Mad Max: Fury Road

Not being a fan of generic apocalypses, I've been a fan of this series since I was a lad. They'd always managed to inject enough imagination to make these interesting. This one was no exception.

Summary:

Mad Max is captured by Immortan Joe's War Boys and made a living Blood Bag for one his boys. Meanwhile, Furiosa tries to lead Immortan Joe's Breeders to a new life. After a car chase, Furiosa and Mad Max find one another uneasy allies, needing to use each other to their own ends.

Review:

Perhaps its greatest strength is its SFnal-ness, its scraps of world-building. The common people shout "V8!" The names invite a telling reading: Rictus, Furiosa, Immortan Joe, Breeders, Blood Bag, War Boys.

The heart-thumping visuals stun viewers equally.  A race alongside a giant tornado. Elaborate bone masks, with respirators, outlandish costumes and makeup. Shot of water cascading off a cliff into the desert.

The pacing is relentless, almost too much, yet the plotting sparks originality and cleverness, looping back upon itself for a more satisfying closure.

What works less well is the dialogue, excluding aforementioned world-building: "Treason! Betrayal!" etc. Since the dialogue is minimal, it gets a bye.

The world ecology does not make sense. If only one place in the world is capable of producing food, what was left of the population would congregate there and only. There'd be no separate bands and little roaming. A splash of water would not be enough to keep the common folk alive. They would either storm the citadel themselves or died inside two to four weeks. It would be foolish not to try to expand one's farming area, or else people would not be interested in breeding except as recreation.

If they live on half the average American's yearly diet--1000 lbs--how many acres would they need per person? How many persons can this "citadel" actually sustain?

They have war rigs, but what for? They seem to be at least nominal friends with their neighbors.

Where did that huge tornado come from? While tornadoes are not unheard of in Australia, they are not as common. Moreover, it requires warm and cold air masses, so how did this one grow so large?

Why does Furiosa have an American accent?

The main criticism, in terms of story, is that Mad Max is a sidekick. This should actually be Furiosa's story. It misleads viewers in its title and in starting with Mad Max. The main thread is Furiosa's. We should follow her more. Mad Max is the B story.

Despite these criticisms, it is worth watching. I probably lean toward IMDB's 8.3/10 rating, rather than Rotten Tomato's 97%.

Studying, Science, Grammar links

Studying

• You learn better with a pen in your hand, even than a laptop.  Though I wonder if laptop users follow a similar method of note-taking.

Science

• NBC's Science Behind the News -- mostly not standards based, but questions that students will ask

Grammar

• Here's a 10-question grammar quiz.

• Here's your cheat sheet:  Grammar Girl.

After Earth -- movie, controversy, and science

Summary:

Katai Raige and his father, Cypher, are the only survivors from a crash landing on Earth. Cypher, who has a broken leg, has to guide his son to the signal beacon so that they can be rescued. The problem is that Katai hasn't yet become a ranger because his emotions are uncontrolled. That's a problem when the alien predator pursues its prey by the smell of fear.

Controversy: This movie received much flack before it even came out:

1. It starred father and son, Jaden and Will Smith. "Nepotism," some complained, but this should not have gotten much traction since Jane and Henry Fonda starred together in On Golden Pond. The complaint may have stemmed from the next two. 
2. M. Night Shyamalan's movies have fallen in the critical eye since The Village. Perhaps people expect The Sixth Sense (which admittedly was extraordinary). But his films are enjoyable. It'd be curious to see how critics reacted if they didn't know Shyamalan had directed them. They'd not be critical hits, but good entertainments. 
3. This article about L. Ron Hubbard and After Earth links the two. It made me want to see the movie. I'm not sure what people fear from others' beliefs. People are made differently, so they will think differently than you. That's half of what speculative fiction's about.
4. It may upset some that emotions should be controlled; therefore, acting emotions were ridiculed to make a point. (Granted, I watched this in Spanish, so I missed out on the actors' verbal intonations.)

It's a solid entertainment, with a valid if unsubtle point to make (see poster). Once again I side with IMDB over Rotten Tomatoes. Watch it for futuristic survivalist fun.

Science:  

1. We have an asteroid storm, which would probably be rare due to collisions and gravity. Maybe a large collision just occurred, but can't they drive around?
2. I'm not sure what the inhalers do, but we can ascribe that to futuristic magic--as much of the other scientific complaints. 
3. The most fascinating speculative element was the sudden temperature drops. What brings them about? Decreased atmosphere? Increased distance from the sun? A change in axial tilt plus fast fluctuations in wind patterns? It's unclear, but the life on the planet would be quite different:
1. Plants and animals that survived would need a dual ability to survive both. 
2. After a thousand years, the flora would be very hardy. 
3. Life near natural heat sources would likely be unique from surrounding areas, but likely less evolved.
4. Fauna near heat sources would be familiar to us, and they'd likely have figured out what time to come home.
5. Other fauna would be more related to our polar and tundra friends.

In other words, a very different Earth than the one we know. To me, story science is just a jumping off point to think about your subject, not a point to yell about a. It's a tool to get people talking about what's real science and what's not.

Science Fair procedure

Here is my new science fair procedure.  It is probably good to introduce science fair with the scientific method so that 1) students can get a head start on projects, and 2) reinforce the scientific method with practice.  I also teach how to read and write lab reports at the same time.  My lab reports differ from science-fair models in that mine are based on what some scientists/journals actually use.  More on this later if I remember or if people express interest.

Procedure:

1. Come up with a scientific field you enjoy.  (Class, subject:  i.e. Physics)  Or a favorite hobby, food, sports, game, etc.  Or read random science articles:  Which tend to capture our interest?  Are there local science interests?  (If you chose something more specific than a field, skip to #3)
2. Come up with a topic you enjoyed within that subject. (i.e. magnetism)
3. Study topic generally (i.e. read in book, or read general topic book).
4. Based on study and brainstorming ideas about it, ask a question about said topic.  (i.e. Can magnets...?)
5. Look up answer to question.  Does an answer exist?  If so, use study to come with a new study, one they did not investigate.  Rewrite question.
6. Repeat the above until you have a unique question.
7. Reexamine question.  Does it include/imply a method to incorporate numbers for purposes of graphs, etc.?  If not, rewrite.
8. Follow your lab notebook procedure, writing down what you did each day AS you do it.

 Again, please let me know if you use this and what modifications you come up with.  I will pass on any modifications I come up with.

The Experiment: Laboratory Notebook (Lab Notebook)

Because inquiry sounds wonderful but is too time-consuming, this is my concession.  Labs are conducted by questions that they have to answer.  They have to come up with everything after the problem or question.  However, some labs do require more guidance than others.  If possible, lead them with questions.  Some will be frustrated that they don't know what they should do, but this is part of the learning curve.  This should rate rather high on Bloom's taxonomy, including the upper register, requiring creativity, evaluation and analysis.

In general, I like to keep questions simple enough that students should be able to guess what to do next.  I have had success with this format from seventh to twelfth grade.  I also like having students encounter "mistakes" where what they're learning is met with some impediment.  For instance, "Problem:  What is the acceleration of gravity?" will force them to encounter air friction.  Or in chemistry, using something like vinegar with a base to examine why the reaction didn't go as planned (ah, the concentration is important).  As a scientist, error will be their constant companion.  Why do we take it out?

Another advantage is that this allows students to apply the scientific method, again and again.  They will be thoroughly familiar with the procedure by year's end.

The set-up:

• Problem (question):
• Hypothesis (possible answer to be explored):
• Materials (what kinds of materials will you need to test question?):
• Procedures/Observations (Make a “T”:  what you did on one-half of the page/what you noticed on the other):
• Calculations (if any):
• Conclusions (include possible errors, and future experiments):
• Name/Date:
• (scribbling, white out, pencil all lose points)

Let me know if you use this and any advantageous modifications you came up with.

The Explicable, Inexplicable, and Opinions

Largely Explicable:

Pictures of sinkholes--formation often caused by underground water forming caves.  When the water's gone, nothing's left to support the earth above it.

Can a zombie plague get us all?  Joan Slonczewski tackles the topic.

Nigh Inexplicable:

Egyptian statue moves

Scientists guess at why the early universe is not evenly distributed:  Multiple universes

Opinion:

The need for more English majors:  Learn how to write

Philosopher Michael P. Lynch connects personhood and privacy (food for thought)

Science Links

Science

Earth's crystalline core hotter than supposed

NASA developed powerful filter to filter Coke from water

Despite earlier chilling trend, Earth warmed more 1970-2000 than any other 3 decades

Chirality--molecules that are exactly the same except for a twist, preventing them from bbeing processed--may be formed in stars.

Solar sail, Sunjammer, pays tribute to Arthur C. Clarke

Technology

Mind reading?

Smallest flying robots

Life without internet, says author, is not what it's cracked up to be.

History

Having your neighbors over for dinner:  Jamestown did dine on its residents, one harsh winter.

Review: Figuring Out Fossils

Figuring Out Fossils Sally M. Walker
Lerner Publishing Group

Figuring out Fossils targets older elementary or lower middle school youth since the definitions, while simple, approach a basic understanding of the topic.  The book covers what fossils are, how they form, what they are composed of, where they are found, and why we study them.

The book discusses what kinds of things become fossils, including tracks and hard parts of organisms while the softer parts decay or are consumed.  Creatures that become fossils are buried under sediment, sunken into tar pits, or more perfectly sealed in ice where even soft parts remain.  The book covers how sediment becomes rock, making them difficult to find.

Ground water flows through holes in bones and plants and deposits mineral.  Even if the original bones dissolve, the minerals remain.  Molds and casts are explained as well.  To transport fragile fossils paleontologists wrap them in wet cloth and plaster.  Fossils suggest an organism’s size, diet, movement, and their climate.  The book closes with an index, glossary, and further reading (websites and books).

While most explanations were perfectly adequate, most impressive were how fossils formed, with four-step illustrations demonstrating.  Although I have taught the subject before, I had not seen it done so clearly.  Captions and photos help reinforce what the reader learns.  This book comes highly recommended.

Rocks for Jocks

Humorous Geology professor presents his subject in an enlightening and entertaining manner on Youtube videos. The only problem is that there aren't enough of them.

Science and Math Interactives

Phet.colorado.edu has a gold mine of interactives for physics, physical science, chemistry, biology, earth science, and mathematics. Some of these have become integral--particularly "Reversible Reactions," which is probably one of the best tools I've seen to make this abstract concept more real. I tell students they can't break the equipment because it's so expensive. They generally break the apparatus and fail to cough up the millions the equipment costs. Kids these days.

"Down in the Bottomlands" by Harry Turtledove

Availability + Resources:

• Order ebook (from Baen Books)
• Online (from Baen Books)
• Wiki Plot Summary
• Analog, January 1993
  

Summary:

• Radnal vez Krobir takes visitors on a tour of "Trench Park"--the widening between present day two continents. A mountain range rises up connecting the continents and dries up the ocean so that a vast desert stretches between them. Moreover, the Neanderthals did not disappear but exist with an uneasy peace between themselves and the other human species. Any small act could upset the peace.
• That's exactly what happens. An enemy officer, a citizen of Morgaffo, is murdered and a starbomb (nuclear?) is planted--either of which could spark a war.
  

Questions:

• After reading the story the first time, point out the foreshadowing in the following passage:

"The pretty Highhead girls looked particularly upset. The placid donkeys worried them more than the wild beasts of the Trench.

"'Let's put off the evil moment as long as we can,' Radnal said."

• What is one of the criminals' names? If one name has thematic purpose, what might the other refer to?
  
• Biology: What are some adaptations for life in the Bottomlands desert?
  
• Earth: Find how long ago that the Bottomlands appeared (also reread early passage explaining). Check out this Classzone animation or the one on wikipedia. Hypothesis: How might the Bottomlands have kept water from flowing into its basin?
  
• Prehistory: When did Homo sapiens appear? When did Neanderthals disappear? Considering the answer you came up with for Earth, how likely is this scenario? Hypothesize how something like this could have happened.
• How is animal behavior responsible for the story's climax?
  

Application:

• Prehistory extrapolated 20 million years
  
• Earth science: in particular Earth movement.
• Biology: animal behavior, desert biomes
  

Comment:

• What if #1: Neanderthals continued to live?
  
• What if #2: Laurasia did not separate into two land masses separated by an ocean?
  
• Sexual content (for whom this may concern): While not explicit, the details here are not covert.
  
• Less patient readers may have difficulty getting through beginning story set-up, but it should please them if they stick with it.

Availability:

• Prehistory extrapolated 20 million years
  
• Earth science: in particular Earth movement.

National Geographic Educational Resources

Last year, we used way-cool [please pardon technical jargon] National Geographic educational interactive programs to create tornadoes and shake buildings to rubble. The junior high students and I enjoyed this. Unfortunately, if they have similar programs for other educational curriculum, I cannot find them. In fact, I didn't spot these in their lesson plans. It might help if the site provided more clues on how to track down some of these sites.

Charles Sheffield's "That Strain Again"

Availability:

1. Microcosmic Tales, ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg & Joseph D. Olander, Taplinger 1980
2. Science Fiction and Fantasy Story-A-Month 1989 Calendar, ed. Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg, Pomegranate 1988
3. Georgia on My Mind and Other Places, Tor 1995
4. 100 Amazing Little Alien Stories, ed. Robert Weinberg, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz & Martin H. Greenberg, Barnes & Noble 1996
5. Online

Applications:

• You may want to use this for either (or both, but it may be too far above or below students' ability level depending on the use)

1. Reading Science Articles (more critically--10-12)
2. Earth/Space science (seasons, earth's axial tilt--6-9)
   

Pre-Reading Terminology (or Post):

• Here are some terms that may be useful to prime students to think about the issues presented in the story if you're using this to help students read more critically:

1. Causality (cause and effect--which causes which?)
2. Coincidence (note root word: coincide; have them note the term's use in science)
   
3. Correlation (importantly, correlation does not imply causation--simplified: co-relation = (as in co-opertion = operating together) things relate to one another.
   

• These articles will be largely over the heads of most students. However, if you have advanced science students, tell them to read at least the introductory paragraphs. They need to get comfortable with not necessarily understanding everything they read and with picking up what they can.
• If pressed for time, explain the terms yourself.
  

Summary:

• Aliens visit planet Earth but flee when they believe they've infected it with some disease that kills off the primary life forms. They are surprised when visitors from Earth arrive on their home planet.
  

Questions & Experiments:

1. Why were Vega IV people surprised or relieved to see Earthlings?
   
2. Take a flash light and point it straight down at your desk. Now compare that to when you tip the flashlight at an angle. Do some parts get more light than others? Explain.
   
3. What effect do you think more light might have on an area? Devise an experiment with paper, the sun, and a magnifying glass that demonstrates your hypothesis. Have a classmate conduct the same experiment with a flashlight rather than the sun. If the results are the same or different, hypothesize why that might be.
   
4. Apply: What kinds of things use sunlight? What might happen if those things did not get enough sunlight? Think about what happens during a year. When do these creatures get lots of sunlight and when do they get very little? Search "Earth's axial tilt." Summarize your findings.
5. What makes Vega IV different? Make a model of Earth's axial tilt, by thrusting a pen through a styrofoam ball, and one of Vega IV. Shine your flashlight on Earth and on Vega IV. Explain to a classmate and have them explain it back.
   
6. Using what you've learned so far, could all of Vega IV be a "paradise" or "Garden of Eden"? Explain what would probably happen at the equator versus the poles.
   
7. If you've read the book or seen the movie War of the Worlds, compare and contrast what happened there with what happens here.
8. Can these "Ethical People" of Vega IV be called "Wise People?" Why or why not?
9. The narrator may be implying that the people of Vega IV were nicer and more ethical, if a little dull, because of their environment's consistency. Do you agree? Support your answer. Ask yourself to what degree does environment impact behavior. Can you find scientific evidence online supporting your hypothesis?
   
10. If you can think of other questions, please let us know.

Critical Thinking/Science Article Questions:

1. Explain which term applies to what happened (support your answer): 1) correlation, cause and effect (causality), coincidence.
   
2. When there are too many variables to isolate, science does correlations--that is, it tries to find if there's a relationship between two events. Devise experiments that the Vega IV people might have conducted to see if actions or presence caused the events occurring around them. Why is their presence in one time and location not a very good experiment? Would conducting such an experiment be ethical? Explain your answer. Although it might require quite a long time, come up with an experiment that would lower the possibility of violating any ethical problems.
   
3. If you can think of other questions, please let us know.

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