Projects

So we recieved a group project again this week. This one seems like it'll be fun because we get to interact with people out in the real world in a somewhat strange way. We can drop stuff or fall or laugh obnoxiously and when we get strange looks we can be like "it's for school!" So it kind of gives us an excuse to act strange (or should I say normal? :)  ) in public.

Free Responses/AP Test

So yesterday we did our first two-fold free response. I find them to be not as bad as I originally thought it would be. As long as I pick the half that I know and thoroughly answer them, it seems kind of easy. As far as the AP test goes, I'm feeling pretty confident about it. I'll need to do some studying to cover some of the material I didn't understand, but I think it'll be a mangable test.

Disordered Week

This week we began delving into the world of psychological disoders and I must say, some of them are quite frightening. In my opinion, psych disorders are more frightening  than pyhisical ailments. If a person breaks a bone, the docs know what to do and how to fix it. Mental illnesses, on the otherhand, seem to be much less tangibil in the medical field. I know there are meds for the disoders but they don't seem to be a cure, they simpley are a method of coping or suppressing the disoder. Kinda scary, knowing the only thing stopping you from losing your peace of mind is a pill everyday.

Free Response/Back to School

 Welcome back for one more term. In nine weeks we are outta here! Anyway,  we did a free response today. I feel like I'm getting the hang of them more and more with each one. The thought of doing two in 50 minutes is a bit daunting but it's a job and jobs have to be done I suppose. Along with the free responses, we are getting pretty close to being done with the reading. It'll be nice to be done with the book. Don't get me wrong, It's one of the more well written textbooks and i do enjoy reading it; but after being on the same book for a couple of months, it's nice knowing the end is near.

Sugru

We have been given an assignement to use our Sugru in a productive and creative way. I used mine to repair one of the school's bass clarinets in band. Each bass clarinet comes with a metal rod that attaches to the bottom of the instrument that acts as a small stand. It's purpose is to adjust the hieght of the clarinet. The attachement device that was on the bass clarinet I use was broken, meaning the intrument could not be raised or lowered to the proper hieght. To fix this I placed some of the Sugru on the rod at the appropriate height for my playing preferances, allowing me to play the instrument comfortably.

PSA's

For the PSA project, we had to watch three other projects and  decide which one we liked best. In my opinion, my favorite was Collin, Emily and Nicole's PSA. One of the reasons for this is because they were very detalied about the ways in which the town can enrich people's lives of all ages. I also felt their PSA was well done in terms of effort. It appeared as though they spent a good deal of time and effort in making the video. Another aspect that was enjoyable is that the video felt very welcoming and warm-hearted.

Jackie,ellie briana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3H4wKk-YPQ&list=UUc6kTHkUxvPS03cMz5ZA7Zw&index=2
Logan,tanner, mitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJUB_FEN-Y&list=UUc6kTHkUxvPS03Mz5ZA7Zw&index=1

Collin,emily,nicole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb5Aglzjkq0&list=UUc6kTHkUxvPS03cMz5ZA7Zw&index=13

Waves

I find it interesting that we can perceive so much from a simple wavelength. We can see and hear essentailly because of waves that float around in the air. Take music for example; many people can or have been emotionally moved by music, it can make them cry, laugh or become angry. All of these feelings generate due to the music which is made up of waves in the air. I understand that interperation of the song, personal experience and compostional rules all interact with how people feel about a song, but still...their just wavelengths. That means the music doesnt mean anything until it's heard by someone, just like how an apple isnt red until we see it. It's all just perception.

Perception and Sensation Adaptation

This week we began talking about sensory and perceptual adaptation. It's one of those things that doesnt seem as big of a deal when a person is used to it but, believe it or not, there are disorders where people DON'T adapt in this manner. For example, wherever you are right now, there is probably some constant source of noise (this may a be a clock, furnace, fride, ect.) After a while the sound leaves your conciousness. People who lack adaptation on the other hand hear the noise ALL the time. I know it may not seem like a huge deal and maybe it's not, but from an educational standpoint, it makes paying attention a much greater challenge.

The Wild World of Teen Brains

I found the article we read today (The Wild World of the Teen Brain) to be interesting. Although there is the criticism that it is based largerly on biology, I believe it to be fairly insightful into the way teenagers act. If the research in the article has the creditability that it claims, then many teens would have laws bent more in their favor. For example, if two 17-year old kids got into a fight, instead of it becoming a legal matter, it could simply be passed off as their amydalas (amydali?) reacting negatively to one another. Im not saying that this is nessecarily the right or wrong way to assess the situation, im just saying that if bilogy really does play that big of a role in how teenagers act; then it wouldn't hurt to take it into consideration when punishments are being decided.

Apptitude

Apptitude vs. Applicability. Talent vs. practice. I think in today's day and age, people often associate good muscians and atheletes with pure talent as opposed to hard work and dedication. The people generally considered to be the "best" at something, generally had to work their ass off to get there. Yet most people believe it was pure talent or luck that got them there. I do believe talent and luck play a role in success, but it still takes work to get there.

Ice Addiction

So as a class, we recently began engaging in an ice addiction experiment. Overall, I feel that the experiment was designed really well. The simple aspect of having to hide our "addiction" and "marks" (rubber bands) from others was a dynamic approach to the topic. Real users would try to hide it from their friends and family and if they were using intervenous drugs, they would have marks to hide as well. It's kind of a neat way to put yourself in someone eles shoes without actually engaging in the act itself. I think the experiment was succesful, although, some fellow classmates (i shall not name names) havent shown up to school since becoming "addicted"...coincidence???

Empathy

I found the concept of empathy interesting. It's interesting to think, if it's true, that people only feel empathy due to pain and suffering. As the narrator stated, there would be no empathy in heaven, which contradicts what  heaven is supposed to be. It goes along the lines of pain. Our body doesnt feel pain, our brain interepates it. Therefore we would only feel empathy due to our interperitation of death and suffering. That doesnt mean we dont genuinly care about others (i know i know double negative in a sentence...), but it's interesting to consider interperitation of our world and how it affects our emotions.

The first quiz we took was rough. I read the material but that was about two weeks before class started so that's the reason for that grade. The second take on the quiz was better, but not as good as i am capable of.  I just need to apply myself more. I find psycological and medical classes very interesting so applying myself won't be too hard to do.