September 19, 2008

This week's update features precalculus 1 in which we have been learning about inverse trigonometry functions and how to graph sine and cosine. We used both the unit circle and drawings of triangles to assist us. At the start of every class we complete a "math minute". The math minute is a sheet of basic math questions that we try and complete in one minute. These sheets get us focused and ready for math class. We then go over homework from the night before, and when we are done we take a quiz on the problems the homework covered. On these daily quizzes we all get 100% because our teacher, Karl, hands us our quizzes back until we solve the problems correctly. This system can be frustrating at first, but when we finally get all of the problems correct it feels like we've really accomplished something. This week we turned in our first graded take-home test. The concepts we have been learning have come easily to some and have been a challenge for other students. As a class of six we all support one another and are always willing to explain something to someone who does not understand it. Karl and our math apprentice Carolyn do a great job of encouraging us and keeping math fun, this week has been great!

In general, projects dominate our time as every class wraps up before our second expedition. In history we're connecting current events to our study topics and we're acting as real estate dealers for the English colonies. In math we're learning about hybrid cars, and in Science we presented plans for fire control from a bunch of different viewpoints. We also have our weekly P&P readings to round out our academic schedules. The library is filling up with students and study halls are much quieter, because of said projects and tests, quizzes, and readings.This week RMS XXI totally rocked our activity sessions. On Saturday night, our history teacher, Matt Turnbull, suggested that we make a feature film. We brainstormed ideas and then created our masterpiece. The result was a fantastic love-horror-time-travel flick that starred the whole of RMS XXI.  Making a movie was definitely a blast.

We also had our first major weekend activity on Sunday when we went for a train ride in Leadville. It encompassed a thrilling ride through town and out into the forest and finally into the mountains before turning around. Many jokes were made and pictures were taken as we quickly found ourselves all together off campus. For the few hours that the train chugged through the beautiful scenery, bonds tightened and we found ways to keep each other more than occupied. As the week progressed we had more and more to look forward to.

Monday rolled by with the awesome activity of jam making. The biggest perk from that activity has been enjoying the peach jam since then! Other students did activities like going down to the animal shelter and walking dogs and playing with the puppies. One evening, we even got to make crepes with our French teacher, Becca! Wednesday was jammed packed for many students, with a plethora of activities such as tie-dyeing, wiffle ball, and swimming at the local middle school. Students took advantage of the time they had at the pool, attempting twists and flips much to the delight of the local youth.

Wednesday was one of the busiest nights for group dinners. The Barnes' did their random weekly dinner in which a few RMS students get to join them at their house for dinner. In addition to the Barnes' dinner, some advisories went to various restaurants around town. A few of them went to Rosie's for burgers and fries, while others went to the local steakhouse and enjoyed some of the finest cuts of meat we'd had in a long time. The rest of us stayed on campus to "person" the kitchen under the watchful and mentoring eye of Ryer. As fabulous food continued to roll from the kitchen students found themselves comparing their own food to local restaurants, many of the students finding it hard to decide which one they liked more.

In other news, AMX has been filled with a bunch of different activities. We've run to Turquoise Lake, played Ultimate Frisbee, and learned the chorus dance to "Crazy" by Britney Spears via Darren's Dance Grooves, and we rocked it. Our Ultimate Frisbee tournament, organized by Chap Grubb and Andrew McCue, is in full swing.

Overall, RMS XXI continues to build upon itself and everyone is shuffling lunch tables to get to know one another better and better. In this week's community meeting we talked about the efforts we're all going to put into taking our already great semester to the next level. We're already working to make it happen.

By: Tom Conover, Mo O'Brien, and Kelly Casey-Latterman