The Zoo by Malachi church

The Zoo and The Lorax

by Malachi Church

Malachi Church, Lenin Norris, Jonathan Archibold, Alisha Homewood and our teacher Kym Kemp went to the zoo on the way to the Arcata science fair because we hoped to see the red pandas. We did not see them except for me and I just saw the tip of his nose. Friday, March 17, 2012 was the day of the field trip to the science fair.



The spider monkeys were funny. The zoo keeper was trying to transfer them into a feeding cage. The girl monkey went in but the two boys were playing on ropes and were afraid to go in. My favorite creature was either the turtles or the gray foxes. Our teacher said her favorite was the gray fox. Alisha said her favorite was the sneaky black bear. Lenin's favorites were the spider monkeys.



After the science fair, we voted for a movie we wanted to see. Everyone picked the Lorax excepted Alisha. She went with the older girls. The Lorax was a funny little comedy. It had rock and roll in it but some parts were too cute for words. My mom said her favorite character was the Grandma and I liked her too. You should watch it.



After the movie, we were really tired. We got in the car and started home. Lenin kept saying that we should eat diner in Fortuna but my mom said no. Then Lenin kept whispering about Burger King and about how good its burgers are. We dropped him off at his dad's house. Then we got home and we had a small dinner because it was late. We got in bed and I slept well. The next morning was like the usual slow but joyful morning. Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal for breakfast again and a big lunch of cheese sandwich. It was really hot that afternoon. Basically, all we talked about was the field trip that morning. It was a good day.

The End

nightngale

Chorus-Oh Nightingale, Oh Nightingale, please show me a path through heaven's eye.

and fly

Look at your life through heaven's eye.

I stood by the river with shame.

So I dived for my death.

Chorus-Oh Nightingale, Oh Nightingale, please show me a path through heaven's eye.

and fly
Look at your life through heaven's eye.

Next thing I knew I was in a bed.

Then I heard a man say, "Look at life through heaven's eye.
Not through your own eyes.

Chorus-Oh Nightingale, Oh Nightingale, please show me a path through heaven's eye.

and fly

Look at your life through heaven's eye.

I asked who he was and he said it didn't matter.
And that the heaven's were blue and the grass is green, in his home land
 For our land is dark we had no religion or faith.
He said I should get some rest.
I woke up and I was in the land of milk and honey

Chorus-Oh Nightingale, Oh Nightingale, please show me a path through heaven's eye.

and fly
Look at your life through heaven's eye.

Then I followed Nightingale's path.

Facts for Science Essay

 Facts for Science Essay

by Malachi Church

When water evaporates, it leaves salt behind. Which is usually washed away by rain. However, if there is not much rain, salt will build up and kill plants. So some plants have adapted to brine. There are many ways for plants to adapt to brine.

Mangrove swamps are very salty areas in tropical regions. They are found near the coast. There are tons of salt tolerant shrubs and ferns in mangrove swamps. Pines and palm trees are also very common in the swamp but most of all mangroves are there. You can find these swamps around the equator.

Mangroves are a great refuge for marine life because of their prop roots. Prop roots are like those stakes that hold up tents. The animals live there for the high concentration of nutrients. The marine life can hide from predators and the predators can hide can hide from the prey and snatch them from out of the gloom with other prey not noticing.  Isn't that cool?

Plants have to use special abilities to survive in mangrove swamps. Red mangrove (Rhizophera mangle) has waxy roots to keep the salt out. The salt that gets through gets dumped with the dead leaves. White mangroves take the salt into the leaves and squeezes it out. The leaves get covered with little white flakes which is the reasoning for the name. These types of plants are called Halophytes. Halophytes are plants that are adapted to salty conditions. Saltwater has about 40 grams per litre (g/l) of salt in it usually. Halophytes actually like to grow near salt water. There are other plants that have other ways of dealing with salt.

Mangroves roots are like filters cleaning out the salt but letting the water get in. Mangroves need tides to throw the excess salt away. There are four different kinds of mangrove roots knee roots, prop roots, buttress roots and pencil roots. The prop roots help protect marine life. The knee roots, buttress roots and pencil roots take in oxygen and support the tree as well as feed it. Mangroves stick their roots out of the ground for protection from the salt.  Mangroves can also stop erosion with their thick and sturdy roots. 

Mangroves do not do very well in fresh water but they do thrive in saltwater.  Red mangroves like to live in harsh saline soil of up to 60-65 parts per thousand (ppt). For black and white mangroves, 90 parts per thousand. This is something that regular plants can't do.  Is this awesome? That's what I think anyway.

Most plants don't survive in mangrove swamps. At the most there are 100 plant species in one swamp. It can go down to only two species because of the salt water.  Non-Halophytes can not thrive there.  

Mangroves aren't the only Halophytes. These are different Halophytes. These kinds of plants often get rid of salt through their leaves. Did you know that asparagus and beets are Halophytes? Those are just a few of them.  

There are places where salt resistant plants are needed. Those places are usually near the coast or where salt is used to remove snow on the roads. If we did not have salt resistant plants there would be no asparagus or beets and there would be huge areas with no plant life at all. We are lucky that the plants adapted.   

Works Cited

http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/article-9274743/halophyte
http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/mangrove.cfm
 http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=39
 http://www.pumpsea.icat.fc.ul.pt/main.php?p=4

 
 


                  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Tuna Wars

"CHARGE!" General Tuna with his tuna army charging to Mer City, slaughtering all in their path. Merman and Mermaid flee from their cavalry and gunmen. Clams whistle through the water at flesh striping speeds. Even sharks flee their army. General Tuna or Gtuna  told the dolphins to go in front. (Did  you know that dolphins and tuna are great friends?) 

The city was slowly devoured by the army. Every city was killed. It was like a swarm of locusts going from one town to another. Then Gtuna rode to the City of Mer, the golden city on the top of the coral reef. O, the jewels they would get, the endless showers of gold. 

"But, best of all, even King Triton will bow before him," thought Gtuna. "And the barbarians from the surface. All would be his."

"Uh, sir," said a soldier. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, sorry... CHARGE!"         

The city fell in less then 42 minutes. Then, finally, King Triton himself said in the voice of Gandalf,  "You Shell Not Pass!" 

 "Die, old man, your city has fallen. You next," Gtuna laughed. 

"Oh, god," said Triton.

"Archers, fire at him," ordered Gtuna. dun dun dun...Gtuna's dream came true.

GoodBye Presley

It's really easy to make you laugh.
You can be friendly on the inside.
But you're really evil.
You're a thieving booger just to make me chase you.
You are awesome, but evil.

p. Presley
r.  raider
e. elegant
s. stealer
l. lightning
e. elf
y. Yelserp

Skyrim Part Two

    I fell to the floor as the dragon jumped over the wall. A group of Imperials near me tried to fight. I ducked back and tried not to move. I tried not to get seen by them. Then they got turned into a pile of flaming corpses. I followed my friend to a small cabin. He took off my cuffs and gave me some armor with weapons. Then he took me to a small exit out of the city. We think that no one else made it. 

photo found here

Skyrim

"Death to the Imperials," a woman prisoner yelled as a axe swung down on her friend's neck.

"To the chopping block, prisoner," a man said kindly. I stepped forward. A loud sound wave bounced off the mountain.

The general said, "Keep going." The sound went again. Then a huge dragon flew straight at us. It landed on one of the towers. The Imperials scattered. I jumped away.                                                     

photo found here