Project Day 11:

After these 4 weeks of working on our community building projects, I have become more aware of the communities around me. I learned that people will hang out in places where there are places to sit. That is why we created our bocce ball court with a bench. I notice that simply being in the same space can make a community form because most people can not stand silence, so they will start talking to each other. Community is created whenever you give people share goal or purpose, and in this case, it was bocce ball.

Since bocce ball courts are extremely simple, it just a wooden frame, it was simple to make. Our court was functional and we had people play the game multiple times. When we tested our prototype everyone was engaged and said they enjoyed the game. It was satisfying seeing people walk over curious, hang out at the bench and then play when there is room. This court did build community because the people who played often time had to wait a little bit before the game was over and another group could join in.

I am proud of our final product of our final product. The game its self is laid back, which is partially how I viewed my team. Even though my team always got our work down, we also did it in a laid back manner. We are efficient in our work so we would get it done. I like our bench because it is wide enough that people can sit back to back to double the sitting space, and the music system works well. The bocce ball court is a good memory because I enjoyed working with my group throughout these past few weeks.

Project Day 10:

Today was the day that all the groups did their final presentations to the people who are in charge of the locations we have been working on. The groups that worked on the Town Green location got to present to the Mayor and other people. All the Windsor High School people got to present in front of an AP Bio teacher, campus supervisor and three underclass man students.

Everyone left to go to the locations that they will present at. My group went to our English class to practice again and do one more practice presentation. We watched all the other Windsor High School groups do their practice presentations. This time, our presentation was practiced and transitioned smoothly. Since we were going to do our final presentation during second block and we were still in first, our teacher gave us all more advice on how to improve our presentations. As a team, we worked to fix some of the power point and practice the new plan, all through break.

When it came time to finally do the last presentation, we got to sit through everyone's presentations first. When we did our presentation, the panel did not have many negative comments. They questioned when people would be allowed to play and how they would get the equipment. One of the students really liked the idea of being able to play music off their phone and have it go through the speakers. When the presentations were done, we got to all go outside and test each other's prototypes.

Project Day 9:

The first part of this morning was spent on revisions. My group had thought about making a sign that had the rules for bocce ball, on one side, and then a chalkboard for keeping score on the other. We looked into what materials we would need: wood, more nails, paint, and a plan for how to present the rules. After discussing the cost and amount of time we would have, as a team, we decided against it. Since the bocce court would not be used again, the sign would never get used. It would not make the court look dramatically better. In all, we thought the sign would be a waste of money because if we ever got to make our final version, we would make everything look nicer, and make the sign then. 

It worked out that we had planned not to build any revisions because we had so many people gone last work day, so people had time to catch up during the first block. I went through a checklist, making sure that the team as completed all of our documents. I spent most of the first and second working to finish the overall plan budget because that had been barely worked on. Meanwhile, the part of the group that was presenting raced to get the power point completed and practiced. Royce and Thomas worked on creating the video that was assigned, last class.

When practice presentation time came, we had just finished the power point and pulled together a script for the presenters to read. This was our first time running through it and most of it went smoothly. We realized what we needed to add and what should be left out for the next time we present.

Project Day 8:

This day was testing and revision day. The team was down a few people due to AP testing. In the morning, the team got prepared to test the prototype during lunch. We looked at our results from the practice of the prototype testing to make a data table that will collect the information we are shooting to get and figured out what graph will be best to display our data.

Before lunch, we rotated classes and in each class, we were explained the different aspects of our final documentation expectations. In all, each group has to create a video, of the process of their project, flyers, to give information about our project, and a presentation that will be presented to people are in charge of the location the group was assigned. In my group the assignments were divided as follows:

• Flyers: Thomas and Bella
• Video: Royce, Steven, Bella and Jarod
• Presentation: Royce, Dylan, Brien, and Jarod

During lunch, a few of our group members went to the quad to set up the court. Throughout lunch we tested our prototype to see how students reacted. We did have people come and play.

During the last block, Dylan returned from the test and so he started working on the presentation. Each of our groups began working on their assignments. 

This our team logo.

Project Day 7:

This was our last day to build. Dylan and I began by gathering the group to assign tasks. Once they were working, Dylan and I started looking into the prototype testing requirement because our one media marketing person was not able to come today to do this portion of the work. We finished filling out documents that helped us to plan how we will test our prototype.

While Dylan and I were inside working, Brien and Royce, Broyce, fitted the wood sides into place, so that or bench is completely closed. This is to prevent people from messing with the speakers. It took most of the morning to get the side pieces to fit well into the bench. Once they accomplished that Broyce put in the speakers. With that, the bench was finished.

Thomas and Steven, Stomas, cut our last plank of wood into small pieces. Then they attached it to sides of the court fence/wall so that there is better support. This also took them most of the morning. Once they were finished with that we were completely done with all the construction of our project. 

For a little team huddle, the entire team grabbed their computers and sat on the bench. We had nothing else to do so we all worked on our blogs while listening to music.

Project Day 6:

Since I am one of the team leaders, I got to do a little of everything today.

For starters, I spent the beginning of the morning catching up on what the team had accomplished the day I was gone. Dylan helped the bench builders get started while I worked with Thomas and Steven on the court corners. During the first block, I switched between helping with the bench and the corners of the bocce ball court. 

The bench was mostly assembled last Friday, but the bench still needed supports inside, the back attached with hinges, sanding, finishing, and attaching the locks. We began with the supports inside, which went smoothly and with little problem solving required. Then the engineers carried it outside to get the back side cut and sanded. When that was finished we attached the hinges. Later we sanded the entire bench and moved it to the grass to get stained. Staining was an all-team effort while it was also a great way to get some team bonding.

The corners of the bocce ball courts needed the wood cut and screwed together. One and half of the corner were completed already, so Steven and Thomas knew what they needed to do. It was not brought to attention until the corners were assembled, that the screws were too big and stuck through the other side. The wood we bought is suppose to be 2inches thick, which is what the label said, but when we measured it was 1 1/2 inches. We had bought screws for the wood size we thought we had gotten. When possible, the team got a smaller screw size. This meant that the court team had to take all the screws out and put the new ones in. 

As a team, we function very well together. Dylan and I are able to trust that once we give someone a task, they will do it. We are always able to discuss a problem without anyone getting frustrated or upset. As a whole the team communicates well with each other and does their portion of the work to the best of their abilities.

Project Day 5

This was the first day that is completely dedicated to building our prototypes. I was not there because a family member had a baby.  The team worked on the bench all day, deciding on a final design for the bench and constructing it. They got 6 out 5 of the sides attached for the bench. Thomas and Steven started working on the corners of the courts. The mostly cut wood and screwed it together. The back part of the bench is two planks high, so they glued the two planks together and added metal supports so that is did not break off.
Everyone got to build all day.