Crime Scene Investigation
For this project, students were put into pairs and assigned a crime scene scenario. After we were assigned either crime scene 1, 2, or 3, we had to solve that specific crime. We solved our crime by becoming crime scene investigators. First we observed the crime scene carefully and took pictures of each piece of evidence. We tested evidence for fingerprints, DNA, types of blood, bullet trajectory, blood spatter, toxicology, and several other things to conclude what happened at the crime scene. When we finished doing each of those tests, we filled out evidence logs to show our learning and to show our growth of understanding on that specific piece of evidence and the test done on it. After we tested evidence and concluded results, each pair finally found out what happened at their specific scene and why.
The most interesting part of this project was being able to learn things that real crime scene investigators do to find out about crimes. We got to look at things like real coroner reports and toxicology test results just like a real CSI agent would do, it was engaging to be able to learn things that they do in their job on a daily basis. After doing this project, I'm very interested in a career like this and would love to look more into it. My partner and I collaborated really well which made the project significantly more engaging and easier on the level of stress. Since we worked well together, we each had the same amount of work to do and got the work done well and on time, so we weren't in a rush.
The most interesting part of this project was being able to learn things that real crime scene investigators do to find out about crimes. We got to look at things like real coroner reports and toxicology test results just like a real CSI agent would do, it was engaging to be able to learn things that they do in their job on a daily basis. After doing this project, I'm very interested in a career like this and would love to look more into it. My partner and I collaborated really well which made the project significantly more engaging and easier on the level of stress. Since we worked well together, we each had the same amount of work to do and got the work done well and on time, so we weren't in a rush.
Community Connection
For my community connection I chose to volunteer at the Mana Soup Kitchen with my siblings. At Mana, the volunteers' jobs are to assist in preparing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the homeless. When I went, my siblings and I were in charge of making a salad for dinner, and we also got to help make mashed potatoes and meatloaf. After we finished preparing the dinner, we started to make sack lunches which consisted of 2 sandwiches, a bag of chips, and 2 cookies. It was really fun working at Mana with the other volunteers, it was a new kind of volunteering for my siblings and I because we'd never helped there before.
Cat Dissection Project
There was a choice between dissecting a pig, a cat, and a shark. My group which consisted of 3 other people were assigned to dissect the cat. Each day, our group would be introduced to new things about the cat body like the nervous system, the muscles, the oral cavity, and the respiratory system. Colleen gave us each a big packet to follow along with, which covered all of the body parts and functions that we needed to know for our dissection final. For the final, each student had to take a video with their specimen going over everything that we learned through the process of dissection and through the teaching of Colleen.
Monkey Meal Planning Project
Each student made a recipe suitable for monkeys and/or chimpanzees to eat. The recipes we made had certain constraints on carbohydrates, sugars, and fats so the chimps and monkeys had a healthy enough meal to eat. We had to first make meal plans, and then make the constraints, and then finally write our recipe. Each of these things you can see below.
Durango Nature Studies Habitat Assessment Project
Project reflection
In the beginning of this project, the class began to study the identification of frogs, toads, and macro invertebrates. We had a quiz to test our knowledge on each species and ensure that we could identify each of them. Shortly after that, each class went on a field trip to the Durango nature studies property. At DNS, our goal was to catch as many leopard and bull frogs we could and remove each bullfrog from the property. We also took several water tests on the pond and the Florida river. A few of these tests taken were dissolved oxygen, phosphate levels, and PH levels. We also did vegetation plot tests, to see how many species of vegetation were on the DNS property. After all data was conducted, a few days later we made several charts and graphs in excel, based on the data we collected. After we finished the excel charts, we began writing technical writing papers. We started with the executive summary piece, which included what programs are held at DNS, what was our objective as a class, our fieldwork, and DNS's annual budget. Then, we wrote the rest of our paper within a matter of 3 weeks, which contained a species overview of the leopard frog and bullfrog, the results we got from the field trip, and recommendations to the management of DNS to improve the ecosystem there. I am adequately satisfied with how my paper turned out in the end, there are few parts I feel more confident about then others, but overall, I incorporated everything there was needed to, into my paper. The species overview was what frustrated me the most, because it was difficult for me to answer each question we had to. I wasn't used to writing technically, which was a a challenge for me to adapt to because I had never done it before. But overall, I am satisfied with my paper because I was responsible about it throughout the entire writing process. |