Yesterday, in computers, we watched a BrainPop video about citing sources and online sources. The videos were very interesting, here is what they stated.

Citing Sources, BrainPop Video:     Citing sources is when you write down all of the sources that you use in a report, essay, or project. Usually, in a bibiliography. A bibiliography is a page at the end of a report, that cites all of the sources used. Including the author, source title, publisher, editor, and the year it was published. A source is where you get information, like a book or a website, even if you get from the "horse's mouth". All of the citations should be listed in alabhetical order. Citations are the list of all the information that you list for each source. SOme teachers will tell you to cite your sources in the footnote, a footnote is a side-comment at the bottom of the page. Usually, footnotes are shown by little numbers by the quote, and then the cite is at the bottom or sometimes the top.


Online Sources BrainPop Video: The online sources video, was about how to spot a trustworthy or non-trustworthy website for your report. Usually you can tell by the way the website looks. If it is unprofessional looking, with grammatical errors, and little text, it may not be useful. Also, most sites can be edited by anyone with information, so the wrong information can be posted, so know how to tell if something is wrong or right. These videos, both, were very useful, and I think I will be able to use this info



 
A few days ago, I was selected to go on a game show. I had to say as many facts about a certain category as I could. Luckily, the category was Broadway shows. I named every single one from my lifetime and even some before my lifetime. I ended with Gospel, The Book of Mormon, and Anything Goes, since those are all playing now. I named all the starring actors. Most of them were Sutton Foster. I also named the exact year they were showed. Believe it or not, I WON! The ultimate prize was unlimited money over spring break! I know exactly what to do with it.

First, I would go to Africa, and feed all the starving people. Then, I would open a giant chain of No-Kill animal shelters. Also, I would donate as much as I could to cancer research. I would then help with the bills, and buy other random stuff for me, and my family.
 
In math, we are still learning about shapes and perimeter area volume etc. I have been having a lot of trouble with it and I think that maybe I should go in at lunch and get some help. I really like it when I get answers right or I can understand really easily , but that doesn't happen too often. I have fun learning about the shapes and formulas and I think if I put more time into studying I would have an easier time. I like the fact that Ms. Pope gives extra help and I think maybe I need some more. Maybe a math tutor or something. I would try to explain all the formulas and things but I don't know how. I would try to explain what a Polyhedron is, but I have no clue. I have a low C in math and I really need some help any suggestions? Anyways, this is my lowest grade so far...EVER!
 
I woke up in a dusty room, I couldn't see a thing. The only light was coming from a crack in the boarded up window. I herd a whimper, I looked around. I heard a girl, she sounded young. I tried to move towards the sound because she sounded like she was in pain. I couldn't move, though, my hands were  shackled and so were my feet. I saw the light hit a rusty bar. I stood up, the cuffs were digging into my ankles. The chain was connected to a wall, I moved towards the bar. I spread my hands apart as wide as I could and hit the chain linking my two hands, every chain has a weak link. I felt my hands clench. The chain was still linked up, i slammed them against the bar, but harder. They broke. I saw where the shackles connected to the wall. The metal loop looked old and was probably about to break. I pulled with my legs several times. Freed. Now to find her.\
I looked around the room. There wasn't enough light to see. I heard the whimper again. "Hello?" I ask, as if I'm hearing her cries on a harmless telephone call, "Where are you?" 
"Please, please, save me, I'm in pain, pain!!!" I trip when I hear this, was it her, no, it was too solid to be a little girl. I looked again, my eyes focused it was a bone. Where am i?
 
I entered a contest a few days ago, and I WON! I was so excited I have never won anything before. I didn't know what the prize was, a new house, a new car, or a puppy. No,it was something much much more exciting. A time machine! My mom was amazed when it showed up at my door. I came home and tore of the bubble wrap. I was puzzled, there was only one setting for the time . There were two settings for the location, "The Home of Leonardo Da Vinci" or "The Home of Michelangelo". What? I had heard of these names before in my CORE class. I wrote Cornell notes about them,and decided to do more research. What if the time machine only works once? I should choose wisely.  

I found out that Michelangelo was very important to the renaissance, but Leonardo Da Vinci painted the most famous painting that we know today,"The Mona Lisa". He even was the first person to fantasize, and sketch airplanes. I know that this is the best choice. I choose da vinci. I grab my suitcase, just in case it is only a one way ticket. I grab my chinchilla, Mr. Fluffy McSnuggles, and sit down. The purple leather seat rubs against my thighs, and is pretty uncomfortable. I shouldn't complain, because this purple leather couch is a once in a lifetime chance. This is exciting, I put my leather purse across my shoulder and head off. My mom bites her nails down to nubs as I go. I see purple swirls and my  house spins away from me as I travel back in time. 


My clothes slowly morph into tight leather pants, then to a mini skirt, then jeans, shorts and all of the above.Then, my shirt started to change, finally my outfit settled on a violet dress with a hoop skirt, and gold fabric underneath.The top is laced with gold bows on the shoulders, and a purple head dress flows down my back. My bag slowly changes to a purple silk snap bag with a golden strap. My suitcase enlarges with new clothes like the ones I'm wearing and the suitcase itself turns into a golden silk bag with purple lining and wooden handles. The wheels vanished too. I felt the the time machine lurch forward, then backwards and then stops and starts to fall down. I buckle the seat-belt around me and Mr. Mcsnuggles. Then we land on a floor. I look around. I see wood models that look like hang gliders. sketchbooks opened and filled with pictures and explanations. I unbuckle the seat-belt and grab McSnuggles. I leave my bag and smooth my dress. 
            "Why hello my dear. What brings you here?" I am startled by an unfamiliar voice.
           
 " Well, I won a contest and I...its a long story. I came here from the present, wait no the future for you, 2012. You                                
 are really very famous you know, I learned all about you in school, your paintings are worth millions maybe billions" I say.
    "Its funny, you have such a small mouth, yet so MANY words," He replies as he examines the time machine, "I                                          prefer to write my ideas down, or paint them, even."  His calmness amazes me, doesn't he want to know all about 2012? I guess he has his own ideas.  I look around and see an unfinished Mona Lisa, her face is painted, but her smile is missing. "You should add a little smile to her, she seems so unhappy." I suggest. "Why, little girl, you are right from now on you will be Mona Lisa's smile" He took out a paintbrush and made the corners of her mouth turn up just slightly. I see lights start to blink on the time machine. "I better catch my ride, see ya later yo!" I say. 
" Yes, indeed come back as soon as you can!" 

As I travel back my clothes turn back, and I start to think. I know I chose the right place, I saw his many inventions, and he even let me flip through some of his notes. I amazed him when I told him how airplanes are invented, and I'm sure his ideas contributed in the making. He continued to paint after I left, and is known as the biggest genius today.I was amazed by him just as much or maybe even more than he was amazed by me. I was told that fantasies don't get you anywhere, but his did, and he is the most amazing person ever all because of those fantasies.                     
 

     

10.1

3/21/2012

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We started a new chapter in CORE. We are beginning to learn about the renaissance. I think it will be fun. The last chapter, we did a project. We had to do a creative way to teach about on of the topics. My group got 10.1. I think it was really fun. We (I) made a diorama of the feudal system, and a poster board with information, that I made as well. The whole project was really good, I think. Mrs. Frazier says that she wants to keep it, which is fine because its too much stuff to carry around. I am pretty sure we got an A

10.1 Is all about the Popes and Kings. They were fighting over who got to choose the church officials. The Pope excommunicated the King from the church, but eventually let him back in. He was not allowed to choose the church officials anymore, though, because the Pope was now given that privilege. 
 
In science, we have completed our evolution chapter, and are adding on new layers. Our new topic is determining the ages of rock layers, determining what type of rock they are, and understanding the rock cycle. Mrs. Poole has tought us that the layers on the bottom are older, and the ones on the tops are younger. We have done several layers of worksheets, and I think I have it down. 
The Rock Cycle shows how a rock is altered on its life journey. A rock can change from igneous to sedimentary, sedimentary to metamorphic, and much more. The rock cycle is interesting, because it shows that heat and pressure have a major impact on a rock's life. Also, erosion and weather changes can also affect a rock. 
This topic is very f 
 
I went to the detective's office today, they are trying to track the car. I can't talk to them that much because I can't talk to people that easy. The detective talks to me like I'm a  baby, he must be blind because on my name tag it says that I am 15. I try to tell the detective what I  saw, and I tell him where the bullet came from. Except when it comes to my mom I can't tell him that much, because I don't know that much. I know that he really wants to help, but he doesn't have to keep pushing. 
"Mariah, I understand that this is hard for you, but what did the person in the car look like?" Det. Elliot asks me.
I see the whole incident over again in my head. I see the car, and hit pause. "I can't see the person, but i see the window roll down, and he-wait, she has a hat on, it covers her face and is black, the rest of her clothes are normal, with pink---wait, red splatter paint...or blood. Can I get some water? My throat is bone dry." I try to change the subject, but that was a pretty week topic to change it, like we are going to start talking about my dry throat. 
"Of course." He got up and hit a button that I assumed was an intercom. "Can we please get the lady some water?"  He demanded. We waited, then the water came in. I recognized the man who brought it to me, a teacher? No. A director? No. My gardener? Yes, my gardener. He saw the whole thing, he was standing right next to my grandma, he dove when the bulet came. As if he thought it was aimed for him. 
"That man, does he work here?" I ask.
"Yeah he has been working as an intern for a few years now, why?" Elliot replied
"Oh, he is my gardener, he was there at the shooting. I wonder why he hasn't said anything, I say, "Oh, well."
"Do you have any more time?" He asked.
"No, I have to go to a performance, and I have to ride my bike." I said gathering up my backpack and my binder. 
"How about we get some dinner with my Detective partner Jane, then we can drop you off at your performance?" He asked.
I smiled, this is the first invitation I   have ever gotten. "Yeah, that would be nice." I found my first friend, and I don't even know hisfirst namee
 
Last period, I had a math test. I got 9/10. Which is a 90%. I was really surprised, because I thought I was going to do way worse. The test was about planes, lines, rays, line segments etc. I finished second, and I felt like I might have rushed through it.. I wound up actually feeling good about my grade. It was totally easy, I zipped right through it. I missed the first one, because I put line instead of ray. That's pretty annoying, but it was my fault. I really was proud of myself, I hope I get 100% on the next test.

A Plane is a flat surface that goes on in every direction. Planes can be parallel perpendicular, and skew to each other. A line is a straight edge that goes on forever in two directions. Usually a line is drawn with two arrows on the ends, to show that it goes forever.  A ray is a line that has a point on one end, and extends forever on the other, that end is drawn with an arrow. A line segment is a line that ends eventually on both sides, so it has two end points. When lines are perpendicular, they cross to form right angles, parallel  
 
I went to see her in the hospital today,the bullet is lodged in her leg, and she might have bled to death if I hadn't taken health in 8th grade. I'm glad I took that advice. The doctors said it hit her bone, and shattered it. I fell to the ground, she was lucky, they said. I wanted to scream at them, "Lucky? Lucky as in poor, ill, broken, and having to take care of me on the way?" It was a mouthful of words though, and I couldn't even say one at the moment. I felt like staying in the hospital all night, but I had to go on stage and put on a happy smile, I guess those tears streaming down my face were supposed to be happy too. No one knows me, my family, and they don't know what goes on. I think they see me as a loner, but I am a loner. I want to be alone, with my mom's cat, and my new dog. 
My mom. Her car, it was outside, I don't remember being in the car, but I remember seeing it, in pictures, outside my school, I can still smell the pine from the air freshener. The car is torture, though, torture because I was so happy to see it, until the bullet came shooting out of it.