Wednesday, May 5, 2010

General Announcements:

• Friday, May 7: We will be meeting at 8:30 directly at Helen Hills Hills Chapel for a hip-hop rehearsal. There is an essential e-mail from Amy about coordinating transportation to and from Smith College. We need to know:
  • If you need transport from HCCPS to Smith at 8:15
  • If you can drive from HCCPS at 8:15
  • If you can drive from Smith to HCCPS at 9:30 - We need to transport the whole class back and, due to scheduling, the bus is not an option.
• Share Your DC Pictures! Pick up to 20 of your best shots from DC to upload to the group account at Photobucket for official trip documentation. Sort photos into the albums for Monuments/Memorials, Museums, People, and Other. Email Grace if you need the login information or if you have trouble logging in. The account is private, but I have a separate guest password to pass along to parents, grandparents, etc. which grants view-only access.
• You must have an independent reading book every day. If you are getting close to the end of one, have the next one at school and ready to go.

Math:

• 7th Grade:
  • Due Thurs., 5/6:
    • Finish open response #39 if not yet completed -answers written out on separate paper as if in test booklet. You will need graph paper.
    • Percent worksheet handed out today, #1s only (both sides).
• 8th Grade:
  • Complete 5.10, #1-10, using symbolic method.

Social Studies:

• None assigned

Science:

• Due Thurs., 5/6:
  • Finish the two open response questions (about the liquids in the cylinder and changes between the solid/liquid/gas phases.)
  • Review Ch. 7 in Physical Science book.

Language Arts:

• Due Thurs., 5/6: Read for 20 minutes in independent reading book.

Moment of Zen:

Inane Legalities #527: Sr. Vera's Claim to the Moon

In 1954, Jenaro Gajardo Vera, a Chilean lawyer, filed a claim of ownership over the moon. Surprised critics found they didn't have legal grounds to dispute Vera's claim. It wasn't until 13 years later, in 1967, that the Outer Space Treaty specifically prohibited ownership of non-artificial celestial bodies. However, this specifically covers government ownership. The 1979 Moon Treaty specifically prohibits private ownership, but this document has only been ratified by a spare few countries (Chile is on that list but, interestingly, the US isn't). All sorts of tales have circulated about different fallout from Vera's claim, but it's difficult to tell to what degree they are based in fact, if at all, and how far removed from their kernel of truth they've come. Click the picture above to read more about these stories. However, what is possibly the most amusing punchline to Vera's claim is his reason for doing it: He was applying for membership to a club, but had been rejected because he didn't own property. This was his solution. (picture from 1902 French sci-fi "action" movie, Voyage dans la lune)