Duct Tape – Versatile and AMAZING!

By Elijah Cross
Duct tape is super strong tape. It is generally silver but also available in other
colors. Duct tape was originally developed in 1942 during World War II as a water-
resistant sealing tape for ammunition cases. It was also used to repair military equipment
quickly, including jeeps, firearms, and aircraft because of these properties.  At this time,
the name was known as DUCK TAPE!  Later it became useful for ducts, when it got its
common silver color, and evolved into DUCT TAPE.
    Duct tape can be used to make wallets, to bags, to make just about anything you can
think of. With all the different colors, you can have more than just the plain old grey color.
You can even make Duct tape clothes.
Duct Tape Poll:
Book Review: Scorpions What is your favorite color of duct tape?
By Ta’Shae Williams Just write it in this box and give it to Ms.Kobilka
Ms. Gliske’s seventh grade English class is in room 314:
currently reading a book called Scorpions. This book
is about a boy named Jamal who is having big
problems in his life.  First, his father, Jevon Hicks,
starts drinking and beating his mom, who is known
as Mama in this story. So she leaves him.  Then, his What’s on the Web?
older brother, Randy, ends up in jail for supposedly By Elijah Cross
murdering someone. Related to my duct tape article, there is a
Jamal and Mama are trying their very best to bail website about these guys that use duct tape
Randy out of jail, but the price is too high and his for everything. Ducttapeguys.com is the
family is kind of poor. So Randy tells Jamal to go to address. They cook with duct tape and they
this gang that he was once in, the Scorpions, and he make masks and stuff. It’s cool; check it out.
asks them for help. Book Review:
Jamal is about 13 or 14, but the boys in this gang
are about 16 and 17. The Scorpions don’t want Emily The Strange
Jamal to take Randy’s place as leader. But Randy’s By Maureen Helper
sidekick, Mack, says Jamal doesn’t have to worry Emily The Strange: The Lost Days is a
about anything, as long as he can handle a pistol. His young adult book that was published in
worst enemy, Dwayne, is always starting mess with 2009. It’s one of three books in a series. In
Jamal. So Jamal plans to bring it to school and scare the book, Emily has amnesia and wakes up
him. But as they get ready to fight, Mack is outside in a small, weird town she’s never heard of
of his school, somewhere where he is not allowed. called Blackrock. All she has is a slingshot
And Jamal wonders, “How does he know where I go and a notebook, which she writes in. She
to school?” ventures through the dark, strange town and
Now, Jamal starts sensing danger and he doesn’t meets Raven, four black cats, and many
think he can really trust Mack anymore. Even his other people. While she’s there, she tries to
closest friend, Tito, knows that it’s too dangerous to regain her memory but also solves a
be with the Scorpions. Tito also mentions that he mystery in the town.
shouldn’t show anyone the gun, or even shoot it. Once she figures everything out, she
So, what’s going to happen next? learns she’s more connected to the strange
 Is Jamal going to show the gun? town than the people who have lived there
 Will he be okay staying in this gang? their whole lives.  
 And is Randy ever going to get out of jail? I thought this book was interesting and I
We’ll continue reading and find out! had a lot of fun reading it.