Saying Goodbye to Laramie

Well the day has finally come: the day where I packed up my car and headed out of Laradise. Since I have successfully completed my second and final year of graduate school, graduated, received my masters, and have found a job elsewhere, it was time to say goodbye. Through this challenging last leg, I never thought the day would come. But I cannot also believe that it was only about 9-months before, that I was moving myself to this city to go through with my remainder of grad school. Time sure does fly by. As much as I am excited to leave and continue on with my next chapter in my life, it was pretty hard to say goodbye to a bunch of people, places, and things. The staff at SMTC have been so supportive, flexible, and people I have come to love personally and work professionally along side of. I have definitely learned a lot from the faculty I have worked alongside of. I am incredibly thankful for the guidance, flexibility, trust, and support they have all given me. As for the new friends I have made here, I know that we will all be in touch and that the distance will not be an issue. But with every ending, there is a new beginning to a new chapter. I am beyond excited to head back to Jackson and embrace that place without the stresses and pressures of graduate school, work for Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris for the summer, and adventure with some wonderful people I have waiting for me back in JHole. Beyond Excited. Here is to a new chapter!

Peace Out Laradise, Hello Tetons!

TheChristyBel

PS. Don't worry, this blog is still continuing! Keep on Following My Journey!

JoyB and Me - Gonna Miss My Jersey Girl Sister!

My WITS Graduate Assistantship Faculty, Dr. Jacqueline Leonard, & WITS Co-PI, Dr. Saman Aryana
I was awarded the Director's Excellence Award for an Outstanding Graduate Student of the SMTC

Saying goodbye to my GA Office - Wyo Hall 416!

Leaving my Favorite Cat: Gus
Hopefully We Can Find Our Own Cat
Gus, You Have Set the Bar High!

A Graduate School Journey's End

My Science Methods Family!

Some of the Teton Science Schools Graduates

It is crazy to believe that after deciding to give up the complacency of having a job, having some feeling of settlement, and a huge family and community of friends surrounding you, the decision of journeying back to school for graduate school has come to an end. For the past two years, I have learned so much about myself on so many intimate, personal, emotional, and physical levels. I have met a variety of people, co-workers, faculty, fellow grads, classmates, and students that have helped shape who I am, what I want to be, where I want to be, and what I want to be doing with my life. The feelings I have experienced  to go back to school has been all across the spectrum, but I think no matter the outcome of situations, opportunities, and encounters, I believe they were all incredibly beneficial on the growth I have had within myself.

This morning, my parents and Marc were able to watch me cross the stage at UWyoming's College of Education and be hooded for my successes and hard work for my Masters of Science in Natural Science Education. I have never felt so proud of myself for biting the bullet and completely focusing on this goal (even when there were days I would sit on my couch in tears thinking this would not be possible). And when I thought that my year with the Teton Science Schools had gone by fast, the past 9-months in Laramie, WY have gone by much faster. 

I am incredibly excited and slightly terrified about what my future has in store for me. But I am confident that I can take what I have learned and experienced the past two years and morph and adapt to whatever comes my way. 

TheChristyBel

Being Hooded By My Chair, Dr. Andrea Burrows!

Some of the Most Wonderful Friends
to Have During Your Graduate School Journey!

Marc & I
Incredibly Happy to Finally Be a Master!

I Wouldn't Be Here Without Her
My Chair, Dr. Andrea Burrows

One of My Strong Support Systems
Dr. Ana Houseal

Of Course, a Graduation Summit Pose!
In Front of the Dinosaur!

I am soooooo Thankful for My Parents to be Here!

Objects Out of Context

For my last drawing assignment of my graduate career, we were asked to create a composition of an object out of context. This is sort of a synthesis of our learning: taking all of the techniques and strategies we have learned and putting them to a themed assignment. Our subject is supposed to be an object or thing that is placed or being used outside of its original or intended context. I decided to draw my Beta Fish in my morning smoothie in a blender. Do not worry, no fish was harmed in the creation of the composition. I'll get more into the creation in a moment.

So this composition was to be drawn from a still life, created by you, and to not draw from a photograph. We have been focusing on the principles and elements of design and so not only were we asked to create the composotion, but be thoughtfully aware and conscientious of the placement of our still life based on the principles and elements. Elements of design are the building blocks of a composotion: lines (types of lines), shapes (the positive and negative spaces and relationships), values (color and textures of our objects), and time (gesturally drawing quick). Principles of design include: balance (opposing forces), contrast (placement of opposing forces), emphasis (focal points and areas), direction (implied or actual directing), repetition (of colors, shapes, textures), scale (relation of one thing to another) and proportion (relation of parts to the whole), space (decorative flat shapes and 3-D plastic depth cues), unity + variety = harmony (visual linking of various elements in the work) and economy (doing a lot with little, gestural and expressive actions).

This composition was triggered from an early morning routine of making a smoothie every morning before I head onto campus, feeding my fish and a lack of sleep from the constant go from school. There was one morning when I caught myself almost placing fish food in my smoothie (I blame that I was not fully awake yet). It then escalated into scaring me that I would one day place my fish in my smoothie if I was not careful. You can tell that my drawing represents making a meal and that something is not right about that meal; maybe that means it’s an early morning and someone is not really paying attention to what is going into the blender. Reflecting back on this drawing, I could indicate a more sense of time: include a clock showing an early hour, a fishbowl with no fish in it, or an empty coffee cup.

Step 1 - Quick Sketch

Step 2 - Adding Dark and Lights

Step 3 - Adding Details

Throughout the process of creating a fish in a blender, I focused on the following elements: line, shape, value, color, and texture. The variety of lines in the composition (actual: from the lines in the tile wall, the bottom of a cabinet, to the reflective lines in the blender; implied: the downward direction of the blender itself and the cascading from the blender to the plate of strawberries) portray direction in leading the viewer to areas of emphasis (ie. the blender and the contents in and around it). The shape and color within the composition was also emphasized. The blender and its surrounding ingredients were portrayed with darker tones, which created more emphasis and visual weight on the blender as the focal point of the drawing and gave an intense contrast in space from the foreground (blender) to the background (countertop). In addition to the contrast between dark (objects) and light (the countertop background), I repeated similar hues of gray and expressive hatching as a texture for the strawberries in the blender to on the plate. This also indicated direction from the blender to the plate or vice versa. The use of space within the composition was also emphasized: lots of overlap of the small ingredients in and around the blender; and there was a little bit of haziness indicated in the background to enhance the blender and its plate of ingredients as the focal point.

A Real Photo (with Beta Photoshopped In)
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Finished Composition

Cyanotypes & Photograms

Really Beautiful!

This past weekend, I participated in another Professional Development Teacher workshop with my advisor and chair, Andrea Burrows. This workshop focused on The Artful Craft of Science, "TACos." This one-day workshop taught us teachers and pre-service teachers about photograms (from Bailey Russel, a photography professor at University of Wyoming). Bailey explained what the photogram process is and specifically introduced us to Cyanotypes. They are the original blue prints! An iron-based light-sensitive surface (composed of two chemicals, mixed together) that is painted on paper or fabric. When this is placed under UV light or natural, direct sunlight, object shapes that are placed over the paper are captured and a negative is created. So we were able to watch Bailey demo the process, he showed us some examples, and then we were able to try it out on our own. We also created some lessons that could encompass this activity in our science classrooms.

It was super cool, fun, hands-on, and just another idea for the STEM integration with Art concept. I love this!

Enjoy the photos!

TheChristyBel

Drying the Cyanotype Paper We Were Going to Use.

Bailey Showing Some Examples of Cyanotypes

My Attempt At a Cyanotype

Drying!

Finished Product!
What Do You Think?

Our Scientific & Artistic Cyanotypes!

Ucross Pollination Experiment

Ucross Pollination Experiment

This evening after a NSTA Meeting, we went to the Gryphon Theatre to watch the world premiere of a STEM and Art Integration. This was super interesting and engaging. Four faculty members from the a few science departments and four faculty from the art departments at the University of Wyoming were asked to come together and collaborate at the Ucross Foundation. The film is called the Ucross Pollination Experiment. There, they were paired up (one from each field) and asked to come up with a product that encompassed their specific backgrounds and how it reflects the surrounding landscape and naturescape at Ucross. The ending collaborative projects are beautiful, interesting, engaging, and unique. 

I highly recommend this film to anyone that is interested in art and science. This makes me so hopeful for STEAM! There are possibilities and hope for a trans-disciplinary approach to multi-field collaborations. 

TheChristyBel

Gaining Perspective

Out of this drawing course, I can tell I definitely prefer to draw certain things and not draw other things. One area that I have been struggling with and feeling not so positive about is one, two, and three-point perspective drawings. Having focal points and making sure all angles are meeting up and having proportions is really challenging. I think another thing that defines my personal artistic and creative style is that I prefer not to draw man-made things, such as buildings and architecture. I personally do not find that visually appealing to me. But, I am really glad I tried it. If I work really hard and take my time, I can produce decent work, but I feel that my passion and drive is not really there. However, besides one, two, and three point perspective drawings, we will be going into my main out of comfort zone: Portraits! Those are definitely not my strongest, but we will see. Having an open-mind. So stay tuned!

TheChristyBel

Drawing a Pretty Face

The past week and a half, our drawing class, has transitioned from still-life objects to our peers and selves in portraits. I am not going to lie, drawing people is my absolute weakest drawing style. I am totally out of my comfort zone when you ask me to draw a person. However, through this course, I have definitely enhanced my observational skills of looking at things when I draw and have acquired new techniques and skills to approach problems when I draw. So, to be asked to draw portraits now, 3/4 left in the semester is a pretty good time to try. And after drawing friends and peers from class and around campus, I have felt more comfortable drawing people than I have ever before. Below are the examples that we were asked to draw: side-profile, frontal, and 3/4 portraits. Oh, and for our final, we were asked to draw ourselves. I know these are still raw, streak-like, and dark, but what do you expect for a beginner in portraits. I think based on what I have done so far, this is a great foundation and these will get better in proportion, scale, mid-tone, hues, and likeness. I need more practice; and from this course, I do enjoy drawing people now (I'd rather draw a person than a 1 or 2-pt perspective hallway or building! haha). But yes, I do see more people to be drawn in my future! So who wants to be my model?!!? 

TheChristyBel

Side Profile Portrait

Frontal Portrait

3/4 Portrait

Self Portrait

April Snow Showers

Yesterday, when I defended, I did not plan to walk to Wyoming Hall and present during a winter snow storm! Apparently, when I finished my defense presentation, there were several inches of snow on the ground! I could not believe this! I thought we were in spring. But, yea...I was outside in shorts literally the day before and yesterday, Laramie is covered in snow again. Bah.

I Do Not Want to Be a Winter Snow Princess Again

I Want Summer!

TheChristyBel

Woke Up This Morning to Sooooo Much Snow!

A Before & After - Tuesday (Above) & Wednesday (Below)
Photo Credit to Charlie Vogelheim

Laramie is Now a Winter Wonderland Again...in April.

Science & Art Integration Silk Batiks

Here are the Final Products of the Science & Art-Integration Unit from last fall in the Science and Art Methods I courses. I used this integration unit as my Masters Plan B project. It is quite remarkable to see the beautiful work that can come out of a collaboration from two fields.

There Needs to Be More Integration!

Teachers, you have the power to make this happen!

Are you inspired?

I know I am!

STEAM

TheChristyBel

A Microscopic Image of a Snowflake

Microscopic Imaging of Bacteria

Silk Batik of a Sheep's Eye

The Surface Film of a Soap Bubble

The Xylem of a Plant

A Natural Science Master

As of 3:00pm MST today, I shook the hand of my committee chair, Dr. Andrea Burrows, and was congratulated by my committee on successfully passing my Masters of Science in Natural Science Defense Presentation.

Presenting my findings and work on STEM Integration with Art: A Renewed Reason for STEAM to my committee, SMTC colleagues, and friends was really terrifying and nerve-wrecking. Not only was this defense nerve-wrecking to present, but I was the first of my cohort that came here to UW to present. Such pressure! Let me just say, I was more anxious presenting for 45-minutes than performing in front of thousands of audience members in the University of Dayton arena! I'm ridiculous, I know. 

However, I have never felt more proud and accomplished of myself. It was a very challenging experience and journey, but I am so grateful for the knowledge and experience I have gained from this project I had the opportunity to work on. I am truly grateful for the guidance of my committee, their insight and feedback, and their willingness to make me feel supported no matter what. This project has also blossomed more questions and a desire to learn more about how the arts can influence and affect the sciences. If only there was more time...

...just no more writing, please! :)

My graduate school journey is slowly coming to the close and the two last things that I need to do are: 1.) edit and turn in my final paper and 2.) trim it down, again, to submit to a journal!

What a Ride!

Thank you!

TheChristyBel

My Supportive Committee
(From Left to Right: Dr. Adam Myers, Dr. Andrea Burrows, theChristyBel, Wendy Bredehoft)
Missing Dr. Joy Johnson
Photo Credit: Ana Houseal

Celebrating with My Science Methods Family!
Couldn't have asked for a better group to celebrate this wonderful moment with!

Defense Time Announced!

The moment has finally arrived, well, it has been announced, the date of my defense.

Here is my announcement that has gone on the UW's SMTC website.

STEM Integration with Arts: A Renewed Reason for STEAM

MS in Natural Science Education

Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Wyoming Hall 445

For many years, the arts and sciences have been taught in separate silos. However, with the current push for the United States' students to be at the top of the world in STEM disciplines, the arts are being marginalized and pushed out of the classroom. In addition to the limited availability of the arts being taught in schools, there has been a debate that the arts and STEM fields are disconnected from each other. This research bridges the gap in the literature that the arts and sciences are similar in many ways and speak of how STEM can become STEAM in the classroom. In a mission to transition classrooms from STEM to STEAM, how does this process occur? It starts with the educators themselves in providing them with knowledge, ideas, and confidence to be able to teach multiple disciplines in the same classroom. A case study of secondary pre-service teachers (n=58) participating in a Science and Art-integration unit, explored how a silk batik art activity could capture scientific and artistic concepts in the same unit over 5 university class sessions for a three-year time period. The research under study aims to answer the follow research questions: 1.) how have the secondary pre-service teachers’ perspectives about this Science and Art-integration unit changed over a three-year period; and 2.) how has the silk batik activity influenced pre-service teachers’ perspectives of science and art in their future classroom? This study used a mixed methods research approach gathering changes in confidence in knowledge, skills, experiences, and perceptions of science and art. Findings are presented in quantitative and qualitative data that support increased awareness and confidence in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of how science and art can be incorporated into the same classroom, recognition of similarities between the two disciplines, and common themes that are significant in teaching science and art disciplines together. Conclusions include that the Science and Art-integration unit not only serves to promote appreciation and learning for each discipline, but also helps to develop skills and creative perspectives needed beyond the classroom in STEM and other careers.

I have never been so nervous in my life.

Sure I can dance in front of thousands of people and not have any back of my mind worry, but to speak in front of my committee and any other individual that magically shows up....

I ... AM ... TERRIFIED.

TheChristyBel

Creating Depth in Drawings

The first assignment back from spring break introduced us to creating, emphasizing, and exaggerating depth cues to enhance the illusion of deeper spaces in a drawing. We talked about overlapping of objects in a composition, vertical positioning creating layers, diminishing size of objects for indicating things farther away than others, brightening or blurring objects to create atmospheric perspective and focal areas/points, and converging lines indicating linear perspective. Shelby, our professor, created this huge shrine of stuff for us to draw from for this drawing assignment. It was actually overwhelming at first, since there was so much to look at and I was not sure what or where to draw. But using the picture plane cut out, I was able to narrow down the selection and focus on the bike right in front of me. If you see the composition up close, you can clearly tell the bike is incredibly crisp and detailed, and everything else has been blurred out with a huge soft paintbrush. By focusing and keeping detail in one object, this indicates and demonstrates depth by stating the bike is the closest thing in the picture and everything else is in the background.

Super interesting how to make my drawings more visually interesting and adding more depth or 3-D qualities into my 2-D drawings!

TheChristyBel

My Finished Piece!

Spring Has Sprung?

This afternoon was by far the most beautiful of days! And from what I hear, this weather is NOT normal for Laramie, Wyoming. It felt like I was back on the East Coast for a 'normal' spring day. But apparently, the East Coast is not having the same kind of weather right now...looks like Brenna just texted me saying 'it's snowing and I hate you right now.' Well...maybe this, shall I say the forbidden words, 'climate change' has really done something to prove something interesting and scary is happening?!? Who knows, I just know that this afternoon, it was bluebird sunny skies, the warmest sunshine, and 65+ degrees! You know what that means, I laid out in the park near my house! It was super nice out, and it is apparently supposed to be snow on Thursday. So......it was my only opportunity to get out and just soak up some happy Vitamin D and just let the sun hug every part of my body! Sun really does make you feel happy, so go outside and be happy!

TheChristyBel

UW Teacher Professional Development

This past weekend, NSTA pre-service teachers were invited to a UW Professional Development workshop. I've been to a few others this spring and they are super helpful and interesting to attend. These workshops (usually last for a day and half) provide teachers (across the state) and NSTA UW pre-service teachers with lessons, discussions, and new ideas/activities that incorporate STEM into their lessons and classrooms. The two workshops I have gone to have covered Astronomy, Citizen Science, and Computer Science topics and concepts that we can incorporate into out teaching. From what I have experienced, these workshops are broadening my mind on how I can approach my teaching and my future classrooms with an interdisciplinary approach utilizing STEM fields and collaborating with other educators across the state to gain ideas! 

Do you want to know one of the awesome parts to these workshops: you get PAID for attending the workshops! Approximately, $150/day! How awesome is that! Plus, they feed you meals during workshop time. If you are a UW teacher or pre-service teacher, you should totally check out the site! There is one in May about Science and Art Integration!!!!

Listening to Dr. Adam Myers Talk About
Astronomy & Computer Programming
Photo Credit to #LASSIPD3 Workshop
www.uwpd.org

Friday night, we focused on Computer Science programming and engineering and how this can be incorporated into our classrooms. With NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), the idea of incorporating technology and engineering into our classrooms are providing sets of skills that are beneficial for our students' future academic careers and survival in today's society. There was a talk from Dr. Adam Myers (one of my committee members) talking about how to analyze data (large amounts of data) through computer programming - random selecting, targeting, strategies, and processes - all using computer coding and programs. In addition to how scientists are using computer science in their research and fields, we talked about how we can incorporate astronomy into the classroom while keeping the NGSS standards in mind. Kali (another NSTA member/pre-service teacher), myself, and Sam (an art/science teacher from Riverton), decided to work on talking about the Solar System in a lesson. Focusing on scale, proportion, and quantity (one of the NGSS cross-cutting concepts), we came up with a lesson where students can gain knowledge in regards to the sequence of the planets in a solar system, the size of each planet (in comparison to the Earth) and how far away they are from Earth. Kali and I used an activity (the pocket solar system) we learned from the NASA Moon/Rock Sample Workshop. This activity allows students to create the solar system while representing a scaled down interpretation of the distance each planet is from each other. Then...students could calculate from that pocket solar system, how far away each planet is on a bigger scale (maybe the length of their school through the hallways, or even outside). For Sam's case, maybe the students could utilize their school and paint the solar system with accurate scale throughout their school?!


These workshops are really helpful because we learn about a topic and are given time (during this workshop) to create lessons that we can try out in our classrooms!

Conversing about Being an Algorithm
Photo Credit to #LASSIPD3 Workshop
www.uwpd.org

Saturday was getting more into computer science. We had a speaker, Mike Borowczak, a computer science professional that explained to us some basic fundamentals of coding and how we can incorporate coding with technology and computers into lessons. Not going to lie, it was overwhelming (since I had not taken an computer science classes since undergrad at UDelaware). But it was also a great review when I would hear key concepts. I actually pulled up my Computer Science Methods textbook (PDF) from GEOG250 from UDel as he was talking. Totally helpful! It was definitely a great refresher, however, when it came to coding, there were times I got lost and needed help. But that's the learning process, you know!

Organized Ourselves into a Process
Photo Credit to #LASSIPD3 Workshop
www.uwpd.org

Also, we got to participate in a variety of hands-on, interactive, and mobile activities for all ages. This was super fun. First, we got to be a human algorithm. We were asked to gather together in a circle in the middle of the room. As we were given input data through one person, we were only allowed to hold on piece of data at a time, and only one person was allowed to output. Our objective was to sort the data. As we got data, we realized we had cities and states. So our group wanted to sort them by Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast regions. We came up with steps or processes that as the input got the data (one-by-one), they would pass it either to North or South people. Then that data would be categorized into North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West and then hand it to the output (And place it in the corresponding placeholder based on who it came from). In the end, we realized we made an algorithm or procedure/formula on how to organize our data. Basically, we interacted how a computer program would simulate this process. Super fun!

Kali & Me Made it Onto the #LASSIPD3 Twitter with Our NetLogo Computer Model
Fire Ecology with Pine Beetle Kill
Photo Credit to Mike Borowczak, #LASSIPD3

In the afternoon, we were allowed to free-roam and explore the resources that were brought or accessible on-line to test out and try to create our own computer science program or model that we could incorporate into our classroom. There were a few games and hands-on equipment/kits provided to use at the workshop (such as: Arduino Technologies, NetLogo, Turtle Robot, Khan Academy, and much more). This was super fun! Kali and I worked together on a lesson that she and I could incorporate into our teaching (I know we could definitely use it in a Life Science class, Ecology class, or even when I teach Teton Science Schools later this year). And the best part...you can even play it yourself! Super cool, fun, and I was able to place my coding skills to the test, as well as learn more about this field I have totally neglected since Spring 2006....ha! Dr. Brian Hanson would be sooooo proud! The computer programming website is called NetLogo. You can basically take already created programs (similar to what you want to do) and tweak it to your lesson using coding. It's great to have your students play them as well as design them! How cool is that?! Plus, after the workshop, the computer programming expert, Mike, took Kali and mine and brought it to a whole new-level too! Great team work, Mike! You can test his out here!

This PD workshop was really great for talking and immersing ourselves in a field or discipline that I normally steer away from. It's a great time to try and explore. I definitely should have started going to these last fall! Oh well, better late than never!

TheChristyBel