Minecraft

Written by Andrew

Do you want to learn about one of the most well known sandbox games?  A sandbox game is a game where you can do almost anything you want to without any rules.  In this sandbox game, you can build anything you want like tree houses, temples, and hotels.  In fact, I have built a hotel myself.  This game is called Minecraft, and I will share facts about the game with  you.

Every day about 998,000 people play Minecraft!  People play from all over the world.  Minecraft is a game for all ages and all types of people.  This game is so fun because you can do and build anything you want.  You do not have to listen to rules or follow instructions.  This game provides a lot of freedom to the player.  

There are two versions of Minecraft.  The first is “creative” and the second is “survival.”  When playing the creative mode players have unlimited blocks and can build anything they want.  Players can also fly in the creative mode.  Conversely, playing in survival mode the player does not have unlimited blocks, you have to chop down trees, break grass to find seeds and dirt, and create tools like a pickaxe to mine iron and stone.  In survival mode there are zombies, creepers, skeletons, and spiders.  These are the monsters that the player has to slay so they can survive. Players can also kill animals to get meat to eat.  When playing in creative mode players use their creativity and imagination to make huge creations.  When playing in survival mode players need to make strategic choices so that they can survive.

Markus Persson made Minecraft.  Markus Persson created Minecraft when he was 30 years old.   Markus was born June 1, 1979 and is 37 years old as of today.  Markus is Swedish and began programing when he was 18.  Markus Persson made Minecraft which is the category with the Kindle Fire, Minecraft PC which is the category with the computer, and the Minecraft gaming console which is the category with the X-Box.  Minecraft PC is the oldest version of Minecraft.  The newest update is update 9.1 on PC.  In 9.1 there are shields, beetroot soup, a potion called dragon’s breath, shulker which turns into chorus fruit, and elitha so you can fly.  Markus Persson also made Metagun, Minigun, and Minecraft.

I hope you learned something about Minecraft.  Hopefully you will be excited and play this sandbox game today!

Dogs

                                                        

                                                        

  Dogs   

Written by Kate

There a lot of different kinds of dogs in the world.  Some are big, some are small, but all are different. Every single dog has a set of characteristics and personality.  Dog are lovable, playful, and great friends. Everyone has to love dogs!  There are somethings that are the same for all dogs.  Read to find out what most dogs have in common.

There are about 340 dog breeds in the world.  There are 167 in the United States.  Labradors are the most popular breed in the United States.  

Interestingly, dogs are comforting most of the time when you're with them. They can relieve stress.  You might think that dogs only communicate when they bark but, when dog wag their tails they are talking. We can't hear it.  When dogs wag their tails to the right they are happy.  When they wag their tales to the left they are scared.  Dogs also may get jealous if they see you showing affection toward something or someone else other than them.

Dogs have different years than humans. When a dog is one in human years, it is actually 15 in dog years! So, if the average life of a dog is 11 years they are really 165 in dog years. The oldest dog was 29 in human years, but 319 in dog years.

     The following are some interesting facts about dogs:

1. A mother dog carries her pups for 60 days before being born.  
2. The most popular names for dogs are Max and Molly.  
3. In Switzerland, it is legal for people to eat cat and dog meat.  That is so sad!  
4. Chocolate is very bad for dogs!  Chocolate will make them sick or even kill them! Do not give your dog chocolate!
5. Dog may be able to learn over 150 words, for example commands such as, “sit,” “down,” “shake,” and “stand.”
6. Grownup dogs have 42 teeths.
7. Dogs can only see the colors black, white, blue and yellow.  They are color blind.  

Dogs can be very different, however they have some characteristics that are the same.  Did you know that dogs can smell about 1,000 to 10 million times better than you. Dog are living things make sure you treat them with respect.

Resources:

25 Cool Dog Facts - Petfinder

Dog Facts - Animal Planet

10 facts about dogs | Cesar's Way

20 Incredible Dog Facts That Even Cat Lovers Will Enjoy - BarkPost

33 Awesome Facts About Dogs - BuzzFeed

20 Amazing Dog and Puppy Facts - Dogtime

Dog Facts: 63 Facts about Dogs ←FACTSlides→

The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2

The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2?

By Emma and Bella

We all love everything Disney. Well, at least we do. Disney shows, Disney movies, Disney World, you name it. But, we especially love Disney movies! To be exact, The Incredibles!!!! Did you notice the extreme cliffhanger at the end of The Incredibles 1? We DEFINITELY did!

At the end of the first Incredibles, the Incredibles were walking out of Dash’s track meet when The Underminer popped out of the ground! Then, the Incredibles put on their masks. That was the end of The Incredibles. I know what you’re thinking, “They can’t just leave us hangin’ like that!” Well, we did a little research and it turns out that you won’t be left hanging’ for that long.

Apparently, they’re coming out with an Incredibles 2 in 2019! It may not directly take off where the last movie ended but, you will still get the full Incredibles experience! The major plot of the movie has not been revealed yet. Despite the secrecy of the movie, they still want to keep the main characters intact and to keep the vibe of the first movie to continue on to the second one while exploring something new.

 

There have been rumors that Jack-Jack is the villain.  He was so overwhelmed by his powers that he became a villain.  Another rumor is that Dash also might be a/the villain. Dash and Jack-Jack might get into a fight of who’s the better hero. Finally, The Incredibles might fight their old friend, Frozone, because he might be a villain also. He was jealous of Mr. Incredible and wanted the spotlight. So many villains! Who will it be?

What we really want to know is, will it be as good of a movie as the last one? Will Edna Mode, Frozone, Kari McKeen and other beloved characters from the classic Incredibles return? I guess we’ll just have to watch the next movie to find out! So get your tickets ready, in like, three years!  I know that we’ll be first in line for The Incredibles 2!

Here are some reviews from the Incredibles www.commonsensemedia.org :

  Overall- 5 out of 5 stars and ages 7+

  Educational value- 2 out of 5 stars

  Positive messages- 4 out of 5 stars

  Positive role models- 3 out of 5 stars

  Violence & scariness- 3 out of 5 stars

  Parents say- 4 out of 5 stars and ages 6+    

  Kids say - 4 out of 5 stars and ages 7+

 

 

   

 

Enrichment Vocabulary Activity

Farfallina Vocabulary Story

Written by Danny

One day a butterfly recognized his friend.  They fluttered together to school.  But when they got there, they realized their teacher had vanished.  The peered under the desk and found their teacher laying on the floor.

The teacher giggled and said, “I’m just playing a game.  Go to your seats and turn to page 26 in your Math Book.”  They had a math test and went home.

When they went home they snuggled into their love sacks and watched tv.

2017 Drug Free Calendar Contest Infomercial

2017 Drug Calendar Infomercial

The History and Future of Computers

The History and Future of Computers
By Danny Trevorrow

John Von Neumann was the first to make a computer.  The computer he made used giant vaccume tubes to do calculations for bombs.  Before he worked on the computer, John Von Neuman worked with Stanislaw Ulam and Richard Feynman on the Manhattan Project.  They developed the first nuclear bomb.  But in 1946, John Von Neumann said, “I am thinking about something much more important than bombs.  I am thinking about computers.” 1  

I am thinking about computers, too.  What can computers do in the future?  What should they be able to do?  What do we need them to do?  I think that “eye typing” would be an excellent addition to the computer.  You could have a scanner in the buttons on the keyboard that would recognize your gaze.  The computer would be programmed to recognize your wink and then the letter would be typed.

On May 3, 1953, Nils Beracielli, who worked with John Von Neumann at Princeton thought about artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time.  Beracielli’s programs were life-like but not actually alive.  If he would have kept the programs running for two generations it might have actually become alive and computers might take over the world. 1

I do not want AI in the form of robots or really any AI  to take over the world. AI could just keep on building on and on.  A year for humans would be a day for AIs and a year for AIs would be like a century for humans.  The AIs would just keep building and they would probably kill humans just like the Terminator in the movie Terminator.

In 1976, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs worked together to make Apple 1 which was the first personal computer.  Now in 2016, Apple 1 has become the iMac and there are also many generations of iPhones.  Computers evolve over time and huge changes can occur in a year. 2

In 3016, what will computers become? “The technological singularity is the hypothetical advent of artificial general intelligence (also known as "strong AI"). 3 Such a computer, computer network, or robot would theoretically be capable of recursive self-improvement (redesigning itself), or of designing and building computers or robots better than itself.” This is exactly what I do not want to happen.  I am concerned that AIs could led to the end of the world for humans.



Sources
Uploaded on Jun 23, 2008 http://www.ted.com Historian George Dyson, The History of the computer
Scholastic: Storyworks April/May 2016 Meet the iPhone’s Grandpa



Accessed September 22, 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technological_singularit

Enrichment Support - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

My Joy Song

Written by Celine

Joy is something that makes you happy,

smile out, and keeps you laughing.

Yellow everywhere, joy is in the air.

Oh, joy, joy, joy is essential in life.

Keeps smiles high, you feel it all time.

Joy is a smile. Some days it just ain’t workin.

You’re feelin’ blue, don’t cry

you are not alone. We all have been there, too.

Just look up and say…Oh, joy, joy, joy

is essential in life, keeps smiles high.

You feel it all time. Oh, joy, joy, joy

is the key to my smile. It might take a while,

but it’s worth all the time. Oh, joy, joy, joy

keeps the sky always blue. The sun’s up there,

too. You are never blue. Oh, joy, joy, joy

is essential in life, keeps a great smile.

You feel it all the time. Joy is a smile.

Oh, Joy, Joy, Joy is a smile.

Dragons

by Andrew

Have you ever wondered about dragons?  If so, read on. There are many different kinds of dragons.  In this text, you will find a description of several different kinds of dragons, as well as a legend about each one.   

The first dragons are Golden Winged Raptors.  They have gold wings and three claws on each foot.  Golden Winged Raptors are as tall as two houses stacked on top of one another.  They are as wide as a school bus.  The Golden Winged Raptors have two horns on their heads and they can breathe fire.  

Romans once worshiped the Golden Winged Raptor.  But once they saw an actual Golden Winged Raptor and when they went to worship the dragon, it attacked them.  Almost all the Romans died, except one smart Roman who shot the dragon with a harpoon.

The second type of dragon is an Armored Dragon. It is born with armor on it.  The Armored Dragon does not breathe fire. It can teleport, change shape, and has fireproof skin.  It is as tall as three cars stacked on top of one another.  It is as wide as two cars beside each other.  This dragon has three horns and two claws on each foot.

Armored Dragons used to be used to protect Asia.  They fought all kinds of other dragons!  Once, the Armored Dragons turned on Asia because people were doing bad things.  They broke all the houses, buildings, barns,- everything!  After they did that they found a cave and that is where they all lived the rest of their days.

The third dragon is Vegal.  His skin is purple.  He has one hundred teeth.  He lives in Antarctica and kills every dragon he sees.  He never leaves Antarctica and he hypnotizes people to do things he wants them to do.  He is the strongest dragon ever.  There is only one Vegal.  He is his own type of dragon, there are no others.

Long ago, Vegal hypnotized a Monk to kill all of the other monks.  After Vegal was done hypnotizing the Monk, monks who were still alive went to Antarctica to kill Vegal.  The surviving monks tried to kill Vegal, but sadly, they were all killed by Vegal.

The fourth type of dragon is the Double Terra Dragon.  This type of dragon has two heads and only lives in the desert.  These dragons used to be big but over time they grew smaller.  Now they are only as tall as one car and as wide as a door.  They spit rocks and only eat lizards.  If they see grass, they die immediately.

Once, there was a Double Terra Dragon that did not pass out or die when he saw grass.  This Double Terra Dragon ruled Earth.  He was in charge of everything that moved.  People did not want a dragon to rule them, so they tricked it into going to Antarctica.  The Double Terra Dragon met Vegal in Antarctica.  Vegal killed him.

The fifth type of dragon is a Cloud Dragon.  Cloud Dragons used to be deadly, however over time they changed.  When they changed, the Cloud Dragons became the friendliest of all types of dragons.  Cloud Dragons are cloud shaped with one claw on each foot, three horns, eyes, and a mouth.  They are as wide as a carpet and as tall as a piano.

Long ago, the Cloud Dragon was the second deadliest dragon ever.  He killed everybody who was nice.  Since he killed everybody who was nice everybody left in the world was mean.  Then two Armored Dragons fused together and killed the Cloud Dragon and then most of the people became nice.  After this, all the Cloud Dragons that were born were nice.

The sixth dragon is a Flame Dragon.  The Flame Dragon breathes fire, has two horns on its head, and has five claws on each foot.  They only live in volcanos. They are as tall as a tower and as wide as a building on its side.  They are all red.

Once, very far back in time, a Flame Dragon guarded a tower.  He was forced to because if he did not Vegal would kill him.  Guards forced the Flame Dragon to guard the tower because there were riches there.  When the guards came for the riches, the dragon killed them because they told him to guard the tower.  Then the head of the guards hired a knight to kill the dragon.  The knight killed the dragon and got the riches back.

The seventh type of dragon is the Terror Dragon.  Terror Dragon starts every single nightmare people have.  They are invisible, have three claws, but no horns.  These dragons can be as big as they want and can change their size.  Even though they could probably beat Vegal, they are afraid of Vegal.

Long ago, Terror Dragons helped people have good dreams until one day when a King wanted a Terror Dragon to visit a spooky place.  It took the Terror Dragon three days to travel to the spooky place.  He was frightened.  He came back from the three day journey and ever since he and all the other Terror Dragons give people nightmares.

The eighth type of dragon are Acid Dragons.  Acid Dragons can melt anything. Their height is as big as a skyscraper and their width is as wide as four filing cabinets beside each other.  Acid Dragons have five claws on their feet and three horns on their head.

Long ago, an Acid Dragon lived when the dinosaurs lived.  Every night, he would have a feast of dinosaurs, because he had a feast of dinosaurs every night he had to be a very good hunter.  After a long time there were no dinosaurs left.  That is why the dinosaurs went extinct.

The End

Matt The Dragon

By Kate

Once there was a dragon and his name was Matt. Matt had a brother named Charlie, a dad, and a mom. They lived in Dragonville. Matt’s dad wanted Matt to be mean and to eat little animals.  But Matt did not want to be mean and eat small animals.  He was nice and he liked to eat leaves on trees. Matt’s dad, brother, and mom were the opposite. They were mean and liked to kill animals.

Whenever Matt could he would save the animals. His dad was so mad that he made Matt go to summer school to learn how to be a real dragon.  At summer school Matt was given a list that said what he needed to be a real dragon. The list said that you need to have your teeth sharpened, you need to have your fire flamed, and you need to have your claws scraped.  Matt did not like this at all.

“You need to go to it!’’ his dad said.

“No!’’ Matt said and he stormed upstairs.  I am leaving he thought. He got some leaves, blankets, and clothes and he left.

It took him a while to find somewhere to stay then finally he found a small cave. By 3:30 he had eaten all of his leaves so he went out to find some more.  He saw that most of the animals were scared to see a dragon walking in the forest. He looked for leaves for half an hour.  Finally he got tired of looking and went to ask someone for directions.  

He saw a rabbit hole close by he walked over to the it.

“Hello,’’ Matt said, “can you tell me where I can find some trees?’’

The rabbit did not get out of the hole but it poked its head out.

“Why would I help you?’’ the rabbit said in a weak voice. “You ate everyone in my family and now it's just me,” said the rabbit.  Then she started to cry.

“That wasn't me!” Matt said “I tried to protect your family.”

“Then if it wasn't you, who was it?” she said angrily.

“My family,” Matt said.

“If you are really a nice dragon,” she said “and you're not trying to trick me, go get me some carrots.  There is a farm three miles down to the left.”

Matt took off to get carrots.  He got back two minutes later with his arms full of carrots. The rabbit looked really happy when she saw all those carrots.

“Wow,” she said. “I will make a deal with you, if you can get me carrots every week, I will tell you where the best trees are,” offered the rabbit.  

“Deal!” said Matt.

The next two weeks were good for Matt. He kept his promise, every week he would get carrots for the rabbit and she told him where he could find the best leave.  The leaves were so good!

Matt found out the rabbit’s name was Lavender.  Matt and Lavender became friends.  He was having so much fun Matt did not even think about his family.

Back in Dragonville, Matt’s mom and dad were talking.

“I miss him,” said his mom. “I want him to come back.”

“No,” said his dad. “He is a disgrace.  He left.”

“No, I want him back!” said the mom. “Charlie, go off and look for your brother and when you find him make him come home.”

Charlie took off.

Matt was laying in the sun right outside his new cave when Charlie showed up.

“Mom wants you to come home,” Charlie said to Matt.  

“No, I like it out here, ” Matt said.

Suddenly, Lavender appeared and Charlie attacked. Three seconds later, Lavender was gone and Charlie burped.

“Hey, that is my friend!” Matt yelled.

“Was your friend,” Charlie corrected. “Now come on, mom said she will make a deal with you if you come home.”

“Fine,” Matt said, so the two dragon brothers left Charlie’s cave and went home.

Half an hour later Matt and Charlie both got home.  

“There you are!” said Mom. “Now if you go to that camp you don’t have to be bad.”

“Did Dad agree?” asked Matt.  

“Well,” Mom brought her voice down to a whisper and continued, “No, but you can be good anyway.”

“Okay,” Matt said.

                                  The End