Wednesday, November 24, 2010

What I've Learned About Mars

What I've Learned About Mars


1. There are signs of water on Mars.
2. There might be life there.

3. Mars is red because of iron dust.
4. NASA is sending rovers like Opportunity and Spirit to the surface.

5. The rovers have found ice which melts underneath the surface.
6. Part of Mars used to be an ocean. They know this because of the kinds of rocks and the minerals on the surface.
7.
Small spherical "blueberries" are like rocks on the ocean bottom.
8. Mars wobb
les because it has two moons and because it has a very small magnetic field.
9. The south pole has more ice and the north pole has less.
10. Some of the theories about Mars are that it was hit by a giant meteorite that shattered the surface and the atmosp
here blew off into space.
11. There are huge volcanoes on Mars--much bigger than Earth
's.
12. NASA is working on vehicles to get humans to Mars to explore.

Dictated by Isaiah 11.24.10

Monday, February 15, 2010

Saint George and the Dragon


St. George took the kings' daughter as bait and went out to destroy the dragon. He found the dragon and they fought. St. George got really winded and nearly died but then he landed in a spring of water and while his armor cooled he became more lively. Then he fought the dragon again and was clawed. His wounds healed and he fought again. He killed the dragon by using his sword. St. George hit the dragon's neck in the right spot and it killed the dragon. Finally he went home and everyone rejoiced and he was the second one in line for the crown of the king. The girl would be his bride. This is a classic literature book. It is a picture book but it takes about 45 minutes to read. The pictures had lots of colors and were scary (which I like). Anybody who likes adventure or dragons or knights would like this book.

Star Wars Clone Wars Book Reviews


Captured:

Anikan had let himself be captured by the Sepratists to gain access to a Galactic Sepratist shuttle. They he used the force to shut down it's power until ObiWan arrived. They went to Dukoo's meditation room and he welcomed them (without even opening his eyes). Dukoo surprised them by sliding into a hole and landed in the bridge. He was greeted and sent out on a ship. Anikan and ObiWan cut through the droids and got on their own shuttle and started firing on Dukoo. Dukoo programmed one of the droids to recognize Anikan and ObiWan. At the end, Count Dukoo and Obi Wan and Anikan were all in a cell tied by the same cord. They had been kidnapped by a bunch of space pirates. They got out by using the force. Jar Jar arrived in time to buy Dukoo and take him to the republic for questioning and to put him on trial.

This is a "leisure" reading book. It has pictures just like the cartoon and can be read in about half an hour. Star Wars fans would like this book a lot.

A Review of Speed Racer: Challenge of the Masked Racer


In the beginning Racer was going down to the beach and the Masked Racer has his car being lifted down from a crane on a ship and there were a bunch of news reporters. In the middle, these guys were trying to kidnap the Masked Racer because every single race he won. But instead they got Speed Racer in the mask. Then they started a fire and Masked Racer (or Racer X) got Speed out. At the end, Speed won and really the Masked Racer was Speed's bigger brother.

This is a leisure reading book. It can be read in about 45 minutes. Boys who like racing and the "Speed Racer" cartoon would like this book.

Butterflies and Moths (DK Video)

Butterflies
1. They have a layer of skin that turns into the chrysalis and then hardens.
2. Butterflies stand on a leaf or hang from a leaf to mate by putting their abdomens together.
3. They have scales on their wings that trap the air so they can take off easier.

4. They eat nectar, but when they are caterpillars they eat leaves.
5. Butterflies are usually bright colors and they are poisonous or copy other poisonous b
utterflies.


Moths
1. Moths spin silk cocoons.
2. Moths are attracted to light.

3. Moths have antenna that are like feathers.
4. They usually have dim colors not bright ones.
5. Some moths only eat as caterpillars. They don't eat
when they become moths.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Isaiah's Winter Fun


Today it was snowing so I went outside and played with the dog. I threw the snowballs and she tried to go after them. Then I went back into the backyard and jumped on the tramp with Maggie and my sister and brother. We had a snowball fight and we wrestled the dog. Next we decided to get off and make some forts on our swingset. We got onto the fort part of the swingset and then we set some traps using snow. Gabe came over and was trying to show him a trick...to hold onto the top banister and swing to the other side. He went under me and there was snow that I was holding onto (under my hands) so it fell off and got him on the face. He started crying and then we went inside for lunch and hot chocolate.

THE END

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Tadpoles in the Spring


Last spring I saw a bunch of tadpoles at the park in the pond. I took a bucket and a net. I fished out some algae and left it in the net. I waited for the tadpoles to come in. And then a few came in each time and I put them in the bucket. Finally, I went back to the park and asked my mom if we could go back home and keep them. She said yes, so we went home. We put them into a clear plastic tub with a lid with holes (so that when they are frogs they cannot jump out. I brought pond water in the bucket. After a few days, some feet came out their back. Then they got front legs and their tail shrunk. Then they hopped on the sticks in the water and on a big stone. We switched containers and took them back to their pond and let them go.

(This is a made up story. But I wish it would happen.)

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Blacky the Crow by Thornton Burgess--Isaiah's Observations


1. Blacky has clothes on and real crows don’t.
2. He can talk..and real crows can’t.
3. He has a black beak.
4. He has black feathers.
5. He has a very mischievious attitude.
6. He warned the Ducks about the hunter by telling them but they didn’t listen.
7. Then he cawed at the ducks when the hunter was about to shoot and they got away.
8. He lives in a nest.
9. He doesn’t like to be out after dark.
10. He likes to eat eggs.
11. He tried to get hen eggs but he only got a china egg.
12. He found Hooty the Owl’s nest.
13. He tried to make Farmer Brown’s boy get the egg.
14. He tried to get all his family to pester the owls so they would get off the nest.
15. He has a bad attitude. He does a lot of mischief.

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Dog's Side of the Flood


Once upon a time there was a peaceful little dog. She had three puppies.

One day it rained so much that it flooded while she was chained to her doghouse. It started to float away. She was able to climb on top of her doghouse. The puppies swam to get on the doghouse too. She howled until she was so tired she couldn't howl anymore.

Then a man heard her and came over and unchained her and carried the puppies to safety in his boat. There were some hills nearby and the man took them there and stayed with them and fed them. Then he had a cell phone and the dog had a collar that showed her address and phone number. So he called the man who owned them and he came over and got his dogs.

THE END>

Friday, January 22, 2010

Observations from "A Water Snake's Year"


We read "A Water Snake's Year" for Science.

Here's what I observed.
1. She had red speckles on her back.
2. They have live young.
3. She eats toads and fish.
4. She eats lots of frogs.
5. They hibernate in the winter...underground.
6. When they hibernate they breathe a few times a day and their hearts beat a few times a minute.
7. They bask in the sun to get energy.
8. Males will go after her to try to mate with her.
9. They shed their skin by rubbing against rocks from their nose down.
10. They do not lay eggs.