PVU GCE Portfolio

For the last unit in my STEAM elective Biomimicry, I learned about the decomposers and how their activities keep the world in motion. For this Action Project, I chose a product and followed it from the start to finish. I redesigned the product with a sustainable process that nature uses, and I came up with my product's life cycle. It is much more closed off and ecofriendly. It reuses and repurposes materials and rethinks processes. I found it very nice to have an idea that was original. I also think it really is something that could sell on the market. The market could actually benefit from this new product.  

(PVU, 2016, Jan 15) In my last unit of the STEAM elective, Rapid Prototyping, we learned about safety and tools. For my final Action Project, the class and I were looking at any needs for our school’s new building. On one of our FE’s, we went to the Rebuilding Exchange where I met Bryant Williams who is the Executive Director. He shared some words of wisdom that stood out to me, but the coolest statement he said was, “recycling is not the answer, reusing is the answer.” With that quote in mind, I was able to take pipes and a broom handle that were going to be recycled and used them for my project. I was browsing the internet for some inspiration for my project when I stumbled upon Wirecrafters, a company that makes and sells bike racks. Their website inspired me to build a bike rack. Taking inspiration from Wirecrafters , I decided to build my own bike rack. I came up with an idea for a bike rack but then I decided to go with a much simpler because it's a very tim...

For my second Action Project in Rapid Prototyping, I worked by myself to create a chess piece from scratch. I chose to create the pawn. My design went fairly quickly from a paper sketch, to clay, to cardboard, and to a digital 3D model. I used ABS (same material as Legos) with the Makerbot Replicator 3D printer. I found it very unique to be able to get to use these kinds of machines and not have to pay thousands of dollars for it. We looked at Riemann Sums and the area under a structure like a bridge. We also looked at different types of plastics, impossible objects, forced perspective, and last but not least 3D printers themselves. I am very happy with how it turned out; it was challenging to see other people doing it a harder way than I had come up with. I think my piece turned out really well. Take a look at what I put together in this Prezi.

This is my second Action Project in my STEAM elective course Biomimicry, I was studying animals, I applied what I learned about their habitat and adaptations for my use. We learned about blueprints and how we can use them in life problems. In this project, I used the blueprint of animals I researched  to inspire me to build a sheltered home. I liked learning about different animals. I’m not an amazing artist, but this project helped me get better at drawing. I worked hard on my drawings, and I think they turned out really good. I found it difficult to come up with ideas, but once I get them I am able to progress easily. (PVU, Dec 16, 2015) 

This is the first unit in Rapid Prototyping. We learned about distance formula, and networks. We had to create letter on our CNC Cameo silhouette machines. We also used and drew them by hand. One of the hardest things for me in this project was cutting the letter out by hand. I’m not the most gifted person in arts and crafts. I practiced cutting letters out a couple of times before I got it right.