9-18-13 MPX STEM infographic reflection

1. What were the success of your infographic?  It might be the infographic itself or the process of making and researching it.
2. What were some weaknesses with making your infographic?  Again it may be the infographic itself or with the process of making it.3. If you could go back and do it all over again, what would you do different?
 

When my classmates and I were researching our topic, we found some very unusual facts about the topic. For example, one of my classmates found out that because of pesticides, almost 90% of bee farmers bees die, and that almost all of the water in many states show signs of pesticides in the water that people drink. These were good facts not only because they were relevant to our topic, but because they deeply affected other thing as well. Bee are needed for pollination. If we didn't have any bees, there would be not plants.   Some weaknesses were that me and my classmates did not discuss exactly what we would be putting in our infographic. We just kind of went with whatever information we had and made it ascetically pleasing. If i could go back and do the whole thing over again, first off I would actually make it to everyday that we worked on it instead of missing a couple days. I would also look for information that the normal person would not put in their own infograph. For example, the facts that my classmate got.    

9-13-13 humanities sustainability curriculum

How did exploring the issue of food security affect you (surprise? anger? interest?)? What impact do you think our year-long project could have on the community? How did the lo’i field trip teach you sustainability?

When we researched the food security in humanities, it surprised me very much. I didn't know that hawaii was in such bad shape. For example, if hawaii was cut off from the mainland, we would only survive for about 5 day with the amount of food that is on the island right now. This scared me a lot, because hawaii being cut off from the mainland is a very realistic possibility. This research led us into another discussion: sustainability on the islands. For hundreds of years the hawaiians thrived on just what they had on the island. they had no contact with the mainland, and had no ships ever find them. They were one of the most sustainable civilization in history. But look at us now! An estimated 90% of all of the food we eat is imported. This means that there is not much local farming on any of the islands.

When we first started the year off, I didn't think that sustainability would help us as students learn anything. But, I was very wrong. The topic drew me in immediately. when i learned how dependent the state was on the mainland, and how much food was imported, it made me really angry. It also made me change the way I looked at everything. My family has also been involved in the topic. we now take advantage of the farmers markets and open market. Even if the items are a little more expensive than the other larger companies, it help the island keep its money. I think that as a state we need to promote local produce more than imported products. Its not really the peoples fault though. As for everything that is screwed up in this state, it is politics that killed our independence from the mainland. Instead of staying our own great original selves, politics forces us to follow the mainlanders ways. I think this is why Hawaii is going downhill faster and faster as the years go on.

When we went to the lo'i, it really lightened my heart. Seeing that people still really care about staying independent and sustainable was great. Helping out was fun, and i learned so much while i was there. I liked it so much that me and some of my friends have been going there during the weekends to help out. It also made me start expanding and taking better care of my family garden.

9-16-13 mpx stem why do plants need water?

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/horticulture/nursery/irrigation/why_plants_need_water.html

http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=3551

http://www.pa.msu.edu/sciencet/ask_st/092194.html

Why do plants need water?

First off, plants are made out of roughly 90% water. This means that the absorption of water is much more important to plants than mammals. Mammals are approximately 75% water. Even though plants biggest need is water, they cannot just walk off and find it. This makes it even harder for a plant to flourish.
Plants do not have blood. They need to stay hydrated so the nutrients that they collect from photosynthesis can be distributed throughout the whole body. This is called transpiration.
Water is also needed when photosynthesizing. Water is needed to produce the necessary carbohydrates the plant needs. Without water, plants would have not way of getting the needed nutrition and die.
When plants transpire, they switch out water for carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is used to make food for the plant. Without water, a plant would not be able to exchange anything for carbon dioxide, which means it would not be able to produce nutrients for itself.
  Because plants are 90% water, if the plant does not have much water, it will wilt. Plants use the water in its body to keep it steady. It fills the cells in its body to keep its shape.

9-3-13 geometry in nature mpx

9-3-13 mpx videos

http://www.showme.com/sh/?h=xyOtsjw