TMS`s Finest News - Tenafly Middle School

TMS’s Finest News
Mix it Up Day
By: Zemei Zhou
Spring 2014
Mix it up Day was an event at Tenafly Middle School that had students get out of their
comfort zone and meet more people. This event involved people sitting in different lunch tables
and different lunch periods too. On that day, students spent a period of 22 minutes in the gym
doing different mix it up activities and the other period in the cafeteria eating lunch. This activity
was helpful in getting students to mix it up and get involved with people they do not usually talk to.
Sixth graders went either period 4 or 5 to the gym, eight graders went 6 or 7, and seventh
graders went 8 or 9 to the gym, respective to their homerooms. Depending on what homeroom
you were in, you would go to the gym first and then go to lunch or vice versa. Outside the old gym,
teachers handed out playing cards to each individual. Students then looked for their mat which
had the number on their card. The mats were spread out on the floors of the gym. After every
student sat down, they started introducing themselves to each, whether they knew each other or
not. Activities, such as icebreakers were played to help the students know each other. As a
student, I remembered doing an activity where students in my group get a jolly rancher from a
cup, and depending on the color, they had to tell others different facts about themselves. That
activity was fun, yet effective.
Students also sat at different tables with people who were in their group based on the
numbers on their playing cards, which was the same group as the people they sat with in the gym.
Students ate their lunch like they would on regular days, except with different people. During lunch
students at each table had a chance to talk and get to know each other even better.
Mix it up Day was a successful day that allowed students to get out of their comfort zone
and get to know more people. It consisted of various activities and mixed group lunch all
designed to help each student meet and interact with new friends. Overall the day was fun and
enjoyable.
Mix it Up
Principles of Technology
(page 1)
Common
Misconceptions
(page 2)
Bastille Day
(page 3)
Movie & Book
Reviews
(page 4-5)
21st Classroom
(page 6)
TMS Photos
(page 7)
By: Jeein Park
Tabby & Gabby
Principles of Technology is different than most classes in our
school. While most teachers do not allow the presence of electronics in the
room, Mr. Cook, the teacher of the class, encourages the use of laptops and
other electronics. The classes are focused on STEM, Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math. Mr. Cook says his favorite subject was science and
he was always good at technology, which was a good fit for teaching this
subject. Mr. Cook also thinks of himself as relaxed and non-traditional, just
like his class. He likes teaching technology because it allows him to stay on
top of the advancements and his students can work based on their individual personality. He
wants his students to find ways to better use technology and utilize it for their convenience.
In sixth grade, students focus on building their own website. By adding pages and
customizing it, one can make the e-portfolio special and unique. Not only that, but one gets to
play games on simple machines. After a power point project, I felt like an expert on levers, a type
of simple machine. Then the class worked together to make bridges and infrastructure out of
K’NEX. My favorite part of the class was studying code online. We went to a website called
code.org and learned how to write lines of code to make characters move through a maze. It was
a fun sort of a competition because there were familiar characters and the levels gradually got
harder. Finally, we finished with toothpick bridges. We laid out and planned a model building, and
then we built a bridge out of toothpicks. At first I doubted its sturdiness, but it was surprisingly
(continued on page 2)
(page 8)
Horoscopes
(page 9)
Jokes & Recipes
(page 10-11)
And more!
Principles of Technology continued
strong and turned out great.
In seventh grade, most if not all students agree
that the video game challenge was the best part. The
students learned how to make video games, and then it
was up to their imagination! Gamestar Mechanic was a
great game that helped the students become a game
designer. Another fun project in seventh grade was the
Electronics project where students received the chance to
learn about circuits and electric schematic symbols.
In eighth grade, students made their own app!
Students received training on how to write computer code
to make programs. Eighth graders also participated in the
hydroponic project. While planning with a budget, students
learned the pros and cons about growing food via one
sustainable way.
Mr. Cook is an extremely nice and enthusiastic
teacher (not to mention funny), so Principles of Technology
is a great (and popular) experience. Mr. Cook advises
students, “Never be afraid to step out of the box.” Since
technology takes up a large part of our lives and we are
using it every day, this is an important class for the middle
school student. All the activities are interesting and
interactive, something you can’t really find in other classes.
website you should visit is: www.tenaflystem.org.
Artwork by: Isabella Varona
Common Misconceptions
Ho Joon Kim
Over the years, several ideas and beliefs have
been proven to be false. However, there still are many
misconceptions which are still believed to be true. These
are some of the many common ideas which have been
proven to be false.
Was Napoleon really short? Actually, Napoleon
was a little taller than an average Frenchman. The reason
why he is regarded as short was because of his recorded
height of 5 feet and 2 inches after his death. However, that
was in French feet, which is the equivalent of 5 feet and 7
inches in imperial feet.
Does sugar cause hyperactivity in children? There
have been several double-blind trials (an experiment used
to eliminate any biases carried by conductors and the
subjects), which showed that there was no difference in
terms of behavior between sugar-free subjects and sugarfull ones.
Do humans only use 10% of their brains? We
virtually use every single part of our brain all the time. Even
if this was the case, then it would be likely that we would’ve
developed smaller brains since the brain takes up a large
amount of blood in our body.
Does cracking your knuckles give you arthritis? As
you might’ have guessed, the answer is no. In fact, a doctor
named Donald Unger spent more than 60 years cracking
only his left hand and never his right. No symptoms of
arthritis appeared in both of his hands, during the
experiment. This ended up earning Unger the Ig Nobel
Prize, which are awards dedicated to unusual
achievements in scientific research (not to be confused with
the Nobel Prize).
As you can see, there are quite a few
misconceptions that we think are true. Hopefully, more
people can come to realize that these “facts” that they think
they know about are not true. Remember, these are just
some of the many misconceptions that are in our society
today.
Source: www.buzzfed.com
Cartoon Review: Clarence
By: Joshua Pyun
Okay readers, get ready to meet our newest CN show, “Clarence.” It’s about a boy named Clarence who has
misadventures with his two best buddies, Jeff and Sumo. Jeff is a square headed boy similar to Mac from Foster’s Home.
Jeff is one of those straight characters who is tidy, neat, and has complex reasons and thoughts about things. No
one can ever understand him.. Then there is Sumo, the scrappy, fun-loving friend. He has a bald head and a sense of
adventure.
The other characters are Clarence’s mom, who has a fondness of coupons, Chad, the mother’s boyfriend who
almost looks like a monkey, and Belson, the spoiled rich kid who loves video games.
The main idea is that Clarence wants to have a good time with
his friends. Whether it’ is having a fun dungeon face-off, or having a
pinecone battle with a girl on a giant rock, Clarence is up for anything!
So, in conclusion, this new show is really awesome and well
worth watching. So give it a chance and watch it. It’s worth it and earns
a high 5 star rating!
Bastille Day
Catching Fire Movie Review
By: Eva Buergler
By: Izzy Kang
Who here knows what Les Miserables is? In case
you are not sure, Les Miserables is the famous fictional
story about Bastille Day, or the day when a bunch of
peasants defended their rights. Les Miserables was
originally a Broadway show, but stopped production for a
while. Now it is back in full glory with a full cast. Ramin
Karimloo plays Jean ValJean (translation John St. John.
Javert, the prison guard with terrible priorities is played by
Will Swenson. Eponine the girl who gets dumped by a man
who has no understanding of relationships is Nikki James.
Marius, the man who left Eponine is played by actor, Andy
Mientus. Cosette’s role is played by Samantha Hill.
Basically this is one of the most depressing tragedy/
romance stories since the Titanic. Just like the Titanic,
comes the utterly fake love story that seemed actually
really good. The singing is probably one of the coolest parts
of the show! It is so cool that there is nonstop singing
throughout the whole show. The actual sets are plain. It is
not comparable to a total spider-man production because
the stage is actually quite small. There are many adult
references that explain why no one at twelve or under
should see this show. There are
parts that are really upsetting.
Despite this, my thoughts are that I
loved it and would rate this show 4
out of 5 stars here. Although the set
is small, the dialogue makes up for
this with strong, powerful characters
and fantastic songs. Les Miserables is a must-see if you
plan to take trip a to New York City! This is certainly a
show well worth watching!
Remember who the real enemy
is? Katniss Everdeen won the seventy
fourth Hunger Games, and is living in
luxury and wealth, but the Capitol is
after her. She started a spark that
cannot be extinguished.
The Hunger Games: Catching
Fire came out on November 22, 2013.
The movie is about Katniss Everdeen, a
victor, going back into the Hunger
Games, where twenty four children fight
to the death. This year is the Quarter Quell which means
there will be a twist in the game’s rules. This year’s twist
is that only victors are chosen to compete. Katniss’s
actions are only based on one thing: protecting Peeta
Mellark, her star-crossed lover. She would do everything
to protect him since he did the same to her in the seventy
fourth Hunger Games. She meets many new people
throughout the games such as Finnick and Johanna. In
the middle of the game, something big happens! It is
something that changes the whole story, but you have to
watch the movie or read the book to find that out.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was amazing.
The editing was also excellent. It starred wonderful actors
such as Jennifer Lawrence who played Katniss, Josh
Hutcherson who was Peeta, and Sam Claflin played the
role of Finnick. They all were wonderful in their roles. The
director of this movie was Francis Lawrence, who will also
direct Mockingjay Part I and Mockingjay Part II. The next
time you go to a movie theater, go and see The Hunger
Games: Catching Fire. You certainly won’t regret it.
Holes
By: Cory Amano
Holes, by Luis Sachar, is one of the most famous books that I have ever read. The book was
originally going to be for young adults, but earned the National Book Award for young children. In
2003, Disney made a movie based on Holes because of the book’s popularity. The book is very
interesting and intriguing. The story starts and introduces the reader to a kid named Stanley Yelnats,
who is an ordinary kid in the middle school. He has a curse of bad luck that came down to him from his
great great grandfather. Stanley is always picked on by bullies and does not have any friends. Stanley
is also wrongly accused of stealing basketball shows from a famous pro-player. As a punishment, he
is sent to a summer camp called Camp Green Lake, a juvenile correction facility, where kids are
forced to dig holes. When Stanley gets there, he meets some other campers. Among them are Zigzag, Magnet, X-ray,
and a feral kid named Zero. Stanley befriends Zero, who is illiterate, but Mr. Pendanski, a supervisor, and other kids
insult Zero because of how stupid he is. Stanley tells Zero that he is going to help Zero learn about the alphabet and not
just digging holes. However, the people in charge of the camp do not agree to let Stanly teach Zero to read. So Zero
runs away from the horrible camp after hitting Mr. Pendanski with a shovel. However, the camp is surrounded by a
desert, so Stanley knows that Zero will not last long out there by himself. Therefore, Stanly decides to escape too by
driving a water tank truck to save Zero, but ends up getting the truck stuck in a hole. He gets out and runs off into the
desert surrounding the camp. Will Zero and Stanley make it out of the desert?
The story is very exciting and you get to know the characters in the book well. There is an interesting
connection between Stanley’s past and his present family, both of which he tells in the story. Therefore, it’s like two
stories in one book. Take this book off the shelf the next time you are looking for something different to read. It is a
powerful story!
Lego Movie: A Review
Avengers: A Movie Review
By: Joshua Pyun
By: Ken Liao
Of all the recent movies I have watched, this one
takes the cake! The Lego Movie is the best movie I have
ever seen. It’s about this yellow Lego mini-figure named
Emmet who is mistaken as “the special”. They think he is a
hero who would save the entire Lego universe. He has to
work with other characters to fight a maleficent villain. The
characters are Wyldstyle, a tough Lego girl, Vitvirus, an old
bearded wizard with glowing eyes, Batman, Wyldstyle’s
boyfriend, Benny, a 1980s space guy, and Unikitty, a
unicorn cat who is always happy. There’s a villain named
Lord Business who wants to glue the Lego world together.
Emmet goes on this wild adventure from the Wild West to
the bottom of the ocean.
The movie was amazing! Everything was made
out of Lego bricks and nothing else! Lots of characters
from pop culture make cameos like Superman, Green
Ninja, Gandalf, even the characters from “Star Wars”!
This is a movie that will bring your family together,
make people gasp and make people appreciate Marvel one
more time. Marvel’s work will be more action-packed than
ever. Nick Fury, is a man in charge of S.H.I.EL.D an
organization that tries to stop unnatural forces such as super
villains and tries to keep peace. A secret file called the
“Avengers” is put into play when an evil god tries to take
over Earth. The Avengers consist of a team of super heroes
to defeat evil. This team includes Iron man, Captain
America, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye and Nick Fury.
They team up to fight a dangerous god called Loki (the
Norse god of mischief, tricks and foul play.) Loki teams up
with a supernatural force called the Chitauri and the Chitauri
army to fight the Avengers and Earth. Loki gets his dirty
hands on a powerful cube called the Tesserak. This action
creates big problems like S.H.I.EL.D headquarters falling
down.. However, eventually Loki
and the Chitauri army gets
destroyed by the Avengers and
again justice prevails!. Look for
the Avengers 2: Age of Ultron
coming out in 2015!
Loki’s Wolves-A Book Review
By: Adi Gal
There were some funny parts in the movie too, like
seeing the Lego mini-figures and the awesome battles. But
there were some things that were kind of unbelievable and
not so impressive. The main song in the movie was
extremely cheesy. It is probably a song better written for
children ages seven and below. Another thing that was
weird was when Emmet saw the boy who was basically
controlling everything. Then a man came downstairs and
revealed that he was the one causing all the bad stuff to
occur. He was a human version of President Business. For
me, this was much unexpected.
It should have been explained in
the beginning of the movie.
However, aside from the
cheesy song and the human
characters, this movie really
stands out for itself and is
destined be a favorite among
children. Everything in it was
AWESOME!!! (And that actually
is the name of the song title.) Go
see this movie!
Matt Thorson, Fen Brekke, and Laurie Brekke are
thirteen-year-old descendants of the Norse gods, but the
gods themselves were killed quite a while ago, (Yes, Norse
gods can be killed. No, the author didn’t make this up) and
now Ragnarök is coming, and there’s no one to fight in it.
Ragnarök is the end of the world in Norse
mythology. The gods fight the final battle against an army of
monsters, led by Loki, and both sides are killed—all of the
gods, all of the monsters, and quite a lot of humans.
Matt Thorson has been chosen to be the champion
of Thor, his ancestor, and Fen has been chosen to be the
champion of Loki, who is his ancestor; that is, they are
supposed to fight in Ragnarök in the gods’ place. Frankly,
they’d really rather the world didn’t end, and being killed
also isn’t high on their list of To-Dos. So Matt, Fen, and
Fen’s cousin Laurie team up to stop Ragnarök, which is
somewhat harder than it looks.
The Valkyries (shield-maidens of Odin) offer to help
Matt, Fen, and Laurie, but only if they can prove their worth
by finding a shield, Mjolnir (which is Thor’s hammer), two
feathers from Odin’s ravens, and Odin’s champion himself.
The shield is currently in the hands of the monsters—
specifically, other, evil descendants of Loki known as Loki’s
wolves.
Will Matt, Fen, and Laurie be able to stop
Ragnarök? Or will they fail, and the world end? Read this
book and find out!
Flipped: Book Review
By: Anonymous
Popular Middle School Books
The book cover shows a chick that
is flipped upside down and so my first
thoughts are- Why a chick?, what does that
have to do with anything?, but I assure you
it has to do with something. Now before
you cross this book off of your reading list,
please read on. This book is short but
sweet, and that's all there is to it. It is more
of a girly book as it talks about first love. It
is a “one day you will feel the same way”
book, but it's so good. It has some interesting topics other
than that which makes reading it worthwhile! The book also
has a cliffhanger ending with no sequel to follow so make
sure you keep that in mind.
The story follows the point of views of two children
from around second through eighth grade as they think of
their views about each other and what they are experiencing
in their lives right then. Each character explains his or her
versions with their dilemmas intertwined and it shows that
there's more to someone who you really don’t know well or
don’t really understand. I thought this was a very good book
with powerful lessons about life. It could easily be read in a
day so it is a good read especially when you are waiting
around for another book to come out.
Frozen: Movie Review
By: Sofia Fontaine
Thank you Disney, for this heartwarming, lovable, and comical movie! Based
on all the other animated children's movies
they’ve put out this year, Frozen appeals to
all ages.
The movie revolves around the main
character, Ana, who is carefree and lovable.
She loves her sister, Elsa the “evil” ice
queen. Ana meets a charming prince, and an
ice boy who throughout the movie becomes her love
interest. During the movie, Ana meets a childhood friend that
she and her sister, Elsa had both loved in their earlier years.
The whole movie revolves around Elsa and Ana’s
sisterly bond. Unlike the other Disney movies with strong
female leads, this movie does not focus on a love story.
However, the movie shows how the love of a sibling can be
all the love you need. There is a scene where this idea of
sisterly love is expressed and it shows how Disney has
really changed over the years.
Luckily, you won’t need a box of tissues in the movie
theater for this movie. Olaf, Ana and Elsa’s childhood
snowman is the comic relief during this movie’s saddest
scenes.
So next time you are looking for a movie to rent or
buy look for Frozen, you may just be surprised!
Anne Frank
Lightning Thief
City of Ember
Number the Stars
Divergent
Okay for Now
Drama
Outsiders,
Ella Enchanted
Stargirl
Flipped
The Giver
Graveyard Book
Tuck Everlasting
Harry Potter
Twilight
Hatchet
Uglies
Hobbit
Walk Two Moons
Holes
Wednesday Wars
Hunger Games
Wonder
Liar and Spy
Wrinkle in Time
The 21st Century Classroom
By: Sunay Joshi
Students type away on their computers, the sound of clicking keys engulfing the classroom. They sit
immersed in colorful tutorials, knowledge flowing through their earbuds into their young minds. When the videos end,
the children plunge into discussions, enhancing the learning environment for the entire class. Teachers help students
grasp the material, coming over to their desks to provide advice and tips. This marvelous school system is the real
classroom of today. Technology should be incorporated more into the classroom.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for a student to get lost in a discussion or lesson, but technology can be the
remedy to this problem. With new learning systems, such as that of Khan Academy, students can work at their own
pace on assignments and homework. If a student is falling behind, teachers can help to reinforce and supplement the
material taught during the lesson. Likewise, more advanced students can be provided with harder, difficult work.
Admit it; you, I, and practically everyone around us loves technology. Whether it’s an iPad, a PC, or a
PlayStation, all of these fancy gadgets excite and engage us. If technology can stimulate us at home, why not bring
that enthusiasm into the classroom? Stacey Roshan, an Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus teacher in Potomac,
Maryland, has started creating videos to help teach her students the difficult mathematics curriculum. She says that
the students can have a “lively discussion in the class, instead of being stupefied like in previous years.” Roshan’s
claims are supported by the test score results; her class average flew from 3.59 to 4.11, with a whopping third of the
class-- 10 percent more in comparison the year before--receive a 5, the highest attainable score on the exam.
In the 21st century, technology skills will be needed more than ever before. Adding technology into the
classroom will help to expose and prepare students for their future professions. Reports show that STEM jobs are
expected to grow by over 50 percent in only the next five to six years. Though it may seem like it, the goal of this
“revolution” is not just to familiarize students with savvy contraptions; students must also learn life skills, such as
independence and individuality. A U.S. News study on technology in the classroom shows that 65 percent of
educators think their students are more productive today than they were three years ago. With better, more advanced
equipment, that number of 65 can easily rise to 90 plus.
A common misunderstanding with adding technology into the learning environment is that it will turn out to
merely be a distraction. Students will end up playing games and surfing the web in the time that they could be doing
productive work.
The thing is, if the teacher makes learning on the web appealing, students won’t be bored in the first
place. As Bill Gates said, “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating
them, the teacher is most important.” We cannot make students reach their goals solely with technology; a motivated
and interested teacher is vital for success.
Technology is growing in importance in the classroom, and students will need the
skills for their futures all the more so. We should use these “contraptions” to try to advance
our school systems, encourage our children, and spark their interest in various fields. I shall
close with the inspiring words of April Chamberlin: “Education is evolving due to the impact
of the Internet. We cannot teach our students in the same manner in which we were taught.
Change is necessary to engage students not in the curriculum we are responsible for
teaching, but in school. Period.”
Diamond in the Rough
See how many words you can form from the letters in this
diamond. Each word must be four or more letters and use the
middle letter “o”. The letters do not have to be touching each
other. One word will use all the letters!
You cannot use any letter more than once. Proper nouns
and contractions are outlawed. Each word counts a point, but you
get five extra points if you figure out the nine-letter word. Do not
use any word ending in “S”.
Answers on the back page!
Events at TMS
Geography Bee
Winners!
Peace Sign Day
Halloween
Hoedown Dance
NFL Play 60 in PE Class
TABBY AND GABBY
Dear Tabby and Gabby,
In gym class, my classmates and I were playing tennis and I could not even hit the ball once. Everybody is
making fun of me, I mean everyone, and it’s so hard to go through my classes without thinking about the next time we
play tennis. I might miss all of them again. I have not told my mom yet because I do not think she will understand. I did
not even tell my friends yet because I am afraid they will make fun of me. You never know. Sometimes they ditch me!
Please help!
-“45 – Love”
Dear “45-Love”,
Let’s just say that tennis is not my strong sport either.
I know that it is awful when you mess up a lot, but no one
should expect you to be an expert in tennis. If they do, then
they are not the people you should listen to. Now, after nearly
twenty billion auditorium seminars on bullying, I hope you
know that if they are bullying you, you should report it to an
adult. Not to your crazy neighbor, but someone who will do
something about it. If your friends ditch you then who cares?
They are just being stupid to leave someone as great as you!
Dear “45-Love”,
What, you don’t know how to play tennis? Boy,
you should be ashamed of yourself...it’s a little yellow ball
and you can’t hit it? I suggest you start practicing for
homework and get a private tutor to help!
-Gabby
-Tabby
Dear Tabby and Gabby,
I have been getting a lot of work recently and I can barely keep up with it. Yes, I know it’s school and I’m
supposed to get homework, but it’s like a never-ending strong current that is washing over me. I am always tired and I
am very stressed out. I don’t have any time to relax and spend time with my friends, because I spend all of my time
doing my never-ending homework. I have been staying up really late to finish it and I can barely keep my eyes open
writing this letter. Please, I need your help!
-“Zoned-out”
Dear Zoned-out,
Five words, you shouldn’t be this strained! This kind
of work and stress load is totally unacceptable! Talk to your
parents and see if there is any way they could help. When do
you start your homework? If you start it at say like six, then
you need start doing it right after school. If you are working
right after school and until late at night frequently (say like
more than 2-5 hours, and every other day or more than once
a week,) then you need to talk to your teachers and your
parents. This is not healthy and you need to be getting a
break from stress and get some sleep. But you need to
realize that the time for 2 pages at most and remainders are
behind you. You have to still work hard, but don’t burn
yourself out!
-Tabby
Dear Zoned–out,
Stop and relax, what’s the big deal? You need
your beauty rest! So if that means you don’t finish your
homework then you suffer the consequences of getting
bad grades. Might as well be rested and enjoy time with
your friends before school is out than stress about
homework!
-Gabby
Sincerely,
T & G
Very Funny Horoscopes
By: Adi Gal
Aries (the ram): Don’t follow the herd blindly, but don’t try to butt horns with anyone; there is a line between
these sides, and you can’t hoof it to one or the other side. You might ram into problems, but don’t sheepishly
hang back. You are the leader of the herd!
Taurus (the bull): If you know what’s right, you can be as stubborn as a bull. To the extreme this can be
interpreted as bullheadedness, so remember to be flexible and able to turn. Don’t focus on distractions like a red
flag waving around, because as soon as you get there, it will be nothing but air. Toro!
Gemini (the twins): You and your best friend might try twinning. The two of you would have twice the fun or
create double the trouble. If you have a problem, remember that two heads are better than one. Remember your
friends!
Cancer (the crab): You should be perseverant- when you get your pincer in someone, you don’t let go. You
might be feeling like a crab or really crabby, but don’t take it out on your friends. You live on the border between
the sand and the sea, and you may feel like you’re running sideways and can’t see what lies ahead, but you and
your exoskeleton are able to cope.
Leo (the lion): If you work hard, you can get to the top of the pride. Everyone will hear your roar, and you could
be king of the jungle. With effort, you could be the mane event. But, should you get it, use your power wisely: if
you sleep 17-20 hours a day, you won’t keep it.
Virgo (the young girl): Don’t be a damsel in distress, the maiden trapped in a tower waiting for the hero to
rescue her. You can be the hero! Dragons might cower before your 83 rd pair of high heels. Malls might fall over
themselves to sell you nail polish by the gallon. Probably not, but it’s possible.
Libra (the balance): Everyone needs a certain balance in their life. You might think you’re good at a balancing
act, but if you scale up something, you must take away from something else. In math, you might have trouble
with inequalities, but to be equal, you might not.
Scorpio (the scorpion): From your venomous stinger to your pinching claws, you are not to be trifled with and
you should remember that. But you are not all powerful; meerkats can kill a scorpion and are immune to your
venom. Make sure you watch out for the crew from The Lion King—that “Timon” meerkat fellow looks nasty!
Sagittarius (the archer): Luck isn’t all there is to getting a bull’s eye. Practice is the only way to know you can.
But don’t be discouraged. You can shoot for the moon! Don’t quiver in fear and let your arrows point you to
where they will. You can aim your bow!
Capricorn (the hippocampus): You might feel torn in two. Part horse, part fish; choices tear you apart. But you
can also frolic carefree in the waves, in harmony with both horse and fish. (Everyone loves frolicking.) If
something smells fishy, you are able to stop horsing around and get serious.
Aquarius (the water carrier): “Don’t spill the water”! Sometimes you get sick of people telling you not to spill a
drop. Spill the bucket and tell them that; tact shouldn’t be more important than what you want to say.
Pisces (the fish): They say not to follow your school of fish blindly, not to go with the flow, but sometimes you
feel like a fish out of water. Remember to keep on swimming, keep on swimming… There’s a wide ocean of
opportunities, but you shouldn’t take the bait and go for the shiny lure above.
Spring Puzzle
Jokes and Fun
By: Camille Lederer & Haeree Kim
By: Cory Amano

What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop!

What does a snail say when it’s riding on a turtles
back?
Weeeee!!

How did the barber win the race? Because he took a
short cut!

Why do cows wear bells? Because their horns don’t
work!

Why did the man put his money in his freezer? He
wanted a cold crash!

What do prisoners use to call each other? Cell phones!

What did Geronimo say when he jumped out of the
airplane? ME!!

Where do polar bears vote? The north pole!

What brown and sticky? A stick

How do crazy people go through the forest? They take
the psycho path!!
Snapple Bottle Facts
By: Zemei Zhou

Rain drops can fall as fast as 20 miles per hour

The Statue of Liberty features 7 points in her crownone for each of the continents.

Approximately 16,500 people in the U.S. go by the last
name Lemon.

Dolphins can jump 20 feet in the air

The average koala sleeps 22 hours a day

Cows give more milk when they listen to music

About half of all American are on a diet on any given
day

A Pelican can hold more food in its beak than its belly.

Your big toe only has 2 bones and the rest have 3.

An ant's sense of smell is stronger than a dog’s.

Hawaii is moving toward Japan at the rate of almost 4
inches per year.

It took Leonardo da Vinci 12 years to paint the lips of
Mona Lisa.

On Valentine's Day, there is no charge to get married in
the Empire State Building's chapel.

A day on Venus lasts longer than a year on Venus.

The only lizard that has a voice is the Gecko.
Source: http://www.snapple.com/real-facts/
Spring Snacks
By: Haeree Kim and Camille Lederer
Light Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Filling
2 cups sugar
1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup water
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup unsweetened apple 1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)
sauce
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
2 cups flour
Fresh raspberries, mint sprigs,
additional confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
In a big bowl, mix the sugar, water, buttermilk, eggs,
applesauce, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Mix the flour,
cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; gradually mix into
sugar mixture until well combined. Put the mixture in two 9 in.
round baking pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F
for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Then take it out and
put it on a wire rack and cool completely. In a small bowl, mix
the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and raspberry jam until
well blended. Cut each cake into halves, horizontally. Layer the
icing and the cakes starting with a cake at the bottom and
ending with a cake at the top. Garnish with raspberries, mint,
and more confectioner’s sugar.
Shamrock Meringue Cups
Directions:
Put egg whites in a small bowl and set at room temperature for
30 minutes. Add the vanilla, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix on
medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually, mix in sugar, 1
tbsp. at a time until stiff peaks form. With a spoon, drop
meringue into 12 circles on two parchment paper lined baking
sheets. With the back of the spoon, shape the mounds into
cups. Bake at 275°F for 45-50 minutes. Leave the meringues in
the oven for 1 hour. In a small bowl, mix the milk and lime juice
until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour until set. Fold in
whipped topping and food coloring. Fill the whipped topping in
the meringue cups. Cut the cherries in half and some thin
slivers. Form the cherries into a shamrock shape on the
meringues.
4 egg whites
1 can sweet & condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup lime juice
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups whipped topping
¼ tsp. Cream of tartar
2-3 drops green food coloring
1 cup sugar
20 green candy cherries
Secret Kiss Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup finely chopped
walnuts
30 milk chocolate kisses
1 ⅓ confectioners’ sugar,
divided
2 tbsp. baking cocoa
2 cups flour
Strawberry Mousse
Directions:
In a food processor, mix strawberries and sugar. Process until
smooth. Strain the seeds. Return strawberry mixture to the food
processor. Add pudding mix and combine until smooth.
Transfer to a large bowl. Fold in whipped topping. Serve cold.
Recipes are from: www.Tasteofhome.com
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Gradually mix in the flour. Add the walnuts. Refrigerate for 2-3
hours. Shape into 1 in. balls. Flatten them and put a Hershey
kiss in the center. Place 2 in. apart on baking sheet. Bake at
375°F for 12 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute. Then remove from
wire rack. Sift ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. Lastly, roll
the cookies in the mixture.
4 cups fresh strawberries
½ cup sugar
1 package vanilla pudding
1 carton whipped topping
Easter Art
By: Joshua Pyun
Tiger Tales Staff Members
Altschul, Ben
Amano, Cory
Arustamyan, Derek
Bengu, Jay
Burgler, Eva
Fontaine, Sofia
Gal, Adi
Gutierrez, Cece
Jung, Semin
Kang, Isabelle
Kim, Haeree
Kim, Ho Joon
Kim, Kathy
Kim, Su Min
Lederer, Camille
Liao, Ken (QingYi)
Mikulsky, Jim
Semin Jung,
Zemei Zhou, &
Jeein Park
Copy Editors
Mrs.
Lanni
Mrs.
Zharnest
ADVISORS
ADVISORS
Park, Jeein
Pyun, Joshua
Sindoni, Claudia
Su Min Kim,
Benny Altshul,
& Derek
Arustamayan
Layout Editors
Proofreaders :
Isabelle Kang, Jeein Park, & Kathy Kim
Sindoni, Emma
Varona, Isabella
Zhou, Zemei
Spring Puzzle Key
Beautiful, Blossoming, Breezy, Bright, Cheerful, Chirping, Floral, Fragrant, Fresh, Gentle, Grassy, Green, Lush,
Outdoor, Pastel, Rainy, Seasonal, Sky, Soft, Sparkling, Sun-Kissed, Sweet, Vibrant, Warm, Young
Diamond Key
Hope, Rope, Cope, Lope, Core, Pore, Lore, Rose, Lose, Pose, Close, Slop, Crop, Color, School, Cool, Hero, Pooh,
Posh, Pooch, Loch, Poor, Hose, Closer, Corps, Horse, Sole, Sore, Score, Loser, Corpse, Choose, Hoop, Coop,
Pool, Chore, Sore, Role, Hole, Score, Shore, Pole, Shop, Slope, Sloop, Loop, PRESCHOOL