The eighth grade class’s study of physics was reinforced by an unexpected source when students viewing classic Road Runner cartoons realized that Wile E. Coyote’s dramatic reactions as he chased his quarry were not only hapless, they were “physics-ally” impossible.

As Madison B. '09 explained before reciting the poem for this week’s assembly recitation, the cartoons were shown in their science class so that students could compare what they knew of physics to the make-believe of “Cartoon Physics.”  While students were clear that the coyote's antics couldn't happen in the real world, they also allowed that it would be nice if some of what is pictured in cartoons could be true. The poem Madison chose for her recitation, “Cartoon Physics,” expresses that sentiment.

While seventh grade scientists can look forward to the fun of physics, they are now spending their time on more fundamental things such as the Periodic Table of Elements. Each student studied a single element and presented the information in a PowerPoint presentation. Six students presented their “Adopt-an-Element” reports at assembly:  Bianca V: Potassium, Melissa F.: Krypton, Lily O.: Iodine, Robert G.: Platinum, Lauren Anderson: Titanium, and Gabe Rosen-Duran: Hydrogen.

Kindergarten teacher Steve Bush adopted a bison to encourage generous contributions to the annual SCDS food drive. Last year, SCDS raised 2,046 pounds (equivalent to the weight of a bison) for the Redwood Empire Food Drive. The 2008 goal is twenty-five hundred pounds, roughly the weight of a bison mother and her baby! Nonperishable food can be brought to SCDS until Thursday, December 19.

There are two other important drives at SCDS. Girl Quest is holding a coat drive; gently used coats and jackets may be dropped off until Friday, December 5. At assembly, Girl Scout Troop 10167, whose members are from our fourth and fifth grade class, launched a towel drive for the Humane Society of Sonoma County. The final day to drop off towels is December 19.