OPP & OP 2015/2016

So I want to take a minute to talk about Open and what's been happening (you might want to check out Ellen Reckamp's blog if you're really interested). Ellen's project last year was the constructing of phase 2 of OP, an Open Program class for juniors: Open Program Passions (OPP). 

OPP is a class (taught by Ms. Rad to previous OP students as well as juniors that were not previously in OP) that's based around the idea of finding your passion, what you like to do in life, what you might want to do in the future, planning for that future, exploring opportunities, and, in a broad sense, exploring your future. I know how cliche and lame that sounds to some, including myself initially, but in reality it's been one of the most interesting classes and probably the most informational and applicable class I've ever attended. Along with that, the mass advantage of opportunities the class and Ms. Rad have to offer are invaluable. If you seek knowledge, experience, understanding -- anything that you need/want to achieve a certain goal or explore a field of interest -- Ms. Rad will undoubtedly do anything in her power to make it happen. Anything. If you want to invite a doctor into class to talk. Done. If you want to visit a college on zoology. She'd personally call the college and get information. If you want to job shadow a successful businessman. She'd contact a successful business. The resources are unlimited, and that puts us all in a very active state of learning and passion for knowledge.

There is a OP class for sophomores this year as well (again taught by Mr. Glim and Ms. Rad)! The class grew in size from last year and the students are really beginning to enjoy it. Rosie and I had the privilege to sit in on some of the initial classes and observe the new OP students fail at certain tasks and get upset about grades as we had done initially in Open. It was kind of eye-opening to see how far we've come since we were in that same position a year ago. I'm excited to see their progress grow and develop from a position outside of their class. 

What I am most ecstatic about, however, is the project ideas that will soon come out of these intelligent minds! I believe, as of now, most already have a general idea of what they want to execute, which is super cool! I've heard a general sense of what some students wish to do, yet these ideas are incredibly susceptible to drastic changes or complete abandonment. A great portion of the Sophomore's 2nd semester projects ideas are community based -- which isn't a bad thing -- however, I will admit I am disappointed that none of the project ideas thus far (remember, these ideas are incredibly susceptible to drastic changes or complete abandonment) produce a physical (or virtual) result or are profitable (entrepreneur-like). I'm aware that the 2nd semester project originally (and still is) focused around the idea of being "community" based, but in my opinion it would be really cool to see a result that hasn't been seen before. Again, this is just my opinion, and, again, absolutely none of their ideas are set in stone.

It's going to be really interesting to watch the sophomores in the program this year, and I really look forward to collaborative projects and thoughts that we will inevitably emerge this year!

Start of a New School Year

Wow, it has been ages since I've wrote anything! Well, I want update y'all on what's been good. School's going great; I love my schedule this year. Finally got a Comp-Sci class here at OHS. It's an online option and a "pilot" program to OHS (I believe 6-8 students are currently enrolled). I've heard rumors of an on-campus option here at OHS that's going to be (maybe?) available in a few years. Anyways, the online class is great! I can honestly say I've learned a boat-load. And the things that I've acquired from my "informal training" from Mr. Larsen have just finally clicked into an entire world of application.
Mr. Larsen and I have continued to meet throughout a portion of the summer, and continue to meet weekly now that school has initiated. We're still drastically improving the calculator (totally ripped out the cluttered entry boxes, created a menu for addons including a simple mass and percent composition calculator, and much more!) and continuing to brainstorm ideas and still plan to develop an application for Android devices. It's pretty great.
In addition to that, I decided to purchase my own domain and toy around with web development a bit.
Mr. Larsen is really an extraordinary man of many talents. Just recently, like it was the most nonchalant information to ever reach the composition of words, he told me he owned his own company and developed web pages professionally. Owned his own company. So, naturally, obviously, I purchased my own domain and bought a book on PHP. My playground of a domain is just that -- a playground, a place where I can dump all my ideas and start practicing PHP, HTML, Perl, and other server-side languages. Eventually, I think it would be cool to have a desktop version of the calculator (as well as an APK?) on the site for public download.

English & Math

I would just like to take some time to discus English and Math within the Open Program. It was our primary duty at the start of the second semester in Open to gather knowledge as a whole and venture through Algebra II and English II at our own pace to obtain standards as proof of mastery. The standards are the very same Common Core standards that the rest of the students outside of the Open Program must acquire conclusively at the end of their classes. It is at our own will and our own way we must complete these standards to pass our classes.
Every student chooses to learn in his or her own manner. For math, I find it easiest working from the pretests and taking the much larger math concepts and breaking them down into smaller, understandable ones. I usually work in a small group (most likely consisting of Alex and Kaden) and when we run into questions we result to Mr. Davidson. We gain most of our standards through the chapter texts like most students choose to do.
For english, things are not as black and white as they are in math. In english, we have a portfolio of writing that we must keep that proves to your teachers that we can write over the course of time and improve as a writer. Along with this portfolio, we also must meet all the English II standards. The cool part is, we can meet these standards by writing (essentially) over whatever we wish.
Both english and math have been exceptionally better than previously; the new style of learning has been quite exciting! As always, if anyone has any questions over absolutely anything, don't hesitate to ask!

A Peek Into the Code (And What it Looks Like)

So I've had a few questions about the code, and I just would like to clear up some confusion and let everyone know kind of what this looks like. The code I'm working with now looks something like this:

Note that the "code" portion is on the right-hand side of the screen, as the PythonShell is on the left. Also note that this is not nearly the code in it's entirety (this is actually quite a small portion as the entire program, as of now, it has about 700 lines of code) and is, in actuality, much larger. The code, when executed, runs the GUI (graphical user interface) which is depicted in my previous blog and is the program. On the left-hand side, you have the Shell, which is where errors are displayed and things can be printed. If something were to be broken, the shell would shoot you an error and I'd have to debug it and make it run; if something doesn't work the code cannot execute and an error will be displayed. Neither the shell nor the code will be visible when a user would be actually using the calculator.

I don't want to venture too much into explaining how the code works due to the fact that it gets really intricate really fast. I did, however, want to show people exactly what I'm doing when I say I am "coding" or "programming." This is pretty much it. Just typing the code on the right side and running it, fixing and tweaking as I go. As always, if you have any questions concerning anything please ask!

The Idea: Adding Compounds Verticaly Could Be The Selling Point

So this is what I have thus far concerning a working calculator.

And if you were to execute a problem:

Now, this example is fairly simple. You get your answers in the right side of the window. You get your answers in three units as well as what the limiting reactant is. Above, you may notice the button to switch between types of problems, and when the contrary is selected a new group of boxes (the boxes which make up a compound for a second product) appear to the right of the last group. This is what the program has looked like in my head for the past year now, and it's super exciting to see it working and running; the pieces starting to fall together! However, whilst proceeding through the writing of the math for the 2 reactant/2 product problems, Mr. Larsen and I realized something:  we need to go bigger. At this moment in time we saw a much bigger picture...a picture that looked something like this: 

  

 A calculator that can add up to 5 reactants and produce up to 5 products. Instead of adding compounds horizontally, we will now be adding them up vertically. The sky's the limit with this. Things to come are input boxes on the sides of each compound to enter the amounts of each compound as well as a drop-down selection for what unit the user's amount is in. I'll also be adding a giant arrow between the reactants and products for effect. One major downfall of doing the calculator like this is that math. The math application towards the solving of the problem only gets more intricate as one starts adding more products and/or reactants and odd combinations could plause issues in the near future. However, this is way too exciting to just get scared off by a few mountains I'll have to climb! I'm excited to see how these new ideas fall into place once the math starts coming together more and more! Again, if anyone has any questions please feel free to ask!

Onward to the next type of problem!

Onward to the next type of problem!

The next step in the calculator is creating an option so that the user can switch between which type of calculation he/she wishes to solve. As I've mentioned before, stoichiometry contains a wide range of very diverse problems that change depending on the situation of the problem, which poses difficulty when trying to create a stable calculator. I've decided to only create two options for problems as far as this year is concerned:  two-reaction one-product (which has already been completed), and two-reaction two-product (which still needs to be created), as well as a button to be able to switch easily between the two types of problems. The button works similar to when you choose your gender when you create a new email. As one circle is selected, the other circle becomes unselected. Each circle will be labeled corresponding to the type of problem it represents. As you click on, and choose which problem you have, the GUI of the calculator changes so that you can solve that type of problem. If you were, let's say, to switch from the two-reaction one-product problem type to the two-reaction two-product problem type, the only thing the user would see visually would be added input boxes for another compound on the right side of the equation (another product). 

Currently, I am finishing up the button's code within the program, and will soon proceed to write the entire arithmetic for the two-product calculations. Again, if you have any questions over anything I'm doing, may it be general or meticulously specific, please don't hesitate to ask; I will try to post the video of the calculator in action by the end of the week.

Project Update: Mr. Larsen

I've been meeting with Mr. Larsen for the past four weeks to acquire a greater knowledge of programming to apply to the calculator. Although he is a wizard, and definitely a professional at computer science, I must admit the experience is a whole lot different than I had imagined, and different for the better! I don't think I've ever left his office without the biggest smile on my face and new masses of inspiration! Initially, after hearing how incredible and intelligent he is, I thought meeting with Mr. Larsen would put me at an inferior position. I thought this because I just assumed he would know all the answers, and therefor render me quite useless as far as the program was concerned. This is not what happened at all. I must admit I sort of underestimated my then current understanding of how the program worked my ability to understand logic, and to learn things hastily. Anything that needed to be learned, or just slightly changed, was fairly easy to pick up and apply. I also just ignorantly assumed he would have all the answers as far as how the calculator should look and the best and most efficient way for the GUI to look. This was also false. I was ebullient to realize that the ambiance of the meetings were that of a partnership; we both played major roles in the development, and neither of us superseded the other. We bounced ideas off each other and utilized both our knowledge to one main achievement. As well as working together to discover and complete the goal, he is also teaching me a lot as we go, and everything he teaches me I always take and practice it until I fully understand it before I move on.

The current status of the calculator is radically further in the process compared to my timeline than I could've ever imagined. The calculator can now successfully solve two-reactant one-product problems where the user has the amounts of both reactants. The calculator then immediately displays the theoretical yield of the product in grams, moles, and particles, and tells the user the limiting reactant (all things/"answers" that are necessary to be displayed). The user can have the amounts of both reactants in either grams, moles, or particles, so that no unit conversions have to be made by the user outside the program.

However exciting this may be, there are many more things that can be done. The first thing on my agenda is to create a drop-down box on the banner of the program to create options (or "modes") for the user to choose. One of the most challenging things about a stoichiometry calculator is that stoichiometry problems can vary tremendously from problem to problem, and there are many different types of problems as the chemical reaction you're using changes; as the problem type changes, the math alters too. So Mr. Larsen and I have proposed a tentative solution:  there will be a drop-down box so that the user can choose what type of problem he/she has (two-reactant one-product, two-reactant two-product, three-reactant two-product, etc.) and the calculator will change accordingly. The second thing on my agenda is then to code all the different types of problems in the calculator, which isn't as a gigantic task as it may seem. I already have one type done, so I must only need to build on from that. 

In a few days or so, I plan on screen recording a video of me using the calculator, and explaining as I do so. That way I can hopefully cover any confusion about what this is actually looking like/starting to become. But as for now, if you have any questions please ask them below, and I will try my best to answer them!

The Project - An Introduction

As I briefly mentioned in my last post, my project idea is a purely introverted idea, meaning that it's not super community based (like many of the other Openers' projects), but rather an entrepreneurial concept based upon a lack of necessary technology:  A Stoichiometry Calculator.

"What is that? I have never heard of that ever in my life, how do you even say that word?" Is probably the most recurring statement I ever heard during the Faire...and for good reason It's most certainly not a common subject.

Stoichiometry, in my own words, is a sub-category of chemistry; a tool, if you will, to solve certain chemistry problems.

In certain situations in chemistry, chemists calculate how much of a chemical will be produced. I'm sure you're all at least vaguely familiar with the classic science fair experiment of the erupting volcano. The classic volcano combines vinegar and baking soda to produce water and carbon dioxide (the foamy stuff). Stoichiometry is the act, or calculation of how much product will be produced with a given amount of starting chemicals. Or, working backwards from how much chemicals were produced, to how much of each reactant was used. So in our volcano example, if we had, let's say, 15 grams of vinegar and 45 grams of baking soda, how much water and carbon dioxide (the foamy stuff) could we produce. Or, if we wanted exactly 140 grams of product (the foamy stuff) to erupt from our volcano, how much vinegar and baking soda would we need?
These are examples of stoichiometric problems.

The best way I can describe my project is comparing it to long division. When you're faced with a challenging division problem, the easiest and most probable solution is to utilize a calculator. Well, when chemists encounter a challenging chemistry/stoichiometry problem, the easiest and most probable solution would be to use a calculator...my calculator. Because a calculator like mine does not yet exist.

Now, in long division, people must learn the essentials first: writing it all on paper, showing their work, knowing how the math works, and understanding how the problems work as a whole. People must do this before moving toward the calculator for answers; if one were to skip the initial learning phase, they'd be missing the concept as a whole, and get entirely lost when trying to understand concepts at a higher complexity than what their missing.

The same goes for my calculator. It's sole propose is not a learning tool for the subject itself, more so a tool to solve problems for a higher purpose. For example: our volcano experiment above, or a  more real-to-life example would include calculating the correct components for a pharmaceutical product and applying the calculator's results toward the end solution, aiding the process of work.

I am coding it from scratch on a PC (computer) with Python 3.x.x (a programing language used for writing code) using IDLE as a text editor, and a GUI (graphical user interface (where things are displayed to the user)). It's going to be a downloadable program via computer. I'm working in close parameters with Mr. Larsen, OHS's assistant-superintendent. He's serving as a sort of mentor for the cause, and is helping in the aspect of the code and GUI building for the program itself. After nearly a year of pre-examination and meticulous dissection of the arithmetic, as well as how it will fit into the code of a program, I have completely mastered the chemistry aspect, along with all the math involved. The challenge, then, is first to obtain a stronger programming understanding and learn how to build the GUI of the program.

I am currently undergoing the process, and everyday I'm learning something new. I'll try my best to keep everyone interested informed via this page. If you have any questions feel free to comment below or contact me via email.

The Second Semester

It is now the ninth week of the proclaimed "scary" second semester. It was dubbed scary for all the right reasons:  each individual student is individual as a learner, and must proceed through their Math and English courses, as well as their personal projects, as they choose.

If you were not aware, each student within the Open Program must compile an independent idea for a project they are to work on the entire second semester. For example, Alex Sitze is constructing the first formal talent show to be hosted by OHS. Ellen Reckamp has taken on the rigorous challenge of constructing Open Program for Juniors next year. And many more innovative concepts that that will be carried out by each individual student over the course of second semester.

I haven't wrote anything in the longest of times so I feel the need to catch everyone up. Nearing the end of the first semester, Open Program put on a Faire for the public and all the curious onlookers. The Open Program Faire consisted of all the Openers' (students enlisted in the Open Program) project ideas;  a visual display along with a oral presentation aided their pitch to the public. The Faire was set up in a Faire-like fashion, meaning the onlookers browsed as they pleased, and could travel from table to table as they desired (similar to how the activities fair is ran). I think the Faire went extremely well! Personally, I know I have crazy stage fright/anxiety, and I definitely have problems speaking in front of people. As the Faire went on though, it became easier and easier to deliver my presentation, and to get my ideas across to people.

Due to the specificity of my project, it wasn't easy to explain my introverted idea. Regardless, I got amazing feedback from all my peers and everyone willing to listen and understand; a lot of people were really excited and supportive of my idea, and I'm overjoyed that they were so kind and caring.

After the Faire, all the Openers had to then pitch their second semester project idea to the four Open Teachers (Ms. Rad, Mr. Glim, Mr. Davidson, and Mr. Sitze), the principal of OHS (Mr. Nelson), the vice principal (Mr. Boyer), the superintendent (Mr. Mahoney), and any Board of Education members that were interested. The pitch was a speech -- a presentation of the independent second semester project and a plan of what is to come. The pitch also served as a first semester final exam for the Open Lab class. Due to my anxiety during the presentation, I was really surprised at the 100% I received as a grade for the pitch. Needless to say, I am very excited to see what I can accomplish this semester. Future posts will entail what my project consists of; if you have any questions feel free to ask below.