Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Freerice.com (One Answer at a Time)

Freerice.com is an non-profit website, that provides hungry people healthy rice. This website is run by the United Nations World Food programme. Freerice.com has two goals. One goal is that the programme will help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for no cost at all. The second goal is that they want to provide education to everyone for free. This website is made possible by the sponsors that advertise on the website. On this website to earn the rice for other people, the player has to choose the correct answer. For every answer you get correct the website will donate 10 grains of rice. There is a potpourri of subjects that you answer. The subjects are English, art, geography, math, chemistry, and language learning.

This helps our school creates global awareness for education and hunger wise. Over 1.02 billion people in the world are undernourished. Our school and other schools can lower the number of that, by one answer at a time. The main reasons that people are under feed is that one, their home has a lack of access of healthy food and water. The second reason is that poverty affects many nations of people around the world.

PART OF My story

Reba Dundas

Ms. Farvour

8th Grade Language Arts

22 April 2011

Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation: Honor in Many Ways

Imagine you are a Native American and you were buried and many years later your

burial items and you are dug up. They put you in a museum so other people can learn about your

culture. Some people think that you should still be in your grave, and others say that you should

be in the museum. People say that it is disrespectful to even dig you and your burial items; others

want your body and items so that they can learn. Should your family and tribe take you back and

bury you again or should they leave you at the museum.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act helps tribes and lineal

descendents get their tribes precious burial items or their tribe member’s remains back. In this

case some museums have these artifacts and this act allows the tribe or lineal descendents to get

their items back from the museum. The tribe has a choice if they want to let the items be in a

museum to be honored by many different people or if they want to tribute the items back to its

original place. So what would you choose to happen to you?

Enter AWFULLY AWESOME TITLE

Recycle Forward Program

By: Reba Dundas




One of our ways to get new technology in our technology and journalism classroom is through Recycle Forward. Recycle Forward is a program sponsored by Digital Wish that helps schools get new technology. Just by recycling used technology such as laptops, calculators, Ipods, teachers can buy new technology for their classrooms. There are many ways to get money for projects, but recycling is one of the easiest choices. Teachers can also apply for a grant similar to the one the Crossett Foundation donated to Blatchley for Discovery Week..

Recycling electronics helps save valuable resources and energy. According to the EPA, 235 million miscellaneous electronics sitting in storage in the U.S. Every time we turn in a pound we get money. So if we get a lot of that cash we will be down the road to getting our classroom a lot of cool things. Imagine all of those old electronics you have sitting there collecting dust! What would our school be able to collect from even one item? Maybe a new flip cam! You can make movies for your project or you can make a boring old poster with glue; your choice! But we can get new technology so we can have a better future for our school and planet... So please people bring your old electronics to Blatchley Middle School or contact Mrs. Demmert at demmerte@gmail.com or 966-1418. To get more information about this program go to digitalwish.com.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

It is 8:17 in the morning, and you just got your daily cappuccino from Petro. You start drinking it hoping that your energy will keep you through the long horrid day. After drinking half, you save it for later like at lunch. A frustrating test is over; you drink the rest of the cappuccino. You just awakened for the first time since last class. Here is the million dollar question, is caffeine really good for you?
What is caffeine you ask? Caffeine is a naturally produced drug found in leaves and seeds in various plants. According to kidshealth.org caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine might taste good for you, but is it good for your growing bodies? Do you know that caffeine causes you to lose your body's precious calcium. That calcium is important to our young bodies. You need it for your growing teeth and for proper function of the nerves, muscles, kidneys, and your heart. Caffeine may also cause anxiety, sleeping disorders, raised blood pressure, osteoporosis, headaches, and ringing in the ears. These short term affects may occur in both the young and old.

On the other hand, there are health benefits to drinking/eating caffeine. One benefit is that it may lower the chance of colon cancer by at least 28%. It can also help wake your brain up and may help prevent different brain related diseases. Science Daily reported in April 2007 that individuals who drank three to five cups of coffee a day had a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and suicidal tendencies.

Every body has a lot of choices about what they want to put into their body. Now that you know some of the pros and cons of what caffeine could do for you, you can decide if you really need it or if you don’t.
Channel 23 Bear Reality News


By: Reba Dundas

Good morning Sitka!Coming to you live, well actually a few minutes ago.My name is Fredrica Underchoir and I am your anchorwomen for today.First we have many stories in this 7 o’clock report such as a granny getting married,chesta cheetah going solo, sailor boy rumor, kool-aid changing the world, one band aid at a time,and finally the question about the oats with Quaker the godfather of oats.Here is my co anchor Kenneth Zerbetz with the Granny getting married story.

Thank you Fredrica for that well introduction.Hello as Fredrica told once again I am Kenneth Zerbetz or you can call me Bucky.News struck hard this afternoon when we got the information that old Betty Crocker is gonna be a married women.We went out to get the inside scoop of this story from the baker her self.

The first question I had asked her was ‘’Who is this special man?’’

She slowly replied with her little old voice ‘’ Who is it!Are you serious!Its my little popcorn man Orville,you know that old fart with glasses Orville Redenbacher.’’

My second question for her was ‘’What date are you two lovebirds gonna be a united couple?’’I said very loudly but calmly

She said ‘’What’’ sounding like she didnt here a word I said.

So I repeated my self this time more slower and even louder.

She said quite softly as a deer’’Maybe on April Fools day,thats what I think we decided on.’’

So the final question I had asked her was ‘’What place are you to going to get married at?’’

Hesitantly she exclaimed ‘’One of those drive through wedding places in Vegas!’’

So that sums most of it up for now.Heres your weather update with our wonderful meteorologist Jackson Riversteam.

Good evening viewers on this nightly new cast.It looks like we are going to have a high chance of mountain dew rain fall down around midnight tonight.We have a temperature of 27 degrees on this cold, cold spring week.The temperature should decrease by 9 degrees by sunrise.So its not a great day to go camping unless you rent an awesome cabin.Tommorraw we have a low chance to see the mountain dew rain we had and more of dibs of hail and I guess that the ground hog was wrong.Note to self only believe the wierd creature of the marmot. So that caps up the weather for today and tommarrow, so make sure you get ready for the dibs of hail tommorraw.

Chesta Mixed Emotions

Hello, its me Fredrica to fill you in on the chesta cheetah going solo.So that means that no more bad commericals!YAY!Chesta released this shocking news this afternoon to the press.Lucky enough that I was there to get the deep reasons why he is choosing this record deal thing.As Chesta told the press and I that he was going solo, I recognized his new manager Thomas Hedshaw.I quickly asked him to have a interview with him.He told me with a straight face’’A interview, seriously do you think I have time for a interview,well I dont and I have many things I have to do and I dont have time for this at all , so good bye.’’

As he rushed off into the crowd up by the legendary cheetah.I started asking his fans about there reactions and suggestions about his solo record deal.Many said he should start being a country singer some thing like keith urban or some one, and many disagreed with that statement saying that he should be a screamo band and the same results came back saying he shouldnt do that either.I asked many people attending the conference and the most shocking reaction that I heard was that he should not leave the commerical for the beloved chips of ‘’Cheetos’’ because he is one of his familys favorite mascot for chips and wish that he did not leave.An other strange reaction I had recieved was that a teenage young lady said that he would just fail at singing,and that he is already kinda bad at acting.This story will be continued next time at 7 o’clock.

Sailor Boy is He Real or Just a Lie?

I am back and I am Bucky to detail you on this vag rumor about the Sailor Boy, the question everybody is DIEING to know is he a real sailor?Last week every one basically asked this question ‘’Is Sailor Boy really a sailor.’’ Many people deny that he is infact a sailor boy.We want our viewers to know the truth, so the truth is that he is really not a sailor boy its just a brand name that the company uses.When I found that out I was horribly creeped out because its just useless to hire someone to pretend to be a sailor boy even though hes just a twelve year old boy to pretend to be the hero and represent the company.I personally would fire him and change my logo to a real sailor boy not some paid kid to dress up and get his hair done for a picture and just put it on there box as their logo.

When I went and talked to the C.E.O. of the company I had many ideas plop up in my head mostly about why did they do that to us?WHY I kept thinking, why does stuff like this happen. We could of prevented this.

So my first question out of three was ‘’Why did your company that puts clothes on your back not tell us that Sailor Boy isnt a real sailor?’’

He replied in such a formal voice ‘’We thought it might let us get more customers,and help us form new machines and every thing.’’I watched him as the sentence came out smooth but such in a way that I wanted to hear more.

‘’What are you going to do about this special case were you got to make a huge decision?’’I tried to say the question as well as he did.

The C.E.O. said in such a way in words’’ Our company is going to have a contest for any boy under the age of sixteen that is an actual sailor of a ocean or a lake, and we are going to choose the best pick for the logo.’’

My final question for this young fellow’’What is the old sailor boy gonna do?’’

He replied ‘’ We have already dealed with him and I have no more comment about this topic.’’

We ended the interview ,you know shaking hands say thank you for your time and all of that.

Mr. Kool Aid Trading in for a Medic Bag

Changing his career , Mr. Kool aid had special choosen Bear Reality News to let out some info about his new life/career. On a late monday afternoon in our city , our very own very loved drink label had released news simalar to Chesta Cheetahs breakout.Mr. Kool aid had leaked out to us that he is going to study the medical field starting next semister in september.He is planning to become a paramedic, one of those people that take care of emergencys such as a car accident or a first degree burn or you know what ever they have to do.

He told us that he would like to become a paramedic just to change everything up and try new things and teach the young your never to old to go to college and achieve higher levels of intelligence for a better future for them and a better future of the world as well.Also he would like to help the community because it is lacking medical personnel and is dramatically changing our small but large town of Sitka.’’I incourage the high schoolers and adults to go for there dreams no matter how high the really are.’’ a quote from the inlighted brain him self.

Oats are Real So Deal With It

Hello this is Fredrica back with you to discuss the oat controversy over is it really oats.This controversy was started a little over a month ago.People were starting to question the godfather of oats him self Quaker.The question was is it true that its not a fake oat that was made in a lab.So I went to the big man of the business of a ,mafia.He showed me how the make them start to finish and I say that they are really real oats, and that this was all a little overboard on this whole debate.

The first then they do is plant the seed in the rich and mighty soil then it goes in to the factory breaking it up and ever thing just about the time that the wrap it up and make it ready to eat. Many people have said that it is all made in a lab.Well I have seen the process from start to finish and I say that they are completely wrong and that everyone gets a free package of oats at the wedding of the oldies.

THE END

Well thats a wrap. So see you next time you come back to this short news recap of the day this is Fredrica over and out and this is Bucky over and out til next time don’t plan to watch any chesta cheetah commericals!Tune in next time for the Chesta story on Bear Reality on channel zero two three.

BMS Recycle Forward Numba two

Blatchley Middle School is participating in Recycle Forward, a state-of-the-art program that recycles used technology to raise money for new technology for schools, and is asking Sitkans for help. We are recycling used cell phones, inkjet and laser cartridges, laptops, PDAs, iPods, video games, GPS Systems, DVDs, scientific and graphing calculators, LCD monitors and digital cameras.

How can you help? You can turn your trash into our treasure while feeling good about helping the environment. Most people have old cell phones to dispose of, and almost everyone uses cartridges, either at home or at work, in fax machines, copiers and printers. By donating these used items, you can help Blatchley Middle School with earning much needed funds to provide today's students with the technical education they need to thrive in tomorrow's workforce.
Blatchley Middle School is asking that community members and businesses show their support by dropping off items. The collection does not end at the completion of the drive. We will continue to accept these donations throughout the year to continue to raise funds for our school.
Local businesses and corporations can also participate at no cost. Recycle Forward participants will receive postage-paid shipping labels for the return of the used items. All donations are tax deductible. If you are a business and want more information about starting your own recycling program please call 802.375.6721 x209.
To learn more about Blatchely M.S. program, please call Blatchley Middle School at 966-1418
About Recycle Forward:
Recycle Forward brings technology from closets to classrooms. It is an innovative recycling program that raises money for technology in schools. This program is a collaborative effort between Cartridges for Kids (www.cfktoday.com), a recycling program that pays cash to schools, and Digital Wish (www.digitalwish.org), a non-profit that works to bring technology into the hands of educators.
To learn more about Recycle Forward please visit www.recycleforwardnow.org or contact Mrs. Demmert at demmerte@gmail.com

Origami DYP



During Discover Your Potential Days, Origami was taught by Ms. Ahlgren. In Origami, we folded paper of course. Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper. The meaning of ori is folding and the gami means paper, so you really are just folding paper. In the class we transformed a flat square paper to a super duper cool piece of art. On the first day we made a crane...At first it was hard then after we had finished it, she let us explore the vast origami world.
Interesting facts about origami according to life123.com:
1. 250,000 paper cranes were folded and displayed in Hiroshima, Japan as a memorial to the bombing of Hiroshima in World War II.
2. Akira Naito of Japan made the world’s smallest paper crane measuring a 0.1-by-0.1-mm square of paper.
3. In 1999, the Wings for Peace organization made the world’s largest crane weighing a monstrous weight of 1,750 pounds, and a whopping height of 215 feet in the air.
4. Christian Dior, a famous fashion designer, chose a Japanese and origami theme for his Haute Couture collection in 2007.
5. Many buildings in Japan have a sharp origami look to them.

I liked this class because we got to choose what we made. Ms. Ahlgren would help us if we needed help with any kind of project. I also liked this class because she let us talk while we were working; it was sometimes silent and sometimes loud. I would recommend this class to people who have a lot of patience or who would like to develop patience and to anyone who would like to start a great new hobby. This class was a new way to let go of yourself and learn something new or get better at it. I think that if Discover Your Potential Days ever happened again, this class should be in it. It was one of the highlights of my first and last DYP Days here at Blatchley.