

Math:
Email answers to me

1. 7X - 7 = 0

2. 2.5X + 3 = 53

3. 4x - 3 = 2x + 7

4. 4x + 10 = 6x - 20

Solve for a

5. 2a - b = a + c

6. 4a + c = 8b

7. 2b - 3a = 3a + b - c

8. 4a - b = c

Word problems
9. A large box contains 3 red balls, 2 blue balls, and 5 green balls. What is your chance, in percent, of picking a red ball on the first pick?

10. If you reach in with two hands, what are your chances of grabbing
a) a red ball and a green ball
b) a red ball and a blue ball
c) a red ball and a red ball

11. In Axis and Allies, three tanks attack two infantry. What are their chances of getting at least two hits in the first round? Hint: figure out the possible outcomes, add up their probabilities.

12. In Axis and Allies, a Bomber and two infantry attack two infantry. What are their chances of getting at least 2 hits in the first round?

13. three dice are rolled. What are the odds of rolling three twos?

14. A mother has two children. What are the odds that they are two boys? Two girls? A girl and a boy?

Tuesday Apr 29th 2008

2008-04-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Additional social science and science

1. Find and read the Wiki page on Simon Bolivar. Ask yourself: why is this man admired throughout the world? What did he dream of? What were his ideals and hopes?

2. read about the Yanomamo people again here.

Science:
Look at the weather maps:

Real-time data sources to use in weather forecasting projects
1. Conditions for the last 24 hours reported by the National Weather Service - Select State from the pull down menu, then select City
2. Intellicast Radar Loop of the last 6 hours covering the contiguous United States. This Doppler radar site indicates clouds, rain and snow with different colors, and refreshes 4 times per hour. They now offer a 12 hour java loop. More importantly, this loop allows you to step forward, or backward, one image at a time.
3. National Forecast Maps from NOAA
4. Weather Underground - look up any city in the US and most cities around the world

This week we will work with weather maps.

April 28 2008

2008-04-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

1. Math
monday 9-2
tuesday 9-3
wednesday 9-4

email me the answers

English
2. email me the paragraphs you owe me.

3. Social Science South America
Monday: Amazon River and Amazon River Basin.
1. What areas does the Amazon River basin cover?
2. What kinds of people and fish and animals and plants live there?
3. What economically use products and activities may be found there?

Look at this website, read about the Amazon Basin, look at the Smithsonian Zoo, especially the webcams, read about the Yanomamo people.
tu
I'll post tuesday and wednesday assignments in your email!

4. Science Monday
three articles at least each day on a major science news website.
WEATHER: read about cold fronts and warm fronts. What are their different weather effects? Read about weather interactions in this site on creating a new Hawaiian Island. Follow the actvity through to the end.

This week: test on friday about science. Tiuesday and wednesday I will post later.

April 20

2008-04-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

MATH

1. Finish chapter 8, move on to chapter 9
2. South America

Monday: Find out about Patagonia. What countries own it? What kind of people live there? How do they make a living? What is the terrain and topography like? What are the economically important minerals and other resources? Then write three paragraphs describing the land, the politics and economics, and the native/local people. Email them to me today.

Tuesday: The Pampas. What kind of people live there? What are they called? What are they famous for? How do they make a living? Write me one paragraph on the pampas.

Wednesday: Read up on Venezuela. Who is the current president? Why is the Bush Administration unhappy with him? What makes Venezuela so important to the United States? Write a 2-3 paragraphs describing the situation between the Bush Administration and Venezuela and how it has evolved since the current president came to power.

Science: three items at National Geographic or Discovery.com each day
Science: we're shifting from life science to earth science. Some of this you know, so let's review:

Read about the Water Cycle
Now read about the Earth's water.

Reading, CHinese, art as usual. Every day lift weights!

April 8

2008-04-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

In the diagram above, hexagon ABCDEF is a regular hexagon. W and X are parallel. Z is perpendicular to W and X.

1. Knowing these things, give the measurement of every angle (hint: a regular hexagon, each angle has how many degrees?)
2. name two pairs of linear angles
3. name two pairs of vertical angles (opposite angles)
4. What kind of triangle is g-h-i?
5. triangle j-k-l also has a special name. what is it?

Algebra

1. x -1 = 2

2. 2x - 3 = 7

3. 1/2x -10 = 15

4. x² -5 = 44

5. 2x + 7 = 4 -x

6. 4x + 4 = -8

7. 20x -6 = 4

Solve for a

8. 2a - y = 4x - 4a

9. 4a - x = x

10. 5a - x² = 3x - y

11. a + 2a - xy = 2xy + 4a

12. a² + bx = bx + 25

2008-04-07T18:37:00.001-07:00

M and N are parallel
P is at a 45 degree angle to Q so r is 45 degrees

1. Give the measures of angles a,b,c,d,e,f,g, and h
2. VSEC form what shape with four sides? What is the sum of its four angles?
3. Name two pairs of corresponding angles.
4. What is the measure of angle K?
5. Look up the terms isosceles triangle and equilateral triangle. Which kind is formed by lines P,N, and Q?

April 7

2008-04-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Geometry Review.
In the image above:

M and N are parallel.
T is perpendicular to M and N

1. How many degrees is angle Y?
2. If K is 40 degrees, how big is angle X?
3. x + l + y add up to how many degrees?
4. If k and d are the same size, give the measurements of angles a,b,c,d,e, and f
5. give two examples of linear angles
6. give two examples of vertical angles (opposite angles)
7. angles w, j, and y have a special name. They are....
8. If lines T and P meet, what would be the measurement of the angle they form?

History:
We did some on the continent of Africa. Now we are going to look into some other histories. Hopefully I'll have time to finish looking at the Kosovo paper. Start thinking about some other things to work on for another long report.

Science
three articles, continue to review chapters 16-20. Since we're doing geometry, don't miss this article on the hexagon on Saturn.

chinese, art, and LIFT WEIGHTS today

Assignments, Monday, March 17

2008-03-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

Monday

Assignment: This week you will begin writing a research report of ten pages on European exploration of Africa in the 19th century. It will be due March 23, two weeks from now. You will answer: who are the major explorers? What were they looking for? What did European governments want? How did the Africans react? What were the effects on Africa?

Assignment: you will study chaps 9-12 in the science and prepare for the test wednesday. Also study 13-16 and prepare for test saturday.

Reading: Finish Goodbye Dolly Gray about the Boer War. Start Chinua Achebe's Anthills of the Savannah, on the top of the right-hand bookshelf. I will assign some questions on Achebe tomorrow.

Math:
Chap 6-9 in the textbook. Do all the questions, give me a call if you have problems.

Read about lines, angles and rays here. Then take the quiz at the top of the page.

March 5 2008

2008-03-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

1. Scramble for Africa -- read the all articles on the bottom of the page. Study the map, and copy one for yourself. Then look at the Africa map from Axis and Allies. How are they the same? Different?

2. Science review chapters 9-12 and select 20 words

3. transitions. finish chapter 6. we're going to start geometry tomorrow morning.

4. think about a 10 page essay topic. we'll start working on your skills tomorrow morning as well.

5. chinese

March 4, 20008

2008-03-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

Forgot all about you!

1. Africa is often recalled as the place where exotic animals live. But really, Africa is the land of people, the place where humans come from, our very own ancestor.

We are now going to focus on the scramble for Africa. This was the period in the late 19th century. Your book assignment is to find my copy of The Boer War and read it. In the meantime, read:

The Boer War

Boers

Explorers of Africa

The Fashoda Incident

Humiliation and Redemption for the British Army

The Mahdi and Sudan

Modern Warfare and Imperialism

Sudan Wars

Zulus

Yes, you are in trouble. Your father LOVES Africa.

Tomorrow: more on the scramble for africa.

MATH
Finish chapter 6 in the transitions book

Science
review chapters 9-12 in the science book

Thursday Feb 27

2008-02-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

SAhel essay!

Review Africa's physical regions. Read on the 19th century explorations. Read on Stanley, the explorer. Hopefully we'll be looking at other books on the discovery of Africa soon. Read about the Congo River and its basin. Look at these photos (5) at Nat Geographic.

resend math answers.
Additional math problems:

Divide fractions
1. 1/2 divided by 1/3

2. 4/5 divided by 4/3

3. 7/8 divided by 2/3

4. 7/4 divided by 8/4

solve for X

5. x + 2 = -2

6. 2x -7 = 13

7. 1/3x + 5 = 14

8. 3/4x - 7/8 = 5/8

9. 4x + 8 = 0

10. 2 - x = -6

Spheres and circles. look up the formulas for circumference of a circle, area of a circle, and volume of a sphere, and area of a sphere.

1. If a radar has a radius of 200 km, how large is the area that it sweeps? If it sweeps at a speed of 60 kms/second, how long does it take to complete one sweep of this area?

2. A basketball has a radius of 40 cm. What is its volume?

3. A telescope must be protected by a large dome. If the dome is exactly half of a sphere, and it has a radius of 15 meters, what is the area of the dome's surface?

4. A bomb destroys everything within a radius of 100 meters. What is the total area destroyed?

Rectangles
5. a rectangular prism (a 3-d shape) is 2 m high, 6 m long, and 4 m wide. What is its volume and surface area?

in the transitions book, do chapter 6-7.

SAHEL ESSAY.

Science, review chapters 5-8. pick out TWENTY TWENTY TWENTY words.

Feb 26 Tuesday 2008

2008-02-25T17:10:00.001-08:00

Zeb, if you have questions, call me!!! What's a telephone for Redo the questions you did not do from yesterday. 9,11,12, and 14!

You owe me a five paragraph essay on the Sahel. Get cracking! We'll discuss your Napoleonic one when I get home on wednesday.

lift weights
walk around the neighborhood ten times.

MATH
Simplify these polynomials
1. (x +1)(x+1)

2. (2x + 2)(4x² - 4)

3. (x + y)(x + 2y)

4. (3x³ - 4)(x²)

5. [(x+3)(x-3)](x + 2) Careful! Which look at the parentheses and brackets. Which one do you do first?

6. (finishthe problems from yesterday!)

Feb 25 2008

2008-02-24T16:09:00.000-08:00

MONDAY
Math
1. Finish the things I asked you to do with the protractor last week.
2. Do chapter 6-6 Transitions

Practice problems (email me the answers):
1. 1/2 + 1/5 =
2. 2/4 + 1/2 =
3. 5/8 + 9/3 =
4. 3/5 + 3/5 =
5. 1/2 X 1/8 =
6. 2/5 X 1/10 =

Solve for the unknown:
7. 4x + 3 = 23
8. 2x + x = 9
9. (2x)(x²) = 54
10. 24x + 12 = 24
11. x² - 2x = 0
12. x² + 5x = 50

Word problems:
13. A bag contains 7 red balls and 3 green balls. What is the probability of getting one green ball if you take one out? Express as a percent.
14. A radar covers a 240 degree arc. If it has a range of 50 km, what is the area of coverage?
15. Tammy is twice as old a Max, who is four years younger than Sam. If Marsha is twice as old as Tammy and is sixty, how old are Sam, Max, and Tammy?

Science
Review chapters 5 and 6 in biology textbook.

Social Science
(Remind mom to find copy of Guns Germs and Steel in English for you. Or his copy of Collapse: How Societies choose to succeed or fail)
Africa geography -- read about the Sahel in Wiki, just south of the Sahara. Now read about it in PBS. Be sure to click on the choices on the left. When you get to people, read about the Fulani.

English
For your homework for today, write a five paragraph paper about the Sahel region. Answer the questions: 1) what is the area like, physically? (2) what kind of people live there, what do they do for a living? (3) what are the current trends for the land and the people.

EMAIL me your Napoleon paper.

FRIDAY TESTS on AFRICA, MATH, and SCIENCE.

lift weights
practice chinese.

Feb 18-19-20

2008-02-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

MONDAY
Math
In Eighth grade math book. page 83 and 84.
In Transitions, chapter 6-1. Read, answer the questions, leave the paper on my desk.

Science
Review the first four chapters of the science textbook. test on friday. Pick a total of FORTY terms from the first four chapters. I will test you on TWENTY of them!
Read three articles at National Geographic.com, or Science Daily.

English
Finish report on Napoleon's 100 days. It is due wednesday when I get home.

Social Studies
For the next couple of months, we will be doing geography. We'll start with the geography of Africa. This has four parts.

Africa
Africa #1: Physical Features, Resources & Population Distribution
Africa #2: Human & Environment Interaction
Africa #3: African Kingdoms, European Exploration and Colonization, and the Slave Trade
Africa #4: Should Africa become the United States of Africa?

This week we will be looking at the physical geography of Africa. First, start with this page:

African Geography
Answer the questions on disadvantages at the bottom.
Enjoy this satellite image map with the countries and borders on it.

EVERYTHING ELSE
1. lift weights
2. practice Chinese
3. help mom around the house
++++++++++++++++

TUESDAY
Social Studies
Find one or two of the Atlases in the house. Go to this page here. Answer the questions and leave the paper on my desk

Math
We have protractor in the house, Dan-dan has used it. In the 8th grade math book, do pages 85 and 86.
Do chapter 6-2 in transitions.

English
Finish Napoleon's 100 Days report. Start thinking about the next one.

Science
Review the first four chapters of the science textbook. test on friday.
Read three articles at National Geographic.com, or Science Daily.

EVERYTHING ELSE
1. lift weights
2. practice Chinese
3. help mom around the house
++++++++++++++++

WEDNESDAY
Social Studies
Explore the regions of Africa. Click on each region in this PBS presentation.

Math
We have protractor in the house, Dan-dan has used it. In the 8th grade math book, do pages 87 only. Read it carefully.
Do chapter 6-3 in transitions. On thursday, review chapter 6 1-3 for test on friday. So you have three tests on FRIDAY.

English
Finish Napoleon's 100 Days report. Start thinking about the next one.

Science
Review the first four chapters of the science textbook. test on friday.
Read three articles at National Geographic.com, or Science Daily.

EVERYTHING ELSE
1. lift weights
2. practice Chinese
3. help mom around the house
++++++++++++++++

MOnday, Jan 14, 2008

2008-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

This week:

science: study last week's chapter and this weeks. I'll test you on last week's chapter on thursday, and this week's on friday.

reading: as usual read the Two Towers and The Return of the King.

math: i'll forward those to you each day.

social studies: we're starting a unit on renewable and non-renewable energy.
for monday:

read this page and view the diagrams
Read this page on renewable and non-renewable energy
read this page and follow all the links

english:

Jan 9

2008-01-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

Math:

1. Formulas see what you can remember:
write the formula for
*circumference of a circle
*area of a circle
*hypotenuse of a right triangle
*volume of a three-dimensional solid (like a cube):

2. A circle has a radius of 12 cm. Give its circumference and area.

3. A rectangular solid is 4 cm long, 2 cm wide and 6 cm high. What is its volume?

4. a group of 10 miners is trapped by a cave-in in a chamber that is 500 meters long, 50 meters wide, and 2 meters high. If each miner needs 3 cubic meters of air per hour, how long will the air last?

5. A square lot of land is divided in two with a string, from one corner to the other corner. If the lot has sides 200 meters long, what is the distance between the corners?

6. An airplane flies 5 km, makes a 90 degree turn, flies three km, and then returns to its starting point. How far did it fly in total?

7. A pyramid with a square base is 400 meters across at the base and 100 meters high. If a person walks over from side to side passing over the peak, how far did they walk? (draw a picture to help you think about it).

8. A baseball diamond has sides 90 m long. What is the distance from home plate to second base?

Simplify:
1. 3x(x)

2. 3x²(3x²)

3. (x+4)(2x³+3)

Solve:
1. 4x + 56 = 60

2. 3x -8 = -2

3. 24 - 2x = 30

4. 1/2x + 5 = 15

5. 20x - 4 = 1

Dec 20 2007

2007-12-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

1. English

Today's essay: five paragraphs on what problems are faced by soldiers returning from Iraq.

2. history
Read chapters 1 & 2 in Basil Davidson's A History of East Africa

3. Science
read three articles at National Geographic or Discovery.com. Study chapter 16. write down the key vocabulary and do the questions.

Dec 19 2007

2007-12-18T17:28:00.000-08:00

1. history
Look up the battle of constantinople and the battle of lepanto on the internet. Why were they important?

2. Science -- master the concepts and vocabulary from chapter 16. make sure you know the answers to the questions at the end of the chapter. do the review questions.

3. math ...

simplify these polynomials

1. x(2 + 3)

2. 4(x + 6)

3. 4x²(x + 3)

4. (4x⁵ + 3)(x + y)

5. 2(x³ + x² + x + 3)

6. (2x + 4)(4x - 6)

7. (3x - 4)(3x -5)

8. (x + 2)²

9. (4-x)²

10. (3x³ + x)(y-2x)

geometry -- triangles

11. a right triangle has one side that is 4 cm long and another that is 10 cm long. How long is the hypotenuse?

12. a square has a diagonal line drawn from one corner to another, through the center. the line is 10 cm long. How long is each side of the square? HINT draw the line and look at the triangles.

Monday, Dec 16

2007-12-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

History and Social science
Islamic Civilization
Read about the Ottoman Empire. Read about Lawrence of Arabia. There will be a test on islamic civilization on friday.

Current Events: Read the Taipei Times.

Science:
Chapter 16 -- study, definitely test this friday. write out all the major terms and their definitions. Each day read three articles at Discovery.com

Art: select an art project from one of our books.

Math:
Polynomial review:
Addition -- ADD these:

1. (14x + 5) + (10x + 5)
2. (19x² + 12x + 12) + (7x² + 10x + 13)
3. (-15x² - 5x + 9) + (-6x² - 19x - 16) + (-15x² - 14x - 13) + (9x² - 14x + 20)
4. (4x² - 6x + 7) + (-19x² - 15x - 18)
5. (20x⁷ - 10x⁶ - 9x⁵ - 14x⁴ + 18x) + (-6x⁶ - 12x⁵ - 9x⁴ - 9x)

Multiplication

1.	(12x) (12x + 11)

2.	(9x) (4x + 2)

3.	x (9x² + 4x + 3)

4.	(2x + 7) (8x)

5.	(4x) (-8x - 9)

6.	5x (-6x - 3)

7.	(11x + 11) (11x + 10)

10.	(9x + 9) (3x + 3)

8.	(8x + 11) (5x + 11)

11.	(9x + 7) (6x + 4)

9.	(11x + 5) (-11x + 12)

12.	(8x + 11) (-3x + 6)

thursday Dec 13

2007-12-12T14:23:00.000-08:00

History
Read about Islamic Science

Science
Study for test tomorrow on Chapter 15
find three articles to read at discovery.com

Math
Practice problems....give it a couple of minutes to load up.

English
five paragraph essay on: Why the Iraq war was a bad idea

Dec 10-13

2007-12-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

Science

This week, study chapter 15. Test on Friday.
Mon-Tuesday-Wednesday: three articles on discovery.com

Math

Pythagorean Theorem. Remember, it is a² + b² = c²

++++++++++++
Practice questions for monday:
1. A triangle has one leg that is 10 m long and another that is 5m long. Estimate the length of the hypotenuse to the nearest tenth (one digit past the decimal point).

2. A triangle has one leg that is 4m long and another that is 7 meters long. Estimate the length of the hypotenuse to the nearest tenth (one digit past the decimal point).

Now do these practice questions on this page.
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For Tuesday, do this page.

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For Wednesday
Remember, draw a picture of the problem if it will help. Also, you can chat with me.
Do these problems

History
Islamic Science
Islamic science was a huge influence on western science. First, some background articles

Monday:
Introduction

Chinese and Art!!!!!!!!!!!!! don't forget to lift weights each day.
MORE LATER!