Reflection of Week

Week 1

Something unexpected I learned this week was how you need to make personas for the design process to base your project on. Something unexpected that happened was that Micheal really likes the same kind of music that I like and so all the music he has been playing is basically what's on my playlist. This week we worked toward our goals because we have created the personas, created a story, and created a list of ideas that we need to pick from and move ahead with.

Week 2

--The mission or purpose of the organization or individual you are working with

Its mission is to provide design and engineering services to companies that will pay for it.

--How you are contributing to the achievement of that mission, no matter how big or small your role

I am contributing by creating a project that is the same as what they are working on currently. 

--Your biggest takeaways from the PIE so far

My biggest takeaway is how I have learned the design process. 

--How this experience will help you achieve the next step in your college or career path.

This will help because I can put it onto my resume and possibly ask for a letter of recommendation.

The 8th Slice

This term I took a class Econ: Risking Value. In this class, we talked about the market and how it works, how price is influenced and how the market can be affected by different factors. We also read part of Doughnut Economics which is what this project is partly based on. I really enjoyed this class because I have always wanted to get a better understanding of the stock market and this class helped with that. In this class, we took multiple Field Experiences to a few really cool places. My favorite was the trip to Rheaply which is a small company that aims to re-purpose items that would normally be thrown away by large corporations. I found this interesting because they have found a small part of the market that is nearly untouched which I thought was really cool. For this project, we needed to come up with another economic theory to add to the 7 already talked about by Doughnut Economics. For my project, I decided to talk about Industry 4.0, a term created by The World Economic Forum.






How Robots Have Stolen and Created

Jobs being filled by non-human counterparts has always been prevalent in society but never as much as now. It is predicted that by 2030 robots will replace up to 20 million factory jobs. We are on the brink of a new revolution that utilizes low-cost high-power computers that will be more efficient and faster than humans. This is both a problem and a solution. Solution because now we will be able to produce higher quantities for cheaper. Problem because robots and AI are kicking people out of factories, trucks, and stores.

 

Resources

Dormehl, Luke. “The Best Examples of Robots Replacing Jobs Around the World.” Digital Trends, Digital Trends, 12 May 2019, https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/examples-of-robots-replacing-jobs/.

“Robots 'to Replace up to 20 Million Factory Jobs' by 2030.” BBC News, BBC, 26 June 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48760799.

Jeff Morgan- Manufacturing- Trinity College - https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/07/robots-have-been-taking-our-jobs-for-50-years-so-why-are-we-worried-now


Reflection

I found this project to be interesting because I really enjoyed the idea of talking about the economy in a modern-day perspective. What was really interesting to me was how modern-day technologies have changed the platform which we base trade-off of. I have always thought of the economy as something that should have a basic plan that we build around but this project showed me that there are different ways to go about creating an economy and that was really eye-opening. At the beginning of the project, I would have said that the only good option would be capitalism but after this project, I became more open to different ideas.

Elon Musk Interview

I took a class called Journalism. In this class, we are talking about how journalism is important and how journalism has impacted people and continues to do so in the digital age. Along with discussing the importance of journalism, we are also talking about fake news, and how social media has changed the way we receive information. I really enjoyed this class because I found it interesting to learn about the way journalism has changed particularly in regards to medias such as youtube, Instagram, snap chat, and other platforms. In this class we have taken several Field Experiences to interesting places, my favorite being the trip to the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art where we were able to listen to different journalists talk about their jobs and how many factors have affected it whether it be the president, the internet, or even the rise of other self proclaimed journalists. To wrap up the 2019 Journalism class we have been tasked with creating a podcast that talks about someone who is influential and has impacted people's lives. I chose to talk about Elon Musk because I think he has changed the world along with millions of people's lives. I interviewed a few of my classmates who also felt that Mr. Musk has influenced them. Not only did we need to create a meaningful podcast with good content but it also needed to be done well. While learning about journalism we also talked about the was that journalists' ideas are presented and for a journalist to do well they need to be able to communicate those ideas to a broad audience. In this podcast, I really focused on sound quality along with clean transitions and a simple yet inspiring background song that brings out the meaning in the words. Below is my podcast, I hope you enjoy.

  Hello

What is the Meaning of Life?

I took a class this term called journalism. In this class, we discussed the media and the impact it has on the world around us. This class is very informative in the age of media doubt and a very divided country. We talked about what fake news is, and isnt. This is something important for us all to understand because int today's age there is so much news that is misleading or blatantly wrong. Thanks to social media it is easier than ever for people to share the news. In this class, we have gone on several Field Experiences. My favorite was to Columbia college where we were able to sit in on a journalism class and see what a college class learns in a typical day. For this project, we were tasked with asking someone the meaning of life and then taking a photograph that we think portrays what they said.

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Ana. Ana is from Colombia, she moved to the United States with her family when she was just 7 years old. She is a person who has always thought of health as a critical thing to preserve in life, something that may seem obvious to most but it is less common than it seems for people to actually act on that idea. Her dad has always been a big influence on her wanting to be healthy because he has always tried to be as healthy as possible, doing things such as taking vitamins, exercising, and eating healthy.

I asked Ana what she thought the answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” was. She responded, “I think the meaning of life is to keep yourself in the best shape you can because without health you will be hindered in everything else you attempt so why not give yourself the best shot.” I really liked her response because I completely agree with it. Your health is essentially your baseline that everything can build upon and if you are in good health you feel better, can work better and can accomplish more. This is something that I think we all need to work on a little more than we do. Particularly in America where there is a huge problem with people suffering from obesity we need to focus on this issue and I think it’s interesting that Ana chose that as the meaning of life.

For my photograph, I chose some settings that differentiate from the settings you would be using to take a normal picture with your iPhone. Cameras have many different settings and I made sure to adjust many of them to properly capture the photo I had in mind. Shutter speed was the first one. Shutter speed is how quickly the shutter on the camera opens and closes. This affects how long the light is allowed in the camera for which in turn will be able to make moving objects in the photo clear rather than blurry if you didn’t have a high shutter speed. The second setting I adjusted was the aperture. Aperture is how much light the camera will allow in. What’s important about that is that it will affect how exposed your picture is. Exposed meaning how bright or dark it is. In a low light condition, you will want to increase the aperture and decrease shutter speed. This will create an environment for more light to come in so that you can see what’s happening. In higher light environments you will want to decrease the aperture and increase the shutter speed (typically). The final setting I adjusted was the focus. The focus is on what the camera is making clear in the picture. In this case, I chose to focus on Ana herself and the punching bag.

I set my shutter speed at 250 frames per second. I chose this because I knew that I was taking an action shot which meant that the picture would be blurry without a high shutter speed. Lower shutter speeds allow the camera to let in for less amount of time and if you set a higher shutter speed then you decrease the amount of time that the shutter is open for. I set my aperture at 4.5 because I wanted to allow in enough light to light up the subject but not too much light because then it would be overexposed and it would look too bright. I set the focus of the shot on the punching bag and on Ana so that you could see them clearly since that would demonstrate what she thinks the meaning of life is the best. The rule of thirds is another thing I took into consideration. The rule of thirds is essentially the idea to not center the focus of the shot in the photo. I utilized this property because the focus, Ana, was set off to the right of the centerline.

My photo depicts Ana exercising by punching a punching bag. The reason I chose to take this picture is that this is one of her favorite exercises and so I decided that it would best represent her passion for fitness and health. It also is visually appealing because of the color disparities between the red punching bag and everything else in the shot. I think it is a good picture because the shutter speed is correct along with all the other supporting settings which created a nice crisp picture that has good coloring. I also really like the simplicity of the shot because it really allows you to focus on what I intended the focus to be. In the end, I think I got a picture that embodied what Ana though the meaning of life meant to her.

Which route is the best route?

I took a class called Econ. In this class, we talked about risk, supply and demand, big data and other concepts used to understand the economy. I am really enjoying this class because I have attempted investing on my own time during my sophomore year and was relatively successful. The problem was that I didn't fully understand the underlying causes of what was happening so many of my decisions were based on shallow information. This class is giving me a better understanding of what I was doing and what I will eventually do again. For this class, we have gone on a couple of Field Experiences to multiple places. My favorite one was the Innovation Week talk where we were fortunate enough to be able to listen to many distinguished people talk about their companies and how they connect to things like big data, politics, and algorithms.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I would choose the Naval Academy as my top choice to start my progress toward becoming a commercial pilot. I think this route will allow me to become a good pilot with a lot of experience. Not only would the school allow me to accomplish my dreams but it would also provide the experience of a lifetime. If I do not get into the Naval Academy other schools and ROTC will still allow me to follow my dreams and pursue my passions.

Banning teens is mean and what about the cuisine?

This quarter I took a class called Journalism. In this class, we discussed how journalism affects our perspective of things. We also talked about different news sources and how to tell real news from fake news. I have really enjoyed the class and learned so much already. In this project, we had to find an event that was happening in our area and write a news article about it. I chose to talk about the Water Tower banning teens. I hope you find it interesting and learn something new.

Water Tower Place Bans Unsupervised Teens
Chicago's downtown mall, Water Tower, made the decision on January 4, 2019, that they would not allow anyone between the ages of 10-17 to enter the building unsupervised between the hours of 4 pm and 9 pm. “Recent events involving large numbers of juveniles engaged in criminal behavior downtown have been organized and planned on social media,” 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins wrote in an email to the Sun-Times. This policy was implemented after an incident involving 60 teenagers that were causing trouble downtown near Michigan and Chicago Avenue.

There are two sides to this policy, and some teens are mad about the problems while some older people are excited to be able to shop without the distraction of loud teens.

13-year-old Isabella told her side of the story. “I was at the store with my friends for a birthday party, and 4 o'clock passed while we were still in the store and a couple of security guards asked if we were over 18. We said no and he told us to follow him outside because we weren't allowed in the store. I found this to be very unfair because it was pretty clear that we were not causing trouble so why should we get kicked out? I also thought it was ironic because if the reason they stopped us from being there was because of teens that were outside then why would they kick a group of young girls into the street without supervision which was the problem to start with? ”

These are the kind of things that seem ridiculous to most, kicking a group of 13-year-old girls out of a store into the streets of Chicago. But some are more supportive of the policy. In contrast 57-year-old Ana told her side of the story, “I am typically at the Water Tower once a week after church, and I used to hate when the teens would always run around making noise and causing trouble. I have been happy with the change because more people will be safe and the mall will be more peaceful. I also find myself at the Water Tower more often since I feel safer and more at peace there. Even though I feel safer I still think the policy should be less strict because there are plenty of good teenagers out there but it should be to the guards’ discretion.”

There is a large gap between people's thoughts on the issue but one thing stands out is all the teens seem to think its wrong and many of the adults think it can be unfair. The public is leaning in the direction of allowing teens. One victim people may not have even thought about is the stores themselves. With the addition of this policy, companies may lose business from the teen population and therefore revenue. The Lego store told us “We have seen a drop in numbers since the ban”. This proves that not only has the Water Tower seen a loss in the number of teens showing up, it also affects how much the stores themselves are able to sell. When considering the story as a whole you have to wonder, was banning teens really worth it?

DS

United States Naval Academy

This summer I went to the Naval Academy for Summer Seminar which was a fantastic experience. While at the academy we had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning for morning PT and then we went to classes. I took Damage Control, Astronautical Engineering, Aeronautical engineering, YP Cruise, and Guided Missle Destroyer ship handling simulation and navigation. All these classes were a perfect introduction to the kinds of things I would do at the academy, and I loved all of it. My favorite class was the Aeronautical Engineering class where we tested different shapes in wind tunnels and learned about how different shapes affect drag and lift. These are all things that I would love to do at the academy. During my time at the Naval Academy, I realized that my dream is to be able to not only attend the academy but to serve in the Navy as an officer after college.

Museum of Science and Industry Volunteering

I have been volunteering at the Museum of Science and Industry for the last three years. Over this time I have met amazing people, learned more than I ever would have imagined, and absolutely love spending time there. I go to the museum every Saturday and while I am there I help run the Digital Media team where we record TESLA which is teens exploring science with a learning audience. We then edit and upload the videos to youtube for anyone to see or use for teaching.

Miranda v Arizona

This term I took a class called Policy. In this class, we talked about how different policies have changed our country and our lives. So far I have really enjoyed this class because it has given me a new perspective on how some aspects of our daily lives are really the way they are because someone somewhere came up with a policy that allows for that aspect and it wasn't random. So far in this class, we have taken multiple FEs but the one that has stood out to me the most has been our trip to Mayor Andre Vasquezes office because we got to talk to him about different policies he wants to implement in his neighborhood and how he chooses those policies with respect to peoples opinions and what he thinks is right. For the final project for this class, we were tasked with analyzing a supreme court case and talking about what we think about it. I hope you enjoy my work.

I dont think the lakefront is for a select few. Do you?

I took a class this term called Urban Planning. In this class, we have talked about how cities are planned, built, and run. This class has inspired me to take a different approach to looking at cities and how they are laid out, and to understand that there is always a reason for why something is where it is even if it's not obvious. In this class, we have taken a couple Field Experiences to a few different places but the one that stuck out to me the most was when we went to the Pedway system in downtown Chicago. This FE stuck out to me because I never understood how expansive they were and it was really interesting to see something new somewhere I visit often. For the final action project in this class, we were tasked with redesigning an area that we thought could use a makeover. I chose DuSable Park, another downtown location and make a few adjustments. I hope you find them interesting!

World War Wrong?

I took a class this term called Policy. In this class, we have discussed how policies have the capacity to change anything from your local grocery store to the direction of a war. Along with policy we have talked about different United States wars and how they were legal or illegal according to the constitution. In this class, we have taken a couple FE's to places like Andre Vasques's office or Walter Burnett's office to talk to them about different policies they employ or at least different ideas they have for deciding policies. For this action project, we had to choose a war that the United States was involved in and then decide if it was a just war or not. I chose to talk about World War 2, I hope you enjoy!

Now the big question, was World War 2 just? When you look at the war and how the United States stayed out of it for years until provoked most would say it was justified. This war was only one of a select few wars in American history that the United States was not eager to join. In the years leading up to America joining there were many conflicts already in progress and so when the United States joined it was out of pure necessity. I think that when you look at the conflict with Germany it becomes a little less black and white as to how just it was. It was just because if the United States had not started fighting the Germans and the Germans took control of Europe then they would have switched their focus on America and by that time they would have conquered many of their main enemies which meant they could have focused their power on us. When America declared war on Japan they knew that that was also a declaration of war on the rest of the Axis Powers which meant taking on more than just one country. This was certainly the right decision for the United States not only was it legal as far as terms of war but also it was justified.  

This war took place in Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, India, the Middle East, and South East Asia. WW2 was a very expansive war that took place across many fronts all around the world. It started on September 3, 1939, with an unprovoked attack on Poland from Germany, this caused the Prime Minister of Britain to declare war on Germany. The United States joined on December 7, 1941, when Japan launched an attack on the Naval base Pearl Harbor. This was a welcomed change by the people of the United States but there are a few people who disagree.

Germany and Britain were not the only countries in the war others included, Italy, Japan, Britain, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, the Soviet Union, and China. There were two main groups in WW2, they were the Allies and the Axis Powers. On the Allies side, there was The Soviet Union, China, Great Britain, France, and the United States. On the Axis Powers side, there was Germany, Italy, and Japan. Something intriguing about this war for America is that they made it clear that they were confident in their military abilities which is not something previously demonstrated in many other wars. This is because when they declared war on Japan they knew that that was also a declaration of war on the rest of the Axis Powers which meant taking on more than just one country. This was certainly the right decision for the United States.

World War 2 was a very different war in many senses. For one simply the scale of the war is unmatched in history and up to this very day. This war resulted in the death of over 70,000,000 people. This war was also where atomic bombs were created and implemented for the first time. There were also new battle techniques implemented such as Blitzkrieg, a German technique also known as lightning war, that was meant to bring quick defeat in the form of overwhelming ground power backed up by air strikes. This may sound terrifying but almost none of it had reached the citizens of the United States before Japan bombed Pearl Habor. This is why we had to join the war because if we hadn't then millions of innocent civilians would have been under siege in their own homes on American soil.

One of the biggest problems for the Allies in this war was how Germany and Japan were spreading rapidly and attempting to grow their countries. This was a huge problem for not only people near Germany and Japan but for countries around the world. An obvious example of this is the attack on Pearl Harbor which was an attack on America from Japan that was meant to render the Pacific Fleet from interfering with Japan taking over countries.

At the time of the Pearl Habor attack the president, Franklin D Roosevelt, was not open about joining the war without reason. This is because most people were not in favor of sending Americans to foreign countries where they would lose their lives without a cause. When Pearl Habor happened Roosevelt used the opportunity to unite the country behind one cause and send troops to defend our nation.

Senate voted 82-0 and 388-1 in the House. The only person to vote against the war was Jeannette Rankin because she believed that if she couldn't go to war with her being a woman then she shouldn't send others to war. This shows that there was really no controversy with declaring war on Japan. When the United States declared war on Germany it was voted 88-0. This is important because of the fact that so many people were in support of this war shows that for people at this time the idea of the need to go to war was almost a given. It is important to know how people felt then because we won't fully know if it was just or not if we can't understand the circumstances people were under and how they felt. This is important because if the vast majority of the country felt that we shouldn't go to war then there would be a stronger case for the war being unjust, but without that aspect, it was just.

Why was America was fighting Germany? This may seem obvious at first because they were killing millions of people, but that had been going on for a couple of years by the time America joined and so there has to be a different answer. The reason America started to focus on Germany is that when Japan attacked America they needed to put down their fist to ensure that the attack on Pearl Harbor would not be seen as acceptable by the Axis Powers this lead to America declaring war on Japan who was an ally of Germany. Hitler had been wanting to start a war with America because he hated Roosevelt and America was already attacking German U-boats. Hitler also thought that Japan was stronger than it really was according to history.com and had expected them to be able to conquer the United States. The United States and the rest of the Allied powers eventually ended the war in D-day which was an invasion on the coast of Normandy the ended in the death of Hitler.

Latin America is a little talked about subject when it comes to World War 2 but nonetheless, it was just as important as any other place. Latin America was mainly a neutral country throughout WW2 which was risky because the United States needed to, at minimum, keep them neutral since they used the Panama Canal as a way to increase war goods production and for defenses. On top of that, the United States used Latin America as a base for fighting Germany and Italy in Africa since Latin America provided the closest point in the Americas to Africa. This is where the Good Neighbor Policy came into play because once WW2 started many of the Latin American countries joined the Allies which meant we could utilize those assets. The Good Neighbor Policy basically said that the United States would participate in reciprocal trading with Latin America which became important during WW2 since Latin America mainly traded with Europe and that trade was cut off by the war which meant we had to work together. This policy was not created as a result of war but it did change the course of the war indirectly.

Not only was this war just in terms of revenge and standing our ground but it was also completely legal. President Roosevelt went to Congress to ask for permission to go to war and they said yes, overwhelmingly. The Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war and the Commander in Chief to command the military, this is exactly what happened and therefore this war was completely legal.

S, D. RIPLONDON. Chicago, 22 May 2019.

Citations:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Good Neighbor Policy.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 5 Aug. 2014, www.britannica.com/event/Good-Neighbor-Policy-of-the-United-States.

“D-Day and the German Surrender.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, www.ushistory.org/us/51c.asp.

Littell, McDougal. American History. Rand Mcnally.

“Germany Declares War on the United States.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-declares-war-on-the-united-states.

“Home | D-Day | June 6, 1944 | The United States Army.” Home | D-Day | June 6, 1944 | The United States Army, www.army.mil/d-day/.

Network, The Learning. “Oct. 13, 1943 | Italy Switches Sides in World War II.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Oct. 2011, learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/oct-13-1943-italy-switches-sides-in-world-war-ii/.

Snyder, Tanya. “Nazi Germany Surrenders, May 7, 1945.” POLITICO, 7 May 2018, www.politico.com/story/2018/05/07/nazi-germany-surrenders-may-7-1945-568948.

When Did the Second World War End?, www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/war/end.html.

“Japan Surrenders.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-surrenders.

Energy efficient appliances to save your wallet

I took a class called Urban Planning. In this class, we learned about circuits, energy efficiency, how cities are designed, and how they're built. In this class, we went on an FE to the Museum of Science and Industry where we learned about the Tesla coil and then we got to make our own circuit bracelets. I think that this was a good learning experience because we got to see Nikola Tesla's invention in action.

 

In conclusion, this project turned out really well because we built a very strong and functional circuit that has a switch for every appliance. I did not experience many challenges during the building process because I think I am rather knowledgable when it comes to circuits. 

Tammy Duckworth Letter

I am taking a class called Policy and in this class, we are talking about how different policies have shaped the county around us and how they have impacted us. We have gone on one field experience so far and it was to Andre Vasquez's office where we talked to him about his ideas for what he thinks his ward could become. Andre had a lot of interesting ideas that I didn't necessarily agree with but he was very nice and welcoming and I felt like it was a great experience. For this action project, we needed to write a letter to a representative about a problem we see.

Tammy Duckworth

Suite 3900

Chicago, IL 60604

Phone (312) 886-3506

Dear Ms. Duckworth,

My name is DS and I am writing to you because I believe that Veterans deserve the opportunity to get a visa to get back into the United States since they have laid their lives on the line to protect us. I have had multiple relatives who have served in the armed forces who I think very highly of and think that anyone who has risked it all for us deserves the opportunity to come back to our country with open arms.

Veterans risk their lives fighting for our freedom.

Veterans should be taken better care of because they risk everything.

Therefore we need to make the process of allowing veterans back into the United States better.

If you were to risk it all for a place because you believe in it and then you moved away for a while but then wanted to move back wouldnt you want to be accepted back into this place?

Veterans should be given a good reason to want to move back to The United States after they retire from the military. Currently, they can choose from many different options in different countries that offer them low tax deals with visas that may seem more appealing than what we currently offer.

Veterans are being put on the afterburner when it comes to coming back to the United States when we need these people and they need us to support them.
S. 1041: Veterans Visa and Protection Act of 2019 is a fitting bill that will take care of the problem above.

The opponents may say that they must go through the same process as everyone else but I beg to differ because sure they are still human like the rest of us but we need to be courteous to these people who are brave and good to the entire United States population.

In conclusion, we need to be more lenient with how our veterans are allowed in our country because if we can't treat the people who fight for our freedom with respect then how can we take care of the rest of the population?

Thank you for keeping this in mind,

DS

Bridge the Gap

I am taking a class this term called Urban Planning. In this class, we are discussing how cities are planned out, how they are constructed, and the physics and math behind all that. So far in this class, we have taken an FE to downtown Chicago where we met with the Metropolitan Planning Council to discuss how Chicago has evolved with different designs for different things such as bridges, parks, building, and other city amenities. For this project, we had to design our own bridge using 65 popsicle sticks. I think the project went well and below is a slideshow showing the process and the math behind it.

CNC Class

I took an Independent Study class this term that I named CNC Class, after the machine, I focused on. In this class, I dove into the Carvey to really understand how it works and how it can be used. Over the course of this class, I learned about all the different ways the Carvey can be used to make many different things from simple logo cutouts to small games. I learned so much during this class even though I have previous experience with CNC machines because I have only used homemade CNC machines and larger versions of the Carvey which use more complicated programs to use and so this was a good learning experience.

I have learned more than I had anticipated and also learned that the CNC Machine is more extensive than I had previously thought. For example, I still haven't figured out how to use really small bits on hard materials to where they don't break. This was a problem the first few weeks before I resorted to using a 1/8th inch bit which never broke. In conclusion, I have discovered the answer to so many questions I had about the machine but also discovered many many more than I started with, and hopefully, I will discover the answers to these in the future. 

The MM 1000

I took a class called Light Sound and Time. In this class, we talked about many different topics such as how time is relative, how the universe is expanding, how time is relative, and many many other topics. My favorite part of this class was probably learning about how small the time period is that humans have been around for compared to the rest of time. In this class, we went on multiple FEs to awesome places such as the Adler Planetarium where we learned about the history of some time telling devices and tried to understand how vast the universe really is. For this Action Project, we needed to design our own time telling device which was tricky because there are so many different forms that could take but I think I went down an interesting path and I hope you enjoy it.

S, D. “Video.” DS.

Over the course of this class, I have learned a ton of new things and really let my mind wander trying to conceptualize the topics we discussed. In conclusion, I think this has been my favorite class and I have learned a ton and have explored new things on my own that relate to the class. 

Does Chicago Have Too Many Police in Schools?

I took a class called A Nations Argument which was based around The United States history and how people over the centuries have used argument to fight for the founding of this country, their rights, and their liberties. Over the course of this class, I have learned so much about the United States that I never knew about previously including how the rights of so many people were infringed upon during the Jim Crow era. While in this class we have gone on many fascinating FEs to really cool places but one of my favorite FEs was actually at school when we held a peoples assembly hosting multiple people with different roles that are supposed to try and amend the Chicago Police system. I found this particularly interesting because I have never really had a firm decision on whether I would want more or less policing in the city and this really cleared any questions I had. 

The Diddley Bow

I took a class called Light, Sound, and Time. In this class, we are talking about how light sound and time work and how they move through the air and impact us. During this class, we have gone a multiple FE's to places such as The Chicago Music Exchange which we visited to learn about guitars so that we could better design our diddly bow. I have loved this class so far because I have always been interested in the topics we are learning because they have some theoretical aspects and a lot of math aspects that you can use to really understand the situation and figure out different problems.

   

This quarter I took a class called A Nations Argument. In this class, we have discussed many things including the United States Constitution which relates to this project. During this class, we have visited a couple of places and had a couple visitors. One of my favorite places we have gone is to the Citizenship and Naturalization Court in downtown Chicago. This was interesting because we experienced the court process but it was also different because the people going to court were attending over the internet since they were in jail. So far I have really enjoyed the class because it has given me a better understanding of America and how it functions which is always interesting. For this project, we had to learn about the citizenship test and then propose an amendment to fix it.

Below are three questions that I think perfectly demonstrate why the citizenship test needs to be amended.

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

70. Who was the first President?

P1: This test asks you to know information that you don't need to know in America.

P2: The test forces people to learn things they may not want to learn.

C: In conclusion, the test is unfair and does not prove you belong in America. 

Below is a quote from Raymond Lopez talking about how people are trying to make immigrants second class citizens because of where they come from. I think that knowing certain facts about the United States is a way of enabling that because if you live somewhere where you cannot access good education then you may not be able to get the information you need to pass the test to get into the states. 

"He's trying to make central American Mexican families second class citizens simply because the parents are from a different origin then where those children are from." -Raymond Lopez

People who move to the United States simply should not need to know detailed facts about the United States past because it does not help them become better people or more functional members of society. On top of this people who are already American citizens are not required to know this information and in a place like America you are free to choose what you know and don't know. I think that the process should be an interview discussing views and opinions about the United States so that we can see if they have the United States in a good light or not. If they dislike the United States or support the United States enemies or terrorist organizations then they will not be allowed in. 

P1: American citizens are not required to know this information.

P2: America is a free country and you are not required to know certain information.

C: Immigrants should not be required to know things that American citizens are not required to know. 

"The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age." -Constitution 

This is similar to my amendment because not allowing everyone 18 and above was not moral and that is a similar concept to what I am proposing since it is not moral to only allow people into the states that can talk about the history. 

For a large part of United States history, there were different requirements for who could and couldn't vote which means that if you can change who can vote because it's morally incorrect then you can also amend the questions that may unfairly keep people out of America.

Here is a quote from a fellow student named OL who agrees with my amendment. "Personally I like this idea. I think it is good because it is a really easy way to see if this person will be good for the country." -OL He also signed in agreement and so did TM.

Steel Oats Camera

I am taking a class called Light Sound, and Time. In this class, we are learning about those exact things but in detail which means we are learning about the way light sound and time travel move and react with the environment. In this class, we have gone on an FE to Latin school where we were given the opportunity to use their darkroom so that we could test our pinhole cameras. I really love this class because I have always been interested in this topic and the sort of questions that surface when talking about light sound and time.

   

Who knows about the history of vehicles?

I took a class called A Nation's Argument. In this class, we talked about how arguments are formed and what parts make them up. One argument we dove into is the Declaration of Independence and how it was laid out. We learned about the premises, conclusions, and inductive and deductive statements. I really have found this class interesting because I feel like I am a talented debater but have never really dived into the parts that create a good argument or the order they should be in and this class has really shown me that. Below is my project that is my argument for why I should do a certain independent study.

I am writing a declaration for an independent study that revolves around the history of vehicles and how they have shaped the planet. It is necessary to write this declaration because vehicles have shaped the space in which we live from things like highways to parking lots to the way entire cities are laid out. Without a good understanding of vehicles, how are we supposed to understand history as a whole?

In light of proposing an independent study, you have to consider the purpose of school and how your independent study lines up with your purpose.

I think the purpose of school and learning is to advance yourself and weed out the motivated from the unmotivated so that colleges can make good decisions as to who to accept. It is also there to create an educated general public so that everyone has the best opportunity to do good for themselves. Schools also give you the opportunity to become someone who is a functional member of society, which means you contribute to the economy rather than living off of other people’s taxes. Without schooling, you would not be able to do anything in society and that includes helping others. To help other you need to be stable yourself and that is a benefit of the school.

While thinking about this we also have to consider our unalienable rights and how they too, connect to what I am proposing.

These are your unalienable rights presented by The Declaration of Independence and GCE Lab School.

Life and Liberty

The pursuit of happiness

Exploring the real world

Connecting classroom the environment

This declaration is an expression of your unalienable rights because without the knowledge I seek to learn I feel that I won't be able to try and grasp the entire picture of what history looked like and how it has been shaped by some things more than others. For me to feel like I am fully living life and understanding it I think that I need to be able to understand where my history and heritage lay and how I can tap into them or at least understand where I fit in this day and age.

The guiding question I will be following is, Without a good understanding of vehicles, how are we supposed to understand history as a whole? I think it is your my right to learn about this because without it I am not able to understand society and history which denies me my right to life and liberty, and exploring the real world.

I hope to understand why our world has become the way it is specifically because of the way we transport ourselves and materials.

Learning about the history of vehicles is like learning about the history of religion; they both have played massive roles in history and have changed the world we live in.

P1: Animals as vehicles advanced many kingdoms and empires in the form of the silk road.

P2: The assembly line brought cars to the masses and in the span of twenty years, millions of Americans went from not owning to owning cars.

P3: Cars have changed entire whole continents.

P4: Vehicles have allowed people to travel further

P5: Vehicles allow for a more efficient transfer of goods

P6: Between 1900 and 1920 Americans went from owning 8,000 cars to 8,000,000

Conclusion: Vehicles have shaped the planet and to truly understand history and the course it has taken we need to understand vehicles.

I will be referring to these articles that talk about specific events that prove that vehicles have revolutionized the planet.

Caravans and Transportation

Assembly Line

Henry Ford

Military Vehicles

How cars changed the world

Citations:

“Motor Vehicle.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle.

Hays, Jeffrey. “CARAVANS AND TRANSPORTATION ALONG THE SILK ROAD.” Facts and Details, factsanddetails.com/china/cat2/sub90/item1103.html.

“Ford's Assembly Line Starts Rolling.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 13 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fords-assembly-line-starts-rolling.

Editors, History.com. “Henry Ford.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/inventions/henry-ford.

“Articles Tagged: Military Vehicles.” Military.com, Member 30298028, www.military.com/equipment/military-vehicles.

“How the Invention of the Car Changed the World.” Aceable, www.aceable.com/blog/how-the-invention-of-the-car-changed-the-world/.

“How Transportation Changed the World.” Spike Aerospace, 28 July 2017, www.spikeaerospace.com/how-transportation-changed-the-world/.

How we see Atonement

I took a class called Ollywood. In this class, we learned about movies, how they're made, what their purpose is and how they impact people we also learned about cinematography and how to do it. I found this class VERY interesting because it really made movies an entirely different thing for me because I stopped looking at them as simple things put together by people in a computer room and started looking at the whole process. In this class, we have taken a bunch of field experiences to many different places. The main one that stood out to me was the trip to the Gene Siskel Film Center where we watched a documentary called The Area. What really touched me about this FE was how much time and effort people put into the craft of making movies because we got to talk to the director of the documentary and it was really inspiring to actually get to talk to someone who had created a documentary. The other thing was Gene Sickel Film Center was a place that I would say many people don't know about and the fact that it exists for a rather niche group of people is crazy because its in an expensive location which means someone had to make the decision to invest in this and must know that there is enough support out there, support of which I didn't know previously existed. For this action project, we had to create a review of a movie and below is mine. I hope you enjoy.

 

Nail Climbing (yes it is safe)

I took a STEAM elective named Game Changers. In this class, we talked about how games work, their mechanics, and how they can teach. I found the class very interesting because it gave me a look into a world I never knew existed. I met people who have dedicated their entire lives to games in various ways and that's something that I never would have imagined seeing. In this class, we went on many Field Experiences to different places but we also had many in house experiences.  One of these experiences that really touched me was when we talked to JR Honeycutt about his life as a game creator; this inspired me to think differently because he was so devoted to something he loved that it gave me the realization of what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. That I did, and so did my team partners AA and RP. Together we created an exciting game that involves cards, a board, and creating fantastic memories with friends. So I hope you enjoy learning about it and maybe you'll even consider playing. 

We have taken the initiative to create an incredible game that puts you into the shoes of a rock climber with a few added difficulties. In the game, you are playing on a vertical board. Along the way you can hit patches of rocks that are impossible to cross without going around, you can collect gems that can help or hinder, and you can make strategic decisions to be the first to the top! The objective is to be the first to the top of the board and claim your victory. 

This game is perfect for people who love a challenge or a game that combines luck with decision making. This game can also attract fans from the sport of rock climbing or fans from strategic games that already exist such as Settlers of Catan. We have designed this game to create an environment that helps grow your patience, long-term decision making, and sportsmanship so you'll never be a sore loser. 

This game was incredibly fun to create but it all had to start somewhere. When we first started brainstorming, we had so many ideas that it was hard to choose just one! Our first idea was a race car game that would be on a flat board but, of course, this eventually evolved into a vertical board that focused on rock climbing rather than race cars. I think the major reason we did this was so that we could have a more visually appealing game that could stand out from the rest of the competition. Creating the game was very tedious because we had to literally nail almost 500 nails into a board not once but twice since we switched to a different board after the first one turned out to be too flimsy and dangerous. Along with nailing in about 1000 nails, we also had to tweak the final board numerous times before we determined that there weren't enough straight paths to the top that it made the game unfair. Playtesting the game went horribly the first time because the card game had no connection to the board and so there wasn't really a way to play. This wasn't a surprise since we were barely into the design process and already knew it wasn't functional yet. The second time we playtested, and after receiving pages of feedback that referred to the exact same problem every time, we changed the cards to clear cards that gave you a certain amount of moves to make so that it had a connection to the board and people were actually able to play. After making corrections to the actual correspondence between the cards and the board we, also discovered that if a player ended up with numerous cards that instructed them to move upwards they had a straight shot to the top and made the game pass too quickly. This is why there are several "rock" formations along the route that are impossible to pass through. 

I am proud to say that I came up with the original idea for what the game would look like and how it would perform. This is not to say I was the only one working but only to say while the entire group contributed to the idea coming to mind. I can say that I brought it up and had us pursue it. I also am very proud of the actual video that we made and all the time it took to edit it into a concise video that got to the point. I also intentionally made the video that shows how much fun we had playing the game so that you would feel more inclined to play while also learning about the game. This was an ordeal that I would estimate took me about 6 hours to finally accomplish because I had many technical problems that inhibited my work and forced me to restart the editing process multiple times. In the end, I think the video turned out great and that is something I am very proud of.  I think the final thing that really wrapped up my contributions to this project is how I really tried to bring the entire team together and I truly believe that I have never worked on a team in school that performed better together than us. At the beginning of the project, one of our group members was hesitant to join our group for unrelated matters, but we were finally able to convince him to join. This was not in vain; I wanted him to join because I knew that with the three people involved, we could make an incredible project. Even though I had to overcome obstacles trying to get us all to work in harmony, it worked out beautifully. I made sure to divvy up work based on skills, workload from other classes, and simple desire to accomplish to the task. I think this resulted in an entire team being extremely excited about the final outcome and a team that is truly proud of the work that was accomplished.