Zoe Schwingel-Sauer Public Feed

Zoe Schwingel-Sauer Capstone

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Capstone - Bey - Wed on
​  Recently there has been a movement to address the criminal justice system within the United States. The truth is the “United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population, yet we have almost 25 percent of the world’s total prison population.” (Hilary Clinton) There has been a lot of focus on the system in general, which is majorly important since the system includes a multitude of racism, sexism, and class discrimination. 
    Ever since reading Native Son in 10th grade, I have felt particularly passionate about learning more on the criminal justice system and discussing with others on how to improve or fix it. After talking with various people within the field of study, I was interested in how ex-prisoners re-enter their community after being in jail, and what could be done to help the transition. Then, on July 7, 2015, I watched John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight. The show’s main segment focused on bail in the United States and its impact on impoverished people. This inspired my senior Capstone project. 
    I wanted to do a research project where I could investigate what was going on with bail within the criminal justice system. The biggest goal of this project is to bring awareness to an aspect of the criminal justice system, which can be fixed if there are many advocates for it. This website is for the purpose of learning and I hope it helps the readers to become more knowledgeable about the bail system, and motivates you to make a difference with this cause.


Laos Infographic - Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in American History - Jonas - X on
Javier and I chose to study and research the Laotian War because we wanted to investigate an event involving U.S. foreign policy that we hadn't heard about. When researching the Vietnam War, we came across the Laotian Civil War. As we looked more deeply into the subject, we learned that the U.S. had formed an alliance with Laos. They had formed an alliance because Vietnam is right next to Laos, and therefore the U.S. had a military advantage in the Vietnam War. 

Click here for infograph.

Justice: What's the Right Thing to DO?

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 3 - Rami - E on

Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? is a philosophical book written by Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel. This analytical book challenges every person in terms of their personal ideals of morals, justice, and freedom. It goes into depth about justice theories like utilitarianism vs libertarianism vs kantian. It gives cases involving affirmative action, birth contracts, and the free market. Sandel deciphers theories about justice and morals, while also challenging the thinking behind them. The author, Michael J. Sandel, is a professor at Harvard who teaches the courses “Ethics, Biotechnology, and the Future of Human Nature,” “Ethics, Economics, and Law,” and “Globalization and Its Critics.” He has written many books that also delve into philosophy, morality, and politics. He was recognized as an excellent teacher by American Political Science Association. His most popular undergraduate class is Justice, which has enrolled over 15,000 students. He is known globally as an influential leader in morality and justice. The book Justice is partially based off his teachings, lectures, and students in his class.

The format of the book is quite unique. Sandel will explain a theory and mention the opposing theories. After explaining the theory and ideas behind it, he applies them to the real world using either hypothetical scenarios or past events. This novel does not have a concrete plot, however each theory builds upon previous theories and conceptions throughout the book. Sandel has a very formal style of writing. It’s not casual and the book demands your attention. This book is jam-packed with ideologies, and is very dense. Even though the book is dense, requires concentration, and an open mind, you can put down the book (although you won’t want to) and pick it up wherever you left off due to the excellence of Sandel’s explanations.

Sandel really shines when it comes to the relevance of this book. Throughout the book he constantly questions how every person acts with guidance from morality or lack of. This book is a great tool for creating quality citizens, who in turn, could create a quality society. The reappearing motif in this book is the question (as said in the title) “What is the right thing to do?” Sandel continuously clarifies, reviews, and applies many theories of what’s just and what’s morally right in his book. One of the reasons why this book is incredibly thought-provoking is that Sandel never tells you what the right thing is. He gives different sides of the stories and backs them up, with added input from philosophers, but never gives a definite answer. One example Sandel gives is of a “debate over surrogate motherhood.” This case involved a woman, in New Jersey, who was paid to carry a couple’s child. The baby’s father was the man in the couple. The surrogate mother agreed to give over the baby at birth without visitation rights. However, when the birth of the baby came, the surrogate mother could not part with the child and fled to Florida. She was later brought back to New Jersey. The couple took the surrogate mother to court, and the judge ruled that the baby was to be in full custody of the couple because of the surrogate mother’s consent and contract. However the course was then taken to the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and they again ruled that the baby belonged with the couple, but for different reasons. This court said that the reason custody belonged to the couple was because of what was best for the child. They also argued that the surrogate mother was not knowledgeable about how she would feel after the baby was born, therefore making the contract was not an “informed choice.” He then challenges the reader and asks who was right? This book really makes the reader question what they believe in and how they decide what is right.

Another repeating theme is the ongoing battle of group vs. individual rights. One way Sandel demonstrates this debate is through utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is based on the belief that people seek pleasure, and aim to avoid pain. The main principle is utility. Therefore when practicing utility, one must focus on maximizing the pleasure of the majority. Sandel explains that this method is used often in politics. As in ‘What will help the most people?’ Sandel explains that the biggest weakness of utilitarianism is that “it fails to respect individual rights.” He offers an example of the weakness through “Throwing Christians to Lions.” Sandel says how “In ancient Rome, they threw Christians to the lions in the Coliseum for the amusement of the crowd.” He then goes on to explain the utilitarian rationale, “Yes, the Christian suffers excruciating pain as the lion mails and devours him. But think of the collective ecstasy of the cheering spectators packing the Coliseum. If enough Romans derive enough pleasure from the violent spectacle, are there any grounds on which a utilitarian can condemn it? (Sandel also justified the utilitarian belief later on)”

In Justice, Sandel encourages the reader to learn about all ideas of justice to form their own idea of the ‘ideal’ justice, and to then practice and apply to one’s daily life. As a reader you’re under the impression that Sandel has given you an encyclopedia on morality and justice, and it’s your job to envision your own theory. Once you’ve found the right blend of principles, practice using this combination in your daily life. Everyday people are faced with ethical obstacles, and as virtuous people, it is our duty to navigate them as best as we can. After reading Justice you will not only feel well versed in various theories, but you will be able to determine yourself what the right thing to do is.


Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?

Michael J. Sandel

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

2009

269 pages

Philosophy


Creative piece:

I based my creative piece off of John Rawls' theory of "The Veil of Ignorance." His theory is that people cannot choose just principles of society unless every person is equal. In order to make everyone equal people should imagine the hypothetical scenario of "The Veil of Ignorance." "The Veil of Ignorance" would be so that people would not know any information about their religion, health, social status, etc. Therefore no one would be picking principles of justice from a biased standpoint, in turn making society 'just.' This model demonstrates this idea by showing a person who is very biased and what they favor in society vs. a person behind "The Veil of Ignorance" and what they favor. In Rawls' theory, the people who 'look' from behind "The Veil of Ignorance" will pick the 'right' principles.

E11BM1
E11BM1

Mini-Captsone

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Bio-Chem 10 - Sherif - D on

The most interesting project that I completed this entire year was the SFP water filtration and the follow up water filtration experiment in class. 


Inquiry: Before I started these experiments I wanted to know how to filter the river water using biotic filters. The reason I wanted to know this is because half of Philadelphia’s drinking water comes from the Schuylkill River. If we can find out how to improve the water using renewable sources then it will be very time and money efficient. 


Research: For research my partner and I explored plants and their root systems. We did this to understand why and how plants were excellent filters. When researched we found out that plants’ roots absorbed nutrients, phosphates, nitrates, and didn’t add any excess matter. We also researched turbidity levels and the normalcy levels for different water systems. We then looked at pH levels. 


Collaboration: In terms of collaboration I had a partner for the SFP, and then worked with my table group for the in class water filtration. My partner and I worked side by side the entire time together. For the in class experiment, my group all worked on different jobs to make the results come together. We even did the experiment again to retest the results and to add some components. I also collaborated with Mr. Sherif to help with the science behind the experiment. I had a couple of peer editors for my SFP writeup. 


Presentation: For my presentation I made a slideshow for the SFP with my partner. For the in class lab I wrote the data in my lab data book. For the SFP my partner and I also presented it to fellow classmates and scientists. 


Reflection: When I was reflecting I was thinking about the possible errors I made and future modifications. For modifications on my SFP I would use different types of plants for filtration. I would do this because from my research I learned that plants were the most effective natural filters so I would like to find the best plant for the river. 

World History Final Portfolio 2014 Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in World History - Block - B on
FINAL WORDART
FINAL WORDART

When looking back through all of the journal entries I wrote, I reflected on all of the units we learned. Throughout the year I have gained perspective and insight on many topics that delved into our world’s history. Every page of my journal had my thoughts and opinions and it was awesome to rediscover them. One journal in particular had us write down what we thought should be taught in a world history class, or what was worth learning. I came to a conclusion. History does not matter, unless we learn from it. The past shapes people, societies, countries into what they are. If you do not learn from the past however, you will not progress or advance. World History has shown patterns in religion, systems, countries, violence, and culture. 


Across the world religion serves as a structure, identity, and tool of manipulation. People use religion to structure their lives. People also rely on their religion to give them morals, values, and a purpose to their lives. Many people use religion as their identity. People find meaning in their life through religion. When comparing quotes about religion I said, “Religion takes control of people. People act through their veil of religion. You live through your religion. You are your religion. Religion is a tool of power and manipulation.” (Journal #11) Religion is corrupted by people who manipulate it and use it as a tool of power. Individuals put blind faith into their religions and are a pawn in controlling politics and society. Religion in the past has been thought of for more underdeveloped societies, but it is still very prominent in everyone's day to day life. Responding to the idea of less religion equals more advancement I said,“I agree with the statement that theoretically more "advanced" people wouldn't need religion as a source of guidance or faith. When I say advanced I don't necessarily mean intelligence wise. I mean more in almost a sense of mental health. That you can come up with your own morals and values because you have a sense of what the "right" thing to do is instinctually; not because someone/something in your religion is telling you so. That those without religious beliefs can have faith in themselves rather than a god or holy force/power. For example they can believe in themselves that they will get a big promotion and it will be because of their hard work rather than God has answered their prayers and given them the job. Almost like that not having a religion means you're more self assured and confident in your everyday life.” (Battle for God Assignment) Through this world history classes’ teachings the main issue when it comes to religion, is that multiple religions cannot live in harmony. There is never various religious people together without violence. We need to learn how to cope with others’ views as long as they are not hurting others. We need to learn to accept opinions that are not ours. 


Everyone is a part of multiple systems. In every system there are leaders and people in positions of power. In this world history course we studied revolutions and how they impact communities. We looked at how violence changed the outcome of an uprising and studied its effects. We looked at the process of a revolution; how they started, plans of actions, how/and if they ended. One fatal flaw commonly seen across many revolutions was the goal of change. Many sought to   kill or overthrow the leaders of these systems. While the leaders were certainly not contributing positively, the fault lies within the system. The system is corrupt, and you can change the leader however many times you want, but you will only truly succeed when you change the system with the injustices. When studying the French and Haitian revolutions I concluded the unit by saying,“The goal needs to be to change the system, not the leader.” (French & Haitian Written Response)


It is no secret that most of today’s modern societies are money centric. Success and and power are defined by money. Therefore when a country is without money, countries succeeding in our money centric society feel the need to intervene. Transnational companies dominate poor countries and take over their resources and people. When in fact, these ‘poor’ countries were doing just fine. By inserting corrupt values and businesses into these countries we kill their economies and essentially their people. What needs to be learned is that a country that is struggling does not benefit from outside help. In order for a country to succeed it needs to be self sufficient. By depending on other countries for money, it will never be fully independent. In response to learning about countries that are struggling, I said, “One could argue that poor countries need money to survive, but that is only what our money fueled society has spewed at countries who are economically doing terribly. When poor countries allow transnational companies to give them investments, they are sabotaging themselves. Progression in a country has to come from within, and by using outside help, countries become dependent on this outside help and end up creating awful circumstances for their people.” (Auction Follow Up)


Violence is a theme that continually is shown throughout world history. Very few people have fully embraced the nonviolent approach to wrongs. Violence only kills and harms. Normally violence is used in an uprising in a form of protest against the upper hand. The people with the power will not hesitate to use resources against the people who act out in violence in a heartbeat. While looking at colonialism, there were various methods of how to resist being colonized and the nonviolent way proved very helpful in India with Gandhi. Now since some of the world has learned how to peacefully succeed, everyone must continue to learn from this example. When each student had to make a digital revolution, I said, “It is easy to resort to injuring and killing. The fact of the matter is that the people starting the revolution are upset because something is unjust or unequal. The higher power of the revolution, the “bad” guys, will most likely have more resources, so using violence will only raise the number of deaths, and will not change anything.” (Digital Revolution BM)


The entire essence of our beings is ultimately our culture. Our identity is found through our culture; our upbringing. When Europeans colonized many countries they forced their beliefs and government on others, stripping them of who they were. The people being colonized were required to stop praying to their gods, to stop wearing their own clothes, to stop mining their resources. When reflecting I said, “Dead culture = dead people.” (Journal #49)

There were many invaluable lessons that I have learned during the course of this year. I have learned to keep an open mind and to embrace others’ ideas. I learned about the past of our world so that now, and in the future, I can learn from the past and progress. 


 





Revolution Digital Story

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in World History - Block - B on
​ In our tenth grade world history class we have been learning all about revolutions: What causes them? How do they succeed? What methods are used? We explored these questions through many revolutions including the French Revolution and Ukrainian Revolution. For our big quarter assignment, we were tasked with the job of making a digital story about revolutions. For this project we had to explore one specific topic, and make a guide to revolutions. 

I chose to focus on the success of nonviolent revolutions. In the past, and still now, many people believe that violence is effective. I wanted to show people that the peaceful movements are more beneficial. I conducted my research by learning about past revolutions, and also focusing on current ones. Revolutions are inevitable, and it’s very helpful to know how to succeed in them. 

Digital Revolution by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer from Zoe Schwingel-Sauer on Vimeo.

Pipeline Monologue Project - Zoe Schwingel-Sauer & Mali Fenning

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in World History - Block - B on
Part 1: In our world history class these past few weeks we have been learning about the Keystone Pipeline. We have explored the pros and cons both economic and environmental. We spent a good chunk of this unit looking at the opinions on the pipeline. Come project time we created monologues that took a stance on the pipeline or climate. 

Part 2: 
1. The proposed pipeline is 1,179 miles long. (keystone-xl.com)
2. The U.S. consumes 15 million barrels a day. 60% of that oil is imported from other countries. (350.org)
3. The U.S. imports 2.4 million barrels from Canada daily. (350.org)
4. $7 billion proposed pipeline. (keystone-xl.com)
5. September 19, 2008 is when TransCanada first submitted the proposal. (350.org)

Part 3: 

Ben Saunders(Zoe)


(Pacing back and forth in living room/pulling hair looking stressed/squeezing stress ball)


“I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. This could be such a good opportunity but it’s not officially going to happen, yet. Being an assistant for the editor of a newspaper isn’t as glamorous as it might appear. All I do is fetch coffee, copy papers, and answer phone calls. I’m dying in my cubicle every day. I need to get out. I’m trapped and I need to get out. Ever since Kate died nothing’s been the same. She used to make me happy about my job….used to meaning past. I find no joy in what I do now. What would my boss think...Quitting my job as his personal assistant for working on a job that isn’t even secured--what a joke! Ughh. It would be much better pay though. I could pay all of my rent and still have leftovers, wait no daughters, daughters, daughters! How could I forget?! My sole reason for getting a new job is for my girls. Always my girls. Pipeline, right! Think about pros. The biggest one in my mind is keeping oil dependency away from the Middle East. God I hate the Middle East. All Kate ever tried to do was help those people and what happens?!! She ends up never returning home. Right. Moving on. Other pros.  Umm the pay? Well of course that’s a pro geesh. Us Nebraskans would majorly benefit from increased tax revenue. But what about being away from my girls...could I manage? No that’s selfish; would they be okay?  Nannies. I should look into that. The contract for the pipeline is in my bedroom. I miss Kate. She would know what to say. (Pause squeezing stress balls really hard) Why is this even called a stress ball? Is it supposed to relieve it because it sure isn’t helping. It probably induces it. I would go out and buy a different stress toy but this is Nebraska so I highly doubt I’ll find one at the corner store. Uh so uh right the contract. I’ve heard it is bad for the environment? Well erm it’s going to create jobs--jobs that I so desperately need. The environment isn’t the most important thing to consider it’s the people! And the people need jobs. (Pause, in deep thought) I’m going to do it! It’s the right thing for my family! Obama won’t be able to say no to the proposal….it’s for the good of the people afterall, right? Yes, right! I’ll call Roger and quit right away and sign the contract. It’s a done deal. My girls will be so happy. Happy.”




Joannah Luns(Zoe)


(Driving in police car to protest; to contain protesters...excited...talking to partner Rachel)


“Joannah Luns Saves Community from Rowdy Protesters! Tomorrow’s headline I tell ya. Good cop saves the day. Okay so maybe not that exact wording, but how awesome would that be if it actually happened?! Oh come on Rachel don’t act like you don’t want to be in the newspaper as well. No I never said that. I don’t want this job for the attention….I just think it would be nice that’s all. Whatever. You can be pissy all you want. Let’s get out now and go help out.

(Walks to protesting group)

Okay everyone I’m going to need you to listen up. We need to keep this protest calm and violence free. Now I can only do this with your help so I would appreciate cooperation. No need for that language sir. I care about the safety of the people at this moment. Uhhm uhh yeah I mean of course I know about the pipeline; who doesn’t?! Oh you want me to tell you about it? Well you see I really don’t think I’m the right gal for ya! Lemme find you Rachel! RACHEL! No there’s not a problem I just wanted you to help me out over here….Sorry for yelling but you know that’s the only way I could get your attention.

(A man starts talking about pipeline)

You want to talk? Umm I suppose I could sir. Yeah okay just a second. Go on now! Uhh well no sir I didn’t know that. Or that. Um wow 1,179 miles yeah that’s quite a lot. There’s not much I can do sir. $7 billion?!! Sorry sir. Well I-I-I-I’ll try my best sir.

(Walks over to Rachel)

Rach did you hear the man? Well he did mention that tar sands is up to 19% more greenhouse gas intensive than conventional fuel and that it’s nearly impossible to clean up! No I didn’t go soft! I just uh had an emphimy? Well you go listen to them and try to not be affected! 1.5 million people could be affected if there’s a spill Rach. That’s a whole lot of people. No I’m not trying to save the world….but there’s no harm in trying….right? Well okay be a debbie downer. Uh sir? Yeah you. Well if it’s okay with you I’ll sign the petition thingy you’ve got there. Yes the one about preventing the pipeline, what other one would I be talking about? Sorry that was a little snappy. Can I try to get the entire station to sign?...that’s a pretty big task. No worries I’ll still give it ago. You have a good day, too sir. Good luck!”




Native American Man(Mali)

(Sits with his family outside at a picnic table talking with his family when his son mentions the Keystone XL pipeline)

“Well Ryan the government will never end their constant picking on the oppressed, repressed or depressed. Yes we are certainly the oppressed. No one cares about the Natives they never have and they probably never will. You don’t think we are the oppressed? Well then tell me why the government wants to build a pipeline through our land? We cannot turn the other cheek any longer; we must act. We are just as American, no even more American than any of those white folks. And these white men want to dig in our land and destroy it for what... oil.” (son starts to speak but he cuts her off) “No son, the only way to get tar sands oil is by destroying our land... our earth. And for some reason our president is not understanding that and that my family is why we have to take a stand. I would walk and march for days if it meant that my ancestors land would not be destroyed. (louder and angry) And I refuse for any more of our ancestors land that they natured and lived on to be striped away from them.” “ Because family look to your left, look at that fresh water flowing in that creek. (points to left) That water would no longer be the pure water we swim in in the summer. It would be the tar sands water.  (sad but still has passion in his voice) And I can’t... I just cannot deal with that. After today, I will be going to Washington D.C. and I will be one of those thousands protesting and risking arrest.” (answers to wife) “Yes I know it is dangerous –– but I won’t be there alone. There are thousands of people that feel the same way I do. The same way we do, and the president has to listen to his people. Because the last time I checked this is America, which is apparently the home of the brave.  Our history as Indians is traditional and conservative; I will not fight the government, but I will stand for I believe in. And I hope family you will join me.”





Sasha Obama(Mali)



(Walks into lobby and starts to talk to her father’s secretary Anita Decker)



“Hey Ms. Anita.” “Oh what? No nothing nothings wrong. Just a long day thats all. I mean you know how school is.” (hoping to dodge the question) “You don’t know how school is? Well didn’t you go when you were a kid? I mean your experience probably wasn’t that much different from mine. I mean just because my dad is… well you know who he is... doesn’t mean my school experience is somehow magically and crazily different from yours.” “ But anyway thats not important. I had a great history class today. It was quite controversial actually. It was about those pipelines. . .You know, Keystone XL its called I think. Have you ever heard of it? ”  “Yeah I know he talks about them a lot; that’s why I was thinking of talking to him” “Well you know they can be quite detrimental to the environment, and climate change, did you know it is predicted to spill every seven years and ––” (talking faster and a little louder) “Well actually predictions do mean something. Predictions could show life or death. I mean all those people that stood in front of this house. Did you know there was 1253? That’s 1253 people that believe those predictions Anita, and thats a lot of people. Don’t you think?” “And I think those people are right and I think those people are brave!” “And Ms. Anita, didn’t you know that the pipeline would probably kill more jobs than make jobs?” “Where did I learn this? Well my history teacher and and the Internet. You know theres a lot of environmental websites out there and they are really great actually!” (quieter)“ Well yeah, I know its all up to my father. But – Yes Ms. Anita I know he has a lot of thinking to do. Yes Yes I know I’m young, but that doesn’t mean I can’t understand.” “Do you know when he will be finished with meeting?” “Soon... ok.. I’ll just tell him exactly what I just told you and he’ll understand right?” “I think he will.” (The presidents office door opens) “Oh hi Daddy.”



William Peterson(Mali & Zoe)


(Grandfather sits in living room in a large chair staring at a old picture of his grandson/talking to grandson)


“Yes Rob I realize how much this matters to you. I get that you’re into all this environmental stuff. Yes stuff I don’t know all the tree hugging activities you do. Yes it is Rob. I mean it’s true….Well I don’t know what else you want me to call you. Oh you want me to call you an environmentalist hunh? Well thats just too long and I mean what even is that anyway, Robby? Uh-huh ok. Yup sure. Just listen, I’m trying to sympathize with you but it’s pretty much impossible! You’re only thinking of yourself. It’s not that I don’t want to understand, it’s just that I can’t. The benefits of this pipeline would majorly outweigh the cons. Our economy would vastly improve but I guess you wouldn’t know that because you majored in environmental-whatever. The pipeline won’t leak and damage waterways Rob. This is a safe way to go about it. It is the RIGHT way to go about it. Our family has been involved with oil drilling companies for generations! Sorry if I find it a little hard to understand why you’ve suddenly changed. Oh come on now, it was suddenly! Last I remember you couldn’t stop talking about how much fun drilling oil will be. Yes you got a degree in environmentalism, but you also wasted tons and tons of money Rob! The job that has been in our family for years doesn’t make you lose money; you GAIN money. Do you even have a job? Being a leader of protests is not what I meant and you know it. What did I mean?!! Are you serious??!! I meant a PAYING job! One where you have a steady income to support your family! Or did you forget all about your wife and son? Emily cannot support your entire family, that’s just not right. Rob you wanna know what I’m looking at right now? Yup thats right, the picture when we visited the White House together when you were only five. What happened to that little boy Rob? Oh you grew up? Well thats not what I’m seeing lately. I miss the old Rob. I gotta go. I’ll talk to ya later bud… (hangs up phone and puts picture back on mantel. Rest his head in the palms of his hands)      



Joannah Luns from Zoe Schwingel-Sauer on Vimeo.

Element Project- Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Art - Freshman - Hull on
inquiry: For inquiry I had to ask questions along the lines of what is neon found in? How can I portray neon in a unique way? What are some facts about neon that could be important to my design?

research: For research I basically found out what type of element neon was and the different objects it was used it. For my print it shows cryogenic refrigeration; which neon is used in.

collaboration: Collaborating for this project involved asking fellow peers their opinions on my design and getting advice on how to carve the linoleum. I collaborated with peers on matting my prints; the best way to get it perfectly even and centered.

presentation: Presenting my final project involved posting a picture and reflection on SLATE. It makes my design available to anyone who wishes to see it and shows what I have created during my final quarter of art.


reflection: I have reflected quite a bit on this project because during the project I had to focus on negative space a lot and at times messed up so I had to redo certain parts until I got it right. Negative space really enhances this print and makes it stand out. My piece was more focused on the negative space rather than the intricate detail because I felt that it gave the piece a more interesting look.  
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photo 1

Negative Space

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Art - Freshman - Hull on
a. Negative space: Let's say you have a picture of a chair with a red background. Negative space is everything that is not the actual drawing of the chair. It is the background; all the red. 
b. I found the negative space by starting with the half of a tree. Within the tree there were certain shapes you needed to cut out. What I did was take the parts I had cut out of the tree shape and lay them opposite of the original cut out. This made it look like on one side there was a hollow tree and on the other was the missing piece of the tree. Then I took 2 pieces of paper and laid half of the pieces on 1 sheet of paper and half on the other. Then I cut out all the pieces and kept all of them so when I put the pieces together it would reflect the opposite. In my still life drawings I just outlined the object and shaded in the negative space, as that was the easiest and best outcome. 
c. It helps artists to see a negative space because it can achieve balance and symmetry in a design. It makes the artist look at the picture as a whole; not just focusing on the single object.
d. Seeing negative space does enhance drawings because it gives you depth and perception of the entire drawing. It balances out the picture more and makes it more precise. 
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The Fault in Our Stars Review

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 1 - Dunn on

For my independent book I choose to read the critically acclaimed The Fault in Our Stars. This fantastic piece of literature was written by John Green. John Green has won the Michael L. Printz Award, has had a book make it onto Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults, and has written five books and counting. The Fault in Our Stars is currently being made into a movie. This particular book was #1 on New York Times bestseller list.

This book tells the journey of Hazel Grace and Augustus. While it is a story of young love, it is not your typical love story. The reason these two teens meet is because of a cancer support group that Hazel attends weekly. One time she happens to meet Augustus and their relationship blossoms from there. An Imperial Affliction is a peculiar book that Hazel Grace re-reads constantly and feels that she can relate to completely. She considers the author her third best friend, yet she has never met him, but she has many unanswered questions about the book. Hazel Grace and Augustus bond over this book and it ultimately brings them even closer. The two main characters of this book are Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. Hazel Grace is a 16 year old who has cancer; more specifically thyroid with mets in her lungs. Up until she meets Augustus a normal day for her consists of either sleeping late or taking her courses, watching reruns of America’s Next Top Model, and thinking of death constantly (which she says is a side effect of having cancer which is a side effect of dying). She’s not too optimistic about life and tends to only interact with her parents. Augustus on the other hand is dashingly handsome and very charismatic, even though in the past he has suffered from cancer. In Hazel’s words “His every syllable flirted.” Augustus’s adventurous spirit really brings Hazel out of her shell. The main conflict in the story is cancer vs. cancer patients. Throughout the story it shows the struggles people go through and the toll it can have on a relationship. My favorite character in this story would definitely be Augustus. The reason to why he is my favorite character is that I feel that he brings out the best in Hazel and makes the story interesting. I feel that everyone wants their very own Augustus Waters because he seems almost too perfect. Hazel is not a very lively person but it’s like Augustus gives her a real taste of life. Augustus is charming and gallant; what’s not to like? I’m pretty sure John Green intended for all readers to fall in love with not only the book but the characters, too. I feel that readers should take a few ideas from this book. The most important idea is to go out and enjoy life. No matter what your situation is, don’t stay cooped up in your house with a negative attitude. If you think nothing will ever improve, well then that is what is going to happen! Hazel starts out all mopey and sad, but then she takes a leap of faith with Augustus and her life gets 1,000,000 times better. This advice should be given to everyone because it applies to everyday life and can really determine if you’re happy or not.

I feel that I can relate to some of the characters during this book with emotions. Hazel constantly talks about how she is a side effect of life and feels misplaced. While I cannot say I have cancer I can relate to feeling outcast and misplaced. I think it’s something that most teenagers go through, and I’ve definitely been there and done that. I have also been in a bad mood and moped around my house like Hazel in the beginning of the book. I would say I also relate to Augustus in the way that when I see a friend that’s bummed out I try to get them to have fun and enjoy themselves.

I absolutely love this book! I feel that you get a unique point of view from Hazel as she tells a life that seems to have its downsides but she makes it worth living. I enjoy how it tells the story of Hazel but inside that is the story of Hazel and Augustus. I think that the passionate love that Hazel and Augustus share is a feeling that everyone wants and is searching for so when we read about it, it makes the book even better. The characters are very detailed and are so complex that they could actually be real people! The main characters are the type of people who everyone would want as their best friend (or boyfriend), and you really get a feel for who they are. The main strengths of this book are the characters, love story, and the genuity. As I said before, the characters have very rich details and you get the feel that they were based off real people. The love story between Augustus and Hazel is very captivating and I couldn't put my book down. I feel that the book is very genuine in the sense that you feel that this story could have really happened. The characters are always rational, the plot has its twists and not everything is a happy ending. I don’t feel that there are any weaknesses within the book. There might be a few tidbits that I would change, but I don’t feel that anything takes away from the book. A small change I would make is giving Augustus a voice. While I find Hazel’s point of view both entertaining and insightful I would really like to know what’s going on in Augustus’s head.

I would most definitely recommend this book to another person. Not just one specific person either, I feel that everyone who reads this book will thoroughly appreciate it. This book is a love story coupled with tragedy which leaves a bittersweet taste in your mouth after reading. This book is one of a kind yet it suits all who read it. If you see this book it is in your best interest to pick it up and read it!


Vocabulary from the book:

  • hamartia: tragic flaw          

  • dysmorphia: malformation; an abnormality in the shape or size of a body part    

  • sobriquet: a nickname

  • coterie: a group of people who associate closely, an exclusive group; clique

  • nihilism: nothingness or nonexistence... an extreme form of skepticism: the denial of all real existence or possibility of objective basis for truth



    My creative portion of this project was creating a "medicine" called Life. Hazel is constantly talking about how she is a side effect of life. Inside the box are society's idea of perfection; Nina Dobrev, Scarlett Johansson, and Blake Lively. On the back of the "medicine" it shows the sides effects which are Hazel and Augustus with their additions that are necessary for them to live. Below the side effects are the items "no longer available." These items are the people that were listed to be dead at the meeting where Augustus and Hazel first met.


           
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¡Es la casa de sus sueños! La casa para Don Marcos. Zoe y Joe.

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on

Se llama Don Marcos. Tiene cuarenta años. Colores favoritos son negro, pardo, y rojo. Tiene un perro en la ciudad. Deportes favoritos son básquetbol y natación . Don Marcos es profesor y muy sociable. Le gusta ver películas. En su tiempo libre le gusta cocinar y ir de compras.


Está casa en el centro de Miami, Florida. Está cerca un parque, el transporte público, un banco, y una playa. Su casa enorme, moderna, un solo piso. Hay tres cuartos, tres baños y una piscina. Con vistas de ocèano. Su casa es muy elegante, bonita, especial, bastante hermosa y de lujo.


  • En el garaje hay un bici y moto

  • En el cuarto grande hay una cama, un enorme guardarropa, una cama de perro, un tele, una mesa, una puerta, y un espejo.  

  • En el cuarto numero dos hay dos camas, un espejo, y una guardarropa.

  • En el cuarto numero tres hay una cama, un tele, y una guardarropa.

  • En el comedor hay una mesa y cuatro sillas.

  • En el baño grande hay una ducha, un inodoro, un lavamanos, y un espejo.

  • En el baño numero dos hay un lavamanos, un espejo, y un inodoro.

  • En la sala hay una sofá, un tele, dos sillas, una mesa, dos ventana.

  • En la cocina hay un fregadero, un lavaplatos, un horno, una nevera  y una estufa

  • En el jardín hay una casa de perro, una piscina, una casa de piscina, muchas flores, y muchas plantas bonitas.

  • En la casa de piscina hay un baño

    Sólo cuesta: $850,000.00
    Diseñado por Zoe y Joe.
    Teléfono: (1-800-MODERNO)
garaje
garaje
cuarto1
cuarto1
cuarto2
cuarto2
cuarto3
cuarto3
comedor
comedor
el bano
el bano
el bano2
el bano2
sala
sala
cocina
cocina
jardin
jardin
bey
bey

YATW Blog Post 3 Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 1 - Dunn on
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Food labeling is my game and Zoe is my name. If you’ve been following my previous two blog posts (which will be listed below just in case you haven’t) you will know that for my You and the World project done in my 9th grade english class I have been researching all about food labeling. I think that it is now a hot topic of this year especially in the United States. More and more people are becoming aware of this prominent issue and protesting against it. I believe that within the next couple of years some major changes will be made!

For my You and the World agent of change I decided to help those who wanted to shop for organic and GMO free food. For my agent of change I made a pamphlet on exactly how to shop for these items and also gave a little information to educate more people on the subject of food labeling and what is actually in your food (disclaimer: it is gross). I made these pamphlets and then decided I needed to hang them up someplace I knew that people would have easy access to. I live in Mt. Airy and also just so happen to be right around the corner from the Weaver’s Way Co-op. This little mini-grocery store has strictly organic and locally grown food products which made it a perfect match for where to put up my pamphlets. Right outside the Co-op, protected from the rain, is a huge bulletin board where anyone can hang up anything from house listings to babysitting advertisements. I pinned up quite a few of my pamphlets and plan to replenish them as needed!

The process of my You and the World had it’s ups and downs but eventually everything worked out nicely. When it came to choosing a topic for my You and the World project I had originally gone with gay rights. However I realized that there were also three other people with that same topic, too, so I felt that it would get all the attention it needed without my help! While in 8th grade I had read the book The Omnivore’s Dilemma and watched Food Inc. I became acutely aware of how terrible this affair is. As I was pondering over what my topic of choice should be, I remembered what I had learned the previous year. At the time I knew that the issue of labeling food had not been recognized as big deal because it was (and still is) perfectly legal for companies not to include the antibiotics or GMOs the put in the product on the label. I knew I had found my topic! For blog post 1 I did a lot of research on what was currently happening with the government’s involvement and what was happening on a national level. For blog post 2 I did my individual research which consisted of my going out and buying organic and ‘natural’ peas and comparing them. I also talked about success stories of a store and restaurant that had gone all organic and local. When it came to deciding what my agent of change should be I knew that I wanted to make others aware of my subject while also helping them find food that had no GMOs and was all organic. I also knew that I wanted to make my finished agent of change available to everyone. Originally I had thrown around the idea of putting an ad in the Weaver’s Way newspaper but that costed money, so I decided to make a pamphlet that was easy to understand and convenient to just stick in your purse or shopping bag.

This project has definitely left an impact on not only me, but I believe my

community, too. I had a little previous background knowledge on the topic of food

labeling and the food industry but with this project I did a lot of in depth research and

definitely grew more knowledgeable about the entire food industry and what’s

happening in relation to our country. I used to occasionally eat at a fast food

restaurant when I was on the road traveling with my family but not just the idea of the

food repulses me. Fun fact: Chicken McNuggets from McDonald’s are sprayed with

0.2% of Tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), which is a chemical that if consume 5

grams is proven to be fatal. I feel that my project has had an impact on two

communities. One, my internet community as I have shared the link to my blogs with

my fellow peers, and multiple people have told me how much they learned. My second

community (my physical one), Mt. Airy, has been impacted by my pamphlets that I will

continue to hang up and give out to anyone who wants to know more about what they

eat and where/how to get the “good” food. I feel that I can take a leading role in my

community by helping out in the numerous organizations surrounding me and by also

providing the community with my own creations like my pamphlets. I also think that I’d

like to collaborate with those around me, especially the youth in my neighborhood,

because I feel that we as a group have a powerful voice. I will take away from this

project the learning of my topic in general but also how everyone can make an impact

big or small in this world and that all or important. I know that creating my pamphlets

won’t solve all the food labeling issues in the country but it’s a step forward by

educating people on it and helping them eat right.  


Blog Post 1

Blog Post 2

Annotated Bibliography

Video Proof!

Below is a documentation of my process of making and putting up pamphlets!

Photo captions:
1. The pamphlet so everyone can have access to it!
2. Myself standing next to the pinned pamphlet.
3. The Weaver's Way Co-op sign.
4. My pamphlet on the bulletin board.
5. The first printed copy of my pamphlet.
YAWT PAMPHLET PDF
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Final Perspective Drawing

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Art - Freshman - Hull on
a. One thing that I specifically learned was that all the objects in my final drawing are made up of little rectangles. For each item I had to draw, the base of the item started with drawing little rectangles. Also, in order to make something 3D you add more small rectangles. Before this project I looked more at the lines, than the actual shape I was making, but now I know that it's ALL rectangles. 

b. This learning about the whole concept of starting from rectangles really helped my drawing out. Instead of making random lines, I knew I had to start with a rectangle. This made drawing everything much easier. I could more easily create my objects, and also tell if I was doing something wrong!

c. If I had the chance to do this project over again I would make my back wall bigger. When I look at my drawing as a finished product, the back wall is so tiny, that some things were squeezed in and I could've made it more proportionate if I had had more room!

d. My two major pieces of advise that I would give to someone who has never drawn in one point perspective is to 1) start every object with a rectangle, and then add more rectangles to make it 3D. 2) Measure EVERYTHING. It's crucial to have straight lines in your drawing and if even one thing is off, it can mess everything else up. For every line I had to draw I would measure a distance on one side, and then measure the distance on the opposite sides, and then connect the dots!

e. The resource that helped me the most was Mrs. Hull's drawing guide. It gave you the basics, so that you weren't lost on what to do, but it let you figure out the details which made you really think (and erase a lot). It was super helpful going step by step in the guide, because I could reference the pictures, while making my own! 
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Greed Will Be Your Downfall-Creative Portion Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 1 - Dunn on
​ This project was the creative extension of my quote analysis of Lady Macbeth; 

In the beginning of the book Lady Macbeth is a greedy and manipulative character, however after Duncan is killed, guilt eats away at her heart as she becomes fragile and depressed. This project shows that greed is the downfall of Lady Macbeth.



My process during this portion of the project was all about using the art supplies and the utilities available to me. I started with painting my hands red and the stamping "bloody" handprints across the poster board as my background. I then took five separate pieces of blank paper and for each paper I had a quote that was the inspiration for it. For every piece of paper I did a collage of pictures that showed Lady Macbeth's personality and mindset at the time. 

One difficulty I encountered during this project was deciding what to put on each piece of paper that related to the quotes. Lady Macbeth is very complex and for most collages I couldn't just put one picture in it. I found it somewhat difficult to decide what exact items to draw or paint onto the paper. In the end I decided to put what I felt most represented Lady Macbeth and look at some of the interactions with Macbeth.

On this project I am most proud of my final product, and more specifically my collages that relate to each quote. I spent a long time on each collage deciding what exactly to put into it, and then executing it. I really enjoy painting, but to me I have to be really precise to be happy with my work, so it took me awhile to get it how I like, but I am really proud of my end product. 

If I had the chance to redo my project, I think the only thing I would change is get a bigger poster board so I could have bigger collages to show more aspects of Lady Macbeth given the certain quote. I say this because since Lady Macbeth has so much depth to her character it would've been nice to include a little more. 

I didn't get to see a lot of my colleagues' presentations, but from the ones I did see I learned that there are many ways you can interpret the quotes and put it into your own creative project. Everyone's projects reflected who they were in a certain way by showing what creative art form they used. I also saw the transition much clearer from different points of views. 

I learned that when I do creative projects I really like to combine multiple art forms to get (in my opinion) a better end piece. I didn't just use paint, I used paint, pastels, magazine clippings, my hands, and pencils. I also learned that I don't just like to give the "big picture" of a quote, I also like to show the little things that give the character more depth. 


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Benchmark Reflection Zoe

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Geometry - Thompson on
​How does this project relate to the real world?

This project relates to the real world with architecture and engineering. When you can't measure something directly, you can use triangle similarity to give you accurate measurements. This is very crucial to helping measure buildings or walls to help construct things for houses or other buildings. Also if you have an unknown measurement you can use triangle similarity to give you exact calculations. This can help us with when we might want to build a house in the future or when we want to have just basic measurements of our room. It is in general just an easy way to get a good understanding of triangles in everyday life, like buildings and relations. 

- 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 part of this project was going out and measuring the building sides. It was exciting being able to make accurate calculations based upon triangle similarity. Before this project, I had no clue that you could measure buildings accurately by using triangles. I think it was also a challenge for our group to measure each of the sides due to construction and the playground, but it was an interesting challenge. The least exciting portion of this project was making the changes. I felt this way because we already had to know the area and perimeter measurements so I feel it didn't really add on to the project and that it was just more work to do, because our main focus was on the scaling of the building and all of our other calculations.

What did you learn from completing this project?

I learned a lot from completing this project. The main thing I learned about was how I can use triangle similarity to measure buildings. And even though my group only used the mirror method, it's very interesting that you can use multiple methods and still get around the same answer. I also learned to manage my time better. I wasn't fully aware of the due date which made the last couple of days really rushed with work and I had a lot of work to do. Also it's very important to communicate well with your group members or else you won't get the task done. 
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E1 U4 Banda C Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
Me llamo Zoe. Tengo quince años. Soy de estudiante de Science Leadership Academy. Está en Filadelfia. Está cerca de The Franklin Institute. La escuela es muy divertida, pequena, y extraña. Hay veintiseis profesores y quinientos estudiantes y cinco pisos. Tenemos suerte porque el estudiantes tengo proyectos. Tenemos sociables, trabajador, cómicos, y talentosos.Tenemos fútbol, frisbee, beisból, y baloncesto. Participo en fútbol y frisbee porque  bastante divertido y muy amigos.

Mis clases son historia, inglés, bioquímica, geometría, arte, teatro, tecnología, español, y almuerzo. Mi clases de favoritas son inglés y historia porque muy divertida. No me gusta mucho bioquímica y geometría porque es increiblemente aburrida. Historia es requerido unos lápices, la computadora, y la mochila. Para tener éxito  en esta clase inglés  hacer la tarea, tomar apuntes, y participar. Para tener éxito en esta clases trabajar duro y tomar apuntes. Necesitamos unas plumas, un libro, y mi computadora en la clase de historia. Tenemos que una calculadora, unos lápices, una carpeta, y unas hojas de papel en la clase de geometría. Es increiblemente importante trabajar duro, prestar atención, y particpar.
            
Mis favoritas profesores son El Señor Beckford, El Señor Kay, La Señora Dunn, y La Señora Hull. El Señor Beckford enseña historia. Ello es simpático, inteligente, y fuerte. Ello es africano-americano. Le gusta palomites de de maíz y elaborar. No le gusta nada habladores estudiantes. El Señor Beckford es mi favorito profesor. Historia es muy divertida. Ello es súper cómico y requeridos los estudiantes son participar en actividads. El Señor Kay enseña teatro. Ello es extraño y bobo. Le gusta practicar deportes y relajar. No le gusta aburridos estudiantes. Teatro es bien creativo y divertido. Profesor Kay es hablador y trabajador. La Señora Dunn enseña inglés. Ella es bastante simpática, bonita, y sociable. Le gusta leer y escribir. La Señora Hull enseña tecnología. Ella es seria y trabajadora. Tecnología es siempre interesante.

Me encanta Science Leadership Academy. Me gusta profesores y estudiantes y como sí fuera poco me gusta las clases. Lo que más me gusta de SLA es increíblemente personas. SLA es bastante divertida, perfecto, y creativa. Estudiantes de SLA son muy contento.






E1 U4 Nos Gustamos SLA from Miles Cruice-Barnett on Vimeo.

You and the World Blogpost 2 by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 1 - Dunn on
​

Lately in the news there has been a major uproar about the food industry. In Washington D.C. there is a bill that is trying to be passed that would force food companies to put on the package label if the food product had any trace of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). This is very similar to the bill that was attempted in California, but failed. People all across the country are starting to come together and protest for food labeling! In my first blog post I talked about GMOs and their effect. In this blog post I will be talking about how businesses are successful without using GMOs, but using natural ingredients.


While I was on break recently, I was in Massachusetts. There I went to a restaurant with my family that was called The Farm Table. I had been there once before and had learned a lot about their ingredients and attitude on food in general. All of their ingredients are 100% natural with no GMOs, antibiotics, or added hormones. Also, almost all of their food is grown or raised locally. Since fast food restaurants are so successful, there is doubt that organic restaurants will make a good profit. The Farm Table has had a major triumph with their opening and is continuing to have a constant flow of customers. Next to The Farm Table is a candle store and a Christmas store. All these profits go to to the owner(s) of The Farm Table.


Another success story of going all organic is the Weaver’s Way Co-op. One of their current locations is just around the corner from my house! Weaver’s Way is basically a mini grocery store that sells local and natural food products. The farms that provide the vegetables are very close in distance. One of the farms is even a high school! They have three different stores. What keeps people coming back for more? There are various reasons! Weaver’s Way has many loyal customers.  The stores has a wide variety of organic products. While these items tend to be a bit more expensive than non-organic items, they have the same taste (even better if you ask me), and are way healthier for you! People who live within the vicinity of the co-ops can pay a certain fee, and then OWN a part of the co-op! The owners of the co-ops are the community! The community comes together and collaborates on all kinds of decisions! These co-ops are role models for the food industry, and are the future.

Fast food = Cheap vs. Organic food = Expensive

Which is really more expensive?


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Above is a picture showing a dollar meal menu from McDonalds. (source)

 One of the main reasons that so many people buy fast food over organic food or even just fruit or vegetables is because of the cost. At McDonald’s you can buy an entire meal for about two or three dollars. At pretty much any store two or three dollars could get you two, maybe three apples. When it comes to mealtime, parents will spend only a little bit of their money on a decent sized meal, rather than spend the same amount on only a few pieces of fruits or vegetables. When you’re comparing the prices, getting fast food seems cheaper, but is it really? In the long run, you will actually have to pay more money in a result from eating fast food compared to eating healthily. How is this possible? McDonald’s while cheaper, is incredibly unhealthy for you. Eating McDonald’s every day or even every week will most likely result in a health condition, probably diabetes. (here is a game to see if you know what's in you food!) Paying for medicinal supplements every month is much more money than paying the extra dollars for a healthy meal. In general, people are “in the moment” thinkers. We don’t always contemplate what will happen in the future when we make a decision, nor do we always care. With food I strongly urge everyone to think about the long term consequences. If you pay the extra money now for the healthy food, later you won’t have to pay the overbearing amount of bills for medicine. To retouch on an earlier topic, the reason that fast food is so immensely unhealthy for you is because of the GMOs that are in the food, hormones and antibiotics given to animals, and that these products are never organic or natural. They get shipped in from all over the country!

Individual Research: Organic Peas vs. Natural Peas (False Advertisement)

To further my research on my topic, I bought a bag of organic peas and a bag of “natural” peas. Many companies will put on the food label that their product is “all natural.” A lot of people mistake natural for organic, however there is a difference. Organic products do not allow GMOs, antibiotics, and hormones. Natural products allow all of these things! While the ingredients look the same, there are MAJOR differences. On the back of the organic peas it said that these peas were certified by Washington State Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Above is an original picture showing the back of an organic pea bag (the certification)

This proves that the product has been tested and has come back with no results or traces of GMOs, hormones, or antibiotics. On the natural peas, there were only the main ingredients and no certification! It is false advertisement saying that a food product is “natural.” During my research I have gone to a couple of grocery stores, and compared the organic to the natural over and over again. Next time when you’re looking for let’s say GMO free food, always go for organic!
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Above is an original picture the back of the organic pea bag (left) and natural pea bag (right) 


For my project to make a change, I am creating a "How-to-Shop" pamphlet on how to find organic foods that have good flavor, quality, and aren't too expensive. I will be putting these pamphlets around school and my neighborhood for anyone to use!

 
Here is my Bibliography.
Here is blogpost 1.
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Mis Seres Queridos

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer on
Intro: ¡Hola! Bienvenidos a mi video!

Yo: Mi nombre es Zoe. Yo soy muy alta y bastante deportista. Soy de Filadelfia. Tengo el pelo rojo. Mi cumpleaños es el veintinueve de septiembre. Cuando tengo tiempre libre me gusta ir al cine. Me encanta pasar un rato con amigos y comer. No me gusta nada ayudar en casa. Tengo un hermana.

Ella: Su nombre es Emma. Es mi hermana. Ella es increiblimente alta y bonita. Es bien intelligente. Tiene dos gatos. Le encanta fútbol. Le gusta escribir.  Le fascina leer. No le gusta nada ir a la escuela. La quiero porque es importante para mi.

Ellos: Sus nombres Alejandro y Dylan y Nashay. Ellos son divertidos y siempre habladores. Son hermosos. Tienen los ojos marrones y el pelo moreno excepto Dylan. Les encanta comer. Les gusta escuchar música y el vierno. No les gusta nada estudiar. Me caen bien porque ellos son buenisimo amigos.

Ellas: Sus nombres Lizzie y Jackie y Amanda y Allison. Son guapos y como si fuera poco son simpáticas. Son muy sociables. Tienen nunca ganas de estudiar. Les gusta chicos. Les encanta One Direction. No les gusta nada trabajar. Me encanta porque ellas geniales.

Nosotros: Nos nombres Lizzie y Julian y Aaron y Zoe. Somos atractivos. Nosotros somos cómicos. Tenemos suerte. Les encanta bailar. No les gusta nada ayudar en casa. Nos llevamos bien porque somos divertidos.

Conclusion: ¡Adios! Gracias por ver mi proyecto.







https://vimeo.com/home/myvideos

Book Review of Defiance - Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer on
Zoe Schwingel-Sauer

With all these numerous and various books in the world, it is hard to find one that you cannot put down and are fond of. Defiance by C. J. Redwine happens to be one of the few books that has those qualities. This book is fairly new and was published in 2012, so it does not have any awards, yet. Although the book does have countless fantastic reviews that come from highly praised writers and newspapers. The main characters Rachel the protagonist, Logan the love interest and companion, and The Commander the evil ruler are in for a long and wild ride. In the enclosed city Baalboden, a ruthless leader known as The Commander uses manipulation and violence to keep control. His best tracker, Jared, who has ventured passed the Wall into the Wasteland, has yet to return. He is proclaimed dead. Jared’s daughter, Rachel, is certain that he is still alive in the Wasteland. She plans to go seek him out and bring him back along with the companionship of Logan. Logan, the man she confessed her love for and got rejected. The Commander discovers her plan and forces her upon a quest to retrieve her father and the notorious package that every city is after. The story is all about the challenges Rachel and Logan overcome to find Jared, the package, and each other.

Over the entire span of Defiance there are various themes that people can take from the book. The main themes that I took from this book are love, revenge, and discovering the good versus evil in yourself. Obviously there is an ongoing romance that plays a huge role in all the decisions that many of the characters make. Also, Rachel’s love for her father, Jared, drives her to keep looking for him and the package. Her love for her father gives her the idea that revenge in the only way to commemorate his death. In Defiance, revenge is always a motive of the characters. Rachel wants to exact her vengeance on The Commander for hurting Logan and for the death of Jared, which she blames on him. The Commander beat Logan’s mother to death, and Logan has been after him ever since. There is a constant battle for Rachel of the being good and being what she thinks is evil. Since Rachel is the protagonist we’re made to assume that she is the “good guy.” However in the story she has some evils within that make her “goodness” debatable. I think she really struggles with good and evil and her deciding what she really thinks of herself.


All of the characters in Defiance are complex and have many layers to their personalities, but my favorite one would have to be  Logan. I enjoy Logan as a character the most, because he is what a lot of people aspire to be. He always puts others before him. Logan also is a very intelligent guy who can pretty much think his way out of everything. Throughout the entire story he never gives up. Even when Logan is trapped in a dungeon with broken ribs, bruises, and little food, he manages to escape to the Wasteland. I can relate to multiple characters in Defiance, but one character that really speaks to me is Logan. He tends to over think everything. His over thinking results in him creating the worst case scenarios. I tend to do the exact same thing. I definitely over think most situations and end up thinking the worst. I have felt and done some of the things that Logan has, too. When he was locked in the dungeon, he had this determination that he used to escape and refused to give up. And while I have never been trapped in a dungeon, I do know what it feels to be so determined that giving up isn’t even an option.


I find Defiance to be a well written book full of romance, drama, and adventure. I happen to appreciate these qualities in a story, so I enjoyed it very much. Both Rachel and Logan narrate the book which I really love. It gives you both of their perspectives and because they’re such different people, it really gives you a lot of insight. Also instead of just knowing what’s happening to one character the entire book, which can honestly get quite boring, you get to know what is happening to two different people. This enriches the book and gives it more depth. I feel that this book possesses an assortment of strengths and weaknesses. The strengths within the book are the narration, the characters, and the plot. The narration as I explained above is told from both Rachel and Logan’s point of view which gives a more detailed story overall. The characters are all very different people. They change throughout the book, and you see their development. You also really get to know them. C. J. Redwine gives the reader a ton of knowledge about the characters and shows the range of their emotions and actions. The plot is very strong. While it resembles quite a few other plots about romance and adventure, it is also unique, and gives you an interesting read. The biggest weakness in this book is that it is too long. I feel that the author strung out the first half of the book for way too long. The main action takes place after Rachel has escaped to the Wasteland, but that is in the second half of the book. Redwine makes the pre-escape too drawn-out. Overall a very strong book. If I had the opportunity of changing a part of the book, I would take out all the unnecessary chapters about the planning of Rachel and Logan’s escape. I would do this because Redwine goes on and on about the the planning of them disappearing, and it becomes kind of dull.


I would recommend this book to someone who enjoyed adventure coupled with a good love story. There is adventure in almost every single part of the book. The story is full of excitement and thrill, which makes it hard to put down once you’ve started it. The romance in Defiance goes through its ups and downs. The love story of Rachel and Logan started before the book, when Rachel was 15. She offered her heart to Logan and he rejected it. Ever since, she has avoided him. That is until Jared’s disappearance. Their love is ultimately the only thing that keeps them going on a daily basis, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them during the book.


Adivina

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
Tiene los ojos azules. Tiene el pelo largo y moreno. Le gusta fútbol. Tiene uno mayor hermana. No le gusta ir a la escuela. Le gusta nadar. No le gusta cantar. 

1) Zooey Deschanel
2) Emma Schwingel-Sauer
3) Allison Kelly
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All About Me Slide!

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Technology- Freshmen - Hull on


In my computer science class at Science Leadership Academy, we are learning about slide design. The basic question you should ask yourself is “How do I make this slide memorable, while making it simple?” Throughout my learning experience and experiments with slide design, I found that less is more. For this project, we had to create one slide that was about us. I read some helpful advice on slide design, and tried to make my slide as appealing as possible.

For all the decisions I made on my slide, there was reasoning behind it. My entire goal for my slide was to keep it simple, yet effective. The reason I used a black background and white font for both “Zoe”s was because I wanted there to be contrast, but not make it overwhelming to the eye. I made both “Zoe”s with a font of 288 because I wanted the font to be huge and eye catching. I choose to have the font huge because I didn’t want to have too many words that were boring and useless. For both of the “Zoe”s I made them bleed off the slide just a little bit to make the eyes wander. It also makes the words look bigger than they are. I choose to have two “Zoe”s because everyone loves to see repetition! It draws the viewer’s eyes in and makes them remember it! I choose to put a statement in the bottom right corner. I choose this for two different reasons. Firstly, I do not want the viewer to be overwhelmed with too many words everywhere, so I left breathing room within the slide. Secondly, I put it in the bottom right corner so it would apply to the rule of thirds. You don’t want two items to be right next to each other because it makes the slide crowded and makes people uncomfortable. I choose the rainbow like color scheme for my statement because I wanted to make the statement pop and show contrast with the colors. I made some of the words bigger than others. I made “don’t,” “Black,” “and,” and “White,” a font of 80, and the rest of the words were a font of 55. I did this because I wanted those words to stand out, and for people to pay more attention to those words. For all of the words on my slide I used a sans serif font, because the eyes like words without little extra projection of the letter.

The goal of my slide was simple yet effective, and I hope I have accomplished this. By reading/listening to my explanation of my slide, I hope you, the viewer, have learned a little more about slide design. I hope you have taken something from my slide, and will apply it to your slides in the future! Thanks for reading/listening!

Reflection: Throughout this learning experience on slide design, I have learned a lot of new helpful tips and ideas. I learned that you don't want to crowd the slide, or else no one will know where to look and they will feel uncomfortable. You want to have simplicity, but make it noticeable and memorable. I also learned about all these tools that can make your slide ten times better! For example, when you have pictures, and you don't want the background in the slide, you can use alpha to take it out!
FINAL FINAL TECH SLIDE ZOE SS

Una Carta para Ti

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
Querid@______.

¡Hola! Saludos desde Filadelfia! ¿Qué tal? Mi nombre es Zoe. ¿Cómo te llamas? Tengo quince años. ¿Cuantos anos tienes tu? Mi cumpleaños es el veintinueve de septiembre. ¿Cuando es tu cumpleanos? Hace mucho frío. ¿Qué tiempo hace? Me gusta practicar deportes. Me fascina leer y escribir. Y tu? No me gusta nada correr. Le encanta comer. Los fines de semana me gusta dormir.Y tu? Soy increiblemente alta. No soy muy timida, soy bastante sociable.

Emma es mi hermana. Ella es bien bonita.Soy de decendencia europea. Soy irlandésa y alemána. Soy súper delgada. No soy rubia, soy morena. Cuando tengo tiempo libre ir de compras. Me gusta pasar un rato con amigos. Me gusta cocinar con mi familia. Me gusta estar de vago con mi mejor amiga. No soy artística. Me encanta One Direction. ¿Y a ti? ¿De donde eres tú? Soy de Filadelfia. Es una ciudad grande. Se conoce como “La Ciudad de Amor Fraternal.”¿Qué te gusta hacer? ¿Cómo eres? Bueno, me voy porque tengo que ayudar en casa. ¡Adios! ¡Qué le vaya bien! Responde cuandos puedas.

Con cariño,
Zoe Schwingel-Sauer



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You and The World: Blog Post 1: Food Labeling

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in English 1 - Dunn on
My name is Zoe Schwingel-Sauer and over the past couple weeks in my freshman english class at Science Leadership Academy, I have been researching a prominent issue, in our world today. The issue that I have decided to tackle and actively contribute to is labeling in the food industry. Throughout my research so far, I have focused on antibiotics and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The predicament is that major food incorporations feed their animals antibiotics, and inject crops with GMOs, but they don’t say they so on the food package. In the past food labeling has been an underlying problem, but recently it has surfaced and people are beginning to take a stand.

A big complication is that many people aren’t educated about antibiotics or GMOs in the food industry. Antibiotics are useful and needed for people to recover from illness. However eighty percent of antibiotics are being given/sold to farms to improve growth. Farmers feed their animals antibiotics to improve their growth and fatness. Say if a chicken was naturally going to be about five pounds, antibiotics could double or even triple the weight.
Meat that is marbleized is the meat that has been fed antibiotics. This meat is considered better quality because of the fat, therefore it is sold for more money. What’s the big deal with that? Well, most animals that are raised to be slaughtered, live in very horrid conditions. These feeding grounds make it perfect for the bacteria to become “superbugs.” These superbugs are eaten by the animals, and then consumed by you. Since you are eating these superbugs and antibiotics, your immune system can no longer be helped by antibiotics. Therefore, in the future if you are ill and the cure is antibiotics, the antibiotics cannot help you.



What are Genetically Modified Organisms exactly? GMOs are genetic engineering, basically combining organisms that don’t naturally go together. In farming, farmers tend to combine corn genes with each other. For example if one corn grows really abundantly, but doesn’t grow very fast, a farmer will combine the corn t

hat grows abundantly with a corn that grows very fast.



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This

may seem ideal, but it is the opposite. When researching GMOs, scientists found that there was a connection between GMOs and various types of cancer, organ failure or destruction, and miscarriage. Also, while some of the GMOs are successful, many are not. This is very wasteful, and some of the GMOs end up being harmful. The USA is one of the few countries that has NOT banned the use of GMOs in food. All of Europe, Japan, and India have banned GMOs because the extent of the damage isn’t predictable or even fully known. GMOs are awful for people, and currently in the USA, food corporations do NOT have to put on the packaging label of a food product that it contains GMOs.


Recently California attempted to take a huge stand against food companies who falsely label their products. Proposition 37 also called “Right to Know” tried to ban companies from labeling foods with GMOs as “natural.” Even though Prop 37 failed to pass, this has sparked a food revolution! California would’ve been the FIRST state to force companies to label their products that have GMOs.

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Throughout my research I hope to enrich my understanding of the food industry. I want to help make labeling food packages, with everything that is in them, including GMOs or antibiotics, required. I believe that everyone has the right to know what they eat. Major companies argue that labeling food packages with GMOs or antibiotics would cause unneeded panic, but people should be worried. In reality, only few people know exactly what they’re eating. In order to become healthier and stay safe, I feel that labeling food packages correctly is necessary.


Here is a link to my bibliography.

Thank you for reading! 

Below is a picture of what a chicken looked like in 1950 without antibiotics compared to a chicken in 2008 with antibiotics.

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Allison Kelly

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
Se llama Allison Kelly. Tiene quince años. Es de Filadelfia. Le gusta practicar deportes y escribir. Es muy guapa. Ella es baja. Es deportista. Ella es simpática y inteligente. No es perezosa. Ella es trabajadora. Es divertida. No le gusta cocinar. 
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Tú vs. Ud.? Don't Disrespect!

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
When talking to a teacher, you are polite and respectful. When you are talking to a friend or peer you are more causal with your language. This lesson is all about how to use the correct formal language when speaking to someone with respect, and how to speak more casually to a friend.
Click here to study your vocabulary!


Here's a video showing you how to respectfully talk to a teacher.
Notice how the student is being very polite and using formal language.
The student and teacher are having a basic conversation.

Click here for the video!

Don't Be a Stranger! Learn basic conversation questions and responses!

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Spanish 1 - Manuel on
Learn to start a conversation, and gain amigos! By learning these few phrases, you will be able to start AND continue a conversation in spanish! 

Click here to learn phrases and vocabulary!

Here is a video showing you how to put what you learned into action!

*A student just transferred to SLA, and you want to be able to make friends with her.
*Using the phrases you have just learned, you approach her and strike up a conversation
 

Click here to view the video.

Schwingel-Sauer, Zoe, Lucidchart, COMCAST

Posted by Zoe Schwingel-Sauer in Technology- Freshmen - Hull on
My Network
My network starts with the internet. The internet comes through my I.S.P. (Internet Service Provider) cable cord, which is Comcast. Then then cable cord is connected to my modem. My modem is connected to my home computer through an ethernet cord. My modem is also connected to my wireless router. The modem is connected to the printer, the speakers and the U.S.B. My wireless network is used by two laptops. Something new I learned through discovering my L.A.N. (Local Area Network) is what the ethernet does. The ethernet cord connects the modem to the home computer, which "gives" the home computer internet. Before, I always thought that the internet working was directly related to the monitor, however now I know it's not. The one major concept that people who want to learn about having a home network, is that it's never just one item. Your home network is never just a computer, it's always something more. If you have a desktop computer, you must also have a modem, an I.S.P., and depending on what you want, you might also have a printer.
SchwingelSauerZoeLucidchartCOMCAST
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