12 Hour Challenge: Building Stamina

This is the second unit of my Senior Humanities course Endurance. In this unit, Katabasis, we learned how to dive into our missions and plan them out. The word Katabasis means diving into the underworld. You have to learn how to persevere and adapt to a new and strange place. This is one of the fundamentals of Endurance. We did various activities and watched the documentary Maiden Trip. This documentary was about a 13-year-old Dutch girl who wanted to become the youngest person to sail around the world. The documentary follows her journey across the ocean in a series of video journals. Much like we had to do for this project. This second action project we had to devote 12 hours to something. I had a few ideas, but since we are all in quarantine and I can't skate and get my usual exercise, I decided to devote my time to fitness and more specifically, walking. I like walking and I do it with my parents a lot especially lately. I also wanted to connect it with my future in surgery where I will need to be able to stand and focus for long periods of time. I wanted to increase my walking stamina and I think I was successful! I totaled 8 entries with a total of 12 hours. I spent this entire time walking. Some days were better than others.  The weather cooperated for the most part except for one day when it was too warm for me. Other than that, I was able to avoid rain the entire time and didn't have to do any indoor exercising which was my back up plan. I still do exercise indoors, but not as a part of this project. For this project, I made vlogs before and after my walks talking about them and some connections. I also included my digital log where I kept track of my hours. Enjoy!

In conclusion, I think this was an interesting project. I would say that during this time of quarantine and COVID-19, I think we could have approached this project in a much different way. Instead of having students come up with their own 12-hour challenges, I think it would have been better for students to record and write about how they are enduring life right now. This whole situation is one big test of endurance for everyone. I think there was a missed opportunity during this time. I am happy with how my project came out. It was pretty straight forward and I enjoyed the process.

ER Thoracotomy: Is it Worth the Risk?

This term, I proposed my own independent study. We were offered the opportunity to work independently and create something of our own. I proposed a surgical science study. I spent these 9 weeks researching and learning about different procedures. I kept track in with entries in a Google Doc I made. I first researched anatomy. I looked at the anatomical landmarks of the thorax and the planes of the body. I allowed myself to drift between what kind of surgeries I wanted to study. I started out with cardiothoracic surgery. I found myself drifting toward more minor, emergent procedures. I am fascinated with emergency medicine/surgery, so I wanted to really understand the basic emergency surgical procedures. I looked at procedures like chest tubes, thoracotomy, needle aspirations of pneumothorax, and pericardiocentesis. I then found myself drifting into neurosurgery. Both cardio and neuro are at my top interest. I looked into some common neurosurgical procedures such as craniotomies and craniectomies, hemispherectomy, corpus callosotomy, lobectomy, ventriculostomy, and ventricular peritoneal shunt. I also looked at some emergency neurosurgical procedures like emergency ventriculostomy, Intracranial probe insertion. I also looked at some emergent airway procedures like cricothyroidotomy and tracheotomy. For my FE, I visited the American Hematological Society's annual hematological cancer conference ASH. My friend and classmate NB also came with me, as she is studying medicine as well. It was very technical, and I am rather ignorant when it comes to the more diagnostic side of medicine, so it was interesting to learn about. For my project, I wanted to something more than just research. I have always been interested in emergency thoracotomy, and I have heard several different sides of to argument as to whether it is safe or not. I wanted to research thoracotomies, and find some statistics, and then ask people what they thought. I hope you enjoy!

You can view my research from my independent study here.

Here is a video of me performing a Clamshell Thoracotomy.

In conclusion, this was my dream class. I am always trying to connect what I am learning about medicine because it is my passion. I wanted to flaunt my surgical knowledge, and I found some statistics, but I mostly knew all of this information already. I really was able to do what was interesting me a the moment. I wished I could have challenged myself more. Sadly, I don't really know anyone that knows more than I already do at school. I often have to challenge myself. I wish I could have talked more with my teacher, but overall, I am very happy with the work that I have done.

Works Cited:

Fallon, Brian. "Atlas of Trauma Clamshell Thoracotomy." TRAUMA.org. April 2005. Web. Feb, 5 2019.

Guthrie, Kane. "ED Thoracotomy: Is it Just The First Part of the Autopsy?" Life in the Fast Lane.com. June 2, 2018. Web. Feb, 8, 2019.

Lent S, Gretchen M.D. "Emergency Beside Thoracotomy." Medscape.com. August 7, 2017. Web. Feb, 14, 2019.

The Essential-Clock!

This is the 3rd and final unit of the Junior STEAM course Light, Sound, and Time. In the 3rd unit, we studied time. We wrapped up the mini-lessons. These were a series of lessons that each student gave about a chapter of a book they read in each unit. I this unit we discovered latitude and longitude, and how to calculate your location without a clock using Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). We learned about the Prime Meridan as well as the International Dateline and all about timezones. We also learned about pendulums and how they can be used to tell time. We mainly focused on the Foucault Pendulum, which is a pendulum that used the earth's rotation to tell time. We also looked at the different ancient time telling devices like sundials. We also studied the universe and dark matter and wormholes. We also learned some math concepts like calculation arc length and angle in a circle, as well as calculating vertexes. We visited the Adler Planetarium where we learned about the universe. We looked at different planets calculations, and we saw how time has affected culture and we looked at other historical devices. For this action project, we had to come up with our own time telling device. It could be inspired by an old way of telling time, but we had to make it better We then had to make a video advertising the product.

You can view the script of my video here



In conclusion, this was a pretty difficult project. I really struggled coming up with something that wasn't already come up with. Making the video was also pretty difficult. I kept messing up on the voice over and having to restart. I am proud of how my video came out as it is clear and well put together. I really enjoyed this class and I am happy with how I did. I learned a lot in this class about how we perceive the world, and I definitely see the world different now.

Works Cited:

Bendini A. Silvio. "Measurement with Insense in Japan." Japanese Insence.com. Cambridge Press. 2002. Web. 21, March 2019.

Deforestation, More Like An Abomination

For our second unit in Food for Thought, we learned about death. It may seem morbid, but it wasn't directly related to death. We learned about global trade history and colonialism. We learned how people treated other people and how our food got to us throughout history. For our field experience, we went to the French City Market in Chicago and talked to different vendors about the history of their product and where they get theirs from. For this action project, we were asked to look back on the past, literally. We looked back at our first humanities class, MDG's & You. We looked back on the MDG's and SDG's and decided on a topic to correlate with food. I wanted to challenge myself and do something not so directly related. I chose deforestation and I found it to be challenging enough but not impossible. I thought the most difficult part of this project was typing and researching everything. It was also nerve-racking to film, but in the end, I am very proud of how it came out.

Food for Thought AP2 CM from CM on Vimeo.

CM
5-23-17
Food For Thought
AP2

Did you know that out of this planet’s 18.9 million square miles of cropland, most of it is deforested land?

In today's global food system, it is growing harder and harder for us to feed and sustain all the people on this planet. With 7 billion of us, there isn't always enough food to go around. Sadly, people go hungry and many people, even in developed countries, struggle to find or buy food. My question is: How does deforestation affect food security and sustainability, and if it does, how do we control it?
Deforestation is a huge problem and many species of plants and animals are losing their natural habitats. I want people to be aware of what they buy and think about the impacts that that product might have on the world.

There are many factors that contribute to why this happens. One of these is something that you generally wouldn’t think of when it comes to food shortages: deforestation. According to Weforum.org, we deforest an area the size of Panama every year. This is mostly because of our need for food. Forests are getting cut down to make room for farms, for meat, and produce. Without forests, animals die because they don’t have a place to live. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Amazon rain forest which takes up more than two-thirds of Brazil has the greatest density of plant and animal species of any ecosystem. With the Amazon rainforest being cleared at alarming rates, and with more than ⅔ of the world’s species living in forests like these, scientists believe there could be a mass extinction. Without some of these plants and animals, native people who live in these forests will starve.

Without forests, the normally wet and humid climate of the Amazon will turn drier and will be more susceptible to droughts. Droughts in Brazil are becoming more and more common. Sao Paulo, a city in Brazil has been struggling with droughts in the past few years. Rainfall is less common and water is becoming a scarcity. Farmers are struggling to keep their crops, and restaurants struggle to stay open, says NPR

In the Amazon, lots of the forest sits upon steep mountains. Without the tree roots to hold loose soil in place, landslides are becoming more common, which can destroy farmers fields. The areas that have been burned to clear trees have extremely bad soil quality because most of the nutrients were burned away, allowing for a difficult time to farm, and more farmers raising meat on these grounds

There are many indigenous people who live in the Amazon. These people live a completely different life than most of the modern world. When companies come into their forests that they have inhabited for thousand of years, they are essentially hopeless.

The Kayapo people are an indigenous group to the south amazon. They have only been in contact with the outside world since the 1960s. The Kayapo, as well as many other tribes, have been facing the problems of deforestation head on. Companies have been taking away their land and causing them to flee. According to the Kayapo Project.org, the Kayapo live in over 50 villages across 11,000,000 hectares that are legally protected for them.

To show just how bad it is, according to Empires of Food: “In the Amazon an average of 17,500 square kilometers is converted for agricultural use each year, mostly to be used as pasture for cattle and soy used mostly for oil and livestock feed. The soybean industry is particularly greedy, and harvests of it have doubled in Brazil between 1994 and 2004.” This just shows how fast we are turning over land and threatening the native people.

Many native people have tried to fight off efforts to take away their land. Unfortunately, many of these tribes have had little or no contact with the outside world and are easily fought off. The Kayapo people have not been in contact with the outside world for very long. They as well as many other tribes joined with conservation efforts to supply security around their borders. The Kayapo people joined with Conservation International and they have been helping the people with security since 1992. Conservation International helps the Kayapo people by surveilling their borders with boats and helicopters to keep out the industries. They also act as a voice for the people to negotiate with corporations. They also help the people maintain their rich culture and biodiversity by helping them use their traditions and profit off of them. The Kayapo people have a tradition of harvesting Brazil nuts and the conservation efforts help them make a small profit off of those nuts to help sustain their villages.

We can learn from these experiences with native people. Companies need to think more about native people and native people should reach out for support. We should also think about the effects of deforestation. The thing about deforestation is that deforestation is a short term solution. We clear out forests because we want to grow more food, but in the long term is affecting our environment and contributing to climate change and environmental changes which would jeopardize our ability to grow food anywhere.

What can we do to help? If more people ate and bought local, produce and meat wouldn't have to be raised across the world and shipped to supermarkets in the U.S. and other countries. If more of us ate local, and local food was more accessible, fewer forests would have to be cut down. If more people went vegetarian we could save a lot more grains, and therefore less forest space lost. According to Weforum.org: “For example, in the US, it takes an astounding 25 kg of grain to produce 1kg of beef, pigs require a grain to meat ratio of 9:1 and chickens, relatively less wasteful, are 3:1.” Also, if more people donated to causes to help protect against deforestation and conservation of tribes and land, we could have a stronger fight with corporations. Also, if people researched the brands they bought and saw what the environmental impact is, and avoid buying those products.

In the end, we have to think about our earth as a whole, we need to think about the habitats, the people, and the ecosystems. It may not seem like it but, the earth is one big cycle with each thing relying on the other. My main argument is that we need to be more conscious about the brands we buy, and where we get it. If more of us ate local or ate more vegetables and fruit, and less meat, we could have hundreds of acres of forests around the world. My plans and goals will help achieve one of the eight millennium development goals which is environmental sustainability. By conserving forest, we can ensure habitats for many species across the earth. I want everyone to think about what they buy and how it contributes to the world, be conscious and be aware.

Works Cited:

      “About the Kayapo”. Kayapo.org., The Kayapo Project. N.d. Web. 23 May. 2017
    

      “Brazil’s Kayapo: Stewards of the Forest”. Conservation International., Conservation International. N.d. Web. 23 May. 2017

      Carter, Cavarrio. “Deforestation: A New Threat to Global Food Security”. Borgen Magazine., Borgen Project. 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 23 May. 2017

Faser, Evan & Andrew Rimas, “Empires of Food.” Counterpoint., 2010, Book. 23 May 2017

     Garcia-Navarro, Lulu. “As Brazil's Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are Leaving”. Parallels., NPR. 22 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 May. 2017

     Kehoe, Laura. “Could this improve food security and stop deforestation?”. We Forum.org., World Economic Forum. 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 May. 2017

     Pimm, Stuart. “Deforestation”. Encyclopedia Britannica., Encyclopedia Britannica. 1 Mar. 2017. Web. 23 May. 2017

Wild About Rice

In our 3rd humanities class, Food for Thought we talked all about food and where it comes from, we made personal connections to our food and traced it back. We went on a field experience to Metropolis Coffee, where we learned about the origins of coffee. In class, we made a map and traced back different types of food to different ancient civilizations. For our action project, we were asked to pick an ingredient that correlates to a traditional family dish. I chose wild rice because my family is Canadian and lots of us have grown up in northern Wisconsin, it has been a key part of our family meals for generations. I researched and traced back wild rice, as well as interviewing my grandmother who is a famous family cook, about her fondness and experience with wild rice. In the end, I think it came out really well and I am very proud of my video and research. I think the hardest part  was making the presentation since it was a prezi and I am really bad at them. It was also hard to record as I kept messing up. In the end I am very proud of my project and I am happy I could research something personal.

My Script:

Hello, my name is wild rice I am a delicious grain that has been growing right here in North America for thousands of years. I also have been known to grow in China along with many other rice species, although I am not related to any Asian rice species. I have always been most popular in North America

I appear as a grass and I like to live in and near marshy and inland lake areas. I am most commonly found in the lakes and streams of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. There are actually 3 different species of wild rice grown in North America and 1 in China. The most common type is northern wild rice, which I am.

The others are Wild rice, which is native to around the St. Lawrence river and along the Gulf and Atlantic coast of America. Texas wild rice is native to central Texas. And Manchurian Wild rice which is native to China.

I was first harvested by The Ojibwe, as well as many other tribes when they discovered me while canoeing. I was most commonly eaten by dabbling ducks but when native American discovered me I was harvested, and all of me was put to use. Not only would they eat my grain but they took my stalks and made satchels, bags, and tools out of me. I was used in many traditional Ojibwe and native American dishes. I was traditionally cooked in deer broth or maple syrup. I was also made into sweets like rice cakes and rice puffs.

I was harvested by two people in a canoe one would row while the other would use a “knocker” which is a wooden pole that they would push the flowering bud on top so the rice would fall into the canoe. In many native American cultures, wild rice harvesting is a sacred & cultural event. The Ojibwe people refer to me as manoomin which means “harvesting berry” or “good berry.” I am known to be a sacred food believed to be a gift from the Great Spirit.

I was mostly used by native people but due to my nutritional value and taste. I gained popularity in the mid to late 20th century. Commercial harvesting started in the U.S. and Canada.

In 1950 James & Gerald Godward started the first wild rice paddy near Brainerd, Minnesota. They discovered that I did not need flowing water to grow. They only had a one-acre meadow that they dug dikes and constructed drainage ditches and flooded the tilled soil. They spread my seeds and the crops grew. They were the first to grow me not in the wild.

The U.S. and Canada produce much of the world’s wild rice In the U.S. California and Minnesota are my biggest producers and I am grown in paddies. In Canada, I am usually harvested from natural lakes in Saskatchewan.

In 1974 my cultivation began in Hungary on the rice fields on Szarvas. Hungarian wild rice is cultivated under its own company and ships around the world.

Today, I am used in many dishes in north America, and I am usually associated with Canadian or northern culture. I am still harvested in the traditional native American ways in some places. In the Moody family, I have been an important part of their family culture for generations. The Moody family is originally from Quebec, but many of them grew up in northern Wisconsin. Yvonne Moody grew up in northern Wisconsin and has been a cook her whole life. One of her favorite recipes to make is wild rice pilaf. According to Yvonne, “It is important to the family because it has been served at many dinners. The history goes back to the area where I grew up and enjoyed the wild rice harvested by the Native Americans in our area. The value is extremely high because of our fondness for it. Priceless.”

The Moody family gets their wild rice from North Bay Trading Company, company based out of Canada where they buy me in bulk.

Food for Thought AP1 CM from CM on Vimeo.

Sources:

"About Us." North Bay Trading Co., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017

"History." White Earth Wild Rice. White Earth Nation., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017.

lucy_sarson, "China Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017

Nicholas Raymond, "Hungary Grunge Flag", Flickr, Web, 2012, 27 Apr. 2017

"Louisiana State Flag", Wikimedia  Wikimedia Foundation. n.d, Web, 27 Apr. 2017.

vejoyce, "Texas State Flag", Flickr, Web, 2011, 27 Apr. 2017

"Wild Rice." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Apr. 2017

Solar Panels: The Bright Future

For our 2nd unit in our Fuel class, we learned all about physics and energy. We did some experiments on potential energy and also played around with systems of equations and other math concepts. Fuel class itself is all about well, fuel and pollution, resources, and energy. I learned a lot of math concepts in this unit. Most of them weren't new, but I was glad I got a chance to review them again and feel more confident. For our 2nd Action Project, we were asked to pick a renewable resource and research it to try to sell it to a company looking to switch. We were to make a 2-3 minute infomercial about the resource, its advantages and disadvantages, its history, and most importantly; try to figure out how much it would cost by using functions and graphing. I am most proud of how the video came out. I have never used any video-recording software before, but I used Screencastify which was super easy to use. My video is about solar energy, and specifically why the superstore Wal-Mart switched to solar energy. In the end I think the most challenging part was calculating the functions because they were pretty rough estimates.

Solar Panels: The Bright Future! from CM on Vimeo.

GeoJourney: The Journey

For our final AP in Game changers,(A class about gaming and game design) we were asked to do something that sounded pretty simple, but in my case wasn't. We were told to make a final prototype for our game and create a slideshow and a video about it. I thought this was a very stressful project as we had just finished our other AP merely days before. I thought this would be simple, but I found that time was not on my side. I ran into lots of complications, and busy nights, which resulted in me not being able to do much at home. I thought the most challenging part of this project was the time restraints. I think the most rewarding part was to see my game looking beautiful and finished.

Elevator Pitch: In the game GeoJourney you are a world traveler traveling the world with your companions and testing your knowledge of different countries around the world collecting the country card, obtaining as many as you can along the way. You will encounter obstacles and advantages along the way. You will socialize with your fellow travelers through conversation cards.You win by having the most country cards at the end of the game.

My Reflection: Game Changers has been an amazing experience, I am so glad I took this class. Walking into this course, I knew virtually nothing about game design, it was something I've never studied or even though about studying until I got to GCE. I have always been a big fan of games, and I love art. When I was little I used to like to design and make up games, but I had kind of forgot I used to like to do that, I was definitely excited to be away from the Freshman class, and with a new teacher as well. I thought the design process would be a lot easier than it actually is. I brainstormed an idea for a game for a long time. I decided to go with a geography or travel theme, as I like to travel and I really love geography. I really wanted it to be a really strategic and competitive game, as those are my favorite to play. We got to our first round of playtesting which was a long process and a little tedious, but we all had out first prototypes. I would say I like playtesting. It can be nerve racking, but it is really nice to receive feedback on all your hard work. When the feedback is constructive criticism it definitely helps a lot, since you know know what to do better for your game. Feedback telling you you did great is nice to hear, but in my opinion, there is always something that can be done to make it better. In all, this class was great. I definitely loved playtesting, maybe not ChiTAG, but they were both important. Thank you to my wonderful teacher to make this possible, and I hope to do this again in the future.