Month 2-- Civil War--History Group Presentations

 Liam talked about the flags of the Union and the Confederacy.  The Stars and Strips and the Stars and Bars.

 Krystal asks:  Which food would you rather eat?
From the North:  Hard Tack (full of bugs and dirt) dipped in broth with re-hydrated veggies, beans and canned milk   or  from the South:   Sweet potatoes, peanuts, and johnny cakes (cornmeal cook as a pancake)...if there was any food to be found.
MMmmm choices, choices.

 Cailin taught us about Michal Faraday:

Hale, Cailin

Challenge B

Mrs. East

October 3, 2013

The Man Who Changed the World

      Perhaps it was his curiosity to know everything. Perhaps it was his dedication to science and knowledge. Perhaps it was both. Either way, Michal Faraday was a genius. A British chemist and physicist, he grew up with a thirst for knowledge that appeared unquenchable. He was a great scientist. His contributions to society and science were vast. Michal Faraday was a brilliant, curious genius.

      In his childhood, his thirst for knowledge was poorly met. He was born on September 22^nd, 1791 in south London to a family that could not afford a very good education. Faraday only received a basic schooling. When he was thirteen he went to work at a book binder’s shop. Every book he bound he read. Faraday attended four lectures by a chemist of the name of Humphrey Davy. Eagerly, Faraday wrote to the chemist, requesting to be his assistant. Davy declined. Though this strongly disappointed him, he was thrilled when in the next year, Davy requested Faraday to be his assistant. Obviously the chemist had changed his mind. The excited young man agreed to assist Humphrey Davy. Faraday was a great questioner in his youth.

     Michal Faraday was a brilliant scientist. One day, Davy asked Faraday if he would like to adventure on an eighteen month tour of Europe with Davy and his wife. Faraday accepted, of course. They met many influential scientists of the age on their travels, much to Faraday’s excitement. When he had returned home, Faraday continued to assist scientists with their various experiments and doing some of his own. He wrote and published several articles on the world’s current views on electricity. He was, and always had been, extremely interested in electricity, energy, and force. In 1812, while America was fighting bitterly to keep their freedom, he published his works and research on electromagnetic rotation. In 1826 he founded the Royal Institution Friday Evening Discourses and the Christmas Lectures. Known as a great experimenter as well as lecturer, Faraday was becoming more widely known and more popular. He was definitely a brilliant scientist.

      Michal Faraday was very influential on society and science. He discovered the electromagnetic rotation, the principle behind the electric motor. In 1831 he discovered electromagnetic induction, the principle behind the electric transformer and generator. He gave his name, Faraday, to the ‘farad’, which originally was a unit of electrical  charge. It is now a unit of electrical capacitance. Faraday died on August 25^th, 1867. He was a very influential and admirable scientist.

      Michal Faraday showed the world that you don’t have to be rich to be smart and important in the world’s eyes. In his childhood he questioned everything. He proved to be apt as a scientist. He influenced our society and science. He proved to everyone that you don’t have to be born into a particularly wealthy or special family to be great. He did what he loved, and he did it fantastically. Michal Faraday changed the world of science. 

 Clarissa shared with us interesting facts about American Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

 Janet shared with us a lovely dance that was enjoyed by many people during the Civil War.  We all had fun learning it and dancing too.

Delaney read The Story of Harriet Tubman, Conductor of the Underground Railroad  for the past week.  She then shared much of what she learned using a power point presentation.
Beryl shared with us the Gettysburg Address.  Both she and Connor are taking a LEMI class called the Sword of Freedom and have to memorize this speech.
Amber shared wonderful stories about different animals that traveled with various troops and companies of soldiers during the war.  Bears, eagles, cow, cat, dog, chicken (one was always with General Robert E. Lee and provided him an egg for breakfast under his cot/bed each and every morning.)  Many other animals too.