Budding Scientists

 Today I was asked to witness some experiments. 

I learnt some good things. 

It proves that we do not stop knowing something new each day; whatever age.

It also says that it is inspiring to know the students are trying out some interesting acts.

It is also encouraging to see some serious learning among students.

 Diapers and babies.

Why? Today I learnt the principle behind diaper making.

I also now know why some magicians manage to trick onlookers so convincingly.

 First, Heng Yee of 5 Science 1 filled a cup with water.

 Like a magician, he started to switch the position of the cup among cups without water and asked blatantly; which is the cup with the water...

You can point at any cup...the answer is still ?

 The missing water. Where is the cup with the water?

The magic word is sodium poly acrylate powder !

A super absorbent; it absorbs water up to 300 times of its weight; the water then becomes a mass as shown.

This powder must have been applied to baby diapers too; that's how babies are kept dry even after peeing...

 Heng Yee says; now you know.

Yes, now I really know.

Next, the fourth formers also want to show off some skills.

 This time it's Borax powder !
Jonathon told me that the toughest job of the experiment was getting Borax ! He finally found it at IOI mall.

 The group are into making Borax crystals and the order for them is a long list.

 Some super saturated solution is created by heating borax powder over a fire.

 Next, strings of pipe cleaners are placed into the solution.

As the solution cools, the borax particles stick onto the rough surface of the pipe cleaners; attracting more particles each time.

After 6-12 hours, lo and behold crystals ! Yes, crystals are formed and like magic...they become decorative items for the home.

Priced at RM3, RM4 and RM 5 depending on the look, these borax crystals are a hit among the students !

The excited ones next has this to display.

 Ashley and Kyshanty eagerly ushered me to share their excitement. They told me that a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, food colouring, potassium ioxide and the popular dish washing soap will entertain us well indeed !

 See, the potassium iodide acts as a catalyst to remove the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide and while trapping the oxygen and creating bubbles, the mixture next transforms into foam ! Real long foams !

 The term they used to describe the foam is : Elephant toothpaste. Quite an appropriate one.

Kishen, Dharisiny and Yun Mun have something for us to ponder.

DNAs...

 Kishen says the banana is best used for this experiment as it has properties so close to the human for DNA findings. He says if he were able to change the chromosomes of the fruit, it would be like extracting human DNAs. Can we believe him?

 Crushed banana is mixed with table salt and distilled water. Now they use the famous dish washing solution again; just a mere teaspoon. I asked the students why they love the dish washing solution? They replied that is has many properties suitable for experiments.

 The dish washing solution breaks the nucleus of a cell and releases the diluted DNA into the solution.

 Then a few drops of pure alcohol are added and when they coagulate the DNA, it will form a mucus-like substance on top of the solution.

 Now, the testing begins. Whose DNA is this ?

This method can be used in forensic science to find the DNA of a murderer !!! Wow.

Learn, children learn and do not make the teachers go round the school like a in a circus...

Learn right things .

What a learning experience today.

Paper Towns by John Green

The book that i have read is Paper Towns by John Green. It is a book about a teenage, Quentin and an adventurous yet very mysterious Margo, Q’s crush. It is a very interesting book. Im in love with Margo’s character. I love seeing her in Quentin’s perspective. Its fun knowing how much he adores Margo, who is such a brave girl. This book is about finding Margo Roth Spieglman who disappears. I enjoy reading Quentin’s determination to find her and how everyone keeps on saying its not unusual for Margo to disappear but he still shows how much he loves her and tries to find her. 

This book ends in such a disappointing way for me, as i love happy ending, i crave happy endings. Quentin, Radar, Ben and Lacey went on a road trip to a town in New York called Agloe, which Quentin believes where Margo is hiding. They found Margo living in an old barn. Margo flipped because it was never her plan to be found. She was running, she doesn't want to be found. Her friends left angrily and disappointed with the reaction she shows. Despite that, Quentin decided to talk it through with Margo. Quention wanted to stay with Margo but he didn’t, he return home with his friends. 

Eventhough it wasn't a happy ending, after thinking about it, i love the ending. I feel like thats how its suppose to end, there is no better way for it to end. I mean Margo is mysterious and brave, she wasn't meant to be hiding in New York with a boy! She was meant to be adventurously alone. Other than that, the ending lead me to think this is the kind of love that was meant to be, like they would run into each other a couple of years from now, mature enough to think that they were meant to be (im a happy ending freak).

Jasmine

4 Cergas

The House Of Silk By Anthony Horowitz

The novel that I have read last month is The House Of Silk, written by Anthony Horowitz. This novel is the first follow-up to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes case. The House Of Silk was the most mysterious and complicated case that had been through by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The story is about Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson find themselves get into a sinister event that threatens to tear apart the very fabric of society.

The client of the “Flat Cap” case is introduced as a man by the name of Edmund Carstairs, an art dealer whose paintings had been destroyed by a gang of Irish robbers. After the murder of Carstairs' client, he turns to Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes locates the hotel where  Keelan O'Donaghue (one of the leaders of the gang) is currently staying. One of the newest recruits of the Irregulars, a boy named Ross, is stationed to monitor secretly outside the hotel . When Sherlock Holmes arrives, Ross is found brutally murdered by thugs of the House of Silk. When Holmes makes inroads with the case, he is framed for murder and sent to prison. Meanwhile, Watson meets with a mystery criminal, later revealed as Professor Moriarty, who provides him with a key to free Holmes from prison, before the detective can be assassinated. Professor Moriarty's motives are uncertain, except that he wishes Holmes to rid the world of the House of Silk. When Watson arrives at the prison, he discovers Holmes has escaped of his own accord. Various leads draw them to a travelling carnival, where they are ambushed, before being saved by Inspector Lestrade. After that, they makes their way to the "House of Silk", a club operated by a pastor and his wife who also govern a boy's orphanage, and rent the boys to wealthy customers. The members are promptly rounded up by Scotland Yard. In the end of the story,  their arrests, however, the case does not come to trial, due to a royal family member having been purportedly involved. It is eventually revealed that Mrs. Carstairs is the true person responsible for The Flat Cap case, being the second leader of the Irish gang.

I do like the ending of this story because in the end, Sherlock Holmes managed to reveal the truth of the “House Of Silk” case. Even though Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have went through twists and turns, they did not give up. Their determination have helps them to solve the case. The other reason why I like the ending of this story is because the justice has been uphold. Sherlock Holmes observes closely all the evidence to find out the truth. He uses his intelligence to solve the “Flat Cap” case and “House Of Silk” case. Moreover, the story has taught me that crime does not pay. Criminals will always be punished, if not by the law of the land, then by their own conscience. Thus, we have to face the consequences of our actions. This is shown when Mr. and Mrs. Carstairs have been arrested by the police because of their criminal. Sherlock Holmes hard work finally paid off and he managed to clean Ross’s unjust treatment.

In conclusion, The House Of Silk is an interesting story. I was really impressed by this novel and I think that Conan Doyle Estate had made a correct choice in Anthony Horowitz to continue the Sherlock Holmes series with this final book------The House Of Silk.

Koo Chong Jing

4 Cergas

3rd June 2014

The Drover's Wife

  The story which I have chosen to discuss is "The Drover's Wife" written by Henry Lawson,Australia's most famous short-story writer and poet. "The Drover's Wife" is probably Lawson's best-known work, and was first published in the collection entitled "While the Billy Boils" in 1892. There are several reasons why I love the ending.
  The main conflict in "The Drover's Wife" is perhaps not so evident as we may think. At first it is quite easy to imagine that there is a conflict between the bush woman and the snake. The reason for that is that the snake is a threat to the woman. If she does not kill it, the snake can bite one of the children, which will be a disaster since it is nineteen miles to the nearest neighbor. The child would be dead before they could get help.
  However, this conflict is only a consequence of the main conflict, which is mentioned in a sentence early in the text, "The drover, an ex-squatter, is away with sheep. His wife and children are left here alone." The main problem is that the wife is left alone to deal with the hardships of life in the Australian bush.
    I liked the ending of the story because the snake died after hit by the drover’s wife with a club. The drover’s wife was finally relieved because no need to worry about her children’s safety. From that day on, she could lead a happy and contented life with her children.
  Furthermore, the gaunt woman had physical and emotional strength to survive in the absence of his husband, and that her life in the bush started when she married a squatter at the age of 18. As a girl-wife she had hated the lonely life in the outback, but as time passed by, she grew used to it. When the drought forced her husband to go droving, she had been left alone with the children and the problems a life in the bush would bring. Her struggles have been many. Once she had to fight a bush fire threatening to burn down her house. Another time a mad bullock had besieged the house for a day. Then there was a flood which had ruined a very important dam. In addition to this she regularly must defend herself against dishonest sundowners and swagmen passing by her house.
  Moreover, I like the ending of this story because the woman was caring and independent in the face of adversity. Every time her husband returns, the woman is very happy. However, she does not gush or make a fuss about it. She usually gets him something good to eat, and tidies up the children. The bushwoman loves her children above all, but has no time to show it. The children have a very harsh impression of her.
  In conclusion, I think this is a wonderful story, portraying the hardship of life in the Australian outback from a woman's point of view.

Teo Xialer
4 Cergas

Heroes of Olympus : The Lost Hero

  The novel i have read is Heroes of Olympus : The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan . This is the first book of the Heroes of Olympus and its continues the story that where it left off in The Last Olympian , the last series Percy Kackson & the Olympians .

  I do like the ending of this book , the main characters who is Jason(a demigod that from roman era and lost his memories ) , the son of Zeus ; Piper , the daughter of Aphrodite and Leo , the son of hephaestus is a demigods . They are sent on a quest to save Hera , who has been kidnapped by a giant . They have been through a lot of obstacles and finally success their quest . They save Piper's father , whom Encedalus ( the giant) has held ransom and release Hera from her prison . They temporarily stall Gaia ( the god of earth ) plan's , but the newly risen Porphyrion ( son of Gaia ) is able to escape . After the battle , they return to the camp , where Leo become a senior counselor of his cabin and starts building the argo II . Piper also overthrows Drew as senior counselor and gain her self confidence . After part of his memory returns , Jason realizes that he is from the Roman counterpart to Camp Half Blood called Camp Jupiter . He remembers a girl named Reyna and that Hera switched his place with Percy Jackson , who is now at Camp Jupiter with no memory of his life place at Camp Half-Blood .



Lum Sin Yee
4 Cergas

The Hunger Games

Set in "Panem", a future North America, the Capitol selects a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each of the twelve districts to compete in the annual "Hunger Games". The book is centered around Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from District 12, who volunteers for her 12-year-old sister, Prim when Prim's name is chosen and Katniss's fellow District 12 tribute, Peeta Mellark, whom she has some rather dramatic history with. Katniss is then rushed to the Capitol, where she undergoes intense training, before being thrust into the arena to fight to become the victor of the 74th annual Hunger Games.

I like the ending of the story. Though at the end of the story, many innocent lives are sacrificed but Katniss and Peeta managed to survive. The way the both of them make it to the end amazed me. Supposedly there should only be one victor, but Katniss and Peeta both manage to make it to the end. First, thanks to Katniss’ archery skills which allowed her to hunt for food for their survival. Then, by pretending to be in love enough to die for each other, they win over the audience in the Capitol. Lastly, when they are threaten to eat poison berries in a suicide pact to avoid one killing the other, the Games end and they are both declared victors.

Choong Kee Sam
4 Cergas
May

Searching for David's Heart

         This month I have read Searching for David's Heart by Cherie Bennett. It is such a nostalgic yet heartwarming story. I do love the ending of this book when Darcy finally found the recipient of her brother, David's heart.

         Darcy always felt comforted in her brother's arm and could tell him anything. She
is a little selfish when she turns on her brother when he meets the love of his life and spends less time with her. She lets her feelings get to her fast. "I hate you, I hate her", when there is nothing severely wrong.

        Darcy also thinks that David's death is her fault as David got into a tragic car accident while chasing after her in the park. She couldn't cull her jealousy when she saw her brother alone together with his girlfriend. She felt as though she's a murderer after the tragedy.

        Along with Sam, her best friend who barely hesitated when she said they were going to search for David's heart, they went on a journey to find the recipient of David's heart. Darcy wanted to feel a vibe of connection with her brother even though he is not with her anymore. She listened to Winston's heartbeat which is beating David's heart. She also apologize to her brother silently. The resolution happens when Darcy 'hears' David forgive her and she can finally be at peace for herself.

        I think this is such a great book as the plot of this story is truly amazing and there are many lessons to be learnt.


Hani Nadhirah