National Geographic Bee Airs Thursday Night

The 2012 National Geographic Bee airs Thursday, May 24, at 8:00 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel.  It will be rebroadcast on KCTS, Seattle's PBS affiliate, at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29.  The contestants at the National Geo Bee are very impressive.  They really know their geography, obviously.

Geography Presentation

You will present what you have learned about the geography, history, and current events related to your country.  Every presentation will include a slideshow.  Each slide must have pertinent information and an image.  You may not include complete sentences or paragraphs on the slides.  Text should include key information, names, statistics, headings, etc.  The slides should serve as prompts for your presentation.  You will elaborate on the information on the slides in your presentation.  Your objective is to be succinct and thorough in your presentation and to convey what makes your country interesting and unique.

Slide 1:  Title
Name of Country
Your Name
Image

Slide 2:  Location
Capital
Major Cities
Neighboring Countries/Bodies of Water
Image: Map

Slide 3: Environment
Physical Terrain/Landscape
Mountains, Lakes, Rivers, Deserts, Rainforests, Plains, etc.
Image: Photograph

Slide 4: Key Feature or Region
Choose a physical feature or region to highlight.  Explain what makes it significant or important.
Image: Photograph

Slides 5-7: History
Each slide must include:

• Major event or time period
• At least 3 facts, names, or dates
• Photo, illustration, or chart

Record all sources you use for finding information and cite them using the correct format.  Keep this information saved in a Word document.

Slides 8-12: Current Issues
These slides should cover the current political situation facing your country.  This section of the presentation should give the audience a sense of the hardships and struggles your country has experienced.  Each slide must include:

• A Main Idea related to the country's situation
• Relevant names, dates, events, and information related to the situation
• Photo or illustration

Slide 13: Conclusion
This will be the final slide of your presentation.  You can include an image on this slide or you can create a Question Slide.

"Never Again"

On Thursday, our school was visited by Mr. James Morikowa from Hiroshima, Japan.  Mr. Morikowa was seven when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.  He spoke to us about the devastation of the city.  He survived because his father actually moved the family out of the city center to the suburbs in fear of an attack.  The images shown by Mr. Morikowa were horrifying.  His message was "Never again."  He spoke of the need to end the proliferation of nuclear weapons around the globe.  His message resonated deeply with our students.

Today the sixth graders made origami cranes as a way to honor the victims of Hiroshima.  We will be mailing 33 cranes to Japan, along with a photograph of our class and a donation to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.  As I am not very skilled in origami, I would like to thank Fuchsia, Taeus, Luna, Elyse, and Jasper for assisting their classmates with the folding of the cranes.  Special thanks also go to JoAnn Young, our school counselor, for arranging the visit.  It will not be forgotten by anyone present.

The two most popular things in the sixth grade: Sounders FC and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is a bubblegum pop superstar from Japan.  She sings a lot about candy.  Back when I was growing up, music videos were played on MTV.  Music videos made Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Green Day, and countless others into stars.  Bands needed MTV to give them exposure.  Today a kid can go online and find video of musicians from anywhere in the world.  And I have to say, the Japanese take on pop music is very interesting.  It's very bouncy, for one thing.  I can see why the kids like it.

Sounders FC defeated FC Dallas 2-0 tonight.  We are now 7-1-1 on the season.  Fredy Montero came on for Mauro Rosales in the second half and scored two goals.  Brilliant game from him.  Also, the Sounders managed to pick up three points on the road while resting Ozzie Alonso for the entire game.  That's huge.  Granted, FC Dallas were missing quite a few of their key players.  But a win is a win, and we now have 5 in a row.  We're on a roll.

NOVA Sounders Alliance at Saturday's game vs. Philadelphia

(with Arvean's brother and Sounders broadcaster Ross Fletcher!)

Rachel Carson: A Sense of Wonder

Rachel Carson (Wikimedia Commons)

Rachel Carson is one of the most famous figures in the history of environmentalism in the United States.  In 1962, she published her most famous book, "Silent Spring," about the dangers of pesticides in the environment.  This Thursday, The Evergreen State College is presenting a play about the life of Rachel Carson, called "A Sense of Wonder."  It starts at 7 pm and will be staged in the Longhouse.  This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about an important and interesting woman.  More details can be found here.

Asia Capitals Quiz

Beijing, China;  Tokyo, Japan;  Seoul, South Korea;  Bangkok, Thailand;  Jakarta, Indonesia;  New Delhi, India;  Kabul, Afghanistan;  Tehran, Iran;  Baghdad, Iraq;  Jerusalem, Israel;  Damascus, Syria;  Ankara, Turkey.

Science Fiction Protagonist Description

Write a complete page about the protagonist of your Science Fiction Story.  Describe the character in as much detail as you can.  The description must be at least 2 paragraphs in length.  Include the following in your description:

Ø Name

Ø Age

Ø Appearance

Ø Family

Ø Residence

Ø Education

Ø Profession

Ø Personality

Ø Interests

Ø Skills

Ø Pertinent Backstory

The Protagonist Description is not the Science Fiction Story itself.  It is description of the character who be featured in your story.

NOVA Poetry Permformance at Olympia Timberland Library

NOVA poets will be performing at the downtown Olympia Timberland Library on Thursday, April 19, between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m.  All members of the community are invited to attend.  This is an excellent opportunity to hear poetry performed by current 7th and 8th graders.  More information here.  Show your support for the poets of NOVA!

Science Fiction Setting Descriptions

You will create a setting for a Science Fiction story you will write.

Part I: You need to envision a setting in one of the following Science Fiction subgenres:

Other Planets
Parallel Worlds
Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic
Dystopia
Techno-future
Space

First choose a specific location.  The location should be the primary location for your story.  Then choose a timeframe for your story.

Describe the environment of the setting in thorough detail.  If you were to travel through this environment, describe what you would see.  In describing the environment, include description of some of the following things:

inhabitants
vegetation
animal life
buildings and structures
cities
landscape
technology

Use colorful vocabulary in your descriptions.  "Paint a picture" for your reader.

Setting descriptions should be about a page.

Part II: You need to provide a backstory for how your setting got to the point you described above.  You are in essence writing a history for your world.  You will need to create events for your backstory.

Sounders Women Off To Great Start

Sydney Leroux scored three goals vs. Seattle University
(photo by Jane Gershovich, SoundersWomen.com)

Jayda Evans wrote a terrific article in The Seattle Times about Seattle Sounders Women's second match last night.  You should read it.  This was an exhibition match, and the support was amazing.  Sounders Women defeated Seattle University 5-0.  Women's soccer has found a home in Seattle.  The first regular season home match will be Thursday, May 31, vs. Colorado Rush at Starfire.  Go here for a complete schedule.  Go Sounders Women!

Read these books!

Cleo recently wrote three rave reviews that I wanted to point out to the readers of Gacekblog.  The first was for a dark fantasy with quirky characters.  The second was for a comic novel with a twist.  The most recent is for a science fiction with a splash of fantasy.  All three are available in the NOVA Library.  And keep reading Cleo's Blog to see what she reads next!

Quiz Bowl #4

6 questions total.  Questions 1-4 are General Round questions and will be only answered by students.  Questions 5-6 are Final Round questions and will be answered by students and teachers.  The two sets of questions should be printed separately and turned in on separate pieces of paper.

Regular Quiz Bowl rules apply: no multiple choice or true/false, and answer may not be a number or date.  Include answers with questions.

1.  Answer must be your assigned country in Geography.  Question should relate to geography or history of your country.

2.  Answer must be the name of a country covered by a classmate in their article presentation.  You must refer to your notes to find this question.

3.  Academic question from one of three categories: Science, Spanish, or Language Arts.  Question should cover something the class has learned.  For Language Arts, the answer must be the title of a Science Fiction book.

4.  Same as #3, but must cover a different subject.

5.  Question in your favorite trivia category.

6.  Question in a trivia completely different from #1-5.

Geo Quizzes: Countries of Asia

Middle East: Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.

South and Southeast Asia: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

East and Central Asia: China, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan.

Science Fiction Film Festival

April 19-May 2 the Seattle Cinerama will be hosting the first Science Fiction Film Festival.  The lineup of films is most impressive: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Brazil, War of the Worlds, A Clockwork Orange, Dune, The Road Warrior, E.T., The Terminator, and many more.  All films will be shown on the giant Cinerama screen on 35 mm, or in some cases 70 mm.  This is the way these films were meant to be seen.  This festival exists because Paul Allen owns Cinerama and loves science fiction.  Thanks, Paul Allen!

And the poster does say First "Annual" Science Fiction Film Festival.  My guess is that they're saving Blade Runner, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Day The Earth Stood Still for next year.

More info here.

The Best Team in MLS Thus Far is Sporting Kansas City

SKC is now 5-0-0 after beating L.A. Galaxy 1-0 at home on Saturday in front of
20,323 fans. Check out Kei Kamara's game-winning goal and the subsequent celebration:



Here is some background, from ESPN, on Kei Kamara, who was born in Sierra Leone:



The Sounders, meanwhile, have looked mediocre their past two games, losing to San Jose at home, and tying D.C. United on the road. They are scoreless their past two games. The team sorely misses Mauro Rosales, who may be able to return Saturday vs. Colorado.

Thanks to Joshua Mayers for pointing out the links.

Sounders U-23 vs. Timbers U-23 at Tumwater High School

The match will be Saturday, June 2, at 6 pm.  Sounders U-23 play in the Premier Develoment League (PDL), which is the top amateur soccer league in the U.S.  Brad Evans, Brian Ching, Herculez Gomes, and Darlington Nagbe are just a few of the players who graduated from the PDL to play in MLS.  The match will be extra fun as it comes against the Timbers.  Yes, the rivalry exists at the PDL level as well.  Get there early, as fans from the Rose City will be making the trek northward.  Tickets are $10.  More info here.  Go Sounders U-23!

NOVA Auction!

Last night was the NOVA Auction.

The teachers all got dressed up.

I told some jokes.

A good time was had by all!

Sounders Defeat Santos Laguna 2-1

NOVA Sounders Alliance

Seattle Sounders FC beat Santos Laguna 2-1 in the first leg of a home-and-home aggregate series.  The Sounders put pressure on the Santos defense all game.  David Estrada scored the game's first goal in the 12th minute off a pass delivered perfectly by Fredy Montero.  Santos' Herculez Gomez (great name!) scored an equalizer with a nifty goal in the 61st minute.  Just two minutes later, however, Brad Evans put the Sounders up for good, scoring on a header off a Mauro Rosales free kick.  The Sounders stayed aggressive the entire game, remarkable as it was their first game of the season.  Santos Laguna is in the middle of their Mexican League season.  The second leg of the series will be next Wednesday, March 14, from Torreon, Mexico.  The game starts at 5:00 p.m. PST and airs on Fox Soccer Channel and 97.3 FM.  Go Sounders!

Sounders FC Women Sign Alex Morgan

Photo credit:  Daniel Roland, AFP Photo

Alex Morgan is a star on the U.S. Women's National Team.  In the 2011 Women's World Cup Final versus Japan, she scored the go-ahead goal in extra time (the U.S. lost the match on penalties).  She has scored 16 goals in 32 appearances for the USWNT.  She is 22 years old.  Oh, and she is the girfriend of current Sounder Servando Carrasco.

Sounders FC Women are going to be really awesome next year.  Hope Solo, Sydnex Leroux, and Alex Morgan will only play in about half the games, however, as they will be busy in the summer with the USWNT.  Still, the Sounders FC Women will be fun to watch.  Hopefully, their success will lead to a Women's Major League, with franchises in Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver.  If we do get a Women's Major League franchise, though, I hope it is given its own idetitiy separate from the Sounders.  Otherwise it will feel the team is always in the shadow of the men.  At this point in time, however, in the absense of a North American Women's Major League, joining forces with the Sounders is the smartest thing a Puget Sound-area professional women's team could do.  I'm proud to be a fan of both the Men's and Women's Sounders FC clubs.

Seattle Sounders FC Women actually release their schedule tomorrow, which is also the first day to purchase tickets for their upcoming season.  Home games will be played at Starfire.  Visit the Sounders FC Women's website here.

Book Review: "The Tiger's Wife," by Tea Obreht

The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht

Random House, 2011

The protagonist of The Tiger's Wife, Natalia, is a young woman who has followed in her grandfather's footsteps by becoming a doctor.  The chapters of the book interweave three stories.  The first is set in the present.  Natalia and her long-time best friend, Zora, travel to a rural Balkan village to inoculate children, a mission similar to ones undertaken by her grandfather when he was a young man.  While she is on the road, she learns of her grandfather's death.  Natalia and her grandfather were close, and Natalia has many memories of him.  Foremost among these was visiting the zoo, particularly the tiger who made his home there.  The news of her grandfather's death prompts Natalia to tell the stories that comprise the other two strands of the novel.

The second strand of the book concerns the village where her grandfather grew up as a boy.  It concerns a tiger, the tiger's wife, the tiger's wife's husband, the apothecary, and a bear hunter.  The third strand of the book concerns Natalia's grandfather as a young man.  As he traveled the region as a doctor he encountered more than once "a deathless man."  Thus the life story of Natalia's grandfather's becomes a series of fables, not unlike, I suppose, the stories in a book which has particular meaning for him, "The Jungle Book."

The Tiger's Wife is set in the former Yugoslavia, but names of ethnicities such as Serb, Bosnian, Croat, and Slovenian are never mentioned.  Likewise, states and large cities are not referred to by name.  Neither are specific wars (and there have been quite a few).  This reinforces, I think, that the stories in The Tiger's Wife are fables.  And, I might add, the fables are fantastic stories.  They're sad, they're suspenseful, and they're incredibly detailed.  Above all, they're incredibly imaginative.  And, of course, they're thought-provoking, as fables should be.

Did I mention that The Tiger's Wife is a great book?  It definitely is.  The story behind its writing is pretty great too.  Tea Obreht was all of 24 when it was published.  She was born in Belgrade, moved to Cyprus at age 7 or thereabouts, lived for a while in Egypt, and finally moved to the United States at age 12.  She wrote the bulk of the book while in college at Cornell.  I'd say Ms. Obreht is a pretty gifted writer and storyteller.  I hope she appears one day on The Charlie Rose Show or Fresh Air with Terry Gross, because I'd love to hear how she came up with some of the ideas in the book.

The Tiger's Wife is not a Young Adult title, but it is a book certain young readers will find rewarding.  It gets my recommendation. 5 out of 5 stars.

* * *

Okay, so it's not Charlie Rose or Terry Gross, but here is a very interesting clip of Ms. Obreht on PBS' Newshour: