Class Response

In class we discovered how much waste goes into the water. Human trash like plastic bags and bottles get washed away in water causing several sea animals to die. Also, chemicals humans use gets washed away in the ocean or any body of water. Chemicals like car oil, pesticides and fertilizer gets washed away in rainy weather causing several sea creatures to die. After rain everything on land gets washed away because of the incline the land is at. Everything goes in to the water and when the water evaporates it leaves back everything else in the water, which could increase salinity and plankton. However, if we put a marsh between the land and water it will absorb most of the waste we don't want going into the water. The marsh will absorb the oil, pesticides and fertilizers and human trash. Then the water will be much cleaner which will save several lives. In class we also talked about what people could do to reduce the waste they emit. People can recycle and use less pesticides and fertilizers, and also reduce the amount of times one drives a car because it uses oil and burns gasoline.

October Sky

October Sky is an inspirational movie that displays a group of boys desires to build a rocket. In October Sky Homer Hickam must go against his fathers future plans for him so he can build his rocket. This movie shows his struggles throughout the movie but it also shows his accomplishments. Homer Hickam's inspiration was from Sputnik, a new satellite released into space by the Russians. Sputnik made history and many people were inspired and felt now anything is possible, like sending a man to space! While Homer and his friends tried to build the rocket they to be careful with the chemicals they were using. However, they poured a solution in the sink and another student threw down a match which cause all the sinks to have a fire in the classroom. Then when their rocket was accepted in to the Science Fair, Homer described the instrument used for the rocket. A nozzle was used to balance out the rocket. They also used alcohol as fuel. This rocket was like a missile. it would go up about two-hundred feet and then curve because of a magnetic force, like a missile. Then one day there was a wild fire in the woods and the boys' rocket was accused to be the lighter of the fire. but Homer and Quinten, one the boys, proved their innocence by using math. they used a formula to find the rocket that was claimed to start the fire was no where near the woods. This movie also shows the life of coal miners. Coal miners would wake up early in the morning enter the mine not knowing if they would come out alive or not. Coal mining is hazardous to health. The men wouldn't where any protect gear except for a helmet and they would breathe in methane and carbon dioxide. After breathing all that in lung cancer may occur. Unfortunately this was not known to the coal miners back then. In October Sky, Character Education traits were shown. Such as, care. Homer cared for his family so when his father was injured and couldn't work at the mine, Homer did so his brother would not loose his scholarship. Self-control was used Homer's father wouldn't let Homer and his friends build the rocket. They didn't get mad, they simply found a new place to build it. Cooperation was shown with Quinten and Homer. Homer went to talk to Quinten which no one else would do and they talked about how to build a rocket. Integrity was shown by all the Rocket Boys because they never gave up while building the rocket. The boys teacher, Miss Riley showed the boys the respect when they were building their rocket and always supported them. Homer's mother had empathy for the Rocket Boys and got upset when Homer's father didn't support them. Many people showed assertion towards the Rocket Boys and all gave them the support and supplies they needed. Overall, this movie amazing movie inspired me to reach for my dreams even more.

Down Syndrome Reflection

Down Syndrome is an unfortunate hindrance of having one or more extra chromosomes. Having Down Syndrome results towards the child having a short and wide neck, short arms and legs and have eye problems which can lead to celiac disease. Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder that someone who has it can live up to the age of forty-seven. Down Syndrome has caught my interest. I wonder how it must be to be related to one with Down Syndrome or to even have Down Syndrome. I definitely hope there will be more information about Down Syndrome and maybe ways to reduce it. Down Syndrome affects one in every seven hundred thirty-three babies. This means about five thousand four hundred twenty-nine babies are born with Down Syndrome a year. Down Syndrome made me feel respect for anyone who is dealing with it right now. 

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Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis, a very common life threatening disease that was first discovered in the 1950's. Cystic Fibrosis is a disease usually formed in early childhood and abnormal viscous mucus affects the respiratory system, pancreas and sweat glands. Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis are persistent coughing with phlegm, frequent lung infections, wheezing or shortness of breathe and poor weight gain eventhough of a good appetite. Sticky mucus is a complication that clogs the lungs and destroys the pancreas. it refrains the pancreas from creating natural enzymes form helping the body break down food. Daily treatments can ease the feeling of having Cystic Fibrosis. A treatment is a cough exercise to clear the lungs of mucus. more daily treatments will maintain optimal lung treatment and help have a healthy routine. To develop this disease both parents must have atleast one of their alleles containing Cystic Fibrosis for the child to receive it. Unfortunately, one with Cystic Fibrosis will only live up to the average age of thirty-seven. Cystic Fibrosis kills 30,000 people only in the US. Meanwhile, 70,000 people die of Cystic Fibrosis in the World. This disease is most common in Caucasians' but this disease can be given to anyone. Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that has no cure developed yet. This disease is a tragic occurrence. I feel great empathy for anyone who has Cystic Fibrosis. The pain that a person feels with Cystic Fibrosis is unbearable according to my personal opinion. Cystic Fibrosis doesn't allow the victim of this disease to live a complete life. Undoubtedly, Cystic Fibrosis is cruel disease that attacks the victims' respiratory system, pancreas and sweat glands. Anyone who gets Cystic Fibrosis deals with conditions they don't deserve.

DNA Extract Conclusion

In class we have extracted DNA from either an animal, human or a fruit, strawberry. I personally did the strawberry. In this lab, noticed that the plant DNA was more visible than the human DNA because the strawberry had more cells. A plant has two genes meanwhile a human has four genes. The strawberry was twelve milliliters when in liquid form. Then I added detergent. Then detergent laid on top of the strawberry and it was clear. After, I added enzymes which was a tan powder. Then salt was added and which mixed in with the enzymes and detergent. Lastly, isopropanol was add and the overall amount of liquid in the test tube was fourteen milliliters. I saw the DNA at the top of the solution. It was a white color. I had done everything right in the lab because my outcome was that there was DNA at the top. However, if I had mixed of the the test tube anytime during this lab I would not have been able to see the DNA of a strawberry.

Current Event= The Explosion in the Sky

On February Twentieth the Swift Burst Alert Telescope picked up that there was a gamma ray burst at 2:12 am. That was the second burst that was picked up around that time. This burst was visible to the naked eye, which is very unusual. The gamma ray explosions' name is GRB 080319B. Scientist said that there were brilliant afterglows. It's said that these after glows were 2.5million times better than the afterglows of the most luminous supernova ever. In Chile the Very Large Telescope and Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas a measured the bursts' red shift. The red shift was 0.94 which translates to a distance of 7.5 light years. That means that this explosion took place 7.5 billion years ago. The reasons why we could see the burst with the naked eye was because scientists say it was directed at Earth. Reasons that scientists think it was so big was because its mass, its spin, or magnetic field of the progenitor star. I think that this would be a once in a life time opportunity to view this. I also think that GRB 080319B was something that was in the right place in the right time. This is a magnificent natural space occurrence.

S.S. Blog= Wildfires in Austrailia

In Australia there was a wildfire that spread everywhere. People were told to leave or be ready to fight this outrageous fire. Princess Anne went to Wandong to meet those who are helping out in the fire. Such as, firefighters and emergency workers. This is only the day after she has returned from aboard and so much as happened. This was one of the most deadly fires known and over 750,000 people have been missing and misplaced due to the fire. The fire became bigger by the wind. The wind blew the fire around.

" It's a precaution in terms of getting people out early," said O'Callaghan, a member of Yarra Ranges Shire. Many people left in a rush. Many were in anticipation of what would happened to their home. More than 750 homes were burned and 1,200 square miles have been burned. The two governments are willing to help the ones who lost almost everything. I think that what has happened in really tragic. Australia hasn't had a big fire like this since 1983, so this must be hard for them. Many frantic drives died in their cars because they couldn't breathe or see through the black smoke.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printededition/front/la-fg-australia-fired-2009feb09,0,6884928.story