Friday, March 30, 2012

Done with Sketch Up (For Now)

I'm done working on the park/playground for right now. More than likely I will go back and add or remove somethings but right is a good stopping point.



Now I've moved on to creating the webiste. At first I tried downloading templates so that way I wouldn't have to worry about creating a layout but just inserting the content. Well, that plan didn't work so I moved onto plan "b" where I was going to create a layout in photoshop and that turned out to be way easier. Creating this layout was easier than creating the layout for my senior portfolio (bad memory). So now that I have an ideal template all I need are the measurements but I might have to do some rescaling which is a piece of cake.

Template

Monday, March 26, 2012

I Hate Sketch Up!!

Still working in Sketch Up trying to put together the park and the playground. Trying to transfer components from one file into another has been proven to be difficult because of scaling issues. Here's an example...

BEFORE
 AFTER

But overall everything else is starting to come together as far as the parking lot, garden/open area and picnic area. Since time is short I'm going the use pre-designed components to complete the park because as seen above it takes more time to design one on your own. Here how everything starting to look.

 PLAYGROUND AREA

 GARDEN/OPEN SPACE

 PARKING LOT

 PICNIC AREA

 WHOLE PARK

Friday, March 9, 2012

Still Building

Started a new playground because the other one wasn't working out. Yesterday when I started I liked it but now I may change.


As I said before I will probably work on the actual product sometime during spring break or after I'm close to finishing the website.

Blog from Friday, March 2, 2012

Still using Sketch Up I started creating the playground using the provided playground parts designed by Google.

I haven't really started working on anything outside of class. My focus has been on trying to finish everything on Sketch Up because once I finish I want to move on to creating the website. More than likely I will start on the physical item during spring break or when I'm closer to finishing the website.

Here are more pictures...



Thursday, March 1, 2012

Extra Late Blog Five

Althought I'm suppose to be done with the paper...I'm not. The most completed part of my paper is the introduction and problem A. So hopefully this weekend (March 2-4) I'll actually complete the paper and email it to Mrs. Philbrick.

That's all I remember from that week.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Rough Draft

This week I finally found an experimental location near Southwest High School. This location I thought would be a good start becasue the area is kind of poor.


Then I made an actual layout in sketch up placing the playground, garden area, parking lot and picnic area. I have all the dimensions taken and trying out different textures. The garden area is similar to a pit with large steps leading into it that could act as a seating area as well.


Now all I have to do is add the actual playground and quality people look for in a park. Also include landscaping such as vegetation (trees, plants, and grass) and outdoor furnitute (benches, tables, light fictures, etc.).


Friday, February 17, 2012

The Next Step

Starting on Wednesday I started looking for an ideal location around the world that could be used for my project. In Sketch Up there a way to place the project using Google Earth. The only problem is I'm being picky with the location and need to get over it so I don't fall behind like I did on the paper.

My plan is to brainstorm product ideas then by spring break I will be able to create the physical product. Currently the idea of shirts and possibly bumper stickers have been thought of with more to be thought about.

Using the next week and a half to two weeks to design and create the park/playground. Then from there I'll start on the website.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Still Dislike Writing

So I'm still behind on my paper but more has been added since last week. On my way into 5th period Ms. Caspers asked when I was going come talk to her, so I told her after-school. This probably won't be a meeting more like a chance to simply talk and schedule a meeting.
This week when I was researching poverty I learned about 22,000 children die each year from neglect in most small villages. Depressing! Apart from that I've gather more information about poverty that should help me write the rest of my paper (hopefully).

Friday, January 27, 2012

Epic Fail :(

As far as faculty advisor meetings go, I haven't met with Ms. Caspers in a couple of weeks (my fault). The last time I met with her we talked about the project components for my idea and I haven't been back to talk to her yet.

This week can probably be best considered as my "lazy" week where all I did was more research. So, yes I have gained more information then last week but the only reason why because I wasn't working on anything else. This weekend the plan is to get caught up on everything that is missing in this class plus try to get a little further ahead with new information and a strong start on my paper.

These are the websites that I found so far:

Sidenote: Writer's block effects more than just authors.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Week Number Two :)

Considering I didn't turn in my intro last Friday I now see that the timeline and managing my time in class needs some adjusting. Today more assignments were assigned and there are still other assignments to be completed. So,yeah the lesson has been learned for the timeline.

When I was actually trying to write the intro I was able to find information from the 2010 census that had information on poverty in United States. The documents that were found had statics for poverty including children in poverty. 

The next steps for this week are completing my intro, meeting with Ms. Caspers, working on paper and blog entry for this week.

Waiting Approval...

My first faculty advisor meeting about my proposals was on Wednesday of last week with Ms. Caspers. She did her best to help me come up with a project component for helping children in poverty. The one suggestion she gave me was talking to my parents and other people I know that could give input on my idea. The rest of the week was spent completing the final proposal and brainstorming ideas for a project. Somehow while looking through my DRMA projects I got the idea of designing a park (playground) in areas around the world where poverty is high in youth. Also, creating a marketable product that will help raise money for the project. Then Mrs. Philbrick gave me the idea of a website and cell phone application. So this is where I'm at for week one with my senior design project

Friday, December 16, 2011

SD Idea #1 - Children in Need

Topic:
Across the world there are children that have everything that they could possibly want but then there are the kids that don't have anything at all. Those kids either don't have toys, schools, clothes, and other basic needs that most children do have. They normally don't know that what they don't have is something that they should have the opportunity to experience. Everyday a child is going without the proper medical attention, clothes and shoes, clean water and food. Although people like to believe that these circumstances only effect children in poor, undeveloped countries but it also effects children in developed countries such as America.

Problem I am Trying to Solve:
Although this issue is publicly known throughout the world sometimes it feels as if it only gets the most attention during the holidays or when its celebrity endorsed. There nothing wrong with celebrities wanting to help but why does it always get the most attention when someone with more power puts their voice and face on the issue. Then there the holidays at the end of every year where people feel obligated to donate to local charities and the Salvation Army Santa. So why not make it where everyday a new idea being put into action or collecting things these kids need all year round. The clothes, shoes and toys that were donated to them last Christmas can only last them so long. Everyday they should be able to wake up with the same feeling most privileged kids wake up with in the morning.

Why I would Like to Solve This Problem/Issue:
Nothing in the world sucks more when your a little kid watching TV and a infomercial comes on and there these people talking and showing pictures of kids just like yourself but one thing sets you apart, what you have and what they don't have. I remember when my mom explained it as they were kids that didn't have a lot of toys or plenty of food and that they were looking for people to help them. Then at the end of the infomercial they say you can help out little Susie by donating $19 a month well at the time I was lucky to have a dollar so donating was out of the question. As I got older and realize instead of taking old clothes to Goodwill why not give them to someone and going to make a great use out of them.


The Learning Stretch:
Understanding the difference between children that live the way they do because of their culture and children that are truly need the help. Their some countries where children aren't treated like American children are because of the country they live in way of live and cultural beliefs. Then their children that are in need of help because their family can't properly provide for them or their parents may have abandon them to foster care or another struggling family. Becoming informed of the needs they lack the most and why they aren't being offered. Though the biggest one would be understanding everything that  I've learned and applying in ways that can honestly help them in the long run, not just a short period of time.


Project Components:

  1. A website to help promote another charity or a personal idea
  2. Posters asking others to consider donating outside of spring cleaning and the holiday season
  3. Design an item that could be sold and certain amount of the profit goes towards another already standing organization
  4. Create a charity or expand one to my community.
  5. Do something sort of similar to TOMS but instead provides toys and clothes.

Budget:
Since the project will probably be created using programs such as adobe software and the Internet most likely there won't be a need for money. Although I will have to budget my time into the project.


Possible Problems:
More than likely there will be some problems in the process of creating this project whether it the project itself or my grades in other classes. Keeping up with the project and working on it in some way at two to three times a week maybe a problem. Then there staying on top of homework, test, and quizzes to maintain grades from reaching a failing status.