MS+Q3+Explore+-+Noel

=Design Folder - Noel=

**Unit Question:**
Why and how do societies convey the importance of global issues to it's members? Here at AISD, how can we promote the importance of global issues so that we can better live the schools vision of being "stewards of a just and sustainable world?"

**Unit Question (Restated):**
This Unit Question is asking how the society shows the importance of global issues to everyone in it. It also asking us how we can show the school what the global issues are and become "stewards of a just and sustainable world"

**Design Brief:**
To solve the Unit question of helping AISD become aware of the global issues, I will make a sign that has the reduce, reuse recycle sign on it. This will help make the members of the AISD community aware of pollution and help them remember to reduce, reuse and recycle.

**Design Specification:**

 * Must be able to tell what the picture is from a large distance away
 * Must be able to hang on the wall
 * Must be light enough to hang on the wall
 * Must be 12" by 18" or smaller
 * Must be durable (not easily broken)

**Design Brief:**
To solve the Unit Question, I will make a sign that says "Take a Stand" to show that as an AISD community we all should stand up for others and try to do something to make our point. It also kind of reflects that our school already does this.

**Design Specification:**

 * Words must be big enough to read from a large distance away
 * Must be able to hang on the wall
 * Must be light enough to hang on the wall
 * Must be 12" by 18" or smaller
 * Must be durable (not easily broken)
 * Must be made before the end of the quarter


 * Guiding Questions:**
 * How will it be hung?
 * Where will it be hung?
 * How big will the letters be?
 * Will the letters be acrylic or wood?

Planning

 * Sketch 1:**


 * Sketch 2:**


 * Sketch 3:**

I have also had to consider how my sign will stand by itself or hang from the wall.
 * Stands / Hanging:**

I could either make a stand like this so that it could be put anywhere. Although this would take a lot more wood to make it.

I could also just hang it on the wall using and nail and some string. Although then wherever I want to put it, would have to make a hole in the wall.

I am going to make the first design/sketch because I think it stands out the most and is the easiest to read. And I also decided that I am going to have it hang because I will be much faster than building a whole stand and I don't have that much time anyways.
 * Decision:**


 * Part List:**
 * 1 piece of 1/2" thick plywood, 1' by 1 1/2' (Back board)
 * Wooden letters T, A, K, E, A, S, T, A, N and D (Letters)
 * Letters T, A, K, E and A must be 2.25" tall and 2" wide
 * Letters S, T, A, N and D must be 3.75" tall and 2.5" wide
 * Font will be Arial Black


 * Building Techniques:**
 * I will use the Scroll Saw to cut the letters
 * I will use glue to glue the acrylic letters to the plywood


 * Plan:**
 * 1) Get 1/2" thick plywood
 * 2) Get Mr. Hasan or Mr. Muller to cut the back board of my sign
 * 3) Mark all the letters on another piece of wood
 * 4) Cut out the letters using the Scroll Saw
 * 5) Sand the letters
 * 6) Paint the Backboard and the letters
 * 7) Glue the letters onto the Base board

**Creation**
Today I started preparing my letters by working on Adobe Illustrator to print them out the perfect size. Then I printed them out and started cutting them and pasting them onto the wood. I didn't find anything very challenging since it was very simple.
 * Process Journal:**
 * March 13, 2012 Preparing Letters**

Today I finished gluing on all of my letters to the wood and then started cutting out some of them. I finished cutting out the first 5 letters. I was impressed at how well I cut my letters. I realized that I am good at cutting straight lines on the scroll saw but not as good at cutting curved lines. That's why I am scared to cut out my S and D because there are lots of curved lines in those letters.
 * March 15, 2012 Cutting Letters**

Today I just cut more of my letters. I used the Band Saw for the first time to cut my big T, A and N. I liked using the Band Saw because I thought it was faster than the Scroll Saw. Except that you couldn't do a couple of the things that you could do with the Scroll Saw. Also, once I did that, I had to wait for a free Scroll Saw to do a couple other things but they were all taken so I couldn't make as much progress as I wanted to.
 * March 19, 2012 Cutting More Letters**

Today I finished cutting out all of my letters except for the inside of my D and finished sanding almost all of them. I had to wait again for free scroll saws.
 * March 21, 2012 Cutting More Letters and Sanding**

Today, I came in during lunch and quickly finished cutting my D and then painted my backboard black. Since it was during lunch, I didn't have to wait for any of the scroll saws. Now I just have to glue on my letters. since it was a very dark colour of paint, I won't need to paint another coat.
 * March 27, 2012 Painting**

Product Evaluation:
__How does your product solve the Unit Question?__ I think that my product solves the unit question because it will be put up at school and the people will read it.

__How does your product follow from or not follow from your Design Brief?__ My product follows my design brief because it has those words and i think it should have the desired impact.

__How does your product meet and not meet your Design Specification?__ My product does meet my design specification because it has the right dimensions. But I didn't get to make something to hang it up, so that part doesn't meet it.

Create Phase Evaluation:
__What stage of development did you reach?__ I had everything done except I haven't glued my letters on yet.

__During the Create phase what did you do well?__ I think I did a good job at cutting out my letters.

__What is one thing you would do differently next time?__ I think I could have spent more time cutting out the S and the D because I had troubles cutting curves and I think I could have done it better.

Rate the following categories

 * (1)** Does not meet expectations • **(2)** Meets expectations • **(3)** Exceeds expectations
 * Craftsmanship: 1 2 //__**3**__//
 * Appearance: //__**1**__// 2 3
 * Appropriate use of materials: 1 //__**2**__// 3
 * Environmental Impact: //__**1**__// 2 3
 * Time management: 1 //__**2**__// 3

Planning Phase Evaluation:
__How did your plan help you to create your product?__ My plan helped me visualize exactly what I wanted and tweak a few things to make it just the way I wanted.

__What would make your plan better?__ I think if I would have done my design on Illustrator to begin with instead of on sketchup fist, I would have been able to do it much faster.

Design Evaluation:
__How did you feel in the design phase? What was challenging?__ I thought that it was challenging making something that I liked that also matched up with my Design Specification.

__What helped you as designer?__ It helped me when Mr. Muller told me that I didn't have to pick a certain issue, and that I could sort of just do an overall idea.

Process Evaluation:
__Which part of the design cycle did you enjoy the most?__ I enjoyed the Creation part the most because I like to make things.

__Which part of the design cycle do you enjoy the least?__ I least enjoyed the Planning part because I usually don't like to plan things out before I make them.

__What personal strength did you discover during the process?__ During this project, I realized that one of my strengths was cutting straight lines with the Scroll Saw.I thought I did a good job cutting all of th straight lines of my letters because I thought that my letters looked very cleanly cut.

__What is one area of growth that you discovered (something you could get better at)?__ One of the troubles that I had while cutting the letters for this project were the curved lines. Even though the Scroll Saws are meant to be good for cutting curved lines, that was my biggest weakness. But it ended up okay because I only had two letters with curved lines (the D and S)