After reading and annotating many traveling articles, I now know what a good article is. I’ve read different travel articles about different places. All of them have a good hook, images, theme, imagery, attitude, and describes the place very well. Some articles are all about the author’s experience, some include the author’s experience, but mostly about the destination’s culture. However, my traveling writing was completely different. I only talked about where I was going, what I did, and places I went. I didn’t talk about how I got there, what I felt, the weather, clothes that I wore, and most importantly I didn’t describe the place I was going to. I didn’t give any information about their culture or some information you should know when traveling there. After reading all the other travel articles I learned what a good article is. Next time, I will describe the place I’m going, have more attitude, have some data, add images, and write why I liked this trip and what I felt when I was there.
Month: April 2016
The Bhutan article was mainly about black-necked cranes. The beginning of the article started off describing the festival. Then it talked about the black-necked cranes, the author’s stay in Bhutan, more in-depth about the festival, and then the population of the cranes. The article had 7 seven pictures and included some tips for the type of clothing you should bring, the price of going to Bhutan, and where to go for the festival.
In the Russia article, it was all about the author’s experience. He talked about how he decided to go to Klyuchevskaya Sopka, getting his visa, buying skiing equipment, and his journey. He also talked about his camera, the slope of the mountain, how cold it was, and the pebble storm. This was very different from the Bhutan Article. The Bhutan told a little bit about her trip, but mostly explained information of the culture. In this article, it was all about the author’s trip.
Both articles talked about the authors trip, had good quality pictures, and had the same format. The two articles are different in some areas, but both did a fine job on describing the place and it lets the reader understand the place better.
Esther and I are almost done with our prototypes. We made good progress and going on the right track. In class, we continued where we left off last class. We finish our fourth prototype and we were happy with our results. Out of all the prototypes, we liked the fourth one the because we noticed that it had most of the characteristics that we needed. We fixed all the problems that we had and now we are thinking whether or not if we should have packaging and our products name. Some of the problems that we encountered were: the polymer smelling bad, the polymer being too sticky, and not insulating the ringtone. We first solved our second problem by using paper towels. We used the paper towels to absorb all the excess laundry starched that we used. Once our polymer was ready, we played with it to make sure it wasn’t sticky. Later on, we used Esther’s perfume and sprayed a little bit on our polymer. It solved our first problem and had now we had all the characteristics that we needed, except for one. The polymer had to insulate the ringtone and vibration. When we were testing the ringtone and the vibration in another room we realized that we were getting the wrong data. Esther and I went back into the science room because most classrooms are not completely silent. The teacher might be talking or other classmates are, so we decided to go back in the science room and asked our classmate if they could hear any ringtone or vibration sound. We tested maybe times by putting the polymer in a different shape and size. We learned that the best way to insulate the sound was to have a thick layer of the polymer and use it to cover where the sound was coming from. We were glad that the polymer didn’t go into the tiny holes because we wouldn’t our customers using it and noticing polymer stuck to the phone.
These pictures are the process of making our polymer.
First, we added 2 cm of glue in a plastic clue. Then we added blue food coloring and mixed it together. Once it was mixed, we added 50 ml of Laundry starch.
After mixing in the laundry starch it looks like the first picture.
We used paper towels to absorb all the excess laundry starch. After that, we mold it until it stuck together in one piece. Once we were done, we put it in a plastic bag and labeled the bag.
Today Esther and I made three prototypes. Right now we have 4 in total. The first one was Gloop. To reach our goal we used our own phones to test it out. I used my iPhone 5 and Esther used her Samsung. We put our phones on the Gloop and played ringtones and vibration to see if the Gloop would block the sound. When we tested it, Samsung worked the best. It was very hard to hear the vibration sound and it was very effective. However, the iPhone wasn’t the same. You could still hear the vibration sound and the Gloop didn’t work. Later on, we tried to mix 3cm glue, 13 ml of borax, 12 ml of water, 20ml laundry starch, 5ml PVA, 1 drop of green, and 2 drops of yellow food coloring. We realized that it wasn’t a good idea because the results didn’t work and it didn’t look appealing. After our 2nd prototype didn’t work out, we moved on to our 3rd prototype. We used 1cm of glue, 2 drops of yellow food coloring, 26 ml of laundry starch, and another drop of glue. This worked out really well as well. It had the same results as our first prototype, Gloop. However, it had more characteristics than Gloop so we decided to use our third prototype. We wanted it to be flexible, easily removed, and easily molded. Our third prototype had all these characteristics so we decided to work on it. Because our third prototype didn’t work for iPhone, we wanted to make a polymer that was big enough to cover the whole phone. We doubled the amount of prototype 3 and started mixing. Because we didn’t have enough time the polymer wasn’t combined well together. Next class we are planning to improve our fourth prototype.
| Prototype 1
Gloop |
Prototype 2
Mixing everything together |
Prototype 3
Boogers |
Prototype 4 improving Boogers | |
| Blocks vibration sound | Samsung: Yes
iPhone: No |
Samsung: No
iPhone: No |
Samsung: Yes
iPhone: No |
HAVENT TESTED |
| Blocks ringtone sound | Samsung: No
iPhone: No |
Samsung: NO
iPhone: NO |
Samsung: No
iPhone: N0 |
HAVENT TESTED |
| Have most of the characteristics that we need | NO | NO | YES | HAVENT TESTED |
The table above shows you the characteristics of all the prototypes we made. The best one is the third prototype and the worst was the second prototype.
Materials we used for our second polymer: 3cm glue, 13 ml of borax, 12 ml of water, 20ml laundry starch, 5ml PVA, 1 drop of green, and 2 drops of yellow food coloring.(We switched the blue food coloring to yellow and green after the photo was taken)
Our second prototype looked like this. It didn’t look good and it was very, very slimy and disgusting.
The best vacation I had was in 2015 during October break. My family and I went to Japan, Osaka. We went there for 5 days and did a lot of shopping. It wasn’t very cold or hot and the weather was really nice. The first day I bought a lot of stationary and clothes. We went to a café and ate pancakes. At night, we went to an Owl café. I took a lot of pictures with the owls and had a really good time. On the second day, we went to visit Osaka Castle and different temples. After that, we went to a deer park. We feed the deer and took a lot of pictures. On the third day, our family went to Kyoto and did a bike ride. We also went to an onsen hotel for one night. Then we went back to Osaka and did more shopping and eating. Throughout the trip, we ate a lot of sushi and soft milk ice cream.
My favorite magazine is Seventeen Magazine. I really like this magazine because I really like the stories in the magazine. I get to read other people’s experience about different activities. I also like this magazine because sometimes they have coupons. In every magazine they feature a celebrity. I enjoy reading what the celebrity says in the interview. Reading this magazine helps me keep updated on what’s going on in America. Sometimes they have tips for school and life. For example, it had tips on SAT, school life, and friends. Also, they have one page that tells you some of the cheap items that are under $10. Sometimes they give you coupons!
gIntroduction:
The first class we had when we started this unit was very interesting. We sat around Mr. Winkelman and he read us a story called, “Bartholomew and the Oobleck”. It was a story about a King wanting something new falling from the sky. He was bored of the rain, sun, fog, and snow. So he tells the magicians that he wanted something new falling from the sky. The next day, Oobleck was falling from the sky. It was green, sticky, and it made a mess. After reading this story we were told to make a polymer that was like Oobleck. A polymer is made up of a lot of molecules. When its all put together it makes a really long chain. The polymer’s characteristics are always based off of what it is made of. The look, stickiness, act depends on how the atoms and molecules are connected. Sometimes it’s really slimy, bouncy, smooth, and so on. My partner, Esther and I worked together and made 3 polymers. The first polymer was Gloop. The color was blue, it was smooth, bouncy, and smelled like glue. Gloop was made out of glue, water, and borax. When we did the slow poke test it came back up slowly. The fast poke was different, it came back up faster. When we did the slow pull test, it stretched and stayed in that shape. The Gloop was very bouncy. The second polymer was Boogers. Boogers was made out of glue and laundry starch. The color was red mixed with pink, it was slimy, and easily stretched. Same as Gloop, the slow poke test result was the same. Both Gloop and Boogers don’t change in the blob test. For the hang test, it fell apart after 47 seconds. Our third and last polymer was Super Slime. The Super Slime was really slimy and fun to play with. It stretches, but at some point, it breaks in half. Unlike the other polymer, the blob test so different. It slowly expanded a little bit. For the hang test, it broke after 67 seconds. Out of all the polymers, my favorite was the Super Slime.
In this photo, you can see the three different types of polymer that we made in class. The order of the polymer: Boogers, Super Slime, Gloop.
For our Polymer Project, Esther and I will make a polymer phone case that blocks the sound and vibration from your phone. We thought of this problem because many students bring their phones to school in class. While having class, sometimes their phone might ring and interrupt their class. This might make the teacher angry and get the student in trouble. We are planning to make a polymer for your phone that blocks the sound and the vibration coming from your phone. So the next time you go to class, all you need to do is, put on the case and you don’t have to worry about turning off the sound and the vibration. If someone texts or call you in class, your teacher won’t be able to hear it. You can also use this when you go to sleep. You can put the case on your phone and you won’t wake up in the middle of the night. Even if you don’t go to school you can use this polymer. You can use it during work when you are teaching a class or in a meeting. Our target audience is for anyone that has an iPhone or a Samsung. It can be used during school, work, and sleep. We will need perfume, paper towel, cup, spoon, laundry starch, glue, and food coloring. We are planning to make a polymer that doesn’t smell bad, can block sound and vibration from your phone, moldable, flexible, easily removable, able to stick, and easy to use.
In this picture, you can see the four prototypes we made from the past few class. Esther and I made 4 prototypes in total.
The soundtrack above are songs that I picked out for the poem: “Fat Is Not a Fairy Tale” by Jane Yolen. I picked the 8 songs above because I think that they relate to the theme of this poem. The theme of the poem is that there should be more fairy tales with princesses that are round because there’s nothing wrong with having a round body. Many fairy tales have princesses with a skinny and slim body. However, this is wrong. Why should princesses have a skinny body? Fairy tales should express different body types to tell people that body types don’t matter. As you scroll down, you can see explanations for each song about how they relate to the poem’s theme.
All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two
But I can shake it, shake it, like I’m supposed to do (Trainor 6-7)
I chose this song because I thought that it related to the poem the best. Not everyone fits in clothing that are size two and that shouldn’t be a problem. You should accept the body you have and princesses should do the same. There should be more princesses that are round
Who Says by Selena Gomez
Who says you’re not pretty?
Who says you’re not beautiful?
Who says? (Gomez 18-20)
Many people who are fat or round might think that they are not pretty. They look at princesses and compare their bodies to the princesses. No one told them that they are beautiful just the way they are. If princesses had round bodies more people can relate to them and won’t feel the need of having a skinny body. They will feel better about themselves and have confidence and believe that they are beautiful no matter what.
Secrets by Mary Lambert
Who spent so long attempting to be someone else
Well, I’m over it (Lambert 14-16)
The world is better if they are more princesses that are round. Little kids look up to princesses. If princesses are skinny, little girls think that they need that body. They will try to be like a princess and look like them. They might think that having a skinny body is normal, but having a round body is not.
Flawless by Beyoncé ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I woke up like this, I woke up like this
I woke up like this, I woke up like this
We flawless, ladies tell’ em (Beyoncé ft. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 54-57)
All girls and women all around the world should be confident with their body. It doesn’t matter what size they are. They should always feel proud about who they are. Sometimes it’s hard because there are things around them that make them feel like they should have a certain body. You should always feel good about yourself every day because you are perfect the way you are.
Born This Way by Lady Gaga
I’m beautiful in my way (Gaga 12)
Everyone is beautiful in different ways. There’s nothing wrong with what you look like. People shouldn’t judge you by your body so you don’t need to be skinny. Being round shouldn’t be considered bad, it should be a good thing.
Who You Are by Jessie J
Just be true to who you are (J 11)
Princesses make you want to change yourself, but you should never do that. Be who you truly are. Don’t listen to other people that you need to change. Be who you truly are and don’t be someone else.
Hard Out Here by Lily Allen
Then you’re not good-looking (Allen 28-19)
Society automatically thinks that if you’re not skinny you don’t look good. This shouldn’t be the way we think. We shouldn’t have expectations for girls and women to have a certain type of body.
Believe In Me by Demi Lovato
Cause everyone’s perfect in unusual ways (Lovato 12)
Everyone is perfect in different ways. No one needs to change themselves to be called pretty or perfect. You are perfect the way you are. Everyone is different in different ways and that’s what makes you unique. If everyone is skinny, everybody is the same.
Today in class, I used a Venn diagram to compare two poems, “Fat Is Not a Fairy Tale” and “Beach Bodies”. Both poems have similarities and differences. Some of the similarities I found between the two poems was the message. Both poems are telling their readers that being fat is ok. There’s nothing wrong with being fat and having a skinny body is not always good. You should accept who you are and don’t try to be something else. However, the style of the poems are different. The title “Fat Is Not a Fairy Tale”, is telling us that fat doesn’t exist in a fairy tale. All the princesses have skinny, slim, and fit bodies. The author believes that fairy tales should have more characters who are round. More fairy tales should have princesses that have different body types and a more realistic body. This way, other people can relate to princesses and understand them better. The poem mainly targets girls because little girls look up to princesses and want to be like them. If all princesses have skinny bodies they feel the need of having one. “Beach Bodies” tells the message differently. The title is saying that: a certain type of body that people have at the beach is what people want. Most actors have this body and many men and boys want to be like them. People are insecure about their body and the way they look like. They try to workout and have a beach body. But the author is trying to tell a message that you shouldn’t try to be something you’re not. You should be who you truly are and accept it.
Fat is not a fairy tale
Jane Yolen
I am thinking of a fairy tale
Cinder Elephant,
Sleeping Tubby,
Snow Weight,
where the princess is not
anorexic, wasp-waisted,
flinging herself down the stairs.
I am thinking of a fairy tale,
Hansel and Great,
Repoundsel,
Bounty and the Beast,
where the beauty
has a pillowed breast,
and fingers plump as sausage.
I am thinking of a fairy tale
that is not yet written,
for a teller not yet born,
for a listener not yet conceived,
for a world not yet won,
where everything round is good:
the sun, wheels, cookies, and the princess.
Title: Fat doesn’t exist in a fairy tale and no princesses in a fairy tale is fat. Every princess is pretty, have unrealistic bodies, and are everyone’s expectation of a perfect body.
Paraphrase: The author believes that there should be a fairy tale that includes a princess who doesn’t have a perfectly slim figure and should be round. No fairy tale created characters that expressed different body types.
Connotations:
- Diction: Italic words these words that are highlighted tell the reader that the author is connecting the fairytales to “fat”. She uses words that relate to “fat” and adds them to the title of the fairytale
- Imagery + details:
“has a pillowed breast,” This line is a metaphor and showing the reader a physical feature of what a princess should have.
“and fingers plump as sausage.” This line is a simile and shows the reader a physical feature of what a princess should have.
- Motifs:”I’m thinking of a fairy tale” the author is always thinking of a fairy tale that is not created. The same words don’t repeat, but there are many words used in this poem that all relate to “fat”, “round”, and “heavy”. Such as the words underlined
- Structure: In the first stanza, the first line is about what the author thinks. The second, third, and fourth line have examples of fairy tales changed to titles that are “fat” related. The last three lines is a phrase. The second stanza is the same as the first stanza, but the fairy tale examples are new and different and so as the last three lines. The last stanza is a message from the author and what she thinks should happen in the future.
Attitude: By reading the poem, you can tell that the author is trying to spread a message to the world. She’s saying it in a proud, comical voice. she uses sarcasm. It makes you agree with what she’s proving and changing the way you think of these fairy tale princesses.
Shifts: The poem only has one shift. All three stanza have seven lines. The first two stanzas are similar, but with different titles of fairy tales and different phrases for the last three lines. The last stanza is about what the author’s opinion. She thinks that people should make a fairy tale that concentrates on natural beauty and not people’s expectation of a perfect body.
Tensions: The conflict in this poem is reality and fairy tales. The character’s body and figure in fairy tales are people’s expectations and goals. This isn’t a good example because it doesn’t matter what size you are. You should also appreciate the type of body you have. However, fairy tales don’t give us that message. They create characters with anorexic and wasp-waisted body as said in the poem in the first stanza, 6th line. The Author’s message of this poem is to tell people to make a fairy tale that relates to reality and the real world.
Title: The word “fat” is never ever in fairly tales. It never exists, no one is fat and everyone has the perfect body. Skinny legs, flat stomach, and other expectations of a perfect body. The author called this poem “Fat Is Not a Fairy Tale” because fat is real. It exists in the real world. No one has the perfect body, everyone has different body types. Fairy tales never focus on natural beauty or plus size. Fairy tales only have characters that are skinny and have the perfect body.
Theme: The theme for this poem is: There should be more fairy tales about natural beauty and princesses with different body types. A fairy tale with a round princess. The author, Jane Yolen, gives you examples of fairy tales changed into a story relating to “fat”. She thinks that they should be a fairy tale where princesses are not skinny and has natural beauty. A princess with pillowed breast and fingers round like sausage. Beauty should be considered with different features that everyone has. A new fairy tale that doesn’t exist, not told, no one has ever listened to, and one that is unknown to the world. A fairy tale that is about a princess who is different from all the other princesses and her body is round. If a princess is fat, it’s not bad, it’s better for all the other girls in the world that look up to princesses.
On Poetry Day, I went to the ode and haiku class. The first session was Ode class with Mrs.Long. I learned how to write an ode poem and wrote an ode to YouTube. Then I went to Haiku workshop. We watched two videos about haiku poems. I wrote many haikus, but in the end, I wrote a Haiku about my brother’s chocolate, bacon obsession.
Haiku Poem:
Justin says bacon:
Is RED, and bacon is ROUGH
Chocolate Bacon.
I thought that Poetry Day was a good day and I would continue doing this because you get to sign up the workshops you want to go and make your own poems.
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