TED Talk #12: A Story of Mixed Emoticons

Storytelling has been around for thousands of years! 

Each generation puts their own personal spin on the stories we tell to reflect the culture and time. Check out this storyteller/ poet as he tells a bittersweet story with emoticons! 

Find his talk here.  

Rives has been called the world's first 2.0 poet.  He uses images, video, and technology to bring his words to life! 

TED Talk #11: The Thrilling Potential of 6th Sense Technology

In my Stories and Film class, we've been talking a lot about imagined technological advances that are becoming more and more of a reality.  Our TED Talk today shows just how close the future is.  What was once only seen as sci-fi is not becoming possible.



Check out Pattie Maes's TED Talk as she introduces us to the 6th sense and a very Minority Report way of using technology! 

TED Talk #9: "To This Day" ... for the bullied and beautiful

Today's TED talk comes from an amazing spoken word poet named Shane Koyczan.  His talk is a powerful poem about bullying and feeling different.  His words have affected so many and caused his talk to go viral.  Since we've been addressing the issue of bullying in English class, I felt that this poem deserved a spotlight.  Enjoy his performance, complete with backstory, animation, and even violin accompaniment.  I hope that we walk away today thinking about what we can do to make a difference and ensure that everyone feels important, beautiful, and an integral part of the 8 White Family.


Here is the link to check out his talk.  

TED Talk #8: The secrets of nature's grossest creatures, channeled into robots

There has been a lot of talk of engineering on 8 White lately.  Recruitment of architects, builders, designers.  When scientists, engineers, and designers are looking for inspiration, where do they look? Sometimes inspiration is right in front of you.
So tiny.
So common.
It may go unnoticed.

Inspiration can be found in nature.
As simple as
the cockroach.



I know what you're thinking. Gross.  Just looking at that picture makes me shiver.  But cockroaches are one of the longest living creatures ever.  There must be a reason for their success. 

Maybe that success can be attributed to design.

Biologist Robert Full explains in his interesting (and slightly yucky) TED talk about the aspects of a cockroach's body that helps them adapt to their environment, stay safe, and live a long life grossing us out.  Robotic engineers have been studying the cockroach to see what they can learn and then use in their designs. 

How can robots learn to stabilize on rough terrain, walk upside down, do gymnastic maneuvers in air and run into walls without harming themselves? Robert Full takes a look at the incredible body of the cockroach to show what it can teach robotics engineers.

Check out his talk here.  

So, the next time you're building a structure, designing a game, or creating at all, look to nature and you may see inspiration crawling across the floor. Try not to squish it. 

Welcome 8 White!! It's going to be a great year!

I am very excited to be your 8th grade English teacher!! It is my job to guide you through your final year in middle school and get ready for high school and what lies ahead!  We'll be using many different tools in our English class to start discussions, analyze, write, respond, and research.  You'll find some great resources here on our class blog.  I hope that by having these resources here at your fingertips, you'll feel like you have your own Miss Enos at home to help when you need it!  If you have trouble finding something here on the blog, just let me know and I will help you find it!  If you ever have suggestions for a great resource/topic to add to the class blog, just let me know!!

Here is a video tour that I created to show you around the blog. 

In fact, let me know if you have any questions at all (any time at all!).  You can ask during class, before/after-school, through an e-mail.  I don't care how you ask but ask!!!  I want to help you.  You are my number one priority!

One thing you will hear me mention about a million times is my hope for you to have a Spirit of Excellence! I recently heard a quote "Keep working until you are proud!"  Make that your motto for your final year at DMS and many more after!

My goal is to help you strengthen your reading and writing skills this year, but I also want to teach you skills to help you be successful as you grow into the amazing adult you are meant to be.  I want to see you get better at collaborating, creating, and communicating.  I also want to see you become champions! Just like these boys! Check out their story and think about what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it!

Are you up for the challenge?  Because I know I am!


Let's enjoy the year!!

Go, White Team!!!

TED Talk(s) #18- Robots A Plenty!

Today's TED talk(s) features stars that are growing in popularity!  Robots!!  Some fear that robotics and technology are taking over our lives!  Others just can't wait to have a Rosie to cook and clean for us!  Most are in between.



No matter what your opinions on robots, I think, after watching these two talks, you'll find them entertaining and charming!

Our first talk combines dance and robotics.  Bruno Maisonnier of Aldebaran Robotics choreographs a troupe of tiny humanoid Nao robots through a surprisingly emotive performance.

Check out the link here. 



Our second talk combines robotics and humor!

In this first-of-its-kind demo, Heather Knight introduces Data, a robotic stand-up comedian that does much more than rattle off one-liners — it gathers audience feedback (using software co-developed with Scott Satkin and Varun Ramakrishna at CMU) and tunes its act as the crowd responds. Is this thing on?

Here's the link!

Enjoy the show! 

TED Talk #17 - Working Backward to Solve Problems

Imagine where you want to be someday?

Now, how did you get there?

That type of backward thinking is called retrograde analysis.

Retrograde analysis is a problem solving strategy where you work backwards from the endgame you want. It can help you win at chess- or solve a problem in real life. 

At TEDYouth 2012, chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley delves into his favorite strategy

Watch his intriguing talk here.