George Nakashima always insisted that he was a simple woodworker, not an artist. Even though major museums exhibited his works and the director of the American Craft Museum called him a national treasure, Mr. Nakashima rejected the label of artist. For almost fifty years he simply went on shaping wood into beautiful chairs, tables, and cabinets.

Nakashima had a clear goal. He intended to make each piece of furniture as perfect as possible.  Even making a box was an act of creation, because it produced an object that had never existed before. Initially Nakashima used local wood, sometimes from his own property. Later, he traveled to seek out English oak, Persian walnut, African zebrawood and Indian teak. He especially liked to find giant roots that had been dug out of the ground after a tree was cut down. Nakashima felt that making this wood into furniture was a way of allowing the tree to live again.

Most furniture makers prefer perfect boards, but Nakashima took pleasure in using wood with interesting knots (结疤)  and cracks.  These irregularities gave the wood personality and showed that the tree had lived a colourful life.

He never failed to create an object that was both useful and beautiful. One early piece Nakashima designed was a three­legged chair for his small daughter, Mira, to use when she sat at the table for meals. The Mira chair became so popular that Nakashima later made both low and high versions. Another famous piece, the conoid chair, has two legs supported by bladelike feet. Always, Nakashima's designs were precise and graceful, marked by the simplicity that revealed his love for the wood.

As the years passed, Nakashima's reputation grew and he received many awards. His children Mira and Kevin, now adults, joined the team of craftspeople in their father's studio. Nakashima's dream of integrating work and family had come true.

Instructors can use examinations to evaluate student performance in a class. Midterm examination notices and final examination dates and times are published before registering begins.

Midterm Examination Guidelines

Midterm examinations are usually held during regularly scheduled class meeting times. However, large classes with multiple sections requiring a common midterm examination can hold examinations outside regular class meeting times with the following restrictions:

●Notice of out-of-class midterm examination dates and times must be published in the Schedule of Classes and on MyUCLA before registration begins.

●Instructors must include out-of-class midterm examination dates in the course outline. 

Final Examination Guidelines

Final examinations are generally held in the same rooms as class meetings; however, by prior arrangement with the Registrar's Office, common final examinations can be scheduled, and additional room locations may be booked. Final examination locations are displayed on Monday of the ninth week of the term in the Schedule of Classes and in MyUCLA. It is the student's responsibility to make sure the final examination times do not conflict by checking the Schedule of Classes.

The instructor''s methods of evaluation must be announced at the beginning of the course. Final written examinations may not surpass three hours' length and are given only at the times and places established and published by the department chair and the registrar.

Instructors must submit grades no later than 10 days after the last day of finals for fall, winter, and spring terms, and no later than 10 days after the last day of any given summer session.

Billions of insects are moving together over the sky like a black cloud. It's a swarm of locusts. Many insects move in huge swarms. They form swarms for different reasons. Some move together to look for food or to find new homes. Sometimes insects swarm for protection. These enormous swarms can destroy food crops and harm other living things.

When something disturbs a red fire ants' nest, out they will come. Not just one or two, but thousands of them. The fire ants swarm all over their victim. Their stings burn like fire. Each ant in the swarm can sting over and over again. The fire ants hold onto their victim with their mouth parts. Then they inject their prey with poison. Most small animals cannot survive the stings from a swarm of fire ants.

When army ants are on the move, anything in their path is prey. Even snakes can' t escape a swarm of these stinging ants. Army ants move together to look for food. They can't see their prey, but they use smells and sounds to find their way. If they come to a river, they make a bridge with their bodies. They cling together with their legs. Then the rest of the ants can cross the bridge. There is not much that can stop these fierce and cruel ants from chasing their prey.

Insects are not the only animals that swarm. There are many others that do. Most are not harmful to people. Being close to a huge swarm of animals can be scary and dangerous. Some scientists have studied animal swarms. They have found that many swarms follow simple rules. They work together to solve problems. When they work together they are a very strong team.