Friday, May 30, 2014

Ultimate Quiz Bowl Quiz Questions and Answers

1. Name the Hollywood celebrity who called “Let it Go” singer Idina Menzel “Adele Dazeem” at the 2014 Oscars. He has appeared in films such as Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, and Phenomenon (one of Mr. Hooker’s favorite films).  John Travolta

2. What is the capital of Alabama?  Montgomery

3. What country won the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa?  Spain

4. In an election which ended on May 12, Narendra Modi was elected Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. What country is the world’s largest democracy?  India

5. The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad is the organization responsible for the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria. This terrorist organization is commonly known by what Hausa name?  Boko Haram

6. Name the lonely monarch in “Adventure Time” who lives in a frozen realm and has a habit of kidnapping princesses and trying to get them to marry him.  Ice King

7. What is the 13th digit of pi?  7 or 9

8. How does one say “There are clouds” in Spanish?  Hay nubes.

9. What is the name for the colored part of the human eye that controls how much light passes through the pupil?  iris

10. In the original “Star Wars,” Han shot first in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Who did Han shoot?  Greedo

11. What is the official language of Pakistan?  Urdu

12. Who is the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms?  Franklin D. Roosevelt

13. The Spanish words “tocar” and “jugar” both mean “to play.” The definition of “jugar” is “to play a game.” What is the definition of “tocar”?  "to play an instrument"

14. What is the name for a triangle which has two and only two sides of equal length? isocoles
15. What is the name for the tank-like aliens in “Doctor Who” who are devoid of every emotion except hate and who are bent on conquering the universe? Daleks

16. Name the fictional character who travels around the world with his dog Snowy in a series of graphic novels created by the Belgian artist Herge.  Tintin

17. Who wrote Pride and Prejudice and Sense and SensibilityJane Austen

18. What is the name for the top layer of Earth?  crust

19. What South American country was formerly known as Dutch Guiana?  Suriname

20. What Egyptian city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.?  Alexandria

21. The ancient Greek poet Homer wrote two epic poems. One was The Odyssey. What was the other?  The Iliad

22. What is the name for the scale which measures earthquakes?  Richter Scale

23. A heptagon has how many sides?  7

24. In which country were the 2010 Winter Olympics held?  Canada

25. A giant statue of what mythical creature guards the pyramids of Giza in Egypt?  Sphinx

26. Which French artist’s “Impression Sunrise” gave its name to the whole Impressionist movement?  Claude Monet

27. What color is the cross on the Swedish flag?  yellow

28. What city was founded by Brigham Young in 1847?  Salt Lake City

29. Whose paintings include “Campbell’s Soup Can” and “Green Coca-Cola Bottles”?  Andy Warhol

30. What was the given name of the boxer Muhammad Ali?  Cassius Clay

Tie-Break: Nine countries border Democratic Republic of Congo. Name them.  Angola, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia

Monday, May 12, 2014

Why we can't have a remastered HD version of the original unedited Star Wars Trilogy

You can watch the Star Wars Trilogy on Blu-Ray, but you won't see the original films as they first appeared in theaters. No, George Lucas tinkered with and made changes to all three films starting in 1997. Mr. Gacek is of the opinion that the original films comprise the true Star Wars Trilogy, and that the "Special Editions" are compromised and inferior to the originals. The following article provides a comprehensive account for why it would not be easy for Disney to release the original  versions in a restored, unedited High-Def format. However, while the outlook is bleak, there is hope. Read the article here.

Current Issue Project Project Presentation and Slideshow

Presentation: 5 minute minimum
            `           10 minute maximum

Maintain eye contact with audience
DO NOT MERELY READ FROM SCREEN
Use text on screen as prompts which require further explanation
Speak audibly

Slideshow: 14 slide minimum
                        24 slide maximum

Each slide must contain image and text
Text should consist of words and phrases—not complete sentences

Slide Requirements:
  • Title Slide
  • Introduction
  • Map Slide
  • Background/Relevant History
  • Explanation of Issue
  • Extent of Issue
  • Ramifications of Issue
  • Causes of Issue
  • Possible Solution
  • Conclusion

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Current Issue Research Paper Introduction and Conclusion

Introduction:
The introduction should introduce your issue to the reader. The introduction should start with something to grab the attention of the reader. There are many ways to start a research paper. They include:
·        A quote
·        A statistic
·        Verse
·        An inaccurate generalization
·        A definition
·        A question
·        A fact
·        An event
The rest of your introduction should introduce your issue to the reader in very general terms. Explain what your paper will be about. Provide definitions of important terms the reader will need to know while reading your paper. The final sentence of your research paper should be the thesis statement.

Conclusion:
The conclusion should wrap up your paper. The first sentence of your conclusion should restate your thesis statement. Then you need to generalize the main points from your paper which back up that your thesis statement and show it to be true. You should end your conclusion and your research paper by providing your personal stance on what should be done about the issue you researched.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Central America Quiz

Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama.

Map of Central America.

SF Story Protagonist and Plot Paragraphs

Protagonist Paragraph: Write a paragraph about your protagonist. Describe the character. Provide his or her name and age. Describe the appearance of the character. Where does he or she live? What is the occupation of the character? What is the character’s temperament? What else is it important for the audience to know about the character?

Plot Paragraph: Write a paragraph about the plot of your story. What will the protagonist be attempting to accomplish? What will be preventing the protagonist from accomplishing this? How will the protagonist attempt to “transcend” the dichotomy of your story?

Due Monday, May 12.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Mr. Gacek's Recommended SF Film & Television Series

Films: Okay for most sixth graders:
Metropolis (1927)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snathers (1956)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Fantastic Planet (1973)
Star Wars (1977)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Back to the Future (1985)
Star Wars (1997)
Jurassic Park (1993)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Minority Report (2002)
Serenity (2005)
Avatar (2009)
Inception (2010)

Films to watch when older:
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Alien (1979)
The Road Warrior (1981)
Blade Runner (1982)
The Terminator (1984)
Brazil (1985)
RoboCop (1987)
Gattaca (1997)
Total Recall (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Children of Men (2006)
Moon (2009)
District 9 (2009)


TV Series:
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
The Outer Limits (1963-1965)
The Prisoner (1967-1968)
Star Trek (1966-1969)
Quanum Leap (1989-1993)
The X-Files (1993-2002)
Babylon 5 (1994-1998)
Stargate SG-1 (1997-2008)
Firefly (2002-2003)
Battlestar Gallactica (2004-2009)
Fringe (2008-2013)
Lost (2004-2010)
Farscape (1999-2003)
Doctor Who (2005-present)

Saturday, May 3, 2014