Who Do You Think You Are?

Here is an interview condcuted with my grandma. It details her early life and family history.

This is an interview with my dad. I asked him questions about his childhood and older relatives.

A persuasive email that I wrote to my grandma can be found here. In it, I asked her to participate in the interview that I later conducted with her.

My simple family tree can be found here. I compiled it using Family Echo.

This is another family tree that I created using Prezi. It gives fun facts about each primary older member of my family.

This is a Pikochart infographic about my family. It compares both sides of my family.


This is a fun stop-motion animation video that I created showing the history of my creation though three generations.

December 2, 2013

Where are you right now on your "Who Do You Think You Are" project? What did you do over the break for the project? Did you interview anyone? Use the checklist below to figure out what you have finished, what you are still working on and what you still have to do.

I am almost done with my Prezi and have completed all interviews. Over Thanksgiving break I tried to collect more information about my dad's family over the phone, but he one aunt who knows our family history was on a cruise. I reaffirmed my mom's history with my grandma and grandpa. I will finish the Prezi today and the Piktochart sometime this week. My project will be awesome.

Stop-Motion Rankings

Student's Name: Colin Wolf
Video Idea: Skittle eating line
Why you believe it is one of the best in the class: It was colorful, intricate, fun to watch, and it made sense.

Student's Name: Andrew Fournier
Video Idea: Drawing of meteor hitting earth
Why you believe it is one of the best in the class: It was well laid-out, had smooth animation, and had humor in it.

Student's Name: Emma Friedlander
Video Idea: Spinning locker combo then opening it
Why you believe it is one of the best in the class: It was smooth, fun to watch, and different than all the rest.

November 13, 2013

How did you stop motion animation turn out? If you could give it a grade, what would you give it out of 60 points? What did you learn from creating this video?

Mine turned out great . It flows smoothly and the music pairs up with it perfectly. I would give it at least a 56. This taught me patience because i had to retake the 330-some pictures three times because my charger would flip in the kinked part halfway through the video.

November 11, 2013

 How far along are you on your stop motion animation? What did you do over the weekend to work on you stop motion animation? Do you have all your pictures today? Will you have all your pictures by the end of the hour? Give me a detailed updated.

I have finished taking my photos and I am ready to upload them to the computer. I brainstormed all weekend and took the photos yesterday. I have everything ready to upload and am ready to create my video.

November 8, 2013

What are you planning on doing for your stop-motion animation video? What story are you going to tell? How will your video be fun and different? Who is taking your photos? When are you taking your photos?

I plan on making some sort of synchronized swimming stop-motion video with pens. I am going to make some sort of cool-colored kaleidoscope type visual presentation and it will be very trippy. It will be different through how the pens multiply and "morph" into different shapes. I will be taking my photos this weekend.

November 1st, 2013

What are the pros and cons to photo editing? What are some examples of when photo editing is fun and appropriate? When can photo editing be inappropriate or too much?

 A pro of photo editing is bringing out vibrant colors in your picture. Just recently I Instagrammed a picture of crayons melted on canvas, adding a low-fi effect the make the colors pop more. It can also remove undesired parts of your photo like something in the background or something that could be deemed inappropriate for social media. A con is when people over-edit their photos, which can be deceiving and trashy. Fun and appropriate can include a black and white filter, inappropriate and too much can be writing all over your photo and airbrushing it to the point where it blurs.  

October 28, 2013

 What is your favorite web tool that we have used in class so far this year? Why is it your favorite web tool? What do you like about it? How can you use it again in the future?

I really liked the Piktochart tool. I have always loved reading infographics and creating one helped me learn how they work even better. I like the ease of use and how you can choose from different template layouts and themes. I can use it again for compiling information and presenting it in an interesting way. Infographics are much more fun to read than slideshows or other ways of compiling information.

Medical Marijuana

October 17, 2013

What makes a presentation memorable? What makes a presentation stand out and not boring? How are you going to make your presentation better than anyone else? How will you make it unique? Explain.

A memorable presentation has to have interesting information presented in a fun way. To make it stand out, add color and fun graphics that relate to your topic. I am going to blow my audience away by projecting my voice, connecting with them, and seeming interested and passionate about my topic. The uniqueness will come from new information and a creative presentation tool. This way, the audience will not be bored out of their minds and will actually learn new things.

October 15, 2013

 What did you learn from the Ted Talk yesterday? Did you find it interesting or accurate? Explain.

I learned that we truly are letting technology take over our lives. I found it interesting that we are slowly withdrawing ourselves from human contact more and more every day. I think it is accurate that we use text messages to have personal conversations, when really it should be by phone or face-to-face. We needs to start weaning ourselves off of communicating by means of technology, and get back to the old-fashioned conversation

October 14, 2013

What do you love about the "digital age" that we currently live in? What do you dislike about it? What are positives ways you use technology in your life? What are some things that come along with technology that you don't like? Explain.

I like that we can always be connected and entertained with things like texting and Netflix. I dislike that companies and the government can track where we are and what websites we visit. I feel like that is an invasion of privacy. I use technology to educate myself and stay connected with relatives who live far away. I don't like that I am always on my phone or some sort of technology. I feel that, as a society, we need to wean ourselves off of technology.

Medical Marijuana Infographic

Tuesday, October 8th

Tell me about your Homecoming weekend (whether you went to the activities or not!). Tell me about what you did over the weekend.

On Friday night I went to the BV football game against Northwest. We lost but it was still a great game and I had a ton of fun! On Saturday I got new khakis at Macy's for homecoming then started getting ready. I picked my date up for pictures at 6 pm, and when pictures were over at 7 our group went to Sugo's for dinner. It was really good and not that expensive. After that we went to the dance for about an hour then back to a friend's house for the afterparty. I got home around 1:30 and had an okay time.

October 2, 2013

What do you know about infographics? What do you know about them? What are their purpose?

Infographics are charts with visual representation of the data they contain. They are common on the internet, and are more interesting to read than a page of statistics or a list of information. Their purpose is to inform the reader about whatever topic they cover. They look like a lot of fun to make.

September 27, 2013

What are you weekend plans?

Tonight, I plan to go to the Blue Valley football game and go to a friend's house after. On Saturday I work a double shift at California Pizza Kitchen, and when I get off I am going to go to my friend's birthday party. On Sunday I am going to get a new shirt, khakis, and Sperrys for homecoming. I think that this weekend will be a good one.

September 25, 2013

 Most students view siting work as 'a pain in the butt'. How do you feel about it? Is it necessary? When is it appropriate to cite work? What's the importance of it?

I feel as if it's a pain in the butt. Giving a link to the website is necessary, but including what kind of source it is, the year it was published, all in a specific format is just stupid. It is appropriate to cite work when you use information that is not from your brain that you found on another source. It's important because it gives credit where credit is due.

September 24, 2013

What is your favorite book, magazine, or publication? Why?

My favorite book is The Art of Racing in the Rain. It is a fantastic story about a dog and his close relationship with his owner, who is a retired formula one race car driver struggling to keep custody of his daughter after his wife died from cancer. the book is written from the point of view of the dog, Enzo, who has very realistic human thoughts and emotions. His goal is to be reincarnated as a human, as the thing he hates most about being a dog is not having opposable thumbs and the inability to convey his emotions and thoughts. It is a deep, thought-provoking book that is absolutely fantastic. 

September 23, 2013

Do you enjoy writing? What kind of writing do you enjoy? Why is writing an essential skill in life? How will you use this skill in the future?

I truly enjoy writing. I have loved it ever since second grade, when we were assigned a short story about Halloween. My teacher absolutely loved it and recommended that I keep writing. Writing lets my  mind flow onto a page, unrestricted and free. It is actually one of my favorite hobbies.

September 17, 2013

What is creating an outline for a paper important? Do you think it helps you personally? How would you prefer to outline a paper - pen and paper or an online tool? Is there a different way you know if that would prefer to organize your thoughts?

Creating an outline gives you an idea of what your paper will consist of. It definitely helps me because I know what order my thoughts will go in on my paper. I'd prefer an online tool, because it allows me to do research and outline at the same time. There is no other way that I'd like to organize my thoughts for a paper. It is simply the best.

Septermber 16, 2013

Tell me about your weekend. Where did you go? What did you do?

 This weekend was very good. Friday night I got off work and was planning to go to friends house but got bad directions and ended up on 191st and Mission, then spent another 30 minutes driving around the wrong neighborhood. I finally found his house and had a good time with my friends at his fire pit. On Saturday, I went to a different friend's house with a couple of people then went to McDonald's. My friend slept over at my house which was a good time. On Sunday I went to mass then work. After that I did my homework and went to Lifetime. This weekend was great, and I can't wait to go to Notre Dame this weekend.

September 11, 2013

 Who do you look up to in life? Why? What have they done to help you or guide you?

I look up to my grandpa. He is one of the nicest and most generous people I know, in addition to being very successful. He has taught me how to treat people with respect, while still being successful. He has also taught me many life and business lessons. I hope to one day be like my grandpa.

September 10, 2013

What is good email etiquette and why is it essential in the "real" world? How can having good email etiquette put you ahead?

Having good email etiquette is very important in the real world. It means using proper grammar and conventions, formal titles, correct spelling, proper punctuation, and sounding professional in your word choice and sentence structure. In the real world, having good email etiquette could be the deciding factor in whether or not you get a job, increase your networking spread, getting into college, etc. Potential employers/business partners will see you as an intelligent, professional person who is worthy of their attention.

September 6, 2013

 If there was one big global issue in the world that you could fix, what would it be? A cure for cancer? Save the rain forest? Stop pollution? Think about it and then write about it. Why would you choose that specific issue?

If i could fix one global issue, it would be communism. Communism takes away basic human rights to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to peacefully assemble, etc. Communist leaders are often cruel and oppressive of the people in their jurisdiction, and give severe punishments tho those who do not follow their rules. It is an old problem that needs to end now. Freedom. Democracy. America.

Teen Drinking

August 30, 2013

What are your hobbies and extra curricular activities? Where do you spend your free time? Tell me three of your favorite things (movies, TV show, magazine, sport, color, etc.)

I don't have many hobbies, but I do enjoy stringing lacrosse heads and cooking. My three favorite things are lacrosse, Notre Dame Football, and girls. I like lacrosse because it is fast-paced and fun to both watch and play. I like Notre Dame Football because of all the history. I like girls because they are pretty. If all of these things could be combined, I would probably cry.

"Who Am I?" Presentation

Who am I? from Sperrigan

August 27, 2013

What are some qualities of a good presentation? How can you make a boring presentation interesting? Explain.

There are very many extremely boring presentations; however, there are also many ways to make these presentations interesting. For example, use an upbeat tone and engage your audience. This will make it more interesting than one in which you just stand at the front of the room and read directly off the screen in a monotone voice. Also, add color and interesting visuals to your information in order to spark interest in your presentation. It is important to keep your audience interested, because a disinterested audience will not learn as well as one that is engaged in the presentation. If informing is your main purpose, at last make it interesting.

August 26, 2013

Tell me if you agree with this statement and then explain why or why not. "Images on the internet are 'free game' - if someone posted I should be able to use it."

I do not agree with this statement. If someone has posted an image and has acquired the proper legal documentation to claim it as their own, we cannot use it without citation or permission. They worked to create and post that image, and we have no right to rob them of it. Just don't claim it as your own, give credit and there will not be a problem. How would you feel if someone took credit for your work?

August 23, 2013

What is the importance of online safety and protecting your information? What do you do to protect yourself online? Share an experience you or someone you know has had with online safety.

In a world where almost anything is attainable online, practicing safety on the web is more important than ever. If you don't protect yourself online, people can track you down or get your person information. This includes credit card numbers, social security numbers, addresses, anything. I have the location services off on my phone, I don't post my address on twitter or Facebook  and I don't talk to strangers online. My sister once posted on Twitter that she was going to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner and my parents got mad and wouldn't let her go because people cold be waiting there.

August 20th, 2013

 After watching the short clip of Ashton Kutcher's acceptance speech what did you take away from his advice? What does this quote mean to you -"Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use."

I took away that eventually physical beauty will eventually fade in importance and all that will matter in the long run is your work ethic, your intellect, and your personality. We have the ability to change anything around us at any time, and the more time we wait to do so is more time that we give others to make the same changes we can. We have our whole lives ahead of us and anything is possible if we have the proper work ethic and motivation.  Find your strengths, eliminate your weaknesses, and achieve success. Any of us can do it, and all of us possess the skills necessary.