What Does Soap do to Water?

A Science Experiment
By Christina

Question: What does soap do to water?

Hypothesis: Soap breaks the surface tension

Supplies:

• A reasonably large bowl
• Water
• Black Pepper
• Tweezers
• Facial Tissue
• Soap
• Gum

Procedure:

1. Fill bowl 3/4 with water.
2. Wait till water is still.
3. Shake pepper on the water until fairly coated.
4. Touch surface with tweezers. Note.
5. Add more pepper
6. Rip small amount of tissue, wet, and roll into a ball.
7. Use tweezers to put facial tissue in. Note.
8. Add more pepper if necessary.
9. Chew gum
10. Pull off a chunk of gum.
11. Use tweezers to put in gum. Note.
12. Let water settle
13. Pull off a bit of soap.
14. Wet soap.
15. Dip soap in water. Note.
16. Clean up.

Data:

• The tweezers had no effect on the pepper.
• The facial tissue had no effect on the pepper.
• The gum had no effect on the pepper.
• When the soap was placed in the water, the pepper moved away from to soap to the edges of the bowl.

Conclusion:

My hypothesis was right. Soap pushes surface tension away and therefor pushes the pepper away with it. 

The Angel's Appearance

by Christina
A "Flash-back" story

As I lie in my bed I remember last year, when I met my best friend, who had once came to make my wish come true. She still visits me often, as I get lonely. Mom and Dad aren't around much, so she and my stuffed animals are my only company. And now, as I look back, my adventure with her is as clear as though it happened yesterday

~oOo~

"I was in bed, as I am now, but I was worried. My father went to Europe, looking for a job. The trip had cost us most of our money and I could tell that Mom was struggling to keep us fed. She was working as hard as she could, and I tried to help her. But it was hard. Many times when Mom or I found something  she would press it on me, insisting I needed it more than she did. But I always try and have her eat. We often wen tot the streets, looking for scraps. I looked at the sky, and saw a shooting star. I wished, please help us. Then to my astonishment, it swiveled in my direction. It began to streak towards me. I stood as it streaked closer... I closed my eyes, waiting for the crash. There was thunder, light, and then nothing. I opened my eyes.

"Surprising, isn't it?"

I spun around. There, on my shelf, was a stuffed dragon, but the most surprising thing was the dragon was moving. I gawked unable to say anything. Then the dragon turned its head towards me. "I believe I had com to help a human, " the dragon said, "but it seems I was mistaken and I must help a fish."

I closed my mouth but as I stared, my mind was racing. This must be a dream, I confirmed. The dragon snorted, sending sparks everywhere. "A dream? I should think not." I was so surprised I spun around, collapsed on my bed, and fainted.

~oOo~

There was laughter behind me. There stood Leriline, perched on the shelf.

I smiled. "Well, it can be surprising when your stuffed animal comes to life."

"Yes, very surprising," she said. "Continue the story."

~oOo~

"The next day I woke up. "I had a weird dream," I said. "I dreamed that I saw a shooting star, but it wasn't a shooting star, and my dragon came alive. Oh well," I said, sitting up. "It doesn't matter."

"Does it?" Said a soft, small voice. Behind me was the dragon, sitting with its tail curled over its feet. The dragon leaped into the air, and landed gracefully on my chest. "A bit skinny..." The dragon said, circling my waist. "Tall, young, and fast, but the heart? Been through hard times... I've done enough. You are te one I was sent for. Yesterday I was unable to introduce myself properly. My name is Leriline, female angel. You must be Lily."

"How do you-" I began.

"I know many things," said Leriline. She flew to the stand where she examined my stuffed animals: a bear, a squirrel, and a unicorn. "Do you mind?" she asked. Then, before I could answer, there was thunder, light, and three animals staring  in confusion at each other. The unicorn got to her feet and said, "So, my name is Acacia? Not sure about that name..."

As Leriline beckoned me closer, she said, "I'd like to introduce you to Lily!" She flew to my shoulder and they looked u. Squirrel gave a shriek of terror and hid behind Acacia's legs. Anna fell backwards in a faint. Acacia, however, looked up and gave a leap to the floor. Squirrel also jumped and hurried out of the room. I followed, Acacia running in front of me and Leriline flying just over my head. Then Squirrel shot into my mother's bedroom.But when I went in, no one was in the room, not even Squirrel. My mother had vanished, and there was a tiny ball of light. I leaped for the ball. I heard "Lily, no!" before I disappeared.

~oOo~

Well, that was unexpected." Acacia said.

""I don't know what had come over me." I said.

"Well," said Leriline. "I think it's time I take over."

~oOo~

"Lily leaped for the ball. "Lily, no!" I yelled. She hung in the air for a second then disappeared.

"What happened?" cried Acacia, alarmed.

"That was a portal," I explained. "It took her somewhere else, and it's probably not a good place."

"Let's go, then!" Acacia cried. "We have to save Lily!"

"I don't think we should-" I stopped as Acacia hit it and disappeared. "NO!" I shouted, and also dived into the ball. Everything went dark, and as I collapsed on top of Acacia. My worst fears were confirmed: we were in the devil's dungeon, in a cage.

"Come to join your friends, have you?" There, behind me, stood the devil himself, all ten heads grinning.

Lily appeared out of the shadows. "You-"" she said things that made me look at her in shock.

When she finished, the devil went away, and Lily dragged out her mother, who was unconscious.

I began to mutter, and Anna appeared. "Anna!" I called. "Get us out of here!"

Anna ran. As soon as her paw touched the lock, the door slid open and we all climbed out. "Wait!" I said. "That tree!" I said, pointing to it. "It's the only know existing money tree! This could solve all Lily's problems!" Lily grabbed the tree, I said a few words, and we were back. "I must return home. What I came to do is done."

Lily turned to me. "Now?" she asked.

"Don't worry," I said, as tears began to fill my eyes. "I'll visit often, I promise." And with those last words, I retuened to heaven."

~oOo~

"Whoa!" said Squirrel, his eyes open as Leriline finished her tale.

"I nearly cried too," I admitted. Then I smiled, and said, "I'm glad to have friends like you."

History

Story of The World: Early Modern Times Ch 3
By Christina

The Emperors who ruled China said that their city was at the center of the world. The people who fought in the Thirty years war said their city was at the center of the world, and the people who ruled India said their country was at the center. Their first emperor, Babur, was a descendant from and important Mongol king. He had been a prince, wandering, when he came to India. At that time, India was split into many countries, each ruled by a nobleman. Babur led his army and conquered many cities until he made the different countries a whole empire. His descendants were fruitful and the Mongol dynasty of kings were created.

Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez

by  Danielle

 Diego was born June six 1599 in Seville Spain. In 1618 when he was nineteen, he married Juana, the daughter of the man who taught him to paint, her name was Juana Pacheco. Diego had two daughters the first born is Francisca de Silva Velasquez y Pacheco who was born in1619, and the second was Ignacia de Silva Velasquez y Pacheco who was born in 1621. Diego was a  realist painter. His first painting is Tres Musicos and his last one is La Reina Marina de Austria. Juana died in 1660, she died a few days after her husband.

Velazquez painted everyday scenes, take the Water seller of Seville for example, back in those days the people didn’t have water bottles or water fountains so they had a water seller. He also liked dark coloring and the light in the right places of the painting.

Juan de Paraja is a portrait of his slave which a lot of people called Juanico for this painting which was done in 1650.  It has his style of dark shades and light hitting the perfect spot. I love Velasquez paintings and I know I won’t ever be able to paint as good as him. 

If you want to look at pictures from Velasquez go to http://www.diegovelazquez.org

Second Debate

by Christina

In the second debate with President Barrack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, people gave them questions about jobs, women's rights, college, hardships, taxes, and other politic related questions. Both men spoke well, though it seemed that President Obama was starting his answers by what he's done, but even then there was quite a bit of untruth in it. Romney was sympathetic towards the people, and he was promising that he will do this, that he will do that, and it seemed as though he was promising them too much.

The whole of the USA could be affected by this debate, because it could decide which man would become president, and the president's choices could affect the USA, which could affect the world in some way. Many people said that in the last debate, President Obama had a very hard time. However, in the current debate, he was equal to Mitt Romney.

Joanna Kicksmiller

By Danielle

A Tall Tale

            Once upon a time there was a woman who everyone called her Mrs. Kicksmiller. She was pregnant, when she gave birth  she was surprised that her baby girl in a couple seconds was 20 pounds heavy, and immediately grew to 4 feet big! By this she knew that she should name her daughter Joanna. ( in their language meant big and heavy ) When Joanna was 5 she had a job as a strongest and the tallest girl in the world at all the circus'. One day Joanna was running and making earthquakes ( but not knowing it )when a man named Mr. Mayor shouted to Joanna that the world would be better off without her. Joanna was so sad that the next morning she packed her stuff up in a circus tent and walked across  the Pacific ocean  to North America and she settled in  the mountains. Mrs. Kicksmiller was so sad that her daughter went away and she died of sadness. Mr. Kicksmiller was so angry at Mr. Mayor that he went and kidnapped Mr.  Mayor's only child and raised him as his own.

Joanna went to New York  City and saw some girls like her and they talked about themselves and became friends. Joanna and her 2 friends Suzanna and Pollyanna lived together and they worked for the police to help catch criminals. After the criminals were all caught and the people who wanted to become criminals were  too afraid to, Suzanna ,and Pollyanna went to visit Joanna's parents’ house. When Joanna saw what happened to her mother she became very weak and a few weeks later died. Pollyanna and Suzanna were so sad that they became so sad and they wanted no one to see them.

That is why there is sand storms and blizzards where you can barely see anything then you should know that they are there and they make them by kicking the desert sand and pulling snow from the clouds above.

The End

The End of the World

by Danielle
I learned that some people around a thousand years ago thought that the world was going to end in the year 1000 so they started getting ready. The poor people were glad that the world was going to end because they were miserable, but the rich had big parties because they wanted to be good. But the years went by 1000 still no ending of the world 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, and now it is 2012 now and still the world hasn't ended. I also learned that lots of people believed long ago that what we now call America was the boundaries of the earth. The Vikings were brave and they went farther than anyone went and called America vine land or wine land for there were lots of grape vines.