Month: June 2018

Blue sky

What a roller coaster. I am here to tell you about the highs and lows of my recent experience with blue sky, so welcome.

If your reading this you most likely know what blue sky is, but for those of you exploring around, and just reading this out of curiosity, I’ll explain it for you.
Blue sky is a project where all of the students from grade 8-10 create a question based on different criteria, answer their question and show their learning to parents on the exhibition night.


For the grade 9’s and I, the criteria was to create an answer to a problem that expanded ourselves. What I mean by this is that our answer to our problem had to be something you could find at a department store, in a certain section.
Ms. Willemse got us to do question practices, to help us open our minds to the vast amount of options that we had. We asked How Might We questions and watched LAUNCH videos. Now you might be wondering what these things are and I would like to share with you what my opinion is on them and how they helped me and my project.

How might we

How might we questions are questions that we could ask that would provoke our learning. The structure to the question is enforced to push the student to think outside the box. An example of some how might we questions could be :
how might we entertain kids?
how might we speed up homework?
how might we engage children more?
You get the just of it. The questions cant be to broad, and they cant be to narrow, they need to offer a variety of answers. This helped me because when it came time fro me to write my questions, I was able to have a more open mind and be able to conjure and accept more of the ideas coming from my brain.

The LAUNCH cycle

The LAUNCH cycle is a bit more complex then the “how might we” questions. Blue sky is built around the frame of “the LAUNCH cycle.” So let me explain what this cycle is. The LAUNCH cycle is a cycle of learning.

It begins with looking listening and learning, sort of taking in surroundings, creating empathy, awareness, and most importantly creativity.
The second step is asking questions, and tons of them. This is also the part where “how might we” questions come in, so in this step its important to ask important questions.
The third step is understanding the topic, and to do this research becomes a big part. It is vital that for research you use authentic, and trustworthy sources. What I mean is don’t ask your friends questions fro your project that they would not know anything about. Ask the proper source.
Step four is analyzing your ideas, and begging to navigate through them.
The fifth step is creating a prototype. This prototype can be digital and action event, a piece of art, engineered, etc.
Step six is revising the object that you created in the step below. Highlighting the pros to keep your self feeling productive, and remember every mistake takes you closer to success!
The seventh step is sharing your work with others. This step is very important, because after this step, you head right back to the beginning!

 

Now that I’ve explained these first few steps, I would like to get started on my actual journey through blue sky.


The first step for me once I had picked a topic was to fill out the Blue sky project pitch form. I had to create 2 of these because I changed my idea half way through! The pitch form is a form to help you begin your whole journey into this project, I do feel it is more for the teachers to understand your project, but it helps the students figure out things for the future of their projects as well.

After this step the kids are left to complete the main project itself. For this section I needed to complete my research and do my interviews. I also needed to create prototypes! For this section we had a bunch of time so we didn’t have to be super stressed but I was anyways. I had done a lot of my research just looking into this topic so research was not on my priority chart, but drawing my first prototype was. My first prototype was very simple, and did not really consist of to much back round knowledge. It was a rough drawing but I’m glad I didn’t go all out because I realized later that I did not even want to do this topic, so I had to scratch the whole thing and start again. This is a photo of my first prototype of my inflatable vest.

After I had changed topics to a more “adlih” topic, I had to make another pitch form and another prototype. It didn’t take to long and when I was done I was really happy I had made the switch!

After prototype 1 was finished it was time to move on to step 6, which is revising and finding some positive work. I can not tell you how long this step took. I don’t know what it was but I could not wrap my head around some of the solutions to the problems I’d been having with the filter. ( forgot to mention I switched my topics to a nano plastic filter!) I spent 2 whole days trying to figure out why so many new problems kept coming up, but finally I figured it out and created the second prototype.

After the second prototype the rest of the project just fell into place. I interviewed a man named Byron Gates. Dr. Gates works at SFU, and majors in the study of nano particles. The interview that I did with him went really well and I learned a lot of new information.

 

 

I also interviewed my long time friend, and owner of Room6, Megan. Megan told me a lot about the business side of products, but was also very interested in the science behind it.
I put the information together and created a poster board. I also nailed a sink to a box of wood to show how you use this filter, but in the end I didn’t even get to show anyone. I came down with the worst flu I have ever had the night before the exhibition and I didn’t get to share my project with anyone.

In the end I learned a lot about my topic and I really enjoyed the experience

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Louis Riel, and Power

Louis Riel is a major figure for many people living in Canada. He was a very controversial heroine though. Before I start my post about this fascinating man, I should explain why he is so important.


Louis Riel was a Metis living in the red river valley in the late 19th century. Riel was a very knowledgeable young man, and knew how to speak english, french and the language of his Metis people. At the time the government was not very fond of the Metis people, and wanted them out of the red river settlement immediately. This brought up a lot of violence and aggression from both parties, the english and the Metis, and this is how Riel got his title as leader of the Metis.

Now that there is a little bit of history of Riel, I would like to share what my class and I worked tirelessly on to show our concept of Riel’s story and of power itself. So to do this we have to start way back at the beginning.
We started our Louis Riel section, with a book. This book is called “Louis Riel. A comic strip biography,” by Chester Brown. A comic strip biography might sound a little dodgy, so I will try to explain.

The biography was aimed towards more diverse learners, people that would loose focus on a huge book of information, but hold on to the pictures. Ms. Maxwell assigned it and there were four chapters, and for each of the chapters we had to write a summary and figure out who held the power in this section of the book. I learned a ton from the book, in a way that I wouldn’t have in a normal biography. I feel like if someone asked me about a specific event in Riel’s life I could know it and remember it, but mostly from the images! The images painted a story in my head, and so when and if, it got confusing, I could look to the photos for clarification.

While we were reading the book we were learning about certain aspects through Ms. Maxwells modules in class. We learned about the First Nations groups, and how the government treated them, treaties, and lots more.
Our final project was to create a short animation to show power, but in someone else’s story. The criteria was simple so there was a lot of space for us to show our learning as a student through this section. I chose to do my animation on the Beothuk people.

The animations were to be made in either Keynote Magic Moves, FlipaClip, or Explain Everything. I chose to do a mix of both FlipaClip and Keynote. For our stories we had to incorporate the essence of power into them. So for me that meant describing how the english had a terrible outlook on the Beothuk people, and found it was there duty to show that they had power over them, and deprive the Beothuk people of any of their rights.

We started by researching the topic that we chose, and trying to find a specific story. Since my story is quite old, and went largely undocumented, there was little to no information about it, but I did find enough to write a proper story. I wanted my story to be more about the facts and the story itself then the made up conversations, so my story started to take shape. The next step was to create a storyboard, to guide us when we got to filming. And after those two aspects above were approved, we got to film!

I really enjoyed the challenge, and found it fun to try animating things. In the end I learned so much about Louis Riel, and the Beothuk people, but also about Canada before all the crisp flags and the flashy smiles, the truer history of our identities, which I am grateful for.
This is my final product, and I hope you enjoy it!

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Correlation and causation

Math blog post

In math 9 we have been working on a project on causation and correlation, and how we can relate this to our society today and to people around us.
Before I start this post I would like to explain what correlations, and causations are.
A correlation is when two sets of data increase or decrease at the same time, but have no other relation.
A causation is where the data in question is related and if one set goes up, then it makes the other set go up as well.

For our project Isabelle, Luca, and I created a keynote to show our learning, and studies into these topics. For our correlation project we compared gas price, to college tuition over the years.


In this chart we show how the increase of both are not related in anyway, proving that it is in fact a correlation.

For the causation part of the project, I had to ask around the class to see who had a keyboard on their iPad, and how long it takes to write a blog post.

The information in the chart above is the information that I collected when I went around asking people in the class. We put the information into a graph and I averaged it out, and it showed that people with keyboards usually take an hour less time writing a blog post!

That is my math project, and hope you liked the post

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Tpols

So I’ve successfully made it through one year of PLP, and I would like to say that it has changed me for the better, so with that thought in mind, lets begin.

That would normally be a hard question because I sometimes have a hard time remembering things from a while ago, but I have been really good at remembering projects and work, from the beginning of this year. I feel that the most important thing that I learned this year, wasn’t in a project but in a way of learning. I learned lots from the hands on learning aspect of this program, and I am so thankful for it. I didn’t know how much I need to picture something to truly comprehend it. But the main thing I learned this year is how to work cooperatively with other students. This is super important to me because this will be a major part of my future and it is good to learn how to incorporate different personalities into a project and still work to your best abilities, and create a final product that I am proud of. I think that this is a very important aspect of PLP, because in standard line school you are always with other people, and projects are less often, but in PLP projects are a huge part of the course, and I really enjoy learning about certain things people are good at. I found it hard in the beginning of the year, but now since I’ve been in PLP for a full year I don’t find it as hard to work with others. An example of working with others, and pushing my comfort zone is our recent Ottawa trip.

On our trip I had to work with other people, and create new bonds.

I think this is a really important aspect to learning, to realize that sometimes the history that we intake is different than what another person might take in, because everyone has different perspectives on things. An example is Louis Riel. Recently we have been delving into the intense history of Louis Riel, and all of his controversial acts. Ms. Maxwell is super good at facilitating our debates, and showing that not just one side is correct. Let me explain. Louis Riel was executed so Ms. Maxwell thought it would be good to debate ad try to figure out what our thoughts were on his death, and if we thought it was justified. I think this is a really good example of seeing things from other peoples perspectives, and sharing these thoughts with others. Also when doing a project you will always get a different perspective, where as a test you would get one singular perspective.

 

I have improved as a learner through the unique opportunity’s that are offered through PLP. Examples being Calgary, and Ottawa. In Calgary I learned so many things that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t gone. Things like the discovery of Banff hot springs, and that there are female empowerment groups that do the coolest things, like a group of woman who metal work, and travel around the world sharing there stories. It was so inspiring, and yet there are thousands of kids who dont get these opportunities. So I think my learning has improved greatly throughout this year because I realized that I am a hands on learner and standard school never really addressed this, and I realized that there is so much more to learning than just a text book, and some tests. And that learning can be fun! I have also become more thorough and interested in my work. By this I mean I have become way more dedicated to the work that is put infront of me than I was last year. I find the reason for this might be the fact that the amount of effort we put in to our projects is recognized, and we get rewarded based upon that. I have also improved through the exhibitions and blue sky.


I have many goals to set for myself for next year, many including getting to know people better, pushing myself harder, trying to comprehend the new information better, and improving my video skills.

Franken stuffies

I would really like to improve on these skills, but I would like to focus most of my time on time management, and composure during the busy patches of homework. I have never really been a strong time manager but I think this year I have improved majorly with the help from my friends, and teachers. Examples of this are last year I would never plan ahead and always be stuck completing assignments the day before they are due. This year I have been using all my time so much more efficiently, an example would even be this Tpol. I realized that the week before my Tpol is due, I have something to do every night, so I decided to get this done ASAP, so I wouldn’t have to worry about it on the day before it was due.


I think time management is a super good goal for me to strive to achieve next year, and I look forward to completing it!

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