Grade 8 April 27th, 2020 - These and other resources are also available digitally on the - Hemet Learns Together

Grade 8

 April 27th, 2020

These and other resources are also
 available digitally on the
 HemetLearnsTogether.org website.

If a student has a 504 plan or receives mild/
 mod SAI services, please refer to the
 accommodations packet.

Right Triangles
This problem gives you the chance to:
• use the Pythagorean theorem to solve problems

Mario and Hank are arguing. Mario says it is impossible to draw a right triangle with sides
measuring 8 inches, 12 inches, and 18 inches.
Hank says it is possible.

1. Who is correct?
Show your calculations.

 2,
 rew 9/17/01
2. Hank says it is possible to draw a right triangle with the measurements shown in the
diagram below.

 26 in.
 10 in.

What is the length of the third side of this right triangle?
Show how you figured it out.

 5

 Page 1 Right Triangles Test 8: Form A

Tiling Squares
This problem gives you the chance to:
• extend and check patterns
• derive formulas connecting different pairs of variables
 2

Marcia is using black and white square tiles to make patterns.

 2

 Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

1. How many black tiles are needed to make Pattern 4?

Marcia begins to make a table to show the number of black and white tiles she is using.

 Pattern number 1 2 3 4
 Number of white tiles 16 24
 Number of black tiles 5 9
 Total 21 33

2. Fill in the missing numbers in Marcia’s table.

3. Marcia wants to know how many white tiles and black tiles there will be in the tenth
pattern, but she does not want to draw all the patterns and count the squares.
Explain or show another way she could find her answer.

 Page 2 Tiling Squares Test 8: Form A

4. Using W for the number of white tiles and P for the pattern number, write down a rule
or formula linking W with P.

5. Using B for the number of black tiles and P for the pattern number, write down a rule
or formula linking B with P.

6. Now, using T for the total number of tiles and P for the pattern number, write down
a rule or formula linking T with P.

 10

 Page 3 Tiling Squares Test 8: Form A

8th Grade English Language Arts ​

 f​ or the week of
 April 27th, 2020

STUDENT LESSON SUMMARY

Allusion
ELA RL.8.4, ELD PI.8.7

An allusion is a reference to a famous or important person, place, thing, or idea
from a source such as literature, mythology, the Bible, history, or popular culture.
Allusions impact the meaning of a text. Writers expect readers to recognize an
allusion and think, almost at the same time, about the literary work and the
person, place, thing, or work of literature it refers to. Use the following steps
to analyze and interpret allusions.
Step 1: Recognize a detail as an allusion. When you read, look for proper nouns
that don’t seem to belong to the book or story you are reading: names of people,
places, or things, that begin with capital letters. Characters or place names
belonging to the story are not allusions. Also look for quoted or italic text.
Step 2: Identify the source of the allusion. If you don’t know the source,
look up the name in a dictionary, encyclopedia, on the Internet, or in a literary
reference work such as Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia.
Step 3: Analyze what the allusion contributes to the meaning. Ask, “How does
the idea or feeling suggested by the allusion add to the meaning of the text?”

EXAMPLE: ALLUSION

 Allusion Origin Meaning

 Be it known that, waiving all In the Bible, God tells Jonah to go The allusion might foreshadow that
 argument, I take the good old warn a city of coming disaster. He the captain or some other crew will
 fashioned ground that the whale is tries to escape by boarding a ship, be eaten by a whale. So it adds a
 a fish, and call upon holy Jonah to so God sends a storm. When Jonah threatening note to the discussion
 back me. tells the crew it’s his fault, they of the whale.
 —Herman Melville, from Moby Dick throw him overboard, and Jonah is
 swallowed by a whale.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

California Standards Support and Enrichment 1 Allusion

PRACTICE WORKSHEET A

Allusion

Practice and Apply Read the passage. For each question, circle the answer that
best identifies and explains the allusion. Use a reference source, if necessary.

 Lillie still didn’t like Kent. But he had led them out of the woods
 using the stars. None of the cool kids knew that. So Kent became the
 Red-Nosed Rudolph of Inwood.

 1. To which of the following does the allusion refer?
 a. Rudolph Giuliani the former c. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
 mayor of New York City
 b. Rudolph, a famous tour guide d. Rudolph Nureyev, the famous
 dancer
 2. The allusion suggests that
 a. Kent’s intelligence, like Rudolph’s red nose, makes him stand out, first as
 an outcast, then winning him friends.
 b. Kent leading the children out of the woods shows grace, like the famous
 dancer Rudolph Nureyev.
 c. Kent can handle tough political issues, like Rudolph Giuliani.
 d. Kent led the children through a cold night in the woods, making him
 famous for his red nose.

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

California Standards Support and Enrichment 2 Allusion

PRACTICE WORKSHEET B

Allusion

Practice and Apply Read the excerpt, then answer the questions that follow.

 Stefano was meeting his father for the first time. Señor Guererro
 had long ago gone back to Mexico to care for his mother. Stefano’s
 skin tingled anxiously. Now he’d have his father. Yet he felt scared.
 That night he dreamt his father was Darth Vader. He woke in a panic.

 1. What is the allusion, and to what does it refer?

 2. What does the allusion suggest about Stefano and his father?

 3. How does the allusion contribute to the meaning of the passage?

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

California Standards Support and Enrichment 3 Allusion

RETEACHING WORKSHEET

Allusion

Review An allusion is a reference to a famous or important person, place, event,
or work of literature. To recognize allusions, look for nouns that begin with capital
letters. Also notice quoted or italic text. If you don’t recognize the allusion, try
looking it up in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or other reference book.

Practice and Apply Read each allusion and its origin. Complete the chart
by explaining its meaning.

 Allusion Origin Meaning
 1. “The eyes seemed to throw out Greek myth: Medusa, a maiden
 sparks of hell-fire…the brows known for her lovely hair, violates
 were wrinkled as though the folds the temple of the goddess
 of flesh were the coils of Medusa’s Minerva. To punish her, Minerva
 snakes.” changes Medusa into a monster
 with hair of writhing serpents.
 —Bram Stoker, from Dracula

 (Lucy has allowed Dracula to bite
 her so she can have eternal life; she
 is now a vampire.)

 2. “...[Of] all who give gifts these two The Bible: The magi were three
 are the wisest…. They are the wise men or kings who brought
 magi.” gifts to the infant Jesus on the
 night of his birth. The account of
 —O. Henry, from “The Gift of the Magi” the gifts they brought gave rise
 to the tradition of giving gifts on
 (For Christmas, a wife sells her long Christmas.
 hair to buy a watch case for her
 husband; but he has sold his watch
 to buy hair combs for her.)

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

California Standards Support and Enrichment 4 Allusion

8th Grade History
 for the week of
 April 27, 2020

8th grade History - Distance Learning Enrichment Activities
 Week of April 27, 2020

 Declaration of Independence Lessons
 Central Historical Question:
 Why did the Founders write the Declaration of Independence?
 Declaration of Independence
Materials: Most students are familiar with the Declaration of
 Independence. But have you ever critically
• Two Historians’ Interpretations
• Declaration Preamble worksheet examined the text or questioned the motives of
• Declaration of Independence its authors? In this lesson plan, you will weigh
 Grievances Worksheet contrasting interpretations by prominent
 historians to answer the question: Why did the
Instructions: Founders write the Declaration of
 Independence?

1. Introduction: The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas
 Jefferson and signed by representatives from all 13 colonies on August 2,
 1776.
 In the document, the leaders outlined their reasons for declaring
 independence from England.
 Historians have disagreed as to whether the colonial leaders were motivated
 by selfish or ideological reasons.

2. What would be some examples of ideological reasons?
 (equality, freedom) What would be some examples of selfish reasons?
 (preserve the power and privilege of rich people)

3. Take out Two Historians’ Interpretations and complete.

4. Review your answers. You should understand that Bailyn argues that the
 Founders were motivated by ideological reasons and Zinn argues that the
 founders were motivated by selfish reasons (i.e., power, money).

5. Take out Declaration Preamble and re-write in your own words.

6. Reflection: Based on the words in the Preamble, do you think the Declaration
 of Independence was written for selfish or ideological reasons?(In other
 words, do you agree with Bailyn or Zinn?)

7. Take out Grievances worksheet and complete. Most of the Declaration of
 Independence is a list of complaints against the King of England. The
 grievances on this worksheet have been combined and re-worded.

 Declaration of Independence

• If the grievance seems to be something that would affect only the
 rich and powerful, write O (for ONLY rich and powerful)
 • If the grievance seems to be something that would affect all the
 colonists, write A (for ALL the colonists)
 • If you don’t know who would be affected, you should write ‘?”

7. Reflection Questions:

 • Do these grievances seem to be things that would upset rich
 people or everyone?
 • What information would you need to know to better answer that
 question?
 • Based on the grievances, which historian do you think has a better
 argument (Bailyn or Zinn)? In other words, was the Declaration of
 Independence written for selfish or ideological reasons?
 • Grievances 23, 24, 27 have a different tone. How might that
 support Zinn’s argument?

Citations:

Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States, 1980, pp. 68 and 72.

Bernard Bailyn, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, 1967, pp. 94 and
140-142. http://books.google.com/books?id=EjJHUVVzDR8C

 © Copyright 2009, Avishag Reisman and Bradley Fogo.

 Declaration of Independence

Historian’s interpretation #1: Modified Excerpts from The
Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn
(1967)

The Declaration of Independence represents the colonists’ deepest
fears and beliefs. The colonists believed they saw a clear pattern in
the events that followed 1763. They believed they saw an evil and
deliberate conspiracy to crush liberty in America. They saw evidence
of this conspiracy in the Stamp Act and in the Coercive Acts.

They also believed that America was destined to play a special role in
history. They believed that America would become “the foundation of
a great and mighty empire, the largest the world ever saw to be
founded on such principles of liberty and freedom, both civil and
religious.” The colonists believed that England was trying to enslave
them, and that they should use “all the power which God has given
them” to protect themselves.

Historian’s interpretation #2: Modified Excerpts from A
People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn (1980)

It seemed clear to the educated, upper-class colonists that something
needed to be done to persuade the lower class to join the
revolutionary cause, to direct their anger against England. The
solution was to find language inspiring to all classes, specific enough
in its listing of grievances to fill people with anger against the British,
vague enough to avoid class conflict, and stirring enough to build
patriotic feelings.

Everything the Declaration of Independence was about – popular
control over governments, the right of rebellion and revolution, fury at
political tyranny, economic burdens, and military attacks – was well
suited to unite large numbers of colonists and persuade even those
who had grievances against one another to turn against England.
Some Americans were clearly omitted from those united by the
Declaration of Independence: Indians, black slaves, and women.

 Declaration of Independence

Why did the Founding Fathers write
 the Declaration of Independence?

 Record what each historian believes in the chart below.
Historian #1
Claim: Evidence:

The Founding Fathers wrote the
Declaration of Independence
because . . .

Historian #2:
Claim: Evidence:

 Declaration of Independence

American Declaration of Independence
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them
with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the
separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of
mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel
them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That
whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and
organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely
to effect their safety and happiness.

Vocabulary
dissolve: disappear unalienable: cannot be taken
bands: connections away
station: place to secure: to get
impel: force instituted: established
self-evident: obvious deriving: getting
endowed: given consent: agreement

In the space below, re-write the Declaration of Independence in your
own words:

 Declaration of Independence

American Declaration of Independence
(1) We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
(2) That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among
men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. (3)
That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new government.

Vocabulary
self-evident: obvious just: fair
endowed: given consent: agreement
unalienable: cannot be taken away ends: goals
to secure: to protect alter: change
instituted: set up abolish: to get rid of
deriving: getting

Put the paragraph in your own words:
(1) We believe in these obvious truths: that all men are created equal, that they
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
(2) In order to protect these rights, governments are set up. These governments
get their powers from ______________________ _ ____________________

(3)______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________.

 Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence Grievances Name____________
Directions: Below are most of the grievances from the Declaration of
Independence.
 • If the grievance seems to be something that would affect only the rich and
 powerful, write O (for ONLY rich and powerful)

 • If the grievance seems to be something that would affect all the colonists,
 write A (for ALL the colonists)

 • If you don’t know who would be affected, write ‘?’

(1 & 2) He has refused to pass, and forbidden his governors to pass, important
and necessary laws. _______

(5 & 6) He has broken up certain legislatures that opposed him, and refused to
let others be elected. _______

(8 & 9) He has refused to establish courts of justice, and has made judges
dependent on him for their jobs and salaries. _______

(10) He has sent swarms of British officers to harass our people and eat our
food. _______

(11 & 12) He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the
consent of our legislatures. _______

(16) For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; _______

(17) For imposing taxes on us without our consent; _______

(18) For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury; _______

(23 & 24) He is waging war against us; He has plundered our seas, ravaged our
coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. _______

(27) He has started fights among us and has also forced us to live near merciless
Indian savages. _______

1. Do these grievances seem to be things that upset rich people or everyone?

2. Do you think these complaints would give people reason to go to war and
 possibly die? Why or why not?

 Declaration of Independence

8th Grade Science - Motion
Week 04/27/20

Reading:
 ● Annotate the article: ​What is Motion?
 ○ Underline important ideas
 ○ Circle important words
 ○ Put a “?” next to something you want to know more about

Activity:
 ● Conduct three experiments based on Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
 ○ Law of Motion Experiments

Writing:
 ● Read the article: ​Bridging the art, science divide for film animation
 ○ Answer the writing prompt at the end of the article.

 8º Grado Ciencia - Movimiento

Semana de 04/27/20

Lectura:
 ● Anotar el artículo: ​What is Motion?
 ○ Subráye ideas importantes
 ○ Circúle palabras importantes
 ○ Ponga un "?" junto a algo que usted quiera saber más

Actividad:
 ● Realice tres experimentos basados ​en la primera ley de movimiento de Newton
 ○ Law of Motion Experiments

Escritura:
 ● Lea el artículo: ​Bridging the art, science divide for film animation
 ○ Responda la pregunta al fin del artículo.

What is Motion?

Mechanics and Motion

Motion is one of the key topics in physics. Everything in the universe
moves. It might only be a small amount of movement and very very
slow, but movement does happen. Don't forget that even if you appear to
be standing still, the Earth is moving around the Sun, and the Sun is
moving around our galaxy. The movement never stops. Motion is one
part of what physicists call mechanics. Over the years, scientists have
discovered several rules or ​laws​ that explain motion and the causes of
changes in motion. There are also special laws when you reach the ​speed
of light​ or when physicists look at very small things like atoms.

Speed it Up, Slow it Down

The physics of motion is all about forces. ​Forces​ need to act upon an
object to get it moving, or to change its motion. Changes in motion won't just happen on their own. So how is
all of this motion measured? Physicists use some basic terms when they look at motion. How fast an object
moves, its speed or ​Velocity​, can be influenced by forces. (Note: Even though the terms 'speed' and 'velocity'
are often used at the same time, they actually have different meanings.)

Acceleration is a twist on the idea of velocity. Acceleration is a measure
of how much the velocity of an object changes in a certain time (usually
in one second). Velocities could either increase or decrease over time.
Mass is another big idea in motion. Mass is the amount of something
there is, and is measured in grams (or kilograms). A car has a greater
mass than a baseball.

Simple and Complex Movement

There are two main ideas when you study mechanics. The first idea is
that there are simple movements, such as if you're moving in a straight
line, or if two objects are moving towards each other in a straight line.
The simplest movement would be objects moving at constant velocity.
Slightly more complicated studies would look at objects that speed up or slow down, where forces have to be
acting.

There are also more complex movements when an object's direction is changing. These would involve curved
movements such as circular motion, or the motion of a ball being thrown through the air. For such complex
motions to occur, forces must also be acting, but at angles to the movement.

In order to really understand motion, you have to think about forces, acceleration, energy, work, and mass.
These are all a part of mechanics.

 http://www.physics4kids.com

Forces of Nature

Forces are a big part of physics. Physicists devote a lot of time to the
study of ​forces​ that are found everywhere in the universe. The
forces could be big, such as the pull of a star on a planet. The forces
could also be very small, such as the pull of a nucleus on an
electron. Forces are acting everywhere in the universe at all times.

Examples of Force

If you were a ball sitting on a field and someone kicked you, a force
would have acted on you. As a result, you would go bouncing down
the field. There are often many forces at work. Physicists might not
study them all at the same time, but even if you were standing in one place, you would have many forces acting
on you. Those forces would include ​gravity​, the force of air particles hitting your body from all directions (as
well as from wind), and the force being exerted by the ground (called the ​normal force​).

Let's look at the forces acting on that soccer ball before you kicked it.
As it sat there, the force of gravity was keeping it on the ground, while
the ground pushed upward, supporting the ball. On a molecular level,
the surface of the ball was holding itself together as the gas inside of
the ball tried to escape. There may have also been small forces trying
to push it as the wind blew. Those forces were too small to get it
rolling, but they were there. And you never know what was under the
ball. Maybe an insect was stuck under the ball trying to push it up.
That's another force to consider.

If there is more than one force acting on an object, the forces can be
added up if they act in the same direction, or subtracted if they act in
opposition. Scientists measure forces in units called ​Newtons​. When you start doing physics problems in class,
you may read that the force applied to the soccer ball (from the kick) could be equal to 12 Newtons.

A Formula of Force

There is one totally important formula when it comes to forces, ​F =
ma​. That's all there is, but everything revolves around that formula.
"F" is the total (net) ​force​, "m" is the object's ​mass​, and "a" is the
acceleration​ that occurs. As a sentence, "The net force applied to the
object equals the mass of the object multiplied by the amount of its
acceleration." The net force acting on the soccer ball is equal to the
mass of the soccer ball multiplied by its change in velocity each
second (its ​acceleration​). Do you remember the wind gently blowing on the soccer ball? The force acting on

 http://www.physics4kids.com

the ball was very small because the mass of air was very small. Small masses generally exert small forces,
which generally result in small accelerations (changes in motion).

Newton's Laws of Motion

There was this fellow in England named ​Sir Isaac Newton​. A little bit stuffy, bad hair, but quite an intelligent
guy. He worked on developing ​calculus​ and ​physics​ at the same time. During his work, he came up with the
three basic ideas that are applied to the physics of most ​motion​ (NOT ​modern physics​). The ideas have been
tested and verified so many times over the years, that scientists now call them ​Newton's Three Laws of
Motion​.

First Law

The first law says that an object at ​rest​ tends to stay at rest, and an
object in ​motion​ tends to stay in motion, with the same direction and
speed​. Motion (or lack of motion) cannot change without an unbalanced
force​ acting. If nothing is happening to you, and nothing does happen,
you will never go anywhere. If you're going in a specific direction,
unless something happens to you, you will always go in that direction.
Forever.

You can see good examples of this idea when you see video footage of ​astronauts​. Have you ever noticed that
their tools float? They can just place them in space and they stay in one place. There is no interfering force to
cause this situation to change. The same is true when they throw objects for the camera. Those objects move in
a straight line. If they threw something when doing a spacewalk, that object would continue moving in the same
direction and with the same speed unless interfered with; for example, if a planet's ​gravity​ pulled on it (Note:
This is a really really simple way of describing a big idea. You will learn all the real details - and math - when
you start taking more advanced classes in physics.).

Second Law

The second law says that the ​acceleration​ of an object produced by a
net (total) applied force is directly related to the ​magnitude​ of the
force, the same direction as the force, and inversely related to the mass
of the object (inverse is a value that is one over another number... the
inverse of 2 is 1/2). The second law shows that if you exert the same
force on two objects of different mass, you will get different
accelerations (changes in motion). The effect (acceleration) on the
smaller mass will be greater (more noticeable). The effect of a 10
newton force on a baseball would be much greater than that same force
acting on a truck. The difference in effect (acceleration) is entirely due to the difference in their masses.

 http://www.physics4kids.com

Third Law

The third law says that for every action (force) there is an equal and opposite reaction (force). Forces are found
in pairs. Think about the time you sit in a chair. Your body exerts a force downward and that chair needs to
exert an equal force upward or the chair will collapse. It's an issue of symmetry. Acting forces encounter other
forces in the opposite direction. There's also the example of shooting a cannonball. When the cannonball is fired
through the air (by the explosion), the cannon is pushed backward. The force pushing the ball out was equal to
the force pushing the cannon back, but the effect on the cannon is less noticeable because it has a much larger
mass. That example is similar to the kick when a gun fires a bullet forward.

 http://www.physics4kids.com

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion Experiments
 Experiment 1: Egg Drop

Materials:
 ● Egg(s)
 ● Aluminum pie plate
 ● Cardboard tube (such as toilet
 paper roll)
 ● Drinking glass or other cylindrical
 container

Steps:
 1. Place the drinking glass on a level surface such as a table.
 2. Fill glass with water
 3. Place the pie plate on top of the drinking glass.
 4. Place the toilet paper tube in the center of the pie plate.
 5. Place the egg on top of the paper tube.
 6. Write your prediction below
 7. Swiftly hit the side of the pie plate out from its place on the glass.

Prediction:​ What do you think will happen to the egg if the pie plate is knocked out from under it? Why do you
think this?

Result:​ What happened? Why did this happen?

Make a change to the experiment of your own design. (Examples - longer tube, multiple eggs, replace pie pan
with different type of plate, etc.) What changes did you make? Why did you make these changes?

What happened in your new experiment? Explain.

 For a video of the Egg Drop ​Click Here

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion Experiments

 Experiment 2: Coin Drop

Materials:
 ● Drinking glass or other cylindrical container
 ● Playing card or index card
 ● Coin

Steps:
 1. Place drinking glass on a flat surface such as a
 table.
 2. Fill the glass with water
 3. Place the playing card/index card on top of the
 drinking glass.
 4. Place the coin on the playing card.
 5. Write your prediction below.
 6. Flick playing card/index card

Prediction:​ What do you think will happen to the coin when the playing card is removed? Why do you think
this?

Result:​ What happened? Why did this happen?

Make a change to the experiment of your own design. (Examples - more coins, a different type of coin, a
different material instead of index card/playing card, etc.) What changes did you make? Why did you make
these changes?

What happened in your new experiment? Explain.

 For a video of the Coin Drop ​Click Here

Newton’s 1st Law of Motion Experiments
 Experiment #3: Inertia Tower

Materials:
 ● 3 - 6 plastic cup of the same size
 ● 2 - 5 index cards or playing cards

Steps:
 1. Place 1 cup right side up on smooth stable
 surface such as a table
 2. Place index card on top of cup
 3. Place 1 cup on top of index card
 4. Place index card on top of cup
 5. Continue steps 2-4 until you run out of
 cups/index cards
 6. Write your prediction below
 7. With the help of others, pull all index cards out at the same time

Question:​ What do you think will happen to the tower when the playing cards are removed? Why do you think
this?

Result:​ What happened? Why did this happen?

Make a change to the experiment of your own design. (Examples - different objects instead of cups, place the
cups upside down, speed of pulling cards, etc.) What changes did you make? Why did you make these
changes?

What happened in your new experiment? Explain.

 For a video of an inertia tower in slow motion ​Click Here
 For a video of an inertia tower in real time ​Click Here

Bridging the art, science divide for film
animation
By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.06.14
Word Count 930
Level 1110L

Ron Henderson, director of research and development at DreamWorks Animation, works on equations for the fluid dynamics behind a fluid
simulation technology that gives animation artists the tools to work on the upcoming movie "Home" as they draw soap bubbles inhabited by
diminutive aliens called the Boov. Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/MCT

In a small office in Glendale, California, Ron Henderson methodically jotted down equations on a
whiteboard.

The equations in question were Isaac Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. They, the physicist
explained, would provide the mathematical building blocks for the task at hand: constructing a
three-dimensional, bubble-like sphere.

Henderson could easily have been preparing a lesson at Caltech, where he once taught. Instead, he
was at DreamWorks Animation’s campus, doing his part to bridge the divide between art and
science.

Animated films — movie-length cartoons — used to be entirely drawn by hand. Now artists create
them on a computer. For complicated effects, understanding the underlying science is very
helpful.

 This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Doing The Bubble Math

Artists working on the upcoming movie "Home" will have to create a lot of soap bubbles, which in
the film are inhabited by a race of tiny aliens called the Boov. What Henderson was explaining was
the math underlying a program that will be used to make those bubbles look realistic.

To give them visual references, Henderson and his team began by studying drawings and photos of
soap bubbles last year. He invited a fellow physicist from San Jose State to give a lecture titled
“Bubble Science.”

The physicist, Alejandro Garcia, took a low-tech approach. He arrived at the studio with boxes of
liquid soap and party bubbles, using a plastic wand to fashion large bubbles for an audience of
artists and technicians.

“He did cool things that we’re not doing, like what happens when you make a soap bubble out of
hydrogen and set it on fire?” Henderson said, chuckling. “What does that look like?” The bubble
made a loud boom and burst into a fireball when an assistant took a Tiki torch to it.

That’s the kind of thing that happens when the scientific set makes the move to the movies.

“What we’re doing here is creating tools for artists,” Henderson said. “I think it’s going to be a
success.”

Pushing The Animation Boundaries

Henderson, 47, is one of a growing number of high-level physicists, engineers and other scientists
who have left their old careers to work in the movie business.

Demand for their services has grown as animated movies push the boundaries of what can be
created on a computer screen. Artists at DreamWorks, Pixar and other studios increasingly rely on
the services of people such as Henderson. The scientists use their expertise to help artists create
realistic-looking water, fire, dust and other elements.

“The physics behind what’s happening in these movies is incredibly complicated,” said computer
scientist Paul Debevec. “You need real scientists to understand what’s going on.”

Although they typically get paid more in the film business, Henderson says money isn’t the main
draw. For most, it's the excitement of working on movies and the challenge of finding solutions to
technical problems.

Collaboration Of Science And Art

DreamWorks has one of the largest groups of scientists in the animation industry.

“We have sculptors and painters working side by side with software developers and particle
physicists,” said Dan Satterthwaite, the studio’s human resources director.

The company’s research and development group has about 120 members with degrees in fields
such as cognitive science, astrophysics, aeronautical engineering, chemistry, mathematics and
computer science. Nearly a dozen of them are former employees of NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.

 This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

The studio has even hired biologists to advise animators on how to correctly illustrate the branch
structure of a tree.

Henderson finds working at DreamWorks fulfilling on a personal level.

“Science can be a very lonely activity,” he said. “I wanted to use my background in computational
physics, but I wanted to have the experience of working with people and being able to see the
results of what I did.”

Seeing “Shrek” also piqued his scientific curiosity about the new medium of computer-generated
imagery, or CGI, that was changing how movies were made.

“What astonished me was how much detail and motion there was in every frame, the motion of the
trees, the grass and all the other elements,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Each Film Is Visually Unique

Much of Henderson's focus at DreamWorks is on what he calls improving the “scale of
production.” Because there are so many shots in a single movie — one film might have 700 scenes
with fire, for example — Henderson and his team spend much of their time trying to devise more
efficient ways of creating effects.

Then there is the technical challenge of creating something visually unique for each film: for
example, the frost in “Rise of the Guardians,” the stylized cannon fire in “Kung Fu Panda 2” or the
ice-breathing dragon in “How to Train Your Dragon 2.”

His latest challenge was creating the bubble-like spheres in “Home,” which will provide the unique
look to spaceships in the movie.

Turns out, creating a computer animation image of a bubble on a flat surface is one thing.
Wrapping that image around a floating soccer-ball-like sphere is a much trickier problem of math
and physics.

Henderson tapped into his knowledge of how fluids behave to devise a new way to suggest flow on
a sphere. The method he came up with is a variation on a numerical weather-prediction model.

The fact that few moviegoers will appreciate the technical achievement doesn’t bother him — the
work is its own reward.

“Doing something where you can clearly see the results of your work, and where you feel you are
providing a unique benefit to the artists — that’s what keeps me coming here every day,” he said.

 Writing Prompt and Directions

 Directions: Watch an animation of your choosing. As you watch the animation, pay close
 attention to the movements, motions, and details of the animated characters, backgrounds,
 and environments. Take notes if you would like.

 Writing Prompt: Describe in detail some of the observations you made from the
 animation you watched. Compare those observations to real life. What was realistic about
 those observations? What was not realistic. Explain your answers.

 This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Grade 6-8
 ELD

These and other resources are
 also available digitally on the
HemetLearnsTogether.org website.

Describe a Picture
Imagine that you and your partner are going to describe a
picture. Your partner has started writing a paragraph about
the picture. The paragraph may contain errors. Read your
partner’s paragraph and then follow the directions for
answering the questions.

The students are conducting an experiment mixing vinegar with
hydrogen peroxide in their chemistry class. One student is added the
vinegar using a eyedrop. Another student is observing the mixture. The
final student is taking notes about their observations.

1. Read the following sentence from your partner’s
paragraph. The sentence has TWO errors. On the lines,
rewrite the sentence correctly.

One student is added the vinegar using a eyedrop.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
2. On the lines below, write a new sentence to describe what
the students might do next.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

Talk About a Scene

Use the picture to answer the following questions.

1. What is the student in the black sweatshirt doing?
The student in the black sweatshirt is ___________________.
_________________________________________________________________
2. What do you see on the floor? ​I see _____ on the floor.
_________________________________________________________________
3. Describe what the children in the back are doing. ​The
children in the back are _________________________________.
_________________________________________________________________
4. What part of the school is this? How do you know?
This is the ________________.​ ​I know it is the ________________ because
____________________________.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
5. Tell something else about the picture.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

H.U.S.D. Secondary
 Suggested Daily Schedule

 Time Suggested Enrichment Activities & Resources
 (​Modify as needed based on your family’s needs.​)

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. ☀ Start your day​: Wake up, stretch, make your bed, eat breakfast, clean up your dishes, and get
 ready for the day!

9:00 - 9:45 a.m. ​Math​: Complete a ​Math Enrichment Activity​ from the provided packet or from the H.U.S.D. math
 digital resources at ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.

9:45 - 10:00 a.m. ​Brain Break​: Use the restroom, stretch, & eat a healthy snack!
10:00 - 10:45 a.m. ​English Language Arts​: ​ Complete an ​ELA Enrichment Activity​ from the provided packet or from
 the H.U.S.D. ELA digital resources at ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.. Then spend 20-30 minutes reading
 a book!

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. ​Exercise Break​: T​ ake a walk outside or try some workout programs on ​darebee.com​.
11:30 - 12:30 p.m. ​Lunch & Free Time​: Eat lunch, clean up your dishes, use the restroom, and do something you
 enjoy! (​Check ​Hemetusd.org​ for updated lunch pick-up day, time, & locations.​)

12:30 - 1:00 p.m. ​Creative Writing/Journaling​: S​ pend some time writing about a topic of your choice! Write your
 own stories or poems or keep a journal of your thoughts.
 Here are some writing prompts to get you started:
 ● What are you excited or worried about?
 ● Write a letter to yourself 10 years in the future. What do you want to tell your future self?
 ● How do you think the world will be different after the coronavirus pandemic?
 Explore more journal topics ​here​ or create your own!

1:00 - 2:45 p.m. ​Science​: Complete a S​ cience Enrichment Activity​ from the provided packet or from the
 H.U.S.D. science digital resources at ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​..

2:45 - 3:00 p.m. ​Brain Break​: Use the restroom, stretch, & eat a healthy snack!
3:00 - 3:30 p.m. ​Social Studies​: Complete a ​Social Studies Enrichment Activity​ from the provided packet or
 from the H.U.S.D. social studies digital resources at ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.

 Explore additional enrichment activities at ​HemetLearnsTogether.org

 #HemetLearnsTogether

Distrito Escolar Unificado de Hemet
 Tabla de Actividades Sugeridas

 Tiempo Actividades y Recursos de Enriquecimiento Sugeridos
Aproximado (Modificar según ​sea necesario según las necesidades de su hijo /​hija.)

8:00-9:00 a.m. ☀ Para empezar el día​: D
 ​ espierta, estirar, hacer la cama, desayunar, limpia tus platos y prepárate
 para el día!

9:00 - 9:45 am ​Matemáticas​: Complete una a​ ctividad de enriquecimiento matemático​ del paquete provisto o
 de los recursos digitales matemáticos a ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.

9:45 - 10:00 am ​Rotura de Cerebro:​: Use el baño, estirar y comer una merienda saludable!
10:00 - 10:45 am ​Artes del Lenguaje en Inglés​: ​ Complete una ​actividad de enriquecimiento de ELA​ del paquete
 provisto o de los recursos digitales de ELA a ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​. ¡Entonces pasé 20-30
 minutos leyendo un libro!

10:45 - 11:30 am ​Pausa Para Ejercicio​: ​Salga a caminar o pruebe algunos programas de entrenamiento en
 darebee.com​.

11:30 - 12:30 pm ​Almuerzo y Tiempo Libre​: Almorzar y, limpie sus platos, use el baño y haga algo que disfrute!
 (​Visite Hemetusd.org para conocer el día, la hora y los lugares de recogida del almuerzo
 actualizados​.)

12:30 - 1:00 pm ​Escritura Creativa /Diario​: ​Dedique algo de tiempo a escribir sobre un tema de su elección!
 Escribe tus propias historias o poemas o lleva un diario de tus pensamientos.
 Aquí hay algunos consejos de escritura para comenzar:
 ● ¿Por qué está emocionado o preocupado?
 ● Escribe una carta 10 años en el futuro. ¿Qué quieres decir a tu futuro yo?
 ● ¿Cómo crees que el mundo será diferente después de la pandemia de coronavirus?
 ¡Explore más temas de revistas ​aquí​ o cree el suyo propio!

1:00 - 2:45 pm ​Ciencia​: Complete una ​actividad de enriquecimiento de la ciencia​ del paquete provisto o de los
 recursos digitales de cienci aa ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.

2:45 - 3:00 pm ​Rotura de Cerebro​: Usa el baño, estira y come un bocadillo saludable!
3:00 - 3:30 pm ​ studios Sociales​: Complete una ​actividad de enriquecimiento de estudios sociales​ del paquete
 E
 provisto o de los recursos digitales de estudios sociales a ​HemetLearnsTogether.org​.

 Explore actividades de enriquecimiento adicionales en ​HemetLearnsTogether.org

 #HemetLearnsTogether

THINKING ABOUT TEXTS
 Questions & Sentence Frames to use while reading Literature & Informational Texts

Preface:​ When reading, we can improve our comprehension by periodically stopping to ask ourselves questions about the
text. The questions we ask will vary depending on the type of text we’re reading.

Below you’ll find text analysis questions divided into two categories: ​literary​ (​fiction​) and ​informational ​(​expository​). While
you’re reading, or once you’ve finished, take some time to consider a few of these questions. Discuss your thoughts with
someone in order to hear yourself speak your ideas aloud. In a writing journal, write a brief response to the question(s) of
your choice. Cite evidence from your text to support your response. Sentence frames have been provided to support you in
your thinking and writing.

 Literary (​Fiction​) Text Analysis
 Plot What is the story about? What are the main events in the story, and how are they related to each other? Are the
 main events of the story arranged chronologically or in some other way? Explain. Use evidence from the text.
 ● The story ___________is about ____________.
 ● The main event is ___________. The main event involves ___________.
 ● Another important event is _______________.
 ● These events are related (connected) because ____________.
 ● The events are arranged ___________. Evidence to support this includes ______.

 Setting Where does the action take place? How does the setting affect characters in the story? Describe social forces that
 shape the characters (​political, social, economic, religious, educational, etc.​)
 ● The action occurs __________________.
 ● _________is influenced by _______(​aspect of the setting​) because ___________.
 ● ________ is shaped by ______ forces. Evidence to support this includes _______.

 Character What are some of the chief characteristics (​personality traits​) of the main character? How are these
 characteristics revealed in the story?
 ● The main character __________seemed______________because_______________.

 Point of View From what point of view is the story told? How do you know? How does this affect the telling of the story?
 ● The author uses_______________ to tell the story. Evidence to support this includes__________.
 ● First-person point of view affects the story by____________________________.

 Imagery What scenes, moments, descriptive passages, phrases or words stand out in your reading of the story?
 ● I could visualize _______________ because of the author’s use of ____________.
 ● I felt ______________ when the author used _____________to describe ____________.

 Tone What is the author’s attitude toward actions/events in the story? Is the story tragic, humorous, frightening? How
 does the author want the reader to react?
 ● The story has a _________________ feeling because the author uses______________.
 ● As a reader, I feel __________________ because ___________________.

 Theme What theme(s) does this story reveal? Does the theme(s) support or oppose popular notions of life? Does it offer
 new insight about the human experience or support traditional ideas?
 ● One theme of the story is_____________________.
 ● The theme connects to life by_______________________________.

Informational (​Expository​) Text Analysis
 Main Idea What point is the author making in the text?
 ● The author’s first point is ______________.
 ● The author makes several points. To begin with,_____________. Additionally, _______.

 Supporting Details What evidence does the author use to support each point?
 ● The author supports the point that_______by stating _______.

 Claims What is the main claim the author makes in the text?
 ● The author’s main claim is ________________.

 Paraphrasing How would you paraphrase what the author is saying?
 ● Another way to say this would be_______.
 ● In other words, the author is saying____________.

 Summarizing How would you summarize what the author is saying?
 ● In summary,_______________
 ● To summarize, the author’s main points are________________.

 Agree/Disagree Are the ideas in this passage correct or reasonable? Do you agree or disagree with them? Why?
 ● I agree/disagree with the author’s claim that_______________ because___________.

 Text Connections How does this passage relate to other texts you have read?
 (Compare/ Contrast) ● This passage is similar to ______________because________________.
 ● This passage differs from _____________because________________.

After reading literary OR informational texts, use the sentence starters below in a journal to reflect on and/or form opinions
about what you have read.

 ​Reflective Sentence Starters
 I wonder… I was reminded of… I was surprised that…

 I began to think of… I can’t believe… It is interesting that…

 I suppose that… If I had been… I don’t really understand…

 I don’t see how… It bothers me when… I agree with this because…

 I like the idea… Why did… I disagree with this because…

 I noticed that… How did… I think the author intends…

PENSANDO EN LOS TEXTOS
 Preguntas y marcos de oraciones para usar al leer literatura y textos informativos

Prólogo:​ Al leer, podemos mejorar nuestra comprensión deteniéndonos periódicamente para hacernos preguntas sobre el
texto. Las preguntas que hacemos variarán según el tipo de texto que leamos.

A continuación, encontrarás preguntas de análisis del texto divididas en dos categorías: ​literarias​ (ficción) e ​informativas
(expositivas). Mientras estás leyendo, o una vez que hayas terminado, tómate un tiempo para considerar algunas de estas
preguntas. Habla con alguien de lo que piensas para poder escuchar tus ideas en voz alta. En un diario, escribe una breve
respuesta a la(s) pregunta(s) de tu elección. Cita evidencia de tu texto para respaldar tu respuesta. Se han proporcionado
marcos de oraciones para apoyarte en tus ideas y escritura.

 Análisis de Texto Literario (Ficción)
 Trama ¿Sobre qué es la historia? ¿Cuáles son los principales eventos de la historia y cómo se relacionan entre sí? ¿Los
 principales eventos de la historia están ordenados cronológicamente o de alguna otra manera? Explica. Usa evidencia
 del texto.
 ● La historia ___________ es sobre ____________.
 ● El evento principal es ___________. El evento principal involucra ___________.
 ● Otro evento importante es _______________.
 ● Estos eventos están relacionados (conectados) porque ____________.
 ● Los eventos se organizan ___________. La evidencia para apoyar esto incluye ______.

 Escenario ¿Dónde se lleva a cabo la acción? ¿Cómo afecta el escenario a los personajes de la historia? Describa las fuerzas
 sociales que dan forma a los personajes (políticos, sociales, económicos, religiosos, educativos, etc.)
 ● La acción ocurre __________________.
 ● _________ está influenciado por _______ (aspecto del entorno) porque ___________.
 ● ________ está formado por ______ fuerzas. La evidencia para apoyar esto incluye _______.

 Personaje ¿Cuáles son algunas de las principales características (rasgos de personalidad) del personaje principal? ¿Cómo se
 revelan estas características en la historia?
 ● El personaje principal __________parecía______________porque_______________.

 Punto de vista ¿Desde qué punto de vista se cuenta la historia? ¿Cómo lo sabes? ¿Cómo afecta esto a la narración de la historia?
 ● El autor usa _______________ para contar la historia. La evidencia para apoyar esto incluye ______.
 ● El punto de vista en primera persona afecta la historia por ____________________________.

 Imaginería ¿Qué escenas, momentos, pasajes descriptivos, frases o palabras se destacan en su lectura de la historia?
 ● I Pude visualizar _______________ debido al uso del autor de ____________.
 ● Me sentí ______________ cuando el autor usó _____________ para describir ____________.

 Tono ¿Cuál es la actitud del autor hacia las acciones/eventos en la historia? ¿Es la historia trágica, humorística,
 aterradora? ¿Cómo quiere el autor que reaccione el lector?
 ● La historia tiene un sentimiento de _________________ porque el autor usa______________.
 ● Como lector, me siento __________________ porque ___________________.

 Tema ¿Qué tema(s) revela esta historia? ¿El tema(s) apoya o se opone a las nociones populares de la vida? ¿Ofrece una
 nueva visión sobre la experiencia humana o apoya las ideas tradicionales?
 ● Un tema de la historia es _____________________.
 ● El tema se conecta a la vida por _______________________________.

Análisis de Texto Informativo (Expositivo)
 Idea principal ¿Qué punto quiere hacer el autor en el texto?

 ● El primer punto del autor es ______________.
 ● El autor hace varios puntos. Para empezar con,_____________. Además, _______.

 Detalles de apoyo Detalles de apoyo

 ● El autor apoya el punto que _______ indicando _______.

 Afirmaciones ¿Cuál es la afirmación principal que el autor hace en el texto?

 ● La afirmación principal del autor es ________________.

 Parafraseando ¿Cómo parafrasearías lo que dice el autor?

 ● Otra forma de decir esto sería _______.
 ● En otras palabras, el autor está diciendo ____________.

 Resumiendo ¿Cómo resumirías lo que dice el autor?

 ● En resumen,_______________
 ● En resumen, los puntos principales del autor son ________________.

 De acuerdo/ ¿Son las ideas de este pasaje correctas o razonables? ¿Estás de acuerdo o en desacuerdo con ellos?¿Por qué?
 en desacuerdo
 ● Estoy de acuerdo/no estoy de acuerdo con la afirmación del autor que _______________ porque ___.

 Conexiones de ¿Cómo se relaciona este pasaje con otros textos que has leído?
 texto (Comparar/
 Contraste) ● Este pasaje es similar a ______________ porque _________________.
 ● Este pasaje difiere de _____________ porque _________________.

Después de leer textos literarios o informativos, utiliza los iniciadores de oraciones a continuación en un diario para
reflexionar y/o formar opiniones sobre lo que has leído.

 ​Iniciadores de Oraciones Reflexivas

 Me pregunto Me recordó de… Me sorprendió que…

 Empence a pensar en… No puedo creer… Es interesante que…

 Supongo que… Si hubiera sido… Realmente no entiendo…

 No veo cómo… Me molesta cuando… Estoy de acuerdo con esto porque…

 Me gusta la idea… ¿Por qué… No estoy de acuerdo con esto porque…

 Me di cuenta de que… ¿Cómo fue… Creo que el autor tiene la intención de…

Art Connects
 2020 Virtual Student Arts Competition
 RIVERSIDE COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

The Riverside County Office of Education is launching a
virtual student arts competition to help students channel their
creativity during the COVID-19 school closures.
Despite the closure of schools, students in Riverside County are continuing to create, dream, and express
their ideas through their own unique talents and abilities. Artistic expression is a healthy way for students
to process their feelings, exercise their creative abilities, and expand their understanding of a changing
world. These expressions have the power to uplift others and bring meaning to their life and the lives of
others during challenging times.

Rules and Eligibility Requirements
• Open to all Riverside County students in grades TK–12 attending public, charter, private, parochial, or
 home-school programs.
• One entry per student per art form per week.
• Individual entries only; no group entries.
• Grade level categories include TK–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12.

Awards
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards will be selected in each art form.
 • 1st place award: $75 gift card, plaque, and certificate of participation
 • 2nd place award: $50 gift card and certificate of participation
 • 3rd place award: $25 gift card and certificate of participation
 • Honorable mention: Certificate of participation
• Awards will be announced weekly via www.rcoe.us/art-connects, on RCOE’s social media pages,
 and by email to the winners.
• The work of awardees may be shared on the website and RCOE social media pages.
 Awards provided by the Riverside County Office of Education Foundation.

Judging Criteria
• Judges will include Riverside County artists, poets, choreographers, actors, writers, educators, filmmakers,
 and musicians.
• Judges will score entries based on the following categories:
 • Creativity and originality
 • Artistic composition
 • Connection to weekly theme
 • Overall impression
• Judges will take into account the constraints that come with the nature of a virtual competition.
 • Example: Video submissions will be based on the content of the film, not the production value.
 • Example: Photo submissions will be judged on the artistic quality of the image, not the resolution
 of the JPG.

 For additional information, please visit www.rcoe.us/art-connects
 or contact Louisa Higgins, RCOE Arts Administrator, lhiggins@rcoe.us.