Blog Feed

My element is numeber 53, Iodine! My element is used to protect people from radiation, and it is a result of creating saltpeter from seaweed. My idea was to include its origin, seaweed, and it's uses, to help prevent radiation, that's why I made the seaweed and the nuclear plant. At first, I wanted to include its color, but I felt that wouldn't be very clear. I very much enjoyed this project, mostly because we had a lot time to do it and because it wasn't a primarily drawing project. I you were to change the project, the only thing I would change is to give us a bit more time to research what we want to draw.

​My element is Potassium. Potassium is found in fruits such as bananas, oranges, and avocado. i came up with drawling a fruit basket because most people know that potassium is in fruit, so i thought that that was the easiest way to represent that. I started off with just a rough sketch of it, then i traced it on the bock. I had to carve out the negative spaces. Than I had to use a roller to paint the block and print it out on 4 different sheets of paper. I thought that this project was hard. It was a long process and I cut myself twice. I would be more careful. 

My element is Aluminum. Aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group.
It is used for transportation, sheets, tube, castings packaging, construction (windows, building wire), cooking utensils street lighting poles and etc.  I decided to do a picture of an angel because once aluminum became popular they decided to make the first statue of a angel in aluminum. When doing this project i started to just research this project to get ideas of pictures that i wanted to draw. After that i drew the picture transported it to the block and carved it out. I thought this project was really different but in all i thought that this project was really difficult and had so many steps so i didn't care for it to much.
If i did this project i would try to buy a folder for this because it a lot to hold on to and i would try to cut out the board safer.

I was given the element Arsenic. Arsenic is normally seen in the form of poison. Its atomic number is 33. Its used in laser diodes and LEDs A very very small percentage is need for a healthy nervous system.

This project was similar to the Negative space drawing because we had to choose what part of the drawing we wanted positive and negative.  We had to carve out what we wanted to be positive and leave what we wanted to be negative

For the Printmaking project I chose to draw a Street light and Inside the street are LEDs which are made from Gallium Arsenide.

If I could do this again I would do a different print. The printing wasn't that hard but I didn't favor that part of the project 

What is your element?
My element is Scandium. Number 21 on the periodic table.

What are some things your element are used for?

One thing my element Scandium is used for is in aquarium glass. It is used to help the glass give off a glowing light, to make more of an aquatic illusion.

 How did you come up with the idea for your print?
I came up with the idea for my print because, not alot of people know that Scandium is used in aquariums so i wanted to do something no one would eve think of. I wanted to go outside of the creative box.

 What steps did you take from your idea for the print to the final print?

The steps I took was first, I created a couple of sketches on individual pieces of paper and when i got a sketch that i liked the best i traced it onto a piece of transparent paper. Then I traced the sketch from the transparent paper onto a block of clay. Once i had the actual piece drawn onto the piece of clay i sculpted the clay and had the negative and positive space distinctly separated the next thing i did was painted and i combined a mixture of colors and painted the actual clay piece then i laid a piece of paper on the fully painted clay piece and pulled it off and i had a print. 

 What are your thoughts on the project?

I thought that the print project was fairly easy and a fun experiment. I thought of it as a great experience and i would like to try it again.

 What would you do differently if you did this project again?

Something I would do different is try to to experiment with the colors a little more. I would love to have my print to look like an actual Aquarium.

​    My element is an yttrium. It is a Metallic element, not rare on earth but occurring in nearly all rare-earth minerals. Yttrium is classified as a “Transition Metal” Which is located on group 3 period 5 on the periodic table. An element classified as a Transition metal is ductile, malleable, and able to conduct electricity and heat. Yttrium are used to make europium and europium phosphors that give the red color in the televisions picture tubes. So bacilli it is used for the color of a T.V and not only that used for radars, and microwave. 
    I came up with this print by thinking about a microwave, the letter “Y” and the number 39 since that is the number of it on the periodic table. Well the idea was just putting together a drawling that would match the element Yttrium. I really didn’t have any thoughts for the project. And I really wouldn’t do anything to change it because I like the project the way it is.

My element is gallium. It's atomic number is 31 and atomic mass is 69.723. Gallium is a metal.

Gallium is used as substitute for mercury in a thermometer. It is used in laser diodes and creating mirrors. 

I came up with the idea of gallium melting in your hand, because gallium melts around body temperature. I had to research what gallium is used for, and what it is to find out what the print is going to be. The project was really creative. I like how you have to find which print you're going to make by looking up the element.

I would make the hand differently, and place the element symbol somewhere else on the print.

1. My element was sodium 

2. The element can be used for a heat agent its used, in sodium vapor lamps, to manufacture sodamide, and also used as table salt 

3. I chose this print because it looked like salt in the air.

4. I made like a certain type of salt maker then salt in the air like the powder.

5. I think this project was fun and exciting but i didn't like that i cut my hands twice.

6. I would have chose a different type of print to draw.   

My element is Magnesium. Things that my element is used for is medicine. The way that I came up with the idea for my print was that since I knew it is used in medicine I decided to make a medicine container and little pills aside of it. The steps that I took with the idea of my print was that in one sketch I made a medicine container and another was magnesium crystals, then I put them together. I think that I did pretty well in which the way I organized the way I wanted it. The way I would make it differently if I did it again is that I will maybe find another way I could’ve drawn the items in which contains magnesium.

The element I was assigned was Rhodium. Some of the things that my element is used for are jewelry,  it is used to make electrical contact and used as an alloyed. I came up with the idea for my print because my element is used for jewelry so I decided to make a person wearing jewelry. I took the idea of  putting the atomic number on the shoulders on my drawn person. My thoughts about this project is that it is very fun but you have to be very careful while doing this project. If I did this project again I would make sure that I carve deeper when I make my plate.  

Throughout English and World History, it has been gradual process of learning and working. Throughout these courses, we have all been asked to form opinions and beliefs about the various world issues of yesterday and today.
In my opinion, I hope that every single student does not hold the same beliefs, opinions, and learning techniques and skills that they had in September. Hopefully, we all have grown in our educational journey and process.

In English, I feel that we have been encouraged to use our opinions more to decipher the text we read and to find "deeper meanings" within. One of the key examples of this is the very first Q1 Benchmark about The Lord of the Flies. In this paper, I expressed an idea through my opinion, and then I took the readers through my journey to reach my conclusion. This is a prime example of allowing one to understand multiple perspectives of the same topic in order to receive a well-rounded education.

Throughout the English course, I was also encouraged to immerse myself into the world of various people, from prisoners to world leaders. This was the goal of the Jarvis Jay Masters' readings. In my response to the readings, the observations of the powerful effects of desperation is evident.

In World History, the focus has changed slightly. Instead of exclusive opinion-forming, we are also required to learn non-biased facts about the past and present them to people. A prime example of the was the Museum Exhibition Benchmark we created to education patrons about colonialism. In the presentation, we had to state the facts to our classmates and allow them to form their own opinions.

Also, History encouraged us to explore different fields, such as traditional art during the Renaissance. In the Exploration of a Renaissance Artist assignment, I had to highlight the work of a great artist of the day and try to find the meaning of their work.

However, one of my favorite assignments in History is by far the trials. In the Aztec trial, we had to learn facts about the topic, just had he had in the Museum Presentations, but then, we had to use those facts to alter the opinion of everyone else. This taught us a new skill of using facts to sway the opinions of a majority.

English and World History has merged and separated in order to teach us things about the the world, ourselves, and each other. The lessons we have learned here are invaluable.

Used SEPTA Transpasses: 

Special Thanks to: Anwar, Marley, and Uyen for the transpasses. 

My element is Germanium. My element is used for diamonds, and lead for pencils. My idea was a diamond in the middle of the print. I used diamonds because Germanium are used to make diamonds. I stilled used the Diamond idea. The diamond has many aspects that can really make a print creative. This project is a creative way to show scientific art for SLA. With this project I would use a different design or print.

My element is Uranium.
Some things my element is used for is the production of nuclear power,weaponry, and smoke detectors.
I came up with the idea for my print by researching the America Uranium fission bomb dropped over Japan in 1945.
The steps I took to make the final print were discovering the right picture to use, drawing it, reverse drawing it, carving it, printing is three times, and framing them all.
I thought this project was fun, practical, and will look good overall in the outcome.
What I would do differently was to to do some better carving so you can see the Uranium sign.

For this project we had to use negative and positive space. I had the element Oxygen so I looked up some images on Google. We used negative space because it makes the project and image better. It shows that the artist was trying to be different and make the image pop up more. In the end the project was hard to do it required a lot of work and time but it was worth it, I am proud of this assignment.

A. What is negative space (explain this concept to a fourth grader that has never heard of it)

A negative space drawing is a drawing with a background. And the main point of 

understanding the drawing is to look at the drawing through the positive space point

of view and the negative space point of view.

B. Explain how you found negative space in in your cut out.

The white in the picture below in the negative. The pink os the positive because 

the pink is the main idea of the picture.

 
C. Why does it help an artist to see in negative space? 

It lets a person focus on the main idea of a picture. The man idea in the picture 

below is the archway and the negative space really lets a person focus on the pink.

D. Does seeing in negative space enhance drawings, why or why not? 

It does enhance a picture because you are looking at things in different perspectives at that lets a artist focus on this picture a lot better.

This quarter in art we made colored prints of things representing elements of the periodic table. My element was element 54: Xenon. Xenon was used in the first excimer laser, so I decided to print a laser.
First, we made three sketches of possible ideas for our print. Then, we picked one and transferred the drawing to a linoleum block. After that, we carved in the negative space (or positive space), put paint on the block and then pressed the block against paper, leaving a print.

For this project we were given a element from the periodic table and make a design for it that fit the element best. My element was silicon and it is number 14 on the periodic table. In able to pick the design it took me a lot of thinking but mostly a lot of creativity. After making many designs my best one was a design of bricks and cement with the negative space being Si and the name of the cement being the number 14. For this project after we chose the best drawing we then carved it on an a linoleum and then painted and matted it. Through out this project the hardest parts were making design and carving out the design from the linoleum. After all i was proud of what I did and would enjoy doing it again. 

Below is a picture of my element design.

This year was challenging yet very exciting and interesting. I’ve learned so much and have grown as a person in the process, from adjusting how to work with different people to learning how to be in a trial, I even became a poet. I never even knew what a monologue project was until I came here and had to write one myself. I learned how difficult it is to write an entire monologue it takes lots of time and effort it isn’t something you can just rush through. I learned how to make myself into another person and to see other people’s struggles and also their strengths. I’ve learned that I have other sides to me; I’m more than I appear.

 

My favorite project had to be the poetry unit. I liked this the most because it let me show my poetic side and I also got to expand my thinking way beyond what I normally would. I got to let people in and let them see my thoughts and my feelings and the way I view the world. And the feedback I got made me happy to know that people actually cared we’ve all grown into a little family who cares and respects one another.

 

Another unit I liked was the trial. Things got very intense but that was good because it showed that everyone was really engaged with what they were doing and the parts that everyone had to play. It shows a lot about human behavior and how when anyone is put in an intense situation they act on feelings and not actually think about what they really should do.

 

My final all time favorite unit was the prison unit. I never knew the crazy statistics that they had for prisons. I also never knew they had a book program for them. Because the media never showed the fact they wanted to read they would only show the fights, or the way the guards would beat on the prisoners. Never how they wanted to read or how they would make this beautiful art work! I was amazed to find out all this and now my views on prisons have changed so very much.

 

Finally, this will always be my favorite year because Mr. Block has become my favorite teacher. He's pushed us to our limits and broke us out of our shells and let us know it was ok to be ourselves there are people who have it worst than we do so appreciate everyday and our education. Before being in this class I never voiced my opinion because I didn’t want them getting shot down. But Mr. Block showed us it’s ok to voice them and it’s ok if they get shot down because even if they do you can still say that you tried instead of being quiet and not heard at all. I really love these classes both and will miss them dearly! Coming into this class I hated the thought of having back-to-back classes but they weren’t as bad as I thought they were actually my favorite classes and I can say that I learned the most from each class. 

     ​For this project we printed out an element of the periodic table. My element was Cadmium with the atomic number 48. 
     Making the print was a long process, first we drew the print-mine was a television because cadmium is used in the cables-then, we carved the same drawing into a tablet and covered it with paint. After this we made four different prints, three we gave a border and one we used to make a large periodic table.

Tyreé Wright

Iron Stream

6/11/11

 

Final Portfolio

 

 

 

Art, English, Plays, History, World, Dance, Poetry, Diversity, Religion, News, Change, Revolution, New, Beginning, Corruption, Government, Pain, Torture, Genocide, Survival, Understanding, Slavery, Trial, Judgment, Stereotypes, Hope. These words have created my 10^th grade education.  I have gone through anything but a normal English and History courses. Many of my friends out side my own school have told me stories of the many tests and papers they have had to write over the year. When I ask them what they remember about the projects they needed to do, or the papers they needed to write they cant remember. When I tell them about my projects and number of pages I have done this year they cry for me. I have had a most unorthodox year with Mr. Block.

I have written a play in History class about librarian Pirates. We started with a few monologues and through over ten pages of revisions and work we submitted them to Philadelphia Young Play Rights. Writing a full play for history class seems like an English assignment, this is not true. We had to research a topic on a present day event and create a story about it first as monologues, then as full plays. This is the first time I have ever been in a class that took such a drastic spin on tradition.

Monologue Project 

            We went far beyond the goal of understanding news and journalism to writing our own Op-Eds. We took interesting real world topics and made them into articles that draw the attention of people and make them think. These topics are things out of the obvious and serious under looked problems. We submitted this assignment to real newspapers. Through email we sent our papers and contacted them as students in hopes that they would be added to a section of the paper, going beyond the call of the everyday standards of an English Class.

Op-Ed

    

          Another thing we learned was how to create poetry. We went through all the stages from learning simple rhyme to writing five different poems. Not saying these poems simply had different words for each, which would be easy. The five poems I wrote were five different types of poems all together, they consisted of, Memory, Riff, and I was raised by, a Sonnet and an Ode. Each poem has its own unique them or story about my life. The Riff poem is about my martial arts training, my Ode is expressing my love for my favorite hat, and the Memory poem is about an event that happened in my life. Each poem is detailed and fallows its own individual them.

Poetry 

     Many schools don’t take the time to teach the children about religion. We learned the facts and the struggles many people go through. The assignment was to research a religion and make a creative wiki about a point. Mine was the on the oppression of Muslim women. I went into the hardships they are forced to go through, and how they deal with it. I compared this religion to Christianity and went into how they both oppress their women. Throughout both English and History I have learned many different things about my world in such ways that I will never forget any of them. I hope that my projects can be used to help future generations to have a unique education like I have had.

Iron Religion

 

Throughout this year in Copper Stream 2010-2011 something that really stuck out to me was the poetry unit. There were many points that I was able to take with me after doing this unit. The general understanding that I got from this was that poetry is a way of expression and can be expressed through more than just writing. When we had to do our wiki spaces most of my poems talked about my dad and what I was going through at the time. The poems allowed me to get some of my bottled up emotions out and let someone hear me without hearing my voice. The poems I wrote can be found on my wiki spaces.

 I learned that poetry is more than just roses are red and violets are blue, poetry can be a song, rap, the outside world, and a drawing. There are no limits when it comes poetry and what it can mean.

Another thing that I will be able to take with me is that writing is a group process and not just an individual project. It takes more than one opinion on someone’s paper to make it right. With every paper I had wrote this year it had been edited at least twice before I finally made my final paper. One paper that I was proud of was I believe the first quarter benchmark. We had to write a letter for Lord of the Flies. On that paper I had it reviewed a few times and kept making many different adjustments to it so it will be perfect. This paper can be seen at the bottom of my blog.

The final thing I will take from this is the crossing boundaries unit and when we read the book Their Eyes Were Watching God. The units went hand in hand with one another and it’s a good thing they were placed right behind each other. We had even written some “rules, roles and responsibilities” that we as teens hear all the time and have to deal with. In mine I wrote how your suppose to go to school and maintain A’s and B’s only, your suppose to act your age not your shoe size, your not suppose to go around acting crazy or like a little boy, also you can’t just be round boys all the time. This unit helped and showed me how society looks at people and how women are treated.

While reading the book Their Eyes Were Watching God I noticed how put down a female is in society. The women are supposed to let the man be in charge and cater to his every whim. As a woman they have no control over their life and not until they get the courage to stand up and leave will anything change. I made a video that showed how many women deal with the abuse of a man but takes a long time for them to do anything about it.

Throughout the year in English and History I’ve just learned that there are a lot of things to learn about in the world. We have to understand how women get paid less than a man.  Another thing that I wont forget is how society has a certain standard of speaking. There is a Standard English that people need to live up to but in reality no one can live that standard. This classes taught me that’s its alright to be our self and live life expressing how we feel.

 

 

 

Lord of the Flies

            From the time Piggy stepped onto the island until his fatal death he was judged about everything. From his appearance to his asthma to the little things he tried to say to the group. He could never say what was on his mind or even try to act as a normal kid because of his awkwardness. Just like the way Piggy was judged so is everyone else in society.

            People judge one another like its nothing. It has become a part of human nature to just turn to someone else and start talking about someone. The judgment can be for the good or the bad. When it was time to vote for a new President people didn’t judge based on what could get done they judged based on color, gender, and age. 

            In 2008 when the presidential election was going on ever I went people were extremely happy to know that we would either have a women president or a black president. The thing I noticed though was it wasn’t about what people wanted to be able to get from these two candidates it was about color and gender. To just for everyone to be able to say they would have a black president or a women president would have been enough for the USA.

            “Assassinate Obama”, school children chanted when Obama was elected president. This was found on the site.  Another incident that happened was a nine year old boy told a little girl on the bus “I hope Obama gets assassinated.”  The same night someone trashed the little girl’s aunt lawn and left two pizza boxes full of feces because they had Obama posters on their lawn. This just shows that because of the color of Obama’s skin and the people that followed him they were judged and had to deal with the actions of other people that didn’t like the idea of having a black man run the country. People still live in the past were whites run everything and other people have to deal with the actions of those people.

            Another thing that I found was something from Karen Armstrong’s speech is when  she said that stereotypes divide us, which is very true. Ralph, Piggy, and the twins were all divided from Jack and the rest of the boys because of the differenced Jack and Ralph had. They had caused everyone else to pick a side and try to live their life as if that was the only way they could live on the island. Karen Armstrong’s statement was proved based on what theses little boys had to go through in this novel.

Reading Lord of the Flies all the boys judged each other on what they can or can’t do and how they looked. The one that experienced the most judgment was Piggy. He was noticed a little when Jack’s boys realized the specs were what gave them fire, but even then it wasn’t the type of attention he wanted or deserved. The only time he got respect was when he died, and the only one that showed him that respect was Ralph. Throughout the whole book Piggy never got a say on anything that happened. Even though Ralph listened to Piggy in some way he really didn’t listen to anything he had to say. Everyone treated Piggy as if he was just someone taking up space.

            As the time came closer to Piggy’s death he had gotten some type of respect. When he went back to get his specs he took the conch shell with him. Every time he would start talking and someone would interrupt him he got control again just by waving the conch shell around. As the bolder hit Piggy and knocking him off the cliff he never died with the respect that he should have died with. As he fell off the cliff and the shell broke everyone was a lot more worried about the shell then him. 

Never Shall I

            Never shall I forget the phone call that we had received

Never shall I forget seeing my family rushing to the hospital

Never shall I forget seeing my uncle all bruised up with broken bones

Never shall I forget sitting on my grandma’s lap while she cried her eyes out

Never shall I forget the details of my uncle’s body flying across the concrete

Never shall I forget the day my uncle was almost killed

Never shall I forget any of these details