The Ethics and Chemistry of Food and Cooking
Taking on the food ethics project, it covered a lot of deeper learning. Our class was to learn not only the chemistry behind food but the ethics of food as well. Our learning process looked like starting with movies to watch and books to read about food in general. The class was then divided for a day, we had gone on a needed field trip to more so experience the food ethics that took place locally. Personally, my group had gone up to the Fort Lewis College and discovered how food waste can be reused for planting. The chemistry aspect was brought in by letting students focus on a specific food item. With this item, we were to change certain aspects of it to uncover how some ingredients play a role.
As mentioned, this project had taken two completely different routes when it comes down to what food is. I feel that having this project do so, it has impacted the way I learn at least a little. I can’t say significantly, although it was interesting to see how the two paths intervened one another. It was also enjoyable to have two class periods focusing on the same topic instead of covering different things as usual.
I never thought I would have my homework to be studying deeper about food. My main takeaway is probably a fact, the whole situation where supermarkets might as well be made from corn. This changed my thinking towards food somewhat, that whole healthy alternative is what sticks for me. Although I’ll admit I definetly find myself reading the ingredients to items more often, only to repeat my learning and find more corn.
Your Life on Earth: Philosophizing Purpose and Place in the #21C
Project Reflections:
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This project was directed towards uncovering the existential crisis. We faced questions that debated our existence, our meaning, and our own life philosophy. What this project looked like for me personally was addressing my happiness and where I let it come from, connecting to what it means for me to live a meaningful life. My project directly was an art piece made by several people based on a quote that generalizes my full life philosophy. What inspired this was to bring that connection over how people alter my outcomes of situations.
Something interesting that I took note of when watching the painters, was how every time the painters switched, the painting would then be noticeably impacted by the painting before it. Personally, though, I feel that I’ve been thinking a lot more positive towards the idea of life and change. My philosophy had circled this quote, “A wise man will not let his happiness depend on things out of his control.”. This quote is slowly shaping me into what I want to see in myself. To not let my happiness depend on silly things.
From this point, I’ve only found my question to grow stronger. For two years now I’ve been wondering more so about why people do what they do. Whatever this answer is, it is bound to be complex. This project strengthened my question due to the painting being covered in such different ideas. Although, regarding new questions about my existence, I feel that I have nothing new to discover. I have the basics, the go-to questions, why are we here, what purpose do I have here.
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Labor Issues in America
This project was based about labor issues, whether that be in the industrial revolution or today. Diving deeper by looking at specifics, such as living conditions, child labor, working conditions, and strikes and unions. We moved forward into globalization and were to argue whether globalization undermine the working class or not. We then individually broke into groups to focus on types of labor, such as education, migrant workers, and automation. After being able to present, we moved forward into building podcasts with each other. Below you’ll see the timed essay from when we first learned about industrial revolution, the presentation I contributed to about migrant workers, my reflection on the project overall, and then the ending results of our podcast.
Project Reflections
The greatest challenges that we faced was equipment, where I personally faced communication skills. The group had difficulties working with soundtrap for no more than one person could be editing at a time. If it weren’t for time being on a limit, it’s possible that we would have switched to a whole new system. But while holding all of our limits, we were taking up another option. We had one member who was dedicated to editing. He had volunteered himself into that position, and I’ll admit it came out lovely. Although, I personally faced the challenge of communication with my members when writing the script. When first walking into script writing, it was over the break when the group recognized we are slacking a bit. After I few shared emails, I began writing the script and stuck with it. I had some odd moments where I was completely unsure how to move forward or what to say. These moments, I asked a member for support but I never asked for someone to help me write it. Of course, refinements were always made by them, but I felt like I was soloing it.
If I had the opportunity to go back, I would have easily suggested to change the things my group and I had difficulties with. I would have highly recommended to not just my group, but the class, the use a different site for editing your podcasts and not use soundtrap. Then again, personally I would have changed my communication skills. I should have asked for support with the script. It came out lovely, everyone basically had their own part and this was mine. Overall, I don’t think I have any other things I would change.
I see that the greatest insight I gained within all of the units, was able to tie the connection and see the ways the past repeats itself. We attempted to incorporate this into the podcast, saying how the rate of jobs lost then gained is repetitive. This concept of repetition was relayed in lots of things we did, including the packet, the honors essay, and even the research my group did when first digging into automation. I think that this is my overall big takeaway, the idea that the past repeats itself. When first writing my honors essay, I had taken a hard look at what made these things repetitive throughout all the revolutions. Although this essay didn’t break through, it still continued to show me how repetition will continue to take place. Once again, we are just the beginning piece of the overlapping repetition.
I am proud of myself for being my own leader. I am so proud of myself being on top of my own things. That although I expressed difficulty with the script, I did that. I pushed through that and I wrote it even if it was on my own. I went through the attempt of being a group leader, maybe I was but it’s hard to view that from my own perspective. Perhaps the guys felt that my emails were helpful, that the guidance of knowing how to move forward was helpful, planning the weeks and such at the very beginning process of the podcasts. While I am left unknowing of the impact I made on my group, I know of the impacts on myself.
Sara expressed to the class no more than an hour ago how we as students should not be experts in the things we are being taught. Taking a step back, it should be clear that these things are just now being taught to us. I go right alongside this view point, how I am growing because of my challenges. Going back to the paragraph above about my challenges, I lack in communication. I will be growing in future events because I am now more aware of this feature of myself. Through every group exhibition I’ve been drawn to so far, I tend to personally feel like I grew as a leader. I tend to unknowingly take on this role of expectations, where should we move next, what needs to be thought through before we can clearly move. My challenges are growths don’t always go hand in hand. How can someone be a great leader if they lack in communication skills for themselves? I went through this exact thing for the first time in one of last year’s exhibition. I want to make it clear that you don’t always learn something just by doing it once.