Scratch Conversations

We remixed a project by Ricarose called Penguin Jokes.  Here's my version.




The joke is from jokes4us.com. You would use Broadcast when you want to click on each sprite to have them do something. Timing is when you want the project to flow.

Scratch - Making Blocks

For this project, we had to experiment with making blocks.  Here is my project.

To make a block, you type in what you want the block to be called, and then you have to define it using other blocks. You would make a block in order to save space in the main section of blocks.

Scratch Debugging

Today, we worked on some debugging projects on Scratch. Here are my projects. Debugit 1.1 Press the green flag to make Scratch Cat and Gobo dance. Debugit 1.2 Press the green flag to make Scratch Cat move. Debugit 1.3 Press the space bar to make Scratch Cat do a flip. Debugit 1.4 Click on Scratch Cat to make him walk back and forth. Debugit 1.5 Click the green flag to make Scratch Cat say meow.

To debug these projects, I looked at the code and found out what was wrong with the original version's code. I then added or removed blocks until the code worked. I would help someone else to learn to code by teaching them the basics of Scratch, and then telling to use logic and common sense to debug it.

Scratch 10 Block Challenge

We did a 10 block challenge today on Scratch.  We could only use 10 certain blocks, and we had to use them all at least once.  Here is the result.

It was helpful in learning Scratch to have a creative project that wasn't too complicated.  The limited number of blocks available helped to keep the project simple.

Scratch Motion

We had to make another project to try out 3 different kinds of motion in Scratch.  Here is the project.

Scratch Week 1

We've started a new unit on Scratch.  Here is my tutorial!

I was surprised at how easy Scratch is to use.  It was nice to have a step-by-step tutorial to help me learn the basics of Scratch.  I like to have structure at the very beginning of learning a new topic so I can learn how to do it, and I enjoy having more creative freedom once I've learned the basics.  I feel most creative when I know what I'm doing and am allowed to work on my own.

HTML Webpage

In class recently, we have been learning about HTML coding.  We made our own web pages - here's the link to mine! Unfortunately, tinyURL was not working for me, so here's the complete link.

\\studfilesrvr-01.students.rpsdistrict.local\2017\morgan.neffgatchell\Computer Applications\MorganNeff-Gatchell Final.html

See if it works for you.

Intro to HTML

1 -  How to use HTML to create complex webpages
2 -  How to create coloured text
3 -  More HTML commands

1 -  The purpose of a browser is to display HTML webpages
2 -  Endtags are not always necessary

1 -  I will make a mistake in the HTML that will throw off the entire webpage

New Binary Codes

In class today, we had to find another student's binary code that we like and write a message with it.  You can find the post with the code I used here. See if you can decode it!

* = 0
^ = 1

16 8 4 2 1
 ^  * ^ * *
 *  ^ * * *
 *  ^ * * ^
 ^  * * ^ ^
 *  * * * *
 *  ^ * * ^
 ^  * * ^ ^
 *  * * * *
 *  * ^ * ^
 *  ^ ^ * *
 *  ^ * * ^
 ^  ^ * ^ *
 *  * * * ^
 *  * * ^ *
 *  * ^ * ^
 ^  * ^ * *
 *  ^ * * *
 ^  * * ^ ^
 *  * * * *
 *  * * ^ *
 *  ^ * * ^
 *  ^ ^ ^ *
 *  * * * ^
 ^  * * ^ *
 ^  ^ * * ^
 *  * * * *
 *  * * ^ ^
 *  ^ ^ ^ ^
 *  * ^ * *
 *  * ^ * ^

New Binary Code

Today in class we made up a new version of the binary code without using letters or numbers.  Here's mine!

~  =  0
!   =  1

See if you can decode this message.  Each line represents a letter.

~ ! ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ! ~ !
~ ! ! ~ ~
~ ! ! ~ ~
~ ! ! ! !
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ! ~ ~ ~
~ ! ! ! !
! ~ ! ! !
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ !
! ~ ~ ! ~
~ ~ ! ~ !
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
! ! ~ ~ !
~ ~ ! ~ !
! ~ ! ~ !

?

The Binary Game

Check out the binary game here!

1. I got to level 4.
2. The hardest part of the game is when you get to the big numbers that they assign and you have to figure out which buttons to press.
3. Binary numbers are more difficult than a regular base-10 numeral system, so I don't like it as much as regular counting.
4. With 5 fingers, you could count to 31 in binary.
5. Every time you use a computer, you are using binary.  When I type this post, the computer converts the input from the keyboard, which is in binary, to the letters on the screen.  I then post this and the blog stores the binary code of the letters.  When you open the page, your computer converts that binary code into the words you are reading right now.

3...2...1... Why Computers Use Binary

3 things you learned
   -   Sound is made by air pressure pressing and pulling on your eardrums.
   -   Computer code is sent along wires in volts.
   -   Binary is used because of the risk of inaccuracy.

2 things you don't understand well
   -   Why the binary system doubles the number represented by each digit (1, 2, 4, 8, etc)
   -   How do base 2-9 numeral systems work

1 thing you would like to know more about
   -   Base 2-9 numeral systems

Eliza

Eliza is a virtual intelligence, computer simulated therapist.  She's not very smart, though.

1.  I did not find Eliza to be very human-like.
2.  I think that more varied responses and better grammar would make Eliza seem more human.
3.  A computer can only express emotion in words that it is programmed to say.
4.  If computers are extremely well-programmed, with many varied responses available and a very good ability to recognise more than just the key words in a sentence, they could become more human-like.

Google

1.  The widely used search engine Google began as a small, two-man operation, but has transformed into the massive company that it is today.  Originally, the inventors of Google wanted to sell their invention, but no companies would buy it because search engines were not widely used at the time, and they didn't think Google would make any money.  When the inventors decided to make their own company, Google flourished and grew.  Search engines became more popular, and other search engines improved to compete with Google.  They introduced targeted advertising, which presents people with ads based on their search queries.  This is how Google makes so much money and has grown into such a huge success.

2.  Google faces challenges such as staying ahead of the competition, and keeping up with the rapidly expanding internet.

3.  Marketing and performance are the keys to staying ahead of the competition.  Google has to be the biggest name, the one that you hear every day, in order to stay ahead.  It also has to give good results fast.

4.  GoogleBot is a program developed to find every page on the internet to put it into Google's archives.  It organises the pages in the archive.  When someone searches something, results are organised with a complicated algorithm in order of relevance.  It uses statistics such as the number of incoming links and hits to find the most relevant pages, because the most useful pages will be the most popular.

Create Your Own Virtual Bead Loom Design

For our final experiment with the virtual bead loom, we created our own design.  I decided to do a Dalek from Doctor Who.

A bit simplified, but here you are!

Beadwork - Virtual Experiments

In class recently, we have been studying Native American beadwork and patterns and their geometric properties.  We used several virtual tools to use the Cartesian coordinate plane to make designs. First, we experimented with a virtual bead loom.

Then we used a virtual basket weaver.

We also used a virtual rug weaver.

We made another experiment using a culture other than Native American.

Native American Beadwork and Geometry

1. The beauty of Native American beadwork is well-known.
2. We will be using the Cartesian coordinate system during this lesson.
3. Many Native American designs are based on four-fold symmetry, when something is symmetrical on the top and bottom and the left and right.
4. Each image could be placed on a coordinate plane and each quadrant would be the same.
5. The first image is a piece of Plains Indians embroidery.  The second image is a piece of Shoshone beadwork.  The third image is of a Pawnee buffalo hide drum.  The fourth image is a Navajo rug.
6. Reflection symmetry is when something is the same on both sides.
7. Base four counting was very common.  For instance, teepees were often built with four support poles, one in each direction.
8. Four-fold symmetry is used in Navajo sand painting, which is used for healing by the balance of forces.
9. The Yupik make parkas which use a coordinate system to remain symmetrical.
10. Four-fold symmetry is used in beadwork, which is laid out with threads running horizontally and vertically like a coordinate plane.
11. Native American beadwork was created long before Europeans came to America.
12. Wampum beadwork was used to record messages and historic events.

Communication Through Social Media

Last night, our class kept a log of all of the times we generated data through the use of technology throughout the day.  I don't communicate through technology very much.  I don't text often and only use Snapchat occasionally, and I don't post to social media sites.  I have friends, however, who text almost constantly, are often on Snapchat, and have very active Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds.  There are many ways to use social media and the internet, and these are just a few of them.

About Me

Hi everyone, Morgan here! This blog is for my class in Computer Applications this semester.  I am a sophomore in high school this year.  I am in two different choruses at school, I take horse back riding lessons and I hope to be joining the Ukulele Club at school.  I love reading, writing, drawing, and making music - and listening to it too.  I love 70s rock.  I play the piano and ukulele and sing.  I live with my mom, dad, little twin brothers, a cat, and a dog.  I love Singin' in the Rain, Spirit, the Lord of the Rings movies, Marvel movies, and Disney movies in general.  My favourite shows are BBC's Sherlock, Supernatural, Doctor Who, and The Big Bang Theory.  I love to read as well.  I have read the Harry Potter series more times than I can count (only the British versions), but I also love the Percy Jackson series and Charles Dickens especially.  I would like to go to a good school of psychology and become an animal trainer, or go to an art school.

Computer Buying Project: Group Work

We're working in a group on a project in class.  We're getting a lot done, and I think that this project is going to go well!