Biology Experiment: Osmosis

On Monday 11th April, we changed science classes to biology and agricultural science with Ms Gorman. Our first experiment with her was to show osmosis across a semi permeable membrane. Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane from a level of high water concentration to a level of low water concentration. The experiment used visking tube which like a thin plastic tube that only allows water through. We also had beakers, concentrate sucrose solution, deionised water and an electric balance. We had to cut the tubing the same length and put it under the water to soften it. It was difficult to open the tube as it was so thin plastic! We then half filled one of the tubes  with the deionised water and the other with the sucrose solution. After that, we tied and weighed them and placed them in beakers full of water so that the tube was fully submerged. After the experiment, we left it for a few days for he reaction to happen. Mr Kelly also set up an experiment where he put eggs in beakers of vinegar. he left them for a few days, by which time the egg shell had dissolved. He put salt water in the beaker and this absorbed all the content in the egg. After that, he added coloured water and the egg absorbed the water. After we had come back to the osmosis experiment, the tube with the sucrose solution had a higher mass as it has absorbed more water and the deionised water had stayed the same mass. 

Enterprise Project: Yearbook

For our Enterprise project, me, Róisín, Eva and Caroline are doing a TY yearbook. We first had to get various quotes and then decide which quote was the best. After that we sent around a survey to the year asking how much they would pay for a yearbook; €10 or €15. The answers that we got showed that most people would buy the yearbook and that €10 was an acceptable price. We then prepared and sent out a survey asking people to answer questions on the awards for the year: who was most likely to and who won the award for. After that, we began with the design of the yearbook, designing the inside of the yearbook and getting a few designs together of what the cover should be. We began taking photos of everybody in the year and putting them into the yearbook in their classes. After that we put in the winners of the yearbook awards. I made a page of all the photos of Grease whilst Caroline did a page on the sports that everyone did in the year. Róisín began putting in pictures about Delphi and Eva thought up ideas for the cover. We started doing short write ups on each of the activities that we had done and choosing two people from each class to do a small write up on what the year was like for them. We also began asking people to do write ups on the various sports that have been done throughout the year. 

English Short Story

“Ahhhh!”  she screamed, trying to escape from the oppressive walls.  Help me!” Nobody came. Holly tried to run but her legs were paralysed, rooted to the ground. She was shaking, her face turning green as she began to feel sick. The monster knew this. He thrived off her fear, feeding from the raw emotions emanating from her. Shuffling slowly from the corner that it had been secreted in, it crept up on Holly watching her like a lion surveying its prey. Holly was shaking, her heart thumping against her chest, like a caged beast trying to break free. The black hairy body lurched towards her leaning against the stark white walls of the kitchen. Black pincers clicked at her, moistening with droplets of venom, ready to attack. Thousands of miniscule beady eyes glistened at her, viewing her from every angle like a dozen magnifying glasses. Holly could see every bristle on its legs. Sweat beads trickled down her forehead mixing with her brow. She really wanted to wipe it away, but she knew that breaking her concentration for just a second could prove critical. Tears streamed down her face. Holly could taste the moist salty dew against her lips as the tears ran off her nose.

“Someone, help, PLEASE!”, she squealed again. Her voice was beginning to get hoarse from her feeble yells and her sobbing sounded incessant and whiny, even to her own ears. Her top was beginning to get soggy from all of the tears that were trickling down her chin. The monster approached her steadily, taunting her, laughing at her pitiful excuse for self defense. She could hear the click click sound it made against the tile flooring, echoing against the walls like a typewriter from bygone days. She jumped up onto the counter, the marble cooling her thighs. Holly grabbed a  wooden spoon  from the stand beside her. It was rough against her hand and her grip on it was so tight that she could feel it splintering into her hand. She waved the spoon in front of her face in an attempt to defend herself. Nothing could save her, though, the beast was honing in it’s target. It stopped just inches away from her, leaning back on it’s haunches waiting for her to flee. The creature was taunting her into believing that she had a reprieve. It was as if he was tricking her into believing she had the chance to flee although she knew that was hopeless- he always found her.

Holly was beginning to feel faint- her palms getting clammy and her head was starting to feel heavy. She slammed her hands down against the counter, catapulting a knife through the air. It flew across the kitchen and clattered against the floor. The spider, spooked by the sound scuttled back into the corner of the room, seeking refuge under the desk that stood there. Holly breathed a huge sigh of relief, slumping against the counter as all her muscles relaxed. She knew that her beast was only gone for now and would live to fight another day, but she knew that next time, she would be prepared with a glass in hand to entrap the creature of her nightmares.

 

 

 

The European Union

During our European Studies class, we have been studying about the European Union from a handout that we had been given. The handout told us about the brief history of the EU and how it was set up in Rome in 1957. It also told us how the 15 original members were Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Greece, Finland, France, Ireland, Spain, Austria, Italy, the UK and Portugal. The handout was good as it showed the aims of the Eu and how important membership is for countries like Ireland because it gives free trade movement. This also led us to discuss the referendum in the UK about whether or not they should leave the EU and the effects it may have for Ireland if they do leave the EU. We also discussed the Euro and the importance of the Euro in the EU. The classes were great as we learned more about the EU as well as discussing topics that are current like the new MEPs and referendums.

Photos for Digital Media

These are the photos that I took in my digital media classes:

 

View of Ballyshannon

Eva on the bridge

Storyboards

In video production, we began studying how to make a video and the different camera angles that are used in the filming of things and why those angles are used. Mr Beattie showed us an example of a simple video but got us to look at the different filming techniques used in the video. He showed us how the different angles were used to make one person appear taller and more imposing than the other and make the other appear smaller and weaker. He gave us this document that shows us the different shot types used in the video: Shot Types. We also did about the story boards that are used when they are creating a scene to give a more detailed description of the scene. He showed us a few examples of storyboards and then gave us the sheet to do our own storyboards based on a fairytale or childrens story. We chose to do about shark tale. Róisín drew the board while we told her what happened in the scene and what to put in it to depict the scene. The storyboard was difficult to do as it was really hard to break up the scene into all  the seperate components.

Essay comparing Kabul to present day Ireland

Compare the world (cultural context) of Ireland today to Kabul in the opening chapters of “The Kite Runner”

In 1970s Kabul, the society is racist and bigoted contrasting greatly with culturally and racially inclusive modern Ireland.

        The society of Kabul has a very patriarchal hierarchy with males seen as the leaders and people in charge of women’s fates. When Assef talks about is mother, he refers to her as if she is the one that follows his orders, despite the fact that he is still only a young child, “He sounds like my mother, and she’s German; she should know better”. From his tone and the language he uses, it is evident that he feels superior to his mother and that her opinion has no value.

        Kabul is a very prejudiced and segregated community, with a deep divide in it between the main cultures, Pashtun and Hazara, and the two religions, Sunni and Shi’a. Children seem to be brought up believing that the two cultures will never be equal and that Hazaras shall always be slaves to the Pashtuns. This is evident when Amir discusses the friendship he has with his servant, Hassan, ” History isn’t an easy thing to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was a Sunni and he was a Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that.” Amir also talks of how Hassan’s illiteracy had been decided from birth. He speaks of it as though nothing else should be expected from a Hazara servant, ” That Hassan would grow up illiterate like Ali and most Hazaras had been decided the minute he had been born, perhaps even the moment he had been conceived.” Today, all people are encouraged to learn ow to read and write in every and culture and the ability is an important facet of life.

          One similarity between Ireland and Kabul is the uneven distribution of wealth and the perception of people based solely upon their wealth. Although Baba and Ali lived on the same estate, their living quarters were completely different with Baba owning a mansion and Ali only able to afford little more than a shack, ” A broad entryway flanked by rosebushes led to the sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows… I went past the rosebushes to Baba’s mansion, Hassan to the mud shack where he had been born.” This uneven distribution of money and wealth is still visible today, particularly in cities such as Dublin. Here, homeless people reside in the shadows of rich and decadent family homes.

            As well as being a prejudiced society, it is religiously divided. People of the Shi’a religion are insulted and maltreated. This can be seen when Assef addresses Hassan, ” Hey, you flat-nosed Babalu, who did you eat today? Tell us you slant-eyed donkey” Ireland of today is inclusive of other religions and does not single out or mock other religions. It aims to be religiously inclusive and multicultural.

            The Ireland of today is altogether a more inclusive society to the Kabul painted in the opening chapters of “The Kite Runner”. However, both societies struggle with the division of wealth and how people are perceived due to their wealth and status.

 

Work Experience as Gaeilge

For our Irish class on Tuesday 12th and Wenesday 13th April, we had to write up a summary of our work experience from questions that had been given to us from Ms McElwaine. She then asked each of us up and we had to answer questions that she gave us orally. I got 90% in the test which I was really happy with. This is the question sheet that we were given;

Mo Thaithí Oibre

1. Cá raibh tú ag obair?– Bhí mé ag obair san oifig “B&B Eireann”. Tá an oifig i mBaile Átha Seannaigh.
2. Cén t-am a thosaigh tú ag obair gach lá?– Thosaigh mé ag obair ar a naoi a chlog gach lá. Fuair mé leathuair do mo lón.
3. Cén t-am a chríochnaigh tú an obair gach lá?– Chríochnaigh mé an obair ar a ceathar a chlog gach lá.
4. Cé mhéad lá sa tseachtain a raibh tú ag obair?– Bhí mé ag obair ar feadh cuig lá; Luain, Mairt, Ceadaoin, Deardaoin agus Aoine.
5. Conas a ndeachaigh tú chuig an obair gach lá?– Thóg mo mháthair mé chuig an obair tar eis a thóg sí mo dheirfiur chuig scoile.
6. Ar chaith tú éide oibre nó gnátheadaí?– Chaith mé éide néata; leine, brógaí néata agus briste dubh.
7. Cén sórt oibre a bhí a dheanamh agat?– Bhí mé ag obair ag an ríomhaire ag deanamh le Microsoft Excel. Bhí mé ag obair le huimhreacha.
8. Ar réitigh tú go maith le do chomhoibrithe?– Réitigh mé an-mhaith le mo chomcoibrithe. Bhí siad cairdiúil agus deasa.
9. Conas a réitigh tú le do bhainisteoir/ treoraí? Cén sort duine é/í?– Réitigh mé le mo bhainisteoir. Bhí sí failteach agus cabhrach agus thaispeain sí mé an oifig.
10. Ar thaitin do thaithí oibre leat? Cén fáth?– Thaitin mo thaithí oibre liom mar bhí sé an-suimuil agus chonaic mé saor an oifige. Thaitin mé ag obair san oifig agus bhí mé ag deanamh oibre. D’fhoghlaim scilleana gnó agus bhí na daoine cairdiúil.

Proclamation Day

In celebration of the 1916 Rising, the school, and especially the TYs, did a play and prepared work to do with the Rising. During our Irish classes, we had to do a piece about the women of the Rising in Irish. Me, Caroline and Róisín did about Countess Markievicz. It was difficult at first to find information that could be translated easily into Irish, but once we had found the basic information, Ms McElwaine helped us to translate. We also did some pieces about her in English and printed off a few pictures of her. The day of the ceremony, me, Caroline and Róisín went up to the play final practice so that we could take photos for our yearbook. We then took the camera with us to the ceremony itself to take more pictures as well as photos of the mural. We were also in the morning ceremony where Mr Keogh raised the flag and Mr Maguire said a small speech. We also sang the Irish national anthem. It was a great experience and really interesting to see. The reenactment was really good and everyone got into character even though the actors had not had long to rehearse.

Disability Talk

Donegal Centre for Independent Living

On Friday, 4th March, Richard Alcorn, a man from the Donegal Centre for Independent Living came to talk to us about disabilities. He began by introducing himself and explaining how he came to need a wheelchair. He then showed us a powerpoint presentation which went through all the terms that are acceptable to be used around a disabled person. He then went through all the ways to make wheelchair users comfortable; not overcrowding them, going to eye level when talking for a long period of time to them and not making them feel like they are any different from non- disabled people. It was a really interesting talk and went over all the aims of the Donegal Centre for Independent Living and how it hopes that all disabled people can live comfortably and have the facilities and treatment that they deserve as well as people respecting them.