Laser laws project  

Driving question: How can we test Pythagorean theorem and the laws of reflection?

For this scimatics unit we studied the Pythagorean theorem and the laws of reflection. For this project in a group we had to create a shape with laser and mirrors that features a triangle, with a 90 degree angle. We used the laser laws to predict where the laser will reflect so we could place the mirrors there creating a star shape.  

Laser without the smoke ⬇️

At the end of the project on of my classmate Sylas brought in his smoke machine in so we could see our laser beam illuminated.

Photo of laser & of smoke machine ⬇️

Project Mind map⬇️

Curricular competency

Questioning and predicting: Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic or problem of personal interest 

I demonstrated a sustained intellectual curiosity by using all my time in scimatics efficiently to work together with my group and to focus on the assigned work. I also demonstrated this skill by using all my time in LAC to work on my science and math work books. My group and I also tried to extend on the project by creating a more complex star shape with 8 triangles and 6 right angles.

Communicating and Representing: Represent mathematical ideas in concrete, pictorial, and symbolic forms

I showed this competency by using my comprehension of the Pythagorean theorem (A²+B²=C²) to find the right triangles within the star. After that I used a protractor to measure to see if there were any right angles. 

Applying and innovating: Co-operatively design projects

In my group we decided to create a star shape. It turned out to be surprisingly difficult to draw a star that has right angles in it and looks proportional. We first tired to draw a star then measure the angles but there where no 90degree angles. We finally got a star that had 6 right angles but the star looked a bit odd but we decided to keep it because it had 6 right angled triangles. Overall I think everyone in our group did an even amount of work and I’m very happy with our final outcome. Thank you Patrick, Sabrina, Faith and Jocelyn for being a great group.

This whole project proved Pythagorean theorem and the laws of reflection. By using lasers to prove the laws of reflection and using the Pythagorean theorem to find the right triangles.

Plate tectonics 

Over the course of this project I improved my understanding on the big idea in many ways, such as movement of the plates, measuring earthquakes and geohazards. 

I learned about the three different ways tectonic plates move. The first type of plate movement is called Divergent and this is when two plates are pulling apart from each other, this usually forms a new oceanic crust. The second type of movements are convergent plates are two plates colliding into one and other this cause deep sea trenches volcanoes and earthquakes to happen. The last plate movement is called transverse which is when to plates slide past each other and this causes earthquakes.

I also learned that there are two ways Seismologists can measure earthquakes; one is by the rector scale which is measuring the magnitude and  level of an earthquake; and the second one is by using a seismometer which measures the waves of the earthquakes.

Another thing we learned about is geohazards which are dangers that can occur in the area that we live in such as landslides and earthquakes. All of the examples above show the observable changes and affects to the earth from plate tectonics. 

Circular composites 

Understand and Appreciate evidence for plate tectonics

The way I designed my board game shows my understanding of plate tectonics and the continental drift hypothesis. For example, the tiles in our game represent all the different tectonic plates. We added a rector scale which shows my understanding of how we measure earthquakes. The disaster cards in the game demonstrate my understanding of the different types of tectonic plates. One thing I could improve is adding more detail and explanation about plate tectonics.

Questioning and Predicting

     I generally demonstrated a sustained intellectual curiosity by using class time efficiently for learning. My first period of the day is LAC and I use that time to work on scimatics and I use that time efficiently. During the scimatics class I generally used my time well while working on the project with my partner and we learned more about plate tectonics by including the concepts in my board game.

Understanding and Solving

     I demonstrated my understanding of the math and probability concepts by incorporating chance into the rules of the game. For example, the chance of a player drawing two Slab Pull cards on the same draw is 1/24 or 4%. By including chance and probability in to my game, it deepened my understanding of solving multiplying fractions.

Launch

This project was all about advertising, for the first part of this project in groups we chose a business that we would design an advertisement for. Which my group we chose a candy shop called Zücker,

Our second step was to created a script to call them and ask if they would like to work with us, then we made the call, next we learned how to make a mood board to plan what we wanted our advertisement to look like.

With the mood boards we made some individual advertisement drafts.

Our mood bord⬇️

       We combined our individual drafts and turned them into one group draft. Then we sent the 2 drafts to the business for their feedback and to see which draft they liked best.

My individual draft⬇️

Group draft #1 ⬇️

Group draft #2⬇️ 

Their feed back⬇️

 When we received feedback from our business we made a few changes.

We made some changes ⬇️

Then we got peer critiques on or revised draft, after that we had someone who works in advertising come in and give us some critiques. 

We made some final changes then we sent our drafts to the business and we where done.  

Final draft⬇️ 

building knowledge

    In the building knowledge step we learned the different types of media and the message. We learned about different types of media and what goes in to media such as, mass media, consumer, target audience, and advertising. I found learning about the target audience interesting learning how brands design their ad to appeal to a certain audience. 

how dose what we hear, read and see influence us? 

      The driving question for this unit was “how dose what we hear read and see influence us?” Throughout this unit we read many texts and had many discussions about the driving question. We learned a lot about what techniques advertisers use to influence the consumer. Like we learned about pathos: the appeal of sadness and emotions, for example a SPCA ad with a sad chained up dog, Ethos: the appeal of ethics, for example and ad for a cough drop that says it’s doctor recommended, and Logos the appeal of logic such as an ad that has facts, proof and evidence. I find that the appeal of Pathos is very strong in my experience. This question is all about how brands advertise product so people think if you by this you will fit in or be cool.

Evidence of Your Learning

     Through out this project we learned about advertising, the different techniques and appeals, meaning of media and message, graphic design skills, how to analyze text, team skills. I completed many advertisement drafts, advertisement survey, photo journal and the final advertisement project. I participated in group work and class decisions which shows evidence of my understanding of media.

Curricular Competencies

     In milestone 1 I demonstrated that I can comprehend text by learning about the proposed of advertising and other aspects of advertising such as, the target audience, the main objective and the main idea. For milestone 1 we watched an Apple ad for their new Home Pod. After we wrote a paragraph about who we think the target audience is and dose

     Milestone 5 I have applied a variety of strategies to comprehend text. We read the novel The Gospel According to Larry and we also read Medium is The Message by McLuhan. One quote that stood out while reading Medium is The Message was “we shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us”, when I first this I didn’t fully understand the meaning of it but I used some strategies to help comprehend it. Some of the strategies I used where discussing it with my table group, re-reading the text and discussing it with my class room.

    Milestone 6 I demonstrated writing and design processes to plan, develop, create my advertisement. I utilized my critiques, from my peers to improve my advertisement draft Milestone 6 was when our group combined all our individual drafts together into one final draft. 

At first we had to chose business that we wanted to work with my group chose a candy shop called Zücker, we created a script to call them, then we made the call, next we learned how to make a mood board for our advertisement, we made individual advertisement drafts then turned them into one group draft. Then we sent the 2 drafts to the business for their feedback and to see which draft they liked best.8

I’m so happy with how our post turns out thank you Dana, Patrick, Aaron, Xander and Julian for being a great group.

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