Physics 9th Grade
Description
This was a two person mini project that we got to do in physics class where we made our own model rockets from scratch. The engines that we used were real black powder or sugar mixed with potassium nitrate engines that were super flammable and creating up to almost 3000 grams of force. Before we actually started building, we had to learn how to calculate how high our rocket is going to go which was extremely hard math. It was the basics and fundamentals of rocket science.
Reflection
This project, math wise, was one of the hardest of them all. It was also difficult building the actual rocket because we didn't really have a way to do it. You had to be creative and figure it out as you went along. I like that I had to do that because it makes your mind think more and you gain more skills when doing it yourself. Your body automatically remembers how you did it and you find more uses. I like doing projects like these because you figure out at the end that you basically just taught yourself. You became the teacher and student at the same time!
Description
This was a two person mini project that we got to do in physics class where we made our own model rockets from scratch. The engines that we used were real black powder or sugar mixed with potassium nitrate engines that were super flammable and creating up to almost 3000 grams of force. Before we actually started building, we had to learn how to calculate how high our rocket is going to go which was extremely hard math. It was the basics and fundamentals of rocket science.
Reflection
This project, math wise, was one of the hardest of them all. It was also difficult building the actual rocket because we didn't really have a way to do it. You had to be creative and figure it out as you went along. I like that I had to do that because it makes your mind think more and you gain more skills when doing it yourself. Your body automatically remembers how you did it and you find more uses. I like doing projects like these because you figure out at the end that you basically just taught yourself. You became the teacher and student at the same time!
-Paper Mache Planet
Description
You might be confused by the photo above or wonder what it is. It's actually a paper mache planet that we made for our physics mini project. This project was completely up to you to create with a group of your choosing. The only rule was that it had to do with space in some way. My group decided to scale the solar system to the size of San Diego. That planet you see above is what uranus would look like if the solar system was 30 miles long. After making these planets, it really gave us a new perspective of how tiny we are. Mercury was two inches in diameter! That's just crazy to me.
Reflection
This was the first project of the school year and from the start, I really liked how much freedom we got with the project. It was a good way for me to see how different people work and how creative they can get. I was really happy with my group. We planned out what our steps were going to be in an organized way and stayed on track the majority of the time. We still haven't done the bike ride where we stop at different points in san diego where the planets would be, but we are still planning on doing it. That's the only challenge we have with this project. We can't find a day to finish it off, but it'll hopefully be soon.
Description
You might be confused by the photo above or wonder what it is. It's actually a paper mache planet that we made for our physics mini project. This project was completely up to you to create with a group of your choosing. The only rule was that it had to do with space in some way. My group decided to scale the solar system to the size of San Diego. That planet you see above is what uranus would look like if the solar system was 30 miles long. After making these planets, it really gave us a new perspective of how tiny we are. Mercury was two inches in diameter! That's just crazy to me.
Reflection
This was the first project of the school year and from the start, I really liked how much freedom we got with the project. It was a good way for me to see how different people work and how creative they can get. I was really happy with my group. We planned out what our steps were going to be in an organized way and stayed on track the majority of the time. We still haven't done the bike ride where we stop at different points in san diego where the planets would be, but we are still planning on doing it. That's the only challenge we have with this project. We can't find a day to finish it off, but it'll hopefully be soon.
-My Article
Description
This semester I got the chance to work with a new physics teacher by the name of John Santos to create great HTH worthy work. We started of with a mini project where we made something called a Scientific Showcase. We got to study a scientific subject of our choosing that we were very interested in and write an article about it. I am very interested in marine biology, so I looked into some interesting things happening in the marine biology world and found an interesting topic called "Ocean Acidification." I learned about it and how it is affecting our coral reefs dramatically. I then wrote an article about it and how it can be stopped.
Reflection
This was probably my favorite assignment in science class this semester since it was really based off of our interest in science making it more exciting for each individual. I am very interested in marine biology, so much so that I actually got a SCUBA license and am planning on getting an advanced license this summer. Since I enjoyed this assignment so much, I am thinking about perusing marine biology and maybe becoming a marine biologist when I'm older. I still have a while to think about it though.
Description
This semester I got the chance to work with a new physics teacher by the name of John Santos to create great HTH worthy work. We started of with a mini project where we made something called a Scientific Showcase. We got to study a scientific subject of our choosing that we were very interested in and write an article about it. I am very interested in marine biology, so I looked into some interesting things happening in the marine biology world and found an interesting topic called "Ocean Acidification." I learned about it and how it is affecting our coral reefs dramatically. I then wrote an article about it and how it can be stopped.
Reflection
This was probably my favorite assignment in science class this semester since it was really based off of our interest in science making it more exciting for each individual. I am very interested in marine biology, so much so that I actually got a SCUBA license and am planning on getting an advanced license this summer. Since I enjoyed this assignment so much, I am thinking about perusing marine biology and maybe becoming a marine biologist when I'm older. I still have a while to think about it though.
Description
Our main project this semester was the "Comic Book Project" where we started off by writing short stories in humanities that had to be Science Fiction themed. In science we came up with realistic concepts that would then be put in our short stories before we turned that story into a twenty panel comic strip. Then if you wanted you could finish your comic, making sixty panels or do another project of your choosing. To create the twenty panel strips you either used photoshop or drew it if you were good enough to. A lot was learned by making this twenty panel strip. A lot having to do with photoshop and having to do with myself as a learner.
Reflection
For me and many of my classmates, this was the most frustrating and stressful project this whole year. A lot of us were not used to photoshop, so when it came time to start making are little comes it was extremely difficult. We had to learn how to use it on our own. Only a little tutoring was given before. This made a lot of us frustrated and put out the best work that we could have. Learning how to control my frustrations was the biggest thing I took away from this project because I know there will be projects where I'll get frustrated in the future.
-This is an image of a crystal we chemically engineered. It was taken with the microscope my partner and I made.
Description
Before John Santos was our teacher for the second semester, we had a student teacher named Renee who taught us how to build microscopes that worked with the camera on your smartphone. The structure of the microscope was made with plexiglass, wood, and bolts. These materials held up the phone, along with what you're looking at. Tiny lenses were inserted into the top layer of plexiglass in the top center portion. You could then place your phone camera over the lens along with zooming in on your camera to get super close images.
Reflection
I really like how this mini project taught me about photography which I had never really done before, especially this style. Students took amazing close up images, some even being pictures of animals and insects. I was really proud of my image, first because I've never thought of myself as artistic and also because it fooled peopled. People that my image was of a flag of blanket when it was actually an image of a one dollar bill. I really like how my image brought so much curiosity to viewers, it was a huge feeling of accomplishmentThis is an image of a crystal we chemically engineered. It was taken with the microscope my partner and I made.
Description
Before John Santos was our teacher for the second semester, we had a student teacher named Renee who taught us how to build microscopes that worked with the camera on your smartphone. The structure of the microscope was made with plexiglass, wood, and bolts. These materials held up the phone, along with what you're looking at. Tiny lenses were inserted into the top layer of plexiglass in the top center portion. You could then place your phone camera over the lens along with zooming in on your camera to get super close images.
Reflection
I really like how this mini project taught me about photography which I had never really done before, especially this style. Students took amazing close up images, some even being pictures of animals and insects. I was really proud of my image, first because I've never thought of myself as artistic and also because it fooled peopled. People that my image was of a flag of blanket when it was actually an image of a one dollar bill. I really like how my image brought so much curiosity to viewers, it was a huge feeling of accomplishmentThis is an image of a crystal we chemically engineered. It was taken with the microscope my partner and I made.