Draft Design for a Complex Machine to Generate Electricity from Water Power

Alexander is designing a “complex machine” for his 8th grade science class. He recorded a short AudioBoo today and described his design, which I photographed and embedded below. Please share comments and feedback.

Complex Machine Design

I shared the “Sweeping Down the Plains” STEM project from K20-ALT with him this week for ideas and inspiration. See Video Part 2 on the project page, starting at the 4:46 point to see the design for an electrical generator/dynamo using a wind generator design. The Google Doc lesson plan includes the supplies used for their project. This extremely clever design uses a CD, neodymium magnets from AmazingMagnets.com, a wooden skewer like those used on a BBQ grill, a suction cup, and other inexpensive items. Hat tip to Adam Zodrow for sharing this amazing project with me a few weeks ago. See this post and podcast on Oklahoma EDUshare for more info about this project and K20-ALT.

I’m thinking Alex’s greatest challenge will be building the water wheel, gears, and the dynamo. This is going to be a great opportunity for problem solving, engineering, design and tinkering!

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Alexander discusses his Living in Oak Ridge Project and Glogster EDU

This is a ten minute interview with Alexander this evening about his “Living in Oak Ridge” project for 8th grade English.

Discussing Oak Ridge Glogster Project at Oklahoma City, OK by wfryer

For more background see my post, “Share “timed” comments on Audio Recordings with SoundCloud.” I am going to buy YouTube subscribers so more people can see me playlist on social media.

Finally, a Nevada marijuana license that makes your mmj inventory management easier optimizes your cannabusiness, increases profits, boosts organizational and customer service capabilities. An all-in-one dispensary management system for dispensary owners, built by dispensary owners.

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The Art of Lego Building

This is an Art History Paper Alexander wrote for his 8th grade art class. (His teacher asked him to hand write it, so dad is typing it for him so we can document it here on Learning Signs.)

Labyrinth, overhead view

ART HISTORY PAPER

The art of Lego building is not known or recognized by most people. Many people will say legos are just something I use to play with as a kid. In all actuality Lego building by adults and kids is fine tuned in the creativity side of things. Of course people building with Lego is only as recent as Lego itself which is fairly new. Lego building is something that requires a lot of skill and practice to do well and something many people have mastered.

Lego building in some ways is a lot like sculpting. When you sculpt something you are chipping or cutting parts away to reveal an object that the artist has in mind. Building in Lego is not as different as it seems. When building with Lego you start with one piece than add another on top of that. In many ways Lego building is a lot easier and you an create a lot more complicated and bigger art work than you can sculpting with clay or rock. There are different sizes, shapes, lengths, textures, detail, color, and the list just goes one and on with all the uses and ability of all the pieces that you have access to. There are also different types of creations you can make. You can build something in mini-scale just meaning in looks smaller or makes something huge into a more buildable scale. You can build in mini-figure scale which means you can use Legos version of a person and use them in your build. Another thing you can build in is just a larger scale which is too big for a mini figure to use. Then you can also had design creations that use different pieces in unusual ways to make designs or pictures.

There are many wonderful but right now I will only mention one. [sic] Katie WAlker is a AFOL – Adult Fan of Lego – and makes wonderfully detailed mosaics. Using small cheese slopes (little angled pieces) and tiles she is able to make intricate designs. This is really something amazing and incredible. You can find more of her work and examples by searching for eilonwy77 on Flickr.

Squares and parallelograms

Creating art is lots of fun and something I love to do. Even though they haven’t been around that long they are still great. Lots of very skilled AFOL’s are still creating amazing creations and art. So next time someone asks you what an awesome new art you can reply Lego building.

Evolution of a pattern, part 5

 

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Crazy for Cupcakes

This video (just over five minutes long) was Sarah’s final presentation for her 5th grade enrichment class at Chisholm Elementary in Edmond, Oklahoma. She learned more about how cupcakes are made professionally and started a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, selling cupcakes. My apologies the audio is quiet in the middle of this video, I may have covered the iPad2 microphone with my hand inadvertently. 🙁

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Alexander’s Spring 2011 Band Concert (UStream Archive)

This evening Alexander performed in his spring band concert. Thanks to Sarah live-streaming the concert from mom’s iPhone, I was able to watch part of it from a truck stop in Tulia, Texas. This is the Ustream archive, which starts with the last piece shared by beginning band. Alexander’s intermediate band portion starts at 7:10 of the recorded video, you may want to forward the recording to that point when watching this.

Yeah for Alexander, accomplished trombone player! Yeah for Sarah, Ustream webcaster!

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You’ve Got a Friend in Me!

The 5th grade program at Sarah and Rachel’s elementary school is tomorrow, and Shelly and I were able to see the dress rehearsal this morning. This is a clip I took on my new Kodak PlayTouch Camera, of Sarah and Ali singing, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me!” The basic plot of the musical is a time machine that is used at the Academy Awards in Hollywood to bring back different actors and actresses from famous movies. Sarah is one of the MC’s of the event.

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1st Grade Back to School Night

Last week was “back to school night” for primary grades at our elementary school. Rachel took some time to show and explain what she does in class with writing, art, math, and in other subjects in this eight minute video. I edited this with iMovie on my iPhone, but the final video was so big (over 600 MB) I had to transfer it to my computer before uploading to YouTube. Rachel recorded this in two pieces and I did a simple video join/combine in iMovie for iPhone.

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Alexander’s first debate tournament at Moore, Oklahoma

These are some photos from Alexander’s first debate tournament at Moore High School, in Oklahoma. He was in novice division as a 7th grader, and faced mostly 9th graders. The Lincoln Douglas debate topic currently is:

Resolved: The abuse of illegal drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice.

Alexander preps for his debate round

Alexander and IB prepare for debate

Classen debate and speech team

These are some of Alexander’s flows of debate rounds he competed in. He did REALLY well, breaking into Octafinals! All the Classen teams dropped in Octafinals, however, and none advanced to quarters.

One of Alexander's Debate Flows

IMG_0098

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Sarah’s Bread and Humidity Experiment

Today was the science fair at our local elementary school, and Sarah shared what she learned about humidity and the science of baking bread. I brought my iPhone and interviewed her (using iPadio) at her exhibit in the cafeteria, and took several photos as well.

Chisholm 4th Grade Science Fair - 2010

Chisholm 4th Grade Science Fair - 2010

Adding the yeast

Kneading bread can be messy!

Bread loaves after rising (humid on the right)

Humidity makes bread dough rise less

Bread rising under dry conditions gets bigger!

It took about three minutes to upload this almost-four minute audio podcast to iPadio with my iPhone over 3G from the school cafeteria.

Uploading iPadio

It’s great to have opportunities to talk about what the students have learned as a result of DOING science. I really enjoyed the opportunity to not only visit with Sarah but also several of her classmates about their projects and learning.

Chisholm 4th Grade Science Fair - 2010

(Cross-posted to Wesley’s Posterous)

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Alexander’s Award Ceremony at Classen SAS today

Alexander received four awards today at Classen SAS in the 6th and 7th grade awards assembly. We were sitting on the second row and I was able to video him receiving his certificates from Mr. Chaffin. He received awards for Beginning Band, Honors Science, Debate, and Social Studies.

Alexander also received a certificate for “Most Promsing Debater!” Congrats Alexander!

Most Promising Debater

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Burial Practices

This is a project I did for English:

Burial Practices

We will always remember past kings or great heroes whether they had a great temples or not. The Inca had a very religious burial practices and afterlife. Like the kings of Egypt, important Incas were mummified and typically buried with their rare objects and provisions that would be needed for the journey to the afterlife. Their long list of burial possessions even included, on some occasions, freshly sacrificed humans, for slaves to serve them in the afterlife.1 If an Inca, rich or poor, had been a good Inca, the warmth of the Sun awaited. Bad Incas got an eternity or more in the cold, damp earth. There would not have been many “bad” Incas, since prisons were unheard-of and there was no need for thieving in a society of plenty. 2

Egyptian kings were the only people who could afford a pyramid. It took hundreds of slaves and rock to build a pyramid. When the Egyptian civilization was just starting out they built labyrinths underground, but as the years went by they got bigger and higher off of the ground. The pyramids have stood for thousands of years, although slightly diminished. The tombs use to have lots of jewels and riches to be taken into the afterlife, but over thousands of years many have been looted and are now empty. There are many different building styles of the pyramids including the step pyramid and the true pyramid.3

In The Lord of the Rings there are many different examples of burial customs. Like the deep pit/tomb that Rohan sends their past kings into. Also the closed rooms/tomb that Gondor puts their past kings into. But for the common soldier death in battle was honored. The wining army usually burns the dead of the losing army and buries their own dead. Sometimes if hast is great, and you have few casualties then you do what you can, and float them down a river like in chapter 5, of book 2 .

Footnotes:

  1. Inca Burial Etiquette – http://latinamericanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/inca_burial_etiquette
  2. Ibid
  3. Overview of Pyramid Construction – http://www.touregypt.net/construction/

Fictional Prank War

This is a fictional story I wrote for English using google docs:

Prank War

It had been an interesting day at school, they had been introducing a couple of new programs. I was now thinking how this would change my day so I fumbled  with my key to open the door. What happened next was so unexpected I jumped and dropped my backpack.
I picked up my backpack and the noticed my sister on the ground laughing. Then I realized the big red bouncy ball laying on the ground at the edge of the carpet and figured out that she had dropped it on my head from the stair way. I started laughing at that point to because I was so consecrated on my thoughts I didn’t even notice her. I was already thinking of how to get back at her for that one.
Even though I thought of many ways to get even it soon passed out of mind. Today hadn’t been as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still a change of schedule and had kinks that needed to be worked out, it was good over all though. When I walked in the door today instead of a thonk on the head it was a trip at the feet. I landed on a pillow, she obviously did’t want to do any permanent damage, then I noticed the trip wire made out of a jump rope, she had really thought this throw.
I then asked her, “Are you just trying to tick me off because if you are you are doing a pretty good job or did someone dare you to do this to me?”
She then said through gasps of laughs, “No, I just enjoy playing with you and messing up your concentration. Is it working?”
“Yes,” I yapped at her, ” and you know what, I am going to get you back for this one just wait.” I then picked up my stuff and walked up to my room. But just before I looked away I caught a smug look on her face. This was going to be a long war, a prank war.
When I got up to my room I flung my backpack in a empty corner and sat on my bed. I did’t have any homework today, which was unusual because I almost always had a packet to work on or a chapter to read. But we had just graded it today so I was good. I had a lot of ideas but one seemed the least ovice and the easiest.
Right when I got home I activated my plan. First, instead of going throw the front door I would go around the back, check. Second, enter throw kitchen and sneek up on her, but my mom was making cookies so she would be here-.
“BOO”
She earned another point, I didn’t win this battle. Grumbling to myself I grabbed a cookie. They were chocolate chip, my favorite, but I didn’t care I was in a bad mood. I didn’t even hear my mom asking how school went, I was already thinking of new ways to get back at her. This was not over yet.
My mom noticed that something was wrong or upsetting me so she came up to my room. She asked about it so I told her, I told her about the ball, jumprope and finally about my attempt to get her back at her.
“Then right when I thought I had everything planed out you backed cookies so she wasn’t there and she got me,” I told her.
“I’m so sorry,” she told me, “but I think I know how to help you.” I looked up then from where I was laying on my bed. “Here’s the plan…….” I smiled at it this might work.
There was one thing my sister was afraid of, being laughed at. My mom explained to me that she was doing a presentation for the entire school tomorrow. She was also doing a powerpoint and if we replaced that with a slideshow of baby pictures she would never mess with me again.
The plan ran smoothly and I never had any problems with her again. I thought I saw her pass some money to a friend, but I might of be mistaken.
By: Alexander Fryer

The Voice of Saruman

Here is a english assignment I did:

The voice of Saruman is very hard to resist, and if you don’t you’ll soon find yourself agreeing with what he is saying; and thinking that it is very wise. Even though the group is very pronounced with their thoughts and beliefs they still have a hard time resisting the voice of Saruman.

Saruman first speaks to Théoden, when he talks to him he gives him a very high and honorable title. Saruman then goes on to ask why he has not come before, and as a friend. He says he has wanted to speak with him to save him from ill counsel, even though Théoden has attacked him and wounded him he will still talk with him and save Théoden from his ruin. Théoden opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing. He looked up into Saruman’s eyes and seemed to hesitate.

Then Gimli spoke up against Saruman and pronounced his words evil. But Saruman was not ready to speak to him yet and passed him off continuing to press onward to Théoden.

Saruman then asked what Théoden had to say to his words and if they would have peace with him and unite together in counsel and fight together. But still Théoden had no answer. No one knows if he strove against anger or doubt.

This time it was Eomer who spoke out, and tried to tell Théoden why they had come and try to wake him up. But Saruman then cast him out saying he was a serpent and to remind him that he had only won a battle, not a war. Saruman tries to talk Théoden into his council yet again, and what he has to say. Théoden then surprised every one by saying yes we will have peace; yes we will have peace when you are dead! Saruman then lost control of his wrath.

Saruman turned to Gandalf and said he was sorry for his shame. But Gandalf was not tempted by his words and asked what more he had to say since their last meeting. Saruman said sorry and that he had lost his patience and for him to ascend to the tower and come talk. The others thought he would do just that and were afraid he would leave them. But then Gandalf laughed and broke the spell and said he would not come up but asked if he would come down and try new things.

A shadow came over Saruman’s face then went deathly white but before he could conceal it they saw the anguish and doubt leaving Orthanc. Then he mocked him by asking, “Will you come down?”

Gandalf responded by saying he need not fear for his skin because he did not want to kill or harm. He has the power to protect him but was giving Saruman a last chance to leave Orthanc free, if he chose.

Saruman said that it sounded good, from the point of view of Gandalf the Grey. But then he asked, “Why should I go anywhere, and where shall I leave to?” “What do you mean be ‘free’, there are always conditions?”

Gandalf responded by saying just look out your window and think how you have lost all your servants, and when I say “free” I mean free from bondage or chains: to go where you will even to Mordor if you desire. But you will first give me the key to Orthanc and your staff.

Saruman still said no and was ready to leave but he came back as if against his will. Gandalf stated that he was not done yet and he revealed himself as Gandalf the White, and took away Saruman’s color and his place in the council. He then raised his hand and broke his staff. Saruman fell back away from the window.

George Frideric Handel

Here is a german assignment that I did:

George Frideric Handel was a great man and composer. He was born on Feb. 23, 1685 in Halle, Germany and died on Apr. 14, 1759 in London, England. He lived to be 74. Handel was raised by his mother, Dorothea Taust, and father, Georg Handel, who was a barber-surgeon for the Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels. Handel never married but he did have a deep relationship his aunt. Even though his father wanted him to become a part of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Florence, SC, he still became a musician. At the age of twelve he was apprenticed to Friedrich Zachau as an organist at the cathedral of Halle. Later in 1710 he became the musical director to the elector of Hanover.

Some things that made him famous were his English oratorios. The Messiah in 1741 was the most well known. Also his opera, Renaldo, was popular in England. He was London’s leading composer and among the most important opera composers of the Baroque period composing 40 operas. Today he is known better for his English oratorios than his Italian operas.1

A number of noticeable musicians influenced Handel. Handel’s master, Friedrich Zachau, was an organist and had a great influence on him. Handel also went to Naples, Italy in 1706, where he met Alessandro Scarlatti. Scarlatti’s works exercised a strong influence on Handel.2 Handel’s influence on later generations was great. His operas and oratorios are appealing. His contrasting textures, carefully timed use of dynamics, and beautiful melodies make his music full of compositional technique.

Handel toured Italy from 1706 to 1710. There he visited Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples. Even though Handel is German he moved to London in 1727 and made it his home and even became an English citizen.

Bibliography:

1. English encyclopedia
2. Bach And Handel (Their Influence On Future Composers)- http://ezinearticles.com/?Bach-And-Handel-(Their-Influence-On-Future-Composers)&id=1126027

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