In science class we are doing projects on the Electromagnetic spectrum. My topic is on X-rays. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen found x-rays. The funny thing is that he found x-rays by accident when he was experimenting with vacuum tubes. The reason they are called X-rays is because it is unknown radiation. We use x-rays to get a clear look at the human body and look for any problems. If you have too much exposure to x-rays it may cause cancer because of the radiation. That's why Doctors and Dentists cover you with a lead sheet when they take x-rays of you. The sheet absorbs the x-rays and stops them from reaching other parts of your body. Thank you, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, because without x-rays it would be much harder to examine the human body.

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/xrays.html

Toxic Coal Ash Spill

A giant toxic coal ash spill that happened a month ago is still threatening the lives of wildlife. On December 22, 2008 a billion gallons of sludge mostly made up of coal ash broke through an earthen dike at the Kingston Fossil Plant. Experts say that wildlife may be threatened by the amount of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, thallium, and other toxins in the sludge. Not only is wildlife threatened but there are also human health threats. local animals that could be affected are river otters, mink, muskrat, ospreys, and black-crowned night herons. This (as we have learned in science class) can have a great effect on the food web of that area. The animals that they have rescued so far were either buried by mud or stranded when the water surge pushed them into forests and fields. Luckily, there are no endangered animals inhabiting the spill region.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090123-coal-ash.html

social studies blog

On January 20th 2009, before a crowd of more then one million, Barack Hussein Obama claimed his place in history as the 44th president of the united states. This is extraordinary because Barack is officially the first African American president. People from all over the world watched as Barack Obama and Joe Biden stepped into the white house to change the world. Obama has made a series of promises such as to end the war in Iraq, stabilize Afghanistan, create jobs, boost the use of alternative energy and address climate change. Some are sceptical but I truly believe he can pull it off.
Obama has very high expectations and has people watching his every move. With his landslide win in November and millions if not billions watching his inauguration one false move can disappoint many people.Because of this it amazes me that he is not the least bit worried. My favorite part was when he said that "The effort will require all citizens, no matter party, age, skin color, or status, to get to work!" Hopefully this inspired Americans to take action in the many problems of America.
The United States of America was eager for Obama to take over our struggling country. Out of the hands of George Bush our economy will hopefully grow stronger. Barack has a lot of problems in his hands at the moment but he will not back down and he will face those problems head on. I believe that in Obama's hands America will not be looked down upon but will embrace the title "the center of the world."
America is saying goodbye to the man who was behind two unfinished wars and saying hello to a man who promises to change this country for the better. No one can blame President Bush for all of the problems America is facing. Bush didn't plan on having the Twin Towers destroyed or having the economy worsen. In Barack's speech he thanks Bush for his service to our nation as well as his generosity throughout his transition. His speech brought tears to both men and women and brought hope and comfort to all that watched president Barack Obama get sworn in as the 44th president of The United States of America.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_rdp

butterfly camo

In class, we did an experiment with butterflies and their camouflage. We had to color in a butterfly and make it blend in with a spot in the room. My butterfly was placed on a board with multiple bright colors. After the students finished hiding their butterflies, the predator(Mrs. Gavin) came in and searched for her prey(the butterflies). The first search was done with the butterflies in their normal habitat safely camouflage, with normal lighting. Mrs. Gavin found most of her prey but not all of them. The second search was with the lights turned off. Because of the darkness, Mrs. Gavin found it harder to find the butterflies. The third search was in the light, the students had to place the butterflies in places that did not match with their butterflies camouflage. I put my butterfly on a table and it was very easily found. Mrs. Gavin surprisingly found it harder to find the butterflies in places where they were out of place. In other words, Mrs. Gavin knew the butterflies were placed in a habitat where they were hidden with camouflage,so she expected to find the butterflies in a similar background of that they were placed in.

Robo Legs

Japanese car manufacturing titan Honda has created mechanical legs that assist one in walking, crouching and it reduces stress to joints. This device is currently being tested by Honda employers who stand, walk and crouch all day and is getting very positive feed back. One man said that "it is like I have springs in my legs, the way the device assisted me was natural and I felt that my walking was easier." The way the device works is it take away the pressure caused by movement of the joints and makes it easier to walk up hill or crouch for long periods of time. Honda hopes that one day this device can help the elderly in every day tasks and those who have joint problems. The machine has a sensor, computer and motor that responds to the users every movement. I feel that this is a huge step in technology and will help many people in the future.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/news/

current event blog

This inspirational story about Derek Mamoyac, a 27 year old from Philomath, Oregon who was climbing a 12,227 foot tall mountain of which was only supposed to be a one day journey ended up being a horrid 5 day adventure in 23 degree weather. He started his climb last Sunday and when he did not come to work the next morning, his father Steve Mamoyac reported him missing and set out to find him with a 50 man search party. Eventually, after 5 days and nights in the frigid cold a search and rescue dog found him dehydrated and with a broken ankle. Derek says his foot fell through loose snow and he ended up tumbling backwards and breaking his ankle. He survived by eating centipedes and drinking water from a near by creak. The man crawled down the mountain and when his knees could take no more he would scoot himself down backwards. He cleared a huge chunk of the mountain and was found at 6,000 feet. This amazing story shows how committed this man was to get off that mountain and save himself from the unbearable cold.

class response blog

Why and how do kites fly? this is a popular question asked by people that don't know much about kites. I will answer that ever so popular question. Kites fly because of weight, drag, wind speed, wind direction and air pressure. When a kite is heavier then air it relies on a rounded surface on the kite that deflects the airflow to create different air pressures. Also, when the wind is moving faster towards the kite the air pressure decreases and creates lift. When the wind is going slow it creates an increased air pressure which decreases lift. Another huge factor of kites flying is drag. Drag is really determined on the design and the set of the bridle line of the kite, and is when gravity pulls down of the kite. One shouldn't have too much drag though, the kite should have more lift then drag to be able to fly well. But, the kite should have drag to gain stability. So basically a perfect kite needs an unbalanced 60:40 ratio of lift to drag. Overall, a kite flys because of weight, drag, wind speed, wind direction, and that ever so important air pressure!