Meet Mr. Gacek!

Hi, I'm Mr. Gacek.  This year I'll be starting my 11th year at Nova!  I love teaching and Nova is an awesome place to teach.  I teach Language Arts and Geography, as well as Silent Reading, Study Skills, and Social and Emotional Health.  I studied History, Anthroplology, and English at Reed College and Western Washington University and earned a Master in Teaching from The Evergreen State College.   I read a lot.  I really like Young Adult Literature; a recent favorite was Okay For Now by Gary B. Schmidt.  I'm also an avid sports fan.  My teams are the Sounders, Mariners, and UW Men's Basketball.  I have a large baseball card collection.  I'm originally from Bellingham and love living in the Northwest.  Welcome to Nova, new parents and students!

Meet Mr Kehoe!

Dominic Kehoe is our new 6th grade science/computers/geometry teacher.  He is originally from Scotland and he loves to rock climb.  He's been working all summer in the Nova garden and he's been planning up a storm for his classes.  His blog looks great so sign up as a follower to show him you've checked it out.  Also, you'll notice Mr Kehoe doesn't put a period after Mr and Mrs like we do in the States.  So when writing his name, make sure you do it the British way: Mr Kehoe.  As for me, I'm still Mr. Gacek. 

Check out Mr Kehoe's blog here.

NYT notices a trend: Schools banning disposable lunch bags

Students and teachers at Nova actually do a pretty good of bringing their lunches to school in re-usable containers.  Students in Environmental Science the past couple years have experimented for a week with not using disposable bags and containers.  Should Nova ban disposable bags outright?  The benefit would be less waste and it would actually save families money in the long run.  The drawback is that the ban would induce some stress in some parents and students.  The Times quotes a mom whose daughter's school has a no disposable bag policy.

In school years past, she said, many a morning came unhinged when the girls were sent to school with disposable sandwich bags. “That’s when the kids have meltdowns, because they don’t want to be shamed at school,” Ms. Corbett said. “It’s a big deal.”

I'd like to see Nova continue to promote using re-usable containers for lunches.  But a complete ban?  That's kinda harsh.  What do you all think?

You can read the article here.

"Why Not Eat Insects?"

The topic of insects as food is explored in Dana Goodyear's current New Yorker article "Grub: Eating bugs to save the planet."  As the world's population continues to rise, there will be more and more demand for food.  And as the planet continues to heat up, drought and extreme weather will continue to affect the food supply.  Therefore, it does make sense to start creating a food production system based on the production of insects.  Insects are excellent sources of protein and micronutrients.  They can be raised in an environmentally sustainable way.  Plus, eighty percent of the world already regularly eat insects.

In the West there's an obvious "ick" factor about eating insects.  You also have to eat a lot of them to match the calories found in, say, a hamburger.  But let's face it: humans are really taxing the planet with their current living practices.  Eating insects could very well become a necessity.

I'm all for eating insects.  However, I was disheartened to read one thing.  I am allegic to shellfish, including crabs, lobster, and shrimp.  Genetically, shellfish are very similar to insects.  Therefore, I am likely allergic to most insects.  Therefore, I'm probably not able to start adding crickets and mealworms to my diet.  I'm severely disappointed.

For the rest of you, though, there is nothing stopping you from eating more grasshoppers, beetles, and wax worms.

I would love to have an entomologist come to Nova to give a bug cooking demonstration.  If anyone knows anyone skilled in entomophagy, please let me know.

You can read the New Yorker article here.

Sounders defeat Monterrey 1-0

Alvaro Fernandez splits two Monterrey defenders (courtesy MLS).

The Sounders are currently playing in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament which pits teams from the U.S., Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean against one another.  The Sounders are currently in the group stage with Monterrey and teams from Guatemala and Costa Rica.  The Sounders won their first game against Communicaciones from Guatemala.  And tonight they won at Monterrey, only the second MLS team to win a CONCACAF match in Mexico.  Monterrey won the entire tournament last year; they're a good team (usually).

Seattle scored its lone goal in the first half on a brilliant shot by Alvaro Fernandez.  The Sounders controlled the game in the first half.  Monterrey very much looked out of sync.  The second half was a different story, however.  Monterrey applied constant pressure on the Sounders' goal.  Somehow shots were deflected, missed, or stopped by keeper Terry Boss.  Boss played an excellent game, with one exception.  On a friendly pass back to him, Boss misplayed the ball, and a Monterrey player won control with an open goal in front of him.  Somehow, though, he didn't have the right angle, so he had to pass, and the subsequent shot by the Monterrey player was offline.  It was a lucky break for the Sounders for sure.

Because the Sounders also have league matches and U.S. Open Cup matches, the team will play 6 games in 18 days.  Several key players, including Kasey Keller, Fredy Montero, and Mauro Rosales, did not play in the game.  It was an impressive showing by the Sounders.  They were lucky, for sure, but they'll take it.   

Olympian Article About Growing Local Food

John Dodge wrote a nice article in today's Olympian about growing and eating local food.  A number of local non-profits have joined forces for a series of events this fall called Focus on Food.  The culminating event will be a day-long food summit held October 15.

You can read John Dodge's article here.

More information about Focus on Food can be found at Sustainable South Sound's website here.

Here's the truth, kids: candy and soda pop are not good for you.  Mr. Gacek says: Eat Your Veggies! 

New Yorker Profile of the Rwandan National Cycling Team

Everyone should read this article, but I would especially recommend it to those of you who were present for Rachel's presentation on Rwanda in Geography last spring.  The article will give you a good sense of how the genocide continues to affect the country.  The poverty of the country is also starkly portrayed in the article.  However, the article is not depressing.  It's about how a few Rwandans--some Hutus, some Tutsis--have committed themselves to the sport of cycling and are starting to emerge on the international cycling scene.  It's all quite fascinating.

You can read The New Yorker article here.

The author of the article is Philip Gourevitch.  Gourevitch wrote the book We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda, which was about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.  You can read an exerpt from the book here.

NPR's List of 100 Greatest Fantasy/SF Novels of All-Time

This is a pretty great list.  Over 60,000 people voted on the titles, so the list reflects popularity.I've read a bunch of them but certainly not all of them.  You'll note there are no children's or YA novels on the list: No Narnia, no Harry Potter, no Golden Compass, no Eragon, etc.  Ender's Game, interestingly, was allowed in and ended up at #3.  Obviously there's not a clear dividing line between YA and Adult.  There are a lot of classics on the list, and there is a lot of stuff on the list not suitable for kids.  However, if you're a genre fan and looking for something to read, you will find a lot of great ideas on this list.

You can find the list here. 

Mr. Kenis is off to Hungary

Well, Mr. Kenis has left Olympia and is currently driving through California.  He will leave for Hungary from Los Angeles in a few days.  You can follow his adventures by reading his blog here.  Leave comments on his blog so he will know people are reading.  Have a great trip, Mr. Kenis!

Little League Baseball in Uganda

The New York Times published a fascinating (and sad) article about Little League baseball in Uganda.  In short, the team became the first team from Africa to qualify for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Alas, the team was denied visas into the United States because some players' birth dates were recorded inaccurately. 

It's a shame Uganda won't be allowed to play.  Still, it will be interesting to see if the game continues to grow in Uganda.  That's the great thing about baseball: there's always next year.

I would encourage you to check out the article here.

Brandon Mull to speak at Olympia Barnes & Noble

Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series, will be at the Olympia Barnes & Noble Friday, June 17, from 5-7 PM.  He will be hosting a "Creativity Workshop" and signing books.

If you're a fan of the books, this is your chance to meet the author!

The Barnes & Noble listing can be found here.

Summer Reading

Here's what I'll be reading this summer:

1.  Black Swan Green, by David Mitchell: A chronicle of the year 1982 for a 13-year-old boy in rural Great Britain.  Half-way through; it's fabulous.

2.  Okay For Now, by Gary D. Schmidt: A companion of sorts to The Wednesday Wars, which I loved.  Lots of buzz.

3.  The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht: The best reviewed book of the year so far.   Obreht was born in the former Yugoslavia and grew up in the U.S.  She is 25 years old.

4.  Palestine, by Joe Sacco: A graphic novel documenting Sacco's experiences visiting the region in 1991-2.

5.  Holes, by Louis Sachar: The beloved middle grade novel.

6.  Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Septys: A historical Young Adult novel about Baltic peoples forcibly removed from their homelands under Stalin and sent to Siberian prison camps.  A sad story, one would imagine.  

SF Write #3

It is predicted by Ray Kurzweil that by 2061 the Singularity will have been in effect for 16 years. You all will have a different take on what this will mean. SF Write #3 will incorporate the ramifications of the Singularity into your story. The characters and world you created for SF #1 & #2 will continue into SF #3. In SF Write #3 your protagonist will have a confrontation with intelligent technology. If you think the Singularity will occur according to Kurzweil's prediction, you can write SF #3 along those lines. If you think the Singularity will not occur or will take a different form, you can incorporate your own ideas related to technology into your story.

You can choose the setting for SF Write #3 and you can choose what you want the piece to be about. SF Writes #1 & #2 were descriptive pieces. SF Write #3 is closer to a story. There must be some sort of resolution following the protagonist's confrontation with technology. You can not leave the story on a true cliff hanger.

The Singularity is Near

Grossman, Lev.  "2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal."  Time.  10 February 2011.



Ray Kurzweil (Larry Busacca/
Getty Images)

 1:  Define the following terms:   

     a)  Singularity

     b)  Artificial Intelligence

     c)  Exponential Curve

     d)  Telomere

2:  Answer in complete sentences:

     a) Why is Kurzweil sure the Singularity        

     is coming?

     b) How does Kurzweil see humans extending

     their lives indefinitely?

     c) What are some potential drawbacks to the

     Singularity?

     d) What do you think about the ideas

     presented in this article?  Do they make you

     more excited or more fearful for the future?  Explain.

Read more about the Singularity at The Singularity Hub.

Students Raise $1,500 for Nova Library

Nova students Aaron F. and Jackson C. initiated a fundraiser for the Nova Library for their Taekwondo Black Belt Project.  The fundraiser was a kick-a-thon in which participants were asked to collect pledges for the number of kicks they could perform in a two-hour period.  Six Nova students participated in the kick-a-thon:

Aaron F.  3, 728 kicks

Jackson C. 2,711 kicks

Danny D.  2,871 kicks

Sam S.  2,328 kicks

Danny R.  2,085 kicks

Rachel H.  1,862 kicks

Anjali V., Surabhi M., and Alex E. also collected donations for the kick-a-thon.  In all, $1,500 was raised.  These funds will be used to add to the collection of the Nova Library.  Thank you to all participants and to all members of the community who contributed!  Your generosity is much appreciated.

Country Presentations

You will be presenting your research on your country to the class.  You're slideshow must contain the following information:

Title/Name/Date
Map of Country
Basic Facts: population, area, language, religion, capital, largest city, etc.
Physical Feature or Region Spotlight: 3 facts + picture
City Spotlight: 3 facts + picture
Animal Spotlight: 3 facts + endangered status + picture
8 Historical Events (multiple slides)
Biographical Spotlight: 3 facts + picture
Cultural Spotlight: 3 facts + picture
Current Issue: What is the issue?
                      Why is it an important issue?
                      What did you learn about the issue?
                      What is being done regarding the issue?
                      What do you think should be done regarding the issue?
Summary: What do you find fascinating about the country?

You will also need to print a bibliography with your sources listed using proper bibliographic notation.

Geo Quiz #38: South American Physical Features

Andes Mountains (Wikimedia Commons)

Andes Mountains, Mt. Aconcagua, Amazon River, Orinoco River, Rio de la Plata, Parana River, Guiana Highlands, Lake Maracaibo, Lake Titicaca, Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego, Atacama Desert.

SF Write #2

The year is still 2061. Your alter ego is downtown in what today we would call Olympia, Washington. Your piece begins with your alter ego at a specific location downtown. Describe the location and what your alter ego is doing there. Your alter ego will then make his or her way through the city to a second location. Describe people they see, modes of transportation, and the city itself: buildings, structures, etc. Finally, describe the destination your alter ego reaches. Your alter ego must purchase something at this destination. Describe what they purchase and how much it costs.

Like SF Write #1, SF Write #2 is a descriptive piece. It doesn’t need any more plot than what is given above. However, the piece must be consistent with SF Write #1.

SF Write #2 is due Wednesday, May 4. It must be typed and conform to Mr. Gacek’s standards for typed papers.

Geo Quiz #37: Canada Capitals

Edmonton, Victoria, Winnipeg, Fredericton, St. John's, Halifax, Charlottetown, Ottawa, Quebec, Regina, Yellowknife, Whitehorse, Iqaluit.

Geo Quiz #36: Canada Provinces and Territories

Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory, Nunavut.

A blank map of Canada can be found here.