Today, I went onto code.org. I signed up to a class pin which will help my app developing skills. In the lesson I finished the coding lesson 4 and 5 and are half way through 6.

Some of the challenges I encountered were not having a turn right block which I could use. As a compromise I used 3 turn lefts then later, when I learned about making and defining functions, I made a function called turn right which has 3 turn left block. This will make it easier for me to turn right as if I need to, I can just use that function as a shortcut.

Functions are coding blocks that you can define to make your code more efficient. For example the turn right function that I created saved me from using the turn left block 3 times. This is a new skill that I learned today.

I also learned that you cannot duplicate a block. To solve this problem, I changed the code from block to text and copied and pasted the code I needed more than once. This saved time and helped this time be more efficient.

Today I learned about how much you can do with a limited amount of blocks. When I was coding, the only blocks I were given were:

penUp

penDown

moveForward

turnLeft

I also learned that small errors can change the whole code. An example of this is when my friend told me that her code was not working as she programmed the turtle to do a function 4 times, but the code only worked 3 times. I then pointed out that she forgot the brackets after her function name.

At the moment I am really excited to see what I will be learning next.

With my solar power traffic lights. I did some research on Monday. I found out that they did exist but they were not common in the world. I also found a list of solar power objects and this helped me understand how common they are in the world.

So far, I have found some videos on YouTube about circuits and how to DIY build a traffic light. With DIY build a traffic light video, I am instead planning on attaching the wires to the solar panels instead of the battery. I was also brainstorming ideas of the shape of the traffic light, I thought that it would be good to build it out of a non flammable material to ensure the safety of overheating. I am thinking of not building it out of wood, but maybe 3D print it. I’m not exactly sure what shape the final product will turn up as so I am trying to be flexible. I am aiming to go for a simple large box design, but I need to make sure that the circuit fits in the box.

My idea to extend myself if I finish, is to make a sequence algorithm for the traffic lights. I will need to find out how to attach it to the traffic light and how to make a sequence itself. I did find a video on YouTube using soldering on a circuit board. It is very complicated but I am inquisitive to give it a try.

I hope that my project succeeds and that I will learn a lot from my coding journey.

That’s all for now, next week you will be updated with a new post!

Today, I soldered my circuit to my circuit board. Unfortunately it was unsuccessful. We changed the battery and the switch but there was no luck. Although there is not a complete idea of why the circuit didn’t work, my group and teacher think that it may have something to do with melted plastic. This means that, as well as conducting heat through the metal around the holes on the circuit board, the solder iron also may have melt the plastic. This could’ve lead to the melted plastic stopping the rings from being a conduction of electricity, causing the electrons in the circuit to stop moving. From this I have learned that the solder iron has the ability to not only melt solder, but to also melt plastic. This will help me in the future when I structure my circuit for my solar powered traffic lights.

After constructing the circuit, I did a Parts, Purposes and Complexities thinking routine to help me to further understand how the circuit works.

PARTS: Labeled diagram of parts of circuit

PURPOSES: Table

COMPLEXITIES:

Together all of the parts works together to make one successful circuit.\

The image below shows how the circuit was structured.

KEY:

CIRCLES (in general) (RED = resistor, YELLOW = lightbulb, BLACK wires) : Where solder was places

GREEN: Switch

THIN BLUE LINES: Route of circuit

BLACK: Battery adapter and negative wire

RED: Positive wire

First the resistor is placed on the edge of a positive circuit line. This can connect to the first double ringed, connected conductor. Following this the positive (long) wire coming out of the light bulb needs to be soldered onto the second double ringed connected conductor. The second wire of the lightbulb (short/negative) can go directly next to this. The electricity then travels to the positive (red) wire. The first part of the red wire is connected to one side of a switch. Another red wire then connected to the opposite side of the switch (these red wires cannot be touching). The black wire (negative) will need to be soldered directly lower than the first hole of the resistor. After this, the second red wire and the black wire connects to the battery adapter which connects to the battery.

(I added to the referenced picture below of what the circuit looked like, bibliography below)

eBay n.d., Mouse over image to zoom 10pcs-7x9cm-PCB-Blank-Circuit-Board-Prototype-Paper-Solder-Circuit-Panel-WS-N1P6 10pcs-7x9cm-PCB-Blank-Circuit-Board-Prototype-Paper-Solder-Circuit-Panel-WS-N1P6 10pcs-7x9cm-PCB-Blank-Circuit-Board-Prototype-Paper-Solder-Circuit-Panel-WS-N1P6 10pcs-7x9cm-PCB-Blank-Circuit-Board-Prototype-Paper-Solder-Circuit-Panel-WS-N1P6 Have one to sell? Sell it yourself 10pcs 7x9cm PCB Blank Circuit Board Prototype Paper Solder Circuit Panel WS N1P6, accessed 13 March 2018, <https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10pcs-7x9cm-PCB-Blank-Circuit-Board-Prototype-Paper-Solder-Circuit-Panel-WS-N1P6-/222680419195>.

Today is Tuesday! Today I learned how to solder for the first time! It was harder than it looked though. First we practiced water droplet shapes with the solder (My class calls them Hershey Kisses). It was quite challenging. We had to make sure that they weren’t over heater, weren’t under heated, didn’t have too much solder, weren’t low and bumpy and weren’t crossing over places. We had to make sure that we were wearing safety goggles and had a heat mat under our solder iron and a place for it. The circuit boards were quite small so we had to get the hang of holding the iron and the solder. You had to make sure that you don’t hold the solder in the iron for too long. You had to make sure that the solder didn’t touch the iron, it had to be touching the metal borders around the circles on the circuit board. This is so the heat is conducted and transferred to the solder wire.

To do a successful ‘Hershey Kiss’ you had to hold the soldering iron on the circuit board with the solder wire for about three seconds and then lift it in a gentle upward motion to maintain the point at the tip. (That was my friend’s very helpful advice!)

Don’t worry if you try it and don’t get it the first time because it took me a while to get the hang of it and do ONE successful ‘Hershey Kiss’. I still haven’t gotten the hang of it, but I really want to keep practicing.

Another skill we learned in the lesson was how to construct a circuit on the circuit board. To do this we needed to find the positive and negative side of the board and make sure that our energy was being transformed from positive to negative. It took me a bit of time to figure out how to successfully structure a circuit with the pieces we had. To do it we had a switch, a resistor, a battery, positive (red) and negative (black) wires as well as a light bulb. We did encounter another problem with this process. Our solder iron didn’t have a hot spot where it was meant to (or at all!). We had to wait a while for a solder iron to become free but by the time we found one, it was the end of the lesson! I hope I improve my soldering skills and learn more about circuits in the next Tuesday lesson!

Today is Monday. For today’s blog post, I have not been working with many materials, but have been defining what we need to do and what our final product is. On Tuesday I am soldering for the first time which will be very exciting. This will play a big part in my solar powered traffic lights. I hope that this is not too challenging, I’m sure that I will have fun. I now know what I am going to present as a final product as in information. I will need to make a portfolio, a folder or a scrapbook with certain titles. I will need to make sure that I include: A title, a contents page, proposal, research, diary/log, drawings, materials list and costings, risk assessment, design process photos of progress, evaluation and bibliography. I am really excited to start and learn how to make my product a reality!

Today I started to fill out a form that asked me for details about my project.

For those who don’t know, I have decided on one FINAL IDEA. Solar powered traffic lights, I obviously won’t make it the same size as an average traffic light. I will probably make a smaller version. For this I will use circuits, arduinos as well as some other materials to craft this machine.

For this, I have been doing some research and listening to ideas. I am currently looking up tutorials on how to make my circuit and traffic lights work. I have found that these procedures are hard to do, but it will be a good challenge for me. I have done research and have found that there is such thing as solar powered traffic lights, they are just not that common in the world. I think that by doing this project that I can in the future see more solar powered traffic lights.

I really hope that this idea empowers the world and the environment in a positive way.

In general, I am very excited to start this project and do more research on how I can improve my idea. I hope that this project becomes a reality in the future.

Hi everyone,

As you know, I am doing stem now and we have to thing of ideas to improve our lives using technology. I have a few current ideas that I am working on but I still want some more ideas if the others don’t work.

IDEA #1:

SOLAR POWERED TRAFFIC LIGHTS

• A solar panel uses a circuit to power the stop lights using the excess energy of the sun.

IDEA #2:

GARDEN PLANT RECOGNISER

• App to show how much water a plant needs and what type of plants need water.

IDEAA #3:

FOOD HEALTH APP

• Scan a barcode on a product packaging and it will tell you if there are any personal allergy warnings.

I am currently leaning towards IDEA #1 because I think that I will learn different techniques and skills assembling the circuit. I also have heard some other amazing ideas that have the ability to change the world!!

Tell me what you think! 🙂

Today, my task was to get inspired with inventions that could help my community. To do this task we had to watch two videos and do a think, puzzle, explore (a thinking routine). This is what I said about the two videos I watched.

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Think, Puzzle, Explore

BREAK DOWN PLASTICS WITH BACTERIA

1. What do you think about this topic?

I think that this topic is very important in the world as our environments are suffering from landfill as well as pollution. I believe that if this project continues to break down plastics, there is a possibility of no pollution in certain areas. I really like the idea of bacteria eating phthalate and producing water. (Phthalate is the part of the plastic that makes it durable, transparent and flexible). I think that it is a better to get rid of plastic quickly than slowly. Bacteria is an excellent substitute instead of 100s or 1000s of years of biodegrading.

2. What questions do you have?

To understand the concept of the bacteria eating the phthalate I had to watch this video twice. I still do have a few questions: How long does it take for the bacteria to break down the phthalate? How much bacteria can break down one plastic bottle?

3. How can you explore this topic?

There are many ways to explore the concept of bacteria breaking down phthalates. To start exploring you could find out the different types of bacteria that are able to break down phthalates. To find out more about why phthalates are broken down by bacteria, you would have to research why this substance is so dangerous and why it is used in plastic bottles.

GRILLED CHICKEN MARINATES

1. What do you think about this topic?

I believe that this topic is very important to us as we need to keep our bodies fit and healthy. This topic described the carcinogens (matter that can cause cancer in liver tissue) in grilled chicken and which marinates reduced the amount of carcinogens in the chicken. I believe that this topic is very important to know about what is in our food and what we should and shouldn’t be eating. I think that this should be introduced to restaurants making the chefs and the customers aware of what is in their food.

2. What questions do you have?

Although that this idea is excellent for keeping our body healthy I have a few questions about how it works. Are carcinogens only in chicken? Are there any other marinates that can significantly decrease the amount of carcinogens in chicken?

3. How can you explore this topic?

Because this topic is so big, many ideas can be explored off of this topic. One of them is doing research into what carcinogens have the ability to do you your body. Where else carcinogens can be found in foods. If there are any other foods that have carcinogens in them, what can be done to decrease the amount of them in that particular food.

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I really enjoyed watching how the science works for these tasks and how people have managed to find a problem in their community and fix it.

That is all for a post today, I hope that everyone liked reading this post.