Mr. Pisacane Continued
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Mr. Pisacane: This is probably before you guys were even born but there used to be, across the street, a car museum. A large car museum. Which was all these like donated classic cars. All kinds of crazy cars, and they had this in there. And I used to love going in there and getting a really close look at this thing. I would really like to drive that. What would it be like to drive that on a road, you know what I mean?
Kayla: That'd be cool, it’s like all glass too.
Mr. Pisacane: Yeah, that’s pretty neat, yeah! So that would be my dream car.
Kenisha: Do you enjoy what you do for a living?
Mr. Pisacane: Sure! I mean, I think, if I hated it I would do something else. Right? Um, I have a saying that I say to people I say, if you are afraid of snakes, you wouldn’t get a job at the reptile zoo. You know what I mean? I don’t think there are any teachers who come into the job and hate kids. There are some teachers that, get frustrated at this job and do things that make kids think they hate them, do you know what I mean? But I don’t think there are people who stick with this job and hate kids. Because why would you, right? You wouldn’t work with reptiles if you hated snakes. I mean, I think you guys both had me as a teacher. I definitely don’t come to school and get angry and grumpy.
Kenisha: Yeah, you were always in a good mood.
Mr. Pisacane: Well I know I mean, some people, I think that’s part of it. You’re gonna remember a small portion of what you learned at this school. But you’re gonna remember a lot of how you felt about your teachers. Do you know what I mean? You will, and, I definitely never want to be that teacher where the kids, when they’re 40 they’re thinking back “Mr. Pisacane was a real jerk.” Because, if you have a reasonably good attitude towards school, you’re probably going to have a reasonably good attitude towards learning when you’re older, you’ll wanna keep learning. Anything else?
Kayla: No that’s it.
Kenisha: That’s all of our questions.
Mr. Pisacane: Did I answer all of your questions?
Kenisha: Oh yeah.
Mr. Pisacane: Are you happy with those answers?
Kayla and Kenisha: Yes, thank you!
From Classroom Currency to Underground Economy
By Ayden Byers and Azariy Eskandarinejad
When you see Eagle Bucks, you probably think about buying cheap plastic toys from the school store or picking something from the prize bin. However, earning Eagle Bucks is not as easy as it seems. You either have to win school games or receive them from a teacher as a reward. While that might sound appealing, the reality is that the items available for purchase are often small or low-quality.
Recently, students have started trading Eagle Bucks for better things—like gum, chocolate, and gummies. One person has even managed to accumulate 33 Eagle Bucks by selling desirable snacks. With so many students craving candy and gum, they are willing to pay a lot for them in Eagle Bucks. This underground market has made trading more appealing than spending Eagle Bucks at the school store.
However, this growing desperation has led to a major problem—counterfeiting. Some students have begun forging Eagle Bucks, taking advantage of the fact that they are just printed on regular paper. This has created issues because students might unknowingly receive fake Eagle Bucks and face punishment for something they didn’t do. If caught with a counterfeit, a student could get detention even if they had no idea it was fake.
One way to prevent this issue is by making Eagle Bucks more valuable. If they were easier to obtain and offered better prizes, students might be less inclined to trade or counterfeit them. Instead of cheap toys, the school could introduce more exciting rewards. For example, small electronic keychain game consoles or high-quality art supplies like Copic Markers would be great additions. Copic Markers, in particular, would appeal to student artists who can't afford expensive art supplies.
Another improvement could involve experiences rather than just physical prizes. The school could organize special events where students can spend their Eagle Bucks to participate in a school-wide Blooket or Gimkit competition. If enough students use their Eagle Bucks, the school could host fun activities during F block or G block, such as board games, movie screenings, or social events in the auditorium.
The issue with Eagle Bucks isn’t just that they’re being traded—it’s that they don’t hold much value. When students don’t find the rewards appealing, they accumulate Eagle Bucks without ever spending them. By offering better prizes and making them more worthwhile, the school could turn Eagle Bucks into a system that truly motivates students rather than fueling an underground economy.
Snakes: Deadly, Sneaky, and Totally Awesome!
By Owen Wright and Christopher Romano
Venom
The first thing you need to know about snakes is that some of them have venom. There are many different types of venom that snakes use, and all of them are equally fascinating.
One type of venom destroys the outer membrane of capillary vessels, causing internal bleeding instead of external bleeding. Another type blocks blood flow to the heart, leading to suffocation. The last type is mild venom, which hardly affects humans but may still be lethal. Around 81,410 to 137,880 people die from snake venom each year
Constrictors
The second thing you need to know is that some snakes kill their prey by constriction. These snakes are commonly known as constrictors. Constrictors are the largest type of snakes, with some growing up to 32-35 feet long. The average weight for an adult constrictor is 27 kg (60 pounds).
Constrictors are also the slowest type of snake, moving at just 1 mile per hour. They kill their prey by wrapping around the body and squeezing until the victim suffocates. Afterward, the snake begins eating its prey headfirst.
How to Tell the Difference Between Venomous and Non-Venomous Snakes
One way to tell the difference between venomous and non-venomous snakes is by looking at their body structure. If you examine the belly near the tail, non-venomous snakes have a single line running down the triangular part of their tail. No matter the species—whether it's a garter snake or a rainbow boa—they will always have this distinguishing mark.
Another way to identify venomous snakes is by their eyes. This is the easiest method. Venomous snakes have slitted, pointy pupils, while non-venomous snakes have rounder, less-slitted pupils.
Venomous snakes also have something called pits located just after their nose. These pits allow them to hunt using heat vision, which is crucial for their survival.
Lastly, venomous snakes tend to have triangular-shaped heads, while non-venomous snakes usually have more rounded heads. However, it’s important to note that not all venomous snakes have triangular heads—pit vipers are the ones most known for this feature.
Fun Facts
Fun Facts
Flying snakes? Some species of snakes can actually “fly”! They use this ability to escape predators or glide from tree to tree.
Strongest snake: Snakes are among the strongest animals on Earth, with the green anaconda being the most powerful.
Bones: Snakes have about 1,800 bones in their bodies, each playing a crucial role in their movement and flexibility.
Heaviest snake: The anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world, weighing up to 550 pounds of pure muscle.
Most venomous snake: The inland taipan is the most venomous snake in the world—it can kill over 100 people with just one bite.
Longest venomous snake: The king cobra holds the title for the longest venomous snake, reaching up to 18.5 feet in length.
Snakes are one of the most—if not the most—interesting species worldwide. They have venom, heat-sensing abilities, and can even strangle a bison in their sleep! Whether they’re slithering on land, flying through the air, or hunting in the dark, snakes continue to amaze and terrify people all over the world.
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