I have chosen to focus on '' The String Thing '' for my Science PBL project. For my ELA connection, I will complete a journal ( Option 1 ). I will present this journal by adding it as a document under my PBL website.
Choosing Project ( Week 1 ) :
The process of choosing PBL project to work on was actually fairly difficult. We were having hard time trying to decide which project to chose. We were having trouble deciding because there were SO MANY projects to choose from. When deciding on what project to choose, we lowered our options down to two different experiments. We were contemplating on if we should choose '' The String Thing " or the ''Balloon in a Bottle''. We were equally interested in both projects, which was what gave us such a hard time when trying to decide. In the end we decided to go with '' The String Thing '' because it was far more challenging, and we like to be challenged.
Creating Google Site ( Week 1 ) :
After choosing our PBL Project, we then had to create a Google Site. In order to create our Google Site we had to each create new gmail accounts. These gmails are meant for school use only and it is our responsibility to remember our account information. To help us remember, we wrote down our project information and put it in a safe place. Once we created our Google accounts, we had to log in to https://sites.google.com/ with our PBL gmail accounts. After we logged in we had to click "Create a site", choose a blank template, and the name our site in a specific format.
What I Found When Searching Up My Project ( Week 2 ) :
When we first tried directly searching up our project, we were having some difficulties. The reason that we were having difficulties was because our project isn't a very common experiment. Since our experiment wasn't very common, we had dig a little bit harder and go another route. Instead of directly searching up our project, we had to do some more research. Finding out exactly what it was that made our experiment function properly, was what we were trying to do when researching. After finding researching and finding out all that we could about the science behind our project, we finally had what we needed.
Back Ground Research ( Week 3 ) :
When doing the background research, we had to work a little harder in order to find what we needed. We had to find out what the science was behind our experiment. When trying to find out the science behind it, we first had to think about what is was that our project was even doing. Essentially, what our project does is use a hand held machine to launch a string from different angles. So, we had to then find out what science was being performed when launching a string from different angles. We found out that the science being that was being performed is known as projectiles. What we also found out was that our project was also demonstrating " String Theory ", so we had to then do some research on " String Theory ".
Science Behind Experiment ( Week 4 ) :
We first had to think about what is was that our project was even doing, When trying to find out the science behind it. Our experiment allows an audience to view the string theory in action by using a string, and how it's affected by gravity. Having that knowledge, we then had to think about what it was that our project was even doing. After many observations, we found out that what our project does is use a hand held machine to launch a string from different angles. Once we learned that, we had to then find out what science was being performed when launching a string from different angles. After doing some more research, We found out that the science being that was being performed is known as projectiles. A Projectile is the angle at which an object is propelled through the air.
Creating The Website ( Week 5 ) ;
When creating our website, we first had to create our Google Site. When we finished creating the Google site, we then had to create a new page and label it as "What is STEM SOS?". Once we finished creating a new page, we then had to insert a couple of Hyperlinks, which was fairly simple. After finishing up with the Hyperlinks, we had to insert one or two YouTube videos about STEM education to our page. When we got finished with the videos, we had to copy information about STEMSOS Model, and place them below the links that we had just finished inserting. The last two steps to creating our website were not too difficult. We first had to create even more hyperlinks to the to STEMSOS Logo. Then, we had to place our final hyperlinks onto some STEMSOS Social Media Accounts.
Testing Out Our Project ( Week 6 ) :
After about six weeks, we finally got to begin testing out our project. My partner and I both got to tried it out individually. Once we got a hold of it, we started toying around with the angle in which the string was being launched from. While manipulating how the string moved in different angles, a few thought began to come to mind. We realized that both the string and the machine together, acted as a projectile. The thought behind a projectile is that the more angle added on to projectile, the less range it has. So, we realized that in order to make the string move vertically, you must first pull the knob towards you. To make the string move horizontally, you must then turn the knob away from you.
Recording Our Experiment ( Week 7 ) :
Although the experiment was much more difficult than expected, recording the results was actually much simpler than we thought it was going to be. Recording the experiment did not require the making or any graphs or charts. Which was very relieving. The only requirements for the making of our video were a script and of course someone there to demonstrate the experiment. The video lasted for around two and a half to three minutes. We thought it best to take two takes of the video, and choose which one out of the two had the best quality.
Creating A Script For Video Presentation ( Week 8 ) :
After all of the background research that we did throughout the process of this experiment, creating a script for our video presentation wasn't too bad. The first thing that we did was gaze back upon the '' My PBL '' tab. When getting to that tab, we reviewed it vigorously, and gathered up as much useful information as possible. The final thing that we did was refer back to our background research. There we took the information, and reworded it in a way that would sound smother when presenting.
Doing Voice Over For Video ( Week 9 ) :
Although the process of doing the voice over wasn't necessarily difficult, we did happen to run into a couple of difficulties. One of the problems that we were having was that we could not get the video finished in under five minutes. Which was about one minutes longer than the recommended length of the video. What we did to fix the predicament that we were in was refer back to our script. After referring back to our script, we then reevaluated what information was really necessary to have in our presentation. When we finished looking over our script, we then began to remove the information in our script that we considered to be unnecessary. Once we removed all of the unnecessary information, we tried doing the voice over again, and had no problem finishing up in under four minutes.