Writing Assignment #1

Max Fischer, Yankee Racers Founder, Rushmore Academy

Writing Prompt: At this particular moment in time, what are you most passionate about?

• Include an interesting opening.
• Minimum: one full page.
• Maximum: 2 full pages.
• Assignment may be typed or hand-written. If you write by hand, handwriting must be neat and legible.
• Line spacing: Single, 1.5, or double (you decide). You need to format your assignment to best meet the page # requirements.
• Assignment must include at least two complete paragraphs.
• You may not use spell-check or grammar-check on your computer.
• Parents may read your assignment and offer general writing advice, but parents may not proofread and edit your paper for you. This assignment must represent YOUR work.
• Include heading (name, date, period) in upper right-hand corner.
• Include Title at top of page.
• To consider: Explain what you’re passionate about. Describe specific examples from your life of you pursuing this passion. How did you come to be passionate about this thing? Why are you passionate about this thing? How do you envision yourself pursuing this passion in the future? [Note: You do not need to tackle these questions in this order. You can format your assignment as you wish.]
• Note: You will be sharing your writing with your classmates. Do not include personal details which you would be uncomfortable sharing.

Due: Tuesday, September 9.

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 13^th 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 Sensibility?  Jane 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

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

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.

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.

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)

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Map of the Day: MLB Fandom

This map shows the most popular baseball team in each U.S. county, as determined by Facebook likes.  This is incredibly fascinating for baseball fans who are also geography buffs.  I just wish the map included raw data.  Still incredibly cool, though.  Read more here.

Adele Dazeem sings that song from "Frozen"

It's Jimmy Fallon and The Roots with Adele Dazeem!

The Westing Game Questions

Please type answers.  Use complete paragraphs in answering the questions.
 

1.  What do the majority of the participants think is the correct solution to The Westing Game?  Explain how they arrive at this conclusion.

2.  What does Turtle discover is the actual solution to The Westing Game?  Explain how she arrives at this conclusion.

3.  Why do you think Sam Westing created The Westing Game?  Why did he include Crow?  Why did he include Grace?

4.  What did you think of the book?  Explain why you liked or did not like it.  How does it compare to other mystery novels you have read?

The Longitude Prize: Chapter 7

1. Why were lunars favored over clocks at this time?  Explain the rationale.

2. Would you have awarded John Harrison the prize after the second trial?  Why or why not.

Due Wednesday, February 19.

Map of the Day: "How much snow it typically takes to close school in the U.S."

Something to ponder as we're getting our first real snow of the season tonight in Olympia.  More info here.

Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" at North Thurston High School

One of Agatha Christie's most famous plays, "The Mousetrap," will be performed February 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22 at North Thurston High School.  All shows start at 7:30 p.m.  Should be an excellent show!

Homophone List #2

1.  accept/except
2.  allowed/aloud
3.  minor/miner
4.  lead/led
5.  seen/scene
6.  sight/site/cite
7.  wait/weight
8.  right/rite
9.  stationary/stationery
10.  parody/parity

Homophone Quiz is scheduled for Thursday, February 6.

Homer enters the world of Hayao Miyazaki

The Simpsons is still doing cool stuff in its 25th year on TV.  This Sunday's episode pays tribute to the great Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki.  See if you can spot the references to My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, and more.  Bravo to the animators at The Simpsons for this tribute to one of the most distinctive careers in the history of film.

Malala Videos

Here is the video with Malala on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:



Here is the video of Malala addressing the United Nations:

Bikes To Togo

Following Tim's presentation on Tanzania, many students wrote in their reflections about how they could help the situation in a developing country such as Tanzania.  In today's Olympian, reporter Rolf Boone wrote a great article about a man from Togo who is taking action to help the people in his home country.  Olowo-n'djo Tchala operates a business based here in Olympia called Alaffia.  Alaffia uses botanical components grown in West Africa such as shea butter to make shampoos, soaps, moisturizers and other products.  These products can be found at the Olympia Food Co-op, Radiance, and Traditions in Olympia, and at similar stores across the country.  Tchala uses proceeds from his business to send bicycles to Togo in shipping containers.  This year Tchala is sending about 1,000 bicylces to Togo.  The bikes will be given to girls and young women in Togo to help them attend school.  Tchala contends that without adequate transportation, girls are more likely to drop out of school.  What a fantastic mission!  As an aside, I wonder how much it costs to send a shipping container from the Port of Tacoma to Togo.  Please leave a comment if you happen to know the answer to this question.

The Business of MLS

CenturyLink Field (goalWA.net photo)

 I'm very interested in the business-side of MLS, and I've recently read a couple of interesting articles that I wanted to pass along.  The first is a report in Forbes Magazine about the estimated values of MLS clubs and their 2012 revenues.  The Sounders are the most valuable club in MLS, as well as the most profitable.  L.A. Galaxy ranks #2 and Portland Timbers rank #3.  Soccer is thriving on the West Coast.

On the flipside is an article published on BuzzFeed Sports about players making the minimum salary in MLS.  The minimum salary in MLS is only about $35,000.  This is a paltry sum for a professional athlete in the U.S. or Canada.  MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL have minimum salaries around $500,000.  So while MLS is growing, it's not quite a Major League sport yet.  Or rather, while MLS is a Major League sport in Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles, it is not quite a Major League sport in the rest of North America.

Kofi Opare of the Los Angeles Galaxy (Photograph by Emily Berl for BuzzFeed)