The Scoop from the Snake-pit!

He learned the game and did his best! Thank you for coming to tutorials to begin your quest within the strategic game of Spades. Hopefully, you will continue to play and participate again next year! Cool fact, his trophy was 3D printed!

Though Edward and his mystery last minute player, Mrs. West, were declared the winners, there's a hearty & victorious shout-out to Mr. Julian & Ms. Milburn for holding everyone's feet to the fire for our 1st Spades Tournament!

A huge thanks to Mr. Stith & Mrs. Rodriguez for lending their talent and support to our celebration of the audio reading of Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson!

In folklore, Pele travels throughout the islands, appearing to mankind as a beautiful young woman, or as an old woman, sometimes accompanied by a white dog. Refuse her requests and suffer her wrath, legends say. Tales of encounters with Pele include drivers who picked up an old woman dressed all in white on roads in Kilauea National Park, only to look in the mirror to find the back seat empty. Others say Pele’s face has mysteriously appeared in their photos of the lava lake within the crater or molten lava flows. Among the people of the islands, Pele is revered and respected. Want more on the sounds of Hawai'i and more cultural connections?? All you gotta do is click here.

When written in English, tanka poems must meet criteria concerning their structure and content. Regarding structure, the first line of a tanka poem has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third line again has five syllables—a pattern also found in haiku poetry. A tanka poem deviates from a haiku poem, however, with fourth and fifth lines that are each seven syllables. The number of syllables in each line is the only stylistic constraint of tanka—there’s no need to rhyme or follow any specific meter.

Additionally, the third line must transition from the descriptive and image-focused beginning lines (called kami-no-ku) into a reflective metaphor, simile, or personification for the closing lines (shimo-no-ku). The subject matter can vary, but many poets choose a subject that’s emotionally stirring or quietly profound. Enjoy this masterclass on Tanka. Or take Tanka to the next level...

I. M. Pei was born in 1917 in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, to a family of wealthy landowners. I. M. stands for Ieoh Ming, which means "to inscribe brightly." Pei can trace his family back more than six hundred years to the Ming Dynasty. He completed high school in Shanghai, and at age 17, he sailed for America to study architecture at MIT. After graduating in 1940, he went on to graduate school at Harvard University to study the emotional and rational sides of design under Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.

By 1955, Pei had become an American citizen and founded his own architecture firm. He went on to create dramatic buildings known for their angular geometry, expansive glass and concrete walls, spacious indoor atriums, and space-frame skylights. One of his most famous commissions was the National Gallery of Art’s East Building to house its modern and contemporary art collection and temporary exhibitions. Here's a mathematical lesson based on it!