The_Hillwood_Herald

Hillwood Assignments

2012-01-27T22:57:00.000-08:00

At the start of each class and in between assignments, practice typing using this website. At the bottom of site's page, you will find code that you can embed onto The Herald, if you like. Consider how you might improve your score (hint learn where your finger need to go or read about how to type on this free online typing course for kids).

This week, The Herald will put together a news package about President Obama's State of the Union Address. We will also be highlight the address made by Governor Jerry Brown last week.

Rubina: Write a recap of the President's State of the Union address
Anya: Write about YouTube's "What would you ask President Obama's effort" — what is it and how can someone participate?
Andre: What happened behind the scenes at the White House?
Angela: Write about this tour of the White House.
Christen and Claire: Tell readers about the First Lady
Nikita: What this video and then read this article. Then, give a report.
Asiana: What is there to do in San Francisco for Chinese New Year? (Here's a video about the Year of the Dragon outside our city)

If you did not finish your post last week, please do so. If you finish early, tackle one of the following stories:

Write about how to take photos of people. Please include tips for taking photographs that are cited to this source, as well as information from Mr. Clarke. Read this list of 10 tips for taking photographs. Which ones seem most important to you? Include at least three of your favorite photos from this National Geographic site in your post. Why do you consider them good photographs?
Write about how to take photos of cities. Please include tips for taking photographs that are cited to this source, as well as information from Mr. Clarke. Read this list of 10 tips for taking photographs. Which ones seem most important to you? Include at least three of your favorite photos from this National Geographic site in your post. Why do you consider them good photographs?
Write about how to take photos of landscapes (what is the difference between a landscape and a city?) Please include tips for taking photographs that are cited to this source, as well as information from Mr. Clarke. Read this list of 10 tips for taking photographs. Which ones seem most important to you?Include at least three of your favorite photos from this National Geographic site in your post. Why do you consider them good photographs?
Make a Wordle.
What are the best and worst fresh veggies and fruits when it comes to pesticides? Consider this site. What is the source of information for the site? Why (or why not) might it be a good source.
What did Governor Brown have to say in his 2012 State of the Union Address about education in California?
Who is Joe Bidden and why was he in San Francisco"?
Explore your neighborhood with Old SF. Write your first post about your neighborhood and what it looked like long ago. Include images in your posts.
Start taking this free online typing course for kids. Each week, write a review of the site.
This assignment will take patience: Here's a new site that promises easy-to-do editing.

Boring State of the Union speech

2012-01-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

The State of the Union speech is presented by the president to the U.S. congress. The address reports on the condition of the nation and the president's legislative agenda. Luckily, the American people can watch his speech in many ways like, watching videos and T.V.

A lot of work goes into the State of the Union speech, as the following video will show you. The president edits the speech, and writes a lot of it himself. For more information, watch this video.

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player5x2.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="bgcolor" value="282828"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashvars" value="config=http://www.whitehouse.gov/xml/video/114799/config.xml&path_to_plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/plugins&path_to_player=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player5x2.swf"></param><embed src="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player5x2.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300" flashvars="config=http://www.whitehouse.gov/xml/video/114799/config.xml&path_to_plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/plugins&path_to_player=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player5x2.swf&share_url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/01/24/behind-scenes-writing-2012-state-union-address"></embed></object>

Household Pinball

2012-01-27T10:23:00.001-08:00

Joseph is an inventor who makes Ruth Goldbergs. A Ruth Goldberg is a machine that does a simple task in the most complicated way. Joseph got inspired to make Ruth Goldberg after watching several YouTube videos. Joseph uses household items for his Ruth Goldbergs. It is hard to explain how they work, so just watch the video.

2012-01-27T10:06:00.003-08:00

Asking Questions on Whitehouse YouTube Channel

2012-01-27T09:31:00.001-08:00

On the White House YouTube channel, people are asking President Barack Obama questions about different subjects related to American Politics. People may ask questions about the economy, the war, education, and more. I have asked question including: How are you planning to end the war? and Why are you putting so much money into the war and taking money out of school budgets, and now teachers are getting fired because of this? In this economy the last thing people want to do is go to private school when they cannnot afford it? Also, I have asked, is anyone planning to help stop Global Warming, or is money more important then the lives of the entire human race?

Take a Tour of the White House

2012-01-27T09:25:00.000-08:00

Today , I am going to write about a website where you can take a tour of the White House. Once you get to the website there is a diagram of the White House and there are red squares at parts of the house which you can click. Once you clicked the red square, there is a big square that pops up and there is a recent picture of the place. Under the picture there are words that tell you who or what are in the picture. To the side of the picture is the name of the area and some information about it. Near the top of the page is a smaller diagram of the white house that shows different sections of the White House. You can click on one of the sections to go there.

There are also pictures and videos you can look or watch. You can also look up something about the White House you want to know and there is a list of information about the White House or what is in it.

I would recommend to go to "The Administration" because it gives you a brief summary of some people in the White House such as Michelle Obama. It tells you a bit of what they did before being in the White House.

Happy Birthday!

2012-01-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today, January 27, 2012, is Mozart's birthday. He was born on January 27. 1756. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a great, prolific composer. He wrote many operas, symphonies, clavichord pieces, and one requiem.

Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was the son of Johann Georg Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl Mozart. Mozart's father was training Mozart to be musician since Mozart was born. Leopold himself was a German composer, conductor. violinist and teacher.

The portrait is of Leopold Mozart.

The manuscript is of Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor. Anyway, today is Mozart's birthday and if you turn on the classical channel, you will hear that Mozart is playing.

The manuscript is

of Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor.

Happy Birthday!

Written By: Rubina H.

Sites Protest Against Sopa

2012-01-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

Many of your favorite sites, like Google, Wikipedia, and YouTube, were protesting. Wikipedia even went as far as shutting down for a day. Regular Joes protested in the streets, while the sites protested by posting signs of protest on their sites all over the world. Which one do you think was more effective?

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a U.S House bill designed to stop online copyright abuse. Copyright abuse is when any type of media is used without permission. There are two sides to this story. One side — the side that dislikes the bill (Wikipedia, Google, and YouTube) — think the bill is to extreme and think it will prevent the public from sharing ideas and innovating. The other side, including companies like Disney and Magazine publishers like the bill because it protects their creative work.

The following Khan Academy video explains more about SOPA:

A Wordle

2012-01-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

By Asiana D.

Rigoletto!

2012-01-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

The SF Opera is putting a production of Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi.

Rigoletto: Zeljko Lucic/Marco Vratogna

Gilda: Aleksandra Kursak/Albina Shagimuratova

The Duke of Mantua: Francesco Demuro/ David Lomeli

Maddalena: Kendell Gladen

Count Monterone:Robert Pomakov

Spatafucile:Andrea Silvestrelli

Kendell Gladen sang Carmen in the SF opera.

Nicola Luisotti will conduct.

Written By: Rubina H.

My Wordle On Hillwood

2012-01-20T10:16:00.001-08:00

The squirrel monkey stolen from the S.F Zoo

2012-01-20T10:09:00.000-08:00

Sean Walsh, Kenneth Henry and Cheney Wash stole a squirrel monkey from the S.F zoo at 11:30 a.m on Sunday. The three men stole the monkey by trespassing. Whether the zoo is open or not trespassing is "uncommon" said spokeswoman Lara La Marca. She also said "who wants to climb a fence and risk hurting themselves" and getting sent to the police by our security? Sean and Kenneth were sent to county jail because they didn't have any identification on them. The S.F zoo has 24-hour security. The squirrel monkey Banana-Sam was taken on December 29, 2011 Found on December 31st in Stern Grove Park safe and sound and a 5,000 dollar reward was given out.

By Asiana D.

Joe biden Came to Town

2012-01-20T09:48:00.000-08:00

Joe Biden came to town to predidcting that the new york giants will win the Super Bowl

instead of the San Franscico giants. Biden is the Vice President of the United States. Biden then said he mistaked the New York giants for the sf giants. What he meant was the sf giants. He was speaking at the Bently Reserve. There was about 110 people.When Biden made his mistake he had heard boos and acted quick to correct himself. Biden was with his wife while this was happening.

Cosi Fan Tutte in SF Opera!!!

2012-01-20T09:47:00.001-08:00

The SF Opera is putting a production of Cosi Fan Tutte in the next season. Cosi Fan Tutte is an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Fiordiligi: Ellie Dehn

Dorabella: Christel Lotzsch

Despina: Heidi Stober

Ferrando: Francesco Demuro

Guglielmo: Philippe Sly

Don Alfonso: Marco Vinco

Ellie Dehn sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Countessa Almaviva in Le Nozze Di Figaro in the San Francisco opera. Marco Vinco sang Leporello also in Don Giovanni. Heidi Stober sang Susanna in Le Nozze Di Figaro after Danielle De Niese.

Conducter: Nicola Luisotti

Director: Jose Maria Condemi

Production Designer: Robert Perdziola

Chorus Director: Ian Robertson

Libretto By: Lorenzo Da Ponte

Written By: Rubina H.

2012-01-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

A satellite has been taking pictures of a new island that is 40 miles away from Yemen. By January 7 it became 530 by 710 meters. The satellite first started taking pictures on December 23. The island that still has not been named is the first permanent new island since an island made in Iceland in 1963. The new island in the Red Seas is part of a chain of islands called Zubair. The islands of Zubair are small, dry, and hot. One person says that they believe that people might even the tour the island.

Susan Graham Sings In Berkeley!!!!!!

2012-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

On January 14, 2012, Susan Graham had a performance. She sang different composers. Mignon was one of the composers.

For those of you who read my post about Frederica von Stade and her recital at the Herbst Theatre, you remember that Susan Graham was singing there along with Frederica von Stade, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and other famous singers.

Jake Heggie was the pianist and the composer. Susan Graham sang one of his songs on her recital.

Susan Graham also sang in Xerxes in the SF opera.

On the recital, she had a list of songs and arias in her program but then she sang a few more songs, telling the audience about the songs that she was about to sing.

Written By: Rubina H.

Does the background matter in a picture?

2012-01-20T07:46:00.000-08:00

Old S.F.

2012-01-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a website called Old S.F where you find your location when you have found your street, boulevard or avenue you drag the person on the top left corner and drag it to the location.After you have dragged the person you will see a lot of streets then you click on and it will show you the picture after that you click the arrows to what area you are going to! Please go to http://www.oldsf.org

Asiana D.

Making a Book Is Harder Than You Thought

2012-01-06T10:09:00.000-08:00

Making a book is harder than you thought. It's not just a bunch papers with writing you staple together. In the first video you have or are about to see the lady talks about how they started making books in 2nd century Egypt to 2011. Notice how they started making the books out of expensive material, and then got cheaper and cheaper but still made more money.

Modern day books go through advanced machines but if you're a worker and the machines don't work guess who's fixing! It's a lot easier making books though. Watch these videos to learn how books were made a long time ago and in new modern times (it's too much work for me to have to explain all this, so watch the videos)!

The Old SF

2012-01-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

Today, I researched a website where you can look of pictures of your neighborhood from 1850 to 2000. You can chose which time you would like to look at pictures at. All you do is move the time line and click one of the orange circles. An image will pop up of the neighborhood and say whats its called and when the picture was taken. The more back you go in time, the less pictures there are. You can also look at places from a person's point of view from the ground. You can see the different stores and even look at your own house in 2000. Above are some images from the past.

Which is Which?

2012-01-06T09:39:00.002-08:00

Not everybody can decide if the violin is modern or Stradivari. In other words, modern violin or old Italian violin. When people who do not play the violin listen to two violins and have the question: Which is which? placed before them, not everybody can answer correctly.

My friend, Claire, and I listened to two violins. One was Stradivari and the other one was modern. Claire and I answered correctly . . . . . . . alright, I'll admit. Claire plays the violin, but we still answered correctly. If you go to this website, you can read the post and listen to the two types of violins and decide for yourself which one is the Stradivari and which one is modern.

Does anybody know Paganini? He was a virtuoso violinist. His violin is treasured. Nicolo Paganini was the son of Antonio and Teresa Paganini. He was born in Genoa Italy in 1782.
Some people, unlike myself, consider classical music boring and very stupid. I think that classical music musicians should be known by absolutely everybody like Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson.

Written By: Rubina H.

Which Violin is Which

2012-01-06T09:39:00.001-08:00

playing martha stewart and friends

2012-01-06T09:34:00.001-08:00

Martha Stewart and friends was not that great. It was actually annoying. It was annoying because there was no point to half of everything on there. The games were pointless.

I would improve the games by realating them a little more to the found.Make a cooking game. Make the game look like your the cook.

Scholastic Beta

2012-01-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

Today I played around on the scholastic website. I played the games: M.A.S.H, which "predicted your future," Dress The Girls, which allowed you to dress up a girl in clothes of your choice, and Dodge-A-Rama, which allowed you to throw dodge balls at a target.

The website is a Beta, which means they want feedback because the games are still in progress. M.A.S.H was a fun game in which you fill in bubbles around a circle with options like: what college will you go to, what job you will have, and what type of car you will have. I think Dress the Girls could be better with more clothing choices and they should make the girls bald so you can change their hairstyles. Dodge-A-Rama is fun if you enjoy dodge ball or hitting people with flying objects, and though it is not my favorite game, I think it is pretty well made.

The picture in the middle is a picture of Dodge-A-Rama

The picture to the left is a picture of Dress the Girls

The picture to the right is a picture is a picture of M.A.S.H

Today's Talent Show!

2011-12-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Today is the talent show! This day is full of fun and exciting things to do. At about 10:30 or 11:00 we will exchange gifts, and Santa's deputy will tell us if we have been bad or good. Later, after lunch, we will have a talent show, and we will sing Spanish songs and Christmas songs. People will also do their own things or do a solo. The talent show will end at 2:30. Then at 2:30 until 4:30 parents and teachers will go up to the family room and have a small party. It will be a very fun day. Hope to see you there!

By Claire P.

Cagebreak Rats Will Work To Free A Pal

2011-12-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

People usually call someone a "rat" when they are not helpful and are giving up on somebody. But according to studies, rats will try to help out a friend in need, not just to have a playmate.

Now, I'm pretty sure I'm not as nice as a rat, but the studies say that rats will help out ONLY their buddies, like a NORMAL human. When they try to free their buddy they will open a trap door that will free their buddy on accident. Soon, they will purposely open the trap door.

In one experiment, Jeffery Mogli of McGill University in Canada made two trap doors, one with the rats' favorite food (chocolate chips), and in the other the stuck buddy in need. They free both in no exact order, and then SHARE the chocolate chips with the buddy they just freed! So that proves that the example of "rats" at the top is partly wrong unless the rat is not your buddy.

That's why they say rats are in a way like humans; they will help a FRIEND in need, but not some random dude, ( or rat! ). So if your family member or friend says "You're a rat!" They're wrong!

By Andre J.

Word Wise Challenge review

2011-12-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

Word wise challenge is a word search game online. The game is copyrighted by National Geographic. Word Wise, as a challenge, is a very simple game. There is not that much words to search for. In fact, there is only about ten words. For an fourth through seven grader, the gam may not be fun — or challenging enough — for them. Possibly a third grader my not even like it. The game would be too easy. For kinder through first, however, it might be fun. If you want to play here is the link.

By Jordyn

Rocket Project Starting

2011-12-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

A Russian Soyuz rocket with three astronauts — two Russians and one American — is set to lift off from Kazakhstan on Monday morning, ferrying the men to the International Space Station.

After a month on the station the astronauts will return to earth. The rocket had several flaws and a damaged cargo hold postponing the take of. To find out more about this article click here.

Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

If you wake up really early on Saturday morning, you might be able to see the lunar eclipse. The moon is going to be three or four times bigger than it usually is because the moon is going to be closer to earth than it usually is and the eclipse will magnify the moon so it will look like a huge, bloody monster.

It will start at 4.45 a.m. and end in 6.57 a.m.

This happens only twice a year. It happened on June 10, 2011.

By: Rubina H.

Anna Netrebko Sings Don Giovanni in La Scala Teatro!

2011-12-09T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am back to Don Giovanni. It is like an obsession of Don Giovanni around the whole world. Anna Netrebko, a primadonna in the operatic world, sang Donna Anna in the production of Don Giovanni in La Scala. The La Scala Teatro opened its season with Don Giovanni. The cast consisted of these people:

Anna Netrebko : Donna Anna

Don Giovanni: Peter Mattei

Il Commandatore: Kwangchul Youn

Don Ottavio: Guiseppe Filianoti

Donna Elvira: Barbara Frittoli

Leporello: Bryn Terfel

Mazetto: Stefan Kocan

Zerlina: Anna Prohaska

If you wish to read the synopsis, click here: http://anna-netrebko.blogspot.com/

You can also see videos of the opera through that link.

Anna Netrebko sang in Anna Bolena, by Donizetti, with Elina Garanca in the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Written By: Rubina H.

Mozart's Death

2011-12-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

December 5, 1791 was Mozart's date of death. For those of you who have no idea who Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is, he was a great composer in the classical era. His full name is Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Do not even attempt to memorize that name. Mozart himself signed all of his works as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Look at the picture with the signature on it to get an idea.

Mozart lived to only 35 years. He had one son and a wife. His last opera that he wrote was The Magic Flute or Der Zauberflote.

This is his signature.

Written by: Rubina H.

Frederica Von Stade's Retirement in the Herbst Theatre

2011-12-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

Frederica von Stade is one of the best mezzo-sopranos that were born, She retired yesterday, on Saturday, December 3, 2011. You could buy tickets to the Herbst theatre and watch Frederica von Stade and many others sing. The people that were there were Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, (dramatic soprano), Susan Graham, (mezzo-soprano), Susannah Biller,(Soprano), Zheng Cao,(mezzo-soprano), Richard Stilwell,(baritone), and Sameul Ramey,(Bass). Sir Thomas Allen was also supposed to come but he could not make it. Instead of him, Marilyn Horne!

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is also a world wide known opera singer. She sang and played the role of Donna Elvira in the movie, Don Giovanni.

Susan Graham sang Xerxes in this seasons Xerxes at the San Francisco Opera.

Since Sir Thomas Allen could not make it to the retirement party, SF Opera director, David Gockley read a letter that Sir Thomas Allen sent to Frederica von Stade.

All of the singers there sang something. The accompanist, John Churchwell, was a composer and most of the singers there sang something that he composed. For example, Mr. Churchwell composed a series of songs, based on the poetry that Frederica von Stade wrote herself, about Ferderica's daughter Lisa.

For once in my life, I saw Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in real life!!! I am going crazy right now!

By: Rubina H.

Young App Developer Presents

2011-12-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

Tomas Sauzaren is a 12-year-old app developer. After buying an iphone4 Tom persuaded his parents to buy him the app developer kit. A teacher at his school helped him by funding his study. He created two apps: Earth Fortune and Bustin Jeiber. Later he started an app developer club at his school. Ted now lives in Austin, Texas : he is the world's youngest app developer.

My Animoto video

2011-12-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

I made an Animoto video about travel and nature. To make an Animoto video, go to Animoto. com and click on "Create Post." You can choose your pictures, background, and music from Animoto or your own computer. I chose mine from Animoto's website.

The video you are about to watch ( or already watched ) was not made for any specific thing. I just chose ones I liked ( And some were even random ).

You can pay Animoto if you want better quality or even by an app on Animoto called "Full Screen," for a full video. Please enjoy the video and comment ( if you like it ) So go ahead and try whatever you would like! ENJOY!!! ( or don't). Have a nice day.

Fower Power drawing

2011-12-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Flower power is a app to make flowers. You move your mouse around the screen and flowers pop up. You can change the shape of the flowers that you are drawing with and you can make there be more colors or just black and white. You can also change the size.you can change the change the brightness. you can change the size of the petals.

http://www.openrise.com/lab/FlowerPower/#

Deal Ends Crab Fight, Boats Race Out to Sea

2011-12-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

In Half Moon Bay, fishermen have raced out to sea. They did that to get crab.For each pound of crab it will cost $2.25. "We'll have crab on the market by Wednesday or Thursday," said Larry Collins. The agreement came out after waiting two weeks for crab.

Half Moon Bay and Bodega Bay wanted $2.50 per pound. Processers only wanted $2.00 per pound. Since last year it was a 25 cent increase. Crab hasn't been cheaper in thirty years. People couldn't have crab this year for thanksgiving.

150 to 180 boats left to go search for crab. Crab has gone up by a lot since the past 20 years. Nineteen million pounds was hauled in last year. This year 3 million pounds were hauled in.Thats the most that has been caught since 1915.

If fishermen hauled in 19 million more pounds they would have to pay $4.75 million this year. The season generally ends when there are so few of those crabs that they can't find them and fish for them. Earlier this year sen. Moreen Evans will make for fishing for crab. That law will come out in1213.

By Claire P.

Get Ready for the Christmas talent show!

2011-12-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everybody! We will have a Christmas talent show on December 9,2011. We will have a Santa gift exchange and sing Christmas songs.Our Santa's deputy will be Anya J. Mrs Marta will help us serve coffee and cookies. The show will be from 1:30-2:30pm.Ms. Lydia and Ms.Schmitt help us preform a Christmas songs. You will expect Anya J. to play the piano, Claire P. to play the violin, Nikita K. to sing Jingle Bells in Russian and much more!

While all the kids and students play out in the school yard the parents will have their own little party upstairs in Mr. and Mrs. Grantz's home. In the past we have had break dancing, violin, singing and kindergarteners singing as a group. We all hope you can come!

by Asiana D.

More Army Dogs Showing Signs of PTSD

2011-12-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

Dogs from the military are showing signs of PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder. Post traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a traumatic experience, and may result in death.
Military dogs are used to detect improvised explosive devices, homemade roadside bombs.PTSD usually happens in dogs when they are exposed to gunfire and bombs. Most military dogs are German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Labrador retrievers.

PTSD causes change in dogs' attitude, causing the dogs to become strangely aggressive with their owners, or they become too clingy and shy. In 2001 there were 1,800b military, but in 2011 there were around 2,700 military dogs. Fortunately, from 2005, only a little more than 50 dogs have died.

To learn more about the military dogs click here.
To learn more about PTSD click here.

Carmen at the San Francisco Opera!

2011-12-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Remember my post about Don Giovanni? Well, new post about Carmen also in he San Francisco opera. Carmen is written by George Bizet. The singers will be:

Carmen: Anita Rachvelishvili/Kendall Gladen
Don Jose: Thiago Arancam
Micaela: Sara Gartland
Escamillo: Paulo Szot

Thiago Arancam sang Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac two seasons ago.
Sara Gartland sang Barbarina one season ago in The Marriage of Figaro.

Bizet's charming opera was rejected when he first exposed it to the crowd. Why? That is the first question that comes to mind. Well, because the main character is a gypsy woman who smokes a cigarette. Now you would hink: What in the world? What is so bad about that?

Well, for that time, a gypsy woman smoking a cigarette was considered a very big shame and was not appropriate to make that
your main character. He died shortly after his opera was rejected. Surprisingly, people began looking at his opera in a different way after the composer died.

Click here

Also you can go to http://www.seattleoperablog.com/p/carmen-on-facebook.html. The story of Carmen. If Carme were on Facebook. For Don Jose, they have a picture if Franco Corelli!

http://sfopera.com/Season-Tickets/Frederica-von-Stade.aspx You can go here and see Fredrica Von Stade and her San Francisco tickets.

Written By: Rubina H.

Occupy LA protesters gather on steps of City Hall

2011-12-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

For my current event project I will be writing abo ut how about 300 people in L.A. are protesting. The article did not say why they are protesting. Citizens saw multiple sightings of police brutality. This article dose not have any killings. This all took place in L.A.

A woman named Julia Wallace said "I saw a woman being pushed down the steps, people being jabbed with batons," said Julia Wallace, member of movement's Committee to End Police Brutality. "I saw someone thrown to the ground." There were multiple sighting just like this. There was a man who was hit by rubber bullets that left him with bruising. Most of this article was police brutality.

This article is very sad because those people were just standing up for what they believe is right (which in this case I thank it is right) they get punished for it. There were many sightings of police brutality before but this is different because they had a right because they work hard and they still get paid less than 1 percent of people. Police brutality is a very bad thing to see because they are here to protect you but they are hurting you instead. People have now started protesting about police brutality around San Francisco I know this because I have seen it before. I hope we can all take a good look at this problem more than ever.

Evolution of Western Dance

2011-12-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Today I will write about a website about the "Evolution of Western Dance". The website shows from 1800 to 2000. It shows the orgins of the dancing or music and shows where it starts from and then goes to. It also shows the locations where they start which are Africa, Trinidad Gtobago, Jamaica and India. There is also a place in India called Goa. There also is Europe and more specific locations such as UK, London, Germany, Belgium, Bristol, and Manchester. The other location is the USA and places in the USA like, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Miami, the southern states like Memphis, and New Orleans.

You can use the mouse to move from 1800 to 2000 so that the website shows arrows starting from one point labeled with a kind of dance and going to different locations and labeling where another dance started.

Hansel and Gretel, San Francisco Conservatory of Music!

2011-12-02T09:10:00.002-08:00

The Conservatory of Music has production of Hansel and Gretel. Hansel and Gretel was written by a nineteenth-century composer, Engelbert Humperdinck. The tickets are free but you must have them to enter. To order tickets call, 415.503.6275. Students from the conservatory shall be singing.

Hansel and Gretel? Opera? Those two things do not combine without you asking: Well? What in the world?
That's right! Hansel and Gretel is not only a scary children's story but also an opera!

Written by Engelbert Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel is a very popular and exciting opera!

This is a performance of Hansel and Gretel that I have been to!

Written By: Rubina H.

Voting Allowed In Egypt

2011-12-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

Nearly 10 months ago, the dictator of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, had lost his throne. When the Egyptians finally thought they were free of a dictator, the military took power. The citizens are now allowed to vote for 490-seat People's Assembly, and for the 390-seat upper house. The upper house is who is in main power. The voting started Monday, November 28, 2011, and will end March 2012.

The polls will stay in provinces for two days, which worries some people because the ballots may be rigged overnight. People can vote for the military, the Muslim Brotherhood, or other Islamist leaders in the election.

Literals, leftists, Christians, and pious Muslims who are against mixed religion are voting against the Muslim Brotherhood. More women are voting than men, which is destroying the notion that women should not be as respected as men. The election will continue in multiple stages; different provinces will get turns to vote, two days.

Animals

2011-11-18T09:52:00.001-08:00

Where I'm From

2011-11-18T09:27:00.000-08:00

I have been writing "I Am From" poems for two years. I made an almost completely new poem this year, because of what I have learned from my teacher. In my video, I use a picture of me, my mom and my dad, and my dog.
I am from laptops,
from Lays and Cuties.
I am from the park next door,
from every tall cyprus
to every dewdrop on a blade of grass.
I am from the peppermint willow and the lemon tree,
whose sweet flavors fill my mouth on a hot summer day.
I am from surfing and freckles,
from Patti and Jeff.
I’m from my mom yelling, “Wake up!” and, “Hurry up!”
From fairies and leprechauns.
I am from my stubborn dog
who yells at everyone.
I am from rain and snow,
from the wind whose cool fingers brush my hair.
I’m from the great myths of Ireland,
from cabbage and potatoes.
From the great uncle who lost his leg jumping a train,
To the grandfather who survived World War II.
I am from the cranky family album who never wants to open.
I am from the past, the time before me,
a dab of paint on the canvas that is my family.

Where I'm From

2011-11-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

I am from computers, from Kleenex and Bounty.I am from the busy, Marina-style home (it smells like cats)I am from the blackberry bushes and the apricot tree.
I am from celebrating New Year’s together and brown eyes, from Igor and Lora and Michael. I am from the electricity savers and the clean freaks.From, “Have a good day,” and “Clean that up.
I am from receiving money on one day during Hanukkah.I’m from Odessa, Ukraine and honey-covered blintz, sometimes filled with cheese.From the grandma who cooked stuffed peppers filled with meat and carrots, the colorful soups she made every chance she got, and the parents who are from clear blue tide waves and sparkly sand.
I am from a dusty drawer who holds with its thick wooden fingers priceless tea sets made of purple and white glass, passed on through generations of my family.
Angela V. 2011

George Ella Lyon was the first person to create a "Where I'm From" poem. Students have been also been making "Where I'm From" poems. All of the current upper graders here in Hillwood have made our own "Where I'm From" poems and posted them on the Hillwood Herald.

The upper graders will be making videos on our "Where I'm From" poems. We will bring in pictures with us or other items from our poems in the picture and make the video with them.

mayoral canidates

2011-11-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

The mayor election of 2011 will be held on November 8. The candidates are very eager and competitve. The candidates are Bevan Duffy, David Chiu, Dennis Herrera, Ed Lee, Jeff Adachi, Joanna Rees, John Avalos, Leland Yee, Michela Alioto-Pier, Phil Ting, and Tony Hall. You can see thier picture all around the city.

The Liberty Bell Had Been Stolen by Metal Theives

2011-11-04T10:23:00.001-07:00

Pissaro's People at The Legion of Honour

2011-11-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Legion of Honour has a exhibit of Pissaro's People. Ending January 22, 2012, the exhibit is very nice.

Camille Pissaro was born on July 10, 1830 and died on November 13, 1903. He died of blood poisoning. He had many children who he loved to draw. He believed that all men and women were created equal so it did not matter who he was drawing, his wife, his maid, his child, or a slave. He drew all of them. He has a nice picture with a maidgiving a drink to his wife. You can not see his wife but you can see the maid and the bench on which his wife is supposedly sitting on.

Written By: Rubina H.

Big Cat Facts

2011-11-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

Cheetah: They can run up to 70 miles per hour.Instead of roaring like other cats, they purr. In one bound, a cheetah can go 23 to 26 feet. Mountain lions and cheetahs have the same ancestry.

Lion: The roar of a lion can be hard five miles away. Lion live up to 25 years in captivity and 12 to 16 years in he wild. The lions are the only big cats that live in groups called prides. Almost every female lion in the pride is related. Lions have a tuft of fur at the end of their tail, which other cats don't have.

Snow leopard: A snow leopard can leap seven times their own height because of their "strong, muscular hind legs."

Tigers: Their "stripes are like fingerprints- no two animals have the same pattern." Tigers can swim very well. They don't stay away from water. Because of their bones, skin other other body parts, they are hunted for traditional Chinese medicine.

Source: Big Cats Facts

The Math-a-thon

2011-11-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

The math-a-thon is fundraising program to help children with cancer. Students gather pledges from adults to donate to St. Jude Childrens' Research Hospital. A man named Danny Thomas opened St. Jude in 1962. The mission of St. Jude is to find cures for children with cancer and other deadly diseases through research and treatment. St. Jude is the only cancer research center were the parents don't have to worry about the bills. St. Jude has treated children from all the states.

St Mary's Cathedral Bell Had Been Stolen

2011-11-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

The valuable and historic bell at St Mary’s Cathedral had been stolen. The bell is a memory of the Catholic Church of San Francisco. It survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. In 1962 it was torched by an arsonist. It was replaced with an electronic chime in the 1970s. It stood hard and strong for so many years and last month it was stolen by metal thieves. The bell is 122 year old and weighed 2.7 ton.

A parishioner noticed it was missing Sunday when he told everyone it wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Everyone realized they couldn’t remember seeing it for the last month. It must have been lifted by a crane and carted away by more than an average truck says police Inspector Brian Danker. Danker assumes it was stolen earlier but no one can remember exactly the last time they saw it. The bell is 5,300 pounds and 5 feet bigger than the Liberty Bell. The bell was made of 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin records show. If the bell is melted it’s worth about 75,000 dollars, it originally cost the church 17,000 dollars.

The church is offering a reward for anyone who helps return the bell or catch the thieves. The church isn’t sure if they can afford another and even if they replace the bell it wouldn’t be as special as the original one.

By Asiana Duong

Don Giovanni at the San Francisco opera!!!

2011-11-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco opera is presenting Mozart's magical opera Don Giovanni. Don Giovanni, the story, is a legend that nobody knows if it is true and if it is not. Like all legends, the story underwent many minor changes through the ages of the story being told.

On the picture:

Lucas Meachem as Don Giovanni and Serena Farnocchia as Donna Elvira.

Kate Lindsey was Zerlina. Ryan Kuster was Mazetto. Ellie Dehn was Donna Anna. Shawn Mathew was Don Ottavio and Marco Vinco was Leporello.

Topi Lehtipuu was supposed to sing Don Ottavio but he was not able to so Shawn Mathew sang for him.

Around 1930, a Spanish writer wrote a play called " El Burlador de Sevilla Convidadro de Piedra". If you do not speak Spanish, you have no idea what that says. Frankly, I didn't know what that meant until I saw the translation. "The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest".

Don Giovanni was a trickster. I won't ruin the story but I will tell you the end. At the beginning, Don Giovanni murders the father of one of his victims. At the end of the opera, Don Giovanni and his servant Leporello go to the grave and statue of the father. Don Giovanni invites the statue to dinner and the statue agrees. At dinner, the statue comes and takes Don Giovanni to his doom for all of his sins.

Anyway, the San Francisco opera is presenting Mozart's opera of Don Giovanni. It is great!

Written By: Rubina H.

Pet Pride Day 2011

2011-11-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Every year around Halloween, there is Pet Pride Day in Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Ca. Pet Pride Day is a day where animals of all kind come to have fun.

Pet Pride Day comes around once a year and there is a dog agility contest, a dog trick contest, and, to wrap things up, a dog costume contest (but a pony won with a dog on its back won second place). You can learn more about the event's schedule if you click here. Pet Pride Day is brought to you by San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC).

The Mourners

2011-11-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

"The Mourners" is a exhibit in The Legion of Honour, the museum with the thinker. Why in the world are they called "The Mourners"? They are called "The Mourners" because they were made for the purpose of mourning! Not good definition. The Mourners are little statues that are placed around the casket like pictured in the photo.

If you look closely, you can see the statues around the casket.

The Legion of Honour has a breath taking exhibit of these mourners. If you don't know where The Legion of Honour is, it is located at 34th Ave.

Written By: Rubina H.

Wildlife Nightlife Captured on Video

2011-10-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

At Stanford University, video cameras are capturing hidden life. An example of wildlife captured on cameras was mountain lions. Mountain lions are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. The preserve is 1,189 acres and a mile or so or west of the I-80 freeway. Animals are getting spotted at night and during the day. A staff specialist, Trevor Hebert, at the preserve said, "It's an informal project". He is trying to learn the mountain lions movements' during the night. This is an informal project because the data that was collected was collected was unplanned.

Hebert installed the first camera about two years ago and is planning to install more. With these cameras he has collected more than 60 video images. Last year, Hebert believed that he caught two different mountain lions crossing the preserve but found out later it was only a single animal. Hebert is also trying to see how other creatures behave around them. Another thing the specialists are trying to see how the mountain lions react with busy human life around them.

The cameras do not impact on the environment, there is an infrared beam that catches the animals, there is no light that breaks the darkness. Some other animals caught at night were: deer, bobcats, possums, jackrabbits, skunks and owls. No hikers or public visitors are banned on the preserve, except on infrequent guided tours.

There are also other studies going on the preserve for quakes,insects and trees. With the earthquakes, a network of buried electroeds is in place to determine whether underground radio frequency signals if a quake occurred. With the incects, there has been 40 years of research on the checker- spot butterflies.

By Claire P.

Scott Forstall - mini Steve Jobs

2011-10-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

The death of Steve Jobs rocked Apple and left the iPhone 4s hanging by thread. Tim Cook, the company's new chief executive officer took the stage to kick off the 90 - minute show to introduce the iPhone 4s but spoke slowly and deliberately. The key for success will be putting manager Scott Forstall's ideas into action. Forstall's name is on about 50 Apple patesnt that cover everything from how applications are laid out on the iPhone screen to the method of turning off a device with a swipe of your finger. In many ways Forstall is like a mini steve.

by: Nikita

Big Names on hand to honor 'AL'

2011-10-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

This article is about the honor of 'Al' Davis. 57, 300 raiders fan people came for the memory loss of Al Davis, the once owner of the Oakland Raiders. More than 36 former players came in memory of 'Al'. The most stirring moment was when Former Head coach John Madden lit a touch for 'Al' durning Half time. Many people brought R.I.P. signs and wore 'Al' T- shirts. John Madden is also a former broadcaster and he said " The fire that burned with "Al" and burns within the Raiders is the will to win." The Raiders wore down Cleveland 24-14 victory on the field. Before the game, Jerry Davis, 'Als' older brother said" We were lucky to him as long as we had him.

Rappers Ice Cube, Mc Hammer and Hall of fame Joe Morgan resented non-foot ball celebrities. Ice Cube said " I don't know if 'Al' would approve of this but, to me, he was the first gangster, he always spoke his mind. There was a 4 minute tribute video and video clips throughout the game. At half time, several Raiders came from all different directions. The current head coach said " We'll always talk about 'Al'.

By Andre
Source: S.F. Gate

MLK Statue in Washington D.C.

2011-10-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

In Washington D.C., thousands of people gathered around a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. to hear a speech by President Barack Obama. But Obama wasn't the only one to speak, MLK's son, Martin Luther King III, spoke of how the country lost its soul by allowing teen bullying and economic problems.

Around 1.5 million people were estimated to have visited the statue. The statue is a 30-foot-tall mountain with MLK coming out of it. The statue is a symbol of a line in MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." The statue is in the National Mall, and is the first statue of an Black leader on site. The statue was sculpted by Lei Yixin, a Chinese artist.

Obama, who was just 6 when MLK was assassinated, feels he owes his presidency to MLK. Obama also feels MLK pushed the nation to what it should be and changed people's hearts and minds.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

By Anya J.

Cyrano de Bergerac

2011-10-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

This month the upper-graders finished reading the play Cyrano de Bergerac y Edmond Rostand.
Cyrano de Bergerac is about a man named Cyrano who falls in love with his cousin Roxane. But Roxane is in love with a handsome man named Christian. Who will Roxane chose? I won't ruin the story for you. This is a picture of Puccini.

There is also an opera be Franco Alfano. Franco Alfano was the student of Giacomo Puccini. Puccini wrote many operas before. He wrote Turandot, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, La Bohema, Manon Lascaut, and Gianni Schicchi. Those are not all of his operas. He has much more. His Turandot was not finished by him. Franco Alfano finished him. Franco Alfano wrote an opera Cyrano de Bergerac.

Edmond Rostand was born on April 1, 1868 and died on December 2, 1918. He also wrote Les Romanesques.
This is a photo of Edmond Rostand.

Placido Domingo sang Cyrano at the San Francisco Opera this season.

Written By: Rubina H.

Should Babies Watch TV?

2011-10-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Are parents harming their children by placing them in front of the TV to get things done around the house? There are many media products and programs for their children to help them learn while it is hurting their kid’s eyesight. Most popular shows toddlers spend their time watching are Yo Yo Gabba Gabba,Seasame Sreet and Barney and Friends. While kids can spend many hours being active and playing they get plopped write in front of the TV screen, ipad or a computer. Most parents put their kid’s right in front of the TV just so they could do something.
American Academy Pediatrics (AAP) has no evidence that this could cause a mental problem. In a survey the AAP took not long ago parents said their children under age 2 watch some form of electric media. So a video isn’t going to help your child it would hurt them.

If parents want to make their toddler be quiet there is a way there are thousands of ways and also two baby channels BabyTV and BabyTVfirst for infants and toddlers.Parents don’t need to assume that all those learning shows it will make their kids very smart.If parents want their kids to learn the AAP says free play actually helps them learn and entertain themselves.About one third children have TV’s in their rooms. The AAP is just trying to say parents should limit their kids on TV for their own safety
By:Asiana Duong

New Cubs Bring Hope to Tigers

2011-10-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hope has been brought to a rare species of tigers called Sumatran. Three female and one male tiger cubs have been born in the Oklahoma City Zoo after three years of waiting for there to be cubs. There are less than 300 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. These cubs are bringing hope for the almost existent tigers to come back from "the brink extinction". Three out of nine species of tigers have already gone extinct in the past 70 years. The Amur, Bengal, Malayan, South China, and Sumatran are the six remaining species of tigers still left. All of them on the "endangered or critically endangered list".

They tigers are being lost mostly because of habitat loss or poaching. Tiger bones, eyes, teeth and other parts are used in some Asian countries as medicine for malaria and meningitis. Tiger are also hunted for there skin to be sold by group or individual poachers. Some roads that are built make the tigers territory smaller and prey might be to small for the groups of tigers. The World Wildlife and Wildlife Conservation Society are attempting to get a "top-level" Asian government official to get involved in tiger conservation. Conservation is being helped by individual members of villages who patrol forests to make sure there are no illegal poachers. Also, there are programs in zoos to help increase the tiger population.

Source: Life Science

Chief Resigned After Critical Court Report

2011-10-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Officers were accused more than a decade ago of systematically beating and framing suspects. As a result,the alleged victims settled for 10.5 million that led to federal court oversight of Oakland police department had the responsibility, as required by U.S District Judge Thelton Henderson. To reform the department. Batts announced his resignation after receiving his crital report by a court appointed monitor. Batts's consultant Scott Brayant, said "I don't know what esse he could of done." But Oakland attorneys Jim Chanin and John Burris, who represented the victims in the civil suit said they were disappointed in Batts.

"Substantial progress hasn't been made." Burris said. This is making the court frustrated by it. Jean Quan, the mayor of Oakland, was expected to name an interim chief on wednesday. City Council President Larry Reid expects her to apponnt Assistant chief Howard Jordan. The court appointed monitor, Robert Warshaw said he and his staff had found problems in severed areas, including how the department reviewed police force used on suspects and why officers and center stopped suspects people on the streets.

By Andre

My Trip To New York

2011-10-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody my name is Asiana i am new upstairs and i took a trip to New York it was very fun i got to see a Broadway show called The LIon King.All the seats were taken so i had to get the most expensive seat i got second row but there was one sad part made me cry it was when Mafasa the father of Simba passed away.Although it was sad it was a lot of fun!But at the end i was very happy because Simba grew up and got married with his best friend Nala and had a little baby cub.

I also went to the Natural History Museum it was very cool there was a lot of stuff to touch,feel and look at but nothing was alive there which was very weird because at the aquarium all the fish were fake with fake water but i wish i could go back!

Last but not least i went on a ferry to Staten Island only for 20 minutes though but i saw the most famous thing can you guys guest what it is?I saw the Staue of Liberty.I took many pictures i felt like i cold touch it.It was so close it was magical! THE END

By Asiana D.

Activists Leave Before Raids on Vacant Hotels

2011-10-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

In San Francisco police searched in two hotels on Tuesday. About thirty officers

first looked at Cathedral Hill Hotel at vaness avenue. But the activists left over night. For most of their afternoon looking at 600 rooms but they found out that they left earlier.

But the activists did go to Cathedral Hill. California Pacific is planning to demolish building a new hospital. After, they searched through Charlie's Hotel. After looking at both hotels the police started to gather in numbers.the police went back to Cathedral Hotel even though they were sure that the protesters left.

then the police escorted repairemen inside to turn on the elevators. then police things that shot beanbags.about 30 officers arrived three hours later.officers ran to the front door making orders.they closed roads which caused traffic.

"We attempt to make contact with them earlier in the day." That's what officer Carlos Manfredi said. the protesters want to make contact with the officers.

By Claire P.

My Trip During The Summer

2011-10-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

We all know that the Summer is over and school, alas, starts again. One advantage is that you go on to the next grade. Anyway, it never hurts to remember what you did during the Summer. For example: I went to visit my grandmother and grandfather.

The trip lasted two and one half months. Unfortunately, I have no pictures. It was a fun trip.

I traveled to Armenia. Armenia is very small because long ago all of her

neighboring countries conquered her when they could. So now Armenia is as big as you can see in this picture.

One of Armenia's best landmarks is Mount Ararat. Even though Mount Ararat is on the Turkish territory, Armenia considers it her landmark.

Mount Ararat is very special because it is a peculiar mount. It has two tops.

As you can see in this photo, one of the tops is smaller than the other one. There is even a cognac brand called Ararat. (Not that I drink it I just saw a poster on the streets.)

Many nice places in Armenia are Erebuni, Etchmiodin, and Zvartnots.

Now, about Erebuni. Erebuni is basically the remains of a temple that had a circular figure. Now, restorers are working hard to restore the temple.

My grandparents had a family friend who was working on the restorations of Erebuni and he designed the Armenian alphabet and jewelers turned it into a tablet thing. Now, a picture of that alphabet is sold in gift shops.

Etchmiodin is a city that is full of churches. One of the churches is Gayane. Gayane is a temple that is dedicated to a maiden Gayane who was de-tongued and stoned because she fought for Christianty. She was one of the 32 maidens who were all murdered savagely because they refused to turn away from Christianity. Armenia was the first country to accept Christianity as its government religion. Ribsyme is also a maiden who was stoned and decapitated. Yuck. Anyway, if these 32 women didn't fight for Christianity, Christians would probably not exist right now.

Zvartots is a temple that has a round figure. Nobody knows what caused it to crumble. It was either an earthquake or Arabian attacks. Restorers are working on this temple too.

The last saturday of August, everybody in Armenia run in the streets and water each other. If you don't wish to get wet you can stay inside and water people from your balcony or window. Now don not forget that it is very hot in Armenia during the Summer.

Anyway, you should visit Armenia because it is totally worth it and you won't regret.

By: Rubina H.

Max the New Puppy

2011-10-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the Hillwood Herald! The Grantz have gotten a new puppy! His name is Max and he is a 9 week old black Labrador retriever. They had gotten him when he was 7 weeks old. He can also be known as Maxamillian. He is a calm, floppy-eared pup who loves to play. Some of his favorite toys include whiffle balls, a bone with small treats at both end, another bone he enjoys chewing, a lobster that makes a bubbly sound when you squeeze it, and a Frisbee that squeaks if you press it in the middle he plays tug-of-war with.

By: Angela and Claire

The New Puppy

2011-10-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hi, and welcome back to the Hillwood Herald!

This summer our school dog, Zach, passed away. The school got a new puppy named Max. Max, a black lab, is only 9-weeks-old. He was adopted when he was 7-weeks-old, so cute. Max is mellow, most of the time, and when he is not mellow, he is running around the schoolyard chasing the children. Max sleeps most of the day, but loves it when children play with him.

Here are some pictures in memory of Zach.

Being Sad

2011-08-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

I miss Hillwood Academic Day School because I miss my friends. They are Jay ,Zeke , Nikita , Oliver. I really hope I can visit still to meet my friends I hope they had fun at summer school because when school starts they are going to have a lot of work. So good luck to my friends! I hope you will have fun in school because you will have hard work so good luck to everybody!!! :)

Faced with a Summer Road Trip? Color in the Backsteet

2011-08-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Better still, no one has to worry about melted crayons or mess. Here's a new app for both the iPad and the iPhone, which lets you color cute monsters.

Monster Coloring Book from twistcone on Vimeo.

What Colors Mean in Different Cultures

2011-07-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

Click the image below to make the graphic large. From there, consider cultures and colors. What surprises do you find?

Source: Visual.ly

Come Swim with OK Go!

2011-07-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Google and partnered with OK GO and a dance troupe to create another great music video. This take of "All is Not Lost" is a playful HTML5 music collaboration that lets you embed a message in the music video while the troupe dance to it. Sometimes the dancers seem underwater; other times, they seem to be water bugs or frogs scooting across the surface of a pond.

According to Google's daily blog, the site was built in HTML5 for use with the browser Google Chrome. As you'll see, various video clips move, or are rendered, in multiple browser windows that move, re-size, and re-align throughout the piece as the music changes.

In the Google blog post by Keiko Hirayama, a marketing manager for Google Tokyo, the collaboration had a "special significance" for the Google team in Japan. Apparently, the team worked alongside OK Go, and the message "All is Not Lost" is in support of all the people who were affected by Japan's earthquakes.

You can see our special message in the image with this post! For The Herald's coverage of OK GO, click here. For more information about the code behind this effort, click through to the Google Code Blog.

President Obama Honors the Giants for Their World Series Win: Watch the Live Feed Now

2011-07-25T13:32:00.001-07:00

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT

VISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV

Every Day at the Museum of Natural History: Students, aka the Critter People

2011-07-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

You can read about "the critter people in The New York Times. They are four students studying to get a PhD at New York's Museum of Natural History. Wouldn't it be interesting to go to school at a museum, especially one with all sorts of interesting animals saved, stuffed, and jarred from the last 200 years?

Source: The New York Times

Technology Right Here, Right Now

2011-07-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know? That's the phrase this short video clip asks time and time again, and it's backed by quite a few interesting statistics, which help remind us that we -- as students -- are really living during an interesting time, as in, it's really no surprise that some call it the Digital Revolution (and with capital letters!). Or, why students today are called "digital natives." Many of us were born AG ("after Google") and after Wikipedia. (Read Clara and Angela's article about Wikipedia's 10-year anniversary.)

A Bright Idea Through Simple Technology

2011-07-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a Reuters story about a homemade light that is changing lives in poor areas of the Philippines. The simple technology is really just a bottled liter of water with a few teaspoons of bleach. Sunlight shines through the bottle and lights up people's homes as well as a bright lightbulb. The bleach keeps algae from growing inside the bottle. This technology would be a great way to light a clubhouse or a shed even in San Francisco.

Girl Power at the Google Science Fair

2011-07-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Google headquarters in Silicon Valley hosted fifteen Google Science Fair finalists. More than 1,000 local attendees plus Google workers attended the event and walked along the exhibit halls.

The top three winners are all girls this year, and here they are:

Lauren Hodge in the 13-14 age group. Lauren studied the effect of different marinades on the level of potentially harmful carcinogens in grilled chicken.
Naomi Shah in the 15-16 age group. Naomi endeavored to prove that making changes to indoor environments that improve indoor air quality can reduce people’s reliance on asthma medications.
Shree Bose in the 17-18 age group. Shree discovered a way to improve ovarian cancer treatment for patients when they have built up a resistance to certain chemotherapy drugs.

According to the judges, the girls were all intellectually curious, tenacious, and determined to use science to solve big problems through simple solutions that the general public can do. Each girl won a scholarship and a fantastic-looking Lego statue. Shree received a $50,000 scholarship, a trip to the Galápagos Islands with a National Geographic Explorer and an internship at CERN. Naomi and Lauren each received $25,000 scholarships and internships at Google and Lego. All three get a lifetime digital subscriptions to Scientific American.

You can watch the girls' science fair submission on Google. Also, consider checking out the Google Students blog.

Sources: Google Science Fair, Google daily blog

Happy July 4th: Listen to the Declaration Of Independence

2011-07-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Today, NPR newscasters are taking just over 8 minutes to read the Declaration of Independence. Tune and a take a listen or a read. As NPR points out, it was 235 years ago this Monday that the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

Listen or read all the way to the end, and you may find some of declaration surprising. What do you think of the references to the Indians and the British?

The following text from the Declaration of Independence comes from the website UShistory.org. You can compare several versions of the Declaration of Independence. You can see that there was a lot of editing done to the different versions.

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Sources: NPR and US History

Watch 'Alice in Wonderland' from 1903 and Contemplate the Evolution of Filmmaking

2011-07-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

In 1903, Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow made 8 minutes of which the British Film Institute has restored and made viewable on the Web. The film clip shows Alice, though clearly an adult, growing too big for her house. Also, the video is burned out at the edges, barely salvaged, which somehow makes it all the better.

Read Along with Charles Darwin

2011-06-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Much of Charles Darwin's work and writing, from personal letters to manuscripts, have been online for some time. In fact, some 35,000 documents can be found at The Complete Work of Charles Darwin website, which is hosted by the University of Singapore and partially sponsored by the British Society for the History of Science.

Now, The Biodiversity Heritage Library has scanned 300 document from the scientists collection of 1,480 books in his personal library. Now we can see what kind of a note-taker Darwin, an English naturalist who lived during the1800s, was. Many of the books have Darwin’s comments scribbled in the margins. You can also go to Wired News to see a photo gallery of some of the scanned images.

Sources: The Biodiversity Heritage Library, The Complete Work of Charles Darwin, British Society for the History of Science, Wired News.

Who Needs Gravity?

2011-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Synchronized swimming and ice skating may be one thing. But what about synchronized skydiving inside a wind flight simulator in Prague, Czech Republic.

Watch the two-minute video below, or read more about stunt in London's Daily Mail.

How Legos Are Made

2011-06-15T11:38:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Legos, but have you ever thought about how they are made? An article on CNET shows through photos how these little blocks come to be. The photos also come from Denmark, home of Lego.

Medusa is complete!

2011-06-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Kayla, Jenn, and I, Rubina, have finally finished Medusa. She is an exercise catapult. You fling her by using your own arm strength and if you do that for a while, you might develop some serious arm muscles. Jenn has experienced this muscle work and knows what it feels like.

That is our catapult. Medusa and her Minions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Written by: Rubina

Thank You!!!!

2011-06-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

Laura M.,

Thank you so much for volunteering at Hillwood for the uppergraders!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You!!!!!!!!

Rubina H.

The Hillwood Hearald Takes On the Design Squad Challenge

2011-06-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we finish up our PBS Design Squad Challenges. We will be uploading videos of our contraptions, as well as a description about our teams and design and engineering plans.

The questions we will be answering are:

• Tell us about your team.
(What's your team name/story? Who's on your team?)

• Describe your project.
(What activity did you build big and why? How did you build it?)

Here is a video from last week:

Preview the Hillwood Yearbook

2011-05-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the first forty pages of the Hillwood yearbook at Blurb.com, where we are getting the book printed on demand for $26.95 per book (not including shipping). You can still order a book directly from Blurb. You can even order last year's book here.

Every student is pictured in the yearbook at least twice, and the book was written and produced by the upper graders. Anya Jensen designed the cover artwork, and the photographs were taken by the upper-graders, the Grantzes, and Mr. Clarke.

If you ordered your book with the school, you should receive your copy on the last day of school. Once the books are passed out, everyone can sign each other's book as a token remembrance of our time together at Hillwood. Just imagine reading your yearbook in 25 years!

New Design for the Nerdy Catapult

2011-05-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

Today Jay, Erion, Zeke, and I are reaching the end of are Nerdy Ninja Catapult. We have changed our design, so instead of using Popsicle sticks we used pieces of wood and a hot glue gun. We now are in need of duct tape, a buzzer, wires, a light bulb , 4.5 ft. piece of wood, and four twenty inch pieces. We didn't use Popsicle sticks because the where too small for our giant catapult.

Recycled Village

2011-05-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

So far, our village has started. We are also making a Christmas time village so it will be snowy and with Christmas trees. We need more yogurt cartons for houses. We are going to bring cotton fiber for the snow on the ground. Next week, we are going to build a wind mill out of a 1 liter soda bottle and 1 foot wooden stake. Also, we are going to bring in pizza tables for picnic tables in the park. Angela made snow flakes out of cotton balls. We will also make a forest with Popsicle stick trees.

Next week, I am going to build a windmill. We are going to put the snowballs Angela made into plastic spoons used as blades for the windmill. Also, we are going to use a motor to make a fan to blow the windmill.

Even though we are not making a project that was assigned before, we are allowed to enter

this project because we are using a motor from the motorized challenge.

By Anya and Angela

Medusa Is About To Be Created :)

2011-05-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

Jenn, Kayla, and me, Rubina, are going to bring Medusa the Catapult to "life".

We might need these colors of paint:

Green
Red
Turquoise

Jenn and Kayla are tying cords around our wood to make the framework of the catapult. The string is being held down by super glue out of a superglue gun.

Jenn already attached one of the wheels to the piece of wood. we are now doing the other one. we only need two wheels. Next week we will continue the one and only. . . "MEDUSA"!!!!!!!!

Written By: Rubina H. and Kayla T.

On the Heels of the Maker's Faire, Google Announces Kid Winners of Its Science Fair

2011-05-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

The judges for the Google Science Fair just announced the contest's 15 finalists out of 60 semi-finalists. According to the judges, all of the students’ projects asked interesting questions, many focused on real-world problems and some produced groundbreaking science that challenged current conventions.

There were three categories: 13- to 14-year-olds, 15- to 16-year-olds, and 17- to 18-year-olds. In July, the finalists get to visit Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. to present their projects to the panel of finalist judges, including science luminaries, technology innovators and one Nobel laureate. They are vying for prizes that include $100,000 in scholarship funds, real-life experiences at CERN, Google, LEGO and Scientific American, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions. The event will be streamed live on ourYouTube channel so make sure to tune in.

Here are few videos of two of the finalists, the winged keel and a wind turbine:

The Nerdy Ninjas

2011-05-20T09:46:00.001-07:00

The Nerdy Ninjas return to the planet Earth to save the world with their new super extra nerdy popsicle stick catapult. The Nerdy Ninjas are none other than the nerdy Jay, Erion, Zeke, and Nikita. We are building the one and only Nerdy Ninja catapult. The Nerdy Ninja catapult will be made with 44 popsicles sticks for the structure, hot glue to hold it together, and cardboard to hold the deadly nerdy launching bomb projectiles that go BOOM!!!!!!!!!! to save the Earth and stop the Alien War.

Medusa and Her Team.

2011-05-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Our team is called "Medusa and her Minions". Our team consists of Jennifer, Kayla, and Rubina. We are making a huge pop-fly for PBS Kids. Our whole group goes to Hillwood. Our pop-fly is going to be made out of

Bungee Cords
Planks of Wood
Paint
Nails
Hot Glue Gun

Next week we are going to make the form and the week after that we are going to paint the invention. Then, our pop-fly is going to be done and we will present it and see if it even works.
Our pop-fly is going to be 3.5 feet long and 4.0 feet wide.

Our whole team has seem Judy and Adam and we have submitted some of our other mini works to PBS Kids. Our whole class, 5-6, has interviewed Judy and Adam.

For more information about Judy and Adam posts that we made, you can just type in Design Squad or read this post.

WATCH THE LASTEST EPISODE OF DESIGN SQUAD-Judy and Adam Aim For The Sky!

Written By: Rubina, Kayla, and Jennifer.

Team Wind

2011-05-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Anya, Angela, and I are going to make a miniature city out of cardboard, plastic, bottles, yogurt cartons, and water. We are hoping to make a small windmill that can spin by making a fan to blow air and houses out of yogurt cartoons. We will also make little trees, bushes and other figures like humans out of cardboard. We also hope to make a stream with real water. We will add pizza tables as picnic tables in the cardboard made park.

We are doing this project because we have been doing the Design Squad Challenges for the past year and this is one of the challenges. This challenge is where you take one of the challenges from the before and make it over sized.

Our class got connected to the Design Squad by meeting Adam and Judy who work for the Design Squad. The have designed real cars and built electric dresses. Adam and Judy came to our school so we could interview them.

Anya is going to build the windmill, Angela will make the trees, bushes, and picnic tables, and I will create the houses.

By: Angela V. and Faryn D.

Are catapult "Medusa" is awesome :)

2011-05-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Jennifer, Kayla, and I, Rubina, are doing a big version of a pop-fly. Our pop-fly is called "Medusa". First all, let me name you our materials.

2Boxes
2 Bungee Cords
Wheels
Paint
Wood

The pop-fly is going to be 10ft by 15ft. Our pop-fly will be painted in many colors. We are going to green, greenish lime, greenish turquoise, and just lime. On our support board, which is going to be made out of complete wood, we are going to paint a portrait of Medusa herself. On the sides of the board that the boxes are going to be on, we will paint slimy snakes slithering up the board. The boxes that are going to hold the ping-pong ball, that we are going to catapult, will be mini pictures of petrified soldiers that attempted to kill her. The petrified soldiers will be facing each other. We are going to draw all of this in order to make the pop-fly scarier and more fierce to viewers. After all, it is called "Medusa"!

Written by Rubina H. Kayla T. and Jennifer L.

Anya's, Angela's, and Faryn's Windmill

2011-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

This is a video on how we are going to build a windmill for our village.

First, we need to buy supplies for the windmill: a wooden stake, a hammer, a plastic water bottle, and a drill and 3 nails. Then, we need to cut off the bottom of the water bottle. Next, you cut off the bumps on the bottom of the water bottle, which makes the blades. Then, you drill a hole in the middle of the blade. After that, you cut a piece of plastic off a water bottle. You nail the piece of plastic onto the stake, and then nail the blade to the piece of plastic.

Fin

Friday Assignments

2011-05-20T00:17:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, everyone — the yearbook is headed to the printer. What were a few of the last-minute changes? A change of uniform:

Today, we will settle on our PBS Kids Design Squad entry and make the supply shopping list. We will divide up into two teams: Anya, one team will be making your design; Nikita, Jay, and Erion, you three will combine your designs into one.

Each team should answer the following questions from the entry page (first answer them in a blog post; next week, we will include them when we upload our entries):

Tell us about your team.
(What's your team name/story? Who's on your team?)
Describe your project.
(What activity did you build big and why? How did you build it?)

If we have time, we will watch a TED video about a 14-year-old Malawian boy who built a windmill to power his family's home. Now at 24, William Kamkwamba, who spoke at TED, shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life.

Science in the Classroom — What Does Your Saliva Look Like?

2011-05-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Jessica, a teacher with a master's in science and a specialty in fish, comes to Hillwood each Friday to teach us about science.

Our usual science focus with Jessica is genetics. Some of the experiments we did include extracting genes from a strawberry, building a model of DNA, and looking at my saliva under a microscope. My saliva had a big black hairy dot crawling under microscope lens

Recently, we looked at zebra fish eggs under a microscope. The fish eggs had big heads and tails. One of the eggs looked like a leach and the other one looked like a ball with three large dots. With zebra fish, you can easily track the genetic changes in each generation. You can do this by just observing the fish.

THE HILLWOOD WALK-A-THON

2011-05-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

At Hillwood, we have a walk-a-thon to raise money for improvements throughout the school. (Over last summer, the bathrooms were renovated.) Miss Caine started the walk-a-thon last year, and she is again leading the way with fundraiser this year. Miss Caine also helps with the kids at the end of the day, during after-school activities. When we need her, she is here to help.

For the walk-a-thon, all the Hillwood kids and teachers walk 20 minutes to Crissy Field. After enjoying the park, we then walk back to the school, which takes 20 minutes. After the walk, we have a BBQ at Hillwood, which is just a nice time to hang out and enjoy each other's compony.

The money we raise gets saved up in a bank account, and the Grantzes talk with the teachers and parents about what other improvements might be made at the school each year.

Last year, the Hillwood kids raised more than $3,000, and this year, we are hoping to raise over $5,000! Each student usually raises their money, from family and friends, in $25 amounts.

By Kayla

Upper Grades

2011-05-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

In the uppers grades, we read many books and had many field trips. We read books like Freak the Mighty, Flowers for Algernon, Walk Two Moons, Macbeth, The Pigman, Maniac Magee, The Giver, Beowulf, and part of The Odyssey. Field trips we went to are City Hall, San Jose Tech Museum, Beauty and the Beast, a math play, and The San Francisco Symphony. At City Hall, we helped to pass a law to make McDonalds sell healthier Happy Meals. We helped by showing that even students want healthier meals.

Mrs. Woods is the uppers graders teacher. She has been teaching for 26 years. She has been teaching at Hillwood for 2 years.

By Angela and Anya

Current Events

2011-05-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

The upper grades at Hillwood have an assignment every week called current events. We pick a newspaper article on Monday and get it checked by Mrs. Woods. Then, we write our own article about it. The articles the students write are due Thursday and presented Friday. The reports are supposed to be one page long. Some of the most often reports are on the Japan crisis, the San Bruno fire, Osama Bin Laden, and The Giants world series win.