A Drop of Water is an Ocean

In Lab 9 in science, we will be looking at the water from the waterfall Represa Guarapiranga and water from our class fish tank. I think that a drop of water is big and deep enough for things to live inside of.  I think that the following things will be there.

• Germs/Bacteria
• Algae
• Dirts

Some questions I have are:

• What kind of cell, (animal or plant) do water cells fit into?  
• Will the sanity be affected between the two water sources? 

I think that in the water from the waterfall, we will find more germs because there are more things, like fish, plants, garbage and maybe even contaminated rain going into it.  I think that in the fish tank water, we will see less bacteria, but more leaves and dirsts or sands.

Looking Back to The Three Gorges Dam Essay

1) What is your artifact?

This artifact is my Three Gorges Dam Essay.  

2)  What is The Three Gorges Dam?  Why is it controversial?

The Three Gorges Dam is a dam located in Southern China on the Yangtze river.  It was made because the Yangtze was growing extremely wild and would many times

flood, taking lives.  The dam now provides one-ninth of the nation’s energy and keeps the river from flooding.  The dam did not come alone.  Worldwide controversy rapidly spread after the building of the dam. There were many valid arguments, for or against the dam. The dam is controversial because there are so many pros and cons about the dam.  Some people for the dam argue that it generates a lot of energy, prevents flooding and transportation is safe.  Those against the dam may argue about the 1.13 million who were displaced, the money spent and the relocation programs that were inefficient to those who needed it.   

3)  What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that argues a claim with 3 fact-based arguments that support your claim.  Your goal in writing an argumentative essay is to argue against people who disagree with your claim.

4)  What is your essay’s claim?

My essay’s claim was that the Three Gorges Dam should not have been built.  

5)  What process did you go through to complete your essay?
Well, first of all, we looked at videos and read articles about the Three Gorges Dam.  Then, we chose what side we would take on the issue.  (For or against the dam)  Then, based on the information, you would choose your arguments and find evidence that would support that your argument.  Then, you would piece together the puzzle by writing the essay.  Finally, we would do our introduction and our conclusion and proof-read.

6)  What was one specific area where you demonstrated success?

I was particularly proud in getting a 4 in “Central claim is well-supported by textual evidence.  Use of relevant evidence is sustained throughout the entire analysis.

The core reasoning follows from evidence.”  It was one of my original struggles that I was able to overcome.

7)  What was one challenge of writing the argumentative essay?

I was challenged by making all of my paragraphs melt together, to become one.  Originally, all of my paragraphs were stacked together like bricks, but once I found the cement to put between them, the essay fit together.

8)  If you could rewrite this essay, what would you do differently?

I would try to make my conclusion more detailed.  During revisions and edits, I could not think of a particularly “good” ending, but then, after we looked at the essay again, the ending just clicked in my mind.

9)  Comparing your argumentative essay for the common writing assessment last quarter to this one, where are some areas where you see growth?

In fifth grade, to finish fourth quarter, we did our persuasive essays, and I implied everything I had basically learned from there into the first argumentative essay, not realizing that the two were different, but there are quite a few differences.  

10)  What core values does this relate to and why?

I think that the core values that this essay relates to would be:

• Critical Thinker because you had to think about the dam from two different perspectives before your could choose what side you would take.
• Curious because you needed to try and find information that had not been used in class so that your essay stood out.
• Communicator because you had to communicate your ideas into your essay in a way that made sense.
• Persevering because you had to find evidence that supported your claim, you had to proofread, edit when something was wrong.  It was a long process.
• Risk Taker because you had to think of new evidence that supported your claim, that made sense, even if nobody else was using it.  

My Essay 

Our debate in preparation for the essay.  

...Until You Get it Right

An elective I do is band, and I play the trombone.  I really enjoy this instrument because it has taught me to persevere through things.  I have been struggling with SmartMusic assignemnts, but I practice the song assigned and I am able to do it.  I have learned that I need to persevere through things that I would normally have trouble with and give up on.   

I have attatched a MP3 of me playing an assignment that I had trouble with.  I had done a few takes until I got a score that I was proud of.  There were many things that I am happy with.  For example, the slurs, that I usually have trouble with, and reading the notes nd playing them correctly.  I hope that you enjoy this video as much as me!

Man on The Flying Trapeze 

Core Values

1)  Considering these artifacts, in which of the core values have you shown the most success?

I think that I have been the most successful in being a communicator, because I have been better and conveying my ideas into projects and essays in a coherent way.   

2) Thinking back to our first Student Led Conference, in which of the core values have you demonstrated the most progress or growth?  Why?

I remember last Student Led Conference I wanted to be much more of a communicator, and now, I have realized I am much more of one.  I have always explained my thinking in a way that others can understand it.  I know that I have also become more of a communicator when I am talking.  I always used to studder and say nevermind, and now I do not as often.

3)  Which core value is most challenging for you?  Why?

I have found that risk taking is an ongoing challenge for me.  I want to think of an attack plan for fourth quarter and seventh grade that will help me become more of a risk taker.   

4)  How has your thinking / performance changed since first semester?

I have persevered through many more things this semester.  In the first semester, my mindset was saying “I can’t, I am blocking this out, I can’t do it..”  But now, I have improved and I understand how to make myself know that “this is what I have to do, and this is what I will do.”  I try think everyday “I can, I will, and that is it.”  

Metacogntion Project Reflection

In math, we have been working on our iPads to complete a project about metacognition.  Metacognition is thinking about your thinking and listening to the voice inside of you that asks "Why am I doing this?'  I have found it very interesting because we were always aware of the fact that there were voices in my head that I had never really thought about or noticed.  My inner voice usually says asks me why I am doing what I am doing.  I think that reflecting on my thinking helped me as a mathematician because I was able to speak out loud and before I did something.  As a mathematician, I have learned that I need to talk to myself when I am solving a problem.  I have also become more aware during other subjects.  For example, when I am writing, I now think "what is the pupose of this sentence?" or "will this help improve my writing peice later on?"  I really enjoyed this entire process because I feel I have become a better mathematician.

Looking at Our Lunch- Post Lab Questions and Answers

Post Lab-
Today in science we will be looking at lettuce cells. I think that we will see a brick wall type of structure.  I think that we might see the tear in the leaves.  I do not think we will see the nucleus because when we looked at the elodea, we did not see it.  We will see chloroplasts (because plants perform photosynthesis)  The possible functions the cells might be photosynthesis.
_________________________________________________________________________________  Answers-
In science, we looked at lettuce leaves.  I thought it was really interesting because I thought that we would see a brick wall type structure, but we actually saw other things.  These are some notes of what we saw-
Upper Layer 40X-  We saw many shapes that were not really any particualar shape, and they were all close together, overlapping.

Upper Layer 100X-  We saw the stoma and epedermis.  There were wavy lines around it.

Lower Layer 40X-  Jigsaw shaper peices with coffee bean shaped cells scattered around, in no particular order.

Lower Layer 100X-  An oval (the coffee bean up close) with long, stretched out spaghetti like lines connected to it.

They were all very interesting to look at, especially the lower layer at 40X.
If chloroplasts were placed in darkness for a long time, I think that they would stop functioning because they need sunlight to make the food for the rest of the plant.  The plant would therefore die, because the small "kitchens" would not work.  If they were placed in light 24 hours for a couple of days, I think that the cells would not be able to rest.  They would have to constantly keep going in the heat, and some plants are not made for the heat.  The stoma would not be able to open and get water to feed to the cells.  The guard cells and stoma would not have any water to open up to if they were placed under the sun on a summer day.  The plant would dry up and die.    

Lendas

Na aula de português, nós tinhamos uma projeto de lendas.  Nós escolhermos uma lenda na Lower School Library.  Depois, tivemos que contar e ouvir lendas diferentes dos nossos colegas.  Quando nós ouvimos todos deles, você tinha que escolher a sua lenda preferida que você quer usar para o projeto.  Depois, tivemos que estudar sobre nossa historia e sobre a estrutura de uma lenda.  Quando terminamos a primeira versão do nosso texto, tivemos que revisar coisas como masculino/feminino, conjugaçāo, e ortografia.  Após esta etapa, nós colocamos a versão final na apresentação.  Tivemos que escolher ou desenhar uma imagem para colocar no seu slide, personalisar o seu slide com cores que combinassem com a sua lenda. Eu gostei desse projeto porque você tinha que ser muito criativo durante o processo e eu gostaria de fazer mais uma vez.   

Lendas e Contos Tradicionais 2014 turma 1

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