K'nex

The workshop Saturday was amazing. We managed to build a roller coaster and ferris wheel in the short time we had. I'll try to post some photos... In the meantime - check out the youtube video of this loop...http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WieHyCfGNrA OK, so our's wasn't quite that big, but it was fast.

Interested in some more information? Check out these sites-

http://www.knex.com/Thrill_Rides/
http://homepage.mac.com/cbakken/pga/links.html
http://techbridgegirls.org/documents/simple_machines2_000.pdf (Resources page)
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/app/nau_links.htm
http://www.sscoasters.net/forum/other_theme_park-f56.html?s=40ea0291e0fef56355e971bf378d6003&amp (photos)

YALSA 2007 Teens' Top Ten

Last week I mentioned Teens Read Week and the survey for the top ten of 2007. Here are the results!

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen (Viking Children’s Books, 2006)
How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles (Flux, 2006).
Maximum Ride: School’s Out – Forever by James Patterson (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
Firegirl by Tony Abbott (Hachette Book Group USA/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2006).
All Hallows Eve (13 Stories) by Vivian Vande Velde (Harcourt, 2006).
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Harcourt, 2006).
River Secrets by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, 2006).
Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe (HarperCollins, 2006).
Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks (Chicken House, 2006).

Sudoku

The first US Sudoku championship was help in Philly last weekend. It was hosted by the famous puzzlemaker, Will Shontz. About 800 people competed in the competition according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's website. (They are the sponsor.) Participants competed in three categories and then later in 12 age groups. This was the largest live puzzle tournament ever held in the U.S.

Sudoku is a logic game where you fill 81 squares with numbers from 1 to 9. Number can not be repeated in a vertical or horizontal row, nor may they be repeated in the nine square blocks. Although invented by American Howard Garns in 1979, these puzzles were called Numbers Place. The Japanese popularized the puzzles under the name Sudoku, meaning "only single digits allowed", or something close to this depending on what site you consult.

Free games abound on the Internet. Try: http://www.websudoku.com/, www.krazydad.com/sudoku, http://www.sudoku-puzzles.net/!

Bullying Information

I was recently asked by a parent for some quality websites addressing bullying. Since our program scheduled for this evening, was postponed...I'm including a number of the links here. Remember it is estimated that half of school age children are bullied sometime during their school years, so the chances are pretty good that bullying will affect members of your home.

http://www.bullying.org/
http://www.cyberbullying.org/
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp
www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/bullies.html
http://www.tolerance.org/
http://www.stopbullyingnow.com/
www.dmoz.org/Kids_and_Teens/Health/Emotional_health_and_wellbeing/bullying
parentingteens.about.com/od/bullying

Awesome Percussion Program

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this information...

Recycled Percussion to perform-
The musical group Recycled Percussion will be performing at Clarion University on Monday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Gemmell Multi-Purpose Room as part of its Man Vs. Machine Tour. The University Activities Board sponsored concert is free and open to the public.

The New Hampshire based band uses anything and everything to create “junk rock” music. The band plays with plastic buckets, metal tanks, chainsaws, jackhammers and more to create a dynamic mix of hip-hop and rock music.

Founded by former member Justin Spencer, Recycled Percussion started playing throughout New Hampshire at schools and local clubs around the Manchester area. "Our appeal speaks to anyone who loves music and wants to see an insanely rocking show.”

Though Spencer is no longer with the group, the other three members still tour. Ethan Holmes and Greg Kassapis play drums while Jerami Bellafatto (DJ Dirty Soul) mixes hip hop and rock music. The band is now traveling in its third major tour throughout the U.S. and also has released a hit self-titled DVD.

The group has won awards such as “Best Major Performance Group,” which is selected by college students. The group has been featured on the “Today Show” on NBC and often plays during NBA playoff games.

-adapted from Clarion University's press release

Free event!

New Bethlehem Area Free Public Library will host
Storyteller - Alan Irvine, Scary Ghost Stories
Appropriate for third grade and up
Friday, October 26, 2007 from 7PM -8PM
Free
http://www.alanirvine.com/

Clarion Free Library has scheduled a number of YA events also...I'll get them up this week!

Clarion U - Night of Haunts

Students, faculty, staff, and community are invited to a night of haunts as the History Club sponsors the fourth annual Clarion University Ghost Experience on Tuesday, October 30th, and Wednesday, October 31st, beginning at 8 p.m. each evening in the Hart Chapel Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. This year's event takes on new form, with all stories being told inside the chapel, complete with photos. In addition, professional paranormal investigators will be present to reveal their findings from a previous investigation of the chapel. Come hear the traditional tales of the hauntings in the chapel, Founders Hall, Becht Hall, Wilkinson Hall and others, as well as a few new stories. A frightening night is guaranteed for all! Please note: seating is limited in Hart Chapel; and there are no reservations or tickets. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis; once the auditorium is full, people will be turned away. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m.

Get your GED

If you've dropped out of school - take the time and make the effort to get your GED. In Pennsylvania visit http://education-portal.com/articles/All_About_the_GED:_Pennsylvania.html .

You may just add your name to this list...check it out!
http://www.fultonschools.org/dept/instructionalsupport/safeanddrugfreeschools/PDF/GEDGraduates.pdf

Teen Read Week

It's Teen Read Week!

Are you between the ages of 12 and 18? Then, visit www.ala.org/teenstopten and vote on your favorite books from the past year. Voting ends October 21 at 12:01 AM.

Tonight will be our first ETS book discussion on Code Talker and we have a great time planned. Complete with hot chocolate and secret codes, we'll enjoy the discussion in the campus library. Interested in joining us, give a call!

State Agency Databases

"In every US State and the District of Columbia, agencies are creating databases of useful information - information on businesses, licensed professionals, plots of land, even dates of fish stocking. Some of this content is available on search engines, but much of it is part of the invisible web. " This wiki attempts to pull the information together for access from one source, http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/State_Agency_Databases. Remember, since it is a wiki, it will continue to grow and evolve.

Go to the site above, select your state (or the one you want to visit) and select the agency. For example, I went to Pennsylvania and chose the Historical and Museum Commission. I was able to access the database of Historical markers by name or county - pretty neat. I also tried out the Game Commission link. Here I could access the state game land maps...could be helpful, hunting season is only weeks away!