Graffiti & Found Objects

Merger Photo

HDR Image

Merger Photo Preview

1. I think that the sun, wind, and positioning could be a problem.
2. I think that a good place to take a merger photo would be along one of the blank walls near the portables.
3. I could maybe do a different crazy pose every time I take a new photo.
4. It might be good to wear clothes that contrast well the background I am shooting on.

HDR Photography

Examples of HDR Photos:

Questions:

1. For the absolute best HDR photos I would need to make sure that the camera I'm shooting with has a Auto Exposure Bracketing function, and make sure it is on.

2. To take a good HDR image we would need a tripod to stand the camera on.

3. HDR images work well when you are trying to capture the natural beauty of something, and want to make sure the photos you take captures colors that do the area justice.

4. We should see brighter pops of color on the images, and maybe even a little bit of blur or luminosity from the blending.

Illustrator

First Infographic

My Opinion Writing Piece

Children becoming transgender is a new trend

What was your dream job when you were a child? What is your dream job now, or even current job? Notice how differently your dreams change as you grow up. We are all aware that children are constantly going through phases and making irrational decisions, because we too experienced them. So, why on earth a parent would allow their child to make the decision to completely change their gender at a young age, completely beats me.

When was young I was a complete tomboy. Totally decked out in race car t-shirts and playing with power ranger action figures. You know those gigantic castle sets that could fold right in half, with the little knights and horses? My dad bought me one or those, and it definitely became My Toy. All through elementary school I constantly smelt like the sweaty outdoors and heated plastic. At any time during this period of my life you could've asked me if I wanted to become a boy and I would have said yes in a heart beat.

Now flash forward a couple years later, entering middle school and I show up to the first day in a bright pink dress with an embroidered flower print. Smelling like a freshly made birthday cake, and my mouth filled with the taste of strawberry flavored lipgloss. Actually kind of embarrassing now that I think about it. Point is, between those few years I went from being the "Is that a boy or a girl?" to what any person would easily refer to as a "girly girl".

Every individual experiences there own phases in life. Although we may still posses some of the same characteristics from the time that we are young to now, age does allow us to grow to become more aware of who we truly are.

Now in 2017 being apart of the LGBTQ community is nothing new. More and more people are feeling comfortable with coming out, which don't get me wrong, is completely amazing. I love that people now feel that they can fully express themselves to the public. But "coming out", or choosing to become transgender has definitely turned into more of a trend, especially within the social media influencer category. And just like I became influenced into buying an entire collection of hot wheels because of what I saw on t.v., children are beginning to become influenced into questioning there own identity and gender affiliation based off of what they see online.

It is now officially "a thing" that parents are allowing their children to begin the process of becoming transgender at a young age. This is seeing that it is much easier to become trans in an undeveloped body then that of a fully mature male or female body. And as a parent you are always wanting to insure that your child is happy and feels comfortable within their own skin. Parents feel that by allowing their child to transition they are helping them to find their own identity, and by not letting them they are somehow restricting them of their "freedom of expression".

However, this is completely not the case. You can still allow for your child to express themselves without having to make the drastic change of completely changing their gender. Your child will not "forever hate you", and will most likely look back and laugh at the entire situation.

How exactly does one change genders as a child? Doctors use, depending on what gender the child is transitioning to, either using hormones, testosterone, or a new kind of technique called "puberty blockers".

Puberty blockers cause for a child to never experience puberty, and therefore do not develop any of the physical body characteristics that they may not want. It allows for boys voices to stay lighter, and for females to remain flat chested.

Doesn't seem like such a bad idea considering that you can always remove these blockers later on down the road. However, using hormones or puberty blockers does permanently sterilize you. Meaning that you would never be able to have children of your own.

Now tell your child "Hey by doing this you're never going to be able to have children of your own," and their response will probably be an easy "I don't care". But I mean what child wants to think about having children?

I understand wanting to let your child to learn to make their own decisions, but these ones are completely life changing. If we aren't allowing our children to make permanent decisions like getting a tattoo, or even impermanent decisions like voting, then there is absolutely no way we should allow for our children to make the decision of actually becoming transgender.

Personal Essays

1. I wanna decide on a topic that is personal and will bring out a lot of emotions and passion within me. However, I also want to make sure that the topic I cover can also be easily connected to other people's opinions and experiences.

2. I will make sure that while I am writing  I include enough detail to allow my reader to feel that they are being walked through my experiences as well.

3. Suggestions:
(1) Create a balance between what you share as personal experiences and the ability for a wider scale of readers to be able to connect to the situation.
(2) Include a hook that draws the reader into believing that the story your about to tell is relative to their own life.
(3) Try using all of the sense when telling your story (touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste).

Opinion Writing Preview Activity

Lone Star Dispatch:
Story 1: Immigration laws getting out of hand
1. Written by: Doesn't Say
2. This article was written abut the changes in immigration laws within the United States since Trump was elected as president.
3. The author of this section believes that Trump's actions are wrong and based off of "hateful stereotypes". They believe that "The United States is the 'melting pot' of the world," and that "we should be doing everything we can to reach out to the world's immigrants," in order to help support them (Page A6).
4. They discussed how Trump is being stereotypical, but did not address what Trump supporters think about the matter.
5. There was no wishy-washy opinions, it was straight forward from the very beginning.
6. There were no direct quotes.
7. 3rd person

Story 2: Betsy DeVos unfit to serveas U.S. Secretary of Education
1. Written by: Reagan Wallace
2. This article was written about the U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.
3. Wallace believes that DeVos is not "prepared to lead a country's education system," and has seemingly no true qualifications for the task (Wallace A6).
4. Wallace did address what some would consider qualifications that DeVos has.
5. Wouldn't say that the article was necessarily "wishy-washy" in her opinion, but more in her facts as to why she believes DeVos is unfit.
6. One quote from DeVos was used.
7. 1st person

Story 3: Our great tree is worth saving
1. Written by: Ian Miller
2. This story was written to inform people about the critical condition that our courtyard tree is in.
3. In Miller's opinion, "it's absolutely worth the (expensive) price to save" the large tree (Miller A7).
4. Kind of addressed the other side in the very beginning, but could have definitely mentioned it more.
5. There was no wishy-washy opinions, seeing that they really didn't even address the other side.
6. There were no quotes.
7. 1st person

Story 4: Going above the norm for college
1. Written by: Jake Brien
2. This article is about college.
3. At first Brien talked about how expensive college was. Then he talked about all the benefits of going to college. Then he talked about having to go the extra mile to get into college. I'm not entirely sure, but i believe he was trying to say that it's important to go to college.
4. Not sure really what the two sides were, but I think he addressed it?
5. I'd say it was pretty wishy-washy. At first I was convinced his article was going to be all about the crazy expenses you have to pay to get into college, then I don't really know what happened from there.
6. There were no quotes.
7. 1st person

Story 5: Importance of physics class
1. Written by: Abby Ong
2. This article is about the importance of taking a physics class.
3. Ong believes, "all students should take it (physics) regardless of endorsement or future career choice" (Ong A7).
4. She did address how some people would not find it necessary to take a physics course.
5. Was not wishy-washy at all, her opinion was straight forward.
6. No quotes were used.
7. 1st person

OVERALL:
A. (1) News stories typically include more quotes from people involved.
(2) News stories aren't normally written in the first person, normally third to help give more facts.
(3) News stories are not as bias as opinion piece, they offer facts on all sides of the story.

B. I think that there is not as many photos for opinion pieces, because you are not trying to cover an event, more of a belief.

C. I think t would be good to write opinion pieces on controversial topics like politics, and topics that are very relevant today like women's rights, and issues regarding the LGBTQ community.

Peer Review SoM

Period 3- Alyssa R.
http://alyssaaar.blogspot.com/2017/04/student-of-month-story.html

Review:
Paragraphs- 50points
Quotes- 10points
Inverted Pyramid- 25points
Extra Credit- 0points
Total: 85points

SLO Practice

1. In the following, which news value is most clearly represented in the caption below?

Caption: Courtney Suel (left) and Lesia Bridges navigate a flooded Aquaria Springs Drive in San Marcos on Tuesday. One gauge in the city recorded nearly seven inches of rain.

D. Proximity

2. In the following, which news value is most clearly represented in the caption below?

Caption: Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday in Nogales, Ariz: "This is a new era. This is the Trump era. The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws....are over."
A. Prominence

3. Which of the following is an example of a present tense action verb?

C. paints

4. What is the most wrong with the following headline?

Headline: Big win

D. The lack of a subject

5. What information is missing from the first sentence of this caption:

Caption: On Wednesday, March 13 senior Sarah Smith captured the flag.

B. The location

6. What information is missing from the second sentence of this caption:

Caption: On Wednesday, March 13 senior Sarah Smith captured the flag in the annual senior games event held at Bowie High School. Smith lives at 10405 Johnston St. in Austin.

C. Background information about the senior games

Write A Caption:
April 15, Rita Patel waves to women's rights activists with John McDonald in the Canadian prime minister's office. Patel spent the day discussing with McDonald the importance of equal pay in all countries across the globe.

Student of the Month Story

Student of the Month at Bowie High school- March Edition

For the month of March, Bowie High school selected their newest Student of the Month. This month's winner was Connor Reilly, a freshman who dedicates her time to bettering the community. Connor was selected for the award by her peers in a counted student vote.

Reilly was selected because she is the student who her peers felt showed the most dedication and involvement in Bowie activities. She has spent many hours joining activities such as French Club and Tree Club. Her involvement at Bowie and the amount of community service she has put in allows her to be a good role model for her fellow peers.

Freshman Connor Reilly was selected by her peers as being the new Student of the Month. "Connor is one of the most kind and respectful people I know, she deserves this award," former Student of the Month Angel Estrada said. Reilly agrees that to be Student of the Month you have to posses good characteristics. "Being Student of the Month means being a good role model, making good grades, being respectful and involved," winner Connor Reilly said. One of the reasons why she was selected was because of the amount of community service she has put in. "We love having someone as helpful as Connor be apart of our team every weekend," wildflower center manager Lisa Cole said. Reilly enjoys volunteering at The Wildflower Center, as well as the Students Teaching Students Tutoring Center.

Winning Student of the Month came as a big shock to Reilly. "I was caught off guard... I wasn't aiming to win the award so it came as a surprise," Reilly said. Reilly believes winning unknowingly is a better way to win then trying to run for the award. "Don't try to push people to vote for you, instead be kind and proactive," winner Connor Reilly said. Reilly's parents were extremely proud of her for being selected. "We've tried our hardest to push the importance of being kind onto her, and she has definitely taken our advice and done great things with it," parents Don and Christine Reilly said. Connor doesn't believe she'll win again, but wants to continue doing what she believes will help the community. "All that I've ever wanted to do is create a positive difference within my community. I'll try to do my best in school, and hopefully inspire others to work hard even after the month is over," March Student of the Month Connor Reilly said.

Nut Graf

Th word nut graf, also spelt nut graph, comes from the saying "in a nutshell". The nut graf is meant to get the reader to continue reading the story by sharing the importance of the information. It basically is a giant "why", as in why does this article really matter? The beginning paragraph starts by giving essential facts such as the Who, What, Where, Why and How. The nut graf on the other hand gives information that is meant to support these facts. Information in this paragraph is still 100% relevant but goes deeper in explaining.

In the layout of your article the first lead paragraph or sentence would state what the article is going to be about as quickly and short as possible. The nut graf goes more in depth, however it does not tell all. It is important to not give all the rest of your information in the nut graf or else it will become repetitive and people will stop reading. Overall, it is important that you answer any questions that the reader might be having from the lead paragraph in the nut graf.

Inverted Pyramid

Sports Portfolio Evaluation

Portfolio Assignment Notes:

1. Runner-up Videos

a.  Alyssa Schukar

b. Photos that told stories

c.  Problems: (1) All the photos seemed the same- shot from same distance, same lens (2) Story telling photos did not seem personal enough- couldn’t see the pain or emotion (3) Weren’t enough good “singles” – photos that looked good just on their own

d. Things they liked: (1) Liked her photo of a man from Haiti because of the scenery (2) Liked her one or two photos of sports

e. Overall, I really felt that there was nothing special about her photos. The stories she was trying to tell were ones that me (and the judges) have seen over and over again. I don’t think I’m like the best photographer but I feel the majority of her photos I could have EASILY recreated.

a. Travis Haughton

b. Photo Stories

c. Problems: (1) Peoples faces were being cut out of the photo (2) Couldn’t find the purpose behind some photos (3) Photos were too tight

e. Things they liked: (1) Moments didn’t look staged (2) Had nice lighting (3) Liked some single photos because of graphics and levels

f. I think that this photographer included some really good single photos, but he put in a lot that clearly were not anything special. If he had left out about half of them it would have made the portfolio look a lot better overall.

a. Nick Adams

b. Mostly Sports Singles

c. Problems: (1) Not enough originality (2) Had to read captions to understand photos (3) Focus is off

d. Things they liked: (1) liked the placing of the subjects within the (2) most of the photos had okay parts to them like lighting

e. Overall, I don’t think that the photos were as bad as the judges were making them seem. I think he definitely could have been a lot more original, and captions were too necessary.

a. Jordan Murph

b. Sports Photos

c. Problems: (1) Too many of the same looking photos (2) Needed the show subjects   in all photos (3) Not anything special

d. Things they liked: (1) Graphics (2) Had good composition (3) Lighting was good

e. Overall, I think there were some photos that just did not fit into the flow of the portfolio. However, I think it was the best out of all I watched.

2.

a. The judges liked how everyone in the photo was doing something. They also enjoyed all of the basics like lighting and composition. They photos did not seem like they were posed, the moments seemed real.

b. I really liked the motions that were happening within the photos. They didn’t include any single photos that would have thrown off the flow of the portfolio. I liked how the photographer seemed to be right up in the action (same with the judges).

3.

a. The judges looked at a spread of all the photos from each of the portfolios. They scrolled through and each reflected, telling each other what it is they liked and didn’t like. Then they scrolled upon one that didn’t have any bad photos and unanimously agreed that it was the winner.

PART 2: Individual Photos

1.    I agreed with the judges on the way that they judged the boxing photo from one of the sports photo categories. I really like the action and reaction of the man being punched in the face. However, the presence of the referee in the background definitely threw it off. I would have really liked to have seen that photo with a more simple and subject-less background. Too much of my attention was drawn away from the main subject because of the referee in the background.

2.     I did not agree with the judges when they selected the Girl Getting Hit in the Face by a Goose photo as being the second place photo. I think by far that was the number one photo out of any f the other sports action photos. It was such a genuinely un-posed photo, with true reactions. Not only that but it is extremely unique, and you probably won’t ever see another photo like that one ever again.

My First Interview

Interview Questions:

Questions in parenthesis are in case the source does not explain or answer certain aspects of the question. 

1. What is your name? (How do you spell it?)
Connor Reilly
2. What grade are you in?
9th grade - Freshman 
3. What does being student of the month mean?
"Being Student of the Month means being a good role model, making good grades... being respectful and involved".
4. What requirements do you have to complete to receive such award?
"You have to make good grades, join clubs and activities, do community service".
5. What clubs/groups are you a member of?
"Tree club, French club..."
6. Who determines the new student of the month? (What is your relationship to them?)
"All of your peers. The students vote for who they want to win and then it's tallied up to select the winner".
7. What kind of recognition do you receive for getting this award?
"It goes onto your permanent record under achievements. You can also put it on any of your applications."
8. What was your reaction when you received the award?
"I was really surprised; caught off guard".
9. Did you have any idea you were going to be chosen?
"No because I wasn't purposefully aiming to win".
10. What are some of your long term goals?
"I want to become famous. I want to go to college and pursue some career in math or science. I'm hoping to major in engineering".
11. How will this award help you achieve these goals?
"It can go on all my applications which can help  me get into college".
12. How involved are you within your community?
"I work at the wildflower center and I do lots of volunteering where I help teach young children".
13. Who do you look up to most? (Why?)
"I look up to all my friends because they are the ones who help to motivate me to do better everyday".
14. How have they inspired you?
"They also work really hard. If I don't do my homework they'll spam me till I get it done".
15. What things will you continue to do after the month is over?
"I'll continue to try and do my best in school, continue to believe and inspire others".
16. What other awards have you received?
"I've received athletic awards for cheer and dance".
17. What kind of physical prize did you receive?
"I got a little trophy that says student of the month and my name on it".
18. Who has been elected in the past?
"One person that I know has won is my friend Angel Estrada".
19. What advice would you give to someone who wants to win the award?
"Don't try to push people to vote for you, instead just be kind and proactive".
20.  How many times can someone win this award?
"At most two, but I don't know if I'll win it again... I might..."

School Uniforms: Learning How to Interview Part 1

Assignment #1:

1. Sources I would Interview Include:

(1) District School Board Member (Kendall Pace - the president)
(2) A student who typically shows interest in fashion (e.g. Lindsey Holland, Camilla Keller, etc.)
(3) Bowie's principal (Mrs.Layos)

2.  Questions I would Ask Include:

(1) What rules have been recently passed regarding school uniforms?
(2) Who created these rules?
(3) Who passed these rules?
(4) Why have these rules been created?
(5) How are these rules being enforced?
(6) Who is being effected by these rules?
(7) What do the school uniforms look like?
(8) How much does the uniform cost?
(9) How many new items do you have to purchase?
(10) Who designed these new outfits?
(11) Do you dress yourself in the morning?
(12) Do you enjoy doing this? (In reference to previous question)
(13) How do feel when you choose a good outfit?
(14) How will these rules effect your morning routine?
(15) What does an outfit say about a person?
(16) How often do you think about other's outfits?
(17) How do you feel when you see another person wearing the same thing as you?
(18) Have you ever had to wear a school uniform in the past?
(19) How do these rules affect academics?
(20) Would you make any changes to the new rules?

Architecture Prompt Shoot

Details:

Light:

Patterns:

Shapes and Angles:

Surroundings:

Architecture Preview #2

Kansas City Public Library:

Details:

Light: (the best that I could find)

Patterns:

Angles and Shapes:

Surrounding: (the best I could find)

Eden Project:

Details:

Light:

Patterns:

Shapes and Angles:

Surroundings:

Cubic Houses:

Details:

Light: (the best that I could find)

Patterns:

Angles and shapes:

Surroundings:

La Pedrera:

Details:

Light:

Patterns:

Shapes and Angles:

Surroundings:

Stone House:

Details:

Light:

Patterns:

Shapes and Angles:

Surroundings:

Architecture Preview

Architecture 1: Kansas City Public Library

1. Could not find a specific architect but the design was picked out by the community and the library's board of trustees. 

2. New remodeling was completed in 2004.

3. The book design is located at the library's parking garage on 10th street in Kansas City, USA.

4. It is a public building that anyone can visit.

5. The community raised $50 million in order to go towards all of the library's remodeling.

6. The Kansas City Public library has been completely remodeled a couple of times and has even moved locations in the time that it was first create in 1873. The new design is meant to bring more readers in and encourage learning throughout the community.

7. I selected this building particularly because it is simply a library within a normal city. So many of the different buildings that we will be looking at seem so foreign and extravagant that it makes it seem almost as though incredible buildings can only be located in places we will probably never end up visiting. This building however is an extremely cool concept and is not a ridiculous billion dollar building meant just for looks, it encourages new learning throughout the community.

Architecture 2: Eden Project

1. The architecture was designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and built by a company called MERO.

2. The architecture took 2 1/2 years to complete and was finished on 17 March 2001.

3. The biomes are located in the Kaolinite pit in Cornwall, England. 

4. The structure is meant to be listed by the public.

5. The project cost 141 million euros. 

6. The biomes that are built within this structure are home to many different types of plant species from all different locations and climates. Visitors are meant to come and visit, and learn about the history and importance of each of the plant species.

7. Honestly, I chose this structure because I am an complete environmental dork. I love learning about nature and the outdoors. Not only is this structure incredibly well built and amazing to look at but it is also serving a really great purpose. This is one of the few buildings that I would actually like to end up visiting at some point in my life. 

 

Architecture 3: Cubic Houses

1. Couldn't find exactly who built it but the architecture was designed by Piet Blom.

2. Houses were designed and completed in 1977.

3. The houses are located in both Rotterdam and Helmond in the Netherlands.

4. Housing is open from 11AM-5PM to the public.

5. I could not find any numbers relating to how much it cost to build any of the houses.

6. The design of the houses is meant to create optimal space by incorporating living spaces within the roof.

7. I chose this structure because of how innovative it is. As population sizes begin to grow more spaces are needing to be provided for living. I think this is a great way to offer residents more space within their home without actually taking up anymore space from outdoors. Although its not something I'd really like to visit, I do think it's an idea that should be tried out in the United States as well. 

Architecture 4: La Pedrera

1. The architecture was designed by Antoni Gaudi.

2. The structure was built from 1906 to 1912.

3. The building is located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. 

4. There are time slots throughout the day where the building is open to the public. Many events can also be held at the structure.

5.  I could not find an exact building cost, however I am assuming that it was quite expensive considering the extravagant interior.

6.  The building is meant to be a grate place to use as a location for important meetings or events for different company and the public. It has also turned into a common tourist attraction in Barcelona.

7. Barcelona is always a city I've always dreamt of visiting. This building has an incredible interior that would look amazing in photographs. It's also a very unique spin on combining old and modern architecture. It's also a building that just looks like it belongs in Spain, it would look strange located anywhere else. 

Architecture 5: Stone House

1. Although I am unsure of their name the engineer who built this house was from Guimaraes.

2. It's construction began in 1972 and ended two years later in 1974.

3. The stone house is located between Celorico de Basto and Fafe in northern Portugal.

4. The house is a tourist attraction for the public now.

5. There really is barley any information on this structure at all so I was unable to find the cost.

6. The house was originally built to be a vacation home for the owners but now has been opened up as a small museum for the public.

7. I chose this structure because it really is unlike any other building. It is extremely cool to look at and brings very warm and earthy vibes. I think it's a great way to combine the love of nature into a living space for humans. I also love the fact that it is located up on a hill in the middle of nowhere. I also kind of like the lack of information on it, it makes it seem mysterious. 

Action Preview Slides

Shareable link to slides:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-vVSlkjOfQCxpC0Hi_tPahRAxHTci-4Wxsphw14WFw4/edit?usp=sharing

Action Shoot

Photo 1: "At You" Action

Photo 2: "To the Side" Action

Photo 3: "Panning" Action

Photo 4: "Blur" Action (Opening a Locker)