Tag Archives: reflection

Reflection – Plastic (5/14)

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We learned about different types of plastic, including thermoplastics and thermosets. While thermoplastics can be remelted and reshaped; once thermosets are formed, they can’t be returned to their original state.

Thermoplastics and thermosets can be replicated with common foods. Something like an ice cube reflects a thermoplastic: it can be melted, and refrozen again into an ice cube. An egg mirrors how a thermoset works: once you cook an egg, it cannot go back into its original form. I find it fascinating that two completely different things act similarly; just as an ice cube and an egg can replicate thermoplastics and thermosets.

It is interesting to learn that scientists and engineers continue to create new types of plastic. New innovations are constantly being discovered, and this new technology can help us do more things.

Rocket Presentation Reflection

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On November 30th, 2017, our class of 5th grade put on a presentation for our parents that explained everything about our rocketry unit.

There were five groups during the unit: Rockets Inc., Radical Rockets, Rocket Crushers, Flying Savages, and Rampaging Rockets. The first three groups presented today (Rockets Inc., Radical Rockets, and Rocket Crushers), and the last two groups (Flying Savages and Rampaging Rockets) will present the day after.

I am in Rocket Crushers, so today I presented. I felt a bit nervous, but it wasn’t like I was freaking out about it. I presented with the rest of my group: Karine, Matthew, and Noah.

When we first started the unit, we made inspiration boards, where we put useful pictures, diagrams and quotes that were useful for designing and building our rockets. Then, we started our repeating process. Each group made their own body, fins, and nose cone. Then they launched it and graphed their results. Then they repeated the process for rockets 2 and 3. After all our rockets, we reflected on our group collaboration and on the rocketry unit as a whole. The final step was presenting the slides we made during the rocketry unit.

But before that, each group had to practice countless times, in the classroom, in the computer lab, at home. Every week we went to the computer lab to practice, then we came back into the classroom to tweak little things and practice, practice, practice. After every day, we went home to revise and practice some more. Finally, when we were finishing things up, we presented for the parents!

It was a fun experience, and after we finished, everyone was proud. It was truly unforgettable, I know I will always remember this unit.