Monday, March 31, 2008

New Blog!

Mr. C now has a blog made for educational games. Remember, we will not refer to these as games, they are interactive learning activities. As always, never follow any links off the page and do not click on any ads that may be on the page.

Free Rice Vocabulary Game

Click the banner to play the vocabulary game. It will increase your vocabulary and provide rice for third world countries.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Jules Verne is Free!

The Gutenberg project is a repository for out of copyright books. This means they are in the public domain (free!). Here is the link to Jules Verne's books. If they have a speaker by them they are audio books. If they have a book by them they are ebooks. Just click on them to download.

If you want to listen now, click here.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Wind Erosion Post 2

Watch the video. It shows dust storms from the 1930's. We know that overfarming contributed to what we now call the Dust Bowl. If you had been living then, what advice would you give the government to help stop the wind erosion? There is no sound for this video.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Journey to the Center of the Earth Redux


In the original story, Jules Verne writes about a hole in Finland that leads to a new world under the earth's crust. Imagine you find a cave in your back yard that leads to the center of the earth. What would you discover? Post your story on the blog, one will be given the Blogging Tiger award for writing.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Don't Let the Science Test Give You a Rainy Day!



I know you are going to do well on this test today. You worked hard and studied and now is the time to show it! I would wish you good luck, but you don't need it. You are ready!

How smart are you with Geography?


Click the image to play the geography game, then post your score!

Here is a link to the game over the United States.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Paul Revere is Not a Horse Part 2.1



Here is the results from an internet poll I took. Why do you think many people outside of the United States voted Paul Revere was overrated?

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Which Would You Give Up?

Below are the first ten amendments to the Constitution. We call them the Bill of Rights. If you were forced to give one up, which would you choose? Why?

Bill of Rights

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Paul Revere is not a Horse Part 2

Paul Revere was made famous for his "Midnight Ride". Read the poem then you can go to his Wikipedia page to learn more about him. Also read The Midnight Riders, April 19 1775 by Roger Saunders. After you read about him, check out this video. Then read this excerpt from:


THE TRUE STORY OF PAUL REVERE

By Charles Gettemy from Archiving Early America



"Most men like Revere--- somewhat above the average of the mass, but not possessing the usual elements of enduring fame-- pass out of life eulogized by their fellow-citizens; remembered by a circle of admiring and respecting friends until they also pass away; and are ultimately forgotten, finding no place upon the pages of written history.Â

"Paul Revere was rescued from this fate by an accident-- the witchery of a poet's Imagination. Â His famous ride on the night of the 18th of April, 1775, remained unsung, if not unhonored, for eighty-eight years, or until Longfellow in 1863 made it the text for his Landlord's Tale in the Wayside Inn.

"It is to Longfellow's simple and tuneful ballad that most persons undoubtedly owe their knowledge of the fact that a man of the name of Revere really did something on the eve of the historic skirmish at Lexington which is worth remembering."

Does our society honor Paul Revere as the great hero, or does our society honor the real Paul Revere who simply did his job? Explain your opinion.



Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Amazing Stories about the San Francisco Earthquake



Wow! You all did a great job on your San Francisco Earthquake stories. Kiley's story had wonderfully interesting details. Tercy Ann's story was very realistic. Alex's story was very emotional. I think you should read and comment on them.

The Blogging Tiger award for this assignment goes to Colby's story. I am very impressed by both the detail and the flow of the story. I think it is the best thing written by anyone this year! What do you think?

Monday, March 03, 2008

Wreck of the Titanic Word Study Words

league sergeant yacht doubt fatigue
debt blood vague anxious foreign
bargain condemn intrigue villain
cantaloupe flood depot cordial
subtle disguise

Note Taking- Which is right for you?