Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
Love, The Riedls

2015-12-25

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Riedls!

2014-12-25

The Chemistry of Fireworks

Tomorrow is Independence Day, and many of us will be looking up into the night sky to see explosions and fire ignited to celebrate! This video was published just last week and it is a great explanation (and demonstration!) of how chemistry is essential for the beauty we see every July 4th. Enjoy!

The Chemistry of Fireworks - Reactions

Portland Stags: Western Conference Finals on Saturday!

I have mentioned the Portland Stags to my students a few times throughout the past year. For those who haven't heard, they are the newest professional sports team in the Portland area. It's also a brand new professional sport: Ultimate!

My love for ultimate (a.k.a. Ultimate Frisbee) grew in college when I played with buddies almost every day. It is definitely my favorite sport (tied with baseball) because of the beauty of the disc flying through the air, the amazing layouts, and the great exercise and athleticism needed to play well.

Major League Ultimate (MLU) was introduced in 2012. There is also a competing professional ultimate league called the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), which originated on the East Coast. The Portland Stags is the only ultimate team in the Portland area, so naturally, the MLU is better than the AUDL in my book. :-) Time will tell which league comes out on top with popularity in the future.

Anyway, back to the Portland Stags. Last year, they were a league-worst with 1 win and 9 losses. This year, however, they have done a complete 180 with 8 wins and 2 losses. This has allowed them to play in the Western Conference Finals this Saturday, against the Vancouver Nighthawks. Read more about the Stags' journey here.

It's definitely going to be a great game. It will be the first time I attend an ultimate game in person that I'm not actually playing in. :-) Usually I play in a weekly pick-up game with other men and women at Duniway Park in downtown Portland. On Saturday, though, I'll be going with my wife, Jen, to see an amazing match up of the best ultimate players in the Northwest!

If you want to join us and come cheer them on, you can buy tickets here. The game is on Saturday, June 28, at 7pm. You can also watch a live stream of the game online at mlultimate.com.

Go Stags!!!

Fifth Grade Happy Music Video!

Both fifth grade classes joined forces to bring you these end-of-the-year videos for the 2013-2014 school year!

The fifth graders had a lot of fun filming, and they gave up a lot of recess time! About 100% of the filming took place during recesses over the past two months. What a great way to remember the school year! All of our students were filmed for the main video, and there was so much footage I had to spill it over into a bonus video as well. And, of course, the bloopers were classic!

A large majority of the ideas for each of the scenes also came from the students. Usually I just told them, "Alright, what do you want to do? Where are we going to go?" Without their ideas and help, it would not have been such a success! Great job, you guys!! :-)

The three videos are embedded below. Enjoy!

Happy - 5th Grade at West Hills Christian School - YouTube

Happy BONUS FOOTAGE - 5th Grade at West Hills Christian School - YouTube

Happy BLOOPERS - 5th Grade at West Hills Christian School - YouTube

9/11 Videos Today During Exploratory

Today I showed my students three videos about September 11th for our Exploratory class. Since the 9/11 Memorial Museum opened this week, I wanted to share about the event with them. We had a great conversation about what happened that day, which occurred before they were even born. They asked many great questions! Although I'm not sure if they were just asking questions to stall before their Adverbs Test, which was next on the schedule... haha... but I'm pretty sure they were simply fascinated with the event and how big of a deal it was.

If you are a parent, please feel free to watch the videos below, and continue the conversation at home!
--Mr. Riedl

1) 9/11 Tribute Video - YouTube (uploaded 2006)
2) September 11 Memorial Opens in N.Y. - YouTube (uploaded 2011)
3) Take a look inside the new 9/11 museum - CNN (May 14, 2014)

Learn more about the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at www.911memorial.org.

My trek to school through the snow and ice

Quite a lot of snow and freezing rain fell in Portland this weekend. Needing to go back to school to pick up a few things and to do some grading, I decided to document my trek through the snow and ice. Enjoy!

My trek to school through the snow and ice - Mr. Riedl

Bill Nye & Ken Ham Debate, Feb. 4, 4:00pm PT

For those of you who haven't heard, there will be a debate taking place tonight from the Creation Museum in Kentucky. There has been an ongoing conversation on YouTube over the past several months between Bill Nye and Ken Ham (among others) about whether or not Creationism ought to be presented to students in schools alongside the theory of Evolution. There is a lot more to it than that, but basically, the comments on the YouTube videos stirred up many questions and debates among viewers.

Many know Bill Nye for being "The Science Guy" with his awesome TV shows from the mid-90s, which I still show my students (who absolutely love his enthusiasm for science and learning). Ken Ham is the founder of the Creation Museum and Answers In Genesis. Both men love science and have a passion for what they believe to be true. They both agreed to hold a debate and discuss science and their positions.

I talked briefly to the students this morning about how the debate originated and encouraged them to watch it with their family, if interested. It begins at 4pm PT (7pm ET) and will be approximately 2.5 hours long. The debate will be broadcast live on YouTube for anyone to watch that has an internet connection! Click here to go to the debate website: http://www.answersingenesis.org/

Many of my students don't yet know the depths of this ongoing debate, so I briefly discussed with them the differences between evolutionists and creationists. Several students were very fascinated, several students couldn't care less, and the rest were somewhere in between. I love discussing these issues, but did not have time to get into the details. Some of my students shared that they heard that you have to believe in evolution in order to be a scientist. I replied by briefly explaining the difference between macroevolution and microevolution and that it is a complicated issue for Christians. I have a biology degree and have many friends who are Christians who believe certain aspects of evolution to be true, while I also have many friends who believe the opposite. I shared my personal beliefs (the short version) and explained that ultimately, this is an issue that God doesn't base our salvation upon, and we want to still be respectful of the opinions of others. It is a very tough subject and one that could turn into a great discussion time at home! :-)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!
--Mr. Riedl

P.S. - If you aren't able to view it live at 4pm, then you should be able to rewind the debate after it starts. Since it is on YouTube, you can also watch it later on their YouTube channel. Click here for more Frequently Asked Questions.

Classroom Discussion: Sports Science, Super Bowl, and Richard Sherman

Due to the upcoming Super Bowl game this weekend, the central topic of today's writing assignment was football, of course. However, bringing up current events and issues surrounding this year's "big game" can turn into more than just an assignment about sports. Today we had a great classroom discussion about the depths of Christ's love, how we can use that in every day life (such as sports), and what we see from professional athletes.

My lesson plans included showing three videos to the students. The first two videos, NBC's science of NFL football, integrated math and science into the sport. For the third video, I showed Richard Sherman's infamous interview after his amazing play at the end of the Seahawks-49ers game, which secured Seattle's spot in this year's Super Bowl game. The students have been already talking about this interview on and off over the past two weeks anyway, so I thought I might as well make a writing assignment out of the controversy and hopefully challenge the students to think differently. After the videos, I had them answer several questions in their journals:

• What are your thoughts about American football?
• What did you learn about using science and math with the sport?
• Are you going to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? Are you a fan?
• Have you heard of any traditions people do for the Super Bowl?
• After watching Richard Sherman's interview, how do you think Jesus would have responded if He was interviewing him?
• Do you think Sherman has a right to talk that way?

Certain boys in my class have a hard time writing in general, and not surprisingly, they wrote more words and more quickly than I have ever seen so far this year! We had a great discussion after the writing portion. The topics ranged from sportsmanship, to thinking before speaking, to how Jesus would play sports, to trash talking, to standing up for our friends, to loving others, and so much more. I am amazed at how the minds of my students are buzzing with all that they are learning and seeing around them. It was great to be able to discuss such a controversial event in a place where we can connect it with Jesus and what He would be pleased with when it comes to competition.

My hope is that watching videos and having discussions like these will inspire these students to do what they know to be right as they grow up. Their character is something that we often neglect as teachers and thankfully at a Christian school we can use this environment to have a safe discussion of what we see around us.

Go Seahawks!!!

Merry Christmas!

The Riedl family wishes you a merry Christmas!

St. Nicholas vs. WestJet Christmas Miracle

Today I showed my students two videos: St. Nicholas - The Real Santa Claus and WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving. Both videos are embedded below. Many of you may have already seen the WestJet video since it has gone viral due to its clever way to capture the hearts of those not expecting it at an airport.

We discussed how St. Nicholas was a Christian, worshiped Jesus, and with his wealth he gave to those in need. Then, watching how Christmas has become a joy to not only Christians, we talked about how the love of gift-giving can extend far beyond one man, into big businesses, blessing even those who are waiting for their luggage at a baggage claim.

My class has first grade reading buddies, who we meet with bi-weekly to spend time doing activities and read with. Their Christmas Party was scheduled for this afternoon, so it seemed appropriate to get an idea of how they were feeling about giving their $5 gifts to their buddies. It was great to hear feedback about how we should give gifts because we care about the other person, rather than because we expect something in return. Showing love by blessing others is foundational in understanding the Christmas story.

Giving and receiving all started with God. As we are image bearers of him, continually seeing examples of this throughout history and now, today, it is amazing to see how God can work in the lives of others to bring joy.

Enjoy the two videos!

St. Nicholas - The Real Santa Claus

WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving

Happy Independence Day: How Fireworks Work

If you have ever been curious to know how those beautiful displays of color light up the skies each year to celebrate our independence, then check out the video embedded below. In the I Didn't Know That series, National Geographic gives us a glimpse into how fireworks are tested, created, and set off. Very fascinating!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

http://youtu.be/30Qo_l78hdk

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Dear families of Mr. Riedl’s classroom (and anyone else who reads my updates),

Since it is a new year I decided to make a resolution to devote more time to my family (especially since Delaney will be born this month). One of the ways I can do this is by skipping a step in my newsletter-creation process. I will save time by not having to send email reminders to click on the link to go to my website. Rather, if you follow the steps to subscribe (below), then you will automatically receive the newsletter (or any other updates on my website) right there in your inbox.

How you want to stay connected to Riedlteach.com is up to you. Here are your choices:

Option 1) Subscribe by email   RECOMMENDED

This will include all of the information that I post on the blog on my website (including newsletters, announcements, classroom photos, videos, helpful resources, etc.). I will do my best to not flood your inbox with junk. Everything that I put on my blog is thoughtfully considered to be useful for the families in my classroom.

Option 2) Subscribe by feedreader
A feedreader is a more advanced option for those that want to subscribe, but desire an alternative for how they receive the information. Click here to learn more.

Option 3) Do not subscribe
You will not receive updates. In order to stay connected, you must visit my website on your own. You do not need to do anything if this is the option for you.

"Awesome! How do I subscribe?" - click here and follow the steps

Remember: If you do nothing, then you will no longer receive emails with a link to my newsletters.

If you have trouble or additional questions, please let me know, and I will help you right away. Thanks so much for saving me time!

--Mr. Riedl

503-977-5485 | aaron.riedl@whcs.org

Merry Christmas!

Best wishes to you on this special day celebrating our God humbling himself by coming to Earth as a fragile newborn. Very soon we will be expecting our own newborn baby, Delaney, which makes this day even more meaningful to us! We hope you find joy and peace while celebrating Jesus' birthday.

Merry Christmas!

Sincerely, The Riedls
Aaron, Jen, Nolan (and Delaney!)

Skydiving Record and Mars Rover

We have been learning about Space in science. Here are a couple of great videos I showed in class about recent events having to do with what we are learning about. The first video is about Felix Baumgartner's record-breaking skydive a few weeks ago. The second is the computer animation of the Curiosity Rover landing on Mars recently. Two great events recently in the history of space exploration.


Mission Accomplished - Red Bull Stratos - World Record Freefall


Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity Rover) Mission Animation

Hurricane Sandy

Today in class we talked about Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it will likely bring to the Northeastern United States. Many of our students knew family and/or friends in the area. We will definitely be praying for that region as it faces tough challenges ahead.


Sandy approaching northeast U.S.


CNN Explains: Tropical cyclones


See timelapse of Sandy from space

Portland Nursery Apple Tasting 2012

Jen, Nolan, and I visited the Portland Nursery's Apple Tasting Festival last weekend! We had visited this wonderful event two years ago, and just loved it.

We appreciated all of the FREE activities and food. Nolan had fun painting his free mini pumpkin, I enjoyed some tasty free popcorn, and, of course, we loved tasting the dozens and dozens of varieties of apples. All for free! All of the apples (and pears too) available for sale are only $0.99 per pound... a great deal! There are lots of other items for sale, like cider, caramel apples, apple crisp, ice cream, and more!

If you are looking for something to do with your family in the Portland area this weekend, check this out! It's the last weekend it is going on. Great food and fun in the fall!

5050 Southeast Stark Street, Portland, OR

United States Debt Problem

My good friend Patrick has been explaining to me the big hole that the United States government has got itself into regarding spending money and debt. According to USDebtClock.org, the United States is over 14 billion dollars in debt! That basically means that they have borrowed that much from other people (or countries) and need to pay it back.

If I borrow ten bucks from my friend to buy a pizza, I feel pretty bad if I haven't paid him back in awhile. I can't even imagine what it would be like to owe people 14 billion dollars. That's crazy!

Here are a couple videos to help you understand the situation. The first video is a helpful visualization of how big a trillion dollars actually is. The second video is a CNN Student News clip explaining what the debt ceiling is.

Google+

I have been playing around with Google+, Google's new social network. I absolutely love it! It is wonderful because of the fact that it is a mixture of many other social media out there, and yet, has so many wonderful new features as well.

In my opinion, it is a mixture of Facebook and Twitter, for the most part. Like Facebook, you can post any length of status updates, pictures, and links to interesting stuff you find on the internet. Like Twitter, you can follow people without needing them to accept your friend request. These are both very popular features that are different for each, but are also both found in Google+. 

Additional features in Google+ include: 

• Circles (share stuff with only certain people) 
• Hangouts (video chat with multiple people at the same time)
• Huddles (mobile group chat)
• Sparks (personalized content on the web just for you)
• Picasa Web Albums integration 
• Integration with Google Reader and more Google sites in the future
• No advertisements

Lastly, as a teacher, I don't mind if students find me on here. I can choose to share only certain posts with students and the more personal stuff with close friends and family. In Facebook, I had to create a teacher page separate from my personal page in order to do that. Google+ avoids that headache. That is the beauty of "circles".

Check it out at plus.google.com and find me here!

New Rebecca Black Music Video

Watch "Rebecca Black - My Moment - Official Music Video" on YouTube
Her first music video, "Friday" was a painfully catchy song that often got stuck in my head. It even led me to do crazy things like actually play the video for my 8th graders!
Well, a new music video, titled "My Moment" is on YouTube and it actually seems legit. It is tolerable and I have a feeling I'll actually enjoy listening to it once it grows on me. Check out the video below. What do you think?