Obama Tells the State of the Union

On January 25th, Obama held a speech, the State of the Union, which started with the topic of jobs. Obama said, "But this shouldn't discourage us. It should challenge us." We have the best colleges and universities in America, worldwide.

Obama asked three main questions: "What do you think of the idea?" What idea, you might ask? The idea Obama is hinting at is the rights of one's rights in America. I, Angela, think that the idea is correct: All people have rights of their own and choices of their own. I, Camryn, agree with Angela. I think everyone should go by their own opinion. Everyone should have equal rights.

The next question Obama asks, is, "What do you want to change about the world?" Camryn thinks that we should be focused on being more green. I'm about to move to Arkansas, where hardly no one recycles. I think that that should change because Earth is our home, and we're killing it. I, Angela, agree with Camryn's thoughts that we should go green. In one-hundred years from now, do you think our planet will be filled with plants and trees if we keep treating it like this? If we want it to stay with plants and animals, we should stop using fuels that harm the earth.

The last question Obama asks is, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" When I, Camryn, grows up, I want to be a paleontologist. I want to be a paleontologist because I am I am interested in the study of plant and animal fossils. I, Angela, want to be an animal cop because some animals are treated horribly by people and I don't see why they deserve it. I want to help animals who are in need and were treated with cruelty.

Can you answer these questions yourself? You can go see the excerpts at the White House Website.

Article by Camryn and Angela

Google Earth - A New Way to View Planets

Google Earth is a new way to take a tour on the earth, mars, moon, and the sky. When you arrive you can explore the moon or take a guided tour of the moon. If you want you can watch videos, see models of space craft, look at maps made by astronauts, or just move around and click on places you want to explore .If you tour the earth go to the toolbar and find 3-D building you can take a real-life view of almost any street.Hope you have fun using Google Earth.

Obama's Questions

Obama is going to ask two specific questions to the country students. Obama would like the students to be able to answer his questions and why. He wants them to because he wants to see if they have good education and what they have learned. What Obama says about education is that you should have good education from learning at school and reading. If Obama ask a question to me that is What is education?. I would answer education is stuff you learn at school, from your parents, and from reading books you are interested in. Obama prayed that the universities and colleges will give the students good education.

President Obama's Speech: The State of Education

On January 26, 2011, President Barack Obama made a State of the Union speech largely about education.

      

Obama stated in his speech that education is very important and that kids (and adults) need education because education is used for many, many things in life. In fact, life-long education is crucial. Most pressing, however, for the young students is knowing that education can make your future brighter. Education, with determination and hard work, gets people into college and then access to interesting job and successful careers. Everyone needs a job to make a living, buy a home and raise a family.

      

Obama is worried that children are not getting enough or the right education. Children in the United States, he explained, have not been studying the most important subjects enough in school. 

President Obama made the speech in United States' capitol, Washington D.C.

To learn more, go to the White House website or watch the video of the President's speech below. The video is from the White House website and include "extras," such as graphs and images.

What Did resident Obama Say About Education in His Speech?

Barack Obama made a speech on January 26, 2011. He said that he wanted to put education first in the national agenda and of the newly divided congress. He said: "This is our Sputnik moment."

In calling this our Sputnik moment, he meant that this was just like the time when the Soviet satellite was launched and the United States, especially its young people appeared to be behind in their learning and educations.

Additionally, Barack Obama said that he wanted everybody to get along with each other in Washington. Education is one of areas where getting along and cooperating is necessary.

The president talked about how American students are receiving worse educations than they used to receive.

One of the president's lines that I really like is:

". . . no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something great-- something more consequential than party or political preference."

Written by: Rubina H.

The History of the State of the Union, Obama's Turn

George Washington gave the first state of Union on January 8, 1799. As tradition, the president makes this report annually. While not required to be a speech, every president since Woodrow Wilson has made the State of the Union report as a speech and delivered it before a joint season of Congress.

What Did Barrack Obama Want All Students To Be Able To Answer?

Barrack Obama just made a State of the Union speech on Tuesday the 25th. He focused much of his speech on education.

There were three questions that Obama wanted all students to answer:

• What do you think of that idea? 
• What would you change about the world? 
• What do you want to be when you grow up?

Barrack Obama said that we have the most successful companies, and our country has the best colleges and universities. In fact, people come here more than any other place to study in our schools.

Obama thinks the future is ours to win. “The future is not a gift. It is an achievement,” he said, quoting Robert Kennedy.

Obama says, "And now it’s our turn. We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world."

If you want to learn more go to the White House website.

We Have to Race to the Top -- Join the Effort

Race To The Top people! We can reform our education program. Last night Obama made a speech about the Race To The Top, a program formed by Republicans and Democrats not by Washington. This program replaces the No Child Left Behind Law. The No Child Left Behind Law is a law designed to ensure that K-12 children receive a proper education but it has had mixed results and been very controversial.

Did you know that less than 1 percent of what we spend on education has led to higher standards of learning and teaching? This is important because as a country we have put less value on education, and Obama says that it is time we shape up -- we should put more value on learning, teachers, and students to get our children a better education! And a better education leads to a better future for each and all of us.

Bruce Randolph, a school in Denver, was one of the worst schools in Colorado; one of the reasons is that there were two rival gangs near the school. Last May, though it was rated a bad school, 97 percent of the seniors graduated and got their diploma.

Obama said, "In fact, to every young person listening tonight who’s contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child -- become a teacher. Your country needs you." 

Obama noted that teachers and parents effect a child's success.

Written by Clara and Anya

Who Are The Worlds Best Classical Composers?

Who do you think are the best classical composers?


The New York Times wrote a series of articles about some of the best composers that there are. What they did is they made a list of composers who are the most popular. In the article the authors wrote about the composers Bach and Handel. The New York Times wrote when the composers were born and when they died. They also wrote which period the composers lived in. They talked about Bach's style and how he used harmonies and melodies. Then, they started talking about Handel's style and how he used harmonies and melodies. The photo is a photo of Handel's score of "Messiah."

It is very hard to name the top ten composers that you like the best. I would say that the top ten composers are following. You can also read my personal view on why these composers are interesting to me.

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Mozart is good at changing the mood of the listener.)
• Ludvig Van Beethoven (He has very strong and crazy melodies. Not all of them are crazy, like the first movement of "The Moonlight Sonata." But the third movement is crazy!)
• Johann Sebastian Bach (He has very joyful and happy melodies.)
• Robert Schumann (I have no idea why I like his music.)
• Franz Schubert (He has calming and peaceful melodies, like Stanchen.)
• Joseph Hayden (He has typical " Classical" music. You can't mistake his music with that of someone else.)
• Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (His music is repetitive, but the melodies are awesome.)
• Aram Khachaturian (His music is very dissonant and melodic at the same time. That is why I like his pieces, they are weird and normal at the same time.)
• Giuseppe Verdi (This guy loved tragedies. I love his opera "Il Trovatore.")
•  Antonio Salieri (I do not like Salieri. I didn't even know he was a composer until I accidentally heard his name somewhere.)

Written by Rubina H.

A Dog Knows 1,022 Nouns!

Chaser, a border collie, knows 1,022 nouns. Her owner, John W. Pilley, is a psychologist, he taught at Wofford College for 30 years. They live in Spartanburg, South Carolina. John trained Chaser by showing her objects and reciting their names over and over; John would hide the toys, say the name and tell Chaser to find it. Chaser learned around 2 names a day.

Border collies are extremely intelligent. Unlike most children, Chaser enjoys her tests and drills, she finds them fun. Border collies herd sheep, if they can't they will go crazy.

John had troubles with all the names, so he wrote it on the toy. After 3 years of learning, Chaser knew 800 stuffed animals, 116 balls, 26 Frisbees, and more.

My dog only knows a few words they are: walk, ball, treat, go, car, and Mr. Bloozy.

 If you want to learn more click here to go to the New York Times.

Willie Mays Meets the Giants Again

Willie Mays was on the Giants when the Giants where still in New York. Willie Mays is still alive but he is not on the Giants team anymore. Now, he is a huge fan and a continued icon in the sports world.

When Willie Mays was a child nobody knew him and he was really good at baseball. But Willie Mays became a hero in his neighborhood when he played baseball.

This week, the Giants are bringing their world series trophy with them to show to Willie Mays. Willie Mays will join the tour with the Giants.

Go to the New York Times website to watch a video.

Lily the Pub Gets A New Hip

Lily the pug is an agility pug. Lily's owner found out Lily had a hip problem, and that worried the owner that Lily's career in agility might end.

But there's hope: Lily will get a hip replacement. It is less common for small dogs to have a hip replacements, because of the dog's small size and the need for such small medical devices.

I find it impressive that this pug does agility sports. My dog is a pug, and he can barely run 10 feet without breathing heavily!

The images from this page are from The New York Times. They were pulled from a video made by that publication and show Lily practicing her sport.

Is There a Secret to Test Taking?

According to new research, testing is not just a list of questions testing what you know. Testing helps people learn, and it may be a lot better than some other learning techniques.

According to The New York Times, "The research, published online Thursday in the journal Science, found that students who read a passage, then took a test asking them to recall what they had read, retained about 50 percent more of the information a week later than students who used two other methods.

One of the methods is recognized by legions of students who study before exams. The other method is prized by many teachers because it forces students to connect on facts.

Researchers gathered 200 college students in two experiment to read paragraphs about science. For the first experiment, the 200 students were divided into 4 groups. One group didn't do anything but read the text for five minutes. Another group of 50 studied the passage in four five minute sessions.

One week later all the groups were given a short answer test to recall facts based on what they studied.

Why standard testing helps is still a mystery. But it is an area that is being heavily researched and considered these days.

To find out more, go to the New York Times Website.

Good Study Habits -- What It Takes

This is a Wordle designed to inspire good study habits. To do well in school you have to work hard and pay attention.

You'll also want to  have a quiet space and try not to get distracted. Always have pencils and scratch paper handy.

The Life and Tests of Students

The following is a video pulled together on Animoto by Faryn and Camryn.

Elementary School Is Oscar Bound

These fifth graders are insane, in a good way of course, but they are INSANE, I-N-S-A-N-E! These kids go to school at P.S 22 in Staten Island. One day they got a call from a Hollywood producers and the school chorus got invited to sing in the Oscars. They sing Hip hop, pop, Indie rock and more.

In this video from The New York Times, you can see them singing Firework by Katy Perry and Imagine by John Lennon. When the kids were singing at their annual holiday concert Anne Hathaway came and told them the good news! They are all pretty used to big concerts but something as big as the Oscars will be a first experience for them.

Here is the link to the video: Elementary School is Oscar Bound

Good Grades for Good Health

Does better grades and higher class rank make life healthier? Yes.

There has been a research on 10,317 students at the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. In this study, researchers found information where it shows that better grades do lead to a healthier life.

Education also counts on your family's involvement. Even if you have a high education but diabetes runs in your family, there will be a higher chance of you developing it.

Of course, there are other reasons to consider getting good grades. For instance, better education leads to a good job. A good job leads to more money and that could lead to a better living. You can get a big house in a nice neighborhood. You will also get a chance to get fresher and healthier foods for yourself. Educated people also can have healthier and longer lives. They will know what's right and what's wrong. Should you smoke? Should you drink? They will know the right answer to these questions. This will give educated people a better life with a smaller chance of getting diseases or addictions.

Matin Luther King Jr. Remembered

Hillwood Academic Day School is closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to honor the life and work of this civil rights activist.

Erion and Jay made the following video clip, and the story below is by Hillwood graduate Julian G., who is now at Sacred Heart. The article includes a video clip from "Meet the Press," and shows Dr. King being interviewed. The clip reveals him as an amazing speaker and someone able to handle an aggressive interview style.



Marin Luther King Jr. is known by everyone for giving rights to blacks.

He began his career as a Baptist preacher. He went on to lead the civil rights movement, and he also made history.

Jim Crow laws were terrible. They did not let blacks sit in the front of the bus and they had to give up their seats if a white person was standing. They had to eat in separate restaurants, go to separate public restrooms, and even separate public schools. But in 1954 Jim Crow lost to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court declared separate schools for blacks and whites was unequal. The case was called "Brown v. Board of Education."

Black people were tired of the racism, so they boycotted the bus system because a woman named Rosa Park in Montgomery, Alabama, was arrested for not giving up her seat to a white person. Thirteen months later the bus gave in because of the cash flow problems with no one riding the bus.

The Montgomery boycott inspired more people to join him. In 1963 Dr. King and other civil right leaders organized the march in Washington. More than two hundred thousand people came to for demand equality for blacks.

The Civil Rights movement was changing the nation. In 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights act which made racial discrimination in public places legal. He also got the Nobel Peace Prize.

On April 4, 1998 Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray. But, still Dr. King's words, speeches and his legacy lives on with us. He inspired Hispanics, women, and even the disabled.

Below is an interview with Martin Luther King and several journalists on the television show Meet the Press, which ran on national TV, in the mid-1950s. Meet the Press is a news show that still airs on regular TV today.



Hillwood Herald readers: Don't forget school is closed on Monday in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King day.

EteRNA Online Game — Sharing the Work

Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University have created an interactive game, so that the public can help researchers find new ways to fold RNA cells.

Scientists hope to find the basic principles to life's building blocks, and this game is believed to be a "training ground" to help find these principles.

This game is challenging. The object of this game is to create the target cell design, using four different types of cells. To learn how to play the game, there is a tutorial that consists of 5 levels. This tutorial is a basis for the whole game.

If you'd like to know more about this game and its open source goals, read this article on The New York Times. You can also see how of this game may help its developers win a biological prize on the Carnegie Mellon website. You can access the game, EteRNA, is accessible at the school's website.

Happy Birthday, Wikipedia!

This weekend, a site that is insane in the way that we type in something and tons of information comes up about it, is going to be the same age as me! Yep, that's right -- 10!

How do 50 employees handle about 400 million viewers? Not only do to the employees handle the definitions so do the viewer. 

Wikipedia is not necessarily accurate because anyone can write on it. It got an 80 percent accuracy and other sources got 95-96 percent in a peer-reviewed journal ("peer-reviewed" means that a publication is reviewed for accuracy and importance by a group of professionals, usually professors and other academics). You can read more about the research here. The following is an excerpt from the study's findings:

The study did reveal inaccuracies in eight of the nine entries and exposed major flaws in at least two of the nine Wikipedia articles. Overall,Wikipedia's accuracy rate was 80 percent compared with 95-96 percent accuracy within the other sources. This study does support the claim thatWikipedia is less reliable than other reference resources. Furthermore, the research found at least five unattributed direct quotations and verbatim text from other sources with no citations. 

As a student, this research is a good reminder that Wikipedia is a good place to start in your search for information. However, it's not a place to stay. Also, an 80 percent accuracy rate -- a low B grade -- isn't terrible, considering that Wikipedia relies so much on the work of volunteers.

You can read Hillwood's Wikipedia page. Irene T., now a Hillwood graduate, wrote it in 2010. Below is our happy birthday video for Wikipedia:




By Clara and Angela

Links: Emerald Insight, NPR, Atlantic