Wing Suit Flying

 

For your viewing pleasure, I have posted this video of wingsuit flyers.  As you view this video, from the science and mathematics perspectives, you will have an appreciation for:

1]  The Physics concept of Acceleration due to Gravity

2]  The phenomenon of airfoils

3]  The phenomenon of friction

4]  Wind resistance

5]  Fluid dynamics

6]  Resolution of vectors

7]  Mass-vs-weight-vs-density

8]  Force = mass x Acceleration

9]  Kinetic - vs - Potential Energy

10] The difference between velocity and acceleration

I could go on, but you get the point.  Here is a nice explanation;

Wrapped up in Thought...

First Flights

 

What you will be seeing are three videos of private pilot students.  The first two videos are feature a  young woman named, "Hanne" and features her at the controls of a Cessna 172for the first time. 

This last video features Meghan's first solo cross country flight.

Work now, future rewards will be out of this world ...

 

Note-Taking Tips - 2 - Getting on-line notes into a Word Document

This post is very detailed, however once you've gone through it, you will not forget it and the payoff is having awesome notes that you can easily edit and review in the future. 

Create folders for each subject in your Flash Drive - for example;

1]  Click on the 'Save As" button in your 'File' pull-down menu located at the top left corner of your computer screen.
2]  Press the 'New Folder' button and type in, "Science - Fall 2012" into the highlighted area.  A best practice would be to create similar folders for each of your classes.
3]  Open the folder, and save your newly created document into it - make sure you label the document in a way that you can easily identify its contents for easy reference and future use.

You can then copy the provided outline which has already been laid-out for your coursework in the on-line Course Map.  

To copy and paste from it;

1]  Highlight what you want to copy 
2]  Press the buttons, "ctrl" and the key, "c" at the same time, and then 
3]  Open up a new Word Document
4]  paste what you copied into your Word Doc by pressing, "ctrl" and the key, "v" at the same time.

Using the prepared outline for a given subject is helpful because all the guesswork has been taken out of your note-work taking experience; the outline  lets you know exactly what you need to know and even what order you need to know it.  

In education, we call this process, 'scaffolding' - meaning that what you learn builds on what you have already learned in the past.  Courses typically follow this pattern; They start out with basic, general information and then build on it from there.  Stating with simple concepts a course of study then builds upon that knowledge by adding more complicated, and sophisticated information.

Being familiar with the way courses are laid out puts you at a distinct advantage in comparison to your fellow students.  Knowing how to process that information through development of superb note-taking skill will help to assure you are getting the most out of your coursework.  Mastering these techniques, plus a few test-taking strategies, and people will be looking at you in complete awe.  Thanks to your efforts to master these techniques, you are guaranteed to be at the top of that intellectual mountain.  Few people will be able to understand you anymore.  Before you know it, people will be calling you a, 'braniac,' or 'Doctor,' and eventually, 'Boss.'  Go figure...

At this point, you can begin populating your outline with your notes and vocabulary etc.  All you have to do is copy your Vocabulary, Direct Instruction notes,  Lab instruction notes, and homework etc. onto the new Word document you have just created.  Your next step is to fine tune your notes by spell-checking and grammar checking them so they are a beautiful representation of how they are organized in your mind.  Be certain to save your work often so that it doesn't get lost.  Now your masterpiece is available for future access. 

Excellent note-writing is a Habit of Mind that you will soon master.

Copying and correcting for grammatical and/or spelling errors will also help to sharpen your writing skills.  It increases your familiarity with Word's powerful features - like bold facing, underlining, highlighting, italicizing, creation of headers and numbering your pages at the bottom etc.  Working with Word docs  offers you another opportunity to review the study material.  Working so actively on your notes also helps familiarize you - not only with where the information is located in your notes -but how you have it organized too.   These developed skills contribute mastering what you have been studying.

Excellent notes, guarantee your ability to pass every one of your quizzes, assessments and exams with flying colors.

Remember:  Notes are an extension of your memory - the better you write them, the more organized your thoughts will be. 

Always be willing help your peers who are struggling to master this powerful skill.  If you notice someone is having a difficult time, please help them out.

It is critical that we all develop good networking skills, along with the desire to offer people a hand up when they need it.  You never know, someday you may need help as well.  Invest in your,  'Helper's Bank Account' and when a rainy day comes, you will be able to draw from it. 

Remember the axiom, "Helping others helps me." It is a great feeling to know that your thoughtfulness made someone's world a little better.  More than that, people remember acts of kindness.

Lunch time ...

Note-Taking Tips - 1 - word-processed notes

 

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius --- and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - Albert Einstein 

Note-Taking Tips for Students - Part 1/2

Taking notes when viewing your on-line classes is one of the most effective ways to understand the material being presented in class. Unless you have a photographic memory, you'll need to learn this important skill. Follow these general guidelines and you’ll be a pro in no time.

1. Come to 'class' prepared. Always bring enough paper, a writing instrument of your choice and a flash drive to class.
   
2. Be organized and follow a routine.  If you are also writing out your notes, it's not a bad idea to start a new page for each new class, but your on-line classes have outlines already laid out in a logical order.  All you have to do is copy & paste the outline into a Word document, and then transfer your on-line notes to it.  For written notes, be sure to put the date on the top of the first page. This way you will know exactly where the notes for each topic begin.  For written notes, organize them in their own separate binders/spiral notebooks.
   
3. Don’t try to write down every word your teacher says. You will not be able to, even if you can write very fast. More importantly, in trying to do so, you will miss the overall point your teacher is trying to make.  Whenever possible, write down the information in your own words.  You can always pause the on-line instruction when you are writing your notes.  Using the preexisting course outline format for typing in your notes is a good idea because they have already been prepared perfectly for you to copy what you have already typed into the e-notes and then paste them into Word documents that you are  storing in your flash-drive memory sticks.
   
4. Write down the big ideas. Listen for facts, connections, and main ideas. This may take a while to get used to, because you will need to divide your attention between listening to the teacher and writing your notes. Don’t get frustrated. In time, this will become easier.
   
5. Use abbreviations for commonly occurring names and words. You can develop your own abbreviations, so long as you don’t forget what they stand for. For example, in a lecture on Einstein, you might write his name out the first time, and then abbreviate it as "E" throughout the rest of your notes. Long words such as government can become "govt" and federal can become "fed." Develop your own system and stick to it, once it works.
   
6. Again, for written notes, leave lots of room on the page. When writing, leave ample space between ideas. This is like pausing before you begin a new sentence. Your notes will much easier to read, and you’ll have space to add information later on, if needed. Don’t try to cram everything onto one piece of paper. Copying and pasting your e-notes into Word documents helps you to further organize your thinking because you have to fit the right information you are copying into your outline.  Correcting spelling, and grammar mistakes, helps you sharpen your spelling and writing skills.   Remember to use Word's spell checker (misspelled words are automatically underlined in red.  Green underlining in Word docs indicate mechanical (too many spaces between words) or grammatical errors.  A note of caution: be careful with both features because not all words are stored in the Word doc dictionaries, and not all grammar mistakes are grammar mistakes.  Nevertheless, both features are convenient tools that will  enhance your writing skills.
   
7. Use diagrams and pictures where necessary. Sometimes it is helpful to draw pictures that illustrate the connections between ideas, sequences, or events. Don’t be afraid to draw pictures that will help you understand the material.
   
8. Write down corresponding page numbers from other textbooks or reading materials you are referencing as you study the topic at hand. Teachers often use the textbook to refer to ideas you’re learning in class. Recording the page number of corresponding ideas and homework assignments can come in handy later on.
   
9. Review your notes for accuracy. It’s a good idea to look over your notes sometime after class for accuracy and completeness. Consider doing this just before doing your homework to get yourself back in the mindset of the material. 
10. Compare your notes with fellow students - if that is at all possible. Sometimes you are going to miss something said in the lectures. Consider forming a partnership with another student at the beginning of class on whom you can rely (and vise-versa) for comparing notes. 
11. Get used to typing out your notes because you will be able to do so on a laptop during lectures when you get to university.  Typed notes are easier to read.  You can also learn a lot when you are copy-editing and correcting any errors.  This is a great skill to develop as you listen to your on-line lectures.  Develop it now while you have the time.

* Adapted from McGraw Hill note-taking strategies

Playing For Change - Stand By Me Videos

Stand By Me

The Producers of this video came up with the idea of creating a music compilation of music where they first recorded one street performer who lived in Santa Monica, California.  They took his song first to New Orleans and then around the world, and simply let other street performers listen to it and then add their contributions to the song.

Unlike the Piano Guys, these street performers never gathered in one place.  Instead, they just listened to the recordings through headphones and added in their pieces to the musical puzzle.  The result was creation of a richly flavored song by a virtual band of people who never met in person while the compilation was being made.

"Stand By Me," an old fifties song first recorded by Sam Cook, was the first song put together by the producers who called their innovative experiment, "Playing for Change." whose title has a double-meaning.  "Playing for Change" not only refers to what street musicians usually get paid; spare change, it also reflects the producers desire; to use music as a means of reaching across borders.  Their aim was to have people from various walks of life and different cultures who would otherwise never had the chance to meet, and create peace through the shared experience of music. 

As you watch this video, see if you can catch the New Mexico connection.  

Incidentally, the gentleman, Roger Ridley - click here to learn more about him - who introduces the song at the video's beginning - if I recall correctly, died of a heart attack on the day this video was released.  He never got a chance to see what his little performance in Santa Monica would become.

Notice also, how many times this video has been seen.

Next, is also a Playing for Change video of, "Chandamama". I have been told it is a popular folk song for children in India.  If any of you can verify, or add more to this conversation by translating the words for me, I would really appreciate it.

Enjoy!

Piano Guys - Michael Meets Mozart

The Piano Guys

This video, Called "Michael Meets Mozart," by The Piano Guys, two musicians who produced an entire song electronically through creating recorded loops and adding to them successively until they ended up with an entire musical composition.

Some of you mentioned that you would like to know more about how, "Michael Meets Mozart" was made.  Here is their behind-the-scenes video.

I have taken the liberty to set up this blog and have some fun and to use it as a forum where we can express ourselves in a positive way.  I expect your responses to be professional.  Furthermore, attacks and insults are not welcome here, and they will be not be approved when I review them for posting.

If you are a Star Wars Geek, you might find this video entertaining:

It Takes Two - Starting a Movement

Importance of the First Follower