Final Blog 5/29

Sadly, as the year has come to an end along with the senior projects, this is my last chance to expand and explain in more depth some of the details of my project. Out of the six skills, I would say writing improved the most and became my strongest skill. Having to write articles during the week for each piece of equipment was time consuming and difficult. After researching the information online, I would have to change up all the words and phrases to make them into my own.
 For reading, we could have expanded on this skill. For this skill, this project only required us to read and look up all the information online.
For organization, I knew this was already a strong point for me. But at the beginning of the term, I was not staying up with my logs and lacking consistency of getting them done. I didn't find the point in doing them and didn't see how they were helping us. But after Mr. Igoe talked to me and I started being more consistent with them, I realized how much they help you stay prepared and organized. Writing every night helped me stay up with my daily plan and discuss what needed to get done the next day and rest of the week, etc. Another major assesment that helped in staying organized was the final calender my partner and I finished in requiring us to write our schedule each day for the rest of the term. After spending a lot of time to finish it with thorough thinking, we were able to use that every day for the rest of the term staying up to date.
 For thinking, this skill played a major part when I was changing up the information online into my own words. Having to change up every sentence into my own words took a lot of time and was difficult for me. Also, having to fill in the calender with our daily schedule throughout the week required a lot of thought into how we would spend our days and nights for the rest of the term working to finish this project.
In speaking, I worked with Grant on this project. Communication was very important in meeting all the deadlines and working as a group together. We assigned our assignments to each other each day and helped each other in need as well. Our presentations played the biggest role in speaking though. For myself, I feel as if I have improved on public speaking over the years and do not get as nervous like I used to in the past. 
For listening, this part did not much play much of a major role in this project. It was hard to incorporate it in everything. As having a partner though, we listened to each others ideas and shared our thoughts while putting them together. Being able to work well with your partner and be successful is key.
My strongest part for myself on the project was being able to stay up to task on the logs and stay organized having a daily schedule of what i needed to do each day.
For next year's senior class, I would advise to choose a topic you are very passionate about and will not get bored of doing for a full term. I enjoyed working on the history of hockey equipment as hockey is my favorite sport. I have grown up around it my whole life. You should choose to do something you love to do in your everyday life because thats what this project will consist of. Also, if you decide to choose a partner, make sure you guys will work well together and have worked together before. It is also a good idea if your good friends and can constantly work together.

Wednesday 5/16

Today, during my class period, my partner and I went to the library to work on the project. I had to get the poster board out of my room before heading over. We cut out more photos as we printed everything out. I changed the font on the summaries of the pictures and changed the color to blue. While doing this, Grant continued to finalize the article and pictures for hockey skates.

For tonight, I spend 30 minutes in the library cutting out photos and summaries. I started organizing where I want everything placed on the board. My goal for tomorrow is to completely finish the week for skates and to start pasting the pictures and summaries on the board.

Tuesday 5/15

For today in class, Grant and I went over to the library for our class time to work on our project. We went through the articles editing them and preparing them to enlarge and cut out to paste on the poster boards. Another thing is we will be able to use the two archive pictures and the first womens jacket ever made here at Lawrence for our end of the year presentation. We met with the archive people today and set an appointment up next Friday to meet with him before our class period.

For tonight, I worked in the lib for 30 min getting printing the articles and pictures out to paste for our project. The goal for tomorrow is start finishing up our poster boards.

Thursday 5/10

Yesterday, I had a late baseball game that was delayed due to the rain. Also, I had to write an essay for Mr. Curran and study for a spanish quiz so I was not able to spend any time on my senior project. For today, we did not have class. So, during study hall, i went to the library for half an hour and continued my work on my article for the hockey skate. Im still writing at the beginning of the hockey skates as their is a lot of research and interesting information. I like working in the lib because it is quiet and I have no distractions. I can work by myself and focus.

My goal for tomorrow is to start finishing up the article.

Tuesday, 5/8

For today in class, my partner and I were able to meet with the people in charge of the archive. I have never met them before so it was really cool to meet them for the first time. After talking to them for a while, they did not have any old hockey equipment as the archive just started only 6 years ago. The first thing they showed us was the very first women's hockey jacket that we could possibly use. Then, they took us down to the basement and took out some pictures for us. We got to look at two pictures that immediately caught grant's and my attention. One, was a very old team picture of a hockey team who all wore the very beginning of hockey equipment. The other was a picture of a team playing on the frozen pond and skating around. These pictures just goes to show how much things have changed at Lawrence and for the history of hockey equipment.

For tonight, I started working on my research for skates for this week in the library. There is a lot of research on skates so we will have a handful this week. Also, my goal for tomorrow is to get a hold of Cindy's dad to see if he has any old hockey equipment that Grant and I can use for our project.

Monday 5/7

For today, my partner and I headed off to the library for our class time to start a new week. We both started our research on skates. There is a lot of information on skates and it was really interesting to see the beginning of the first skates people used. Even though today wasn't a day to look at pictures, the history of these old skates caught my attention.

For tonight, we worked on the poster board for 30 min finishing up the shin pads and gloves. Something I have learned so far about this project is to stay on plan every day and night keeping up to date. If you fall behind just one day, there is a lot of make up work to do. I have focused on staying prepared every day and making sure my partner and I do not fall behind.

Thursday, May 4

For yesterday, I did not get back to school until late becasue of an away baseball game and had a lot of other homework due for today so I did not get a chance to blog or work on my project last night. But for class time yesterday, I continued finalizing my shin pads article and started putting together pictures for my timeline.

Today in class, Mr. Igoe handed out a new proposal packet for our project.Given the class time to work on it, Grant and I went to the library to start working on it. The first thing we started putting together was the scheduled plan. We feel that is most important so we have a guideline for the rest of the year and so we can stay on track every single day with our arranged plan. The scheduled calender will help the both of us stay organized and motivated to get our work done each and every day so we do not fall behind. Tonight in the library, I spent 30 minutes working on what each of the six skills applies to my senior project.

Tuesday, 5/1

Today for class, I stayed in the classroom and worked for the full class on my project. Grant was not here today due to a checkup on his shoulder so I worked by myself. I worked on finalizing my article for shin pads. The information is really interesting but I don't think is enough for a full week. After working on this week for shin pads, I am thinking about adding the hockey girdle which does not have much information.

Tonight, I worked in the library by myself for a half an hour. I finalized my article on shin pads and started researching some pictures to use for the timeline. The shin pads that were used for the beginning of hockey made me realize how unsafe their equipment was when hockey first began. The progression and change over time is a major difference. My goal for tomorrow is to start putting together the timeline of photos and talk to my partner about adding the girdle to this week.

Monday, 4/30

For Today in class, I was able to spend 20 minutes in the library starting my research for hockey girdle and shin pads. The reason we had short time was because Grant presented our project to the class and we received our presentation grades back .After starting my research, I realized there is not much information on those pieces of equipment at all. After talking with my partner, we decided to throw this pieces out of our plan and decide to work on shin pads for this week. Also, during our class time, we decided to find as much pieces of old hockey equipment as we can. First, were going to start with looking in the archive at Lawrence. Second, we are going to ask and interview Cindy's dad who owns a hockey pro-shop and played hockey while growing up. Lastly, I am going to ask my old coaches in Vegas to borrow something and Grant will work on finding some as well.

For tonight, I worked in the library for half an hour starting my research for shin pads. In the beginning of hockey, they did not wear any. My goal for tomorrow is to be finishing up my article so I can get started on working on the timeline of pictures.

Sunday, 4/29

On Friday, I presented my senior project to all my classmates. While my partner was getting an MRI on his shoulder, I had to present the project by myself and felt confident about it. I know I have worked hard and I think it showed to others and to Mr. Igoe. I am very interested in my project as I am sure the people in my class realized that during my presentation.

For the weekend, I have spent 45 minutes in the library finalizing all the research, article, pictures, and timelines for this past week which was gloves. I found a lot of information and was by far the most interesting section for me so far because there are so many different brands and types of gloves. For this week, we will start the girdle and jock strap.

Wednesday, 4/25

Today was a very productive day for me. In class, I was able to work for half an hour. I started writing out responses to the questions for the presentation tomorrow. I made six notecards answering the questions that seemed most important and that related to me the most. Notecards have seemed to work the best for me in the past and like having notes to look at instead of having nothing.

For tonight, I spent an hour in the library. Most of the time was working with my partner. We finalized the poster for the first two weeks of this project. The poster covers what we did for helmets and shoulder/elbow pads. We covered a full tri-fold poster on the complete information we learned about the pieces of equipment and pictures with timelines showing the progression over time. We put a lot of work into the poster and looked at different ways to set it up. Also, tonight I continued my research on gloves and added information to my article. The gloves section has interested me the most so far as their are so many different types and brands to learn about. My goal is for everyone to learn something new about hockey equipment tomorrow in the presentation.

Tuesday, 4/24 Second Day of Gloves

Today, we did not have class because of the Cum Laude Assembly which made today have a different schedule. Because of a powerpoint for Orinthology and an essay for Mr. Curran, I was only able to spend 30 minutes on the project tonight. I continued my research on the history of hockey gloves in the library tongiht during study hall and working on my article. Since there is such a wide variety of different brands of gloves, I really have to be specific when referring to a certain type of glove. Also, my partner and I also started planning out what we are going to do for our presentation on Friday.

Monday 4/24

Today in class, my partner and I headed to the library to finish up the work from last week which consisted of elbow and shoulder pads. On friday, I had to make corrections and add on to my finalized proposal. After spending my whole class time working on that, my partner was away at Stonehill on a college visit so he wasnt able to work on the project as well. I realized the elbow and shoulder pads info were not as interesting as the helmets.

Tonight, I spent around 40 min researching the history of gloves. I found a lot of interesting material and found myself looking at a lot of the pictures of the history of gloves. I was engaged in looking at how much the gloves have changed over the years.

Thursday 4/19

Thursday 4/19

Yesterday for Wednesday night, I had an away game at St. Marks as I did not get home until late. I had a lot of other homework and put off working on my senior project until tonight. I started finalizing my articles for shoulder and elbow pads working in the library for half an hour. I started researching old elbow and shoulder pads that were used back in the beginning of hockey and progressing my way up until today's equipment being used. After being in the second week, the progression over time of equipment is really unique and interesting to learn about.

Tuesday, Second week of shoulder/ elbow pads

Tuesday 4/17

Today, my partner and I continued working on our article for shoulder and elbow pads. After researching, I have realized there is more information on elbow pads than shoulder pads. Finding information is taking longer than last week with helmets.

For tonight, I blogged and am working to finalize the articles. Then, I spent some time putting together some pictures that will be set up with a timeline which I will work on more later during the week. Altogether, I spend my time doing homework in the library for a half an hour.

Start to Shoulder Pads/Elbow Pads

Monday 4/16

Today, my partner and I went to the library to start another week of different material. As planned, this week was supposed to have been spent on learning just about shoulder pads. But after researching and reading different articles, we did not find enough information that would make us spend a full week on. We decided to add elbow pads for this week as well forcing us to use two different pieces of equipment keeping us busy through this week. We started our article on shoulder pads.

For tonight's homework, I blogged and worked on creating my article for shoulder pads. I am starting from the beginning of shoulder pads when they didnt wear any at all and working my way up as they progressed. I worked for the full block in the library for class time and 30 minutes in the library at night as I do not have a working computer and the library is a better working environment.

End of helmet blog

Sunday 4/15

After being busy through the weekend with on campus activites and a baseball game on friday and saturday, the work for the project for the weekend was put off until tonight. We started organizing our materials for our poster and finished the helmet article along with the pictures and timeline to go with it. We organized the sections and timeline to go with the pictures to set up the poster. The time was spent around 20 minutes in the library and 20 more minutes in the dorm setting the pictures and timeline together.

Senior Project

I am excited to work on this project with Grant and research about the History of Hockey Equipment. I have a basic plan for the term and look forward to letting people learn about my project.