Hurray, Computer Lab 2.0

     Today's computer lab lesson consisted of Raspberry Pi and Bite-Sized Math. Upon entering the lab, Mr. Jost showed us a group in England, who were called Raspberry Pi. They had created a computer no bigger than a credit card, which you could very well carry around in your pocket or backpack, and were very convenient. They also happened to be selling for $35. Over the course of about three hours, the ten thousand computers made were sold out, and Raspberry Pi is currently making new ones, in hopes of selling them again. Once the video ended, the class went off to Bite-Sized Math, a site where many small lessons on math, English, and science are given. The lessons were meant more as a sort of review, but they taught nonetheless, and many important things about all three topics were learned. And if this weren't enough, Room 14 also arrived five minutes early. This is a sure sign of the apocalypse, but at least everyone enjoyed themselves.

The Carnivorous Carnival

The Carnivorous Carnival

   by Lemony Snicket

Pages: 286

 

     "The word 'carnivorous,' which appears in the title of this book, means 'meat-eating,' and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further." The Carnivorous Carnival, by Lemony Snicket, tells yet another story of the Baudelaire orphans and their unfortunate lives. After stowing away in the trunk of Count Olaf's car, the children find themselves at "Caligari Carnival," where a fortune teller, Madame Lulu, has supposedly been providing Olaf with the whereabouts of the Baudelaires. Wanting to hide themselves away from Olaf, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny disguise themselves as freaks, pretending to want a job at the carnival. Soon after getting the job, the three meet the other freaks, Hugo, Colette, and Kevin. Everyday, the freaks are meant to be shown off in the House of Freaks, and be laughed at by crowds. This is hardly the life of luxury, but the Baudelaires decide it will do until they can escape. However, when a plan to spice up the carnival through throwing freaks into a lion pit surfaces, the Baudelaires may need to escape earlier than they thought. With a horrible plot and the clock ticking, will the children outsmart Olaf's plans again, or has their luck finally run out?

Hurray, Computer Lab.

     The main focus of today's computer lab session was Autodidacticism, or the concept of teaching yourself something. Every site we visited today was filled with information, about many different topics. The site "Grammar Girl" covered many different aspects of grammar, while a similar site, "The Math Dude," covered math. Another website, "Wonderopolis," held the answers to many different, interesting questions, from "Why do some years leap ahead?" to "Why are school buses yellow?". But the most interesting part? Everything covered was learned by the student, and not dictated by the teacher. The class simply taught themselves, just as they were expected to!

The Hostile Hospital

The Hostile Hospital

by Lemony Snicket
Pages: 255

 

Summary: "There are many pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them," the back of the book reads, and rightfully so. The Hostile Hospital, by Lemony Snicket, tells another story of the Baudelaire children, and the extremely unfortunate events in their lives. After being accused of murder, the Baudelaires join a rather joyful group of people, the Volunteers Fighting Disease, and accompany the party to Heimlich Hospital, a building that has only been half-finished. Inside, the siblings discover Count Olaf has found them again, but is not wearing a disguise. Instead, he speaks over an intercom, pretending to be "Mattathias," the Head of Human Resources at the hospital. However, even without showing his face, Olaf causes much trouble. With the return of a past "guardian," horrible surgery, anagrams, shocking news concerning a fire, and balloons, this episode in the life of the Baudelaires will prove to be an interesting one. The real question is: will they live to tell the tale?

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

                                                      

           In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer

by Irene Gut Opdyke

Pages: 288

              

   In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer, by Irene Gut Opdyke, tells the story of Irene, a young Polish girl, and her chaotic life. After her native Poland was attacked, she was separated from her family, and had no choice but to work in a hotel, serving Nazis. Upon seeing a merciless attack on concentration camp escapees, she begins hiding food under the fence of said camp-- right next to the hotel. Soon, her efforts expanded far from hiding food, and by the war's end, despite the many problems she encountered, Irene saved more than ten Jews from camps. Once everything was over, Irene became widely recognized for her bravery and kindness, and was able to build a wonderful life for herself. A well-deserved one, at that.

The Vile Village

                                                       The Vile Village
                                                       by Lemony Snicket
                                                         Pages: 264
                                         

  "It takes a village to raise a child." This phrase refers to communities shaping the lives of children... But not quite like this. The Vile Village, by Lemony Snicket, tells the tale of the Baudelaire orphans' new home in the town, V.F.D. Everyone in the crow-filled village is to take care of the three children, while the children themselves are on alert for Count Olaf, or their friends, the Quagmire triplets, who were kidnapped. But when Count Olaf returns, posed as a detective, he blames them for a murder in town, and now the Baudelaires must prove their innocence-- and save their friends as well. At the start of the series, the orphans couldn't understand Olaf's plans until the last minute. Soon, however, the children's wisdom grew, making the evil man's plots easier to unravel.

The Ersatz Elevator

                                                  The Ersatz Elevator
                                                   by Lemony Snicket
                                                        Pages: 265

                                       



"If you have just picked up this book, then it is not too late to put it back down." The Ersatz Elevator, by Lemony Snicket, tells the story of another unfortunate event in the lives of the Baudelaire orphans. The three children move to 667 Dark Avenue, where their new guardians, Esmé and Jerome Squalor, only care about what's considered "in" and "out". Because of this, Esmé has brought in "Gunther," a supposedly well-known auctioneer, who is really Count Olaf in disguise, with another plot to steal the Baudelaire fortune. Count Olaf's craftiness, in the past, has brought him very close to capturing the fortune, but his inability to plan ahead constantly sets him back.