Final Draft of Area of Interaction Statement

AOI Statement

                Renewable Energy is a great way of saving our earth from environmental diseases such as global warming, pollution, resource repletion and more. My project is about environment and the consumption of resources, which has increased greatly over past few years. Renewable sources of wind and solar energy can be used to alleviate several issues the world faces today. Biomass, which is the usage of plant growth for energy, can save millions of resources that are being wasted consequently. I have always cared about the environment and followed environment friendly ways, which help the earth become a better place to live on. I have been linked with many energy projects in which I tried to establish the need to recycle and reuse materials. The environment has a huge role because it the first and foremost basis of our lives. Our actions on sustainable development and conservation are what improves and maintains our atmosphere. We have several responsibilities to our environment, which require deep understanding on every consequence that can occur. Therefore, I will be taking action on issues concerning our environment and what should be done to maintain and improve it.

                My AOI is Environment because my whole project is based on the consumption of environmental resources. Renewable energy is a major part of the environment. Resources that we find in our environment can be of two types: renewable or nonrenewable. Coal, petroleum, and natural gases may not be recycled and reused but solar and wind energy can be. During this project, I would like to gain awareness and understanding of the roles our environments play in the lives and well being of humankind, the effects of our actions, attitudes and constructs, such as sustainable developments and conservation, and the nature and role of local and international organizations responsible for protecting our natural environments. I would reflect on our actions to our environments and take action on a range of issues related to environments.

                My final product would be a research paper, which will include most of my research on renewable energy. This will be a small packet of information with my essay and some posters as well.  This may include its advantages and disadvantages as well. My main goal of this essay will be to show why renewable energy should be used, especially in the case of resources such as oil, coal, natural gases etc. I have created specifications for my essay, which will be based on my depth of understanding, relevance of research shown, clarity and quality of work. At the exhibition, I would like people to see my effort to promote recycling of any sort. I am planning to put up posters around the school and also my father’s office, which have interesting facts about renewable energy. I will also display these posters at the exhibition. I might even make a brochure, which will focus on some small articles on my topic and let people know what my project is about. The basic idea of my product is let everyone know what the advantages of renewable energy are and how effective it can be if used properly.

Changes have been highlighted.

Yavnika Kumar

19.07.12

First Outline of Product Rubric

Rubric for Grading Project Product

	Depth of Understanding	Clarity of Work	Relevance of Research	Quality of Work
Seed: 1 – 2
Seedling: 3 – 4
Leaves: 5 – 6
Flower: 7 – 8

Yavnika Kumar

16.07.12

Comments on AOI Statement

I was really confused about my AOI Statement because I didn't know what else to write. And so I asked my good friend to help me out and comment on it. She told me three basic things which are:


1. Add more on why your topic falls under that certain Area of Interaction.
2. Final Product (Essay) - Is it going to be in the form of a booklet or a packet or something else?
3. Think about what you want those that come to see your project at the Exhibition time to see. How are you going to present your research paper and your project itself? Explain that.


These comments really have helped me understand what more I need to write in the statement. Now I just need to elaborate on the statement using these key points and then I can send this to Ms. Kannan for verification. :)

Yavnika Kumar

16.07.12

AOI Statement Final Draft

AOI Statement

                Renewable Energy is a great way of saving our earth from environmental diseases such as global warming, pollution, resource repletion and more. My project is about environment and the consumption of resources, which has increased greatly over past few years. Renewable sources of wind and solar energy can be used to alleviate several issues the world faces today. Biomass, which is the usage of plant growth for energy, can save millions of resources that are being wasted consequently. I have always cared about the environment and followed environment friendly ways, which help the earth become a better place to live on. I have been linked with many energy projects in which I tried to establish the need to recycle and reuse materials. The environment has a huge role because it the first and foremost basis of our lives. Our actions on sustainable development and conservation are what improves and maintains our atmosphere. We have several responsibilities to our environment, which require deep understanding on every consequence that can occur. Therefore, I will be taking action on issues concerning our environment and what should be done to maintain and improve it.

                My AOI is Environment because my whole project is based on the consumption of environmental resources. Renewable energy is a major part of the environment. During this project, I would like to gain awareness and understanding of the roles our environments play in the lives and well being of humankind, the effects of our actions, attitudes and constructs, such as sustainable developments and conservation, and the nature and role of local and international organizations responsible for protecting our natural environments. I would reflect on our actions to our environments and take action on a range of issues related to environments.

                My final product would be a research paper, which will include most of my research on renewable energy. This may include its advantages and disadvantages as well. My main goal of this essay will be to show why renewable energy should be used, especially in the case of resources such as oil, coal, natural gases etc. I have created specifications for my essay, which will be based on my depth of understanding, relevance of research shown, clarity and quality of work.  

This is what I have done so far in my AOI statement. I think there are still somethings that need to be added but I will have to think about those first. I can't send this to Ms.Kannan now because she said she wanted my final AOI statement. My first paragraph is complete but my second and third paragraph need to be elaborated on. I really don't know how but I will try to get help from someone. Will get back to this really soon. 

Yavnika Kumar

11.07.12

Article 1 - "Green Fuel from Carbon Dioxide"

Science Daily:
      Most of us know that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and it has a great effect on global warming. My first article is about a research team at the Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF). The research team, led by Dr. Ingo Krossing, have now developed a system by which they can produce methanol using carbon dioxide and hydrogen. 
      Methanol is used in many ways and we can find it all most everywhere. Methanol is found in shampoos, the making of plastic bottles, car components. It is also used as "an environmentally friendly alternative for gasoline" (sciencedaily.com). The scientists are trying to "harness the power of carbon dioxide on a large scale and integrate it into the utilization cycle as a sustainable form of energy production" (sciencedaily.com). They are using hydrogenolysis, a process in which you combine carbon dioxide with hydrogen in a high pressure environment producing methanol.
      Methanol is less dangerous when used as an alternative to gasoline than conventional fuels. The scientists are hoping to be able to produce methanol on a high scale in around two years with this technique. They are stating that "when methanol burns carbon dioxide is released again and if the same molecules are used twice then 50 percent less carbon dioxide" will be used to produce energy (sciencedaily.com). Scientists at FMF also stated that "The amount of methanol that could be converted from 10 percent of the yearly carbon dioxide emissions in Germany would cover the country's yearly fuel needs" (sciencedaily.com). The scientists are trying to prove that methanol has a great amount of potential if used properly. There goal of producing methanol with large scales of carbon dioxide only contributes to their thought on preserving and storing energy for future needs. 
       I found this article to be interesting because I never knew that carbon dioxide could be recycled. If the scientists at this research center succeed in their goal then the world would benefit greatly from this. We would be able to store energy for approaching disastrous circumstances. 

MLA Citation for Image:
FMF. Doctoral Candidate Elias Frei Controls the Temperature in the Reactor of the Catalyst Test Device. 2012. Photograph. Freiburg. Science Daily. Science Daily, 13 June 2012. Web. 9 July 2012. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613132937.htm>.


MLA Citation of Article:
Science Daily. "Green Fuel from Carbon Dioxide." Science Daily 6 June 2012: n. pag. Web. 9 July 2012. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613132937.htm>.

Yavnika Kumar

9.07.11

Article 2 - "Innovation allows Amazon villagers to make ecological history"

The Guardian: 

      My second article, which I will be writing about, is based on the innovative ways amazon villagers used to create an Eco - friendly environment. The Island of Cinders or Ilhas das Cinzas is situated between two streams of the Amazon River. The village is about a six hour boat ride and 2 days further from Macapa which is the capital of Amapa State in Brazil. 

      The villagers have kept everything in tact from the forest to the water, which is "filtered and recycled". Farming and fishing are controlled. Their main income is from Palm Hearts and Acai Berries. They live on white prawns which they found in mangrove swamps. The villagers initially arrived in the village in the 1920s or 1930s and there were only a handful of them. They came to usurp the plots of land without having any right over them. They were mainly tempted to do this due to the "potential of logging and the river's well - stocked waters". The people settled there and slowly expanded. Currently, there about 100 families and 350 people in total. 

      The village reached destitution when their supply of the white prawns was hampered when the reproduction of the white prawns was restrained by the fishing methods. The community found it very hard and time - consuming to farm and harvest because they never farmed that material, they only caught the Acai Berries and Palm Hearts. Moreover, the value of the Palm Hearts decreased and "the market for Acai juice was relatively small". 

      NGO's became quite active and an agricultural engineer, Pinto came and studied the farming techniques of the villagers. He carried out a process and set up a scheme which was well approved by the islanders. At the end of the year, the villagers decided to modify their macapis, which were the cages they used to catch the white prawns from the swamps. The size was increased so that small baby prawns could easily escape and the bigger prawns would be captured. This would help the smaller prawns reproduce and then grow. Pinto also found out that there too many macapis and so he cut down the macapis to a sustainable number. This also gave the villagers enough time to farm and harvest the berries and palm hearts. This brought more than double the income by selling larger amounts of berries and palm hearts. The islanders worked collectively and made great profit. 

      Since then, the Island of Cinders has set an example for reusing, recycling and preserving their surrounding environment. The Brazilian government even rewarded the community for using Eco - Friendly ways and promoting renewable energy. 

MLA Bibliography of Photo:

Calton, Gary. Collective Work … on the Amazon Estuary near Macapa. N.d. Photograph. Macapa. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited, 19 June 2012. Web. 26 June 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/19/sustainable-living-island-brazil-amazon>.

MLA Bibliography of Article:

Bourcier, Nicolas. "Innovation Allows Amazon Villagers to Make Ecological History." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 19 June 2012. Web. 26 June 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/19/sustainable-living-island-brazil-amazon>.

Yavnika Kumar

26.06.12

Personal Project Product Rubric Idea

I would like to grade myself in a creative way and so I chose proficiency levels. There are four levels: seed, seedling, leaves, and flower. I found a photograph on Google Images which helped me illustrate what I mean by saying proficiency levels:

I said seedling instead of sprout, roots and stem because these are part of the process when a seedling is growing. This photo could be used to make others understand what I would like to accomplish and in what way I will be assessing my product. I don't want just a boring rubric with numbers. These steps will help me progress because I can now categorize my steps to the final product.


MLA Bibliography of Photo:
"Smart Art – Life Cycle of a Plant." Smart Art – Life Cycle of a Plant. Ed. Christ Lutheran School. Christ Lutheran School, 17 Oct. 2011. Web. 26 June 2012. <http://blogs.clutheranschool.org/tech/2011/10/17/smart-art-life-cycle-of-a-plant/>.

Yavnika Kumar

21.06.12