"The Tampa Bay Lightning"

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a very talented hockey team. They won the Stanley Cup in 2004. Very few of the players that formed that winning team still remain, but all of the players are very hungry for another Stanley Cup to be brought back to Tampa. The Lightning's first opponent were the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins started strong taking a three to one lead in the series. But the Lightning never gave up, they fought hard. After forcing a game seven, the Lightning won and moved on to the second round of the playoffs. The second round was against the Washington Capitals who have one of the most talented players in the NHL, that player is Alexander Ovechkin. He is known to some for his nine goals in a single game which he called and Ovechtrick. He has proven to be a challenge. In game three, he sent the game into overtime by scoring a goal in the last minute of the 3rd period. The Lightning won the first two games at the Capitals, then came home and won the next two at the St. Pete Times Forum. This is a shock to everybody because sports specialists believed that the Lightning would not have a chance against Washington. They have surprised everyone with their supreme victory over the Capitals. The Lightning will now face the winner of the Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers series in which Boston leads two games to none.

"Five Places to see in Spain"

1. Santiago Bernabeu
     This beautiful soccer stadium is a very good place to visit because it truly gives visitors a deeper understanding for how involved Spanish soccer fans are with their teams. The stadium is in Madrid.

Santiago Bernabeu

2. La Playa de Las Catedrales
     This is a beautiful beach that is full of huge rocks that have eroded into caves and tunnels. It is located in the northwestern region of Spain. It's truly a magnificent sight to behold. It is located in Lugo

Playa de las Catedrales

3. El Monasterio Del Escorial
    Only 50km away from Madrid. This monument is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It took hundreds of years to build. Some very famous people are buried there.

El Monasterio del Escorial

4. La Catedral de la Sagrada Familia
     This is a very famous cathedral located in the heart of Barcelona. It was very recently burned down and is still open but under construction. It is a very original church that towers over Barcelona.

5. The White Villages of Andalucia
     These are small villages in the Region of Spain called Andalucia. All of the buildings in the village are painted white. These villages are all very old, and the people there are very kind.

A white village in Andalucia

"Chelsea Football Club"

Squad:

1 Petr Cech

2 Branislav Ivanovic

3 Ashley Cole

4 David Luiz

5 Michael Essien

7 Ramires

8 Frank Lampard

9 Fernando Torres

10 Yossi Benayoun

11 Didier Drogba

12 Mikel

15 Florent Malouda

17 Jose Bosingwa

18 Yury Zhirkov

19 Paulo Ferreira

21 Salomon Kalou

22 Ross Turnbull

23 Daniel Sturridge

26 John Terry

33 Alex

38 Patrick van Aanholt

39 Nicolas Anelka

40 Henrique Hilario

43 Jeffrey Bruma

44 Gael Kakuta

45 Fabio Borini

46 Josh McEachran

This is the squad in order of the jersey number's. The team currently has thirty wins, twenty one losses, and seven draws. They are on a five game winning streak having beat Wigan Athletic, at West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham, West Ham United, andTottenham Hotspur. The two newest additions to the team have been Fernando Torres and David Luiz. Fernando Torres is a Spanish striker who won the World Cup with his national team and scored many goals with his previous team Liverpool. David Luiz is a Brazilian defender who did not play in the World Cup. Chelsea is second in the Barclays Premier League, after Manchester United.

"Real Madrid" By: Talia

Starting Line-Up:

Name                    Position       Age      Height       Weight

Iker Casillas           Goalie         29         6’ 1”           174 lbs

Marcelo                 Defender     22         5’6”            160 lbs

Ricardo Carvalho   Defender     32         6’0”            172 lbs

Angel Di Maria      Midfielder    23         5’9”            165 lbs

Mesut Ozil             Midfielder    22         5’9”            154 lbs

Sergio Ramos        Defender     25         6’0”            160 lbs

Xabi Alonso          Midfielder    29         6’0”            156  lbs

Pepe                      Defender     28         6’1”            178 lbs

Sami Khedira        Midfielder    24         6’2"             178 lbs

Alvaro Arbeloa      Defender     28         6’0”            174 lbs

Cristiano Ronaldo  Forward      26         6’11”          165 lbs

The Team:

This group of players is for the most part a very young group with the youngest starter only twenty two years old. The team has played together for less than a season, so all of the players are still getting used to each other. So far, this soccer club has been very successful on the field. They are currently second in their league, behind F.C. Barcelona. Their current record on April 30^th is 25-4-5. Only one team in the league is giving them trouble and that is the F.C. Barcelona. Of the two games these very talented teams have played against each other in the league, Real Madrid lost the first one and tied the second one. When the two best teams in the league face each other, the soccer displayed is incredible. You can see the technique put in by play makers on both teams such as Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid or Xavi from Barcelona. Real Madrid is a very good soccer team overall who will go on to win many trophies. 

"Top Three Inventions to be released this year" By: Talia

1. The Flying Car
It is a car that can drive on a road like a regular car and then take off and fly like an airplane. I hope that they perfect the car a little more, so that it is more incognito.

2. Autism Robot
This is a robot that is designed to help kids affected by autism learn how to socialize. It will have real skin and look like a real child.


3.Instant movie theater
This is a camcorder that can project a video onto a white wall after it being taken.

Instant movie theater video recorder

http://www.blogher.com/5-fun-ideas-or-inventions-2011
http://www.wikipeers.com/technology/3685-New-Inventions-for-2011.html

"Western v.s. English Riding" By:Talia

Western riding is much better than English riding for a lot of reasons. Here are the advantages for each of the riding styles

Western:

• You can use the horn on the saddle.
• You don't have to keep the stirrups so short, so you don't hurt your knees while riding.
• You don't tighten the reigns as much, so you don't hurt your horse's mouth.
• You can ride longer because the style is more relaxed and comfortable.
• The saddle has a bigger seat.
• It is how people learn to ride
• It is therapeutic, and is said to heal the soul.
• You can sit farther back in the saddle so you are also more comfortable.

English:

• You can race your horse.
• You can also jump your horse.
• It improves your balance.
• The horses are usually calmer.
• It is more glamorous because you get to dress up.
• There are more classes in shows.

I prefer the western style because I can just relax and have a more comfortable riding experience.

10 Cool and Interesting Super Bowl Facts

1. 80% of all Super Bowl tickets go to the corporate sponsors

2. On average, 6% of workers call in sick the morning after the Super Bowl

3. Of the top ten most viewed programs, 9 are Super Bowls

4. The average number of people at Super Bowl parties is seventeen

5. Super Bowl Sunday is the second highest food consumption day

6. Eight million pounds of Guacamole are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday

7. One of every twelve people watching the Super Bowl only watches it to see the commercials

8. Only three men have won the Super Bowl as players and coaches

9. The Dolphins Stadium has a built in vomitorium. This is a place where the fans can go vomit after the game

10. No network footage exists of Super Bowl I. It was supposedly taped over for a soap opera.

Just for fun we'll add one more:

11. The Super Bowls are known as roman numerals because they go over two years in one season.

"An Interview with Ms. Nadow," by Talia

1. What is your favorite movie?

“I hate this question because there are so many good movies out there. My favorite kid movie is either Elf, The Polar Express, or Despicable Me. My favorite overall movie is probably Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightly, but I also like Secondhand Lions, The Fifth Element, and Moulin Rouge. And The Young Victoria."

2. What is your favorite television show?

“Castle."

3. What is your favorite holiday?

"Halloween… no, Christmas…no… Superbowl Sunday…no, Halloween.”

4. What is your favorite electronic device?

“iPhone.”

 5. What is your favorite store?

“The L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine.”

6. What is your favorite part about teaching?

“My fluffy ducklings.” [Her students.]

7.  What is your favorite memory of teaching?

“Poetry Camp every year.”

8. What is the funniest thing a student has ever done or said in your class?

“Probably the day Max started undressing in the middle of class because he didn’t know that we don’t really do that in America in front of other people."

9. What college did you attend?

“Simmons College in Boston.”

10. What was your favorite subject as a kid?

“Lunch. And then band, chorus, Art, English, French, and that’s all.”

(Artwork by Tori)

Softball in the Olympics by Talia

Softball and baseball were voted out of the Olympics as of 2012. The vote surprised even longtime International Olympic Committee members. Softball joined the Olympic games in 1996. Softball is a sport now played by all of the world. The sport has belonged to the USA since it joined the Olympics. The American softball team has won three of the four available gold medals. The International Olympic Committee considered replacing the sport with one from a waiting list of five: Squash, Rugby, Karate, Golf, and Roller Sports. Karate and Squash were nominated but shot down. Softball along with baseball, are the first sports cut from the Olympics since polo which was cut in 1936. The USA softball team broke eighteen records, some previously set by their own players. These records were:

--- Most Doubles: 11- USA (2004)
Previous was 10-Australia (1996)

--- Most Triples: 4- USA (2004)
Previous was 2- Japan (1996)

--- Most Runs Batted In: 46- USA (2004)
Previous was 32- USA (1996)

--- Most Runs Scored: 51- USA (2004)
Previous was 41- USA (1996)

--- Fewest Runs Allowed: 1- USA (2004
Previous was 7- Australia, China and USA (2000)

--- Most Stolen Bases: 8- USA (2004)
Previous was 7- Japan (2000)

--- Most Shutouts: 8- USA (2004)
Previous was 5- USA & China (2000)

--- Most Stolen Bases: 5- USA, Natasha Watley (2004)
Previous was 3, Jackie Smith, N. Z. (2000)

--- Most Consecutive Victories: 9- USA (2004)
Previous was 8, Japan (2000)

--- Highest Team Batting average: .343 USA (2004)

Previous was .296- USA (1996)

--- Highest Slugging %: .559 USA (2004)
Previous was .465- JAPAN (1996)

--- Most Hits: 73 USA (2004)
Previous was 70- USA (1996)

--- Lowest Earned Run Average: 0.12 USA (2004)
Previous was 0.25- USA (2000)

--- Batting Average: Lisa Fernandez .545 USA, (2004)
Previous was .524 (Chika Kodama, Japan (1996)

--- Most Home Runs: 5, Crystl Bustos USA (2004)
Previous was 4, Haruka Saito, Japan (1996) & Peta Edebone, Australia (2000) 

--- Most Runs Batted In: Crystl Bustos, 10 (2004
Previous was 9, Shelia Cornell, USA (1996)

--- Most Runs Scored: 9, Crystl Bustos, 9 (2004)  Tied
Chanfung Zhang, China (’96)

--- Most Wins: 9 – USA (2004)
Previous was 8 – USA (1996) & JAPAN (2000)

The USA Olympic softball team won a silver medal in the 2008 Olympics which was the last game of softball to be played in the Olympics. Both softball, and baseball are eligible to reapply for the 2016 Olympic Games. The loss of the sport affects our USA team in many ways. The Olympic Committee no longer founds the teams, which is hundreds of thousands of dollars lost. The team can no longer travel as ofter nor practice as often. The players can no longer make a living from playing on the national team. They have to have a normal job and play softball on the side. Now, the plan to save money is to condense its activities to about two months in the summer. A two time Olympian stated: “The money isn’t there and it’s not as easy to stick around with it not being an Olympian sport.” the same woman also said: “These women on this team, we have lives, we have to make a living. We have to pay rent and eat, and so I think that’s a big part of it.”. That sums up what is happening to the team without its Olympic involvement.

Sources:

• http://www.usasoftball.com/folders.asp?uid=153
• http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8504326/
• http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2005-07-08-baseball-softball-dropped_x.htm
• http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=5399291

An Interview with Mrs. Carr by Talia

Interview: Mrs. Carr

      What inspired you to become a teacher?
I always really liked history and I wanted to help kids like history as much as I do.

2.   What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas

3.   What is or was your favorite cartoon?
I liked My Little Ponies™ when I was a kid.

4.   What is your project that one of your classes does?
I really liked the iMovie project we did in Model UN  this year.

5.   What is the funniest thing a kid has done in your class?
When Shubh wrote about Kentucky Fried Chicken™ on his test as the cause of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

6.   What is the best season? Why?
Summer, because I like to be outside and I like to go to the beach.

7.   What do you enjoy most about being a teacher?
I like when kids find something we talk about in class interesting.

8.   What is your favorite topic to teach? Why?
The Renaissance, because the politics are fascinating and the artwork is beautiful.

9.   Do you believe in magic?
No.

10.      Do you like teaching 7^th or 8^th grade better? Why?

I like them both, but I have favorite topics in each grade. I like Renaissance in the 7^th grade and World War II in 8^th grade.

An Interview with Ms. Buckman by Talia

Interview: Ms. Buckman

1. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I decided to become a teacher because I really wanted to make a difference in the lives of children.

2. Who is the biggest inspiration in your life?
Probably my father to tell you the truth.

3. Why did you choose to major in science?

Because I’ve always been fascinated by science in general, and particularly with any of the life sciences and with chemistry.

4.   What is the most original science fair project you’ve ever seen?

It was using calcium oxide as a potential clean energy source. It was conducted by Shane Fitzgerald. It was probably the most original one.

5.   What is your favorite day of the week? Why?

Friday. The reason it is my favorite day of the week is because I get to talk to my boyfriend as long as I want to. I don’t have to go to bed at a particular time.

6.   Where do you want to travel?

Scotland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, any of the Scandinavian countries, Nova Scotia, Morocco, Australia, lots of places.

7.   What is your favorite children’s book?

The Giving Tree for sure. And any Sheil Silverstine.

8.   What is your favorite type of music? Why?

Well let’s see. It’s a tie actually. It’s a tie between rock, all rock and pop and country. I also like a lot of classical music and a lot of jazz music. There’s not much music that I don’t like.

9.   What is your favorite play this school has put on?

Oliver because my daughter is the lead.

10.                     What is your favorite animal? Why?

Turtles and the reason are because there are so many different species. And their behaviors intrigue me.

(Picture by Tori.)

Secretariat, a Movie Review by Talia

Secretariat the movie is a drama directed by Randall Wallace, and written by Mike Rich and William Nack. It is about a housewife named Penny Chenery Tweedy. As a child, she was the only one of her siblings to develop her father’s love for horses and horse racing. Before her father dies, he tells Penny, “Let him run his race.” he is of course speaking of Secretariat, her father would never sell that horse. When her father dies, her husband and her brother want her to sell her father’s breeding farm, but her father would never sell it. It had been losing money steadily but her father wouldn’t sell it. It is almost the time for the prestigious coin toss that will decide who gets what foal from the famous short distance champion, Bold Ruler. This foal is one that could save the farm. So while her brother, and her husband try to convince her to just sell it, she decides to study up on the bloodlines of the stallion, and the mare. When it is time for the coin toss, Penny Chenery Tweedy looses the coin toss, but gets Secretariat. She ends up getting Lucien who is a slightly insane French-Canadian trainer. Under him, Secretariat lost his first race, but it was because Secretariat was bumped coming out of the Gate.  As Secretariat gets better, the stakes get higher. There is another horse that is coming out strong called Sham. He and Secretariat race against each other. Who will win? Watch the movie to find out!