Bringing faces together.

For this Elective term, I chose to take a class called If These Walls Could Talk. This course gave students a chance to explore the rich history of art, more specifically murals, and we also are given the chance to create some art ourselves. For the second unit of this course, which is called Materialized, we studied all the different materials and spaces that are used for murals. For this second action project the class was separated into 3 groups of 5, and each group had to come up with a design for a mural using the techniques and materials we learned about during the unit. Each person was assigned a portion of the sketch that our group came up with, and experiment with a medium. At the end we all came together to decide which technique would work and look the best for our final mural. It was a bit challenging at first when it came to agreeing on a design for our mural in our group, but at the end we all agreed on something when we realized that we can involve a little bit of everyone’s ideas. I really enjoyed this unit because I didn’t know much about art materials or techniques, so now it’s cool when I see a piece of artwork and I’m able to identify what kind of material or technique was used to create it. I hope you enjoy reading about the design, materials and purpose of our mural below!


RD


Title: Global Collaboration


12-15-2015


Measurement: “11x3.4”, “11x3.4”


Medium:Watercolor paints on canvas paper


The members of my group and I all started to throw ideas at the table, and at first it was rather difficult to come up with an idea on what we wanted our mural to be about. With a little bit of disagreeing and finally agreeing, we were all able to finalize an idea. At the end we finally agreed on the idea of using JR’s Face2Face concept. We loved the idea of taking pictures of our group members and being able to capture some kind of emotion. The first idea that we came up with that went along this concept was having half of all of the 5 group members faces onto one huge canvas, but then we realized that it was a bit too simple. Then we thought about having 3 faces, one using our baby features, another using our features now, and the last one predicting how we would look in the future. It was an interesting idea, but we really weren’t buying it. Finally, we stuck to the idea of having 3 faces, but each one of those faces would portray the emotion of sadness, silliness and happiness. Those emotions would be made up by facial features of the 5 of us.The background is interesting because these 3 faces are being surrounded by Earth. The whole purpose behind this sketch was to represent how GCE students are becoming global citizens, and to also pay tribute to GCE students.

MV, DR, Global Collabration Sketch. 2015

While visualizing this mural in my head, I had the idea of using watercolor to complete it. When I experimented with it in class, it was very simple and easy. I liked that with watercolor, you can easily make your painting detailed or you can go with a very light color and make it a very loose painting. I liked the idea of having the green and blue in the background being very light, but the face being very bold. In my head it looked pretty good. As I was using this medium though, my idea didn’t look so hot. My vision of having the background being covered by a light green and blue looked kind of sloppy, as well as the face being very bold, especially since my group and I decided that we wanted the faces to be black and white.The process was easy, but it wasn’t meant to go with vision of our mural. My group agreed with me that it looked a bit sloppy, which is why we decided not to go with watercolor.

RD. My swatch with watercolor. 2015

RD. My swatch with watercolor. 2015

Once everyone came together with their swatches to choose which medium would be the best, we decided that wheatpaste and mosaic would be the most effective. We liked the way the mosaic gave texture to the background of our future mural. We also discussed how mosaic would add some sparkle to our artwork,which would make it more noticeable.We also realized that wheatpaste would be the easiest to glue our collaged faces.At the end our mural would be the 3 different emotional pictures filled in with the different facial features of the 5 of us, giving it a collage look. The water and land in the back would be displayed my using the mosaic technique, which looked way cooler than the watercolor technique.

MV. Happy face swatch. 2015. 

JV. Wheate paste swatch. 2015

I'm watching you.

For this Elective term, I’ve decided to take a class called If These Walls Could Talk. This course lets us explore the history of art, more specifically murals, and we even get the opportunity to create our own artwork. For the first unit of this course we looked at the murals from different time periods including Prehistory, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greek and the Renaissance. For the first Action Project, we were assigned to sketch a mural idea that addresses the needs of a neighborhood. I chose to learn more about Pilsen.There are already so many magical murals in Pilsen and I wanted to create a mural to be a part of the magic. My mural focuses on the need of safety in the Pilsen community. I had a hard time coming up with a drawing that was going to reflect my ideas, so it took me awhile to just sketch everything out. Even though it took me awhile, I’m still proud at how it came out. Thanks to this project and unit, I now have a better understanding as to why murals are made. I hope you enjoy my sketch and artist statement below!

RD

11/15

I'm watching you "11x14"

Pencil on paper

Pilsen is a very artsy community with a predominantly Latino population. It is considered an up- and-coming neighborhood in Chicago, which can disguise the fact that the neighborhood is still considered dangerous. During the 1980s, Pilsen was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the United States, and although that is no longer the case, crime still lingers around. For that reason, I believe that Pilsen must focus on the safety of their residents, especially because for the many families that call the neighborhood their home.

RD, I'm watching you. 2016

To represent the need for safety in my image, I drew a pair of eyes that belong to a police officer to watch over the neighborhood. In the police officer’s eyes, the viewer can see what the eyes are watching over. I used the fisheye perspective to show the viewer what the officer is looking at when watching over the community. Perspective was used a lot by Italian painters during the Renaissance to give a more realistic view on their artwork. In the left eye there is a gangbanger destroying the Welcome to Pilsen sign. He’s scratching out the word, Pilsen, and writing Chiraq over it, a term used to describe the war zone that’s going on in Chicago. In the right eye there’s something very different going on. I drew a young child with his or her family and they are thanking the the officer for protecting them. I drew small, basic figures for this one, and I overlapped them to show some sort of movement, just like they did in the pre-historic cave paintings.

I used bright colors in the right eye to show the happiness that many families have in Pilsen, and I used darker colors in the left eye to show off the darker incidents that are going on. As a way to bring tribute to the country and to the large Mexican population, the background has the colors of the Mexican flag. My wish is that my mural be placed on a tall building where everyone can see it. I want my mural to open the eyes of the citizens of Chicago. I want them to see what is actually going on in our city. A beautiful neighborhood should not have to deal with ugly behavior. My hope would also be for the people committing these crimes to look at my mural and think about the young, innocent lives that they may affect if they continue to carry out these on doing their senseless acts. I want the residents of Pilsen to feel secure, because that one pair of eyes represents the many other police officers that are doing their job well, and the ones making sure that they are all safe.

Am I the animal here, or is it you?

In the first Humanities class of my junior year, Rhetoric, our class discussed how to use our own voices to bring people together, divide opinions,and transcend conflict. In the third and final unit of this class, which is called Unite, we studied how rhetoric can be used to inspire and mobilize people. In order to understand this, the class looked at many different forms of artwork that expressed a message about an important issue. For the action project, the class was asked to study a specific social issue that is going on right now and try to bring awareness to that issue by creating some form of art that speaks to it. I decided to look into animal abuse, and I brought awareness to that issue by writing a poem. I already had a challenge when the project was introduced because I didn’t know what issue to study, but after doing some research, I finally chose animal abuse. It was hard for me to do research on this topic because I didn’t like reading the horrible statistics, but I’m also glad that I can use my words to bring attention to it. Thanks to this project and unit, I now know what it artistically takes to inspire a group of people in order to make a change on a specific issue. I hope you enjoy my artist's statement and poem below!

Artist’s Statement:
I’m RD and I’ve been an animal lover my entire life, so it was both easy and hard to write a poem about animal cruelty- easy because I have a natural admiration for animals, hard because I had to read all the horrible statistics about animal abuse. I really don’t understand what goes on in the minds of people who think that hurting an innocent, helpless animal is alright. These animals are coming into our life and all they are expecting from us is care and love.The HSUS led a study that estimated that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or even killed as a result of problems going on in a household. If you know you won’t be able to care for an animal, please don’t let one into your home.

I also want to bring attention to the clothing that you put on your body. If you’re a person who wears fur, I just have one question: why? “More than 50% of fur in the US comes from China, where millions of dogs and cats are often bled to death and skinned alive for their fur” (Do Something.org). Do you really want to wear or support a brand that tortures animals just to look good or get big bucks? As you’re paying for these jackets, hats and other fur products, you’re handing money to the killers of the 50 million innocent animals who are violently murdered (Born Free USA). Animals love us no matter what, why can’t we do that too?

To raise more awareness on this issue, I decided to create an art piece from an animal's point of view. I really want to bring attention to the thoughts and emotions that these animals have, about which people often forget. I sat down and thought of all the different feelings that a person who is abused might experience.The only advantage that humans have is that we can talk and try to speak up, but animals cannot do that, which breaks my heart even more. There are many ads out there showing the cute animals that are victims of animal abuse, but we really do not bring attention to their thoughts and emotions, which is why I wrote a poem to do exactly that. If I had a choice as to where I would want my poem to be showcased, I would definitely print out tons of copies and stick them around animal shelters, pet stores and veterinarian offices to remind people about the importance of taking in an animal in their home, and how crucial it is to treat them right. I would also want my poem to start a new wave of anti-animal cruelty ads, where real, young people would speak up for animals, who sadly cannot do that themselves.

I included a great deal of pathos in my poem as I described the emotions and thoughts of these animals. I can also say that I added ethos because I have been around animals my entire life, so I know how much deep love animals actually have and how much deep love they also deserve. I would also say that my whole poem carries strong logos because it’s logical to not hurt an animal. Animals have feelings just like us, but some people still do not understand that. I hope you enjoy my poem below!

I want you to hold me in your arms, not put me in harm

I want you to care, but all you do is put me in a scare

I want you to stroke my neck, but instead you twist it

I want you to pet my fur, but instead you wear it

It looks better on me anyway

It kills me to see you raise up by the fall of my feathers

You brought me in and I was expecting love

But all I got was a million shoves

Now all I see from you is a boxing glove

Am I the animal here, or is it you?

Works cited:

"11 Facts About Animal Cruelty." 11 Facts About Animal Cruelty. Yahoo, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

"The Fur Industry." PETA. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2015

"Get The Facts:." Ten Fast Facts about Fur. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2015.

The White Lightning Bike.

In the first STEAM class of my junior year, Design and Engineering, we looked into all the different concepts that go into making a tool, and how people brought all these different ideas together to make something way better. In the second unit of this course, which is called Farther, the class looked into the history of the wheel and how gears work. We also studied how big of a deal the invention of the wheel was, because it helped with so many situations. For the action project, the class was assigned to come up with ways of improving a bike for a specific person and make a real model. The bike was a really big part of this unit, as we learned about the many different ways a bike comes in handy. My partner and I decided to go for a more modern design for our bike because the person we are designing for is pretty young. I honestly didn't know much about bikes, so this project was a bit challenging for me, but with the help of my partner and teacher I was able to get through that. I am proud of how my partner and I communicated throughout this project and how we would be there whenever one of us was having a hard time with any part. Thanks to this unit, I at least know a little bit more about bikes, and I also realized how important they really are. I hope you enjoy reading about The White Lighting below!

As I stated before, in this unit we learned about the wheel, and specifically how the wheel brought us to the bicycle. I first needed to do research on bikes before I started to work on my design because I wanted to know what was already out there and what wasn't. After all that work was done, I felt confident diving into this project.

The name of the user I got is Peter: he's 18, lives in Hyde Park and travels 11.5 miles going to school using the Lakefront bike path. Peter wants his bike to be fast, as well as comfortable because he has been having some issues with his back. Along with that, he struggles with carrying his backpack because it's too heavy, and he also has a hard time with his arms and legs because they get too tired quickly. Peter is also nervous about the security with his bike, because he has had past experiences of people stealing parts


As my partner and I were reading Peter's needs, we made sure to focus on the idea of comfort, especially because of his back and we also realized how far he has to travel. We don't want him to be hunched over, so we added a very comfortable seat with a padded back, but it still has the shape of a normal bike seat. That way it doesn't mess with him while pedaling his bike. We also added a retractable basket in the back, so he can put his heavy book bag in it. We figured Peter might be riding his bike late at night so we added some small LED lights on both of his wheels, so he can be very noticeable. His wheels would also be a mix between wheels you could find on a mountain bike and wheels you could find on a road bike. When it came to security we added a high tech ID handlebar that identifies you when you put your hands on the bar, and only if you're listed as one of the people that can ride the bike, the bike will be able to move. The bike also includes an attachable GPS. The whole bike is made out of carbon and the seat is made out of super soft foam, so it can weigh less and also be comfortable.


The benefit of this bike is that it gives people the reassurance that their bike is safe from thieves and that they don't have to worry about being uncomfortable while biking, because that is unacceptable. If you want a smooth, comfortable, and safe bike, then you need The White Lightning. My partner and I know the struggles of having to travel a large distance to and from a place everyday, and how hard it can be when our own bodies can’t really handle it all.

The White Lightning has tires with a diameter of 26 in. To find the circumference of this, I multiplied that by pi (3.14), which came out to be 81.62 in. Peter travels 11.5 miles to get to GCE, and Google maps estimated that it would take him 59 minutes if he rode on the Lakefront bike path. To find his average speed I divided the 11.5 miles by the product of the 59 minutes and 60, which came out to be .19 miles per minute or 11.69 miles per hour, which converts to 5.2 meters per second. Going off the circumference, my wheel has to rotate 8927.2 times in order to cover his 11.5 mile journey.


Peter is focused on speed so when it comes to gears, he has to get a big cog in the front and a smaller one in the back. I understood this well, because as I was interviewing my uncle, he mentioned that “younger people look for the faster bikes”. In terms of gear ratio, we could say the biggest gear has 53 teeth and the small gear has 13, so the gear ratio would be 13:53

Peter would have more kinetic energy when he is going down a hill, because that is when the most of the energy is being used. He demonstrates potential energy when he is stopped at top of a hill because his energy is not being used yet. 

Our wheel is 26 in, but our model wheel is 2.36 in, so the scale would be 26/2.36 or 11:1.

JV, RD. The White Lightning, 2015. 

I also hope you enjoy looking at our models below.

JV, RD. The White Lightning. 2015. 

JV, RD. The White Lighting. 2015. 

Exporing Ravenna Part 2

In the second project that was assigned in the Italian class, we were assigned to create a video about our city, rather than a slideshow. We were also assigned to do a voice over of us talking in Italian about the things we added in it. Below, the video has me explaining what I like to do in my freetime, and what I don't like to do, but in Italian. The video is also explaning the beauty that the city of Ravenna holds. I hope you enjoy it below!

Exploring Malala's Words.

In the first Humanities class of my junior year, Rhetoric, we are going over how to use our voices to bring people together, divide the opinions of people and transcend conflict. In the second unit of this course, which is called Challenge, the class went over how speakers use devices and many appeals to persuade their audience to be on their side. To get a better sense about this all, we read and listened to many speeches and practiced making annotations on these speeches. For the action project, the class was assigned to look into a speech and annotate it, along with looking for the many appeals and devices that the speaker included. I decided to look into a speech given by Malala Yousafzai. It was her first speech given since she was shot by the Taliban, so I knew there were going to be a lot of important messages, and I knew she was going to be smart about how she wrote/presented her speech. It was a challenge picking which speech of hers to pick, but after going through them, I thought this one was the strongest. I honestly was scared because of how long the speech is, but it was very well written and very informative, so this project not only helped me with improving my skills on annotation, but it also also informed me on the problems that Malala is addressing in her speech. I hope you enjoy my prezi presentation below!

Exploring Ravenna

 For my Health and Wellness course in the fall term, I am taking an Italian class for language credits. In this class, we are introduced to the basics of the Italian language. I enjoy coming to this class because I think the language is very interesting, and because I love learning about other countries and their cultures. Our Italian teacher wanted us to explore a city in Italy, and make a slide show out of it. I was assigned the city Ravenna. I have never heard of this city, so I was pretty excited to see the beauty that the city holds. Below I have a slideshow that shows the most unique and wonderful parts of the city. I hope you enjoy exploring!          

Old Slice

In the first STEAM class of my junior year, Design and Engineering, we are going over what really makes a tool a tool, and all the steps designers have to take when making one. In the first unit of this course, which is called Stronger, the class went over the history of some tools, and we were also introduced to some math concepts that include angles, pressure, force and leverage. For the action project, the class was assigned to work with a partner and brainstorm ideas of how to improve and redesign an existing tool. My partner and I decided to look into the machete. We looked into all the different designs that were available and came up with a better one that would also be safe for an elderly person. At first, my partner and I had a hard time thinking about why an elderly person would even have a machete, but then we also thought about the possibility that they would, and how we could make it easier for them. I'm proud of how my partner and I communicated during this project, and I learned about new steps that could help me in the future when it comes to redesigning something.

JB. Machete. (2015) 

As my partner and I were talking about the machete, we were also discussing the consumers, because we wanted to make sure that we added an element of empathy, which is being able to understand and share the feelings of others. We realized that machetes are pretty dangerous, especially for an older person. As I did research and looked at the ones at the store I noticed that the machetes are just out in a long box and it was pretty easy to just simply take the machete out and use it. Just looking at one scared me, which is why my partner and I decided to give our machete a rubber blade cover. It protects the user from the blade, along with stopping the look of the blade from scaring people away. As I was interviewing my grandpa, I asked him why he doesn't really use tools and he responded by saying that "sometimes they take up too much space and are too heavy." This got me thinking about a way to make the machete lighter. We decided that the handles would have a gel grip handle that would make it more comfortable for the user, and it would also be lighter. We also have a notch for cutting wire and other strings or cords. Other machetes have that feature, but they don't have a button that controls the retractable blade. I did more research and I noticed the curve feature usually makes the price of the machete go up, but that would not happen with ours. We also made sure to add a lock to that button to let the user know the blade won't just come out. Along with the retractable button, we added a hinge so that the user can fold up the machete and put it into the rubber blade cover. It would look better but it would also take up less space. The Old Slice is also a few inches longer in the handle, which means that the consumer would not have to do as much bending or going on their tippy toes while chopping something down. Our machete would be considered a wedge because the blade is used to cut and separate objects. Even though we made the machete more safe, the Old Slice is still able to do all the monster chopping that you need it to do. Below there is a storyboard of the Old Slice.

JB Storyboard  (2015)

JB. Old Slice storyboard. (2015)

RD, Old Slice. (2015)

Summer time or boring time?

In the first Humanities class of my junior year, Rhetoric, we are going over how to use our voices to bring people together, divide the opinions of people and transcend conflict. In the first unit of this class, which is called, Suppose, the class went over the different devices and appeals in speech, and how to work those around in order to persuade an audience. For the action project, the class was assigned to choose a topic that we could make into a debate, and try to defend our position. I chose the topic, "Why summer is really better than the rest" because summer is my favorite season, and I want others to know how to take advantage of the beautiful season.We were also assigned to create a logo for our topic. At first I had a hard time picking a topic that I was actually passionate about, but then as I was looking through pictures of my summer, the idea hit me. I was really into this topic, so writing the speech was actually exciting. I'm proud that I correctly learned how to apply the different devices and appeals into my speech in order to feel a connection with my audience. I hope you enjoy my video and speech below!

Summer is that breath of fresh air we’ve all been craving. Many people agree with this because it’s our chance to recharge and to finally be able to touch a piece of freedom. Some people don’t agree with this though, still saying that the fall, spring and winter are the best seasons, but that’s because they don’t really know about all the many benefits and reasons for why summer is really better than the rest.

Being able to splash around in the pool or beach all day sounds way better than sitting in a classroom and being drowned with tons of homework. Instead of staying up late because of homework, I was staying up late this summer at bonfires hearing the marshmallows roast and the laughter of my friends. Instead of rushing to class, I was rushing to see the sunrise along the ocean. Instead of hearing the screams of teachers or annoying students, I was able to enjoy the peaceful sounds of the ocean as I laid under a palm tree, letting the waves wash away my worries. Summer is your chance to finally get on that huge water slide you were scared of before. It’s your chance to go explore a whole different country or even just your city, without mother nature making you feel like you should have never have set foot outside your house.It’s your chance to explore yourself without school getting in the way. Summer is your chance to get a little wild.


If you want to get wild though, you have to make sure you’re healthy, and that’s easy when your medicine is shining right at you, giving you that attractive tan. Besides getting that nice tan, the sun is also providing you with vitamin D, which can prevent many fractures and heart attacks. In Boston, researchers discovered that half of the women who walked into their doctor's’ offices with hip fractures had low levels of vitamin D, which can simply be boosted by sunlight. Ultraviolet light changes cholesterol to Vitamin D. That means that stepping out in the sun is a good way to lower cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. In Canada, doctors ran tests linking the weather and migraines, and they discovered that sunny and clear weather lowers the attacks of migraines.

If bonfires, vacation, travel, and stronger bones don’t convince you, we’re also in for a pretty sweet and healthy treat in the summer. During the summer, we’re more prone to eat fruit than a bag of chips. We go for the berries over the fatty snacks, which can boost our immune systems. The British Nutrition Foundation also found that berries have phytochemicals, which can help prevent diseases like cancer. Water is also our best friend in the summer, because it's making sure your body is in the right place to jump out of that boring state of mind that we had during the school year.


Obviously the summer is a chance for you to explore yourself and many other fun things, but it's also giving you more access to living a healthier life, we just have to go out and enjoy the beauty of summer. Which is what I’m about to do now!

RD. Summertime. 2015

Work sited:
"Ten Reasons Why Summer Is Good for You." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015.

"These Photos Prove Why Summer Is the Best Season of All." RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2015

Dr. Rebecca

In the last unit of the Cure course, which is called Prevention, the class went over the breakthrough of treatments and medicines. We also looked at how nutrition has a lot to do with trying to prevent a disease, or how certain foods can possibly help treat an illness. For the math portion of this unit, we learned how to graph circles, ellipses and hyperbolas. For the final action project, the class was assigned to create a script where we take on the role of a doctor, and have to give advice to ourselves about nutrition and staying healthy. The "consulation" will be seen through a video that is also part of the action project grade. The whole idea of this project is to become our own prevention doctor. We get tips and advice by asking different questions, and the doctor, ourselves, respond in a way that is expected from an actual doctor. I found this unit and action project interesting because I never really knew the importance of nutrition and the fact that some foods can actually heal or prevent an illness. Doing the research for this project was actually fun because as I was reading, I would learn many things about how simple changes in a person's lifestyle could improve their health. Thanks to this unit and project, I can now make some changes in my own lifestyle, that would for sure improve my health. I hope you enjoy my script and video below!



Doctor: Hey, Rebecca, it’s nice to see you again!

Rebecca: Hey, Dr. Dorantes, how have you been?

Doctor: I’ve been good! So what’s up?

Rebecca: Well my sister has been getting major headaches lately, and she finds herself falling asleep in class, and she recently was diagnosed with sleep deprivation, the same condition my aunt has. I was just wondering if there is any chance that I can get it? And if there is, how can I prevent it?

Doctor: There is in fact a specific gene that some people carry that makes some people feel more sleepy and fatigued, yet they can’t fall asleep (WebMd). But let me ask this, how many hours of sleep do you normally get?

Rebecca: Hmm, well only like 7 or so.

Doctor: Well since you’re trying to avoid sleep deprivation, you should definitely be getting more hours of sleep. As a teenager, you should be getting about 9 or 9 and a half hours of sleep (Nationwide Children's Hospital). I’m also worried about your performance in school. Sleep deprivation can affect the brain and cognitive function.

Rebecca: Oh god really? I want all this to stop, but I’m not going to lie, I need my many doses of caffeine to make it through a day. How much of it do I need to stop drinking?

Doctor: I’m glad you understand the effect with caffeine and sleep. Well heavy doses, like about 500 or 600 mg (Mayo Clinic), can cause symptoms that do lead to sleep deprivation, so even though it might be hard, you might want to cut back at bit.


Rebecca: I’ll do anything that will help me stop from getting the illness, I see how miserable my sister acts because of lack of sleep. What are other factors that can lead to symptoms?


Doctor: Many! Especially having to do with diet. Some things you should stay away from are nicotine, alcohol, and fast food. Lack of sleep can cause the brain to crave more fatty foods (Health Day), and alcohol is known for waking up people in the middle night (WebMD). Do you work out at all?

Rebecca: Yes, when I get a chance to.

Doctor: Well just make sure it’s not right before you go to bed, because it’ll be pretty hard for you to wind down and fall asleep. It would also help you to come up with a strict sleeping schedual. It’s great that you do workout though, but what things do you do sometimes instead of working out?

Rebecca: I like to watch tv and spend time on the internet.

Doctor: Well other ways to prevent those symptoms include, not watching, eating or even reading in bed. Your biological clock doesn’t work right when lights are hitting the eyes because it sends signals to our brains that make it hard to control the hormones that makes us sleepy. (National Sleep Foundation)


Rebecca: Alright, got it! But, back to the food. I love food, so can you suggest any foods that actually make you sleepy?


Doctor: I can! You’re lucky, because they are so yummy. Some of those foods include, cherries, walnuts, milk and bananas. All those produce a natural occurring hormone called Melatonin, that can help control your sleep cycle (National Sleep Foundation) . It works in the body like a clock, and let’s your body know it’s time for bed.


Rebecca: Alright, I can deal with that! But can I still have things I love, like chocolate?


Doctor: You can, but not as much anymore! Chocolate also has caffeine along with dark chocolate.


Rebecca: That’s going to be a hard one! I mean this is all going to be hard, but I don’t want to fall into a sleepless life like my sister!


Doctor: I wouldn't want that to happen to you either! How about we schedule another appointment from about a month from now, and in the meantime, if you have more questions or just want more tips, just call!


Rebecca: Thank you so much for the help! I’ll definitely keep you up to date on how things are going!

 

Walter's downfall.

In the last Humanities class of my Sophomore year, Drama, we studied different plays that starred a strong female lead. In the last unit which was called Matriarch, we read the play, A Raisin in the Sun , a play written by Lorraine Hansberry. While reading this play, the class was assigned to look deeper into issues of  class and race during the 1940s. We also had to look  into and discover who the matriarch was in the book. The word matriarch refers to a women of motherly love, but who also has the most power in the house or family. It was interesting to see how much power a woman really had in her house, when there wasn't really anyone else to turn to. For the final action project, we were challenged to create a modern chorus about one character's glory, downfall and consequence. I decided to focus on Walter. Walter was an interesting character because you could tell that he wants to be the head of the house and be the main supporter so bad, but he just doesn't have enough power to do that. At first I had a hard time picking a character because in the book, they all seem to have a glory, downfall and consequence, but after thinking about it, I thought Walter was the best way to go. I've never seen a chorus written out like the way we were assigned to do, so that gave me a hard time. Once I saw the correct way on how to format it though, things got way smoother. Through this unit, I learned what the word matriarch means along with understanding how life was like for an African-American family who just wanted to get out of their problems, but who were also breaking the rules of society to get over one problem. I also learned how to correctly write a chorus. I hope you enjoy it below!

Asthma.

In the second unit of the Cure class, which was called Treatment, the class went over the breakthroughs in medicine, including the discovery of Penincillen. We also  went over antibiotics and medicines and figured out what ingrediants they carry and how they work in our bodies. For the math portion of this class we went over how to balance equations and learned how to solve quadratic formulas. For the action project, the class was assigned to choose a certain illness and describe it's symptoms, the perscribe medications, and alternatives that can possibly treat this illness. All this information was to go on a box that is designed like an actual medication. For the math portion, we had to measure the length, width and height of the box we chose to design. Once we had the numbers, we had to set it up as quadratic formula, and figure out the equation in a video. The video will be seen by the teacher through a QR code that is glued on our medication box. At first I was a little scared when I heard how the math would be introduced into this project, but with some practice I got over that fear. I like the idea of getting access to the equation video thorugh a QR code. Thanks to this project I learned about the illness I chose, Asthma. It's a illness that so many people have, yet I didn't know much about it. Thanks to this unit I learned about many medications, and learned how they really work in the human body. I hope you enjoy my box below!

Women can be groovy too.

In the last Humanities class of my Sophomore year, Drama, we are going over the roles that women had to play in society throughout the years. In the second unit which was called Doll, we went over A doll's house by Henrick Ibsen. While reading this play, we were assigned to look carefully at the character of Nora to see how women were portryaed at that time. It was interesting to see how controlling some men were, and how obediant some women were towards their husbands during those times. For the first action project, the class was assigned to create a dramatic dialogue including ourself as a character, Nora and one historical strong woman. In the drama, we had to include the guiding question, should men and women have different roles in society? The one historical figure that I decided to choose was Kali. She was a hindu goddess who was known to swallow up negative thoughts and even people. She also had no time to deal with people who had huge egos. That being said, I thought she would be a perfect person to talk to Nora. This was a challenging project because there were many other historical women who would've also been great to pair up with Nora, but I think I made a good choice in picking Kali. It was also difficult to actually write out a script in the correct form, but with some practice it became easier. Thanks to this project, I now know what it is like to write a drama, and thanks to this unit I understand how much pressure was put on a woman when it came to following her husband's rules. I hope you enjoy my script below!
 

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

In the first unit of the Cure course, which was called Emergency, the class went over the structure and how the cells in the human body work. For the math portion of this unit we went over system of equations, and looked at the variables included. For the action project, the class was assigned to create a slideshow about a specific surgery, and explain the cells affected by it and describe the healing process. I decided to focus my slideshow on Coronary Artery Bypass surgery. I chose that surgery because my grandpa needed that surgery done on him a few years back. I was young when he got it, and I didn't know much, so I took this chance to learn more about it. I didn't mind doing research because of the reason that I'm close to someone who got it done, so it was interesting learning about what was being fixed inside their body. Even though research was not a problem, it was hard to find pictures that represent what each slide is about. It was also harder finding the cells that are affected by this surgery. Overall though, I found this unit and action project pretty interesting. Thanks to my project, and the projects of other students, I now have more knowledge on other surgeries. Check out my prezi here.

My Dearest Kate...

In the last Humanities class of my Sophomore year, Drama, we are going over the roles that women play throughout history. In the first unit which was called Shrew, we went over The Taming Of The Shrew, a play written by William Shakespeare. While going over this play, we were assigned to look deeper into it and try to explore the gender roles that were presented in the play. It was interesting to see how women were seen back in the 16th and 17th century. For the first action project, the class was assigned to create a sonnet addressed to one character in the play, and explain what problem they have to face when it came to addressing gender roles. We had to address that problem with 14 lines because that is how a sonnet is written. At first I had a hard time when it came to picking a character because every character came face to face with a problem and needed a bit of advice. I finally decided to write a sonnet that addressed Kate, and how she knows that letting a man rule over a woman is wrong, yet she allows that to happen to herself. Kate lets her shrewishness side go. It was interesting learning what the word, shrew meant back then, which was a woman who was usually bossy, and public about the disagreements that she had. I also learned how to correctly write a sonnet that would get my message across clearly. Thanks to this unit and this project, I learned about the importance of looking deeper into literature and to look at the different themes that go on in the storyline. I hope you enjoy my sonnet below!



Kate, your thoughts are too much for a man to handle

scaring each man that wanted you as an extra supply

 your affability never shone through

leaving each man running off to cry


“I see a woman may be made a fool, if she had no spirit to resist”

you were the one leaving no room for a man to make a fool out of you

but this time you landed on a man’s short list fighting about the next ado

mirroring the knave that brought you into the game


you fell into the world of husband over wife

now you’re stuck as a bondmaid for the rest of your life

you know the man doesn’t have more power

so why give him that extra flower?



the name Kate will never be tamed

show your power without feeling ashamed.

Malaria: A disease that won't fly away.

In the third unit of the Disease course, which is called World, the class learned about epidemics around the world, and also looked into the dangers that they cause. We also learned about the different vocab words that are used to rate an epidemic, as well as looking at a scale that would help us determine whether or not a disease would be considered an epidemec. For the math portion we looked at finding the R naught of a disease, which means the number of people expected to be hit with this disease. For the action project, the class was assigned to pick a certain disease that was/is endemic and track down the history, symptoms, look into factors that may lead to this disease, and then graph it out. I decided to choose Malaria, because I know how dangerous this disease can be. At first it was difficult graphing everything out, but then once I figured out how to use the website that is used to create the graphs, it went well. I hope you enjoy my video and script below!


Hey everyone! Through this video I will explain the dangers of the very dangerous disease Malaria. First, I want to go off with saying what Malaria is and the symptoms. The word Malaria comes from 18th century Italian meaning of the the word mala, which means “bad” and aria meaning “air”. That term was first used by an Italian doctor, where at the time, they believed disease was caused by foul air in marshy surroundings. Finally in 1880, they discovered that Malaria is a parasitic disease that is caused by the Anopheles mosquito. The disease is shared by a female mosquito, as she needs blood for her eggs. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, and sweats. The RO of this epidemic is RO>200+700 on occasion, meaning that for every person thats gets hit by this disease 200 or even 700 people can become infected, also meaning that this disease is highly endemic. Study shows that 40% of the world population is at risk of the infection. I decided to look into Africa with this Disease. In the beginning of the 90s, it was estimated that that each year 300-500 million people were ill with malaria, with 1.5 to 2.5 million dieing of this disease. 90% of these deaths were in Africa. It is also said that problems with this disease occurred more in places with changes in climate, not enough financial and human resources, land use, and the population. I have a map that shows the regions that are affected, which add up to be 108 countries all together, along with the number of people affected in those countries. There’s the Americas with 1.1 million, Western Pacific with 2.3 million, Eastern Mediterranean with 12 million, South East Asia with 34 million and Africa with 176 million people infected. In Africa a child dies from Malaria every 30 seconds. Below I have a graph representing the amount of cases reported of Malaria, with people also living in poverty. I’ve noticed that the numbers for the countries in Africa go up way more than the others. Mostly because people who live in poverty can not afford the medication or things offered to prevent malaria. I also looked at how drought has affected the number of people hit with Malaria, since these mosquitoes mostly breed in water. Even though drought causes mosquitoes to get away from those areas, the longer they’re gone, the less some people are prepared for when they do come back, resulting in more people being affected. Drought is  even said to  be a benefit and a curse. Thanks to insecticide treated bed nets the number of people dieing due to Malaria have gone down, especially younger children, but again not much because most of the people hit with Malaria live in poverty, which means they can not afford them. Another way to prevent this disease is to get medication, but that usually just works for travelers. The downside to this is that since most people who get Malaria live in poverty, they don’t really have access to any treatment, which means the disease is going to stick around them for awhile.



Works cited:

"Give a Net on World Malaria Day, April 25." CDC Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.

"Malaria and Climate Change." Pulitzer Center. N.p., 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.

"Health Effects of Drought: A Systematic Review of the Evidence – PLOS Currents Disasters." PLOS Currents Disasters. N.p., 5 June 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian.

In the third and final unit of the Forbidden Books class, which is called Diversity, the class learned about the different ways authors permit diversity in their writings, but also having the side of intolerance somewhere in there. The class also looked into the meaning of diversity, and seeing how society can be scared of that idea.  For the final actual project the class was assigned to write a "book report" on our chosen book, which were all on the list of banned books. We all had to pick a topic that we were going to be supporting in our essays. I decided to choose The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part Time Indian because since it's written in a form of a diary, I know it's going to be interesting. I also decided to choose the topic of looking how the main character in this book transforms and makes peace with diversity. It was interesting really looking into the main character along with looking at the many setbacks he had while trying to make peace with diversity, all while being surrounded with people that don't accept the idea. I had a hard time when I first started, but with some deep digging in my book, I was able to come up with an idea that I had about the character and his transformation. Thanks to this unit and project, I had a better understanding on why so many people were scared of being open to different settings, situations and even more diverse things.

MF. Photography. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian cover (2015)

ATTENTION!

In the second unit of the Disease class, which is called Mind, the class went over mental illnesses, and see and try to understand the effects that they have on people. We went over the DSMV and looked at how psychiatrists use this book to diagnosed someone. It was also interesting to just look at the symptoms that make up a mental illness. For the action project the class was assigned to do some research on a certain mental illness that affect children, and also do a stimulation and flier that would help our classmates understand this mental illness a bit better. I decided to research Attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While doing some research I learned a lot of interesting facts about it, and I defiantly have a different view on this topic. It was challenging though on figuring out ways to create a lesson plan that would let my classmates understand and sort of feel what a person with ADHD goes through. Although challenging, I did have a fun time putting my flier together and creating my lesson plan. I hope through my flier below, you have a better understanding of ADHD. I also hope my lesson plan gives more knowlegde of what a person with ADHD has to go through.


Attention Deficit/hyperactive disorder, also known as ADHD is a mental disorder that makes having to focus, following directions or completing a task difficult, because of how easily distracted you get, and because your brain is entering too much info at the same time. The official definition for ADHD is a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. It is very common in the United States, with more than 3 million cases per year. The symptoms include zoning out regularly, difficulty following simple directions, makes careless mistakes, not being able to listen at all, easily distracted, avoids any activity that involves a lot thinking, loses items, forgetful, There are also other symptoms that include hyperactivity. Those include talking a lot, unable to sit still, quick temper, fidgeting/squirming, climbing in children, for adults extreme relentless, hard time completing activities quietly, feelings of driven by motor, blurts things out, out of no where or when its not their turn, and having a hard time waiting. In order to be diagnosed children must have at least 6 or more symptoms, and for people 17 and up at least 5 required. Being unable to focus though, seems like a huge problem, and often leads to hard situations, like doing poorly in school , or you seem to look when talking to other people. “When I am talking with someone, I miss a lot of what they say. I want to listen but I have 20 other things going on in my brain. I am listening but the words are added to the items and juggled around. It is easy to see how this leads to a speaking and communicating problem. The other person would have to continually repeat themselves. How frustrating.” This is a quote I found while researching and landed on a man named TJ’s blog.

Starry Messenger

In the second unit of the Forbidden Books class, which was called Dogma, the class went over the definition of the word Dogma, which means a very strong belief. We also went over many readings from different religions and went over their Dogmas. We read a part of the Quran and then had the chance to explore a Mosque for the first time, which was super interesting.  For the action project, the class was assigned to create a slideshow presentation about a country that was under censorship by government or group and look at what exactly was banned or censored and why. I decided to look deeper into the trial of Galileo Galilea in Rome, Italy. He was convicted of heresy by the Roman Inquisition, and was then banned to write, and had to live under house arrest for the rest of his life. This was a huge case going along with Religion VS. Science, as well as censorship. While researching I found out a lot that was done by the Roman Inquisition to other people, and they were brutal. For example, I also learned about Giordano Bruno, who was burned, simply because he had different views from the church. People didn't have much freedom when it came to what they want to write about, or what their beliefs were. I'm glad I chose to research Galileo, because now I have information on what he believed and why he was punished for believing that. I hope you enjoy my slideshow presentation below to learn more about Galileo and his trial.

Leukemia

In the first unit of the Disease course, which is called Body, the class went over how diseases affect the body, and for the math portion we went over the how units are measured. For the action project, the class was assigned to research a disease and interview someone we know that has been affected by that disease. I chose to research leukemia because it has affected someone very close to me, but I still didn't know much about this type of cancer. It was interesting to learn new things about what was going on in this persons' body, but also seeing how it also affected them as a person . Although the research was challenging, it was also cool to learn new things about this disease. The life size drawing showing which parts of the body are affected was also fun, and crazy to see how much some diseases can spread. Thanks to this unit and project, I now have a better understanding on how body systems work and how they can die out when hit with a disease.


Izzy is 25 year old healthy, college student, but 6 years ago that wasn’t the case. Christmas eve 2009 was the day she was diagnosed with Leukemia. As she was getting ready to go to bed the night before the last day of work, she felt a bit under the weather, with a cold, headache and feeling a little nauseous. She really didn’t think much of it and took some medicine, hoping she would feel better by morning. The next day on her way to work, walking up the train steps was a huge problem for her. She was out of breath by the time she reached the street, along with having some chest pain. The chest pain scared her because her father had experienced a heart attack the year before, resulting to a open heart surgery. Along with still feeling nauseous and being out of breath for awhile, she decided to finally go to the emergency room. Although the doctors had done tests, they found nothing. It wasn’t until one doctor noticed how pale she was that he decided to take a blood test just in case. The results changed everything. It turns out she has Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The cancer develops in the bone marrow, then makes its way to the blood, and then the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. It’s also known as the cancer of white blood cells. The cells of people who have this type of cancer cells do not work properly and are unable to accomplish what normal cells can do, like fighting off an infection. Leukemia also isn't just one disease. There are four. Those are called acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).  The blood cells of people with these 4 types cause the Lymphatic system to not function correctly, along with the Immune system, as the body is weak to fight off infections.

Treatment started right away with chemotherapy, something she recalls being really tough. “I was constantly throwing up and fainting. I also had loss of appetite which was so hard especially when I knew I had to eat to keep my strength up, but being nauseous all the time didn't help either.” Along with that many risks and side effects include, anemia, fatigue, higher risk of catching an infection and sensitive to bleeding.

Although anyone anywhere is at risk of being diagnosed with Leukemia, it is more common to be found in developed countries, and race also plays a big part. It is found that Hispanics, especially under the age of 20 are at a higher risk of Leukemia. It is also the most common cancer to affect children. Leukemia is not transmittable since it’s a type of cancer. Research has been done to figure out what causes leukemia, but the closest answers researchers can get is that it links to environmental problems dealing with radiation along to exposure to different types of chemicals, your lifestyle which includes diet, and certain types of infections.


Cancer doesn't just affect the body of the person that it hits, but also the person as a person. I caught on to one thing that I think proves that. “Another symptom that wasn't the worst but hard on me was losing my hair. I knew it was going to happen but I'll never forget the feeling I felt when the first chucks of my hair fell out. I cried! I laughed about it later on that night but being bald for months made me feel self conscious. I embraced it and realized that bald was beautiful.” I hope you understand more of what Leukemia does to your body by looking at my poster.

RD. Photography. Body with Leukemia. 2015

What is soul?

In unit 1 of the Forbidden Books course, which is called Politics, the class went over the past civilizations of ancient Greece, studied books that were once banned, and also went over many vocabulary words that were unfamiliar, but important when discussing all those topics. We also learned about Socrates, a Greek philosopher, who is also known as being the founder of western philosophy. Although he never wrote down any of his principles or ideas, we were still able to understand them through the writing of his student Plato. Socrates and his ideas were considered "dangerous", and therefore led to his death, because he was no longer able to share or practice his own principles. There is also a method named after him named the Socratic Method. It's a discussion between two people filled with questions that require deep, critical thinking. That also plays a big role on why many people were not a fan of Socrates. They wouldn't enjoy being asked questions, because sometimes they wouldn't have all the answers. For this action project, the class was assigned to create a dialogue following the Socratic Method, while discussing a theme or question. I decided to to discuss the question "What is Soul"? The human soul has always interested me, and leaves me with some deep questions that I'm still trying to find answers to, so I thought it would be interesting to follow the Socratic Method, while going over this question. Although interesting, it was still challenging trying to come up with some deep critical questions, but as I was getting more into it, the questions came more naturally. Thanks to this unit and project, I now know why some writers’ work can be considered "dangerous" and how to involve some deep thinking in discussions. I hope you enjoy the discussion below!

P- Hey! What are you doing?

V- Nothing much. Just reading Chicken Noodle Soup for the soul.

P- For the soul? Do you even know what a soul is?

V- Everyone knows that it’s something inside you, that makes you unique from everybody else, and when your body finally dies and shuts down, it wanders.

P-Yes, but the word “soul” in Hebrew literally means “a creature that breathes”, and in Greek it means an “entire being”, it’s not something inside you, it is you! So it would be impossible for your soul to wander, right?

V- Well If you put it that way, no it wouldn't, but I’m sure it has to go somewhere, when face to face with death.

P- Not necessarily. Even though I have never experienced a near death event, or have been in a comatose state, I find it hard to believe that some people claim to have seen their bodies, while watching as their soul. Because if their soul were to really escape, that means there is absolutely nothing left of them, which makes them dead. They might still be able to hear and even feel things as their brain is still alive though. So tell me, would it really be possible for your soul to wander once the body is dead?

V- Well no. And if you were to look at the definition of the word soul it has the word “living” or “breathes”.


P- Exactly! Have you noticed the term “brain dead”?

V- Yes I have, but I have always wondered why it’s called that.


P- Wouldn't it just be better to pronounce someone officially dead, rather than brain dead, since the mind is what guides us? Well that comes to show that there’s something else in our body that’s keeping us alive. The erasure of the mind might stop us from feeling and remembering, but your heart is still pumping, which means you’re still living. It isn't until the body completely shuts down, that the soul dies.


V- It’s nice to know that we are more than just the outcome of brain neurons working together.

P- Of course we are. Although the mind can be controlling at times, sometimes we have to separate ourselves from it, and follow other major parts of the soul.

V- What would those be though?

P- Your heart, body, actions, emotions, passions, breath and way of thinking. Those all make up the human soul.

V- So I AM a soul, without my body, there wouldn't be a soul.

Moonrise Kingdom

In the 3rd unit in the Ollywood course, which is called Post-Production, the class learned about the different techniques used to complete a film, which includes the sound effects, special effects, editing, and soundtrack. For our final action project, we were assigned to create a movie critique, in the form of a podcast including those elements, and also choosing an approach that we were going to be looking through the eyes of. I decided to choose Moonrise Kingdom directed by Wes Anderson. I also chose to take the feminist approach, studying carefully how the women were being portrayed in the film. At first I had a difficult time choosing which approach to take while watching. After a while of studying the film I finally was able to find the points I needed in order to look into the movie with that approach. Thanks to this unit and project, I learned how to point out all these post production elements, and now know the big impact that they have on films.



Hey everyone! Thanks for taking the time, to listen to my review of Moonrise Kingdom, a 60s romantic-comedy film, directed by Wes Anderson in 2012.

I will be critiquing this film looking for elements of post-production, which includes editing, sound effects, special effects, and soundtrack. I will be analyzing these elements through the feminist approach. Which means I will be studying how women are being portrayed in this film.

Sam Shakusky, played by Jared Gilman, is the protagonist of the film. Sam is a 12 year old member of the Khaki scouts at Camp Ivanhoe. The camp takes place on a island called New Penzance in New England. Suzy Bishop, played by Kara Hayward, lives on the island, and is also 12 years old. Sam and Suzy met in the summer of 1964. Their budding love started with writing letters to each other back and forth. In these letters, they started to create a secret plan to meet up and run away together. The disappearance of Sam eventually led the scout leader to calling the police, where they then found out he was an orphan, and once they found him he would go straight to social services. Suzy on the other hand had parents who cared about her, but also had some trouble with her bizarre behavior lately. Both are eventually busted by the police and Suzy’s parents ordered that they were never to see each other again. But that of course, didn’t work because at the end we see Sam promising to come back the next day a few weeks later.

While studying the two main females in the film, I noticed one thing; they were both secretly running away to love, the daughter and the mother. In the beginning of the movie, when everyone finds out that Sam first went missing, Captain Duffy Sharp, played by Bruce Willis, visits the Bishop house. From his brief visit, I had no clue that there was a secret affair going on between him and Mrs. Bishop. It wasn't until right after he got into his car and left that we see Mrs. Bishop running out as if about to do laundry, but instead gets on her bike to go meet Captain Duffy Sharp. The next scene shows Suzy standing on the top of the lighthouse looking through a pair of binoculars, and through the use of the look-off film cut,the scene cuts to a close-up shot of the two together. This shows that Mrs. Bishop is secretive, and weak for having to hide the truth from her family. Although those qualities are fitting, I also see her as a strong woman which she demonstrates in the scene when she first finds out Suzy is missing. Mrs. Bishop walks around the house with a megaphone,showing that she’s the boss of the house.

She also wasn't just a housewife either, both her and husband were attorneys. Their wealth can be seen in the big house they own which is shown along the ocean and appears to be in the middle of nowhere. I can tell that there was use of CGI when looking at the exterior of their house because the house looked too perfect, almost like a dollhouse.

Before being introduced to the front of the house there was also some audio-linkage. While inside Suzy is listening to The Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra on her record player, and then when the film cuts to the official introduction, we hear the actual recording, without the fuzzy quality.

In one scene ,we see both Mr and Mrs Bishop in their room at night in separate beds . This shows that she was strong enough to show him know she was no longer in love with him, but again weak because she couldn’t be honest about her affair or that she was out of love for him. I see a lot of Mrs. Bishop’s qualities in Suzy. She’s very intelligent for her age, and very tough. We see that side when she starts to stab a kid with a pair of scissors.This is the part that makes Suzy seem “equal” to Sam, according to Ryan Reft, writer of the article “Gender And Sex In The Films Of Wes Anderson”. It also says “Suzy occupies the role of violent protector more so than Sam”.

Although intelligent, she’s still a young girl, as we’re able to see when she goes through her collection of fairy tales. I also see her as a sneaky young girl, as she was able to keep the letters a secret, only until she went missing. Again like her mother though, I see her as weak. In one scene while going through Suzy’s books, Sam asked her if she was depressed and she shrugged. She then shows him a book that she found at her house titled “Coping with the very troubled child”, assuming her mother was trying to get advice on how to deal with her bad behavior. Once Sam sees this he starts chuckling, and Suzy gets sensitive and runs to her tent. Even in one scene, when Suzy is finally home, her mother is cleaning her up in, and she says “We women, are more emotional” when talking about how she understands what her daughter is going through.

We also get to see how Suzy prepared for the run away. She takes things that are more meaningful for her, while Sam takes things that are needed in order to survive out in the wilderness, he didn't bother wasting space on personal things. Suzy is also dressed a little too elegant for this runaway. She has a nice dress, Sunday shoes, and some bright blue eye shadow. She looks uncomfortable when sitting down with Sam. Sound effects in this scene was effective , as we heard the frying fish sizzling, and the chirps and water from nature, watching Sam cook it, and being able to hear it, made me want to join them.

I also noticed how Anderson put more authority into the men. Captain Duffy as the main cop, we have the scout leader, and then there’s Sam, the leader, the one who kind of saves Suzy from her miserable time at home.

The soundtrack also contributed to the natural feel to the movie. The film score was composed by Alexander Desplat. He named the soundtrack The Heroic Weather Conditions Of the Universe, giving the different weather conditions a theme song. We also hear this when making their ways through the wilderness, trying to not get caught, and when also having a conversation about what they want to be when they grow up on a rock above the ocean. Its fits the suspenseful but whimsical mood of the story.

Although different from films I usually watched, I really enjoyed going through this witty, whimsical love story, and I would for sure recommend this movie to anyone thats in for a good fantasy film.

Serving in Italian

For our final action project in the Fare class, everyone came up with ideas of how to engage our understanding of the Italian language, along with the knowledge we gained from the cooking portion of the class. We decided to invite people from the city to a dinner provided by us. Guest will be served Italian dishes made by some GCE cooks, but also get a little intro into the language. I have agreed to be a server in this dinner, along with 3 other classmates. With taking on that role, I am responsible for serving, and teaching the guests some small Italian expressions.

I would begin with the expressions, by teaching them how to introduce themselves in Italian, along with stating how they’re feeling, and where they are from. I would then move on to teaching them the name of the meal they’re about to eat, and how to order it in Italian.

Below is a conversation between a customer ordering in Italian.

Cameriere (server): Buongiorno

Cliente (customer): Buongiorno. Vorremmo un tavolo per due. (Hello, we need a table for two.)

Cameriere: Accomdatevi. Questo e’ il menu.

Cliente: Grazie

Cameriere: Che cosa predete da bere? (what would you like first?)

Cliente: lo vorrei…. ( I would like)

Asking for the bill: This is something the customer must ask for first, because in Italy it is considered rude for the server to bring out the bill first.

Cliente: Cameriere mi scusi! Il conto per favore.

Cameriere: Questo e’ il conto.

Cliente: Grazie.