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January 2012

Featuring: The only magazine that gives you a new look on dinosaurs

Dr. Alan Grant

By: Kira Wasylak

Behind the scenes of Dr. Alan Grants trip to Jurassic Park 1

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It all start with a great mind that was curious. His name John Hammond, he was a smart, old, curious man who wanted to make a difference in the world. And so he decided to take a long 5 years to do so by buying lots of amber. In the amber were mosquitos and as you know the irratating feeling today of getting bit, they bit dinosaurs then too. 5 years later, the dinosaur DNA became useful in a project that literally changed the world.

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s t n e t

n o C

• Interview with Dr. Alan Grant ................. 4 and 5

An interview with the famous paleontologist, Dr. Alan Grant • The hitch of complications......................... 6 and 7

A Song including lyrics that relate to the theme of jurassic Park • Where I’m From ..................................................... 8

A poem about the dangers of genetics based on the story-line of the famous novel, Jurassic Park

• Judging The Book.............................................. 9 -

A book review of Micheal Cricthon’s Jurassic Park 11

An art project • Art ................................................................. 12

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Interviewing...

Dr. Alan Grant Dr. Alan Grant was born in a compact quiet town in scalding Texas. The highly renowned paleontologist who has lectured all around the world about the daunting velociraptor has recently started writing books. Although he has written quite a few books before, his most successful one was published in 1994, in The journal of Paleontology. The book sold over 10,000 copies, and had Dr. Grant doing book signings all over the U.S.A., including big cities such as New York and small towns such as Palomino. In March, he was then invited to Cobano, Costa Rica to do some fossil-findings. In Cobano, Grant found a legendary raptor claw which he carries around where ever he goes, showing and proving to people how belligerent the creature is. When working in Cobano, Grant was invited to visit the new park for dinosaurs only a year away from opening. Now his expertise in paleontology will come to the test when he comes face to face with the real thing in Jurassic Park. Today, I will sit down with him and discuss his adventure in the park.

Character: Dr. Alan Grant Dr. Alan Grant is a world-famous paleontologist who has lectured all around the world about the fearsome velociraptor. He has written quite a few books before, but his most successful one was published in 1994, The journal of Paleontology. Recently, he was searching for fossils in Cobano, Costa Rica. Now his expertise in paleontology will come to the test when he comes to the real thing.

it was, I thought it was some sort of resort he had invited me to, which I couldn’t accept, I had to stay with my work but he never let me say anything, and he insisted on Ellie, my co-worker, and myself going.

Overall it was, confusing and very shocking to hear.

Q: Being suspicious, you were looking very carefully and cautiously at the dinosaurs, why is that?

And what was your reaction when you saw real dinosaurs? Especially since your used to seeing them fossilized!

Grant: Well, I was definitely confused for the start, but then when the other car disappeared, I knew something was definitely wrong, I’d have to say though the scariest part was when it was trying to scare me. I was thinking, what do I do? Until it stormed off into the forest...

Q: What were you most looking forward to on the tour of the park to get to see more dinosaurs?

Grant: Just seeing all the animals, think about it, these dinosaurs have been gone, extinct for 60 million years. Also seeing how they acted and if paleontologists were wrong about any of the theories.

Q: So, when you got the invite call to become a resident expert at Jurassic Park from Mr. Hammond, what was your reaction?

Grant: Well, I was confused, he never told me what

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“

That was when I discovered that the t-rex was trying to scare me into moving. That’s why I didn’t run.

Q: Recently you left Tim and Lex sitting in the cafeteria by themselves, what were you reasonings for these actions?

Grant: I knew I had to put the power back on or else everything could have gotten even worse, I though the cafeteria would probably be safe, they could get something to eat and they knew I would be back for them.

Q: Stopping, and staying still, while the T-rex tried to scare you into moving, what was going through your mind? Why didn’t you run, how did you know?

Grant: Well at first I had no clue what was going to happen, but then it didn’t go after me, but roar and push the car very close to me. That was when I discovered that the t-rex was trying to scare me into moving. That’s why I didn’t run.

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”

Grant: Well, I was baffled! I didn’t think it was real, I had to look at the dinosaurs closely until I believed it! The whole island was anew, it was different but amazing! Especially how they had the ability to recreate 15 different species. There was the controversial argument about the island going bad or not, and I was worried at the start, but I think it really turned out at that moment. I also thought it was magnificent, who would expect to see real dinosaurs?

Q: When the power shut off and you were stuck outside of the T-rex inclosure and the T-rex was able to brake through the fence, what was the scariest part? What was going through your mind?

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Don’t Give Up I have seen this look before, and its alright, your not alone.

In 2007, Sixx a.m released a hit single Accidents Can Happen on their album The Sugar Diaries, which is about not giving up when you make a mistake. In the, I believe the overall message is too keep going when a blunder strikes.

Repeatedly, in the song it states “I hear you’ve slipped again, I’m here cause I know you’ll need a friend.” I feel the author’s memo in this quote of the song is that even when you somehow tumble, someone will always be there to support you. We can see this again with the lyric “we all fall off the wagon sometimes.” Here the author is again saying that everyone falls in life but its

The Hitch

not to late to fix it.

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of

Complications

In the book Jurassic Park, their is a man who is motivated by greed and money.

These two corresponding details are related to the song because the consequences of the aftermath could be severe. In this way, The song writer I believed used these to show the fact that accidents can and do happen, the writer notes all of these quotes, “We all fall off the wagon sometimes,” “You haven’t thrown everything away,” “Take some time and learn to breathe,” “I hear that you’ve slipped again,” all examples saying calm down after these accidents, take time, and build yourself back up again. This relates to the book because Dr. Grant is feeling scared but must calm down, re build and get the kids to safety.

Album: The Heroin Diaries Released: Aug. 20th, 2007

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Where IM From

I’m from stabbing, intimidating cacti, and scorching bronze land, with intense heat and beads of perspiration roll down my neck.

I’m from whispering, swift winds, that softly stir tumbleweeds sweeping the dusty pebbled road.

Its rough and jagged, but as weightless as a feather.

I am from the aromatic acacia’s in the backyard. climbing like monkey with limbs long and free.

I’m from cheering and excitement, the tart taste of wine I’m from giving and getting, from the first toy dinosaur I imagined was real, Christmas morning when I was three I am from the aromatic acacia’s in the backyard. climbing like monkey with limbs long and free.

And as I take the time to focus back to the past, I smile because these memories are what I’m from, they make me who I am, they create who I am.

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By dr. alan grant

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I’m from stabbing, intimidating cacti, and scorching bronze land, with intense heat and beads of perspiration roll down my neck.

I’m from whispering, swift winds, that softly stir tumbleweeds sweeping the dusty pebbled road.

Its rough and jagged, but as weightless as a feather.

Should It Stay Or Should It Go?

Judging

The BOOK

An essay on if the book Jurassic Park belongs in the grade eight curriculum based on a readers thoughts.

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A

“ good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you, and remains a friend.”- Anonymous. Jurassic Park. This book embraces petrifying dinosaurs that can’t be released. However, in my personal opinion this book shouldn’t be used in our Grade 8 curriculum. This is because this book has an extraordinarily engrossing story, but at times the plot is very confusing.

Many complex characters fill this book, but many of them are not relatable to myself or many others in grade eight. The summarization of this entire 399 page book, is that scientists of many genre’s talk about genetics and the expansion of DNA from new and evolved dinosaurs. For grade 8 level, there is lots of confusing and complexing vocabulary. Egotistical Grade 8’s have read this book, but I wouldn’t suggest this book to many. For many Grade level students, I suggest it may be a better read for grade 10’s. Therefore I conclude that this would not be a “alluring” read for grade eights.

I believe that one of the reasons this book shouldn’t be in the Grade 8 curriculum is because of the books non-relatable characters. Jurassic Park has characters of all ages from the age of nice to seventy. Although the two children are quite relatable the rest of the characters aren’t. The older characters are all mainly Genetical scientists or major in dinosaur-related subjects making their conversations much more confusing because of the subjects they chatter on about.

“For the most part, the book is about how the computer systems failed and can’t get back up because of the colossal rain storm that is spread all around the island.”

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Not only though are the characters confusing, but the plot as well! Now, it may seem that the story is just about dinosaurs becoming loose, leaving the humans to try and escape the ferocious island, but there’s much more too it! For the most part, the book is about how the computer systems failed and can’t get back up because of the colossal rain storm that is spread all around the island. It then goes into how since the computers failed, the problems that are now occurring on the island, into genetics and breeding, and conversations about which types of DNA was used to help create the horrifying dinosaurs.

Finally, one last reason is the long range of talking about genetics, DNA, and such. From the start of the book, its all about genetics and DNA, and for some reason the same types of conversations spread throughout the whole 399 page book. It never seems to die down, but it gets a little more confusing each page.

For these reasons, I think it is easy for you as a reader to believe why it isn’t a good book for the Grade 8 curriculum, but maybe for an older age such as grade 10’s. That is why I don’t believe Jurassic Park should be

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SAY WHAT?

M&M’s now come in brown!?

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