Questions You Should Ask Yourself When Self-Evaluating

~Are you satisfied with your learning? 
~Are you satisfied that you demonstrated your knowledge and skill? 
~How does your work compare to the expectations on the rubric? 
~With which parts of the assignment (project, performance, etc.) were you most satisfied? 
~How closely does your work on this assignment (project, performance, etc.) reflect your learning? 
~Why do you think this assignment worked for you? 
~Were there any parts that didn’t work? 
~How did you do the assignment/project? Be specific. 
~Were the strategies that you used effective in helping you reach your goals? 
~What learning strategies were helpful? Explain. 
~What would you have to add to learn more, do better, etc.? 
~On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your effort? 
~Did the amount of time, effort and strategies used help you reach your goal? 
~If you were to do this over, how could it be improved? 
~As a teacher, what can I do to help you? 
~What can I do to increase the value of this assignment/project, etc.?

Webinar Notes: What Causes Depression?

*Crucial parts are recorded

*Sadness is not depression

Some evolutionary theories of depression: 

.Protection from negative outcomes

Standard definition of Major Depression:


DSM IV Major Depressive Episode [in Other Words, What Happens During a Depressive Episode]:

('5)psychomotor agitation or retardation
(6)fatigueor loss of energy nearly every day
(7)feelings of worthlessness

Is Depression a Serious Problem?:

Potentially Fatal
.Adolescents with major depression

Aetiology of Depression:

Genes and Environment;;

Genes; 30-50% of liability to depression is due to genetic factors

Gene-environment correlation; e.g. increased genetic liability for lifetime traumas

Gene-Environment interaction; different genotypes respond to environmental variability in different ways.

Sex and Pubertal Effects on Depression:
Differences in cognitive processing?

Greater Exposure or sensitivity to psychological stressors?
(of early childhood?)


Behavior Problems and Depression:

.Disruptive behavior -> Depression


Motivational and reward processing:

Depressed people have a harder time trying to put effort into receiving a reward. They have a harder time comprehending the meaning of the the reward, dispelling effort.



Summary of Causes for Depression:

.Shared genes, environment, active gene environment correlation, and a passive gene-environment correlation all are potential causes for depression.

Placebo gets 50% of depressed people to the 60% response rate seen with anti depressants (based on severity of depression?)

Guest Speakers: Suicide and Mental Awarness

In the NEW School class, on the date of January 12th 2017, two guest speakers talked about suicide and mental disorders, specifically amongst teens.

Questions were asked like; What is a mental disorder? To this question they replied that a mental  disorder is a disorder that affects a person's emotional state, thinking, and behavior. Mental disorders disrupt a person's ability to:

.Work or attend school

. Do chores and and homework

. Decreases the desire to socially interact

. Disrupts mental and physical behaviors

. Etc.

Mental disorders can be caused by a deluge of different things. Heredity,  traumatic events, loss of loved ones, abuse, chemical imbalances in the brain, a serious physical accident (to the head), etc.

Functions in the brain like anxiety are natural and can be beneficial. However, there are problems with anxiety, also known as anxiety disorder. There are two types of anxiety.

Normal Anxiety: Natural emotional and physical responses.
Problematic Anxiety: Emotional and physical symptoms that are unnatural/out of proportion.

They also mentioned phobias can be a contribute to problematic anxiety.

During the presentation the speakers spoke of mental disorders, like depression and PTSD that have received a lot of media attention. However, there were a few misconceptions the public had of the disorders. For instance, sadness and depression are very different. Sadness is a temporary condition that often doesn't lead to suicidal thoughts or actions. On the other hand, depression is a lot less temporary and often leads to suicidal thoughts or actions.

The guest speakers also gave us a few statistics to ponder. Among the statistics were:

. 20% of teens will experience depression


. The third most seen death in the United States for people 15-20 is suicide

Conclusion:

Mental illness is a pandemic across the United States and the world, and statistics are quite alarming. It is important to address mental illness in a professional manner.

DNA Forensic Lab Report: Who Murdered Romeo and Juliet

Introduction: According to The United States Department of Justice, “DNA can be used to identify criminals with incredible accuracy when biological evidence exists.  By the same token, DNA can be used to clear suspects and exonerate persons mistakenly accused or convicted of crimes.” (ADVANCING JUSTICE THROUGH DNA TECHNOLOGY: USING DNA TO SOLVE CRIMES | AG | Department of Justice, Accessed 1/26/17). Based on information The United states Department of Justice provides, DNA evidence has been an effective tool when identifying guilty and unguilty suspects of a criminal action. This lab will be used to solve an artificially made murder scenario based off of the book The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. In the scenario Romeo and Juliet are murdered and a list of suspects are collected. One of these people’s DNA will match up with the DNA provided by the murderer. A Gel Electrophoresis Chamber will be used to determine the murderer. Purpose: Who is the murderer of Romeo and Juliet? Hypothesis: If Friar Laurence killed Romeo and Juliet, then his DNA will match the DNA the murderer provided, because Friar Laurence wanted to end the squabble  between the Montagues  and Capulets by uniting them through the death of Romeo and Juliet. Materials: 50 ml 0.9 percent salt water 5 disposable plastic cups 5 large test tubes (15 ml with screw on caps) 25 mL liquid detergent 75 mL water 25 ml 95 percent ethanol, chilled on ice 5 small test tubes 0.25 mL methylene blue solution per DNA sample Pipette and disposable pipette tips 5g Baking soda Agar powder 200 mL Deionized water 5 drops glycerin (1 drop per) Stainless steel wire Wire cutters Scissors 45 volt power supply 2 alligator clip leads Flat piece of Styrofoam for the comb One plastic box, big enough to hold the gel 500 mL of deionized water 5g baking soda 5 grams agarose Separate container for mixing materials (a bowl is suggested) Butter Knife Suspect Travel Distance of DNA Bands (cm) Suspect #1: Friar Laurence Results Inconclusive Suspect #3: Montague Results Inconclusive Suspect #8: Benvolio Results Inconclusive Suspect #9: Paris Results Inconclusive Suspect #10: Capulet Results Inconclusive Procedure: Creating the Gel Electrophoresis Chamber: Cut two pieces of stainless steel wires that are roughly 1 inch longer than the longest length of the box. Bend the wires along the shortest width of the bin so that they touch the bottom. The excess wire should be hooked to the edge of the bin so it stays in place. Once the wires have been shaped, remove them from the box and keep them in a safe place. Create a comb using styrofoam. Make sure the top part of the comb is wide enough to rest on the edges of the plastic bin. The bristles should end at least 2 millimeters above the bottom of the plastic bin. Make one tooth for each suspect that is being tested. The distance between each tooth should be evenly spaced. Place the comb into one end of the plastic bin.         Collecting DNA Samples: Have each murder suspect swish 2 teaspoons (10 ml) 0.9 percent salt water in their mouth for 30 seconds. Spit the water into their cup. Each suspect should be using a different cup, no sharing! Make a 25% mild detergent solution by combining 5 ml of liquid detergent and 15 ml of water. There should be enough of the solution for each suspect. Take 5 ml of each DNA sample them in their own test tube. Label each test tube according to what DNA it contains Add 5 ml of the 25% mild detergent solution to each test tube. Cap each test tube and swish them on their sides for 2-3 minutes. Be careful when rocking the solutions so that the DNA does not forcefully break apart. Open the tube and add 5 ml of the chilled 95% ethanol to the tube. It will form a layer on the top of the DNA solution. Allow the tubes to stand for 1 minute. While the tubes are standing, label one micro test tube for each regular sized test tube. Use a syringe or eyedropper to take 0.25 ml DNA from the top of each test tube. Add each DNA to it’s own micro test tube. Make sure that a new eyedropper is used for each DNA sample. Use the disposable pipettes to add 0.25 ml methylene blue solution to each micro test tube. Add one drop of glycerin to the micro test tube with the DNA/methylene blue solution. Close the test tubes tightly until they are ready to be put in the gel electrophoresis box. Testing the Results:       Make a 1% solution of baking soda for the new buffer solution. Measure 2 grams of baking soda and add it to 200 mL of bottled water. Stir this mixture well. Make a 1% agarose solution. This can be accomplished by combining 1 g of agar powder with 100 ml of the buffer solution made in the previous step. Heat the agar solution on a hot plate or in a microwave. In the microwave stop the timer every 10-15 seconds to stir the solution. If it is heated on the hot plate make sure it is stirred often throughout the heating process. When the solution starts to bubble, take it off the hot plate or remove it from the microwave. The solution should appear translucent.      After the agarose solution is made, pour the it into the plastic bin. Carefully remove the comb from the solidified gel. The indents from the comb will be where the DNA is placed later. Use the butter knife to cut a thin slice of gel from both the top and bottom. These cuts will fit the wires Fit the stainless steel wire (electrodes) into the cuts made in the previous step. Use an eyedropper or syringe to fill each well in the gel with a different suspect’s DNA. Be sure to record what DNA solution is placed in which well. Pour the buffer solution over the gel once it has set. If necessary, make more buffer solution to cover all of the gel. Data Table: Identify the Independent and Dependent Variable: X: Suspects Y: DNA’s Distance Graph:        #1 Scatterplot (With fake data)     #2 (Should be) Scatterplot with actual data                                                                  Lab Results: Inconclusive Conclusion: The results derived from the lab itself were futile. There were many inconsistencies with the lab. The variable that made the results futile, however, were due to the wires not being stainless steel or galvanized. Rust collected in the gel scattered the liquid solution in different directions and prevented parts of the solution from becoming measureable. Chemical elements in the rust may have also altered the DNA solution. This variable didn’t allow our team to collect DNA evidence. Results from the curators of the lab revealed that Friar Laurence was the murderer. The hypothesis our team came up with was correct, because Friar Laurence was indeed the murderer of Romeo and Juliet. If the lab is attempted again it would necessary to advise the use of stainless steel or galvanized wire, so rust won’t ruin the Gel Electrophoresis Chamber . Editing should be done to the procedures of the lab to insure that it will succeed in a following attempt. In the future it would be interesting to find a way to create a more stable environment to test DNA in.

 

     

TED Talk: Veterans and PTSD

Summary of the TED Talk:

Junger, the speaker, himself experienced short-term PTSD. He explained the experience vividly. He said that he felt as if everything around him was dangerous when having a panic attack. He said that everything felt as if it was moving very fast, lights were really bright, and everything was incredibly loud. Junger then continued to explain that Veterans from the Vietnam War, statistically, were less likely to be a victim of PTSD compared to the war in modern day Afghanistan. He explained that modern day society is alienating compared to the lifestyle soldiers experienced in a war zone. He used a tribe to describe the connection that veterans found when deployed in a platoon or squad. They were very tight knit; they slept together, ate together, joked, and were tied to each others' hips at all times. When they returned to society, they found it to be a lot more cold and isolating than the lifestyle they experienced in a war zone. Even the undeployed troops experience PTSD, because of the tight bonds they created while training for the military in small groups. Junger then proceeded to finish off the seminar by saying that it would be wise to repair the problem with our alienated society.

N.E.W School Mental Health Unit Reflection

"An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older or about one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year" (mkurz@ca-industries.com, Mental Illness Statistics, Mental Disorders in America, Paragraph 1: Line 2, Accessed January 31, 2017). Mental health issues have become a pandemic, sweeping the United States in recent years. Statistically, diagnosed mental health issues have hit an all time high in comparison to past generations and even decades. During the N.E.W School mental health unit, information was brought into light regarding the current issues with mental health that have been influential especially across the United States. Throughout the unit, information has been presented to us on a deluge of different platforms. 

One way mental health was presented to the core was through the education of common mental issues amongst the general public, specifically depression. Depression was presented as a massive issue throughout the unit, from beginning to end. At one time a couple of guest speakers came in to talk about mental illness among teens. When speaking they mentioned teen suicide statistics and went off to explain that most of the suicides were related to teens with depression. They stated that suicide related to depression is the third-most leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds in the United States. This surprising statistic reveals the dangerous side of mental illness. Another way we viewed depression was through the scientific perspective. Another large part of the unit was based on The Tragedy Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. In the unit we were able to observe two individuals who struggled with depression. This part of the unit also helped us realize that depression has been around for a long time, since about Throughout the unit pieces like this were most prevalent in our studies and can easily be related to problems in society that have been around for a long time. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The guest speakers and a card they handed out 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
















 Another issue the unit addressed was PTSD. PTSD was a another larger issue we studied. Many people have been developing depression, namely many war veterans. One TED Talk we listened to really created a different medium to view the problem through. In this TED Talk with Junger, we learned that PTSD may be recurring constantly in today's society, because society is "cold" and "isolating". These claims provided a unique perspective on the problem with PTSD. It taught us to extract information from places we normally wouldn't poke at. Another part we did with PTSD was based on a StudySync assignment we finished. In the StudySync there was a segment on a person who was in the midst of a battlefield. We analyzed this and related it back to Junger. The stress and trauma that was displayed in the StudySync reading part proved, in a indirect sense, that people in war are used to a terrifying environment. When placed back in a physiologically stressful environment, then it becomes easier to develop PTSD. The speech given by Junger can also relate to a stressful work/school environment that can cause people to develop symptoms of PTSD. This part of the unit really created a "binding" ideology for us to reflect on in the future.

~Sebastian Junger~

A couple of other smaller parts of the unit were really important that we learned about. For instance, addiction and how it can lead to a deluge of mental illnesses. One project I was involved in related to heroin addiction. In the video my partner and I talked about heroin addiction and how it could lead to many different kinds of mental illnesses. One example of a mental illness it can lead to is depression. We also learned about addiction when talking about dopamine, specifically during the cauliflower lab. In the lab we learned that most illegal drugs cause the user to become attached to the substance. When attached to the substance it is easy to lose control of your life in terms of finances and health, which can cause even more mental issues to occur. in fact, addiction is a mental illness in itself. These ideas in the unit really empathized the value of community outreach and how it can change lives.

Over the course of the unit we learned a lot about mental health and how it is a wide spread issue in many places in the world and is very prevalent in our society. During the unit we also learned many skills relating to community outreach, scientific analysis, in text analysis, scaling of an issue, and a plethora of different skills. These skills and the knowledge we have accumulated can result in perhaps a better future for our communities and the world.

~NEW School Working as a Community~