Harschal’s Blog

Who is Theo Van Doesburg?

Theo Van Doesburg is a Dutch painter who originally created realistic, representational artwork. He lived from 1833 – 1931, and his artwork was influenced by Vincent van Goh. Theo then later met Mondrian in his life, and started to create completely abstracted artwork. Theo also co-founded De Stijil and worked to spread its ideas throughout the world.

What is Abstraction?

Abstraction is making realistic art not representational. This is often done by making something flat and simple and making it seem 2D and simple. The most common ways to make something abstract are organically, and geometrically. Organic abstract art consists of organic shapes. Geometric abstract art consists of geometric shapes and lines.

What were the steps you completed in producing a series of drawings that started out realistic and transitioned to something abstract?

To create my artwork, I first chose an object in the room and sketched a realistic drawing of it. I had picked a hammer. I then started to make my drawing abstract, I did this by using geometric shapes and made my original drawing “flat”. On my third sheet of paper, I flattened my drawing even more so it would look 2D. On my final sheet of paper I used only geometric shapes to make it as simple and abstract as it could possibly be, and then my art abstraction of a hammer was complete!!

4. What conclusions can you draw about the author? Why do you think he/she wrote the text? What beliefs do you think the author might have? Why? Support your response with evidence from the text.
Does the author tend to write stories with the same/similar themes?
What audience do you think the author is writing for?
Does the author inform you, teach you, entertain you, or persuade you? How? Why?
If you met the author in person, how do you imagine him/her to be? Why?

The Dragon Keeper by: Carole Wilkinson, Whole Book 1- 333

To start off with, where did Carole Wilkinson get the idea about writing about a Chinese dragon? She had always wanted to write about Chinese Dragons. “I was reading about dragon mythology in China and I came across a reference to a 2000-year-old Chinese history book. I found a translation of the book at a library. In it was a very short story about an emperor who had two pairs of dragons. The man who was supposed to look after them didn’t know how to care for dragons and one died. To get rid of the evidence, the man chopped up the dead dragon and made pickle out of it. I thought that was the most amazing little story I’d ever heard. And it was 2000 years old. So I used that as the beginning of my Chinese dragon story”. – (Carole Wilkinson)

“It is the most unusual pickle I have ever tasted”, the Empress continued. She turned to the Grand Counselor. “Tian Fen, find out what ingredient is responsible for its strange flavor”. (Wilkinson, Pg. 40) As we can see, the pickle that the girl made was out of the dragon that she had “killed”. She was so afraid that Mater Lan would beat her to death that she had to chop it up and turn it into pickle so she would not be accused of anything.

Carole Wilkinson has 3 books in the Dragon Keeper trilogy, she does tend to write books with similar themes like her Romose series of currently five books that is set in ancient Egypt. I believe that that the entire Dragon Keeper trilogy was written for people that have interest in ancient Chinese dragons. Throughout the book Carole Wilkinson teaches us Chinese Dragon history that is about 2000 years old. A few scenes in the book have been told to be exactly the same from the 2000 year old history book she had read. One of the scenes consist of a man getting rid of the evidence of one dragon dying by chopping it up and making pickle out of it.

There is no if in if you met Carole Wilkinson in person what you would think she would be like, because I have met her!! in my 2007-2008 school year (sixth grade), Carole Wilkinson was one of our visiting authors. She had only started writing when she became 40 years old, before that she was an assistant in a laboratory. She is very nice and loves ancient chinese history, especially when it involves dragons.

I think that one strong belief of Carole Wilkinson is that she believes that dragons were real 2000 years ago and how there was an emperor that owned two pairs of dragons, the man that looked after them didn’t know how to, unfortunately one died, and to cover up the evidence he chopped up the dragon and turned it into pickle. I can conclude that Carole Wilkinson enjoys writing about ancient things such as dragons, and loves history, I would love to watch the Dragon Keeper movie if it is ever made. In my opinion this is the best book that I have ever read that teaches you something from ancient history, like Chinese dragons.

How would you define ethnicity in two sentences or less?

I would say that ethnicity is belonging to a social group that has a common tradition.

Based on the definition you wrote for #1, how can you relate your ethnicity?

I can relate my ethnicity to a social group in Michigan, we would have certain things to do everyday.

What do you know of Esperanza’s ethnicity based on what you have read so far?

I know that Esperanza ethnicity is definitely differently then her families. she has different thoughts and opinions. She wants to move out of the house..She looks at others opinions and what they would think like for instance her telling somewhere where she lives, she would think twice because she isn’t very proud of where she currently lives. She is very similar, yet somehow different.

6. What is the main conflict in the book and how is it resolved? How does the setting influence each? Include specific examples.
What is the problem that the main character faces?  How does he or she address the problem?
Does the setting make a difference in the cause of the problem and how it is solved?
Would the conflict be different or resolved differently if the setting of the story was changed?

Whale Rider, Whole Movie

The setting of the Whale Rider movie is in New Zealand. The main character of the book, Pai was born as a twin, however during the pregnancy her twin brother and mother die. Pai is then raised by her grandparents. Pai’s grandfather, is the chief of the Maori people. If Pai’s twin brother had survived he would have had the power of the “chief” passed down to him. Therefore, Pai starts acting like a boy and starts to teach herself how to become a chief without her knowing. “A long time ago, my ancestor Paikea came to this place on the back of a whale. Since then, in every generation of my family, the first born son has carried his name and become the leader of our tribe… until now.”- Paikea (Pai) , Whale Rider. Pai feels like its her duty to make sure that she is the leader of the tribe even though she is a girl. However she cannot inherit the leadership because she is a female.

Pai secretly then learns from Pai’s uncle, and secretly follows Koro’s lessons. When Koro finds out that Pai is secretly training their relationship gets worse, it gets even more bad when all of the boys fail to get Koro’s valued whale tooth that he threw to the bottom of the ocean to prove who would become the new leader of the tribe. Koro refuses to accept Pai as the leader of the tribe even though she keeps showing herself to be more capable then any of the boys, she even goes into the ocean to retrieve Koro’s prize possession. Koro had been invited to go to a school by Pai to listen to Maori chants, but as he’s walking towards the school he sees whales beached near Pai’s home. The entire village tried to drag them into the water but they failed. When Pai came along trying to help he forbid her from touching the whales, but when he walks away, she climbs onto the largest whale and helps it re-enter the ocean, the other whales followed, she nearly drowned. When Pai goes out to the Sea, Pai’s grandmother shows Koro the Whale tooth she recovered from when Koro had thrown it into the ocean for the boys as the ultimate test before one could become the leader, unfortunately no boy could retrieve the tooth. Pai is then found and brought to a hospital as Koro begins to beg Pai for her forgiveness and then names Pai the new leader of the tribe.

Pai has now gotten what she had always wanted, to become the new leader of the tribe and get respect from her grandfather, Koro. She would have never been stuck with this mess if her twin brother had survived at birth. However, Pai had achieved something new, she became the first female to ever become the leader of the tribe.

Human rights are affected by systems of government.

In World War 2 the Jews were not treated the way they should have been treating…This was all because of one man, Adolf Hitler who hated Jewish people. He would torture them to death. Jews were not given freedom or the right to even be alive.

Social change begins with an individual or small group.

Social change can sometimes be good and bad. In this case, it was bad, it all started by a young powerful man named Adolf Hitler. He convinced many people that Jews should not be in this world and should all be murdered. He had many people on his side over time.

Human rights are impacted by the perception of the majority.

Throughout the holocaust many people were afraid of the Nazi’s. They would follow them and report anything going wrong. If something was not reported that meant that the Germans were supporting the Jewish people.

Systems can create inequities.

Throughout Anne Frank’s time, Hiter had convinced many people that Jews were worth nothing but a piece of trash. They were never treated the right way. The Jews were well aware of this because many of their loved ones were captured and killed. Anne’s family hid in the Annex room where they thought they would not be caught be the Nazi’s. There was never a moment of peace in a Jews life back then due to the cruel people treating them as vile souls.

Today In Class we had presentations about the sit ins.

A few key points we that a few people (The greensboro four) led to social change with the white’s and black’s being put together when they eat, and more.

Human rights are impacted by the perception of the majority. The whites were superior in that time, the black’s had no say for anything, until the greensboro four came along and changed it all. They stayed calm and just refused to move until they were served in the white section.

Human rights are affected by systems of government. Every person in the government was a white man. If there even was a black they would have to be on the white persons side if a black person was with them at court.

And last, Systems can create inequities. Depends on who they are, you will be told to do different. If a white man come to trial, he would possibly get a second chance, black man, POOF your gone.

Cloning Article

http://www.policyalmanac.org/health/archive/cloning.shtml

DNA Cloning, Reproductive Cloning and Therapeutic Cloning
DNA cloning, also known as recombinant DNA technology, occurs when a piece of DNA from one organism is transferred to a self replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The plasmid is then transferred to a bacterium, where multiple copies of the same gene are generated. DNA cloning is used by scientists to copy genes and to create enough material for further study.

Reproductive cloning is used to create an animal that has the same DNA as another animal. The famous Dolly the sheep was the first animal created by reproductive cloning. The scientists, using a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer, transfer genetic material taken from an adult cell nucleus to an egg whose nucleus has been removed.

Therapeutic cloning, also known as embryo cloning, is the production of human embryos for research purposes. They are used to harvest stem cells that are used in human development research and potentially in the treatment of many diseases. Stem cells can be used to generate virtually any type of specialized cell in the human body. Stem cells are extracted from the embryo when it is 5 days old, the extraction process destroys the embryo and this raises ethical concerns. Many scientists hope that one day stem cells can be used as replacement cells to treat diseases like heart disease and Alzheimer’s. It may even be used to generate tissues and organs for transplant, significantly reducing the need for organ donation.

http://genetics.suite101.com/article.cfm/cloning

Cloning: An Issue Overview
The terms “recombinant DNA technology,” “DNA cloning,” “molecular cloning,”or “gene cloning” all refer to the same process: the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. The DNA of interest can then be propagated in a foreign host cell. This technology has been around since the 1970s, and it has become a common practice in molecular biology labs today.

Scientists studying a particular gene often use bacterial plasmids to generate multiple copies of the same gene. Plasmids are self-replicating extra-chromosomal circular DNA molecules, distinct from the normal bacterial genome (see image to the right). Plasmids and other types of cloning vectors are used by Human Genome Project researchers to copy genes and other pieces of chromosomes to generate enough identical material for further study.

Reproductive cloning is a technology used to generate an animal that has the same nuclear DNA as another currently or previously existing animal. Dolly was created by reproductive cloning technology. In a process called “somatic cell nuclear transfer” (SCNT), scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose nucleus, and thus its genetic material, has been removed. The reconstructed egg containing the DNA from a donor cell must be treated with chemicals or electric current in order to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a female host where it continues to develop until birth.

Therapeutic cloning, also called “embryo cloning,” is the production of human embryos for use in research. The goal of this process is not to create cloned human beings, but rather to harvest stem cells that can be used to study human development and to treat disease. Stem cells are important to biomedical researchers because they can be used to generate virtually any type of specialized cell in the human body. Stem cells are extracted from the egg after it has divided for 5 days. The egg at this stage of development is called a blastocyst. The extraction process destroys the embryo, which raises a variety of ethical concerns. Many researchers hope that one day stem cells can be used to serve as replacement cells to treat heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases.

Behavioral Goal: Not Interrupt others.

Content Related: Talk more in the discussions.

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In the Paideia seminar I was very foucused and prepared, it’s just that I felt as if someone talked right before I was about I, I really wished that the Paideia seminar could have been a little longer…Next time I really hope to comment more.

I think “Social change begins with an individual or small group.” ties in well with todays discussion because almost of of the events that occurred in the topics such as the holocaust started with an individual and then became bigger and bigger.

5. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not? (To be done after completion of a book.)
- Was the plot interesting?
- Were the characters realistic and believable?
- Did the author use humor, suspense, foreshadowing, or other techniques that you found appealing?
- Did you learn something from this book, or did you find it entertaining?
- What kind of people may like this book? Why?
- How does this book compare to others you’ve read?

Shattered By: Eric Walters, 208 pages

I just finished reading the book Shattered By: Eric Walters. The protagonist of the book is Ian Blackburn. I would recommend this book to anyone. You can use this book to reflect on and it is believable. The book was about friendship and the bond between a teenager and a homeless person to show how we’re connected. Eric Walters took a troubled teen and put him in the path of someone extraordinary. Angry teen Ian Blackburn has to get his community hours in for civics class and ends up volunteering in a soup kitchen for the homeless by mistake. The people he meet forces him to look outside himself and the world he lives in.

I think that the characters were realistic and believable in this book. This was a real life situation. I think Ian Blackburn did the right choice by doing community service but he shouldn’t have left it to the last minute to get 40 hours. Getting mugged in a big city is probable but getting saved by a homeless man who used to be a soilder? That doesn’t happen every day..

In order to pass social studies, fifteen-year-old Ian must complete community volunteer service. Choosing to work at “The Club” sounds like fun, until he arrives at what turns out to be a soup kitchen for the homeless in an unsafe part of the city. After a near-mugging, from which he’s saved by a fierce, pipe-wielding homeless man, Ian figures this will probably be the most depressing and scary assignment he’s ever had to complete.

When Sarge, the man who saved him, shows up at the soup kitchen looking far less fierce, Ian begins to get to know him. His real name is Jacques, and he was a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces. His last tour of duty was as a peacekeeper stationed in Rwanda, an African nation Ian knows little about.

In this extraordinary book, Ian learns not only about Rwanda but about the world, and he is not at all prepared. But what will he do with his new-found knowledge? Can he help Jacques, a man who has lost everything but his nightmarish memories?

With a Foreword by General Roméo Dallaire, force commander for the United Nations Mission to Rwanda, Shattered is an important book, one that asks what one person can do to make a difference.

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” –John Wesley. This quote is telling you to help the people in need and the ones that aren’t as fortunate.

Overall, I think that this is a must read book. Eric Walters has written many books, I think this is a top 5, due to its believability and reflective side.

As the years go by, things change. The environment often changes and the organisms are either to adapt or die. Unfortunately most organisms are not able to adapt and the species become extinct. The thing is that most organisms evolve as the world evolves. The organisms are forced to adapt because of the changes in the environment. However if they cannot adapt, then they will die. If Koalas were to live in desserts they wouldn’t be able to because there wouldn’t be any trees for them to climb on and eat/sleep.