Bloggin Frogs

Hurricanes

HURRICANES

The clouds are dark and moving in fast, it’s starting to rain hard then it turns into sideways rain drenching the yard. The wind picks up and blows hard striking trees in its path. The windows are taped or boarded, the gas tanks full, a wallet full of money, cabinets stocked with food and water, batteries, radio, and candles ready. We are prepared. Watch out, here comes a hurricane!

What is a hurricane? Hurricanes are powerful ocean storms. They have high winds, heavy rain, and gigantic waves. Hurricanes can cause bad damage to the land. The wind can be so strong that it knocks down power poles causing entire towns to lose electricity. It knocks downs trees causing damage to homes, stores, cars and other things in its way. Huge waves can cause massive flooding to towns and cities. It can destroy towns and even hurt or kill people. Hurricanes are given names just like you and me are. For example, Hurricane Harvey was the recent hurricane that hit Texas and caused major flooding and killed about 88 people. There was a hurricane Sarah in 1959. Hurricanes in the United States happen mostly on the East coast, Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean. My parents grew up in South Carolina and experienced many hurricanes. In one hurricane (Hurricane Hugo) they lost power to their homes and missed school for three weeks! My mom said, “it was like camping in our house but really hot and no TV”. Unlike earthquakes and fires, hurricanes are predictable and people have time to prepare for them or evacuate if needed. In San Diego, we have to watch out for earthquakes and fires more than hurricanes and those we can’t really prepare for.

How do hurricanes form? Hurricanes start in warm water in the ocean. Warm air rises from the top of the ocean. The air gets cold as it rises. The water in the air forms clouds and gives off heat. The storm starts to grow and spin. More air rises and cools. When the winds reach up to 74 miles per hour that means the storm has become a hurricane.The center of the storm is called an eye. The eye of the hurricane is very calm. Everything around the eye is the hurricane and spins around the eye with wild winds and heavy rain. The eye is usually 10 to 40 miles wide. My dad said his most memorable part of the hurricane was when he went outside during the eye of the storm and “it was so quiet, still and eery”. Since hurricanes are formed from warm water, we in San Diego don’t need to worry about a hurricane striking as the water in the Pacific Ocean here is cold.

What is the damage from a hurricane? There are five types of hurricanes. Some are bad and some can be extremely bad. They are rated into categories of 1-5. Category 1 is weak and winds can reach 74-95 miles per hour. Category 2 is moderate and winds reach 96-110 miles per hour. Category 3 is strong and winds reach 111-130 miles per hour. Category 4 is very strong and winds reach 131-155 miles per hour. Category 5 is considered devastating with winds greater than 155 miles per hour reaching up to over 250 miles per hour. Category 4 and 5 are considered to be the worse and can cause major damage, however, a category 2 storm can cause major flooding depending on the amount of rain. The damage that the hurricanes can do is ruin houses, trees, and the land. It can flood the whole area around the hurricane. Trees can fall and break things causing damage and power outages. Flooding can be bad depending on what category it is. It could be a minor flood, or a major flood where the water can reach the top of your car roof, or halfway inside your house, or even worse, cover your entire house. For example, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina flooded the city of New Orleans and destroyed about 275,000 houses.

Hurricanes can be scary, but at least there is time to prepare for them and people can predict where the hurricane will land. It is important to have an emergency plan and disaster kit ready in case you will need to evacuate or get stuck in your home. A hurricane can be a catastrophe, or it could be a minor storm. You just need to be prepared.

Category: Science & Tech, Student Posts | 1 Comment

Nothern lights

Juho Holmi via Compfight

Have you ever seen beautiful colorful lights in the sky? You may know them as the northern light but the scientific name is aurora. The northern lights are also called aurora borealis or the polar lights. In the south, they are called southern lights, or aurora australis. Is it magic or is it science? Keep reading to find out.

This natural display of lights is mostly seen in high latitude regions, around the Arctic and Antarctic. You are probably wondering how the northern lights are created? Well here is how it works. It begins with a solar flare on the sun’s surface. This solar flare breaks away from the sun and travels through the universe. This is called solar wind.

When the solar wind reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, it hits the Earth’s Magnetosphere. This collision sends the solar wind toward the earth’s northern and southern poles. These collisions result in countless, little bursts of colorful light. The color of the aurora is different depending on the altitude, amount of atomic oxygen and other molecules.

The colors are red, green, blue, ultraviolet, infrared, yellow, pink. My favorite color is the ultraviolet. This color is seen using special equipment and is not visible to most humans. The first person to capture an image of the northern lights was Carl Stormer who had to use special cameras. Now we can capture beautiful images of the northern lights thanks to digital cameras.

This really cool reaction encircles the polar region of the earth and occurs at a zone called the “Auroral oval”. One day I hope to travel to the auroral oval and see these amazing lights.

Do you like northern lights or ever heard of them?

Category: Environment, Science & Tech, Student Posts | 2 Comments

Anne Frank’s Sad Story

Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who tried to hide from the Germans. Imagine you lived in an old office building and couldn’t get a lot of food, that’s what Anne’s life was like. It was cramped with other Jewish people who were also in hiding. I chose this topic because I wanted to learn what it felt like to hide in an old office building which the families called the “Secret Annexe”. Anne Frank died in a concentration camp, but what was her life like . Image result for anne frank

Anne was born on June in Frankfurt, Germany. She had her mother Edith Frank, her father Otto Frank and her older sister, Margot. Anne was a Jewish and Jewish weren’t aloud to own certain things or go certain places. On June 14th, 1942 Anne celebrated her birthday with a party. She was happy to receive so many presents. One of the presents was a diary. Anne named her diary “Kitty”.

The Secret Annex

A few days later the Franks got a call and the Germans wanted to take Margot to a concentration camp. The family did not want to separate so they went to an old office building which they called the “Secret Annexe”. The Van Daans also went into hiding in the “Secret Annexe”. Life in the Secret Annexe was pretty scary. There were burglars and gun shootings, also food ran low. On August 4th, 1944 Anne Frank was captured and sent to a concentration camp along with her family. Anne, her mother and her sister died in the concentration camp because of hunger and torture. Otto Frank had survived and saved Kitty [Anne’s diary] and showed it to publishers. They were amazed at the story of a young girl.

I learned it was scary to be Jewish during the 1940’s because the Germans invaded homes and stole belongings from Jewish families. Many people admire Anne Frank for her strength and her strong will to survive. War is horrible. Many people died during war and we need to prevent it from happening. Little girls shouldn’t have to hide in old office buildings from people who want to capture you. They should be happy and free.

Photo Credits:

ANNE FRANK pictures: http://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/media/16160/custom-custom_size___afs_a_afrank_iii_030-upsized-72ppi_scxpq5fj.jpg?center=0.4336283185840708,0.57333333333333336&mode=crop&width=960&height=730&rnd=131577333920000000

Secret Annexe picture:http://www.annefrank.org/ImageVault/Images/id_1211/height_357/width_580/aspectRatio_1.6246/conversionFormatType_Jpeg/compressionQuality_80/scope_0/ImageVaultHandler.aspx

Category: History, Student Posts | 4 Comments

Dye Hair, Dye

It helps kids express their personality. That should be left up to the kids and their parents. At my school, we’re allowed to dye our hair any color we want. We even have a “Crazy Hair Day” during Spirit Week. It’s important to be able to express yourself, so why can’t you express yourself at school?

I don’t think dyed hair is distracting. Most people would look at a kid’s brightly colored hair for a minute and then go back to what they were doing. plus the only reason adults say it is distracting is that they don’t like it.

Category: Art, Current Events & News, Special Events, Student Posts | 3 Comments

April 24

How to be a good dog owner

Sydney Petty via Compfight

Do you have a dog? Do you want to be a good owner to it? Well, I do. Start with giving it its own space to roam around in, Dogs need freedom! Feed it healthy foods and feed it twice a day, You don’t want an overweight dog, Do you? Walk it every day because dogs need exercise and they need to get out every once and awhile. And play with it as much as you have time for, Dogs need a lot of attention or else they will start to act wild and will not listen to you as much. Make sure to give it a checkup schedule and a good vet

Different dog breeds need different things, like some dogs like being with people and other dogs like to be alone, and how chihuahua are small and german shepherd is big.Depending on your age you should get either a puppy or an older dog.

You need to dog-proof your house, Put all shoes back where they belong or in a place where your dog can’t reach them, NEVER and i mean NEVER leave any prized possessions in a dog’s reach. Get a collar so you can attach its leash when you walk it and to put its tags onto it. And BUY TOYS so it won’t think your stuff is toys and so if it is alone it has something to play with and you can play with the toys with your dog. If you don’t want it sleeping with you or on your chairs or couch then buy or make it a bed to sleep on at night. And potty train it if it is a puppy so it will not make a mess in its sleep.

Use these methods to have a happy healthy and good dog.

Category: Animals, Student Posts | 3 Comments

April 24

Surprise Attack On Pearl Harbor!

USS Nevada attempts escape from Pearl 80G32558.jpg

The bombing of Pearl Harbor

Public Domain, Link

Everyone has heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War 2, but how much do you really know? 2390 Americans were killed and 1178 were wounded. Although it seems very different, Pearl Harbor was very much the same as the attack on The World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. Imagine standing on the deck of your battleship and seeing the first wave of a total of 353 enemy planes headed straight for you! Did you know that during the attack, American sailors and pilots shot down 29 Japanese planes? This article will focus on the tragic loss of life and devastation inflicted by the Japanese military during their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

The Japanese Attack Plan

The Japanese planned their attack in waves. The first wave had a total of 183 planes and 5 midget submarines. A midget sub holds two people and is used to cut through underwater cables protecting the ships in the harbor. The second attack wave had 170 planes, including torpedo planes, fighter planes, and bombers. A total of 353 planes were transported across the Pacific on six aircraft carriers. 24 battleships escorted the fleet.

Moving Base, Unprepared For Attack, Entering World War 2

The American Pacific fleet was moved from San Diego to Honolulu, Hawaii, to create a Pacific force that could possibly defend against the advancement of Japanese forces, which had already secured the Philippines. America created an oil embargo on the Pacific rim, cutting off oil supports to Japan. Army General Hideki Tojo took over as Prime Minister for Japan and told Japan to “ Get ready for war.”

The Tragic losses

On the morning of December 7, 1941, twenty-one American ships were hit with bombs and torpedoes, including all eight of the great battleships. Not all of the ships were destroyed, but many were badly damaged. Other ships such as the USS Arizona, Pennsylvania, Cassin, Shaw, and Downes were also destroyed. 2390 American sailors and 1178 were wounded, for a total of 3568 casualties.

Conclusion

The attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 is forever remembered as the most brutal and devastating attack on American soil up until that point in history. It served as the American entry point into World War 2. Although many, many thousands more soldiers and sailors sacrificed their lives over the next four years, we will always remember this day over all others.

Category: History, Student Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT

April 24

Anne Frank: Life in the Secret Annex

The year is 1942, you are settling down ready to write in your journal when you hear people nearby, you become frightened thinking they have discovered you. You get enough courage to peek through the blinds. Outside a kid has come home from school to find their family taken away, another person comes home from shopping to find their family was taken too. But worst of all, some Germans were taking away families giving them little time to pack. All of this was happening because they were Jews. Anne Frank was a Jew too, she hid away from the Germans in a secret building called the Secret Annex. She hid for 2 years before she was found and later killed. Even though she was just a girl her story of bravery was fascinating.

Happy times

On June 12th, 1929 Anneliese Marie Frank was born in Frankfurt Germany, she had an older sister Margot Frank. Her parents Edith and Otto Frank were Jewish. In 1933 Edith moved with Anne and her sister to her mother’s home, while their dad, Otto Frank moved to Amsterdam. Edith, Anne, and Margot later followed him. During that time Adolf Hitler was growing control of Germany and invading other countries. Otto worried that Hitler would gain control of Amsterdam and tried to go to the U.S with his family but they couldn’t.

Dangerous Years

In 1919 Adolf Hitler came to power, the problem was that he hated Jews. Even if your grandparents or aunt was a Jew and you weren’t, you would still be considered a Jew. There were special rules for Jews, stuff like no going to the beach. You can only go to a Jewish school. If you were caught disobeying then you would be shot. Later he immediately sent any Jews he could find to a concentration camp where they would be murdered and be killed. It was a gruesome time. The Franks were in trouble, non-Jewish people hunted down Jews for money, the Franks could trust no one! Some people tried to escape but that didn’t work they were surrounded. In the end, many Jews would have to hide from the Germans but even that was dangerous because they could be found. This was also dangerous for non-Jewish people, if they were caught helping a Jew then they would be killed or sent to a camp.

The Secret Annex

The Franks went into hiding in the secret annex. The secret annex was in the building where Otto Frank [her dad] worked, the entrance was hidden behind a movable bookshelf. It was very spacious compared to the hiding spots other Jews lived in. It had four floors with seven people living there, the Franks had one floor to themselves. At first, Anne shared a room with Margot, but then when came he moved into Anne’s room and Margot moved into her parents. The seven people living in the secret annex include Mr. and Mrs. van Pels, Peter van Pels, Fritz Pfeffer, and the Frank family.

Discovered!

On August 4th, 1944 the police discovered them, it had been more than two years since the Franks had first arrived. Everyone was caught by surprise, they were all arrested along with two helpers. Anne was sent to the Westerbork concentration camp along with her sister Margot and her mother, they were later moved to Auschwitz. In the end, Germany surrendered and the people in the concentration camps were freed, but it was too late for Anne, her mother Edith, Margot, Mr. and Mrs.van Pels, Peter van Pels, and Fritz Pfeffer they all had died. Anne’s dad Otto Frank was the only one who survived, everyone else who lived in the secret annex died. No one knows if the people in the secret annex were betrayed or not and if they were no one knows who did it.

Conclusion

Anne’s story is just one example of hiding, there are billions of other stories of these scary times. The concentration camps were a horrible thing, it ruined wonderful people’s life like Anne’s. But like she said, “ What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it from happening again.” We can keep all those people in our heart, and in our mind, we can remember to prevent those stuff from happening again. Her diary was published in an amazing book titled Anne Frank diary of a young girl, you can even go see the secret annex where she hid in Amsterdam. Her life was short but every second of it was important.

Anne Frank original diary written in during World War two.

By Anne Frank – https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/anne-frank/htmlsite/artifact_1_0.html, Public Domain, Link

Category: History, Student Posts | 1 Comment

African Ring Neck Parrot

African ring neck parrot.

Imagine you are an African Ring neck looking for fruit, seeds, and nectar for your daily lunch, joyfully munching and crunching on your delicious food. You may wonder why these beautiful animals are called African Ringnecks. Well, these birds come from Africa and when they grow older they develop rings around their necks.

Their lifespan is about 20-28 years. They are from West Africa. They live in palm tree when they are not breeding and they roost together in a flock and move to warm environments. They make loud calls when danger is nearby to warn their flock mates. They eat blossoms, fruit, and nectar.

As pets, these birds are so smart and unique they can be taught to talk. First, they start mimicking then they start talking by themselves. These birds can be mixed up with their cousins the Indian Ring neck. You can tell the difference by looking at the beaks. African ring necks have smaller plum colored beaks and Indian ring necks have larger red beaks. Indian ring necks are bright green and African ring necks have more lime colored feathers. These birds are great pets and are really friendly for families.

Image result for african ringneck parrots eating in the wild

These birds are very unique because they can do lots of interesting things and are very friendly.

Category: Animals, Student Posts | LEAVE A COMMENT

Animals and Rabies

A wolf.

Do you know the difference between an animal that has rabies and one that doesn’t? This is going to show you lots of things about animals that have rabies and about taking care of them. Rabies is an infection and it can be spread through an animal’s saliva and blood.

If an animal is acting strange or is trying to bite you then it may have rabies. To test an animal for rabies the test must include tissue and they need to work on two parts of the brain, the stem, and the cerebellum. If an animal with rabies bites you it only spreads through their saliva so you don’t have to worry if your next to the animal while breathing the animal will not infect you.

A bobcat.

To help an animal with rabies you’ll need to scrub any bite or wound immediately with soap and water. The most common animals that have rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. Rabies also spreads to cats, cattle, and dogs. When you get bitten by an animal with rabies you get a fast acting shot to prevent the virus from infecting you and get the shot right were the bite was.

All mammals are able to have rabies but birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians can not. Humans may be able to survive rabies without a treatment because some animals that have rabies survive without a treatment. Animals get rabies from having a large virus in the saliva which contacts with mucus, membranes, or open fresh wounds.

Next time you see a wild animal try to see if it’s acting strangely because if it is then you know it may have rabies. You will want to be careful if you get close to a wild animal because it might bite you.

Category: Animals, Student Posts | 3 Comments

Jose Mujica and His Legacy

Jose Mujica, President of Uruguay

Did you know that Jose Mujica president of Uruguay was nicknamed the poorest president in the world? He was nicknamed that because he believes that you don’t need a lot to be happy, that is why he drives a 1938 blue beetle car. Mujica says, “I am not the poorest president, the poorest are the one who needs a lot to live”. Jose donates 90% of his 12,000 dollars a month salary to charity and instead of buying a presidential private plane he bought a rescue helicopter to help people that need it. Those are some of the ways Jose Mujica was a good president

Before Mujica was president he was in prison for ten years and in that time he basically lived in a hole. The prison was like that because the country was very poor and very tiny. In that prison it was so boring and lonely, all he did was play with the ants. He says when he picked up an ant and put it to his ear he could hear it scream. During his time he had a lot of medical and mental problem because of the way he was treated in the prison.

Jose Mujica helped in many ways like as you know he donated 90% of his salary to charity. But that was not all he did to help. He did not take advantage of his power, he would wait in line at places like supermarkets and hospitals. He didn’t see himself as superior to the rest of the citizens

Another way Mujica was a unique president is he did not live in a mansion with butlers or servants he lives in a small house with his wife. One of Mujica’s passions is farming his land on in his freetime. Unlike many other presidents he chooses not to live the luxury life. ‘’My definition of poor are those who need too much.Because those who need too much are never satisfied’’, states Mujica. He is a very simple and humble man, trying to better his country.

Another thing he did was legalized marijuana so instead of people going to jail because of it and the government spending thousands of dollars on the people arrested for marijuana they can use the money on charity and more important things -like hospitals, ‘’It is targeting the battle against drug trafficking, every addiction is plague except for love’’ says Mujica .

Jose Mujica also legalized same sex marriage. To make equal rights and opportunities for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation Mujica says,“Its older than the world for us, not legalizing it would be torture to people needlessly.”

Jose Mujica helped in many ways financially and emotionally for many people in Uruguay. Mujica made a difference with his powerful message he spreads around the world teaching others that happiness is on the inside you just need to find it. He also believed that you don’t need money to live a good life. Even though he is not president anymore, he will always be remembered for his kind and generous heart.

Category: History, Student Posts | 1 Comment

Game Show host, Scott Rogowsky

I am talking about Scott aka Scott Rogowsky. He is a game show host for HQ Live. HQ is an app on your phone you can buy. In HQ you answer 12 questions and you have 10 seconds to answer them. If you answer them all right you win money. Usually, the prize is $2500 dollars but they changed it to $5000 dollars. HQ is a live game show on your phone, pretty much. Your chances of winning are very slim because there are usually 1 million and a half players. Image result for hq host scott If you do win, you split the prize with other people that won. But you will get very little money or a lot of money depending on how hard are the questions are. Like my mom won but there were 330 other winners because so many people won so she only won $15 dollars. The most money ever won was 25k! The most money ever played was $250 thousand dollars. Early in Scott’s career, he did not want to be an HQ host, he wanted to be a professional baseball player. He liked making people laugh in high school so he did drama in school to make people laugh. Also, he wanted to be a comedian, too.

Scott got to be the HQ host because his old colleague at The Onion kept in contact with him on Facebook. His friend Gallo was the HQ director. He tried out to be the HQ host but he had no idea how famous he was going to become. Then he got the part! He performs twice a day on the app. The reason he wanted to be the HQ host is that he thought it would fit his personality of being funny and it did. In my opinion, Scott is very funny. He always is telling jokes live, that’s why I think he is funny.

Also, he has very good humor and always makes me laugh. He is very good at his job and has nice suits. Scott stands out above the rest because he has a great personality and he is very famous. Scott is very smart, has very good jokes and he is very funny.

Category: Games, Student Posts | 2 Comments

The Interesting Life of Alexander Hamilton

Do you like July 4th, also known as Independence Day? You might know that July 4th is our country’s birthday. But who discovered America? Well, the people who discovered the United States of America were called “ Founding Fathers”. One of them was Alexander Hamilton, a very important person in American history. His goal was to make a very strong, central, government. Today, I will be telling you about his life and how he was such an important person.

Childhood

Alexander Hamilton was born in Saint Nevis, a small island, on January 11, 1755. Alexander’s parents weren’t legally married and were poor. His mom’s name was Rachel Faucette, and was from France. His father, James Hamilton, was from Scotland, related to a very rich family. Alexander also had a brother named James. Since his parents weren’t married, he wasn’t allowed to go to a formal school and instead got tutored. Alexander also enjoyed reading and speaking in French and English.

In 1765, the Hamiltons moved to Saint Croix when he was 10 years old. Soon enough, Alexander and his mother got very sick. Luckily, Alexander gotten better from his cruel sickness. Sadly, Rachel Faucette died on February 19, 1768. After his mother died, his father moved to another island alone to make more money. Then, Alexander and James moved in with their adult cousin, and left after he committed suicide. Now Alexander and James were very lost in life.

Soon, Alexander got a job as a clerk while he was the only age of 13. Also, Alexander got to write for Saint Croix’s newspaper, the Danish American Gazette when he was 15. When Alexander was 17, a massive hurricane came and pounded Saint Croix and other islands. Soon, he wrote about that on the newspaper. Many rich people were impressed of Alexander and soon gave him enough money to go to New York!

College

Alexander Hamilton arrived in New York in 1773. He decided to go to King’s College in New York City. Hamilton also became a “loudspeaker” for the American Revolution. He did not like Great Britain taking over most of the states in America including New York. Later in College, Alexander started a group called the “Hearts of Oak”. It did not have to do with anything in the name. The group would do military drills in case they would have to go to war some day.

The Revolutionary War

Finally, the Hearts of Oak training paid off for Hamilton. Many general military soldiers, including General George Washington, wanted Hamilton to work for/with them. Soon, Alexander became a military leader. A few weeks later, Washington asked Hamilton to be his assistant. Hamilton said yes. Also, Hamilton became friends with a military Frenchmen, Marquis De Lafayette. In 1780, Alexander met a woman named Elizabeth Schuyler, daughter of Philip Schuyler, a war hero. Hamilton fell in love with Eliza and married her in October of 1780.

Hamilton quit his job as being Washington’s assistant of being “ too careful and overprotective”, but Hamilton still fought along his side in the world. Finally, Washington gave him command of a group of men. Then, Hamilton was sent to Yorktown, Virginia to fight a big battle against Great Britain with Lafayette and Washington. After two weeks of battle, Hamilton and the Continental army won!!! America now had its own freedom and liberty! Now, Hamilton had to create the government.

Politics and the New Government

Eliza had a son named Philip Hamilton on January 22, 1782. Hamilton went to a law school in New York to be a lawyer. In 1784, Alexander Hamilton made the first national bank in New York for the United States of America. In 1787, the Hamilton family had grown. They now had four children. In 1788, the United States of America’s new government was official. Also, in 1789 George Washington won by a landslide for president against John Adams. Hamilton quit his job as a lawyer and became the first secretary of the United States of America. And the political parties were not the same from now. One were the Federalists, one were the Anti Federalists, also known as Democratic Republicans. Alexander Hamilton was a Federalist.

In 1790, George Washington got very sick, and Alexander took care of him. In !792, Eliza and Alexander had their fifth child, named John Hamilton. In 1789, New York City was the new capital of the country. Then in 1790, Washington D.C. was the capital, even though it wasn’t even built until the year 1800. In 1795, Hamilton quit his political work and being secretary. Eliza now had 7 children.

A man named George Eaker made a speech and insulted Hamilton and his son Philip. Philip was mad and challenged Eaker to a duel. Philip dies the day after he got shot in the duel. Burr started to act as a very greedy man and Alexander started to dislike him, which made their friendship break in half like twigs. Then, Alexander called Burr “Untrustworthy” at a dinner. Burr became angry and challenged Hamilton to a duel. In the duel, Hamilton shot his bullet up in the air thinking Burr would also surrender, but got shot. Alexander Hamilton died on July 12, 1804.

Alexander Hamilton is one of the most important person in American history. He started out poor to a legacy. A life changer. This taught me even if you think you are unsuccessful, you can make success in pretty much anything.

Category: History, Student Posts | 2 Comments

Dump the Test!

Have you ever been super stressed out about taking a test? Well, I definitely have. and many others do too. In California, kids in grades 3-12 take a standardized test every spring. Some schools don’t even have tests anymore just because it costs so much money! It costs about $1,270 dollars per classroom to have one test per year! Not to mention the fact on how much stress piles up on the students. One test can change your heart rate from 115200 to 2340000! That’s just crazy! I think schools should dump these tests.

Tests cost so much money so why even bother to keep doing them? Between the cost of the paper and the ink, the cost can pile up to over 1000 dollars! And that’s just one test per year! Why keep taking them. We could just take them on the computer. Why waste precious trees just to take a stupid test?

Not to mention how much stress piles up on the poor students. just one test per day can change your heart rate by 2224800! That’s only one test per day and in middle school, you can have up to 5 tests per day! Why do schools want us kids to be so stressed all the time?

Standardized tests do not boost learning Most kids guess on a standardized test like GATE and if they get lucky and do good when they guess the test will be harder. And say there is a kid in high school tacking the NWEA then he guesses and if he does good he could go to a good college if he does bad he will go to a bad college. And most people think there should not be the test is because they never do good on them.

Category: Current Events & News, Student Posts | 6 Comments

History of the Olympics

Olympic Rings

Imagine you are in the Olympics. You can be in the Summer or Winter Olympics, you choose. You have just won a gold medal and are standing up on the podium with a heavy medal around your neck and a bouquet of flowers in your hand. You are looking around the arena at all your fans clapping and cheering. Instead of thinking about your latest victory, you are thinking about how the Olympics started and how they got to be so big, and how they have changed

Ancient Olympics

The first recording of the Olympic Games dates all the way back, 2,800 years ago in ancient Greece. The early Olympic Games only had one competition, a short foot race. Over the years, they started to add more sporting events. The added events included chariot racing and a run wearing a full suit of armor. Men were the only participants. The law forbid women from competing in the games or even watching the games. Winners from the games were rewarded crowns of olive leaves instead of medals. The Olympic Games began to decline after the Romans conquered Greece. In the year 394, Theodosius I (the Roman Emperor) ordered the games to be stopped.

Modern Olympics

The Olympics returned in 1896, almost 3,000 years later. The modern Olympics began and were held in Athens, Greece. In 1900 the Olympics moved to Paris, France and for the first time in history, women were allowed to compete. In 1904 the Olympics were held in America in the city of St.Louis A few of the cities where the summer games have been held are London, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Rome and Rio De Janeiro, the most recent location. The tradition of hosting the Summer Olympics in different cities every four years still continues to this day. In 1924 the Winter Olympics were held for the first time. They included cold weather sports. The winter games are also held every four years in different cities such as Chamonix, Lake Placid, Squaw Valley and Pyeongchang County, where the latest games were held.

Sports Played

Many sports are played in the Summer and Winter Olympics. There are 42 summer events and 15 winter events. Some of the cold weather sports played in the Winter Olympics now are Alpine skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, ski jumping, snowboarding and speed skating. Diving, volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, tennis and basketball are some of the many sports played in the Summer Olympics. More countries attend the Summer Olympics than the Winter Olympics. Also, worldwide, the Summer Olympic sports are more popular.

Many changes have been made to the Olympics of long ago. Women now play a major role in the Olympics. Also, the games are so big that almost every nation participates. Changes are still being made today. For example, in 2020 the Summer Olympics are expected to have bouldering and speed climbing, which are both rock climbing sports.

Category: History, Sports, Student Posts | 4 Comments

San Diego Padres Then And Now

San Diego Padre, Trevor Hoffman.

The San Diego Padres started as the Pilots in 1936 at the Polo Grounds. The Padres have had a couple World Series appearances. The Padres have multiple Hall Of Famers, and they have six different retired numbers. Padres have the number one farm system in the MLB.

The San Diego Pilots were started in 1936 and won the PCL (Pacific Coast League) title in 1937 led by San Diegan Ted Williams. The original owner was C. Arnholt Smith, a San Diego businessman. They were drafted into the National league on May 27, 1968, for a fee of 12.5 million dollars. Buzzie Bavasi was hired as the owner after retiring from the Dodgers. The teams were chosen in the expansion because American Football was getting too popular. In addition to the Padres the Montreal Expos, Seattle Pilots, and the Kansas City Royals were added in 1969.

In Padres history, only one player has gotten the MVP (most valuable player) award and he is third baseman Ken Caminiti in 1996. Some Padres greats are Tony Gwynn, known for his career batting average of .336 and 3,000+ hits. Also, Trevor Hoffman leads the N.L. in saves with 601. He will go into the Hall Of Fame in July 2018. Also, Wil Myers and Matt Kemp are the only Padres ever to hit for the cycle. The ultimate honor is having your number retired by a team, some retired numbers are: Steve Garvey No. 6, Tony Gwynn No. 19, Dave Winfield No. 31, Randy Jones No. 35, and Trevor Hoffman No. 51.

Tony Gwynn’s jersey number 19.

Padres made it to the World Series in 1984 against the Tigers and in 1998 against the Yankees. Padres lost both of those series. In 1998, fireworks happened. In the fifth inning of the 1998 game, Tony Gwynn hit a home run, followed by a home run by Greg Vaughn.

Throughout Padres history, there have been many managers. Some of the recent managers are Bud Black, Pat Murphy, and Andy Green. The current general manager is A.J Preller. A.J has created the best farm system that includes Fernando Tatis Jr and Mckenzie Gore.

The Padres have had a bright future for a long time, they have always had good prospects, but it’s never happened. 2018 has a great future and I can’t wait to see Trevor Hoffman get into the Hall Of Fame. See you in Cooperstown.

Category: Sports, Student Posts | 4 Comments

Precious Pufferfish

Pufferfish

If you think the octopus is the only animal in the ocean that can transform, think again. There are other amazingly deceptive sea creatures. At first glance, they are slow-moving, gentle and beautiful. But beware. When threatened, these fishes can transform themselves into weapons and turn into one of the deadliest creatures in the world. What are we talking about? Pufferfish, of course. Want to find out more about them, well keep reading.

Diet

The puffer fish is an omnivore so the diet of a puffer fish includes mostly invertebrates ( an animal without a backbone) and algae. Large puffer fish will even crack open clams, mussels, and shellfish with their hard beaks. Poisonous puffers are believed to synthesize their deadly toxin from the bacteria in the animals they eat.

Life and Reproduction

Although some baby puffer fish cannot be seen without a magnifying glass, their body shape resembles those of the adult animals. The average lifespan of the puffer fish is around ten years. There are more than 120 species of puffer fish which live mostly in the warm waters of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, with only 30 species that are living in the freshwater. Some species move from marine to brackish or fresh water during the breeding season. Did you know: After leaving the egg, young puffer fish swim toward the reef’s community.

Escape Artist

Pufferfish can inflate into a ball shape to evade predators. Also known as blowfish, these clumsy swimmers fill their elastic stomachs with huge amounts of water (and sometimes air) and blow themselves up to several times their normal size.

Fun facts

Almost all species of puffer fish contain a toxin (called tetrodotoxin) that can be 1200 times stronger than poison. One puffer fish contains enough toxin to kill 30 adult men. The toxin is not located in all parts of the puffer fish, and certain cultures prepare puffer fish as a delicacy. Also, did you know that about 100 diners die each year after eating puffer fish?

Pufferfish are amazing creatures and have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, other than puffing up to scare away predators. To most people, they are some of the most fascinating creatures on this planet. They can do many other cool tricks like turn sand into symmetrical artwork, but unfortunately the current will still wash away its beautiful artwork in minutes. Now I hope you love these amazing creatures as much as I do.

Category: Animals, Ocean, Student Posts | 10 Comments

The Amazing Life of a Butterfly

Image result for butterflies

Have you ever wondered how a butterfly egg stays on the leaf without falling? Well did you know butterflies attach their eggs with a special glue? Birds and butterflies are the same because they both have eggs. The way they are different is that birds put their eggs in a nest and butterflies on a leaf. Another way they are different is that butterflies attach their eggs while birds place their eggs. Butterflies glue their eggs on the leaf so if there’s a storm, they will not fall off and break. The birds are different because their eggs are in a nest where it’s cozy and keeps the wind from blowing them off. Imagine you’re a butterfly attaching your eggs to a leaf.

Have you ever wondered what butterflies eat? Did you know butterflies don’t actually eat? Instead, they drink nectar out of flowers. Butterflies are like hummingbirds because they don’t eat but drink out of flowers. They’re different because hummingbirds fly fast and butterflies don’t. Imagine you’re a butterfly flying to a flower and drinking nectar.

Did you ever wonder if butterflies are cold blooded or warm blooded? Well did you know butterflies are cold blooded!!! Butterflies and lizards are the same because they are both cold-blooded. They are different because butterflies stand on a leaf and lizards lay on the ground/rock to warm themselves in the sun. Imagine your a butterfly, you are cold-blooded and stand on a leaf to warm yourself up in the sun. You warm yourself up so you can fly to a flower and drink nectar etc..

Butterflies are beautiful because of their color, shapes, and sizes. It’s important to learn about them because we share the same world and they help carry pollen and control bugs from hurting the plants. I think butterflies are important because it gives more beauty to the world.

Category: Nature, Student Posts | 3 Comments

The Heart of a Champion

Laurie Hernandez in action!

Have you ever thought what it would be like to go to the Olympics? In Rio 2016 Laurie Hernandez won a couple of gold medals and one silver on beam. Laurie Hernandez is not the kind of person who gives up on their first try. She is the kind of person who works hard and tries to succeed! Imagine you are Laurie tumbling on the floor, taking step by step on beam, and reaching out for the bars.

Family comes first

Laurie’s family has always counted on her to do things. She had very supportive parents and siblings, Marcus Hernandez and Jelysa Hernandez are her siblings. Her family is always there to cheer her on and bring joy when she is competing. She always believed with the support of her family she could do it.

Keeping it fit

By doing gymnastics Laurie has to keep track of her fitness. Laurie goes to the gym to train six days a week. Since the 2016 summer Olympics Laurie said that she would have a break from gymnastics, but keep on working out at the regular gym.

Practice makes perfect

How can anybody succeed if they don’t practice? Laurie Hernandez is not a quitter. If she has a task to complete she practices and tries to complete that task. When Laurie gets hurt and it is best to just sit out, she still practices the skills she can and does a lot of conditioning. She tries to improve each time she practices her skills.

Are you ever going to succeed in life if when you run into a problem you just give up and forget about it? Laurie Hernandez is training really hard to become a USA champion which she already is! “ I hope my story inspires you to gold and beyond.”

Category: Sports, Student Posts | 3 Comments