Portfolio Design

In art, we have just finished making our portfolio name designs. The idea was to draw your name creatively on your portfolio, which we will be using for the rest of the art semester. For my design, I wanted to incorporate one of my interests, so I used a basketball design and theme. Below is a picture of my final product.

To the left is a picture of my first ideas sketched out. I really liked the way my first one looked, because it involved my interest, and I liked the detail it involved.











Below is a picture of my full-sized rough draft. It is slightly blurry, but I did make some changes here, because I used the 7B to my advantage. I did this by putting it directly underneath my last name, and I curved the letters in my last name. I liked this idea because it really fit my theme. I also reorganized the layout and composition of the design.

 I made some minor changes in my final, like outlining 7B, and moving the basketball and the basket to the lower area.


Reflection Questions:

1. What was the best part of this assignment?
I liked how we got a lot of freedom with how we put everything together. The color, the media, and the techniques were all our choice, and we got the perfect amount of help and assistance. In terms of my own work, I'm really happy with my idea and the detail. I think the detail really paid off, and normally ideation is a difficult stage, but I'm proud of this idea.

2. If you could do this assignment again what would you do differently?
I think I got behind on time because I spent too much time drawing my name on my final. I think it was because I was unconfident and unfocused about the way I drew it. Next time, I want to focus a lot more on my final, and draw lightly, so that I can erase if I need to.

Age of Ocean Floor Pre-Test

1. Where are the oldest parts of the oceans?
I think the oldest parts of oceans are the areas closest to the continents, because that's where the oldest rocks from the mid atlantic ridge are. There might be some sort of connection between the oceans and the rocks.

2. Do the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic ocean basins have the same age and patterns?
I think they would have to have different age and patterns, because they split into continents/countries at different points in time.

3. How does the age of the ocean floor compare with the age of rocks on the continents?

I think the age of the ocean floor would have to be certain age older than the rocks on the continents above it, because the ocean is always there before the rocks are. 

Mathematical Reflections on Polygons

In Math, we have been learning about polygons and angles. This post has my answers to some questions about angles and polygons.

1. The common properties of polygons are...
Polygons should have no curves (only lines and vertices), are closed, are 2d figures, and should have no intersecting lines.

My drawing to the left shows these four rules of what a polygon has to be. The first shape has a curve, which means it is not a polygon. Another way to tell this rule is that the number of lines should equal the number of vertices. The shape in the first box has only one line, but but has two vertices.
The second figure is open, which polygons can not be.
The third figure is 3d, and all polygons must be 2 dimensional (length and width).

The fourth figure has intersecting lines, or lines that overlap, and polygons can not have intersecting lines.

2. The measure in degrees in an angle tells me that the angle...
    The measure of degrees in an angle can tell us what type of angle it is. For example, if the angle's measure is 180°, I know it's a straight angle.
        Some of the common angles are...
    Obtuse, acute, right, and straight angles are the most common.

My picture shown above shows the different angles. The first one is an acute angle. All acute angles must be less than 90°. They are the smallest type of angle. Right angles (the 2nd type) must be 90°. Obtuse angles must be between 90° and 180°. Straight angles must be exactly 180°.

3. Some strategies to estimate angle measures are...
    You can use benchmark angles like 45°, 90°, 180°, or 270°. For example, if you are trying to find the measure of an angle that is 85°, you will notice that it is slightly smaller than a right angle. So you might assume that it is somewhere between 80 and 90 degrees.

        To find accurate measurements with tools, I should...
    When you are measuring lines, angles, or any other geometrical shape, it is very important to line things up. For example, while measuring an angle, the 0 line on your protractor should line up with the initial side of the angle. If you are measuring a line, you should make sure that the 0 mark on the ruler matches up with the beginning of the line. This also means that the end of the geometrical figure should match up. So in an angle, the terminal side is on a line, and in a line the ruler is matched up with the end of the line. This is important because you can get really different answers if you don't do this. For instance, if you don't line it up, a 10° angle can become a 100° angle.
    While measuring angles, you also want to know which number to look at. This is because the measure for an angle greater than 180° is written above the measure for an angle less than 180°.

Week 2

1. What is the difference between an Observation and an Inference? An observation is something you notice with your senses, and an inference is the conclusion or prediction you make based on what you notice. An inference is a judgement or educated guess, while an observation is a fact.

 2. How can inferences and observations be related? Scientists must use the information they observe (observations) to make a judgement (inference). If you don't have any observations, it's hard to make an inference.

 3. Why are both observations and inferences important in science? When scientists see some sort of reaction, or anything happen while doing an experiment, they want to figure out what happened. This is why it is important for them to note what they saw, smelled, tasted, felt, or heard, so they can then infer what that means, and what happened.

Tips for Math in 6th Grade

Below is a video I made with some friends in math class that explains some tips for Math class in 6th grade. Enjoy!

Modeling Subtraction and Multiplication

Here is a presentation Kayla and I made in Math class to explain how to model multiplication and subtraction equations that involve negative and/or positive integers, and how to solve them.

Health & Wellness Reflection

What does wellness mean to you? Wellness is overall health, and doing what's right for your body. For example, when you are consistently eating foods from different food groups, you are practicing proper wellness. Wellness can be the right eating, the right physical fitness, or the right amount of sleep. It's really how well you treat your body.

Which habit of 54321+8 is your strength? Why? (Review your earlier blog post) Looking back at my presentation and my blog post, I think my best habit is the +8 sleep. I know I get at least 8 hours of sleep per night, because I go to sleep at 8:30 or 9pm on school nights, and wake up at 6am. This gives me a minimum of 9 hours of sleep per night. One thing I didn't get a lot of at the start of the year that I do now is 5 fruits and veggies per day. After learning about the positive effects of fruit and vegetables, I was more mindful about adding those to my meals. For example, my breakfast is normally just a grain, protein, and milk, but now I try to throw grapes, blueberries, or strawberries in.

Which habit do you need to continue to improve on? I have been trying to drink more water, but I think I need to keep that a consistent. On some days, I'm really thoughtful about how much water I drink, but on others, I don't have as much water as I should. One thing I got from making my 54321+8 presentation is drinking healthy flavored water, to be able to drink more. I tried this, and really liked it, so that is something I can continue doing to build this into a real habit. Flavored water I made at home! Another thing I have been doing to work to this goal is taking my water bottle to my classes, so I can keep taking sips of water. Bringing my water bottle to class! So, for me, this goal is about keeping it consistent and making it a habit.

How physically active have you been this year on a weekly basis? Share as many things that you can remember. As the year has gone on, I have gotten more and more physically active. In the first trimester, I didn't have a whole lot physical activity. I was doing the basketball intramural once a week, and had tennis lessons once a week, but most other days only had miscellaneous activities. In the second season, I got into the basketball team, which took up 4/5 school days, and I also continued with my tennis lessons on the weekends. Finally, I really got into the track season, by training 3/5 or 4/5 school days a week for that. In addition to that season, I also started running at home much more often. For example, on Saturdays I would run 5 kilometers with my dad. At this point, I normally exercise on both days of the weekend by running, biking, playing tennis, or going to the gym with a parent. On weekdays, I play basketball with friends or run with them. Where I am right now with my physical fitness is really a result of what I've done all year, because I have made so many friends while playing sports, whom I can still play with in an unstructured way. I can also take the workouts I have learned while playing on a team, and apply those to my own time. I went back to my Daily Physical Activity Doc, and saw that in November, I was only getting 60 minutes of physical activity 3/7 days a week. Now, I get that on almost all days of the week.

What is your strongest area of physical fitness? (strength, flexibility, cardio respiratory endurance) Which are do you need to work on? For the whole year, cardio respiratory endurance has been my strength. I have always had strong KM times. I think the track season really helped me as a runner, especially with my running form and mental strength. I have been trying to improve my core strength all year for the push-ups test. With the track season, I learned about how core is important for running. This is why I have got into the habit of practicing with the plank exercise at least once a week. So my physical activities have really helped me with my fitness tests.

Why do you think being physically active is important? After getting and increasing amount of physical activity this year, I have seen that it has helped my body's strength and wellness. Being physically active gives you fresh air, which is really good for your wellness. It helps your body stay strong, which helps with daily life.

How well do you eat ‘MyPlate’ 3 meals a day? My dinner definitely meets the 'MyPlate' meal, because it always has foods from all food groups. My breakfast normally has every food group, except for vegetables, which can be hard to incorporate into breakfast. My lunch normally has 3/5 food groups, or 4/5. So I have at least one meal that meets 'MyPlate,' but my other meals are almost there.

What is your food goal? (Review your earlier blog post) Did you achieve your “food goal” or do you need to continue to work on it? My food goal was to incorporate more fruits into my meals, which I think I have achieved. Now, I have fruit with my breakfast, and after my dinner. It is quick and easy for me to throw these into my breakfast and dinner.

How stressed have you been this semester? On a scale from 1 to 10, I have been at a maximum of 6.5. Sometimes, I get really stressed about homework and school projects. But unlike the last semester, I have learned how to deal with stress better.

What two strategies work best for you to reduce stress? I am a thinker, so I like to think through things to reduce stress. So, sometimes, I think through or plan through something that I'm stressed about. For example, if I'm stressed about homework, I use the 'Reminders' app to help stay organized. Using 'Reminders' to stay organized. Another thing I do is talk to one of my parents. My mom is always great help with staying organized with homework. For example, if I am worried about a project, I may ask my mom what she thinks, so I get solutions, and stay calm.

What do you do on a daily basis to promote wellness? If I am ever talking with a friend about wellness, I will bring up my ways to do it. For example, in Math class the other day, I was sharing 'Reminders' with some of my classmates, so they can reduce stress as well. Sharing 'Reminders' with friends