Summer Reads

The Summer Reads series includes books recommended by students, staff and faculty from Avonworth Middle and High Schools. This week we feature A Prayer for Owen Meany, recommended by Ms. DeSimone, GATE teacher at Avonworth Middle School and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. 

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving 

Just when you think you have Owen figured out, John Irving reminds you that you don't. This coming-of-age story is about two eleven-year-old boys whose lives are intertwined thanks to a terrible and freak accident on a Little League field. Irving's compelling tale follows the boys through adolescence and the many trials and tribulations that come with it. The characters are wonderfully vivid, and the story stays unexpected throughout its telling. 

Thanks to Ms. DeSimone for the recommendation!!

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonsson

Major Ernest Pettigrew lives in the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the south of England. His current life is as bound by custom and regimen as it's ever been, and that's comfortable for him until he properly meets Mrs. Ali. As he begins to get to know her, he realizes that although they come from different cultures and backgrounds, she possesses the qualities he most admires in a person. She is intelligent, and kind, and holds tightly onto her beliefs. Helen Simonson's Major Pettigrew is wonderful. The way she explains his reactions to uncomfortable situations helps the reader to understand just a bit of the British proclivity to politeness and decorum above all, and the way he blossoms as he gets to know Mrs. Ali is heartwarming. 

Makeshop Monday: An Interview with Katherine Burrows

Each year, 6th grade science students study convection currents and how they work in Mrs. Pointek's class. They put all of this knowledge to work and design a convection-current-fueled car called a Puffmobile. One of our featured makers for the Puffmobile Project is Katherine (Katie) Burrows. Katie really got into the whole process of making and designing. We interviewed her about her Puffmobile experience!

ARC: What was your favorite part of the project?

KB: My favorite part of the project was when we got to look at the final project.  It was really cool looking at the final copy, and seeing how all the work we did payed off.  

ARC: What was the hardest part of the project?

KB: The hardest part of the project was actually making agreements in our group.  Alexis and I both had ideas for how we wanted to design the car, and what we both wanted to do in the project.  Sometimes we would spent ten to fifteen minutes debating on something until we finally came to an agreement.

ARC: What did you learn from your project?

KB: While doing this project, I learned that when designing something for speed, to always make it cone or triangle shaped.  When we made our car, We gave it a sail to pick up wind better, but the sail also gave the car more resistance. (I also learned that when working with Alexis, everything will be pink.)

Thank you for your interview and your insights Katherine! 

Makeshop Monday: An interview with Iliana Scott

Each year, 6th grade science students study convection currents and how they work in Mrs. Pointek's class. They put all of this knowledge to work and design a convection-current-fueled car called a Puffmobile. Today we are talking with Iliana. While the other students worked with partners or teams, Iliana ended up working alone due to unforeseen circumstances. Despite working alone, Iliana was really successful and enjoyed her project! 

ARC: What was your favorite part of the project?

IS: My favorite part  of the project was when i got to design the sail and make it how i wanted it

ARC: What was the hardest part of the project? What made it difficult?

IS: The hardest part was building the wheels because we didn't know the exact measure meant for the hole and how big the actual wheel is.

ARC: Did you like working on your car by yourself? Did it make the project easier or harder?

IS: I loved working alone because it was a lot easier and fun because I got to choose what I wanted to do with the car.

ARC: What is something you learned by doing this project?

IS: I learned that changing one variable effects the whole car no matter what variable you change.

Thanks for talking with us Iliana!

Makeshop Monday: An Interview with the Unstable Air Mass Crew

Each year, 6th grade science students study convection currents and how they work in Mrs. Pointek's class. They put all of this knowledge to work and design a convection-current-fueled car called a Puffmobile. This week we are talking with 3rd-place team the Unstable Air Mass Crew - Anna Neiss, Maggie Pappas and Zoey Miller . Congrats on such a fast car ladies!

ARC: How did you choose your team name?

A+M+Z: We were studying air masses and Maggie thought that we were crazy so we were the Unstable Air Mass Crew

ARC: What do you think made your car so fast? What design elements helped you win?

A+M+Z: Our sail had a unique design so that it collected air in all different eareas to push the car.

ARC: What is something you learned by doing this project?

A+M+Z: We learned how to work as team very well.

Thanks for talking with us!

Weekend Reads

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Our brains are wired to make decisions in many different ways. Malcolm Gladwell sets out to explore those decisions we make almost instantaneously (using a part of our brain called the "adaptive unconscious") in his second book, Blink. We don't usually trust these kinds of decisions, but Gladwell argues that there is evidence that indicates we should. Gladwell introduces this concept to us through an anecdote about an ancient statue that just didn't look "right". Many of the people who looked at the statue "just knew" that something about it was wrong, even though evidence primarily pointed to it being authentic. 

I enjoyed the structure and organization of Blink. Gladwell's reliance on the traditional point-proof-analysis structure made his argument clear and easy to follow. Gladwill is definitely one of those "made you think" authors and worth checking out!

Find it in Nonfiction under 153.4 GLA

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

Christopher Rowe is in training to be an apothecary. He is apprenticed to Master Benedict Blackthorn, and spends his time solving puzzles and creating potions. When the city's apothecaries become targets for murder, Christopher works hard to make sure that he and Master Blackthorn can escape a similar fate. This is a great book for readers who loved the fast-paced problem solving of books like those from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Join Christopher and Tom as they try to outsmart the mysterious cult that is attacking London's apothecaries.

Find it in Fiction under F SAN

Liv, Forever by Amy Talkington

Wickham Hall is steeped in history and tradition, and Liv Bloom knows that she is lucky to be asked to come to such a place. Once she is there, she feels even luckier when she realizes she has her own studio, her own paints, and her own first love. She is on top of the world, only to have it all stolen from her when she is viciously murdered just a few weeks into her new life. After her death, she remains on campus as a ghost, and only her friend Gabe can see her and help her solve the mystery of her death, as well as the deaths of many other young students over the years as well. Part mystery, part ghost story, Liv, Forever does a great job of constructing narrative. There is enough exposition to hook readers and lay a good foundation for the events that follow, and the story really picks up momentum as it goes.

Find it in Fiction under F TAL

Makeshop Monday: An Interview with the Mixtape Masters

Each year, 6th grade science students study convection currents and how they work in Mrs. Pointek's class. They put all of this knowledge to work and design a convection-current-fueled car called a Puffmobile. This week we are interviewing team that designed the second-fastest Puffmobile: the Mixtape Masters, Erik Studebaker, Calvin Laurenson and Christian Cropper. Their car was so well designed that it came in second place! 

ARC: What was your favorite part of the project?

E+C+C: Our favorite part was working with friends and building our car.

ARC: What was the hardest part of the project? What made it difficult?

E+C+C: Making the wheels was the hardest part because they wouldn't move.

ARC: How did you choose your team name?

E+C+C: We thought it was creative and a fun name.

ARC: What do you think made your car so fast? What design elements helped you win?

E+C+C: The aerodynamic shape of the sail.

ARC: What is something you learned by doing this project?

E+C+C: How to work as a team and combining our ideas together.

Thank you for your insights guys! 

Makeshop Monday: An Interview with the Crazy Convection Crew

Each year, 6th grade science students study convection currents and how they work in Mrs. Pointek's class. They put all of this knowledge to work and design a convection-current-fueled car called a Puffmobile. Today we are talking with Emily and Keira, the teammates from Crazy Convection Crew. These ladies won first place for fastest car for the Puffmobile Project! Way to go ladies!

ARC: What was your favorite part of the project?

E+K: Our favorite part of the project was seeing how our car improved everyday in different ways. 

ARC: What was the hardest part of the project? What made it difficult?

E+K: The hardest part was trying to get the axle in the right position so it would move correctly and stay straight in the lane.

ARC: How did you choose your team name?

E+K: Our name crazy convection crew, was created because Keira and I are both crazy, we did convection because we were learning and creating convection currents, and crew was so our name rhymed

ARC: What do you think made your car so fast? What design elements helped you win?

E+K: We think our car went so fast because our axle was pointed at the top and also because our sail was curved [on the] inside.

ARC: What is something you learned by doing this project?

E+K: We learned how to make convection currents using air.  We also learned more about convection currents and how they work.

Congrats on your win ladies! Great job!!

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