I loved this year in Computers. I had a lot of fun with the projects. I didn't have such a hard time, because I had computers all through elementary school. I really liked all the fun projects and I liked how we got exposed to current technologies. First of all, I really liked how the class was taught. The timing was well-structured, and we had a pretty good amount of time for each project. In fact, we had abundant time. I didn't like how we worked with Armstrong's class on the Google History Trip Summary thing. They hardly did any work. I asked several groups in our class and they agreed. 
     I especially liked working with Publisher, that was really cool.I really appreciate Mr. Kimbley's hard work to keep this class up-and-running, most kids would probably be failing without his generosity. I liked how the  drop box thing was setup, but I think the student folders should be setup in a Google Doc folder, that way, it could be accessed from anywhere. I think more work should be done in Google Docs, because kids who have internet access can work at home, and in school. 
      I really enjoyed being able to work with my class mates during class, it gives everyone a sense of security, I think. Also, when I was out sick, I would get on the computer at home during the time we would be at computers, and be on the GOogle Docs, so I could talk and work with my group. Also, if I was absent, I could just go online the day I was absent, and see what we did in computers, then, I could usually just finish up whatever I needed to. I really liked this year's computers curriculum and lesson plans. ALthough, the infographic thing could use more time.
I also didn't like how some kids in groups did all the work, within our class. I thought that was unfair. Anyways, over all, this was the best computer education I could have recieved as a Middle Schooler. Thank you Mr. Kimbley.
 
I think I am going to have an awesome summer. I am currently in rehearsal for Calamity Jane. I am doing the actual show, and I am really excited. Yesterday was my first rehearsal. I have rehearsal tomorrow and Friday. I think it is going to be very fun. I am just the ensemble, so I don't have to do much. I went into the prop room with some of my friends from juniors, and we stayed in there until it was our time to go out. I hope that not all the rehearsals are like that. As you may know, Louise Mandrell is going to be playing Calamity Jane. She wasn't there yesterday, but I have a feeling she was already taught the dances. My friends Mariah was there, so that helped ease the nervousness. 
Also, over the summer, I will be doing swim/water polo, tennis, dance classes, and probably summer school, to get ahead for next year. I am really excited about my summer. although I can't really do much, I will be having fun at the shows, (even though they go late), and I will be having fun swimming and dancing with my friends. 
Some of the kids who I know that are in Calamity Jane are, Chris, Sal, and Mariah. Also, my best friend's mom is in it. She is really nice, and was helping me with the dance. 
 
We have a very skeptical predicament. I think we have a problem, and I don't think it can be solved. Today in period 3, it' period 4 now, we had a horrible awakening. Mrs. Poole made a deadline for our zoo projects! A DEADLINE!!! How could she? I didn't want to take any attitude up with her, but I knew that something was up, I was about to raise my hand and ask why, and she said, "I looked at someone's report so far, and there is barely 3 words!" So this is all one person's screw up? This all leads up to Teen Tip #2...NEVER get behind. Some of us are thinkers, well, that's what some people like to call it, at least. Actually, we are procrastinators, we just think and think and think, and think until the night before the deadline.

I used to be a...thinker....I would sit around infront of the TV and "think" about my "project" I found out that that is useless. Procrastination has a best friend, it's name is LAZY. You might be lazy, but your teacher could care less that you are sore from soccer, dance, or swim. I hate to break it to ya, but life is a butt, life doesn't like the way you can get away with anything, so it makes rules, so listen to these tips, because these teen tips are a good way to evade breaking those rules. 

SO you know when you get home and your parent asks you what you did at school? Usually the answer is "Not, Much, just some dumb math and some  sciencey stuff. Next time your mom or dad asks you what you did at school make sure and say, "Well my teacher set a deadline for our projects, and I am glad, because it is making me extra motivated!!!" That sounds more...positive...right? Don't be sad, be glad, you just got a good tip, from a good experience. Good luck out there!!!
 
The seventh graders all went on a trip to the zoo. It was pretty fun, and we got to see an amazing bird show. Our entire seventh grade class went on 4 busses. That means three to a seat. You are probably wondering how I am going to tie a teen tip in here, because they are usually based off of my experiences. Well, today's isn't. Our chaperones were from Edison High, they each gave us a grade on how we behaved, and how much we participated. I got an A+ and so did almost everyone else in my group. Except one person, he will not be mentioned by his actual name, so we will call him Bob. 

You see, when Bob, me and the rest of the group were at free time, Bob kept wondering away to other exhibits. He was being a bit moody, and did not want tot participate in the activities that we had. Bob's grade slowly went from an A+ to a B-. Bob couldn't understand, he knew he had been wandering off, but he had no idea that it would lower his grade. "Follow Your Group and Your Chaperone" that had to be at the top of the rule list. So, Teen Tip # 4- Follow directions closely, Bob was lucky he at least got a B, that was a big science grade, you know. I am happy with my grade. I needed it for science.

At the zoo, we got to see a lot of animals, but while we were going to look at out animal, Bob wondered off, and we all had to go find him. By the time we got to our groups animal (the one we are researching) , it wasn't even there. I started to wonder, if we didn't have to go look for Bob would we have seen our animal? The group leaders were upset at Bob. Anyways, you should check out the Chaffee Zoo, heres a link to it's website, and one to the research site.
Research Site: http://computechzoo.weebly.com/#/news/ 

Chaffee Zoo official website:\http://www.fresnochaffeezoo.org/ 
 
I looked around as they gave us a nice big cup of hot chocolate, but its nearly summertime, so I let it cool. I try to ask questions, but every time I do, the other Mariah cuts me off and shows me another part of her house. Once we were on the 4th floor, we turned left and she squealed, "And...THIS IS MY ROOM!!!!" The walls were sparkly and pink, and the bed was attached to the ceiling, so it swung. The bed had pink and purple rhinestones, not the the cheap kind, ALL over the frame. THe bed spread was pink with purple sparkly flowers, and her "office" area had a sparkly purple desk, and a full pink and purple personalized stationery. She had a rotating closet all controlled by a touch-screen panel on the wall. The mirror had a camera built into it, so if she was looking especially pretty that day, she could take a picture.

My clothes were dirty with...soot? I don't know why, and I don't bother asking, but I do ask to take a shower in her shower big enough to have a party in...not that anyone would. I took a shower, which had shower heads on every side, and you could change the temperature with your voice. I picked up the clothes of her's that I laid out. The least girliest clothes I could find, some jeans and a plain black tee shirt. I stepped out of her bathroom, and I saw Mariah 2 on her bed. She was sobbing harded than I've seen anyone sob. Her hands covered her face.

"I know we hardly know each other, but you can tell me anything." I say, "I feel like we are somehow connected." 
She looked up at me, "We are," she said, " I am you." I looked up and saw the seriousness across her face. Across my face, actually. "My mother," She said, "Your mother, she didn't die, according to her, you did. You were a little brunette baby, and your father's mother stole you away, she bleached your hair, and changed your middle and last name. SHe even, somehow, changed your birth certificate, Im sorry."
 
            Ok, so this week, in math, we started learning hoe to make tessellations. Tessellations is when you can draw a shape that can fit into THE SAME SHAPE THE OTHER WAY!!! I don't know about you, but that sounds totally righteous to me. Most people, like me, hate math, but this week, it wasn't half bad. I learned how to make pretty artwork in math, and it was really fun!!!
           Most kids are done or almost done on their tessellations, I'm almost done. I think I have one more row, and then I'm done. I am really excited to see how it turns out. I love to look at great tesselations, because tyou can tell that people put a lot of effort into them. One in my mathbook was made out of lizards, it was really ccool. Mine is like a bear, cat, dog, rat, fox thing. It is really cute though.
           Anyways, I had to find a way to fit in the third teen tip, so I am cutting it really close on this one. Teen tip # 3: Don't judge a book by it's cover. You see, I hated math, and I thought it was all bad. This tessellation stuff really changed my mind about that. I have to say, You should try to make one!!! Maybe even show your math teacher I bet she/he would be proud.  

 


 
We have to do the dumb CSTs they are so boring, especially when you are like stuck in your first period class for like....ever. I tried to tell my mom that I was "sick" this week. I think she started to realize that I get sick every CST week. I don't like CST, because when you have to go to sleep at 8:00 every night, you start to get a little annoyed, and I will, let me tell you. I can't even go to sleep at nine. I am usually tired, but I can't sleep. Your parents might tell you that even just resting is good, but it isn't forget about it, you'll never get ENOUGH rest. I never do, at least. Plus, the other kids are thinking the same exact thing as you, "If I bomb this test, will I not have to ever take a STUPID CST again?" The answer is no, let me tell you now. I've never bombed a CST, but I can see the outcomes, and I don't think you would like to live in a box, or eat someone else's moldy hot dog for dinner. The rats don't prepare the nachos that well, either. Just listen to TEEN TIP #1, "Do YOUR best on the test!!!"  YOUR best as in don't cheat, you are a smart person
 
I leaned my head as far as I could, but I couldn't see in between the bars. "You live on this street?" I ask. "Yeah," she said, "My house is right by an alley, almost exactly like the one out here. No, wait, EXACTLY like the one here." Her face went white, "This is my house?"  She wasn't crying, in fact she couldn't stop talking, "I knew we had a boarded up window facing the alley, but barred? I don't know this is all starting to sound pretty strange to-" I looked at her in disbelief, "Starting to sound strange? Starting?The big old gaping hole in your leg, the rusty, bone filled room, us looking completely identical, that stuff wasn't strange?" I snap at her. "My, mother she will rescue us, and my father he will come too." She said. I stared at her, a pause, "They will rescue us? Or do you think they kidnapped us?" She glared at me, "How dare you! I am a loved child, they would never do this to me!!!" I couldn't believe she was saying this right in front of me. I fell to my knees, and felt my eyes burn as a bright light flashed on. The woman, from the car? No, but similar looking. Except, she had a way better fashion sense. I stared at her, and she ran to give me a hug, I pushed her away. 
        The room was rather clean, and I found out that the bones were for their dogs, who came racing in after the lady. She brought in some men who wiped off our faces, and put some sort of ointment that healed the other Mariah almost  instantly. "I'm sorry if you mistook us for kidnappers. We didn't mean to frighten you." The woman said, and a frail blonde secretary with a rather pointed face nodded quickly, to assure us, I guess. "Ok, why did you chain us up?" I ask, "And why is the metal all rusty?" The room was relatively clean, but all the metal was rusty and gross looking. "You both put up quite a fight, and one of the two of you clones got stabbed, we quickly gave you both cloraphorm, and you went right out. We had to chain you up, because you kept growling in your sleep, and we didn't want to get hurt." She said, the flamingo-like secretary nodded and raised her eyebrows. 

CST

5/2/2012

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Over the past couple weeks, we have been doing review for the CST test in math, lame right? It's really boring and I don't like having homework on the weekends, that is really lame. I think it is helping me, though, the whole lot of it. All we have been doing in math is review. It is pretty lame, but its much easier. I like the way Ms. Pope talks to us about it like the material is brand new and we have never learned it before, It is kind of funny, actually.
The CST review homework usually consists of 16 or more problems. they are all review and relatively easy. I like homework when I actually know what I am doing. I think that everyone should be doing review before CST's in every subject. I like this idea, overall, and I'm glad Ms. Pope is making us do it. I think that we are going to have to step it up, our school in general, because we don't want to fall behind other schools, test score wise.
 
           Over the past few weeks we have been working on a project. the science and computer teachers were in charge of the lasst dance, they raised over 300 dollars. With this money and other donations, the seventh greaders will be taking a trip to the zoo. The Chafee Zoo. Of course, we have to tie it into schoolwork, so we are each given a group and an animal. In our groups, we have to research and write a report on an animal.
             We have 4 people in our group. I am dne with my part, and so is Hollie. Momo and Isaac still have a little ways to go. I think that we are off to a pretty good start, and anyways, we got a pretty unknown animal. Our animal is the Eyelash Viper. It is native to South America, but it is in the Chaffee zoo. I like this project, I'm, having a good time.