STEM ANSWERS

Prompt
Write a short story about a bird learning to fly for the first time.

The little bird stared at the graceful dance of other birds, moving swiftly through the skies with speed.
He longed to fly so much, but fear filled him; he was haunted by doubts and yet wanted strongly to learn
how it felt to fly.

As he watched them fly, he could see how happy his parents had been. He spread his wings and inhaled
deeply because he longed to be happy like them. He jumped from the tree branch and began to fall. He
tried flapping his wings, but he could not get moving. All that was left for him to do was just continue
falling.

He waited for the impact and closed his eyes. However, he was suddenly lifted by a gust of wind. He
opened his eyes and realized that he was flying! He was flying! Like the other birds, he flapped his wings
and flew across the sky.

He was enveloped in pure joy as he circled the tree, even going beyond his feather companions. They
cheered from below as they rejoiced over his new ability. He conquered the art of flight, and pride
swelled within him.

He spent hours exploring the world from a radically different perspective, opening up hitherto hidden
sights. He felt this sensation of liberation on his way towards the underworld's boundlessness. He was a
bird; therefore, he could fly!

In mid-flight, he thought of the myriad adventures that were in store for him. The world lay before him,
full of thrilling adventures, adult friendships, and fun. It filled his being with a sense of excitement,
thinking about a future full of possibilities. A bird, now wearing wings, prepared to enjoy the adventures
that the sky had waiting for it.

He was so full of hope concerning the future and could not wait to know what it would have for him. He
was a bird and he could fly

Prompt 1
I teach 4th grade Math, and parent-teacher conferences are coming up next week. One student in

my class, Billy, shows a lot of potential but doesn’t seem to ever do his homework. Author an

optimistic, yet concerned, 250-word letter to Billy’s parents that I can send before meeting with them.
This letter should explain the issue and why it’s troubling, emphasize Billy’s potential, and set the

stage for what I’d like to discuss during the meeting.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. [Last Name],

I hope you are well enough to receive my letter. Billy is in my fourth-grade math class, and as the parent-
teacher conferences draw near, I would want to pause and consider his academic development. Billy has
shown remarkable aptitude in mathematics, continuously exhibiting a thorough comprehension of ideas
and the capacity to solve them with ease. Billy's academic performance has been showing me a worrying
tendency, through a consistent pattern of unfinished homework assignments. To guarantee Billy's
academic achievement, I think we must collaborate to address this problem and find a solution.

Recognizing the individualistic learning approaches of each student, I acknowledge the importance of
addressing the issue of consistently unfinished homework. This issue raises concerns due to its pivotal
role in reinforcing the skills and concepts covered in class. Homework, acting as a crucial link between
classroom instruction and independent application, serves as a valuable instrument for students to
cement their understanding.

In our upcoming meeting, I intend to explore strategies that can assist Billy in completing his homework
more consistently. We must collaborate to ensure Billy harnesses his full potential and continues to
thrive academically. I am optimistic that through our joint efforts, we can cultivate a positive and
supportive environment conducive to Billy's sustained growth and success.

I eagerly anticipate our dialogue during the parent-teacher conference, where we can delve into tailored
solutions to address this concern and further nurture Billy's academic development.

Warm regards,

[Your Full Name]

4th Grade Math Teacher

$$ Vol_cylinder = \pi r^{2}h_cylinder $$

$$ Vol_cone = \frac{1}{3}\pi r^{2}h_cone $$

SOLUTION:

(a) Given that the radius of the cone equals the diameter of the cylinder and about $\frac{3}{4}$ of the
liquid volume from the cylinder fills the cone, we can set up the equations $V_cone = \frac{1}{3}\pi (\
frac{1}{2}r)^{2}h_cylinder = \frac{1}{12}\pi r^{2}h_cone$ and $\frac{3}{4}V_cylinder = V_cone$. Solving,
we obtain:

$$ \frac{3}{4}\pi r^{2}h_cylinder = \frac{1}{12}\pi r^{2}h_cone $$

$$ 9h_cylinder = h_cone \rightarrow \frac{h_cone}{h_cylinder} = 9 $$

(b) Knowing that $\frac{3}{4}V_cylinder = V_cone$ and $V_cylinder = V_cone + 3\pi$, we can deduce
$V_cylinder = \frac{3}{4}V_cylinder + 3\pi$. This leads to $V_cylinder = 12\pi$ and $V_cone = 9\pi = \
frac{1}{3}\pi r^{2}h_cone$. Finally, $\pi r^{2} = \frac{27}{h_cone}$.