Eagles

By: Marissa Lynn McKinney

I lay three or two eggs and it takes about 35 days for them to hatch. Do you know what kind of bird I am yet?

The very first reason I chose this amazing bird is because of the body strength. This animal height is 3 feet head to tail. And the wingspan is 7 feet across. And what really amazed me is the weight because I thought that the weight would be way more then it was. 8 to 12 pounds is the weight of this animal. Now I ‘am going to talk about the wings on this animal’s body. They may go fast as 200 miles per hour. That fact really shocked me because when I see the eagles they are usually just flying around all slow. They look like they are just flying to fly or something. When a bald eagle flap it’s wings most of the power is when the wings stroke down. The wings that pull down are much larger then the ones that stroke up. The flight muscles are so important to eagles that the they often account for the half of the bird’s total body weight. Eagles can change the speed by changing the position of the wings. When an eagle trys to land on a tree it is very hard for them to land on top of a tree. They spread their wings up and then land. Then the feathers are very light. Did you know that if you take 30 feathers it would weight less then a penny? There is many feathers on the birds body almost all the feathers have a different job.

Green feather coverts

Making the wing thicker in front so that the air will flow faster over the wing

Grey feathers

Primary feathers can be spread out like the fingers on a hand to reduce drag

Blue feathers

Secondary feathers can be moved down to increase grag, or up to reduce it

The feather is made out of Keratin the same thing that your fingernail is made out of. That fact really shocked me because it looked nothing like the fingernail. And what you just read is the first reason I chose this bird.





The very second reason I chose this eagle is because of the habitat they live in. You may find them in North America, Canada, and another place is Alaska. But the best place to look for them is Alaska. This animal’s nest is about 2 feet in length and about 5 feet for the width. The eagles nest weights about 50 and up to 100 pounds. When they try to land on their nest it is very hard for them because they have to go in many positions in order for them to land in the tree. The bald eagle is often seen in areas of North America. If it prefers deciduous forest. This bird selects hardwood trees for roosting and also nesting. During breeding season, the bald eagle shifts it location words south from the northern areas of Canada or Alaska. This research of fish for food and this move usually occurs by late October.



The final reason I chose this bird is because struggle for survival. They are fighting for there life. The number of the eagles was rapid decline in the mid 20th century due to loss of habitat. Besides many of the magnificent birds are being shot illegally. These birds are also due to harmful pesticide and the use of DDT. This result in the bird being listed as one of the endangered species. Thus, came enforcement of the environmental laws, which also banned the use of DDT. The numbers of the bald eagles were restored and on the 12th of July 1995, this bird was taken off the list of the endangered species thanks to the conservation efforts.

That is why I chose this amazing bird is because it is strong it is just a amazing creature to be around and also see. This eagles fight for what they want and also for what they need.

fly like an eagle

as lonely eagles fly into the winds on majestic soaring gliding wings
a single scream comes from the sky
come fly with me come here and fly in a eagles cry
my heart yearns to be part
as i feel the beating of it's heart
oh for my soul to be one with this bird flyin so carefree
flying so perfectly in the sky for all to see
his wings in the wind as if caress's his soul
and sours across the streams without a goal
my being troubles with delight of such a sight
a gift like no other watching him soaring so high
inviting me to join him and fly fly away
by Marissa McKinney

A Sunny Spring Day and Softball With the Seventh Graders

Jovanni gets ready to throw a pitch with Quentin ready to field the ball.

I think it may be homerun Tony.

Good swing James.

Animal Projects by the Sixth Graders

Camryn and her cat apartment and her poster with cute kitten pictures!

Izzy shows us her poster on her favorite kind of rabbit.

Marissa shows us even more about eagles.

Jacoby's head turned into a poster about Siberian tigers.

 

Harley was working so fast it all looks like a blur!

Siberian Tiger

This animal is related to our furry cute pet cats, but bigger and scarier also wild. It's two million years old. Six types of tigers are endangered and three are extinct. Out of the ones that are left there are 1,200 left in the wild. There's a story I read about a Siberian tiger that broke out of a zoo in California and killed a man that was taunting him throughout the day. Everybody thinks that tigers are man eaters but that is not true. They eat antelope, buffalo, peafowl, monkeys, porcupines, fish, frogs, crabs, lizards, pythons, grass, and fruit.  
by: Jacoby Silk

100 Things We Wanna Do Before We Die, Part I

By The Whole 8th Grade Class + Ms. Woolum

1)Take over the world
2)Hang on a chandelier
3)Make a taco
4)Make a song
5)Train 500 cats to be Ninja
6)Become an official Ninja
7) Travel to all the fifty states
8)Master the art of magic
9)Climb up the tallest volcano
10)Meet Tim Burton
11)make a movie
12)Destroy McDonald's
13)Skydive
14)Ride a cow
15)Slide across a bar counter
16)Crowd Surf
17)Find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
18)Go surfing
19)get in a huge food fight
20)Walk on the moon
21)Speak French
22)Get in a football fight
23)Prank call Marlin Manson
24)Travel the world
25)swim with dolphins
26)Jump in a big thing of Jello
27)Knock over a huge wedding cake and run
28) Ride a motorcycle
29)Slap Mr.Swaim and run
30)Make a perfect grilled cheese sandwich
31)Miniature golf with Obama
32)Find a money tree
33)Smash a computer
34)Play in a NFL football game and be INVINCIBLE
35)put someone on Scare Tactics
36)Bungee Jumping
37)run a marathon(and don't die)
38)Become president and QUIT!!!
39) Be teacher for the day and make the rules
40)discover flying monkeys!!!

LionHead Rabbits

Meow......This is not a cat just a extremly fluffy rabbit. I am doing a class project on them and I have been informed that they look like cats. These rabbits are speedy so be careful. They come in all colors, besides purple, sorry. My own 2 rabbits nicknames thanks to a friend are called Kitty 1 and Kitty 2. If you want a rabbit and are okay with cleaning up after it and giving it food and water every day go ahead and get one. (as long as a little kid can't squeeze it to death.)

-Izzy Grillone

Native American Poetry

April is National Poetry Month. In honor that the month here are some Native American poems from the book The Trees Stands Still.

You, whose day it is,
Make it beautiful.
Get out your rainbow colors.
So it will be beautiful.
Nootka

I wonder if everyone is up.
It is morning.
We are live, so thanks be.
Rise up! Look about!
Go see the horses!

Nez Perce

Time Out for Seventh Grade Craziness

We took time out to say "Hi" to Austin.

Wolf Story

The night was cold and silent. Everything was calm when a loud howl split the air, the packs hunt was. The pack surrounded a weak elk, it tried to run but struggled. A wolf attacked and it dead. The alpha wolf ate first, when his hunger died away, he left the remains and the rest of the pack stepped forward to eat. The pack was not big but not small. Five wolves followed the lead alpha wolf through the trees, they broke in a run, then slowed down as they reached their dens. Their gray fur shone silver in the light of the full moon. The she alpha wolf stepped out of a den with two pups following her. She and the pups went over to the of the elk, which the pack had brought back. Life was good for the wolves until the hunters came. The hunters were close when the wolves heard them, they howled loudly meaning danger. The pack followed the alpha wolves as they raced into the trees. One older wolf fell back as it was hit in the leg by a bullet. The rest of the pack ran on and on for many miles. After checking for danger they stopped and rested. The suns rays started peeking up over the mountains. The wolf pack stayed hidden for a day and night scared that the hunters would come back, but nothing  happened. That night the hunt was on again, this time they found a moose wandering away from the rest of the herd. The male once again let out a howl and they attacked. The days grew colder and colder until snow fell on the ground, winter was approaching, and fast. Hunting became harder because their paws sank into the snow. For many days they were very hungry. A few wolves did not make it, but as it seemed hopeless the snow started to melt away and disappear. More prey was out for the wolves and the pack grew again. Life for the wolves was easy again and life continued as usual.
anonymous author

In Honor of Dillon: Purple Day

Today at our school everyone was encouraged to wear purple to honor Dillon's Simpson's birthday. Purple was his favorite color. He is deeply missed by friends, family, extended family,and staff. Above are the 8th graders in purple. Here is the Dillon Simpson Memorial page on Facebook.

Author Visit:Lois Lowry

A group of students from our middle school had the privilege of hearing Lois Lowry speak in Republic on Tuesday. Lowry earned a Newbery Award for Number the Stars and The Giver.  About six hundred people packed into the gym and learned about where her ideas come from, how she was inspired to be a writer, and where the idea of the memories in The Giver came from.

Charlie got her autograph for one of the books from the classroom.

I Am Roger: Roger Finley

I am Roger
I live at Twin Lakes,
I go horn hunting
in the change of winter to spring,
I eat Indian Tacos,
I listen to the pow wow drum,
I like the buffalo.

Roger Finley