Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Reader Reflection and Response: GHOST GIRL, by Delia Ray
Visit Delia Ray’s official author website to read about how her independent study research project on Lou Henry Hoover sparked the idea for the book, GHOST GIRL. What historical facts did Delia Ray use in writing this fictional novel? Make a list of real things, people, places, and events that appear in the book.
Explain the significance of at least five of the following in both FACT (real history) and FICTION (the story of GHOST GIRL).
Person, Place, Thing | FACTUAL | FICTIONAL |
Chestnut Tree | ||
Geology (rock collection) | ||
Victrola | ||
Camp Rapidan | ||
Depression | ||
The White House | ||
Christine Vest |
If you could ask Delia Ray to write a sequel to GHOST GIRL, what specific questions about the characters, setting, or plot (story action) would you want her to answer? Write a letter to the author and ask your questions. Tell her why you enjoyed the book and explain why you would like her to write GHOST GIRL, PART TWO.
All photos courtesy of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, West Branch, Iowa
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Geological History
Billion Year Old BouldersThe rock formation underlying the area around the Oconaluftee-Raven Fork junction contains some of the oldest exposed rocks in the Eastern United States. This formation, which is composed primarily of an Early Precambrian basement rock known as granite gneiss, was formed over a billion years ago from the gradual accumulation of marine sediment and igneous rocks.
Metamorphic Extrusions
The Oconaluftee valley's upper elevations are underlain by a Late Precambrian metamorphic rock of the Ocoee Supergroup, which is the dominant rock class in the Great Smokies. These rocks were formed from ocean sediments nearly 400 million years ago, and were thrust upward during the Appalachian orogeny, when the North American and African plates collided. The Atlas Mountains in northwestern Africa are a continuation of this formation!
The Greenbrier Fault, which crosses the Oconaluftee River between Tow String Creek and Mingus Creek, divides the basement formation from the Late Precambrian formation. Exposures of both rock formations can be seen between Newfound Gap and Cherokee all along the drive on 441.
Harry Moore, A Roadside Guide to the Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1988), 98-101.
Mingus Mill
Mingus Mill
Mingus Mill was built in 1886 by Sevier County, Tennessee millwright Sion Thomas Early for John Mingus, a son of John Jacob Mingus. Early completed the mill in three months for a cost of $600. The mill operated at wholesale and retail levels until the park service purchased the property in 1934. The mill was restored in 1937, but closed again during World War II. In 1968, the mill was again reopened.
Aden Carver, who arrived in Oconaluftee in the mid-19th century, helped Early build the mill in 1886. 
Water diverted from Mingus Creek via a sluice (canal) and a wooden flume turns two turbines which provide power to the mill. An iron shaft connects the turbines to grindstones on the first floor and a wheat cleaner and bolting chest on the second floor (the latter two via a series of pulleys). Wheat or corn is first transported by bucket belt to the wheat cleaner, which is essentially a fan which clears the grain of dirt and excess material, and then drops it back to the first floor. The cleaned grain is then fed into the grindstones, which break it down into flour (or cornmeal). The flour is then transported back to the second floor and fed into the bolting chest, which uses bolts of progressively coarse cloth to separate the flour into different grades.
On Top of Old Smoky: A Mountain Island Habitat
ON TOP OF OLD SMOKY THERE IS NO CHEESE
On top there is a Mountain Island. This “Island” has Spruce Firs, Indian Bats and other species. Did you know that the Great Smokey Mountain National Park holds 75% of the Spruce Fir Forests. On our fun 4/5 class trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park I discovered the top of Clingman’s Dome is a Mountain Island.
A Mountain Island is a cold and moist habitat at a high altitude. This allows lots of northern species to thrive, such as the northern Flying Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Common Raven and the Canadian Warbler.
An unwelcomed guest in the Mountain Island habitat is the Woolly Adelgid. Sadly, the Woolly Adelgid is killing the Spruce Firs. First it sticks a needle into the Fir and starts sucking the water out of the Fir and then the Spruce Fir dies.
Also Global Warming is destroying the Mountain Island Habitat because it is changing the temperatures and the animals aren’t use to the new environment. This causes problems with the Habitat’s systems. I hope some day we can fix this.
Click on the link below to see Rangers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park as they release biocontrol beetles.The beetle, a species called Laricobius nigrinus, is a predator of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an invasive insect from Asia that has wreaked havoc on many hemlock forests in the eastern United States.
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/video-dispatch-hwa.htm |
| Bella and Maja, Sovah, and Caroline experience what it is like to be a Woolly Adelgid and a tree! Every new hole that was punched in the straw made it harder to suck water up the straw. The Woolly Adelgid bores holes in the Carolina Hemlock and in the Spruce Fir, making it impossible for the trees to absorb nutrients. To find out more about the Woolly Adelgid and efforts to save the Hemlocks and Spruce Fir, visit this National Park Service webpage: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/hemlock-woolly-adelgid.htm |
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