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      My group’s project was on Teen Pregnancy for this project we needed to start a campaign. However we had to do so on a budget of $0 and also set it into action. The people in my group were Jeff, Michael, Helen, and Keyaira. Together we came up with plans and ideas on how to get the word out about teen pregnancy.

        I was the person who decided that we should do posters. While it was my idea we all chipped in and put up plans. For one of the posters it was my idea to use a baby doll rather then a real baby. I helped write out the words on one of our posters. It doesn’t seem as though I did a lot, but as a group we did so much more. There were some things that I came up with that we didn’t need. Like where to place the posters to get the best reaction. I suggested that we put some in the bathrooms for some kind of reaction. I’m not sure if that plan fell through if it was just decided to not be done. While working on this project Helen and Keyaira did an amazing job on posting the posters up everywhere.

       The only difficulty would have been communication. It was hard to stay in touch outside of class. I was very out of the loop at times and felt that even though it seemed ok I should have tried harder. I am proud of the results our project got even if they weren’t too serious. One of the reasons that it wasn’t taken too seriously could be the website we were using. We found it amusing, but it could have caused a loss of urgency that we wanted. The posters themselves could have done it. Over all, however, the project came out great.     

 2. Going outside and measuring the buildings and calculating the math was the most exciting part of the project. It was the most exciting because we got to actually use the methods to our advantage in the real world. This unit connected with the real world. Most of the things done in geometry I can’t connect to the real world. The least exciting portion of the project was drawling. It was least exciting because I am not good at drawling and I didn’t want to mess up the blueprint. It was also the least exciting because there was a lot of detail to draw and some of the information wasn’t required until we had to draw the blueprint. 

3. I learned how to use the mirror method better and google earth. Also I learned how to do portions better and get the correct answer. This project helped me to realize how much geometry is used in the world. Geometry is needed for architecture, especially when blueprints are needed. Also contractors need to know how to do proportions off the top of their head instead of needing a piece of paper to write it down. Lastly, I learned how to use similar units to figure out how tall a building is. 

If I were to become a construction builder, I would I have to do this as a living, in order to do that I have to measure the length and width of the block to build a new building. 

The least exciting part of this benchmark must be the amount of work we had to do. It seemed to drag on and on. The most exciting part of this benchmark is the going outside and measuring part.

That there is more to just measuring buildings with a measuring tape. It is a really long process that requires time and effort. I also learned the different methods to measuring the height of a building with different items and methods. 

The main that this project relates to the real world is in the facet of construction and architecture. It is important to both know the correct measurement and the correct means of attaining them in the real world. This project makes students apply essential skills and contains very marketable information that can be used for various occupations in the world. Students are challenged to come up with ways to measure unknown heights of a building using their knowledge of proportions and angles. The reason that these skills are so useful is because it teaches students how to apply themselves and possibly develop new ways and shortcuts to figure undetermined lengths or heights.

I thought that the most exciting part of the process was figuring out the proportions and their missing variables to determine the missing height of the building. It could have gone either way and it was very rewarding to see that you had gotten a reasonable or correct answer from some of your methods. The least exciting part of this project was drawing the visual representation itself. The work for it was very tedious and didn’t really show much math other than the scale. I would have much rather done another building than draw out the entire block with artistic detail.

I learned many skills from completing this project. The two mains ones that I would like to discuss are the ability to use mirrors and poles to attempt to figure out unknown heights of objects. I believe that this is not only a fun activity, but also a useful one for future assignments. It’s helpful to have a way to determine the height of a building or wall of some sort by using easy means to do so. Secondly, setting up proportions for these methods and solving them is crucial. By doing this, one can find out if angles/sides/heights/lengths are proportional or not.

The group I worked with for the the duration of this project focused on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS throughout Philadelphia. Raeven, Taylor, Jailsa, and I brainstormed many ideas to help broadcast this problem to those in our school, and those throughout the city. We immediately began breaking down the project in to portions where think we would be most productive. Raeven created a google doc form where people could anonymously answer questions on HIV/AIDs related inquiries, Taylor created the script for our video and acted in it, Jalisa edited said video, and I was charged with social networking and creating an ad. 

Since we save desserts for last, I’ll list a couple challenges that arrived during the creation of this project. One challenge was designing an ad that would quickly grasp the eye of a passerby, while still delivering a powerful message. Many different advertisements line the walls of SLA, telling all who read of upcoming events. I had to make sure that our ad could compete amongst the sea of ads. I decided to incorporate the most famous African-American AIDS awareness activist Magic Johnson on a poster, along with some clover statistics. Instead of posting them around the school, we will be handing them out. This insures that people must at least look at them firsthand, before doing whatever they please with them. 

Another challenge was gaining followers on Twitter. We felt twitter would be the best social network to set up on because of it’s popular promotion reputation. YOu can get a word out quickly, and follow other pages that support the same cause as you. What started off as a fun idea, turned sour quickly. We couldn’t manage to get followers outside of our group mates! We knew our page wouldn’t progress within our own circle, so we looked to other groups who created twitters for their problem. Once we “followed” them, promotions and constant tweeting got me to a staggering 12 followers. Yes, this is a challenge that we are still trying to solve. 

On the other hand, a success we managed to pull off was a smooth video. Our video consisted of an angel and a devil, whom represented good judgement and bad judgement. Taylor approached us with a thorough script which clearly depicted each person’s role, and of course what they were saying. We were even able to use the nurse’s office to help Jalisa complete her role as a nurse preparing an AIDS test. I believe this video will grab the viewer’s attention of the presence of HIV/AIDS, and also the importance of getting tested/treated for it as quickly as possible. 

All in all, this project was fairly simple, as long as you’re organized. We broke down roles from the beginning, which gave all of us the chance to think about how we could construct our individual parts. With more time came more ways to perfect our product, and also add more components to help broadcast what we needed to say to the public. Our objective was to inform others of the dire epidemic of HIV/AIDS, which we think we accomplished. 

The most exciting portion of this project was figuring out the height of my building. It’s because I think architecture is cool and since I could not measure it, I had to figure it out using the methods we learned. I think it was kind of exciting doing something like this, it will come in handy eventually. I think that the least exciting part of the project was the fact that I got many different results for my building height. It’s because I got two almost completely different results from my two calculations and I was confused. That confusion kind of took the excitement away.

I learned many things after completing this project. I learned about different ways that we can determine a building height. I learned about the mirror method and the stick method. I also learned about how we can verify that we got right answers from our calculations. I learned about the picture method and google earth. I learned that you can  look at a building on google earth and the mouth cursor will tell you the elevation and eye altitude. I also learned that the height of the building is the elevation minus the eye altitude. I learned to respect all the buildings I see and all the jobs related to math because of the hard work they do. I learned to not take anything for granted in the world like for example google maps.

- How does this project relate to the real world?

This project relates to the real world via engineering. When you design a building you need to figure out the proper proportion for the height. Using the mirror, stick and shadow methods can help you find the proportion. Thus this project taught us that when dealing with buildings you need to know math like proportions and other mathy stuff like measuring and multiplication. And it also relates to the real world by telling us NOT to use the mirror method in engineering or construction or any other chosen field. And so that's how the project relates to the real world using math.

-       What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

The most exiting portion was Jian measuring the building and braking the tape measure, causing us to fix it and seeing him try to wind it up while walking down the street. The expression on his face when he realized he could have jammed it back in was priceless. Not kidding. The least exiting portion of this project was doing the calculations. I swear I thought I was making a mistake every step of the solving, I ended up checking Wolfram Alpha and seeing that I was right all along. Then I struggled getting the verifications to make sense. But I did it all and it was as right as I could possibly get it.

-       What did you learn from completing this project?

What I learned from completing this project was that the mirror method is horrible and the best way to measure a building would be to go to the top and drop a tape measure. Not kidding. At all. Technology is awesome. I think that the Mirror method is extremely unreliable. The measurements were way off the verification. I think that if we were to use some other method, like stick or something else it would be way more reliable. I also learned about how I learned about how you shouldn't pull a tape measure all the way out, see above to learn more.

I don't have access to the blueprint.

-    How does this project relate to the real world?

Geometry has a lot of say in the appearance of our city. This project has a lot to do with the architecture and design of both buildings and city blocks. It taught me how the height of buildings can be found only through triangles. Having the capability to measure distances with ease is a very useful skill. The architecture aspect is more about proportions and making sure that everything is to scale and precise. It is actually much harder than it sounds. I had to measure and re-measure my building to double check my results. I think that from now on I will always make sure to verify my results in every way possible.

-       What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

There were many elements of this project that I were nice to work on. I enjoyed making the draft of my building. I tended to prefer the manual measuring because is was easier to base the estimates off of an already known object. For me it was challenging finding known measurements because my building is currently under construction and many crucial aspects were inaccessible to me. It was a bit difficult finding ways to deal with compromising and finding new strategies but in the end I was able to estimate the height in many different and I discovered tools that I didn’t originally know were available to me. I also enjoyed drawing the building which allowed me to put my knowledge of the Franklin Institutes structure on paper

-     What did you learn from completing this project?

I learned a lot about the techniques of measuring a building that has cut outs and different heights.  I found the measuring by using triangles very useful, particularly the mirror method. This helped me understand how geometry and shapes are involved in designing of cities or structures and in our daily life. I learned a lot about compromising and finding new ways to reach a certain goal. Sometimes I reached complications, but as I went along I found them much easier to deal with. I learned ho important precision is in my life as well. I guess I never really paid attention to the thought put into each individual building.

How does this project relate to the real world?

1. This project relates to the real world when it comes to architecture if you want to become an architect and build buildings you have to know perimeter and area. If you want to become a carpenter and have to patch up a ceiling you have to know the perimeter and area of the whole. Or if you want to redesign the outside of the house and you want to take away some windows or add windows you need to know the are and perimeter of the space where your doing that work.
2. I would have to say the most exciting part of this project was going outside because it’s always good to go outside to get fresh air instead of staying in a stuffy room the whole time. I also like being able to draw the picture of our buildings. It was fun because I was able to express myself in the drawings and showoff my wonderful artistic talent, as you can see in the picture above.

3. I learned how to figure out the height of the building besides just measuring it the regular way. there are numerous ways to measure the height of a building. You could use the mirror method which is placing a mirror on the ground in front of the building and looking into the mirror until u see the top of the building. Then you measure how many feet you are away from the building and how many feet the building is away from the building. Then you solve a proportion with the information you have. Another method I learned is the picture method which is when you use someone or something and see how many of them does it take to get the height of the building. You measure that that someone or something and multiply the height by how many of them get it takes to get the height of the building.

This project relates to the real world by teaching us skills than will be helpful in the real world. For example it teaches us how to map an area to scale. This skill will be very useful in the real world because it can help us find the size of a building or street by using a scaled map. It can also be useful when your making a scaled map for your job. Another skill that was taught was how to measure tall buildings. These can be very useful as measurements are important in every day life. That is how this project can help in everyday life.

What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

The most exciting portion of this project was when we went outside to find the measurements. I felt that it was really great that we got hands on experience with finding the height of the buildings. I doubt I would have learned about how to measure using the mirror method if we didn’t actual measure something that would be impossible to measure otherwise. The least exciting part was Google map maker. I think I might have placed my building on top of another and it was to tell where my street was due to the bad camera angles. I also could see the top of my building on street view.

What did you learn from completing this project

I learned how to use the mirror and stick method on a building and why the shadow method isn’t the best tool to use. I also learned more about the stick method which I didn’t know much about at first. I learned how to use Google Map maker thought I hope I won’t have to use it again. I learned how estimates are not alway right and how it is always important to verify your measurement because most of the time it is not right. For example my first measurement was 40 feet off from my verification. That is what I learned from this project.

How does this project relate to the real world?

       -The skills we learned in this project can be applied to a variety of different situations and professions. If I ever wanted to know the height of something, I can make quick approximate calculations with a mirror and a tape measure. If I wanted to go into a career in architecture, city planning, civil engineering, construction, interior design, etc, the knowledge of triangles is essential. Triangles are the basis of construction and design everywhere, from the pyramids to pie slices. Knowing how to measure triangles will give anyone an upper hand in the “real world”.

What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

       -The most exciting portion of this project was the in class time we got to go explore our block independently. Going out into the world and applying the knowledge we had learned on paper in a class environment to a large scale real life environment was exciting and invigorating. The least exciting portion of this project was the written portions of the final project. The final calculations did not come out cleanly and were frustrating to evaluate. The stick method was especially frustrating. I also had no idea how to structure my letter to the Neighborhood Association and was a little lost as to how to put together our final written report.

What did you learn from completing this project?

       -From completing this project, I learned about triangles and their application in real life situations. From measuring my building, I learned about the approximate heights of buildings around the city and how these buildings could be improved to increase the attractiveness of the area. I also learned 5+ handy new ways to measure to find an approximate height of any tall object (including the purchasing of a measuring app!). I also learned how to navigate the residential areas around SLA better than I did before. I found a new shortcut to get to the Franklin Institute, and a place where they apparently sell great hoagies.

What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

What did you learn from completing this project?

-       How does this project relate to the real world?

-       This project is based on methods that real world archetects can use in their work. It is also a useful way for a corporate/building director to establish his point of building height.

-       What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

-       The most exiting part of this project for me was the calculations; I am not a large fan of math, but since I have been paying more attention and been more focused, I understand and enjoy the concept more, with that being said, the calculations was a good way for me to express my knowledge of math so far.

-       What did you learn from completing this project?

-       Everything can be done one way or another, don’t give up.

1) Who was in your group?

Temperance Moore, Saundra Monroe, Jordan Randall

2) What did you personally do well on this project?

I executed my measurements very well

3) What could you personally have done better?

I could have helped my teammates more than I did; I was too focused on the individual work.

4) What is something that each of the people in your group contributed and/or did well on this project?

Jordan: Energetic and good in helping understand the concepts given, Saundra: Lively and great at calculations, Temperance: Cherry and did very well to keep the group organized.

5) Please describe any issues that you had while completing this project (as an individual).

At one point, my verification was very off point and that took me a while to realize my mistake; crazy how one number changes everything.

6) Please describe any issues that you had while completing this project (as a group).

I felt as though I worked at a faster pace than my group (not saying it was any less right or wrong) But I felt as though they weren’t taking it serious at fir

7) Please describe what you learned from doing this project, both in terms of content and in terms of process.
Most importantly, I learned about formulas, solutions and a different method of teaching. Besides that, I learned what works better for me in math so I can be at my full potential.