Things That Fly: the Delta Dart

Delta Dart

I have an after school club with a few students and its called "Things That Fly". Right now we are building Delta Darts. I built one beforehand so I'd know where the technical parts of the build are (mostly the cutting of balsa wood) and to motivate the students.

This afternoon I wound up the rubberband a couple of hundred twists and let her fly!

climbing

turning

easily clearing the basketball court covering

 It climbed to altitude, higher than the basketball court covering (about 8 meters/25 feet).

saved by the tree

 Thought I lost it on the roof but it came gliding down and got snagged in a tree where I recovered it.

my assistant

landing

recovery

It took a few more flights after that. Good fun!

School has Started

Off to another school year. Its gonna be a good one, I can feel it. Been finding and listening to a lot of music lately to help my mood and creativity. My friend Barry found this Leningrad Cowboys cover of Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin'". Awesome! 

My Bamboo Skewer Box Kite

I haven't built anything creative in quite a while. I used to be famous at my school for my creations. I've built all sorts of stuff from everyday, low-cost materials. Probably the most sophisticated thing I've built is my wind tunnel which really works and is very precise.

Wednesday at school we are having our "Spring Fling" and I am on the kite making team, so I worked with the elementary students on making simple kites.

Back in kite mode got me thinking...

Box kites: Then...I remember my brother having a box kite and I always thought it was cool. I first tried to build one from scratch about 30 years ago, but it didn't work out too well.

Now...On the Fausto Trail on El Morro is a frame to an old box kite that somehow ended up there. Who knows how long its been there, but each time I ride past it, I look at it noting its construction. It is very strong for being around as long as it has, so I've tried to duplicate the design using bamboo skewers used for kabobs.

The prototype...
Yesterday I built a box kite from drinking straws just to see if I could. I built it in about 45 minutes and it worked okay until the drinking straws started bending from the gusts of wind. I decided I could use the same dimensions and build one out of sturdier bamboo skewers. Here's how I did it:

1. I cut off the pointy ends of 12 skewers so each stick is 26 cm.

2. To make the long sticks, I overlapped them about 2 cm for a length of about 50 cm. They were glued and lashed together with cotton string.

3. The cross pieces are also 26 cm, so they cross at 13 cm. I made a little notch at 13 cm then glued and lashed them together with the cotton string, and lathered on more white glue.

4. The long sticks were notched at 6.5 cm from each end and the crossed pieces were glued onto the long pieces. The glue was allow to dry, then reinforced with a paper/white glue gussets.

5. The cross pieces make little triangle with legs each 13 cm long. The string which wraps around the frame for stiffness and strength creates a hypotenuse of 18.5 cm on each side. The perimeter around the frame is about 74 cm. The string should be cut at 1 m in length so you can tie it off.

6. The perimeter coincidentally was the was right sized for the little grocery bag I was using without having to cut and retape together. The width of the plastic is 13 cm. I just slipped the plastic over the frame for a snug fit. I used stick glue to glue the plastic on to the frame and string guys. I just eyeballed the width and it seemed right.

7. The bridal is about 75 cm in length tied to two corners; one top, one bottom.

Total weight is probably about 25 grams. I need to confirm that tomorrow.

Anyway...it flys!

Jose Hernandez

Jose was killed this morning on his way to work. Jose was riding a bicycle to school this morning when he was smashed and ripped to shreds by something big. It was a hit and run and there wasn't much left of Jose of what I have heard. A gruesome death.

Who was Jose? He was one of the day watchmen at our school. I didn't know him really, but he was usually the man who greeting me in the morning when I arrived to the building. He always said "Buenos dias!" and I think he meant it.

We have had somewhat of a revolving door of security guards at our school. The security company doesn't pay much, and the job is tedious. But Jose didn't seem to mind. He occupied himself by going beyond his job description and actually helped several of us teachers when we needed it. Just yesterday, he helped Daniel and I unload some sacks of soil for a campus beautification project that Daniel and his environmental science class is doing.

It seems that Jose died alone. This afternoon we went to the funeral home to pay our condolences to his family. The funeral home was empty, apparently there was a change of plans and his remains were in the morgue at the local hospital. No wake or funeral for Jose. No family member were to be found. His remains will be buried tomorrow in a local cemetery. I just want people to know that he existed and he seemed an honest and kind guy. A commodity that seems rare in these times in Venezuela.

The Cycad Next Door

In my middle school science class, we are covering plants. When looking at the different kind of gymnosperms, cycads are one of the ancient groups. Fossil records show these plants have been around for nearly 300 million years!

To be honest, growing up in New Mexico, I'd never seen a cycad, only in pictures. The textbook has a picture of a cycad tree, and it looked very familiar. Last week, when I am walking from school, back to my apartment, there is a cycad! I took several pictures to add in my PowerPoint presentation for the next day.
Here's some new growth in the middle taken last Thursday on 02/18/10

Today, Wednesday (02/24/10) as I walked by it, I decided I look at it again and the new growth in the middle has grown at least 30 cm in about 6 days! Amazing!
Details!

Lights Out!

Been having electricity rationing or just electrical grid breakdown. Hard to say which is which, but I think it is both, which includes government meddling, incompetence, and arrogance.

Here's some pics about the problems we've been having.

No electricity at school. This really interrupts the flow of things. Most of our classrooms do not have windows, so it gets really dark. My room is one of the few with emergency lights.

One of my students has resorted to carrying a flashlight with him. always Other students have BlackBerry devices that have built in LED lights.

Finally people are starting to get mad and upset. Last night I heard pots and pan banging, a Latin American way of protesting, for the first time since 2003. The Assembly National (AN) passed a law banning such types of protests.

Another form of protest is the burning of tires. This was a couple of blocks from our apartment complex so we went over to take some pics. Crazy stuff!

The McDonald's in the background has its own power plant.

Yesterday lights were out from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 6:10 PM, 6:49 PM to 2:15 AM.

Today lights went out at 10:15 AM to 3:15 PM. Today a parent is loaned us a 100 kW power plant and patched it into our electrical system. We were able to have class as usual (almost).

A Visit to the Past: The Four Corners of my Old Classroom

Today I was at the old ELA building moving stuff. This is the school is where I have spent the longest period of time at one location, from 2001 to 2007. This is my old science room.

View 1: from the doorway. The dolphin mural was painted by some Norwegian students I had back in 2001.
View 2: from the dolphin back to the door. The new counter with sink is visible. This was a luxury. I only got to use this set-up one year or so. For many years I taught science in this room (good science) with nothing but creativity and innovation.

View 3: From the corner to the whiteboards. I spent most of my time in front of the whiteboards during my lecture periods.

View 4: From the whiteboards to the corner. Another look at the counter with underneath storage.

I had fun in that classroom.

New School Year Starts

Today was the first for the new school year. This marks my 21st year teaching and 10th year teaching overseas.

I had a good summer break. My visit back home to New Mexico was great, but of course did not get to see everyone I wanted to see and do all I wanted to do. Never did get to do the backyard BBQ for my mom...she was real disappointed. I need to make that up to her.

Tania and I didn't get to go on our trip to Dominica, because its like going to the moon. Very remote. We hope we are only putting it on hold till Christmas.

Hopefully will be picking up on the blogging again. Things are getting crazy here in Venezuela. Today the Mitsubishi automobile plant was forced to close. I'll put a link here to one of my favorite blogs so you can get an idea of how things are shaping up in the country. Nuts!

The Legacy of Sally Hefley

This past weekend was not what I expected. Everything will be okay though. Sally will be missed. She did leave behind quite the legacy. The former students who where there on Saturday proved it.

Agata: Class of 2005: fledgling business woman. Her father was killed in a horrific car crash on Monday and will be taking over the business with her mother. Enrique (her father) was a great guy as well.
Ricardo: transferred to the other HS: All around nice guy...not sure what his plans are. I didn't really talk to him much.
Robert: Class of 2007 Sally's "project". Robert is Sally's house keeper's son. From a lower-income home, Robert did not know any English when he was enrolled in ELA as a 5th grader. Since graduation Robert has since worked in the oil industry at the refineries, and on board oil tankers (he didn't like that job). Because of his mastery of English, his options in Venezuela are many.
Andres: Class of 2007 A double major at University of Miami. Art History and something else. He says Art History is really hard. We were surprised with that major. We never took Andres as a student interested in Art.
Emily: Class of 2005 Dental school, learning to be an orthodontist.
Adam: Class of 2009 (had to finish his senior year at our rival high school since Betty destroyed our old school). Adam attended ELA from Kindergarten to the 11th grade. I was his science teacher from 7th grade to 10th grade. I wasn't his science teacher for his 11th grade because Betty made me an elementary teacher (5th/6th graders). Adam will be returning to his native Argentina and study Electro-Mechanical Engineering! Whoooow! This makes me proud. I would like to think that Miguel Rengifo (ELA's math teacher/mechanical engineer) and myself had some influence on him.
CJ: Class of 200(?). CJ moved back to Houston around 2002 or 2003, but his Venezuelan roots brings him back. Not sure what he's doing now...but Sally was definitely a positive influence on him. Probably saved him from a life of crime.

We (the former staff) have other students attending universities around the world, and of course they couldn't be there.

I was proud of each one of them Saturday. Sally would have been.

****
One last note on this matter: I got word that "Betty" and "Randal" (Betty's husband) were livid this morning, from our triple play. ;-) They have a problem: 1.) it shows how intolerant and how little they are. 2.)Their self-esteem must be near zero.

Ultimate score: Their legacy is zero. They accomplished nothing other than negative. They have not left a positive mark in the local community, the country of Venezuela, or the international education community. I hope to God that they never darken the hallways of an education institution ever again. Good riddance!

Box and Whiskers

Two characters I came up with today when teaching box and whiskers plots for data analysis to 8th graders. I probably confused them even more.

Mom #2

Sally, my "mom #2", went into the hospital Monday. Her son, Daniel called me tonight she has slipped into septic shock. Her chances of recovery are grim.

****
Sally and her husband, Riley, immigrated to Venezuela from Texas in the 60's. They loved Venezuela. Its was a paradise to them. They built a life here; farmed, drilled for oil, and raised their two boys. Unfortunately I never got to met Riley before his passing in 2000. He sounds like he was a real character. As Daniel has told me, his father died like he lived; tough as nails. Sally loved him like no one else.

****
Sally hired me in 2001. She was the part-owner and director of Escuela de las Americas - PLC. As director, she gave me free rein as ELA's new science teacher. She was supportive and encouraged me to be creative and innovative. She allowed me to experiment with my own curriculum...my own projects. She just wanted the students at ELA to learn science!

Like a mom, though she was 100% supportive and protective, but she could also be scolding. If I messed up (like teachers do from time to time), she let me know about it. But also like a mom, she protected us like a mother bear with her cubs. And that's what she did at ELA...she built a family. She was the best boss I've ever had and ELA was the best school ever because of that family atmosphere. She loved the school! The students loved the school, and we teachers loved the school.

ELA was sold in 2005, The loss was devastating to her soul.

****
Now school formerly known as ELA will close its doors forever next week. The new owners could not make a go of it. With the passing of the school, so probably will Sally. That school's heart and soul was also her's.

Say a prayer for Sally tonight.

ELA is dead...Long live ELA!

Talent Show last Thursday.

Winding up school. Two weeks left! Yes!

Last Thursday night, we had a school talent show. I was the only staff member to participate. I sang "Put Another Log on the Fire", the male chauvinist national anthem. I guess I was the hit of the show. I had my secondary students joining me up on stage dancing and singing along the best they could.

I tried to give the back story of why/how I learned that song. It was way back in 1977. The year the Rainbow People had their gathering the Gila near Wall Lake. My friend Matt Winkler, his brother Patrick and his cousin and I decided to do a multi-day excursion on the Outer Loop in vintage trucks. We had a 1952 Jeep station wagon, (scroll down to see the wagons) and a 1965 GMC step-side pick-up named God, Mother, and Country. Patrick and cousin were in the Jeep, and Matt and I were in the GMC. We started from the T or C side, and headed up through Winston and Chloride, then camped the first night at the base of Lookout Mountain. Sitting around the campfire that night was the first time I had heard that song. I started learning it then and there because I found it hilarious. Anyway, it was a great trip! It was very influentenal in my young life.

Back to the talent show...all day Friday, I had students and teachers saying I did a great job. I didn't want to see the replay on video, but maybe I can get it and post it.
Already thinking about next years song...I have several in mind. Perhaps Ghost Riders in the Sky, or something by Tom Lehrer.

Softball and Airplanes

MVP: Jorge, 3rd baseman

Last Saturday was the Elementary softball tournament. Our guys played well. Most of the players were late to the first game so we had to forfeit that game and that killed our chances for a trophy at the end. We were also a player short, so we borrowed a player from other (non-playing) teams. This also DQed us from a trophy. If I would have know that, I would have played with only 8 players. They played really well. I am proud of each one.

The airplane pic is of a Cessna 182(?) that one of the families from Maturin was flying. The dad and granddad were buzzing the field.

A Necessary Tool

Unfortunately I've come to the realization that I'll probably have to buy a new laptop this summer. This one is 3 years old and acting a little funky and starting to show its age as far as the operating system goes. The XP is not necessarily compatible with my students' newer Vista OS. I hate that! Cool thing is this evening I priced (on the HP website) a new HP dv5tse with upgrades, i.e., 4GB memory, 320 GB HD, 12-cell + extra 6-cell battery packs, plus software (MS Office, Photoshop, etc.) for about $1100. That's about the same I paid for this computer in 2006; a HP dv1000 w/ only 520 MB memory, 80 GB HD, and a 12-cell battery pack, and no extra software (they did give me a free 3-in-1 printer though). This computer has been solid...never getting the BSD...so far. It is getting more and more cranky though. I'd rather spend my money on something else...like a new digital SLR Canon Rebel. Computers just get old and obsolete instanteously. I am going to let our tech guy look at the specs on the HP before I commit to anything.

Mousetrap Car Pics

We had our mousetrap car event on Friday. It was a success. All the cars moved at least. The D-Beast went the farthest, about 9 meters...not bad for being made from bamboo skewers, pencils, popcicle sticks, and rubber washers for wheel bearings.

Preview to the 2009 Mousetrap Car Races

Having my physics students build mousetrap powered cars. These are crude, but they work. "Races" tomorrow.

Testing the cars: I liked this photo. I had the camera on the floor on self timer mode. The car is invisible due to the shutter speed. All you can make out is the pencil which is the drive axle on this car.

So...the big "race" is tomorrow and the whole school is invited to watch. Who will win the Big Cheese Trophy?

Forensics Competition (pending)

Tomorrow morning I will be going to CIPLC (an international school in Barcelona 180 km away) to help our students out in the forensics tournament. There will be debate, choral reading, etc. I don't remember all the events right off hand. I will be there with my SD1000 and a tripod so I'll be getting pics, so maybe I can post something interesting.

More Fun with Lasers

Laser pointers are fun. I have found several uses of them in the classroom. I was just goofing off with one this afternoon and showing my literature class (I have some of the same students for science too) the Tyndall Effect. I got an Erlenmeyer flask and stopper. I lit a few matches and dropped them into the flask and topped the flask with the rubber stopper.
The smoke from the matches is a colloid. Smoke is made up of small particles that are suspended in the air of the jar. When shining the laser into the flask, the laser light passes through the glass into the smokey atmosphere of the flask and out the other side. While in the flask, the smoke particles reflect the laser light, making it visible. Nifty!

Creepy Leprechaun