share.triangle.com - Education - Comments

Interested in Wasp?

jpo_05_09_07 — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:07:23 -0400

Interested in Wasp? So am I- never knew so many of the insects I am seeing are wasp. Check out this website http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Wasp&search=Search. You can browse insects or look for information... endless! As I learn to identify insects and study their habits the more interested I become! I missed my calling!

Cool

CalicoBullet — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:54:14 -0400

I was suprised to learn that so many little fly-like bugs are actually wasps! I saw and photographed a very weird wasp the other night. It had a very long tail. Strange.

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." Thomas Jefferson, 1791

Just a note for whatever it's worth

Java55 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:19:09 -0500

In 2003 the top of this old timber was under about a foot of water when the creek was calm but with each year since then erosion caused by runoff from upstream development has carved the creekbed out a little deeper and with this year being the first I can recall where this timber was actually above the water. Recent replacement of an above ground sewer line crossing with a below ground sewer line crossing about 50 feet downstream (with the disturbance of the creekbed) has caused the water level to decend even farther now and with this old timber now exposed to air, it wont take long at all for it to rot away to nothing. Observing the end of this timber I noticed there is a good set of tree rings worth further investigation as this tree was cut down sometime between the late 1700's and early 1800's, so this is some old wood we're looking at. Maybe somebody working with the NC Division of Archives and History or any other archaeolgical group might be interested in boring out some wood cores for further studies even beyond just the history of this particular site, perhaps even historical climate data research too?

City of Raleigh... before it's too late

Java55 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:04:24 -0500

Just wondering if the city of Raleigh has even thought to contact Legacy Research Associates, Inc. as it doesn't appear to be something an individual can get set-up and arranged?

http://www.legacy-research.com/

Personally I would hate to see another historical/archaeological site bulldozed over and completely destroyed as far too many have already been in the Raleigh area. We should at least learn something more about the history of such places before the remains are destroyed completely.

You, Go Fix that Math Crisis

AvantGardeTeacher — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:22:50 -0400

Are you a parent who works in, or is mighty good at, math? Did you know that employers are required by law to give employees four hours of "school" time to come to parent conferences and volunteer? Have I got a proposition for you!

I teach English. However, all subjects get generous face time in my class--even math. In North Carolina, the middle school math crisis became even more pronounced when we received our end-of-grade standardized test results. Because the state raised the testing standards last year, students from all walks of life earned much lower scores than in previous years. This was expected to some degree, and the raised standards were a welcome change to most teachers. No respectable test should pass students who only get 30% of the answers correct. Hardly makes all those hours in the classroom feel worthwhile.

Math is undeniably difficult to many adolescents, no doubt about that. This is compounded by the fact that, unless the students have a very math-centric science teacher, they will only be exposed to it once a day. Meanwhile, reading is a function of every class, every day--what a break we language arts teachers are getting, right?

I used to love math, and I still enjoy math and logic puzzles. Therefore, I am joining the fight. I will be encouraged to see this book in my mailbox next week:

Additionally this summer, I have been reading A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking, and am currently integrating its principles into our science fiction unit.

Time to move that mountain. The math teachers can't do it alone. Won't you call your child's school to find out how you can mesmerize, and mathemetize, our students?

***
Kim Holzer is the editor of Avant Garde Teacher, a blog that provides guidance, resources, and news to North Carolina teachers. You will find her teaching English in a local middle school.

Loss of Jody-dog

Amy — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:00:11 -0400

I'm having a real hard time with the death of my beloved dog. 15-year-old Jody (dachshund/beagle mix) died on Wednesday (July 11). You say your next support group is July 13, but that was last Friday. When is the next one, please?

~Amy