Driving Question: In what ways can the philosophy of decentralization and blockchain technologies be catalysts for disruption and efficiency for the modern business world?

Project Description: For our Panama module, we gamified the backend of blockchain technology to educate users on how blockchain works.

To do so, we developed the game concept of Metaminers with the aim of having users build their very own blockchain on a multiplayer platform. The goal of the game is to simplify blockchain technology in an approachable and fun way.

Players would play minigames to add blocks to their chain and receive rewards for completing blocks as they progress. Adding blocks to the chain leads players to chests containing rewardables that can be used to help solve problems. Players can also place rewardables in a marketplace where others can buy these cryptocollectibles and experience blockchain transactions on the Ethereum blockchain in the process. Throughout our process we spent time developing a wireframe of Metaminers including the game graphics and other assets. We also developed the structure for the games smart contract safeguarding our outlined game ethics with the aim to primarily ensure positive user experiences on the Ethereum blockchain.

Scott’s Process Portfolio

Che’s Process Portfolio

Driving Question: How can we create and design a mobile game that is marketed as fun but also portrays themes of entrepreneurship and science?

Full Project Link: https://sites.google.com/view/independentstudymodule/home

Project Overview: Throughout this module, we designed, coded, and built a tycoon clicker-based game that educates users on concepts of business and biology whilst maintaining a fun marketing campaign.

First, we studied game design by recreating an arcade game of our choice including code and user interface. The next step was to continue the development of our game, which we created the base concept and plan for in China. We built the wireframe, sound design, and rest of the graphics for the game throughout the Blockchain module.

Game Concept Summary: Our game is an idle clicker/tycoon game. The main concept behind this genre is that you collect money in order to spend money on making money faster. The genre follows this loop consistently, but we have put our own little twist on it. In the game, the player starts off by getting their own restaurant. In this restaurant the player has to keep upgrading to keep bringing in more customers, selling better food and making more money. This restaurant is a special one that uses Genetically Modified Food (GMOs) to make the restaurant more efficient.

Formative 1: Recoded Arcade Game To practice creating and finishing a product, we wanted to recode an arcade game. We chose space invaders, and simplified it to its core mechanics. We coded this and drew the visual assets over the process of around 3 days.

Formative 2: Hi-Fi Wireframe In order to plan our game effectively, we needed to create a wireframe. This helps us to test the UI and how users will move around the game. This began with a Lo-Fi wireframe but developed into our Hi-Fi Wireframe.

Formative 3: Sample of Soundtrack We looked into the process of creating a video game soundtrack in order to begin designing our own one. We ended up creating a quick sample of a soundtrack for our game.

Formative 4: Marketing Plan We investigated how to market video games, and the best methods to do so. We also investigated to work out the best target demographic for our game. Eventually we used this research to create a marketing plan.

Driving Question: How can we teach the concepts of branding, marketing, and project management to build a fashion brand?

Project Overview: We developed this service project to help local Panamanian fashion entrepreneurs Maale & Lorena build their streetwear brand, Sure. We did so by designing a website, graphics, and by offering business strategy through regular phone calls. We found the work to be more rewarding than initially expected. In this process, we not only discovered a passion for graphic design but also became passionate about the future of the project. Are You Sure refers to the branding we came up with in conjunction with the two young women.

During the fifth week, right before heading to WeXplore in Venao, Principal Russell Cailey asked for volunteers to help two of the girls at Hairarchy build a business website for a fashion brand. There we realized they were missing other important elements of their business so we decided to help.

As to who they are exactly, Maale and Lore are two Colombian girls that moved to Panama and began working in Hairarchy Casco. Lore is a bartender at La Bárbara, the speakeasy that operates at the back of the salon and Maale is the receptionist for the salon. They are both passionate, creative, and entrepreneurial people that love to use art to communicate with the world around them and they both love music!

It was also great to have our hard work recognized by two of the other members of their team, Ryan and Dave. One thing led to another, and Levith and I got offered a part in the brand if we continued with the project. The service project has become a passion project, and we very eager to see its development in the future.

Driving Question: How can we improve our health using Chinese concepts?

Project Overview: In the this module, we investigated how traditional Chinese medicine concepts can use artificial intelligence to improve our health. Through our two months in Shanghai, we learned about the core concepts behind traditional Chinese medicine, and in many instances we explored their uses ourselves.

With this background knowledge, we applied it to the creation of a software similar to a chatbot. The chatbot is used to diagnose and treat people using traditional Chinese medicine techniques and practices. NaiBot hopes to make eastern medicine accessible for newer generations as well as western audiences. We hope you take some time to see how the chatbot works and try it for yourself!

Test the NaiBot: https://bot.dialogflow.com/NAIBOT

Liam Davis Bosch’s Process Portfolio:

Driving Question: Why is the average person not aware of food miles? How can I make people more aware?

Project Overview: Over the course of the last summer, I became aware of how many issues there are in modern agriculture. I focused specifically on the issue of “food miles” which are the carbon emissions produced through transporting food from farm to table. That’s where I got the idea for my mastery project.

The core idea of my mastery project is to teach people about the food miles problem and give them ideas on how to counteract it, through a science kit. I made an urban agriculture science kit that uses hydroponics to teach about food miles and how they can be mitigated using urban agriculture.

Throughout this project, I did a lot of research on urban agriculture and plant growth, for the kit, and a lot of research on marketing and branding, as a method of spreading the message

How to Build Your Own Hydroponics Kit:

How do Hydroponics work?

How to build a hydroponics station

Driving Question: How can I use fictional/non-fictional storytelling to create a meaningful experience about Greek society (ancient/ contemporary)?

Project Description: During the online COVID term, our module focused on fictional/non-fictional storytelling to create a meaningful experience about society, and we were given the option to write a script or a podcast. For those of us who chose to write a script, we were given free rein regarding the topic; however, we had to stick to a ten-minute timeline.

The topics that people came up with were quite varied. Some of us chose to write about the current COVID-19 situation, some of us decided to talk about other aspects of society such as poaching or the LGBT+ community. Below you can read scripts by CM2 students Bella and Giulia, who highlight the effects of social media and a young girl’s battle with cystic fibrosis and COVID-19.

Bella

If you’ve ever thought about what Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok would be like as people, you’ll love reading this. In my own work, I’ve combined elements of fiction with exaggerated reflections of reality by personifying social media apps.

The inspiration for this piece came from the Nosedive episode from Black Mirror. The episode is set in a world where people’s entire lives depend on their “rating” based on social interactions. The setting shapes a tragically social media-obsessed society—no doubt a critique of how people interact with each other online. I wanted to reflect a similar message but in a more light-hearted, comedic way. In my play, I wanted to demonstrate our modern dependence on social media and the negative impacts it can have on our well being and relationships. My hope is that the audience learns to examine their own relationship with social media, and decide for themselves if they could benefit from a break like my main character, Logan.

Giulia

My work shows a young girl’s battle with cystic fibrosis and COVID-19. It is meant to give you a glimpse of what people with pre-existing illnesses are going through at this time.

The inspiration for this came from my own surroundings back at home in Denmark. I was noticing that not all people were sticking to the rules effectively putting those of us who are at risk. I think that some people don’t realise the danger they could be putting someone else in, especially as you don’t know what other people are dealing with at the moment. My hope is that the audience starts looking a little more closely at how careful they are being in these tough times.

Driving Question: How can we help the students at the Hagunoy East Central School internalize the importance of healthy food choices?

Project Description: For this project, I wanted to answer the question, “How can we help the students at the Hagunoy East Central School internalize the importance of healthy food choices?” My sister (fellow TGS student Gigi) and I organized a garden planting event at the Hagunoy Elementary School. We also created an illustrated story book centered around the theme of healthy eating. The second part of the book featured simple recipes to show the students how to incorporate fresh veggies and fruits into their meals.

Project Overview: Throughout the school year, Arora and I developed our understanding of deaf culture and sign language through using American Sign Language Center classes and the use of ASL University lesson plans, and other resources found on youtube and online. Our consistent efforts allowed me to continuously improve which we hope to continue doing after graduation. The goals at the beginning of the year were focused on vocabulary and conversational skills which were practiced between Arora and myself. It was very helpful to have a partner that was at the same level so we could learn together. We used many sources to aid in our learning but one of the most fun was learning songs. We learned multiple songs to work on our vocabulary and we wanted to share one of them with you!

Driving Question: How can we create a board game that represents peoples personal experience with privilege?

Project Overview: Privilege Perusal fuses game design and social justice into what hopes to provide an education while being an enjoyable and engaging activity for people of all ages.

The premise of the game surrounds the idea of privilege. Players embody real life characters for the game which are created through interviews and investigations conducted. These players, which are chosen by a spinner at the beginning of the game, encounter scenarios throughout the game which will showcase different ending points that show the different privileges of people.

Through the project, we aimed to learn about privilege through firsthand experiences and hone our interview and communication skills. In addition, we wanted to use our creativity and art skills to make the game as beautiful as it can be.

Driving Question: How can I use non-fictional storytelling to convey a meaningful message about sustainable living?

Project Description: The “Green Leaf” podcast is a 10 minutes podcast. It discusses some aspects of sustainable living. I talk about overconsumption, environmental concerns, fast fashion and how they could all fit into a sustainable lifestyle.

Our remote learning module has been a fun getaway during this quarantine. Fast fashion represents a big part of everyone’s life as most of us dress with it, so it was really interesting to look more into its effects on the environment and how we can reduce them.