This year has been amazing, and I am so grateful that this year I was able to come to Computech. This year truly has been amazing! I have had lots of good experiences and some really bad experiences. 
      My good experience was getting to meet new people. I have met a lot of kids this year, and even some of the kids I have just said 'hi" to in the hallway have a small impact on my life. A lot of the kids I've met here have become my really close friends. For example, I met this girl named Sandra through this girl named Taylor. I love Sandra to death and have so much fun with her. We've gone shopping, had sleepovers, and pool parties! 
     My bad experience was my 1st quarter grades. I had worked really hard that quarter and struggled a little bit. I had 5 As, 1 B, and 1 C!! I was so furious and went home really disappointed. I was really mad because I needed all As to get an iPhone 4s. But guess what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? I HAVE ALL As! So on Tuesday, (if I still have those As) I will get an iPhone 4s! Which I have worked SOOOOOOO hard to get. I've stayed up all night studying and finishing homework! I've studied on the bus, with my friends, and with my family. School has taken over a really big part of my life I guess you could say, but I guess that's good?! I have worked non-stop and won't let anything tear my grades apart! I guess... I learned a really good lesson. Maybe that's what you get for working hard. 


P.S. This is my last core concentration blog post  :( see ya'll next year :*
Hope everybody has a great SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!
 
     We all have heard about the Columbian Exchange. In fact, it helped us become who were are today. Even though we don't "trade" anymore, we still are living the "Columbian Exchange Life"! Topic? What are some positive and negative effects on the Columbian Exchange. Well, I sure know some positive ones!!! People all throughout the world could get and receive goods they couldn't grow or produce. For instance, if you lived in Greenland (where its freezing!) you could trade with other places in the world that had animal skins for warmth or, good sturdy wood for houses and fires. Without the exchange, many people could've died, and we might not be here today! Wow, that's C-R-A-Z-Y! A negative effect was disease. Like the Black Death, animals could be transferred to other lands and start diseases which would most likely... kill people. With the Black Death thousands of millions of people died and with more/different animals getting on the ships to trade, lots of lives could be lost with the Columbian Exchange. 
     The Columbian Exchange was a big deal for historians. They started to understand how things happened and got over to America and other places in the world. Without the Columbian Exchange...life would be pretty tricky for us today. I am very grateful for the Columbian Exchange; and even though we don't realize it...it has a HUGE impact on our life. 

 
     Sorry I didn't blog Monday or Tuesday, I was in Disneyland. Now I'm back! Sadly I missed the Zoo Trip which is supposed to be our topic today but as you can see, from looking at the topic, I couldn't even finish without dreading the fact that I was home. I'll talk about Disneyland later, and my 3 day weekend plans but for now, I'll talk about my trips to the zoo. The Fresno Chaffee zoo is really cool and big. It's filled with animals you know as bird and they know an owl, flamingo, and others. The zoo is very fun, just expensive. There is always something to watch, hear, or do at the zoo. The zoo's bird show is quite unique and shows how many different kind of winged animal there are. The Stingray Petting site is just as fun because there is no time limit or amount of tries to touch one. You can also feed a giraffe and see its one-of-a-kind long tongue sneak out to say hello. The Fresno zoo is always trying to look for more ways to improve and want advice. In fact, here is the website our school made for the zoo, check out the Suckermouth Catfish under Fish. That page my group made and I put published. Here, www.http://computechzoo2013.weebly.com/    Check it out!!!
 
     The Maya, Aztec, and Inca all were flourishing civilizations located in Mesoamerica. The all were around at different times, but each made their remarkable achievements.  Sadly, each civilization came to an end. But how? Why did they all fall? What was similar about their fall. I believe they all fell because of climate change. Tectonic plates are moving, constantly. So, over the thousands of year what may have been a valley for the Incas, may have been a barren wasteland for the Maya. Maybe these civilizations thought past story tellers were lying about where they once lived because maybe it was something completely different to the people reading and searching for the place past people had spoke about. After all, these civilizations went on for decades...then they fell. 
     I know that I can't really relate to this because I have only been alive for about 13 years so I can't say if I've noticed a difference in the weather because the Pacific Plate (the plate I live on) hasn't even moved a foot yet. I'd probably be no help when it comes to things like that. 
 
     Computech is such a great school. It has everything a school should ever have and offer. I have really enjoyed my experience here and can't wait to come again next year and make some more memories. 


     One of my favorite times here at Computech was meeting new people. The first day of school was pretty traumatizing for me. I hardly knew anyone and was probably going to get trampled in the hallways. But, I didn't I survived. Another time was learning a new language...spanish (which you can check out on my spanish page under classes) it made me realize how everyone on earth is somehow connected and different. Before, I just knew people spoke spanish. Now, I know that people in Mexico communicate like that, that's how they talk, it's also sort of how they live too. I am so grateful to have come to Computech because I don't know where I'd be if I never became a Computech Tiger. Once a Computech Tiger, Always a Computech Tiger. 
 
    The Maya. One of the greatest civilizations ever known on this earth; the foundation of what us humans have become today. The came... but how did they leave? We all know they were once populating Mesoamerica... but where did they go? 
     
     Many people have different thoughts and feelings for his topic but here's what I believe... the Spanish. After flourishing for many years and centuries... the Maya soon met their soon-to-be rulers... the Spanish. The Spanish came from Spain looking for new land, and sure did they find some. We don't have a lot of information on this, sadly. I believe the Maya were scared although they tended to be more than half better in astronomy, math, and also other "practices." The Spanish must've been traumatizing to the Maya... big men in fine clothes, with very big and different weapons. Maybe they believed the Spanish were the gods and followed them around. Maybe they wouldn't leave their land and were killed by the Spanish... we don't really know. Although, if scientists keep on looking, discovering, and reading... we may just get some more information on why the Maya disappeared... and where they went. 
 
     It was sunrise, and half the pack was all ready to go. I shoved my tent into my bag and called my family to come. I watched my tired, limpy, and stressed family take down their tent and stuff it away. I ordered the pack to move forward, today was going to be a long day. We moved for what felt like hours, over mountains, across rivers, through caves until we found something. A green valley sparkled below us. A forest to the far left and a cool, majestic, and musical river to the far right. Half the pack rejoiced, leaving their belongings where the were, they ran down the hill and rolled into the depths of the valley. Realizing my family had gone, I followed. Squealing and laughing my whole way down. Another part of our tribe- supposedly left behind- arrived a day later. A small settlement had been established when they arrived and they warned us we must keep going, to find just what we needed. "Is this no heaven?" I asked, they shook their heads. I being the packs leader, let the others who felt the need be to keep going, go. The people in my tribe who wanted to stay, could. The people who went from my tribe, would become the one of the others. Only a few people went, leaving some extra supplies for those who stayed. This place was just what we needed, it has it all. Even the weather was nice. I knew what was right, and if the others wanted to come back, they could.
 
     This year not only has been a great year for learning, but it's also been a great year for reading. In core we read for ten minutes, then are expected to go home and read for another twenty. For homework, we write about what we read. 
     I've only read a few books each being over 15 chapters. One of my favorites was The Mysterious Benedict Society. This book is a mystery story and has great usage of words, settings, and characters. In the book, Reynie Muldon is an orphan looking for his right-ful place. His tutor suggests a very elegant test and if passed a ticket to a very special school. Reynie takes the test and seems to pass every time. Although other students try to encourage him to help them pass by breaking the rules... Reynie does not give in and makes the best out of everything. With how Reynie does make the best of everything he seems to receive answers through breaking down problems and solutions. Soon being met with Mr. Benedict and his team and two other children who passed, Reynie seems to take the best risks of his life.
     If you ever find yourself bored to death and wanting a good book, check out The Mysterious Benedict Society. 
 
   The Scientific Revolution...sounds kinda big, huh? Well, it was big. It changed our world and brought us to where we humans are today. All thanks to something called...the brain. 
    
     The Scientific Revolution started in the late 1500s when people started to want a change. Before, the church was the head of the world. If the pope, leader of the Catholic Church, said the earth was flat and made of hamburgers... that's what you believed. Of course people didn't have hamburgers back then. People weren't even allowed to read the Bible... only the priests and Pope could do that, plus the Bible was in Latin and most people read and spoke in English, Greek, German, or Italian. When the Protestants came about... many people started to think for themselves and had the opportunity to read the Bible. Lots of people found things others had never heard of. People actually started to use their brains and created many... many... MANY things. This was the Scientific Revolution..I
 
    Every student at every school wants a change. Some want a longer recess, better lunch meals, or even a 9:00 school week believe it or not. I'm here to be serious and tell you what I personally want, this is my 5 theses.

     I wake up at 6:00. It's REALLY hard for me to do this but this is what I'm focusing on... a bus app. You're probably saying "This kid is ridiculous!" but I'm serious!!! I can get to the bus stop at 7:00 (when I am expected to) and have to wait 15 minutes for my bus which is supposed to arrive at 7:05! Another these I have would be to have better morning broadcasts. If new students join the school, put them in the broadcast...with their permission! Let the school see a video of the football team at its final defeat. Show the students who's birthday is coming up or happening. Make students want to enjoy the broadcasts. My third these would be to have something going on in the cafeteria. Like a slideshow of pictures. Something students can look at but not have to worry about talking to loud! My fourth would be a walk-around. Where after school, students can take a tour into classrooms that are being changed or they've never seen so they can see what they might want to have as an elective or even who they want to be their next teacher. My last these and hopefully my best, I want all students to enjoy school. Period. That's it. I really hope my these(s) will