Break, Or Not To Break

In the first unit of my last STEAM course of junior year, we were asked to create a bridge with a random partner. KIS and I had to create a bridge using triangles because we have studied that triangles have proved to be the most effective shape in infrastructure. We used a combination of glue and popsicle sticks to create a stable bridge. There was a small amount of super glue available so we used it with caution. After overcoming some problems with our initial design, our outcome was different than expected. The main concern before testing the 10lbs on our bridge was the constant leaning of it. Not to mention we could only use 50 popsicle sticks. Despite our difficulties with the design, I am extremely proud of my bridge for holding 10lbs.

Solar Time...

In the third and final Action Project for my Winter Term, my STEAM teacher asked me to create or innovate a time-telling device. Throughout this unit, we explored the secrets and different perceptions of time. While we studied the different techniques and devices for telling time, we also started to think about how we could create something that could potentially tell time using the units days, hours, minutes, and seconds. We also started to think about how we could improve ideas or devices that already tell time. The most important thing we tried to focus on was the video that you will see below. The creation of this video was very stressful and new to me. In this project, I tried to open my mind to new things. Designing your own clock may sound a bit crazy or impossible, but this project was extremely fun and even though the video may have been challenging, isn't that what makes projects fun?

Math Concepts: 

The circumference of the face of the watch is represented as 2piRadius. The diameter of the watch is about 1.5 inches, and since diameter is just radius times two, this means that all we now have to do is multiply 1.5 by pi. The circumference is about 4.71 inches. 

Works Cited:

Seiko "SEIKO Solar and the Environment," N.D. Web. 19 March. 2016.

Solar cooking "horace de saussure and his hot boxes of the 1700's," N.D. Web. 19 March. 2016.