This Year's Charity Fair: Project Blog

Tri-fold of our project

Summary

During this project, I learned a lot. One thing that definitely stuck out to me in this project is learning how to use laminate on boards and cards. I needed to learn how to use this because without knowing how to we wouldn't be able to make our product look as professional. I also learned how to make a background that players can follow in order to make our board game functional. It taught me alot about graphic design and how the brain processes patterns and paths according to color coordination. This is what I learned over the course of this project

Backwards Looking - What process did you go through to produce this piece?

To create our board game, we went through a relatively simple process. To create all the different parts of the project is another story, so i'm just going to say how we made the game. First, we had to do all of the printing for the boards and cards. Next, we had to cut all the cards to size and laminate them. For the board, we had to cut all the boards to size and cut cardboard to match the background. We then glued the background to the cardboard and laminated it. Then, we laminated all the logos to the back of the text side of the cards. After all that, we put the cards, boards, marbles, rules, and dice into a box. After this we were done creating our product. 

Inwards Looking - How do you feel about this piece of work? What parts of it do you particularly like? Dislike? Why? What did/do you enjoy about this piece or work?

I feel as if our group did pretty well on this project. We produced a well done ignite presentation, as well as we were able to maintain clear ideas throughout the whole presentation. We also did pretty well on our products. However, some things that I thought we did OK on (not very good, or bad) is probably our tri-fold. Our tri-fold looked overall a bit sloppy, and kind or messy in my opinion, but it wasn't overwhelmingly terrible. This what I enjoyed, and didn't enjoy about our project

Outward Looking - What grade would you give it? Why?

I would probably give this project an A-. I would say this because, for the most part, we did everything relatively well. Our presentation was pretty good. Our product was very nice looking and presentable as a legitimate board game. Last but not least, our instructable was pretty good too. The only reason why I wouldn't give us an A is because, like I said before, our poster board had some faults. But they weren't overwhelming, as in they didn't distract you from the ideas our poster was conveying. This is the grade I would giver our project.

Forward Looking - As you look at this piece, what's one thing that you would like to try to improve upon?

I think that I could probably improve upon the tri-fold. As I mentioned before, the tri-fold was a bit sloppy, and overall could have probably improved. So next time I will know what I did wrong before, which was deciding to put the entire covering of paper at once, which can induce tears due to stretching. I think that we also could have made the rules a bit more specific, and potentially made our product look a bit nicer and more profesional. These are the things I will improve upon for my next project.

Should We Bring Back Extinct Species? - WAC

Almost everyone knows of the tales told of the animals in the past. Where animals such as monstrous Dinosaurs, mammoths, and Tasmanian tigers roamed the earth. Well, modern science has given opportunity to bring back these species from the past. Even though Dinosaurs aren't as likely to happen, there are still possibilities of bringing back those that have become extinct more recently. Modern science has proven to have the prowess of reviving these extinct species. Controversy regarding the subject has stirred among the community of those interested in the discussion, and is shown that not everyone is on board with this idea. This is because reviving these extinct species could take a lot of time, effort, and money that could very well be spent on a failed project. I am in the group of people that isn't supporting the concept of De-Extinction, and I will address all of my arguments separately in this essay.

The first argument I have against de-extinction is the complications that bring these animals back would cause. Let's say that we were to successfully bring back one of these species, where would they even go? what would they eat for food, and if they did find a source of food, would those species die out as well? Similar questions to these were also asked in the SENCER article "Should We Bring Back Extinct Species". A quote that supported my ideas from this article was "We don’t know the environmental impacts of bringing back extinct species. Would they be invasive? If there weren’t predators for this species, it could become overpopulated. Alternatively, it could become a “new” predator and wipe out other species". Another concern to this topic is if these species that are brought back would even be protected or not. This was mentioned in the KQED article "Reawakening Extinct Species". This was seen in the quote "There are significant practical, ethical, and legal questions yet to be worked out, such as whether de-extincted species would be protected by the Endangered Species Act or would find sufficient habitat in which to thrive." This is the first reason why I believe that de-extinction could be problematic to today's environments.

The next argument I have against this topic is the fact that all these resource might be inevitably useless and end in a failed project. These species that are already extinct are probably meant to stay extinct and I only say this because the initial purpose of them becoming extinct may very well be the cause of them becoming extinct again. These species coming back also may be at the cost of several other species. This can be seen in the article "We Might Soon Resurrect Extinct Species. Is It Worth the Cost?" from the New York times. In this article, Dr. Bennet gave his thoughts on the topic. “If you have the millions of dollars it would take to resurrect a species and choose to do that, you are making an ethical decision to bring one species back and let several others go extinct,” Dr. Bennett said. “It would be one step forward, and three to eight steps back.” This attempts have been done before and were almost successful, but not quite there every time. An example of this would be in 1989, when there was a species of mountain goat that was going extinct. Scientists were able to collect and gather samples of the very few animals left and attempt to "clone" them. This resulted in several unsuccessful procedures, but a spark of hope came when they were able to finally deliver one of the baby goats. This goat was born in 2003, but died after a few minutes from a lung deformity. This caused millions of dollars in resources to go down the drain.

Even though they were unsuccessful in cloning the animal, the research did end up making several breakthroughs that could potentially help other animals. This proves that this research could be beneficial to other things, but would be wasted if used on de-extinction. There are tons of animals that are on the brink of extinction and could be saved using this revolutionary research and technology. This can be seen in the quote from the SENCER article in the quote “[This technology] could be used to help populate species that are currently endangered, or to diversify the gene pool of species with little genetic variation, leaving populations less susceptible to viruses, bacterial infections and disease". This is why I believe that the research backing de-extinction should be used for something that could be worth our time and money, and could be very possible if done in the right hands.

In conclusions, de-extinction is something that would be not desirable for the following reasons. The resources, time, and money that would be spent trying to make de-extinction a reality, will most probably be wasted on a failed project, or result in the species not having any place to go. De-extinction would also bring up a lot of problematic situations for today's ecosystems and environments. Finally, even though de-extinction isnt the best idea, the research being put on bringing back these species, could most certainly result in saving several species that are endangered because of our damage to their homes. This is why I believe that de-extinction isn't a good idea.

Learning About De-Extinction - Weekly Blog #12

www.sciencenews.org

Summary

This week in science, I learned about the research done on extinct species, and the attempts of bringing them back. I found a lot of things very interesting regarding the resurrection of extinct species.They  talked about how we morally feel obligated to bring these species that we did wrong to, but controversy has spurred among everyone about this topic. Bringing back these species would also take a lot of resources and time to make a reality. There are several engineers working in the field that have been making several developments in this field and that at the end, the benefits would most certainly out weigh the costs. This whole concept of bringing back these extinct special definitely has a lot of controversy, but also has a lot of thoughts coming from both sides of the argument. There are most definitely benefits and disadvantages to both sides of the argument, and just hearing people discuss the topic taught me a lot about different things that have to do with resurrecting extinct species. 

S&EP - Arguing From Evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I answered Riccardo when he tried to claim that one of the articles from KQED learn Investigation was informational. I was able to disprove him by providing  quotes from the specifically explained key concepts in science that are being used today to bring back extinct animals. I was able to successfully rebuttal his claim, and explain using evidence from the text in response to the comment made on his source.

XCC - Stability and Change

This week in science, I was able to identify the stability and change that bringing back these extinct species would cause. The stability that could potentially be brought if Woolly Mammoths were to come back is to help reduce the amount of carbon being released into the air through melting. They were going to bring back the Woolly mammoth by splicing the DNA of the mammoth into the Asian Elephant. Through reading the articles, I learned that bringing back these mammoths would be at the cost of today's Asian elephant population. Through this, I identified change in the population of Asian elephants becoming Woolly Mammoths, could provide stability in the ecosystem, but could also change life in the tundra and the population of the elephants drastically.

Our Product's Carbon Footprint - Weekly Blog #11

Summary

This week in science, I learned about the affects that modes of transportation have on the environment. When materials for products try to get from one place to another, they have serious affects on the air quality. With every shipment comes a price, and not only the price you pay for the product, but also a price of kg of carbon released in the air through gas emissions. We had to calculate how much kg of carbon our product releases in order to know what our products carbon footprint is. We were able to calculate that to make one of our products, we have to

Fluxx, Body System Edition - Project Blog

Edited by me: Original Photo from http://www.sciencephoto.com

Summary

In this project, I learned about the different body system organs, and how they directly correlate with each other. I also learned how to create a card game by printing the context of the card onto the front side, and print the backing onto to the back using double sided printing. Through this card game, i could make direct connections between organs, due to them having to be connected in some sort of way in order for the game to work and make sense. I also learned how to play Fluxx, and what the different cards meant and how they affect game play.

Backward-Looking: In what ways do you think you need to improve?

Well, I think that I could improve on the overall neatness and presentation  of the cards. Even though I tried my best cutting the cards to shape, the backing of the cards wasn't perfectly aligned. This ended up messing with the entire composure of the cards. With this in mind, I know that I can make the cards better in presentation. I also think that I could have come up with better, and more creative interpretations of the "new rule" cards.

Inward-Looking: What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?

Something that was especially satisfying at the finished product was the overall gratification that completing all the cards gave me. Doing all of that painstaking work to create the different types of cards was really worth it at the end. I was able to look at the end product with a strong sense of completion and fulfillment in making an engaging and creative Fluxx game.

Outward-Looking: In what ways did your work meet the standards for this assignment? In what ways did it not meet those standards?

A way that I met the standards of the assignment was by creating a variety or cards that were both intriguing, and included all the necessary components of the assignments. I also met the standards in the lamination process for the card making. During this process, I was able to accurately laminate the card stock onto the lamination sheets, and create protected cards that looked professional. A way that I didn't meet the standards of the assignment because I didn't cut the cards very neatly.

Forward-Looking: As you look at this piece, what's one thing that you would like to try to improve upon?

If I were to improve upon one thing in this piece of work, I would improve on making the cards look more presentable and playable. I could have done this by doing neater cutting and making sure that the backing of the cards was perfectly aligned with the front. I also could have taken out the bubbles that occurred from the laminate much better. With these small improvements, I could have made a more professional, and neat looking end product.

Making My Own Fluxx Card Game! - Weekly blog #10

Amazon.com

Summary

This week in science, I learned about a game called Fluxx. We were given a task to recreate this game catering to a certain topic in science. My partner and I chose the topic of the human body systems. I learned more about human body systems than I ever did before. These are facts such as communications between the brain and different organs of your body, as well as how organs in the same system are codependent of each other. I also learned how to better use google tools including google sheets and google drawings. I also now know how to make nice looking cards that can be used to play with. This includes using card-stock, applying laminate, and a logo to be put on the back.

S&EP - Constructing Explanations

Through this project, I was able to construct explanation on how organs in body systems work together and what allows communication between different parts of the body. With the keeper cards and goals, I was able to set explanations about different connections between our body systems. Through these cards, I can provide a fun game that also can teach people all sorts of thing about the different human body systems and connections between them. This is how I constructed explanations this week in science

XCC - Structure and Function

There are vast amounts of examples regarding structure and function when it comes to the human body system. There is a sense of structure built into each of our body systems because several organs are joined together in a way that requires structure to operate. There is function because these organs and body systems rely on one another in order to function. There is also several tasks given to certain organs in order to make a functioning body. This is why structure an function is present in the different human body systems.

Designer Species: Project Blog

Drawing of our species

Summary

In this project, I learned how different animals use their adaptations to help them out in the wild. I learned about this through researching the different traits that might be beneficial to our animal. Through this, I was able to learn how the blowholes of dolphins work, how the reproductive system of a frog is like, and how seals keep themselves warm. Through the designer species project, I also learned how to create an engaging, and informational video. I also learned how to better use the green screen effect through the green screen that we filmed on.

Backward Looking - In what ways have you gotten better at this kind of work?

I believe that I got better at this type of work because I learned how to better make a drawing as a representation of collections of ideas. This allowed me to have a better understanding of the importance of teamwork and collaboration to share ideas. I also learned how to get better at making video that are informational and also entertaining. I also leaned how to better film with real cameras, as well as how to do green screen effects.

Inward Looking - What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?

I guess what was especially satisfying as the end result of the project was the collection of different types of products that we made for the project. I like the fact that we did an animatic, as well. as a detailed sketch/model. This way, we were able to express different versions of the same product.This was especially satisfying at the end because  we got to see lots of collections in different ideas coming together. Another thing that was especially satisfying at the end was the video quality. Even though the audio lacked in quality, I liked how we were able to use a variety of shots and angles. 

Outward Looking - Did you do your work the way other people did theirs? In what ways did you do it differently? In what ways was your work or process similar?

We did our work differently then other in a variety of ways. Even though our methods were different in presentation, we all had the same concepts, for some the same planet. The reason why our methods were different then other was due to us wanting to do something a little out of the box. Because of this, we decided to do a video instead of a presentation, which pretty much everyone else was doing. We also included a different type of detailed sketch, because in a way that detailed sketch was like a model, in the sense that it could stand up on its own, and used all sorts of materials. We were similar to other groups because we all made animals that were, in some way, adapted to their environments and. 

Forward Looking - What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?

If I were to do this piece over again, I would redo the filming on a lot of the shots. I say this because the audio on all of the shots that we did after the restaurant scene had a lot of background noise in it. Also, the green screen didn't come out very good on those shots, and was pretty hard to work with. I would also probably try and add more texture to our detailed sketch/model. I say this because we were originally going to add all sorts of material onto the sketch but ended up not having enough time for it. These are thing that I would change if I were to do this over again.

Making My Own Species! - Weekly blog #9

http://mariana68.wixsite.com/evolution/designer-species

Summary

This week in science, I worked on my designer species project. So far, in this project I was able to create a concept on what our animal could be like. We were able to chose out of a few planets that our species could be from. We decided on planet C, a tropical planet that features plenty of vegetation, as well as animals such as birds, insects, and snakes. Knowing the information of the planet that we chose, we were able to think of traits that could be potentially useful in the environment. From their my team and I created a chart listing the advantages and disadvantages that certain traits presented, and which one we would like to include in our animal. From there we created another table that listed the body systems of the animal, and took different systems from different animals that we thought shared a similar system. Through this, I learned about all sorts of systems from different animals. 

Learning About Cladograms - Weekly Blog #8

https://bursakietad402.wordpress.com/illustrating-evolutionary-relationships/

Summary

This week, I learned about cladograms, and how scientists use them to organize data about common traits among animals. Cladograms are designed in a linear fashion to represent the growing complexity of trait, and the possible connections between animals. Cladograms allows scientists to examine possible common ancestors between animals and the traits that those common ancestors shared. Cladograms allow you to organize traits and allow you to find the most common traits among species. This can be especially useful because animals are complex in their traits, and as species evolve, it can be very difficult to find commonality between them.

S&EP - Using Models

This week, I was able to use models, such as cladograms, to find similarities between animals and how they connect to each other through common ancestors. on e example of this is the trying to find the most common ancestor of the T-Rex. The first thing that I had to do was make the cladogram and put the most basic trait in the beginning, in this case being vertebrae. I used a chart to help organize which animals had the most common traits to the T-Rex. Then, I was able to narrow it down further into 2 main species that could possibly be the closest common relatives. Those species were the Caiman and Parrot. I was then able to get more specific with traits that might be common with the T-Rex. In the end, the Parrot had the most common traits with the T-Rex, making it the most common ancestor.

XCC - Patterns 

Patterns can be very visible in cladograms. I say this because cladograms all present a sense of connection between species, and all follow the pattern of having the most specific shared traits at the top of the line, and the most basic traits at the bottom. This pattern can help scientists further examine specific traits that are present in a species, and how it compares to others. The pattern is universal, in the sense that all cladograms follow it and definitely help figure out common ancestors between species.

Evidence of Evolution - Weekly Blog #7

https://nondiscovery.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/intelligent-design-lacks-evolutions-web-of-evidence/

Summary

This week in science, I learned about the evidence that we did, in fact, come from a common ancestor. The main evidence of evolution that we studied this week were fossil records, embryology, and comparative anatomy. With this data, I was able to learn how, and why we are all connected through evolution. This can be seen in our comparative anatomy by just looking at the skeletal structure of animals compared to each other. It shows that we all have very similar structures in different areas of the body. It is also shown that when developing, our embryology is also very similar to each others. The early stages of the process can be hard to tell apart. Finally, the fossil records show how we are connected through evolution by giving evidence that past organisms that resembled us may be signs of a common ancestor, and help fill gaps of knowledge between evolutionary lines.

S&EP - Using models

This week, we explored usage of models to help us understand how evidence in evolution can be found through fossil records. We did this by making a list of the "Adventurian" fossils starting in Cambrian era. It started as one type of fossil, but eventually branched off into grey heads, and white heads, and even further into different types of species as a whole. Through this exercise, using models helped me better understand how fossil records give evidence of evolution and help close gaps in evolution.

XCC - Stability and Change

This week, I saw the concept of stability and change present in our studies. I say this because when studying the Adventurian fossil record, I was able to see change in during each epoch. Every time that a new fossil is present, there is that sense in change present in the pattern of the fossils. It shows that the organisms had to have a sense of stability if they are evolving in such a way that can aid them in the long run. This can also be seen when comparing the embryology or skeletal structures of different animals. There has to be a sense of stability within the systems, and change depending on the organisms needs. 

Studying Natural Selection: Weekly Blog #6

https://answersingenesis.org/natural-selection

Summary

This week in science, I learned how natural selection impacts the world today, and how it occurs. Natural selection is when certain traits are passed onto offspring to be the most fit for the environment. Natural selection is the only kind of evolution that leads to adaptations among a  species. Charles Darwin is the one that discovered these occurrences while in his studies. He did his expedition on the HMS beagle, and made a book named the origin of species. On his expedition, he found finches from different islands. Darwin studied these finches, and concluded that they all came from a common ancestor. Darwin also noticed that each of the finches were varied in their physical characteristics to fit their certain environments. This was most prominent in their beaks shape and size. Their was different types of foods growing in the island they inhabited, so in order to survive their beak shapes changed to what was necessary for consumption of food.

S&EP - Using Models

I used models to explain and predict behaviors of systems when I did the finches lab. In this lab we took the roles of different types of finch beaks to pick up different materials. This shows an example of how the finch beaks were different from each other, and were strongly suited in some areas but not others. This gives an example of natural selection due to some finch beaks being better than others at certain tasks. It was shown through the data that we collected from a model that the beaks and had strengths and weaknesses, depending on the type of food they were collecting.

XCC - Cause and Effect

A great example of cause and effect would have to be in the peppered moths. The situation of the peppered moths dates back to the first industrial revolution when there was smog covering the trees. Before this, the bark trees used to be white, and a great environment for the peppered moths. This was because of their ability to camouflage in these trees due to their light colored patterns. When the smog came along and made the white bark trees black, the white spotted moths had a hard time surviving, due to them being easily spotted. Because there wasn't only white colors within their genes, the dark moths started to only reproduce and fit better in their habitats. This is a great example of cause and affect because when the moths were white, the effect was them being able to camouflage. Another cause and affect scenario is when the trees got covered in smog, the affect was the black colored moths reproducing and making them hard to spot once again.

Studying Evolution: Weekly Blog #5

https://steemit.com/science/@herpetologyguy/the-biggest-misunderstandings-about-evolution

Summary:

This week in science, we began our studies on evolution. This week we also revisited the ideas of evolution and mutations.

Is it more important to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle? - WAC

Is it more important to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle?

     Think about the last time that you helped the environment. Did you limit your utilities usage (water, gas, electrical)? Did you switch to renewable energy? Was it by sorting your bottles into plastics aluminum and glass? These are all examples of the three main methods of helping take care of the environment. They are know as the 3 R's, Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. These are all big things that definitely help the environment, but which one is the most efficient? I am here to tell you that reducing is the most effective method. There are many reasons why this is the best method, but I will mention 3 main reasons. Firstly, most companies are trending towards reducing as the most effective method of being environment friendly. Secondly,when you reduce your waste, you entirely avoid creating it in the first place. Lastly, this method is the most versatile to all aspects of the environment as well as takes the least amounts of extra work. Now, lets know why exactly these are true.

     Companies are starting on the trend of reducing their waste in preference to reusing or recycling and is and is greatly supported by the consumer. In the SENCER article "Is It More Important to You to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle?" It says in paragraph two "larger-scale business initiatives often focus on reduction of the use of natural resources as preferable to simple reuse or recycling." This definitely is moving in the right direction because if all companies are reducing their consumption of natural resources, it helps reduce on an extremely large scale. This is also exemplified in the article "What Is Reduce, Reuse & Recycle?" by Bethany Wieman, where it says in paragraph two "Some companies, however, are getting more efficient with their product packaging to save resources". This is my first reason on why reducing is the most effective method

     If you avoid creating the waste in the first place, then there is no point to do any of the other main methods. This is supported in the text "What Is Reduce, Reuse & Recycle?" by Bethany Wieman, where it says in paragraph two "The most essential way to reduce waste is to avoid creating it in the first place."If this is the case, there is little significance of reusing or recycling. This is because if you put it into context reusing is just another way of reducing. If you use reusable items then you reduce the amount of one use items and end up making less trash . Shown in the quote from the same article, "[Re-suing is] investing in items that can be reused --- for example, using cloth tote bags when you shop" As I explained, just another way of reducing. Reducing is also much preferable to recycling because this means less trips from big machines that release excess amounts of CO2 into the air. As shown in the video "The math of trash" by KQED, it quotes "There is 22 billion pounds of CO2 put into the air through garbage trucks alone [in the year]" This is my second reason why reducing is the best method.

     Reducing is a low effort activity that can affect the environment on an extremely drastic level. When you reduce the amount you waste, it doesn't take much effort at all, and also doesn't use machinery. As shown in the article "When Recycling is Bad for the Environment" by the Discover Magazine, it quotes in paragraph 9 "Plastic sorting can be done manually, but it’s tedious and labor-intensive". This further shows why recycling is a hassle unlike reducing. This is also further explained in the SENCER article "Is It More Important to You to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle?" in paragraph three "consumers can reduce simply by cutting back and making small changes". It all comes down to you in reducing, and starts with what you do at your home. It can be something as reducing your shower time or storing your leftovers. This is my final reason why reducing is the best method.

     In conclusion, you now know that reducing is the most efficient, effective, and low effort method of the 3 R's. Reducing takes an important aspect of all of our lives and doesn't have to be huge. When reusing, its like you are reducing because you are reducing the amount of products you are throwing away from not being reused. Recycling isn't that healthy for that environment due to the carbon emission of the trucks and is also cost effective. Clearly you can see the reducing is the best method and is even supported by most companies. Now, I am going to leave you with this question, are you going to start reducing your waste? If so, then always remember, every small act counts, and all starts with reducing.

Geologic Time - Project Blog: Weekly Blog #4

Photo of the Project

Summary

During this project, I learned a lot of things. A lot of which involving rocks. But most importantly, I learned about the stages that earth went through in its life time and why that matters so much. The earths history can be divided into different time periods. These time periods are known as the Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and the Cenozoic eras. I studied in the Cenozoic era, and learned many things. The Cenozoic era is the most recent eras of time, actually leading up to the present. This era was the age of the mammals, and included all of the animals that we have today. The continents of the world changed drastically and several super continents broke up in this period.

Backwards Looking - In what ways do you think you need to improve?

I feel like I could have improved on the whole aesthetic of the piece overall. As an artist and one that pays attention to how pleasing your work is to look at, I feel like that I lacked a proper sense of aesthetic and creativity to be put into this piece. What I mean by creativity is just the whole idea of creating more original ideas for an interactive board, as well as adding more details in the art. I just mainly think that I could have improved by paying more attention to neatness and details on the board. This is what I feel like I could have improved on. 

Inwards Looking -What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?

I think something that was extremely satisfying that came out of this project was the amount of information we were able to provide others with about each era. I was expecting the board to not be filled with as much information as we ended up having and i'm quite happy that this was the case. I am also quite happy that we decided to go with the wheels as the animals portrayal. I feel like this was especially satisfying because we were told that they ended up looking quite nice so that made us feel good.

The Geologic Time Mini Project Begins! - Weekly Blog #3

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e5/65/38/e56538d8492a42246bd84e00306dd674.png

Summary

This week in science, we were introduced to our geologic times project. In this project, our task is to create a visual of all the eras and the key events that conspires in them. The different eras we had to study where the Precambrian era, Paleozoic era, Mesozoic era, and the Cenozoic era. I learned that in the Cenozoic era, there was the rise if the mammals. This era is the latest era of all, and leads into the present. In this era, mammals dominated the earth. This era was extremely important, mainly due in part to the major areas of evolution. Birds, plants, insects, and mammals all started to evolve into what they are like today. In the later parts of this era, or about 100,000 years ago, humans started to rise. This is what I learned this week in science.

S&EP - Constructing Explanations

This week, I was able to figure out what the key features of the Cenozoic period were through extensive research and recording my findings. I evaluated information to explain what the Cenozoic era represented and why its important. I constructed an explanation of what types of key events, geological changes, and the types of plants and animals of my era. With this information I was able to further advance my understanding of the topic in order to make the visual representation this project demands as a result.

XCC - Structure and Function

I believe that there is strong connection between structure and function in this era. I think of this because of the structure that we were able to form in society. When the mammals evolved into humans, we were able to build the structure of ethics, and be able to judge whats right and wrong. This gives the function of a, well, functional society. I know that this is stretching it a little bit but it is still in the Cenozoic era and it does relate to these concepts so that why I included it. Without being able to build the structure of a functional society, we wouldn't be able to function.

Geology Time!: Weekly Blog #2

http://geologydegree.org/career-options-geology-majors/

Summary:

This week in science, we learned about the different states of rocks. These states of rocks are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.Igneous rock is formed form magma or lava being cooled down and hardens. Sedimentary rock is formed form sediments being pressed together into a rock. Metamorphic rock is formed when existing rocks go through heat and pressure. The changes from each of these forms to the next is known as the rock cycle. The law of uniformitarianism is the law that processes that happened in the past are recurring until today. We also learned about landforms such as the oceanic crust and the continental crust. Following this, we learned about divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

S&EP: Using Models

This week, we had the privilege  of doing a lab in class. This lab involved using starburst to represent the changes that rocks go through. In this lab. we were able to construct a conceptual models of the changes that a rock goes through. These states being, metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rock. I was able to represent and understand phenomena when I preformed simulations of each of these changes. For the metamorphic rock, we pressed together all the sediment (starburst bits) into a bumpy ball like shape. We then applied pressure to make it into a sedimentary rock that resembled a smooth ball. With a lot more pressure we then flattened the shape into a metamorphic rock. After this we took part of the flattened shape and heated is up in a microwave. This came out as magma (melted starburst) the cooled and hardened into an "igneous rock"

XCC: Stability and Change

There is a great example of stability and change in something like the rock cycle. For an example, The state of rock is constantly changing from one state to the next. The system that I will use as this example would be of course the rock cycle. The changes gone through from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary are interchangeable. Each of these processes can go from either one to the next. For an example, a metamorphic rock can turn into a sedimentary rock through weathering and erosion. There is a sense of instability in this system because each of these states are constantly changing from each part of the cycle to the next. It might be in one state for an extended period of time, but will eventually change into something totally new. It is stable however, because these changes will happen quite slowly, and each state of rock has its fair share before changing to another.

Science and Engineering Practices Quiz Regrade

Say why that answer is correct and what made me think the original one that I chose was correct

Question 5:

My Answer:
Correct Answer:
Reflection:

Question 6:

My Answer:
Correct Answer:
Reflection:

Question 7:

My Answer:
Correct Answer:
Reflection:

Why I returned to AdVENTURE? - Weekly Blog #1

I believe that the main reason why I decided to return to AdVENTURE is because it suits all of my needs. Its an engaging and collaborative program that has a very special place in my heart. This program has pushed what I call a comfort zone. It has made me try out methods and peruse activities that would then turn into interests and eventually hobbies. This program is the most suitable to me that other schools don't have as an option. The schools that they have nearby the area besides this program don't fit my needs like AdVENTURE does. These are the main concepts on why I decided to stay in AdVENTURE.

This program fits several of my learning preferences. I say this because I enjoy working with groups of people in a single project and coming out with an amazing product that we can be proud of all together. AdVENTURE supports collaborative assignments persistently, and is integrated into the program flawlessly. I also think that AdVENTURE made me get into activities that I have never tried before. These activities being coding, graphic design, and video production. These activities are something that I pursue almost daily now and have become well integrated into the way that I approach new concepts. These activities have also helped me in the numerous fun and exciting projects in AdVENTURE.

All in all, this program is the best program that is available to me. I have found new interests through the program, a new personality, and quite frankly a new approach to everything I do. I am very glad that I decided to go to AdVENTURE in first place because without it I would have a really lame life. I wouldn't be able to discover the things that I am truly passionate about. I have good relationships with the students and teachers at AdVENTURE, so there really is no point in leaving. So, now you know why I decided to stay in AdVENTURE.

Making Milk Without Cows?(Article Blog) - Weekly Blog #22

Summary 

The California-Based Perfect Day company has figured out the the secret to making milk without using cows. This milk is completely lactose free, and is produced through their factories. The owners founded their company due to the increasing demand for lactose free products. This is because using environmental safe foods can help the earth drastically in several factors. Using a revolutionary technic, this company has single handedly changed the way people would want to live their lives. Making milk using these methods creates a much more environmentally safe milk that can be developed into several other products.

Citation

Feitlinger, Sarah Benton, Enton Feitlinger O. "California-Based Perfect Day Makes Cow Milk Without The Cow!" DOGOnews. DOGOnews, 16 May 2017. Web. 29 May 2017. <https://www.dogonews.com/2017/5/16/california-based-perfect-day-makes-cow-milk-without-the-cow>.

S&EP - Constructing explanations and designing solutions

The main factor behind making products like this is to create a much more efficient and environmentally safe product. The magic behind the milk is using the strain of yeast that is produced in the USA Agricultural Department and 3D printing a sequence of cow DNA. They then insert the DNA it into a specific area of the yeast. This allows milk proteins to be formed, and with the help of some other products, the milk is prepared. This lowers the land consumption by 91%, the water consumption by 98%, the energy consumption by 65% and greenhouse gas emissions by 84%. This definitely designed a solution that works for everyone, and is much more Eco-friendly.

Ph levels - Weekly Blog # 21

http://victuruslibertas.com/2016/04/why-you-may-want-to-check-the-ph-of-your-body/

Summary

This week in science, I learned about the different pH levels, and what they represent. At its core, pH is the acidity of a substance. A pH scale provides a versatile gouge on how acidic a substance is, and can be used in several circumstances. The lower the number on the pH scale, the higher the acidity. An example of a highly acidic substance would be something like battery acid. The higher the number on the pH scale, the higher the base. An example of a very basic substance would be something like soap.  A neutral pH is a substance that has a pH of around 7 and has no strong leanings toward an acid or a base. An example of this could be something such as water or blood.

S&EP - Conducting investigations

This week, we were able to do a physical test on how acidic or basic we could make our baking soda solution. We used vinegar to make the solution more acidic and sodium carbonate to make it more basic. We had separate wells, each having cabbage juice in them. This allowed us to see the change in color as we made the solution more or or less acidic. Depending on whether the cabbage juice became more pink or green determined on how the pH of the juice was changing.

XCC - Cause and Effect

There is a great factor of cause and affect that was present this week while studying pH levels. When we added more vinegar to the baking soda solution, it caused it to be more acidic. The affect of a more acidic substance to the cabbage juice was having a more red color. This same cause affect relationship can also be applied to when we added more sodium carbonate to the solution. It cause the acidity to lower and the solution to become more basic. The affect of this was a lower pH, which was reflected onto the more green color of the cabbage juice.

Conservation of Mass, Exothermic, and Endothermic Reactions: Weekly Blog #20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S6e11NBwiw

Summary

This week in science, I learned about the conservation of mass, catalysts, endothermic, and exothermic reactions through legends of learning. The law of conservation of mass states that no atoms are created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction. Instead, the atoms are re-arranged, and create new substances in the process. A catalyst is a substance that will either speed up or slow down a chemical reaction. An exothermic reaction is a reaction that releases energy during the reaction, making the temperature hotter. An endothermic reaction has a similar situation, but the exact opposite. In an endothermic reaction, energy is absorbed. This results in the temperature being cooler.

S&EP - Using mathematics

When trying to balance an equation and follow the law of conservation of mass, there is a lot of math involved. If the equation isn't balanced, than you must add a co-efficient next to that number in order to balance it out. This will cause the amount of atoms to be multiplied and be equal to the other side. This follows the law because you aren't changing the types of atoms but instead the number of the type of atom in order for it to be feasible reaction. When you multiply the number of atoms, you must calculate how many atoms there are constantly so you wont lose track or do a wrong step in the operation. This is how mathematics is used when balancing a chemical reaction.

XCC - Energy and Matter

This week we related the concept of energy into our studies. This is because when we were learning about endothermic and exothermic reactions, we learned about how energy in transfered through chemical reactions. In an exothermic reaction, the energy is released more than what is obsorbed, causing the reactants to have more energy that the products. In an endothermic reaction, energy is absorbed more than energy that is released. This causes the products to have more energy than the reactants. This is what concepts I learned about energy.

Mixtures,Solution, and Chemical Reactions! - Weekly Blog #19

http://www.chemwithclick.com/unit7chemical-reactions/

Summary

This week in science, we learned about chemical reactions, pure substances, and how solutions, mixtures, and compounds differ from each other. A chemical reaction is the process in which the atoms in a substance are converted into a new substance. There are two sides to a chemical reactions, the reactants and the products. The reactants in a chemical reaction yield the product. Some traits that can be found in a chemical reaction are a change in color smell, smell, temperature. Things that can happen due to a chemical reaction are a creation of gas or absorption of heat. A pure substance is a sample of matter that has definite chemical and physical properties. An element is a pure substance that cant be separated chemically or physically.

S&EP: Asking Questions Defining Problems

I defined the specifications for what makes solutions, compounds, and mixtures different from each other. This established what was already know about the subject, and also made it so I can understand how they differ from each other. A mixture is when there are 2 or more things that are physically bonded. A compound is when 2 or more elements/atoms are chemically bonded together. And finally, a solution is when one thing is dissolved in another. This doesn't mean that they are chemically bonded, but instead physically bonded more thoroughly. There are two types of mixtures, a heterogeneous mixture and homogeneous mixture. A heterogeneous mixture is a non-thoroughly mixed mixture, and is the least uniform throughout, A homogeneous mixture is when a mixture can be physically separate, but is the most mixed and uniform throughout. This is how I defined the differences between mixtures, solutions, and compounds.

XCC: Stability and Change

There is a factor of stability and change when it comes to a chemical equation. This is shown through the laws of conservation, that states that no new atoms are created or existing atoms are destroyed in the process of a chemical reaction. This shows that there needs to be the exact same amount of atoms on each side of the equation for it to be feasible. This is due to the provided balance or stability when going through a change such as a chemical reaction. This is how I applied cross cutting concepts this week, and how stability and change is a great factor in chemical equations.

Energy levels and Exploring the Periodic Table! - Weekly Blog #18

https://www.learner.org/interactives/periodic/elementary2.html

Summary

This week in science, we studied the energy levels of an atom. The energy levels in an atom show how many electrons there are in an atom, and which level they are in. We also identified and explored the different elements of the periodic table, including how it is sorted. This gave me a much deeper understanding of different elements and how much sense it makes in the way they are sorted. The periodic table was created by a man named Dmitri Mendeleev. As the years went by, others added to his ideas to created the modern periodic table that we know today. Now to explain how the periodic table is sorted. The periodic table is sorted in increasing atomic energy levels. There are periods (rows) and family's (columns) in the periodic table. This is the way the periodic table is arranged in. These are the things I learned this week.


S&EP - Constructing explanations and designing solutions

I constructed an explanation of how the periodic table is sorted when I analyzed the data of each element and how they are sorted on the table. This was done through learning about the different families, such as the alkali, alkali earth metals, transition metals, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, halogen, rare earth metals, and noble gasses. All of these family's have distinct features and properties. I was also able to identify that all metals are at the left, nonmetals at the right, and metalloids are the 7 elements boarding the metals. This is how I constructed an explanation of how the periodic table is sorted this week.

XCC - Patterns

I learned about the constant re-occurring patterns of the periodic table, as well as a similar pattern that can be found in an atoms energy levels. this can be identified through the similar features of period . and as you go down a period there is a gradual change in chemical properties, but if you looked at a family of elements, you will notice that elements in a group have similar chemical and physical properties. This is due to the pattern of having the same amount of outer electrons. This is how I identified patterns this week.

Studying Chemistry! - Weekly Blog #17

https://www.extremetech.com/tag/elements

Summary

This week, we studied elements, compounds, atoms, matter, mass, density and volume. Chemistry put simply is the study in changes of matter and its properties. The atom is the smallest unit of life, and the basic building block of all matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Density is how much stuff there is in a given space. Volume is how much space something takes up. An element is a pure substance made up of only one kind of atom. A compound is a substance made up of different elements/atoms. I applied all this information in several gizmos and worksheets that were used over the course of the week.

S&EP: Using Models

During the week, we used a model to determine the mass of marbles and pennies. We used several tools to aid us in this process, as well as several studies. The tools we used include a 10 ml graduated cylinder, 100 ml graduated cylinder, cup of water, and eye dropper. We also used the lab resource pages, and formulas for density and volume. We used the formula for volume which is volume = Length x Width x Height, as well as the formula to calculate density, which is Density = mass / volume. We used a method known as the water displacement method to figure out the volume of 5 marbles. We compared the water displacement method to the formula using a stack of 10 pennies. This is how we applied models this week.

XCC: Stability and Change

There is a great factor of stability and change when it comes to atoms. In an atom there are protons, neutrons, and electrons. These are all factors that determine its ion, stability, and charge. This brings in several key factors that involves stability in an atom. For an example, lets say you have a hydrogen atom with one proton, neutron, and electron. This would mean that the atom would be stable and have a neutral charge. On the other hand, lets say you have one carbon atom with 6 protons 8 neutrons and 4 electrons. This would mean that you would have an unstable atom (due to there being too many neutrons) with a positive 2 ion (because there is 2 less electrons, making the atom have a plus 2 charge). As you can tell, there was a great change when there were added or removed protons, neutrons, or electrons. This is how stability and change is applied in chemistry.

Project Blog: Invasive Species

http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=449

Summary

During this project, I learned a lot about invasive species, and how they can effect the ecosystem that they invade. This can be anywhere from a very slight, almost un-noticeable disturbance, to an extreme unbalance of the food chain and biodiversity of the eco-system. The invasive species we decided to study is the New Zealand Mud Snail. This is a species that isn't native to a lot of different places. This is due to the fact that the New Zealand Mud Snail travel around the world by clinging onto fishing gear. That means that they can be found pretty much anywhere in the world. They pose a great threat to the world because they can repopulate extremely quickly, taking the food and shelter away for native species. This will give less resources to the native species and eventually be all killed off.

Backwards Looking: What process did you go through to produce this piece?

In this project, we went through a relatively simple process. First we obviously had to do the research about the New Zealand Mud Snails. Next we completed the research and note catcher documents. After this we decided we wanted to make a video, in a "Draw my life" type of style. This was done by making a script, making a representation of the script through drawings on a whiteboard, and having our voice overs of the script. We first filmed the drawings, than did the voice overs, than we edited the clips to go together nicely. This is the process me and my partner went through to create this project

Inwards Looking: What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?

I would say that the video was particularly satisfying to finish. I really liked how well the clips fit together. The music, video, and voice over all matched up very well, and looked very satisfying. This was extremely gratifying due to the fact that the video took us a while to make, so having it done after that amount of time is especially satisfying. I also liked how well the audio and video quality came out, it was a very good definition and the audio was pretty well done in my opinion. This is what I think was especially satisfying of the final product.

Outwards Looking: What grade would you give it? Why?

I would give this project an A as far as grading goes. I say this because we presented the topic well, gave feasible solutions, and put the video together well. We gave numerous facts about the snails, and kept the viewer entertained. We were able to accomplish this by giving analogies and sometimes humorous drawing or ideas that relate to the topic. This overall did a good job at keeping the viewer engaged, while also learning about the problems that this invasive species presents.This is why I think we deserve this grade.

Forward Looking: What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?

I would probably change some parts in the audio if I were to re-do this project. I noticed when I looked over it again that sometimes you could here people in the background of the audio making it hard to understand us. I also noticed that there was a moderately loud crinkling noise at one point, making it a bit difficult to understand that line of dialogue. I also noticed that for some people, the video went a bit too fast for them, so it was hard to keep up with the speed we were presenting at. The final thing that I would change is the tone of the video. Sometimes, we presented our ideas in a more, un-serious tone, so that made it seem like the issue wasn't as big of a deal. This was contemplated with the somewhat cheerful background music, even though the topic at hand wasn't necessarily a cheerful one. These are the things I would change if I were to do the project over again.

Food Chains and Invasive Species - Weekly Blog #16

http://www.freshvista.com/2014/patterns-in-nature-some-thoughts-on-invasive-species

Summary

This week, depending if we were in a triad or a quad table, we studied either invasive species, or endangered species and were told to make a project about it. I was in a quad table, so I studied invasive species. The invasive species i'm studying is the New Zealand Mud Snail. These animals are typically found in oceans and are native to New Zealand. The New Zealand Mud Snail is a quite interesting animal, that can be found all over the world due to its tendencies to cling onto nets and fishing gear. This species is invasive all over the word, and repopulates extremely quickly. This can lead to a lack of space for other native species to live and a lack of food for other species as well. This is what I learned this week in science.

S&EP - Communicating Information

This week, I communicated information through the means of a video about the New Zealand Mud Snails, and why they are harmful to the environments they live in. We talked about how they can take away things like food and shelter that belonged to the native species, away from them because of how easily they can spread. We provided the solution of properly cleaning fishing gear after use. This will stop the snails for spreading because they are prone to clinging on to fishing gear to travel around. Also, you can freeze your fishing gear after use to kill them off as well. We explained that using these methods will for sure stop the invasive species from spreading.

XCC - Stability and Change

This week, I showed the significance of stability and change that these species provide when they are in a certain habitat inhabited by invasive species. We also talked about how the invasive species can affect the food chain of the current ecosystem, and possibly bring disease or decrease the biodiversity. This all gives extreme change in stability in the ecosystem, as well as provides change on how things will work. The New Zealand mud snails also repopulate extremely fast, and could give less shelter and resources to the native species.  

Studying Interdependence of Organisms and Cycles: Weekly blog #14

http://www.smithlifescience.com/cyclesnature.htm

Summary

This week in science, we studied the works of nature that connects abiotic and biotic factors. A biotic factor is something in the environment that is alive, This could be something like the grass, people, animals, trees ect. An Abiotic factor is something in an environment that isn't alive such as the sky, cement, rocks, and even sunlight. We also learned about natural cycles, namely the nitrogen and carbon cycles. The carbon cycle is the cycle of carbon from plants and animals to the atmosphere to the ocean and several other place. Almost the same can go for the nitrogen cycle There are also other cycles in nature such as the water cycle and rock cycle but we already previously studied those so there is no point in learning them again.

S&EP - Communicating Information

I engaged in discussions with scientific peers. As I was researching about the different cycles, I had to show what I learned about our assigned cycle by communicating my ideas about the nitrogen cycle to a group that was assigned with the carbon cycle. They then told me about there journey through the cycle and what type of places they traveled to, as well as what changes occurred along the way. This is how I communicated information to other scientific peers this week.

XCC - Patterns

There is a large emphasis on the use of patterns as far as cycles go. Once the cycle goes through once, it will start again, thus making it a pattern. This can apply to all cycles because eventually they will repeat in the same or a similar sort of manor. However, if there were to a a disturbance or a change in the cycle, it would have a changed pattern, and would affect the whole system, including everything apart of it. This is how I communicated concepts about patterns this week.

Superhero Life Science - Project Blog Post

My Superhero that was the root of my project

Summary

I learned about a variety of things during this project. I now comprehend subjects about mutations, DNA, Genes, Heredity, Epigenetics, engineering, and GMO. A GMO is a genetically modified organism. This can be anything that is a organism, but can also apply to genetically modified foods. A mutation is when there is a change in genetic materials, that is found in a DNA sequence. This results in a substitution, insertion, or deletion of genes. Heredity is the inheritance of genes from parent to offspring. Epigeneitcs is the term used for the decisions a parent makes that can cause a changes in gene expression affecting the offspring. Another way to put it is affects on the offspring depending on the certain choices the parent makes. DNA is the instruction of genetic code found in the nucleus of the cell to develop and function. A part of the DNA is what get passed down from parent to offspring, and what make them look alike. I learned what a cam and cam follower are in engineering, as well as I learned how to create my own mechanism. These are the things I learned and now know over the course of this project.

Backward - Looking: Does this work tell a story?

I speak for myself, but I definitely think that my work tells a story. A great tale about the courageous Karmeleon. Besides the fact that this project is composed several story's in it, such as my origin story, love story, and rivalry story, I think that the work itself will tell the story of all the things that I learned and was able to convert into a story of a superhero. A story of a superhero that went to great lengths to protect the things that he cared about. The story of the rivalry of the corporation and the committee fighting for the greater good of the city. The committee has the help of Karmeleon, as well as his daughter, to serve in always saving the city from the evil corporation. This is why I believe that my project tells a story. 

Inward - Looking: What was especially satisfying to you about either the process or the finished product?

Something that was definitely satisfying in the end of my project was how much I wrote, and overall how much I created. Ranging from stories to drawings, I had a lot of elements in my project. I say that it was satisfying because getting all the work out of the way and getting done with that project after a few months will always be extremely relieving. Another thing that was satisfying was how much I got to write about in my stories. I was very satisfied about how in depth I got and what types of things I put into it to make it an interesting story.

Outward - Looking: What grade would you give it? Why?

I would most probably give my project an A. I put a lot of time and effort on everything that went into my project. This includes things like my story. I think my story's had a lot of thought into them as well as originality. Considering all the science we did, I believe that I filled out my worksheets and papers well and accurate according to what has been taught.  I also think that I did well and put considerable amounts of effort on my drawings and models. This includes my automata ,drawing of my superhero, villain, as well as child. This is why I think that my work deserves an A.

Forward - Looking: What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?

I would most probably try to make my drawing overall a bit neater. I say this because on some of my drawings, the lines weren't as steady as I would have liked them to be, as well as they overall weren't as appealing as I would have wanted them to be. I would have also probably went in more detail in some of my body system description. I think I also think that if I was able to do this again, I would change a lot of things in my super-villain. I don't know why, but when you see the content that goes with my super-villain, it looked pretty rushed and overall not as good as I would have wanted it to be.