NASA and SpaceX

Author’s Note: This piece is a persuasive on if the government should fund NASA with different space explorations that they take place in. I wanted to explain what NASA is in general as well as the company SpaceX, for the reason that both companies have been working together. This is also a piece that I am using to check items off my master rubric. In this piece, I wanted to explain my point on if the government should fund NASA. 

As I walk through the streets back to my house, I am staring at the night sky watching the moon shining above me. I see the speckles of stars and planets on top of the night sky. Finally, I arrive at my home, still looking at the full moon that is appearing up over me. The government owned agency, NASA, is what is making this amazing space exploration happen, and is making us take a glimpse of what is beyond the earth today.

However, NASA should not need to be funded by the government when there are many problems that face our world today. All around the world, you will hear of how spaceships were launched, or how people are walking on the moon. People who make this happen are from different organizations of space. One of the most popular known places is NASA, also known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Ever since 1958, NASA has been accomplishing many different scientific achievements in air and space. Another popular company is SpaceX. SpaceX is admired due to the fact that they were the first private company to send cargo to the International Space Station. These two agencies are very much similar due to the fact that they both want to make sure that our solar system is seen through technology that will change space forever.

Even though NASA is a large organization in the space industry, there are other places in our country that need more funding. For instance, people in our country need the money for food, and places to live. Additionally, NASA has been successful with most of their space launches, however not every one has been victorious. For example, there has been control and parachute failure in the past. Due to that, our government wouldn’t need to fund the launches that happen with NASA because the two agencies have been making enough money on their own while working together.

There are so many different problems that our world faces today that should be funded. NASA has no additional value to us when they are trying to find a way to see what space looks like on the outside. There are more important items in life than other planets around us. The government should help the people and places in our country. Not use so much money for space equipment and technology that only NASA will make use of. The government funded agency, NASA, is doing fine without being funded for their space launches. This proves that our government should give money to the people who need it more.

"NASA - Home." NASA - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://www.nasa.gov>.

"NASA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA>.

"SpaceX - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX>.

Manifest Destiny

Author’s Note: This is an essay explaining what the Western Expansion and Manifest Destiny is and how it impacted our country today. In this piece, I want to talk about how a state truly became what it is today through the whole process of the Western Expansion. Also, I wanted to add what Manifest Destiny is and how is affected the people in the United States. In this essay, I wanted to work on checking off different credits in my master rubric, like the Western Expansion. Also, I wanted my body paragraphs to stay strong throughout the entire essay.

The United States started with thirteen colonies, but what people don’t know is how the state that they live in became one. Our country was made the shape it is today because of Manifest Destiny. Not only did Manifest Destiny give us the courage to find the land, the whole process was the Western Expansion. Without the Western Expansion, we wouldn’t be living where we are today. The full idea of this development was a gift that made our country as unique as it is today.

In the early 1800’s, the Western Expansion came to life. It explained how an area of land became a territory, or how a territory became a state. All states started off as being nothing. For example, Wisconsin started off as Unorganized Territory until it moved into the Indiana Territory, and soon to the Wisconsin Territory. It all was one big process into becoming a state. Now this whole procedure went on for many years. It all started off in 1789 and ended when Hawaii became a state in 1959. During this time frame, the Western Expansion wasn’t all that was going on. The Bill of Rights was created in the year the Western Expansion started. Also, there was the Monroe Doctrine in 1823.

The Western Expansion was big with states forming, but the term Manifest Destiny is the belief of them. The term Manifest Destiny was created by John O’ Sullivan in the year of 1845. His main reason was to describe the essence of the Western Expansion. Manifest Destiny touched many different people and religions because it was said that God gave them this new land, almost like a gift from Him. However, the term caused serious consequences for the American Indians for the reason that they both wanted the same land. During this time, another term came into place as well, Indian Removal. Most Americans thought that the American Indians would fade as the country expanded.  

Manifest Destiny was a large part of our country, and so was the Western Expansion. However, the Louisiana Purchase is what started it all. The Louisiana Purchase started in 1803, and the land expanded from the territory of Louisiana. This area was claimed by France, where the US bought it for $15 million. The whole idea was to add more land on the west side of the Mississippi River. After the purchase, more people started migrating from other countries to find their own land. This was a big part of the Western Expansion due to the fact that our country needed more land for crops and livelihood.

The Louisiana Purchase was a great buy between France and the United States. Although, many people were happy with this outcome, a lot of people didn’t agree with it. One group was the American Indians that lived on the west side of the United States.  The United States created a treaty giving another part of the country to the American Indians. This is a downside for the Western Expansion because it caused people to lose their homes. That is where Indian Removal came into place.

Even though there were some downsides to the Western Expansion, some good events came upon it. For instance, the Western Expansion added more land to our nation so there would be more places to live, and start lives.  In addition, people needed the land to grow crops for the food that they would eat. Without the expansion, there wouldn’t be as many fresh fruits and vegetables that go on our tables. The whole point of Manifest Destiny wasn’t to make people angry. It was to lift their spirits of the good happenings that went upon the Western Expansion.

Manifest Destiny created our country by adding more land and making as unique as it is. This happened at the time where people needed the more space to live. The Western Expansion added land for the benefit of citizens in our country. Even though it caused trouble with the American Indians, everything ended up working out in the end. Manifest Destiny gave us the space to spend our lives in, vacation in, have fun in, and that was the whole point of this gift. 

Seeing the Nature

Author's Note: This is my first writing response for the book I am currently reading called Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.  I am writing about the second chapter when the main character talks about seeing nature. I wanted to write more of a creative writing piece of her seeing the nature around her on the creek.

I race through the woods, looking around at my surroundings. There are the sycamore trees piling above my head, and different animals below my feet. As I stop running, I enter the creek. It is beautiful this time of day with the frogs jumping on lily pads, and the sound of crickets slightly chirping. I walk ahead a few steps and sit on the dirt, feeling it with my hands. I move my head around watching the deer galloping through the woods next to the water.  I smile as I am watching the nature circle me as I lay down and shut my eyes.

Later that night, I wake up to the sounds of the frog's croaks and crickets chirping. I stand up, twisting my head from side to side waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I hear the bushes shaking from the wind as I walk past, touching the trees so I know which way I am walking. I finally reach my house; I then turn on my porch light staring into the distance. Everything in the world right now is dark. There are no sounds of animals anymore. The wind died and the lights of my neighbors have turned off. There is nothing for me to see anymore. I then lay down on the front porch, and close my eyes once more. 

Bill of Rights Video

A Day at Asa Clark

Author's Note: This piece that I wrote was my final for the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. This piece I was supposed to be like Christopher and how he see things in real life differently than we see it. This week around schools, I was watching out for things that Christopher would see differently and I would put them in my words. In this piece I wanted to work on my voice and make it sound clear. 

March 5, 2013

Dear Journal,

Today was a great day, but I woke up with a big frown thinking of what happened earlier. Although, I guess I was pretty excited knowing that I had my maths class later on through the day. Here, this is what my schedule happens to look like.

It all started off this morning when I was still upset that my sister and I got into a big fight. She touched me on my arm instead of using her words, and it didn't end up very good. Let's just say that in that next minute, I was in my room taking deep breaths.  I was having a hard time getting out of bed to face her, but other than that my morning went well. 

After that big fiasco I was excited to get out of my dad's car so I could then start my maths. I then walked into my classroom where I could see paper flying across the room, and the student teacher trying to control the kids. I sighed and walked to an empty desk. It was hard for me that I had to be in a class where everyone was below me. I want to talk to people about geometry or algebra two, not pre-algebra. I've learned that in my maths class that I need to suck it up and just be glad with what I given. Sometimes that's too hard when it comes to this subject.  That was probably the worst part of my school day. It made me very mad.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Kiley

March 6, 2013

Dear Journal,

Unlike my ok day yesterday, I had an awful day today. It all started when my dad tried to put ketchup on my hash browns for breakfast. If I haven't told you before, I will not eat anything red. It reminds me of anger and just plain out bad things. So after that I was on my way to school and I saw five red cars in a row driving past. Of course they were red so that meant that it was going to be very bad day.

At the end of the school day, I was talking to one of my good friends Sydney.  All of a sudden she leans in and she flicks me. Yes, she flicks me. Right on the cheek, and then she started to laugh. I really wanted to scream and roll on the ground, but I managed to control my anger.

Finally the school day was over and I was getting a ride home from school. I then saw five yellow cars in a row. I could feel the big smile on my face knowing that it would be a good night.  So I relaxed and did some more of my maths, and now I am writing to you. I am just glad that my day didn't end as bad as it started. 

Talk to you tomorrow!

Kiley 

DNA and Genetic Mutations

Author's Note: This is my final essay for my DNA project. This mainly explains what DNA is and how it impacts genetic mutations. In this essay, I wanted to work on my organization. I wanted to make sure that each paragraph didn't repeat anything that I mentioned earlier. Also, I wanted to make sure that I had a strong thesis statement to start the paper. 

In our generation, people try to act and be like one another. Although, your DNA is not set up to be like another person. DNA is located in every part of your body, so it makes sure that you will always be yourself.  Your genes are almost exactly like DNA when it comes to this. Genetic mutations are what describes you as a person and what makes you unique.  

                                                                                                                                     

Genetic mutations are a very important part of your body, and explain who you are. Each genetic mutation has been inherited by your parents or during your lifetime. Most of them are passed on from parent to child when you are born and those are called heredity mutations. A heredity mutation stays in your body for you entire life, where point and base mutations do not. A point mutation is one of the most common types of mutations there are, and this changes a single nucleotide base pair. Where a base mutation can be added to your body or deleted.  What you look like and who you will be like is what describes genetic mutations.

Different mutations have a lot to do with who you are as a person, and so does DNA. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, and is located in every cell you have.  Genetic mutations are in fact similar to your DNA. For example, they both determine what color your eyes will be when you are born, and even how tall you could be. Genetic mutations are not the only part of your body that describes who you are as a person. DNA is also what makes that decision.

DNA may be about what you look like, although the structure of it is what does its job. Your DNA looks like a ladder when it is stretched out. This is called a double helix. A double helix are strands of your DNA coiled together. On a double helix, there are four different types of nitrogenous bases. They are called Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Thymine.  Adenine and Guanine are part of one base, where Cytosine and Thymine are part of another. Week hydrogen bases are what makes the two groups stay together. Your DNA and genetic mutations are the most important part of your body. Although without your double helix, they wouldn’t exist.

Even though DNA and genetic mutations are different, they are still similar through something called chromosomes. In your body, each person has forty-six chromosomes. When you are born both your mom and dad gives twenty-three chromosomes to you. Each chromosome has a different meaning. For example, how you behave and even what you will look like is what thay do.  If there were no chromosomes in everyone’s body, each person would be the same.

Although genetic mutations are very important as it is, DNA is as important. Your DNA is the blueprint of your life, which means that whatever you do or will do your DNA will have some effect to it. DNA is also important because you use it to determine criminal cases and your family. Not only that, it determines the structure of your cells. Like whether or not it would be a nerve cell or an eye cell. DNA is very important when it comes to your life, and who you are as a person.

Genetic mutations are what makes you unique and describes who you are. Like I said before, your DNA is not set up so you can act and be like someone else. Every part of DNA goes along with helping you be yourself. Same goes for genetic mutations. Every persons DNA exists once in their life, and you should cherish that. Your DNA makes you unique for who you are, and that is what makes it special.

Fahrenheit 451

Author's Note: This is my final writing essay for the novel Fahrenheit 451. In this piece, I am writing about how the government gets out of control in this book. I wanted to truly explain what the government should be like. Also, in this essay I wanted to work on my sentence fluency. Sentence fluency has been one of the places of writing that I have struggled with and I need to vary my sentence lengths more.

I am walking down the street towards my home. There are fire trucks next door, police sirens across the road, and helicopters above my house.  I look over to my neighbors place, the dog is outside.  My neighbor's wife is running out of the door with her husband right behind her. The Mechanical Hound is chasing them through the streets. He shoots the poison. Three, two, one… They both are dead. I then walk through the doors into my house; I don't dare look behind me.  I grab the books under the table and sit. I sit and think of what would happen if the government changed. We would be living in a whole different universe.  Government in this sort of world has different problems, problems that you can change if you stood up for yourself.

Government is a very strong part of our country today. They determine the laws that keep up safe, and make sure the president is doing their job. Although, when you live in a world where the government doesn't help or agree with you, bad things will happen. For example, in the future they won't let you read books. Actually keep books in general. People in this country need to stand up for their rights.  That is exactly what Montag did in the book Fahrenheit 451.

Even though the government in this book may not be the best, there are spots that they can overcome. If this ever happened in our time, people may protest. Although, that will still take you nowhere. If bad things are happening in the area that you live in, the government should set notice to it. They don’t need to kill you if you have a book in your house. You need to compromise, make a solution to the problem. That’s something that Captain Beattie did not do.

Government in this world has quite a few complications that you can change. Each country has their own kind of government that they live off of. Even if it is a dictatorship, a monarchy, or just a federal government. Although, they all do have their problems, their goal is to make their country safe. That is what the people in Fahrenheit 451 did, or at least tried to do. Despite the troubles that they went through, Montag still ended up saving his country that he cared about deeply. He may have broken the law along his journey, but everyone has obstacles on the way to make things happen.