The Finale: Our Last Hoorah!

"Good things must come to an end".  Sad but true. At one moment you are having "the time of your life", and in a blink of an eye, it's all gone. At one time you are as jolly as a bee, but after a while, you find yourself crawling back to your ordinary life, wishing that that moment could have last for a lifetime. 

The picture says it all

But that is not how life is entirely. In fact, it turns out to be an amazing and wonderful journey if we make the best of it and live it to the fullest. That's why today, in our last post, before we close our door to this incredible and virtual experience, we would like to reflect back on one of the most wonderful "adventures" of our 6th grade lives- The Blogging Project. 



When our Urban Guru announced that the 6th grade was going to have "The Blogging Project" as part of the 4th quarter CEO, everybody had different insights. Some were intrigued on how it was going to be done, some were amused on how it was creatively thought of , and the others, well, had different reactions of their own. But despite the differences, one thing is certain. Because of the intense atmosphere, we could tell that everybody was excited about it and that every soul expected it to be one of a kind. Truly, it was. It was not only unique, but it was also one of the most exciting and the most fun "CEOs" that we had to make. We, also, are very happy that this project was created not just because of the fact that it is very modern, but also because it aimed to make us share our personal insights in a very creative way.  

The Blogging Project, aside from its purpose to make the students to openly talk about their personal reflections, is created in such a way that the students will be able to cherish and savor the last few days they have for their 6th grade journey. This is done by having them reminisce and reflect about the moments they had with each other during their adventure in and out of the walls of their Science class. 

This very special CEO is one of the things that made a lasting impact in our lives before we bid our 6th grade supplies goodbye. Not only did this project document most of the happiest days of our 6th grade lives, but it also paved way to the development of our creative skills, and more importantly, it opened our eyes to exceed beyond the boundaries and give it our best shot in everything we do.



An ordinary work lying in a pile of papers



Although we must say that preparing for this project is not an easy task. It requires a lot of time, pursuance, collaboration and of course, patience. Documenting takes a lot of time and patience in order to produce something good, or even more, something excellent. You have to have something to inspire you to produce a work of art with your heart poured on to it. Without inspiration, your work will be just an ordinary composition lying in one of the piles of papers in the desk, or in this case, one of the ordinary blogs. 

Since we would always want to produce a great outcome for this blog, we would usually end up being so stressed. Sometimes, inspiration wouldn't come, or worse, we, the Earth Trotters, would have a hard time to cooperate with each other. We sometimes would even end up pressuring each other to pass the write-ups required in order to meet the deadline. Of course, if we did not procrastinate in the first place, then maybe none of us would have carried a lot of weight in our backs. But, despite this, we would always try everything we can in order to deal with the situation. We usually would stay strong and active, that we wouldn't care about how many sleepless nights we need to sacrifice in order to make up for our mistake and in order to produce a well-thought of composition.

Our wonderful virtual experience

In defiance of the hard preparation,we would still consider to do this blogging project all over again. This is because it is a very "fun" thing to do, in spite of all the pressure we had to take, and more importantly, it allowed us to somehow go back to time to savor every single moment we have with the people surrounding us. Also,it allowed us to learn more about our fellow 6th graders and our Urban Guru. Doing this project will help us learn from our mistakes, making us more mature in handling future problems, especially since we are on to the next stage of our adventure-High School.

The way our Urban Guru handled and prepared for this project was something very responsible that it turned out to be almost impeccable.  He deliberately discussed the instructions, and also, created things that not only the bloggers can enjoy and look forward to, but also the people outside the Blogging Project. Actually, we only have one tiny suggestion wherein we think that the blogging project can be further improved. We think that the deadlines of the final posts can be either 5 days before or after the Finals so that it will not be in conflict with the other concerns relating the Finals. But other than that, we think that the project is well thought of that almost nothing needs to be changed. (Applause to the Urban Guru!!)

As we now close the door for this adventure, and as we venture to open a new one, we should keep in mind the greatest lessons we learned through this endeavor; 1st, to always prioritize the time given so that you will not end up procrastinating, 2nd, to take care of the environment, for everything in it is a wonderful creation and each plays a specific role that is a big part in biodiversity, and 3rd, have fun in whatever you are tasked to do and give it your all. No matter how hard it may be, just trust in the Hand that guides you, and you will be able to surpass any challenge or storm you might encounter.

Trust the Almighty

And now that we have to go our separate ways, let us bid you our last farewell.

Thank you guys, for being part of our virtual adventure! We hope that you learned from our experiences and that you have the adventure of your life too! And since that none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for our Urban Guru, we think that the perfect way to end this is by offering our sincerest gratitude to him.


To our Dearest Urban Guru,
We might have been one of the main causes of your stress, or the ones who would always appear in your nightmare, but one thing is for sure, that despite all our craziness, and beneath our immature acts, are four big hearts, thanking you for giving them adventures that are escapes from the everyday. We never thought we could experience something extraordinary at a very young age, but thanks to you, we experienced a very good way to end our 6th grade lives. You made a very huge mark in our lives, and we hope that we did too! 

Thank you again, Urban Guru, and we hope that you give more children like us adventures that will last a lifetime!

Sincerely,

-The Earth Trotters

Take care guys, and God Bless! 



We bid you farewell!



From the Adventurers,

-The Mild, The Wild, The Child, and The Wasabi 

She'll be coming around the mountain, when we come

SHE'll be coming around the mountain when WE come, SHE'll be coming around the mountain when WE come! SHE'll be---

Oops, sorry. Welcome back , fellow readers! We were just chanting our new song, "SHE'll be coming around the mountain.." By the E.T's (That's us.) Who we are waiting for was Maria Makiling , the beautiful spirit of Mt. Makiling, a mountain found in Laguna. But we didn't exactly climb the mountain, we just hiked in her lush "garden"; The Makiling Botanic Garden. But we would like to give you a proper greeting to Maria Makiling by telling you her legends..

 Ginger and Gold

Mt. Makiling

One can go into the forests and pick and eat any fruits one might like, but never carry any of them home. In doing so, one runs the risk of angering Maria Makiling. One would get lost, and be beset by insect stings and thorn pricks. The only solution is to throw away the fruit, and then to reverse one's clothing as evidence to Maria that one is no longer carrying any of her fruit.

Maria is said to live in a place known to the villagers, and interacts with them regularly. The villager in question is often either a mother seeking a cure for her ill child, or a husband seeking a cure for his wife.

The wise Maria recognizes the symptoms as signs not of disease, but of hunger brought about by extreme poverty. She gives the villager some ginger, which, by the time the villager gets home, has magically turned to gold. The villagers love her all the more for her act of kindness.

In most, however, greedy villagers break into Maria's garden to see if her other plants were really gold. Distressed by the villager's greed, Maria runs away up the mountain, her pristine white clothing soon becoming indistinguishable from the white clouds that play amongst the trees on the upper parts of the mountains.

The Three Suitors

Maria was sought for and wooed by many suitors, three of whom were the Captain Lara, a Spanish soldier; Joselito, a Spanish mestizo studying in Manila; and Juan who was but a common farmer. Despite his lowly status, Makiling eventually chose Juan. Spurned, Joselito and Captain Lara conspired to frame Juan for setting fire to the cuartel of the Spanish. Juan was shot as the enemy of the Spaniards. Before he died, he cried Maria's name out loud. The diwata quickly came down from her mountain while Captain Lara and Joselito fled to Manila in fear of Maria's wrath. When she learned what happened, she cursed the two, along with all other men who cannot accept failure in love, and she directed them to a different path and they soon became lost. Joselito suddenly contracted an incurable illness. The revolutionary Filipinos killed Captain Lara.

"From then on,, Maria never let herself be seen by the people again. Every time somebody gets lost on the mountain, they remember the curse of the diwata. Yet they also remember the great love of Maria Makiling."...

 WELCOME EARTHTROTTIES TO, 

The Journey to the Slippery slope

THE MAKILING BOTNICAL GARDEN!

So there! Now it's time to let us share with you our last experience on this trip. Going through her garden was a lot of fun, not to mention tiring. Hiking up and down this garden is not as easy as it looks ( We lost a lot of weight, and some of us were crawling the last steps).We followed the steps and paths along the garden , seeing different types of plants and observing it's wonderful and vibrant resources. 
And here is what we have to say...

Hey guys! It's the Mild here! Looks like it's our last stop, boohoo.. but before we leave, I would like to share my thoughts..

Before reaching the destination, I expected to learn about a lot of different kinds of plants.. I expected a really big garden full of unfamiliar and exotic plants. It's funny though, because the garden was more than expected, bigger,slippier, and most of all; 
DEEPER.

Since it was our last stop, we made the most of the precious time left for this endeavor. That's why we took the chance to go deeper in this very big garden. Shockingly, we didn't know that it was very deep! So everyone was tired, especially me, since I really don't exercise.

But, despite all my exhaustions and complaints (like, I'm so tired!!), I learned that exercising once in a while is good. Good for the body, the mind and the soul. I learned that it wouldn't really hurt... in fact it buffed up some muscles!

Medinilla magnifica: One of the wonders of MBG

After that exercise,I felt very exhausted. But more than that, my mind was saying "Gah, The Field trip is over!" I felt quite sad. The trip was very fun for me that I did not want to leave. It was an escape from the everyday, and even though we see each other everyday, this was the time that I learned a lot of things about my classmates and I was able to "bond" with them more. But despite this fact, I also felt happy. It's because I really had a great time, especially because it is our last exposure trip.  The events of the trip,especially those that surprisingly happened, made it even more fun and memorable.

Indeed my expectations were met! In fact, even more. I was not only nurtured with amazing science facts, but more importantly, I was also given great, long lasting... memories.

In this journey, the greatest lessons I learned were these; first, to take care of our Mother Nature because everything in it are valuable and priceless, and second, "A well-planned and organized trip leads to the most memorable experience of an adventurer's life."

This will really help me a lot with my future life, it will help me produce a better outcome when it is my time to prepare for something like this trip. 

"I will never forget this learning experience because it exposed and introduced me to two new amazing worlds; the world of science, and another world of the 6th grade adventurers and their guru."

Welcome Back guys! It's Wasabi. We just came from our exercise and hiking trip. Haha. Kidding. We are just here again to share one of our last moments together.. But do not fear, my fellow readers! When there is sushi, there is an exclusive and adventurous wasabi waiting somewhere out there! 
Okay, getting back to my old self, same, more things to answer!

Expectations, expectations, expectations. Quite a lot actually. You see, we thought there would be a guide and a nicer way down the slippery slope. But since it rained, and practically we were left alone to explore, let's just say, it was a really tiring journey.

There was plant life everywhere! And at the bottom of the most horrfying path we ever took (Considering that Wasabi is scared of heights), we found a small creek and a really weird water fountain. A classmate of ours found a Lichen and we spotted at small tree which had mushrooms growing on its roots. Don't worry, it wasn't poisonous, after all there was no ring around the stalk.

And after that tiring hike up the mountain (We lost a LOT of weight) we made our way to the bus, which was waiting for us all the way up the slanting road. Worse, some of us left bags at the bus and we had to go all the way down the slanted road again to change in the bathrooms where we found a 4- inch long centipede. Trust me when I say: THAT WAS THE WORST WORKOUT I EVER HAD!!! 

Well, once we went home, we couldn't help but relive everything that happened that day and repeatedly wished that the day could start over and that time would slow down for all of us. Sadly, the hands of time are against us.

The whole trip exceeded our expectations though. WE HAD FUN AND LEARNED AT THE SAME TIME!!!

We learned lots of information and had loads of fun. For me I wouldn't forget this experience because of the many sights we saw and the fun we had with our teachers and classmates. Like that time we tried to push each other down the ravine in Mt. Makiling, how K-pop kept playing over the radio and how the silly question and answer portion in the bus went a little out of hand.

All in all it was an unforgettable experience, and I don't regret going either.

Good greetings, fellow earthtrotties! It's the Wild here, and this is our last stop. Which I have to say, sucks. But what do we do when we have to post? We answer your questions, we share our thoughts we express ourselves, and then, we say goodbye. And sometimes, that good bye can never be the same again. But same old, same old; It's life, right? We gotta keep moving forward. But..

Spathiphyllum hybrid: Another amazing plant

Coming home was never really so fun for me. I always liked going out and playing, and getting crazy, and I am totally nuts about FIELDTRIPS. There was no, and there will never be, any fieldtrip that I hated, that I regreted , that I was down or I was absent or late. NONE.  And this fieldtrip, was my best one yet ( I got a cold during this feildtrip, I guess that does count. But I was carefree! My usual self , of course).

I expected this to be most exciting because, I am a health freak. I love going outdoors and exercising. I love sweating, I love eating fruits and all that healthy stuff. (I eat a bit of junk food, no worries, I am not exactly that kind of alien) and I love nature. But, I expected this to be easy for me. hahahahahahahaha. Then my mind told me to "shut up". I was wrong. I, actually, was the one who was crawling up the last steps of that garden. (Stop laughing, guys. It isn't that funny.--- Let's see you do it then.-- Stop it already!) 

Going back to the topic. 

The greatest lesson that I learned from this was to " Enjoy it while it lasts. It only happens once in a lifetime." I do believe in that. I want to risk things because, you never know, it could only happen once. And, hello?! It's an adventure! Life never happens twice..

And, I will never forget this learning experience because, we had a lot of fun. We got closer to each other, (not to mention the time when they had a confession session in the bus, and the crazy antics and mischievous plans I did.) We actually learned something and, in a good way, it wasn't as pressuring in school (Did I mention my mind is kind of slow when it comes to obeying and listening?). The UrbanGuru, has now admitted he listens to K-POP ( I got really paranoid listening to them, it burned my ears). We went chilling in the bus after we came from Starbucks during our stop-overs. And not to mention, bottles-- I probably shouldn't share that to you guys. Once more, this I will never forget because, by spending all those times with my classmates and the UrbanGuru, I realized that I had already the meaningful life to live.

We hope you will have the same meaningful experience soon, and that you will learn to cherish the gifts you have.Live your life with adventures and have no regrets.  Everyday is a new day, and we have to keep moving forward. Have fun guys, and... take care. ;)

Our batch, soon  headed home..

                                              -The Wild, The Mild, The Child, and Wasabi.

We would like to give our deepest and most sincere thank you to the Urban Guru for the batch picture.
Other References: 

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/small/42956094.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1L3rJqyLvCg/SzXX9PNRyMI/AAAAAAAAANk/nD0eIlm4yCg/botanical_garden_2007_6_003.jpg
http://renz15.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/moutn-makiling-forest-reserve-and-botanical-garden/

The Amazing Rice Asia: Trip to IRRI

Amazing Rice it is, right here in Asia! Well, to be specific, in the Philippines; where we could find one of the biggest research centers in the world; IRRI or the International Rice Research Institute. 

Yes, but seriously, it was kind of a race; if you get what we mean. We were sprinting all the way just to get to the entrance first.And guess what we saw? Yep, hundreds and hundreds of rice fields! Yummeh!

Let's start the Amazing Rice Asia!

A picture of some of the rice fields

The bus was too excited for this stop. As soon as the bus door opened, we jumped off, and scurried of to IRRI; ready for more!

What we expected to see, inside is just people in lab coats, rice samples put into white rooms with machines and microscopes. Well, we are wrong.

We expected to learn how they research in their rice and how they are able to share the productions with other countries, we expected  to go through a  kind of factory or research lab.But instead, we entered a theater and were given workbooks (Don't worry, they were colored). And watched a video of what IRRI is all about. IRRI aims to find sustainable ways to improve the well being of rice farmers and consumers, while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability through collaborative research, partnerships, and the strengthening of national agricultural research and extension systems. And after that we made our way to explore IRRI! 

We were welcomed by a huge model of the Earth with a computer that actually shows the increasing of the world population.With this they are able to record the population growth and how they will be able to keep track of how much rice they are going to have to produce and research on, just to feed us and the rest of the world. Then we saw samples of --rice wine?(Pretty incredible!) Also, we saw areas wherein there are different themes and how they are related to rice! Example, there was an area with a Chinese theme and they have a TV filled with recipes with rice!! (I couldn't find the rice cakes though.) We saw the history of rice with other countries, the old tools they used, the things they could make with rice, and, finally, the restroom! 

Oh, right! We forgot to announce the winner of the amazing race! Well, here it is!

The winner of our Amazing Rice Asia, Mr. Rice, Team IRRI!  

Some of the facts about the winner:

•  Common Name: Rice
• Scientific Name: Oryza sativa
• Characteristics: grainy, soft, in numerous colors (black, brown, white, yellow, and etc.) 
• Ecological relationship:a producer 

Oh how we need our rice! Our lovely and yummy rice! Without dear rice, no one would have ever survived (not even rice cakes). 
That's why treasure every grain of rice, because each grain is priceless, and was harvested with love.


Well,  that's what we have for IRRI! Next stop... will be our final destination. But don't worry fellow earthtrotties, because we have a lot in store for you in this journey!

-The Earth Trotters

We would like to thank, the UrbanGuru for providing the amazing pictures. And here are our references!

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kylzszZYGa1qb9pwko1_400.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2199551868_31e65e9f85.jpg

http://mysmartschools.ph/web/animicetech/images/rice.jpg

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/planet-2/image/2006/11/ge-rice-threatens-biodiversity.gif 

The Museum of Natural History: Naturally Historical

 Okay fine, we get it. The title isn't so BOOM! Just cause it's about Natural History, doesn't mean it isn't cool! and..

The Museum of Natural History wasn’t just your typical museum.

No, it was more awesome than that. 

Well, for starters, after we ate a heavy lunch in such a crowded bus filled with absolutely nothing but antics and misbehavior, expectations were running through our heads.We knew that the Philippines was rich in extraordinary animals and plants, extinct or endangered.The discoveries were great and memorable and have found a place in history, forgotten or not. Well, what would you expect? Well, at first, we expected things like preserved animals and a really good assortment of things we can go crazy about. But sadly, that was not to be true. We have forgotten, that this museum was called, Museum of Natural History. That just means one thing, well, two; One, It's history, it's old, fragile and dead, (well ,most) yet interesting. Two, it's natural. It's real, meaning, we can't touch anything.

We couldn’t touch ANYTHING (Grabby hands)! It was sad, because the displays were AWESOME, everything from stuffed snakes to animal fetuses (You got that right, baby animals that weren't born yet),  insects, from the bones of a whale, minerals, rocks, fungi, bacteria , locusts; yup, you name it! We also met quite a lot of organisms along the way. 

Like the Bayawak, the Philippine Crocodile (Don’t worry, it didn’t bite. Remember? It's history..) and the grass owl. All of them dead and preserved but still, awesome just the same. Then we came across the tapeworms and the bacteria; such as the Bacillus and the ring worms, you know, the parasites eating away the nutrients you try so hard to get. Hahaha, just kidding, but no seriously, they eat the nutrients you have in there.


Anyway, here are some of the interesting organisms we encountered during our stay inside the walls of Museum of Natural History.

The Bayawak, Philippine crocodile

 This is Crocodylus mindorensis, or commonly pertained to as the Bayawak or the Philippine crocodile. Here's a little bit of information you need, just to know him a lot better. Crikey!

The bayawak is a carnivorous consumer that mostly hides in lush places and tree trunks.They have a relatively broad snout and thick bony plates on its back (heavy dorsal armor).They may look fierce as you may say,but their lives are badly threatened by our inhuman acts. That's why its time for us to go into action, let us help preserve their species by doing what we can!


Moving on, here is its taxonomic classification:

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Crocodilia Family: Crocodylidae  Genus: Crocodylus Species: C. mindorensis

This, my friend, is the nocturnal 
Tyto longimembris, or commonly known as The Eastern Grass Owl.  It is found in tall grasslands and in swampy countries.  

It is a consumer and is a specialist in hunting small rodents. This amazing creature stands from 12.5 inches to 15 inches and can weigh up to 450 grams.
Its taxonomic classification:
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves  Order: Stringiformes  Family: Tytonideae Genus: Tyto Species: T. longimembris

 Rainbows are pretty awesome, and so is this  Erythrura viridifacies or the Green-faced Parrotfinch. How we wonder how colorful the sky will be if it stretches its wings  and fly. 


The Green-faced Parrotfinch is a rather small consumer that is endemic to the Philippines. It is closely associated with floewering or seeding bamboos, which are a key dietary component.

Taxonomic classification:
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Estrildidae Genus: Erythrura Species: E. viridifacies
What a creation isn't it? From its cute black eyes to its beautiful wings full of vivid colors. 

Now let's talk about the smaller and the simpler living things. What about, Protists? Mentioned before by Wasabi, I'm sure you are familiar with them. Meet another dangerous friend of ours, Paramecium.
The Paramecium is an oval, slipper shaped micro-organism . It is unicellular, it has a cilia covered body, and is found in fresh water habitats. The Paramecium feeds on bacteria, algae, yeasts and small cells,however, it is being preyed by Didinium.
Taxonomic Classification: 
Kingdom: Protista  Phylum: Ciliophora Class: Cilatea Order: Peniculida Family: Parameciidea Genus: Paramecium

The Wonderful Orange Shelf Fungi 

You might not be able to recognize the picture in the left, that's why we will introduce you to this captivating organism. Dear reader, meet Polyporus sanguineus.

The Orange Shelf Fungi (Polyporus sanguineus) is a kind of fungi that eats dead logs and decomposes the dead. It belongs to a kind of fungi called  Shelf fungi, meaning it makes shelves or brackets to produce spores above the ground. Their spores make them different from all the other fungi. 

Its Taxonomic Classification: 

Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Basiodiomycota Class: Basidiomycetes Order: Polyporales Family: Polyporaceae Genus: Polyporus Species: P. sanguineus

The cocci-shaped archaen

Finally, we are down to this strange-looking creature, Caldisphaera lagunensis. 

 Caldisphaera lagunensis is an anaerobic archaen. it grows on a temperature from 70-80 degrees Celsius. It is resistant to antibiotics and grows on a low sanity. Its growth is stimulated by the presence of sulfur.  Although it is small, this organism utilizes starch, glycogen, gelatin, beef extract, yeast extract, and peptone as carbon and energy sources. 


This organism is endemic to the Philippines. It is isolated in one of the hot springs in Laguna ("The Mud Spring").


Taxonomic Classification: 


Kingdom:ArchaeaPhylum:  Crenarchaeota  Class: Thermoprotei Order: Caldisphaerales  Family: Curculionoidea Genus: Caldisphaera Species:  C. lagunensis



These are just 6 out of all the many wonders found in the museum, and millions more are to be seen wandering all over the world. But remember, dear reader, as we always say, protect their lives,for they  are like treasures, precious and priceless. And just to let you guys know, once you visit the Museum of Natural History, trust us, you won't be bored. Because for us, it is probably even one of the best sites we've been to. 


Now, who's hungry for some lunch? Cause, fellow adventurer, you'll just have to wait till' our next adventure to the...


Internationational Rice Research Institute or IRRI. Don't forget your side dishes and appetizers, cause this is a good one!


Till' next time! 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/450183727_bf86bad861.jpg

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD-7/1188651562.jpg

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=8685

http://www.avianweb.com/images/birds/finches/pintailedparrotfinch.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT3uXChhBmubEIlgU9jTP28Nc9L9H1eaRHiScTLpS2ZWCxV7KOUi9QGksRkTBbxmZFyJmQayE34uJ6BIZl1Z9qg4fU8IrwvXBg16oyIli3NGScADaw9ZCZFFWHiTL3EpR-v8zibvmSGVt/s400/Paramecium.jpg