I haven’t been writing a lot of blog posts in a while because I have really been spending a lot of time thinking about my potential machine and how to compensate my bad Sketch in the first place with a better and more clear vision on how my project will commence in the proper way. I have been thinking about ways to do this and I decided to use the same method to make a new sketch for my planned contraption. Right now the sketch is in the past, because it was already due last Wednesday, so the reason why I am talking about this is because I wanted to cover the information that I have not told because of this delayed Blog post.
First I want to talk about my sketch and how I managed to compensate for all of that time that I consumed on a unsuccessful sketch. The sketch was really hard, because in my opinion if you wanted to have a successful sketch, you had to experiment all of the aspects on which you plan to use for your contraption. Another way to think about it is the tools that you have on your toolkit, but in order to use them the best possible way, it is best to experiment and test before randomly using your tools without a clear purpose on the way you want to use the tools. And without really changing a majority of your Sketch because if failures in the testing, you pretty much have to start off with a new idea, or pitch in the holes in your Sketch that you are uncertain about. For me, it was very time consuming because I kept experimenting with no luck, trying to find a layout that actually works for my sketch. I don’t want to try to imply a negative feeling, but I wanted p endorses why it was hard at least for me to come up with a sketch, ad simultaneity do the other requirements, especially the blog posts. Ok. Enough of that. Let’s get into reality and what is happening right now.
Right now, which is after I handed in my Sketch, the rest of the project is coming really easily because when I had a successful and clear sketch, my layout for the rest of the building/executing part was very simple and straightforward. And especially since I have done a lot of experimenting for my sketch, I have some of the building part down already. What I am trying to say is that now I have a good sketch, the rest of my project is going to be so easy, and not as hectic. The sketch was really the hard part of this project, far more than the execution aspect of the project. Now, all is left in my way is the blog posts!

Today I have encountered many different things than I mentioned in my last blog post (4th). I have felt like the project is a lot more work than I expected. There have been some major changes that I have made to my plan, after my Sketch was due last Wednesday. I have felt like there wasn’t enough time for the Sketch to be completed, and since I had to rush to make a sketch, I didn’t have as much of the building and experimenting stages of the project to do so that I know if this or that step works or not. I initially had as successful plan that number one was way to simple, and number two, defininty to not have many fails. My sketch was very boring and not as exciting as I wanted it to be. Considering how exciting and risky I imagined my project to be in the beginning, has not came out as I expected, not meaning that the experimenting part of success or not, or how the project steps work as you anticipated go as planned. I mean that I was wanting my project to be very exciting and uplifting, compared to a very easy and basic layout, and how my project in terms of the building part, it unfolding. Me and my mom went to the Art Room, (where my Rube Goldberg is) and thought that in order for my project to be somewhat interesting, we needed to add some steps that would be very unique. I already had some other cool machines such as what I call the elevation machine using dominoes, but that is only one unique step that is more sophisticated, compared to a simple chain reaction such as a classic domino effect. Me and my mom were brainstorming what we should do for my project to be more exciting and interesting. We decided that after the first few steps, that we should add another step that is a little bit risky, but despite it being risky, would definitely be more exciting and be a better experience for the viewers when we share our videos on our Rube Goldberg project. This step involves a simultaneous effect by having one marble complete a very fancy inclined plane that will hit a little cube causing a domino effect, while the other does something (don’t want to tell what it is) to make the project a lot more exciting and interesting for the viewer. It would also bring more steps ot my project, which I had aimed for at least 10, but my sketch ended up to be 9. The number would go up, and it would be more entertaining and more unique. Why I keep saying this is because I deeply think that my project initially was very basic, short, and not very interesting. It looked like I didn’t spend that much time investigating on how to make the project how creativity and lots of thought behind the working aspect of the project, more specifically then the planning aspect of the project.
I really have encountered a lot of unexpected aspects of this project that I thought before were an obstacle that I would never bump into, but as I said before, in Rube Goldberg projects, nothing happens the way you encounter them to initially unfold. (Ok, maybe not nothing, but at least most of the project)

The first day I started thinking about what the concept of my Rube Goldberg machine was going to be, I was just completely baffled because I never have had this kind of experience before, and it looked like to was way too complex for me. It took a lot of brainstorming to figure out a concept for my machine. I was thinking for and hour or two, and then I thought, “Maybe if I just start building a few random chain reactions I would gather the idea of how the steps respond to each other and create a simple task to be executed. I fiddled around with some old toys from when me and my little brother were little, and experimented some chain reactions. I started getting doubtful in my chances of succeeding in this entire project because I haven’t found anything at all to possibly use. (It now has been hours of me experimenting) I tried really concentrating, but I couldn’t find anything that could be the concept for my machine. Then, I remembered something from one of my grandfathers that is a professional physicist, and I remembered that he had taught me a few forms of chain reactions, and I then decided to experiment some of those. I was still baffled with what I was going to use, and then I came across an old metal Star Wars lunch box that I used to use, and thought, “Maybe I can use this to end my complex machine?” I then saw my brothers old car toy set, and thought, “Can I possibly use both of these to create a simple trapping scenario?” I decided that I could, and that trapping a little car inside of a metal Star Wars lunchbox was going to be my task. Now, all I had to do is figure out a way to complete the circuit. I had the ending, but not the middle, or the beginning. After that, I discovered some old dominoes and thought that I could use the dominoes to create a domino effect, that somehow ties into my end step. I fiddled around some more with old toys, and then I found my old Thomas The train set. We had so many of them, I mean sooooooo many! I asked my mom for some suggestions on the project designing and planning in, and we both came up with a new concept of hitting a train on an elevated set of tracks, which the train would roll down the tracks, and park in a small plastic tunnel, that is protected at the end by duct tape. Now I felt a lot more confident in my success. I felt like I had all of the pieces almost completed, and at the same time, it was going to take some deep experimenting and more planning to complete the sketch, or the plan in general. I felt like I had a little spark of hope for me to depend on to have any idea on how to get anywhere in this project. I now had something to use, and after a lift more time of planning and experimenting, I started to really figure out some more possibilities! I started drafting all of my ideas on a google doc, and then got somewhere!
So far, the project has been very stressful and hard, but after a lot of patience, it was a great experience for me! Despite all of the tough aspects of this project, I am loving it so far!

On the second day of the Rube Goldberg Project, I changed my approach to how I was handling the pressure of the project, and how I was managing my thoughts. I think that today was one of the biggest “turning points,” although the it was only the second day. I am actually very proud of myself because of how I am managing this project.
First of all, I want to talk about why I felt so much pressure. The pressure that I was feeling yesterday (January 4th) is probably nothing you feel because, well, probably you don’t feel any pressure at all. I felt a lot of pressure on completing this project for many reasons. Here are some reasons why:
My schedule (Barely any time to make room for this huge project)
Drawing my sketch – I am a very good planner, but I am horrible at drawing, so I was worried about my sketch being neat and organized.
These are a couple of reasons why I felt some pressure going into this project, and at the very early stages of the project. I felt really weird in a way because I anticipated the fact that there really was nothing for me to be worried about, and that I was so worried about completing the project, I couldn’t get much done. I really didn’t know how to conquer all of those fears.
All of the above is what I felt yesterday. But when I got up this morning, I felt like I was going to need to change in how I approach this project. I took a few minutes to mark up the calendar that Mrs. Edwards gave our class, and I noticed that the 4 days I had some time to do the project are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I planned out when I should do the Sketch, Blog Posts, etc. After I really analyzed the situation, and how I can manage everything timewise, I started thinking that I do have time to do this project, and that if I just do it, and stop worrying about the time, or me failing, than I felt that I can do this project more and more, and more broadly, anything. I gained a lot of confidence in myself, and then was able to really concentrate on my project. (I didn’t feel like I was concentrating as much as I could possibly concentrate, because I was thinking that, “I can’t do it, I can’t do it” over and over yesterday, and that took away a lot of my ability to focus, and brainstorm some of the best innovations that I can.)
Overall, I feel like I have made a giant improvement on how I approach this project, and how I respond to my negative feelings on this project. I think that this project has really made my mind grow in all areas. The experimenting part, because this project takes a lot of experimenting to do. I also think that this project has taught me that I can’t do everything in one day. Yesterday, I was trying to push myself to do everything on that day because I felt like I wouldn’t have any time to do any other part of the project, any other day. I was too stressed about completing it, that in reality, I only did a little a little part of the project in the whole day I had to do some of the project. I felt like my mind was basically “clouded” because of all of the other negative things that I was thinking about related to this project. I really have noticed a significant difference in how I am couping what I feel that I have a lack of capabilities for. This has helped my face whatever is put ahead of me. I have really learned to just do it, and not worry about anything else, which I have noted made a huge difference in how I am responding to negative thoughts, and more specifically,my negative thoughts in this project.

As I mentioned before in my 2nd blog post, I think that this point also is a huge “turning point” on my project success because I have finally after a lot of experimenting and planning, have finally figured a layout and strategic approach to how I am going to execute this project. I now have a very clear vision of what my Rube Goldberg is going to look like. I obviously don’t want to get to specific, because that would result in you knowing a lot about my project, because I want to save that information for when I present my video on the presenting day. (January 31st) I feel very optimistic about my chances in succeeding in this project, because of my recent success in planning my contraption. (Sketch) This project (like I mentioned before) has really helped conquer my fears that I originally had about succeeding in this project. One of the things that made me most afraid of succeeding is not having a partner. I got really stressed about myself then. (I couldn’t have a partner because of how crazy my schedule is) But comparing those couple days to now, I feel a lot better in how I approach the project, and how I stick with the project, meaning my dedication and persistence in not giving up, after one little thing doesn’t go the way you expect it to go. I just wanted to note that in this Rube Goldberg project, I have never experienced anything more stressful in my life, because of how things just don’t happen the way you anticipate them to. It takes a lot of persistence and dedication to come close to being able to complete this project. I am also feeling really confident in myself, especially because I now have a basic input for my plans for executing this project, which makes it a whole lot easier to know how I am going to approach this project.
In synthesis, me finally having a plan and knowing about how, and what I am going to do to complete this project really enables me to number 1, have less fear about my chances in succeeding, and 2, being able to monitor the timing, or in other words, to be able to monitor my calendar so that I can have an idea about how the timing is all going to unfold, and not worry about how I am going to make time for the project, and more specifically, the sketch and the blog posts, because they both took a long time to execute. For example, the blog post that is am writing now is taking a long time to wright. Before, I was a lot more concerned about the timing, and how I am simply going to get the assignments done, more than concentrating and completing my goal at what I am doing in the moment. I have felt a lot more confident in myself because of me finally figuring out a sketch and a great plan timewise for my Rube Goldberg, which overall made me be able to concentrate more on the task that I am doing in the moment, compared to my nervousness about the other things about my assignments. It is hard to explain, but I now feel really positive and optimistic about me being able to complete this project, despite all of the negative inputs that I was implanting on myself in the earlier stages of this project. I basically feel that I simply am able to do this project, and shouldn’t spend my time worrying about the task, because simply there is nothing to be worried about. I am so happy that I have found a great planning strategy in general for my Rube Goldberg, and I feel very good that I have, after all of this time, convinced myself to really stay on task and continue even further with ideas instead of just despising them the first moment you think something might be out of order, or in other words, incorrect. I am able to do this by all of the planning that I have perfected. I know that was a lot of reading on your end, but I hope you got the message of what I am feeling.

So far, 5th grade has been filled with excitement, hard work, and tireless dedication to be able to do the best that you can. I have noticed a significant difference in how the level of focus that is needed to put into a project is so different. For example, in 4th grade, it more took muscle memory to remember specific calculations, more than the level of attention to deeply understand the broader concept of what was being taught. However, in 5th grade, I have noticed I really have to push myself to really think deeply about the calculations, but more about what is being taught. Eg. In math, when you are solving a problem that has to do with fractions, and you understand how to do the calculations, but you don’t really get what the broader lesson is. For example, if the teacher is teaching equivalent fractions, and you don’t get how the specific problem ties into the lesson. This kind of stuff I think happened to me in the beginning of the year, but when I pushed myself harder to deeply understand how the specific teachings ties into what we are learning, it really helped me be a better thinker. Mrs. Edwards does a great job with pushing us to really understand that. I really appreciate what she has done for me, and our whole class. She made me take responsibility, and understanding the concepts more seriously. I really am loving 5th grade so far!

Today,The Flying Savages and the Rampaging Rockets presented their presentations. Our group, The Flying Savages, were very nervous at first because of the parents attendance to the presentation. I think that our group worked really hard, and that hard work and dedication that was put towards this presentation really payed off. Despite the nervousness, I think that our our group, and our entire class all did really well. I think everyone felt that they were very natural presenters because of the practice that everyone put into this presentation. This really built our trust in each other, and also helped us experience what it is really like presenting to everyone. This experience will help us with collaboration, our presenting skills, and even in coping nervousness in the future. This wouldn’t have been possible without Mrs. Edwards, or Mr. Casal, because of their dedication towards them dedicating a majority of their daily time to help us with our presentations. I am really proud of are group, and the entire class on these successful presentations! Check our Rocketry Unit Overview, and Our Groups Presentation! (The Flying Savages)

Unique facts:

Earth is about 70% covered by water. Scientists divide zones into sections based on how deep they are.The photic zone is the first zone in the ocean. It is where plants, jellyfish, and small fish live. Plants can only grow in the photic zone because they don’t get enough sunlight in the other deeper zones. It is about 150 feet deep in the ocean. Jellyfish live in all zones. They can survive and kill huge animals with their deadly stingers. They kill whales, dolphins, and even sometimes sharks! The Aphiotic zone right beneath the photic zone. The zone is the most expanded zone of the ocean. It has bigger fish, small fish, Jellyfish, sharks at the bottom of the zone, dolphins, sea otters, ext. Floating plants live in this zone. Floating plants are plants that float in the ocean instead of live on a rock like normal plats do. They make food by trapping sunlight and use it in a process called photosynthesis.

Producers:

Plants are the oceans producers. They are different than the normal producers on land. Insted of taking in sunglight they trap sunglight and insert it into their leaves. They don’t have proper stems or roots. They do use photosynthisis though. Plants like alge, Plankton, and coral are producers.

Coral:

Coral rely on rocks and animals. They even insert themselves on an animal and dig their roots into the animal! After they die, their skeetons still exist. When their stilll dead they still have some sunglight is still trapped inside their skeletons and they use the sunglight again and regrow themselves and come alive again!

Consumers:

Their are more than 400 species of sharks live in the ocean. Some are huge but harmless, other are small and really fast. Others are really deadly and will eat whatever is in their path. Sharks even sometimes feed on other sharks when they see them. Sharks are at the top of their food chain. They are the most domaninte animals in the ocean. Whale sharks are the biggest sharks in the ocean but they only eat plankton. Other sharks like the hammerhead are very big, quick and dangerous. They eat seals, dolphins, nad a ton of other sharks. Bottlenosed dolphins are the fastest dolphins in the ocean. They swim 18 mph on avrage! They are very hard to catch because they can easily swim away when other consumers are trying to catch them. They make a special noise that is used to hunt, and communacate. Bottlenosed dolphins hunt in groups and they are very smart hunters. They feed on small fish, even on other sharks. They just each take a bite intil the shark is dead. They hunt a lot on whlae sharks because they are pretty much defenceless. Orca dolphins hunt huge animals, they love the whale sharks.

Lcoations:

The deepest zone in the ocean is like a whole nother world. N 1860, don walsh went down to the very bottom of the ocean in asumberine and the trip took 5 hours to get to the ocean floor! That is a very long time. The animals are  aton different then the other oecan animals. They look so weird and they have different color spots on their bodys and they light up  at night. The light that they produce is called Biomossimence.

Biomossimence:

Biomossimence is light that the deep creatures of the ocean produce. The light that they produce is actuly energy! The energy can be very useful in the future scientests say. It can be used insted of the smoke form factories that we proudce, The burning of coal can stop and we can use Biomossimence insted.

Decomposers:

Decomposers are very important in the ocean because they break up dead animals and plantzs. Without them the ocean would be filled with dead bodies and the anials will have nowhere to swim. Many people hate decomposers because they are what make us sick such as bactireia and fungi. Deocmposers break up the dead bodies of the animals and then the nutrience from the animals goes back into the ocean floor and then plants use the nutrience and make food for themselves through a process called photosynthisis. The oceans deocmposers are coean owrms, bactirea and fungi.

Humans impact:

Humans have a huge impact on the ocean. Most humans don’t even reilize what they have been doing to the ocean. Humans have been littering into the ocean and a ton of animals die. Poeple are so careless about littering bads. People just don’t decide to hold their bags until thay find a trash can. They just throw them on the floor and then to travels into the ocan and kills tons of animals. For example, Scinetest looked at a dead fish body and they saw a ton of plastic bags and cans and a ton of plastic waterbottles. That is really bad. It also makes it worse for us to because all the trash smells really bad.

Ways we can improve our impact on these animals:

We can throw our food in the trash to stop the littring that we produce. Also, we can use reusable bags and use real watterbottles and food containers so we don’t litter as much as we do compared to suing plastic and paper. This nwe meathod id called reuse, reduce, and recycle! If evry one perosn odes their job at a time than we can make ou rworld a ton better. Their won’t be as much small and killing of animals in the ocean, and we won’t need to waist plastic bags and all of the metal that we use normally.

It is interesting to see the trailer side by side. I noticed…

The two trailers are almost identical because they both show similar characters. The two trailers were also very intense and It really hooked the person who was watching the video to see the movie. The animation was very intense and it was so perfect. I also think that the music was very related to the trailer. The trailer looked like the two characters are scared of something but they don’t show what it is. That  hooks the reader more and makes me wan to see the movie and find out the things that I don’t know. The trailer also doesn’t give too much away for the person who is watching the video because he or she would be more eager to watch the movie.

The end.

I had a great winter vacation with my family! I love spending time with my family. It feels soothing. We went to the 8th star wars movie together, celebrated chanukah, christmas, and the new year. We were all very happy to be together. My grandmother didn’t come to our house for thanksgiving and my brother’s birthday so we all were happy to see her. My favorite present that I got was a lava lamp. My brother’s favorite present that he got was a garmin vivofit watch.(He got it from me.) A vivofit is a watch that tracks your steps, heart rate, calories, distance, time, date, and your step goal. Your step goal is when the vivofit sets a step goal of how many steps it wants you to take and once you take as many steps as it wants you to take and the step goal shows 0, then when you take more steps the step goal page will show a plus sign and the step goal page will keep increasing to show how many steps you exceeded your goal. I had a great winter break!