Guitar Skills and Test

Before the development of the electric guitar and the use of synthetic materials, a guitar was defined as being an instrument having "a long, fretted neck, flat wooden soundboard, ribs, and a flat back, most often with incurved sides. The modern word guitar, and its antecedents, has been applied to a wide variety of chordophones since classical times and as such causes confusion. The English word guitar, the German Gitarre, and the French guitare were all adopted from the Spanish guitarra, which comes from the Andalusian Arabic قيثارة (qīthārah) and the Latin cithara, which in turn came from the Ancient Greek κιθάρα (kithara)

At least two instruments called "guitars" were in use in Spain by 1200: the guitarra latina (Latin guitar) and the so-called guitarra morisca (Moorish guitar). The guitarra morisca had a rounded back, wide fingerboard, and several sound holes. The guitarra Latina had a single sound hole and a narrower neck. By the 14th century the qualifiers "moresca" or "morisca" and "latina" had been dropped, and these two cordophones were simply referred to as guitars. Antonio Torres invented the first guitar in 1850 in Spain.

 

1. Headstock
2. Nut
3. Machine heads (or pegheads, tuning keys, tuning machines, tuners)
4. Frets
5. Truss rod
6. Inlays
7. Neck
8. Heel (acoustic) Neckjoint (electric)
9. Body

Test

1. Which song did you play for your Guitar test and why?
- I chose Lost Stars a song by Adam Levine from the movie Begin Again. I like the lyrics of this song and the way Adam Levine sang it with feelings.

2. How did you feel about performing?
- Last time I was nervous and scared by this time I wasn't. Because I already performed it in front of Ms. Beer.

3. What would you change if you performed again?
- I would love to memorise the first lyric of the song, when I performed I forgot the first lyric and I needed to ask my friend haha.

DNA Extracting From A Banana

Our aim was to extract DNA from a banana, but we weren't sure if it worked or not. Because the next day, I think someone tipped it off then we didn't had the chance to see if it worked, but here are the photos that we took while we were doing it.

March 19

We got our banana and did all of the steps that we researched
(link: Extracting DNA from a banana; Steps)

Me on the right and my lab partner, Lovely.

Hockey (March 21 and 23)

March 21

On Wednesday, instead of playing indoor, we tried to play Hockey outside. Which made it harder for us because the ground is not flat and it was really hot that day!! (I forgot to apply sun screen!! O_O)

We did some practising by having control on the ball on grass. In school, at the moment we have Thai students. So we helped them to understand on how to play Hockey, and surprisingly they were good!! After doing some mini-practises, we played a game—a short game. For me, I prefer playing indoors, because the ground/floor is flat which is easier. But I still enjoyed playing hockey outside even though it was a challenge for us. I rate myself an Achievement with Merit, I participated, helped other students who are struggling but personally I can do better when it comes to my effort.

March 23

THIS LESSON WAS THE BEST LESSON EVER!! On Friday, we really enjoyed it, not because of our PE teacher was away, it's because of how all of us participated in our games. After doing the roll, we went straight to our game. There was 5 teams and each team competed to each other. We, the girls, cheered so hard to the other girl teams. When we were watching the boys play, their teamwork was the most admirable for them. I can remember us girls screaming so hard when someone from a girl team scored! (because it was a close game) However, I rate myself (and my team) on this lessons as an Achievement with Excellence not because we always won, it's because of my effort. My team was good but not the best, we lost so many times but we still played even though we were so tired in short me and my team showed our commitment.

Boat Practical and Learning The Gantt Chart

In our class I really enjoyed the learning of use making the boat, but actually in this practical Mr. Rees wanted us to know and be familiarised on Gantt Chart. Gantt chart is used by builders to have a timetable like for construction. Anyway, we started with our 1st class with giving out these papers—boat dimensions and outline planning.

Materials that we used.

This was the first step for our project. Sawed the wood into 320mm

The outcome of our first lesson should be this.

This is the bridge measurement.

In the end, the bridge should look like this.

We call this part as channel. We chiseled it out using chisel and wood hammer.

Then, the bridge should be glued to the base.

Lastly, glue the funnel.

Here's my boat while I'm waiting for the oil to dry.

Just to give you an idea, our last step on making our boat was to add some oil on it. Mr's tip was to go with the grain if you're adding oil, in order to show it's total beauty.

Lastly, these boats are my classmates finished products.

Earlier, Mr. Rees made us to update our Gantt Chart. On our paper Gantt chart, it was our estimated time and this electronic version is what was the actual time it took me to build the boat.

Mr. Rees made us to do this because he want's us to learn how gantt charts work and how does it apply in the real world.

PE Hockey 18/3/2018

I enjoy our current lessons in PE with hockey. What we did earlier was we practised our defensive skills by stopping someone from goaling and then, we switched turns as being the defender.

What do I rate myself on this topic?

I would probably rate myself as a Merit. Not high nor low. I did stuff that are in my current knowledge in hockey. Without bragging, I'm actually good at flicking and I'm totally new in hockey.

20 mins before end of class, we did a little game. Teammates are on the side and 4 players on the field. No one scored because it was a tight game and no one wants to take the L. Hockey is really tiring but it's an interesting sport.

Extracting DNA From A Banana, Is It Real?

All living things, bananas and people included, pass on information from one generation to the next using the same basic material, DNA. Within every living organism, most cells contain a complete set of DNA instructions. The information in DNA tells our bodies how to develop, grow, and work. It also controls many of the features that make an organism unique. So how do we exract the DNA of a Banana? Here are the equipments that you need;

Aim
To succesfuly extract DNA from a banana.

Materials     

• 1/2 peeled ripe banana
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp liquid dishwashing soap
• resealable zip-top bag (quart size)

• very cold rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) placed in freezer ahead of time
• coffee filter (but were using a funnel and a cloth as our filter)
• narrow glass
• wooden stirrer 

If you have the equipments, what else do you need? Of course, the steps on how to do it! Without instructions— especially in Science. Because without instructions you might set the lab on fire.

Method

1. Mush the banana in the resealable bag for about a minute until all the lumps are gone and it almost looks like pudding.
2. Fill a cup with the hot water and salt.
3. Pour the saltwater mix into the bag. Close the bag and very gently squeeze and move the saltwater and banana mush together. Do this for 30 to 45 seconds.
4. Add the dishwashing soap into the bag and gently mix the contents. Try to avoid making too much foam.
5. Place the coffee filter in a clear glass cup, securing the top of the filter around the lip of the cup.
6. Pour the mix into the filter and let it sit until all of the liquid drips down into the cup.
7. Remove and discard the used coffee filter.
8. Tilt the glass and slowly add cold alcohol down the side of the cup. You want the alcohol to form a layer on top of the banana mix, staying separated, so be careful not to pour it too fast. Make a layer of alcohol that is 2.5-5cm (1-2in) thick.
9. After the alcohol layer is set up, wait for eight minutes. You may see some bubbles and cloudy material moving around in the alcohol. This is the DNA pieces clumping together.
10. Use the wooden stirrer to start poking the cloudy stuff in the alcohol layer. Spin the stirrer it in place to start gathering the cloudy stuff. When you are done, take a closer look at the stuff on the stirrer. You are looking at DNA!

WE'LL BE DOING THIS ON MONDAY!

Piano Skills

1. Which song did you play for your keyboard test and why?

- I chose Despacito for my keyboard test because that's the only song from the song selection that I know by heart.

2. How did you feel about performing?

- For me, I really love performing but I was nervous playing it to my class. That's why I also chose music, to get better at playing instruments and to get better at performing.

3. What would you change if you're performing again?

- Next time, I would like to control my feelings. Because I'm always nervous when I play.

Harriett Tubman

Who is Harriett Tubman?

                  Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist, humanitarian and an armed scout and spy for the United States. Tubman was introduced in this world as a slave in Dorchester County, Maryland. In her early life, Tubman was already working in the fields when she turned 7 and she suffered a traumatic head wound when one of the slave owner threw a heavy metal weight intended to hit another slave but it hit her instead. This injury caused dizziness, severe pain, epilepsy and spells of hypersomnia which she suffered throughout her life. Tubman was a believer/Christian, she experienced different visions and vivid dreams which she ascribed as God communicating with her. She took this vision as a symbol of her mission to go and free other slaves.

                  Years have passed, Harriett married John Tubman, John is a 'free-black man' which means he's not one of the slaves. She used this opportunity to escape to Maryland and she succeeded in 1849, from Maryland to Philadephia.

Here's a picture of what I did, instead of typing it. Miss Handley gave us the choice to took a picture of it and upload it in our blog.

Slavery Map

This map is where the slaves suffered and started.

Slave Trade Triangle

    This map is where the slaves suffered and started.

Slave Trade Triangle is where they trade slaves from Africa kidnapped by the Europeans. First Passage is where the Europeans went to Freetown with a ship with a full load of guns and other weapons. The middle passage is where Slaves were sold in the Caribbean Sea. They were bartered for a ship load of cotton and tobacco. The Third passage where the Europeans went back from America to Europe.

Athletics 2018

This year's Athletics was an absolute blast! Changing Athletics as compulsary was actually not a bad idea. If It wasn't compulsary, I'm not going to do it!

I did all of the 5 events in Social Category to support House team, Shelford. Those 5 events are, High Jump, Long Jump, Discus, Shotput and Sprint (60m).

But I have my opinion in order to get Athletics Day to be the most awaited event every year. Athletics could be better if there are variety of sports like, Volleyball, Outdoor Football, Basketball, Tennis, etc.