Examining the Historical Representation of the Holocaust within Trade Books

State and national education initiatives provide students with opportunities to engage in close readings of complex texts from diverse perspectives as they actively construct complicated understandings as they explore complex texts.  Opportunities for interdisciplinary units emerge as the role of non-fiction in English/language arts and informational texts in history/social studies increase dramatically.  Trade books are a logical curricular link between these two curricula.  The initiatives, however, do not prescribe specific curricular materials so teachers rely on their own discretion when selecting available trade books.  Scholarship indicates that historical misrepresentations emerge within trade books to varying degrees, yet only a few empirical studies have been conducted.  We empirically evaluated trade books centered on the Holocaust, a curricular topic that appears in U.S. history, world history, and English/language arts.  We report various misrepresentations within the trade books regarding the Holocaust’s origins, targeted victims, victim totals, contributors, and recognition of other genocidal acts.  We provide ancillary primary sources for teachers interested in addressing or balancing the historical misrepresentations. 

Tensile Tests of Round-head, Flat-head, and Brazier-head Rivets

An investigation was conducted to determine the tensile strength of round-head (AN43C), flat-head(AN442), and brazier-head (AN4556) aluminum-alloy rivets because of the scarcity of information on the tensile strength of rivets. The results of the investigation are presented as curves that show the variation of the ratio of the tensile strength of the rivet to the tensile strength of the rivet crank with the ratio of the sheet thickness to the rivet diameter for the different types of rivet

The Penguin: a Low Reynolds Number Powered Glider for Station Keeping Missions

The Penguin is a low Reynolds number (approx. 100,000) remotely piloted vehicle (RPV). It was designed to fly three laps indoors around two pylons in a figure-eight course while maximizing loiter time. The Penguin's low Reynolds number mission is an important one currently being studied for possible future flights in the atmospheres of other planets and for specialized military missions. Although the Penguin's mission seemed quite simple at first, the challenges of such low Reynolds number flight have proven to be quite unique. In addition to the constraint of low Reynolds number flight, the aircraft had to be robust in its control, highly durable, and it had to carry a small instrument package. The Penguin's flight plan, concept, performance, aerodynamic design, weight estimation, structural design, propulsion, stability and control, and cost estimate is detailed