Double Maze

I have been looking at some websites and new applications to use in the coming months. Along the way I stumbled across a fun game called Double Maze. Give it a try if you would like. Double Maze reminds me of another game called Mummy Maze which is also fun.

The Waterwheel

Many early paper mills used waterwheels to generate the power that they needed. A few years ago I made this small one with some wood and a small pump to illustrate the principles involved. We talked about the benefits of alternative energy sources and why early mills would go to the trouble of constructing waterwheels in the first place. The wheel itself on the one I made has 78 pieces of wood.

A Day Not Soon Forgotten

Yesterday one of the boys of 9-2 had an amazing day. His house was chosen as the filming location for two commercials, and some NFL greats were the stars of the day. When Ray Lewis and Barry Sanders are visiting, the decision to spend part of the school day at home is an easy one.

The Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth

Today in reading class we read about Lou Gehrig. His memorable and courageous speech is below.

Billy's Latest Adventures

Prepositions

Today in grammar class we looked at this website and learned all about prepositions.

Making Paper

We had a great time learning about about making paper in class yesterday to get ready for our composition next week. The boys ripped up blue paper and yellow paper, so that our finished product would be a mixture of both. We ground the paper into pulp in a blender. Then we added the pulp to a plastic bin with lots of water and dipped a screen and deckle in. The last step was to put the screens above the radiator so that the paper would dry more quickly. I'll post a picture of the final product once it is finished drying.

Making Reindeer Food with our Pilot Buddies

Today, we ventured down to Pilot Land to make some reindeer food for Christmas Eve. The Ninth Age boys helped their buddies make theirs, but given our time constraints (and the complex recipe) the boys made their batch back in 9-2 during the beginning of Art History class. The boys were great helpers and enjoyed the activity very much.

Watch Out, Snoopy!!

One of the great things about working here at Calvert is the unexpected sights to be seen in the hallway. Yesterday as I was walking down the hallway outside of the Seventh Age rooms I witnessed the scene below. I'm not sure how it turned out...Hopefully the pipe cleaners held the jaws closed:)

Quizlet for the Upcoming History Test

Here is a quizlet that the boys may use to study for the history test on chapters 18 - 21. The boys and I discussed some possible mini-essay questions that could be on the test. We went over all of these questions in detail, and two of the following will appear on the test:

Why did Nebuchadnezzar build the Hanging Gardens?
Why is the caste system fundamentally unfair?
How was Cyrus able to defeat Babylon in spite of its high walls?
What did Gautama do to help his countrymen and why?
Name a few of the things the Chinese invented.

Billy Helps Out

Geography Activities

In technology class we looked at a few websites to help the boys improve their map skills. The first can be seen here, and the second one is here.

History Test

Our next history test will be this coming Thursday. It will cover Chapters 18 - 21, and the boys should have brought a study guide. In case they didn't bring one home, it may be seen here.

Friday Fun

Here is a fun video I found on YouTube to help kickoff a great weekend. May the force be with you!!!

The Amazing Results of the Toy Drive

Thank you to all of you who sent in gifts for those whose prospects for a merry Christmas were not as bright as yours. Because of your efforts, there will be shouts of glee on Christmas morning. This picture shows the mountain of gifts that were collected.

Proverbs

In history class we recently studied Confucius and some of his proverbs. After talking about them, I gave the boys a sheet with the first half of some famous sayings. It was their job to complete the wise saying making up their own proverb.. The results which ranged from funny to philosophical were quite impressive. Some of them may be seen below.

You can't have your cake...until you have dinner.
You can't have your cake..until you are nice.
It's no use crying...unless it hurts.
It never rains...on Friday.
Deeds are better than...crimes.
Deeds are better than...watching TV.
Every cloud has...its own shape.
Too many cooks...too many carbs.
Too many cooks...too little food.
Don't count your chickens...just eat them.
Where there's a will...there's a won't.
Where there's a will...there's some money.

The Door

Ten years ago I started having my students cut out tracings of their hands to make a Christmas tree. Each year I add my new students' efforts to what is becoming a very full tree. Here is the tree as it appears in daytime and at nighttime.

Billy Gets in the Holiday Spirit