SYMMETRY in motion
In class we compeleted the project, Symmetry in Motion. For this project we used a program, called Star logo, to create a digital kaleidoscope. We learned about reflection, translations, and rigid motion before creating them in Star Logo. Star Logo is a computer programming application that allows you to do a multitude of things. It has agents that you can program to move, draw, and do certain tasks. In our kaleidoscope we mostly used agents to draw on Spaceland (the main canvas). I had my agents draw a variety of lines and stamp Spaceland with random colors. This project not only taught us about reflection and rigid motion, we were required to utilize coordinate points and geometry. We completed many benchmarks for this project, a total of 8 actually, and each one helped us create and program in Star logo.
The first benchmark was a rough sketch of a design that used a multitude of shapes. This benchmark was not particularly specific. We were given freedom with our design because none of us really knew what to expect and it was obvious that our ideas would change. The second, third, and fourth benchmarks all involved creating basic shapes and programming movements. These benchmarks all helped us develop our knowledge with Star Logo and to gain familiarity with the software. Eventually, all the shapes and motions we did in benchmarks 2-4, ending up being used in our final kaleidoscope. BM 5 was a revision of our kaleidoscope design. Now that we had a deeper understanding of what the software and ourselves were capable of, we edited our original sketch. For the sixth benchmark we were required to create the design and image we were going to reflect in the primary sector. We had to make the 2 or 4 lines of symmetry that were going to be in our final kaleidoscope. The agents we used could only draw and move in one of the sectors. They could never cross the lines of symmetry or else it would not be properly reflected across the line. Once we had the design done in the primary sector, we could move on to benchmark 7 which was the final kaleidoscope. We had to reflect the image in to the 3 other sectors using a complex system of blocks and movements.
My kaleidoscope represents symmetry in many ways. The 2 diagonal cyan colored lines are the lines of symmetry. All the points and shapes are reflected across those lines. My kaleidoscope also had all three types of rigid motion. A rigid motion is when you take an object and move it to a different location without altering its shape or size. Reflections, rotations, translations, and glide reflections are all examples of rigid motions. The translation is shown in the random dots where the agent has stamped the terrain. Translation is when it directly slides or moves to a new location. They x and y coordinates change but the image itself looks identical to how it was before. Each point translates across the line. Not only do I have the lines of symmetry, there is an outer square that the agents create. Each line is reflected across. As the sectors change, the x and y coordinates of the agents change from negaitive to positive. In the primary sector and the second sector the first agent starts at the point (40, 40). They start at the same point but they head different directions. The agent in the primary sector has a heading of 180 degrees and the agent in the second sector has a heading of 270 degrees. It is similar to the agents in the third and fourth sector. They both start at (-40,-40) but the agent in the third sector has a heading of 0 degrees and the one in the fourth sector has a heading of 90. They end of creating a reflection of the same line. The last type of rigid motion we focused on was rotation. The previous benchmarks featured more rotation than my final kaleidoscope however it was still there. Many agents rotated around a fixed point when they had to turn around or complete specific movements. I did not have any circles in my final design like a lot of other students did but there definitely was rotation but in movements not in shapes.
This project definitely had its ups and downs. One challenge I faced was the software in general. In the beginning I found Star Logo hard to work with. What made it hard was I had all these ideas of what I wanted the agents to create but I didn't know how to make them do it. I didn't know all the blocks and how to use them. As we did more benchmarks and Dr. Drew helped us create and explain parts, it became easier to work with. I also struggled with completing the benchmarks in time. Dr. Drew had very specific due dates and sometimes I struggled with turning them in in time. I overcame this challenge by working more efficiently in the beginning of a new benchmark so I didn't have to rush at the end and paced myself. Some of the more rewarding parts of this project was towards the end when I finally made a kaleidoscope i was proud of. I restarted benchmark 7 three times because I kept on changing the design and how I programmed the agents. I changed how I programmed them because it wouldn't run smoothly so I revised it until it worked extremely well. Overall this project was very interesting and I feel I grew a lot in computer programming because it was something I had never done before. I faced many challenges but in the end I created a product I was very proud of and it was a great way to end the school year.
The first benchmark was a rough sketch of a design that used a multitude of shapes. This benchmark was not particularly specific. We were given freedom with our design because none of us really knew what to expect and it was obvious that our ideas would change. The second, third, and fourth benchmarks all involved creating basic shapes and programming movements. These benchmarks all helped us develop our knowledge with Star Logo and to gain familiarity with the software. Eventually, all the shapes and motions we did in benchmarks 2-4, ending up being used in our final kaleidoscope. BM 5 was a revision of our kaleidoscope design. Now that we had a deeper understanding of what the software and ourselves were capable of, we edited our original sketch. For the sixth benchmark we were required to create the design and image we were going to reflect in the primary sector. We had to make the 2 or 4 lines of symmetry that were going to be in our final kaleidoscope. The agents we used could only draw and move in one of the sectors. They could never cross the lines of symmetry or else it would not be properly reflected across the line. Once we had the design done in the primary sector, we could move on to benchmark 7 which was the final kaleidoscope. We had to reflect the image in to the 3 other sectors using a complex system of blocks and movements.
My kaleidoscope represents symmetry in many ways. The 2 diagonal cyan colored lines are the lines of symmetry. All the points and shapes are reflected across those lines. My kaleidoscope also had all three types of rigid motion. A rigid motion is when you take an object and move it to a different location without altering its shape or size. Reflections, rotations, translations, and glide reflections are all examples of rigid motions. The translation is shown in the random dots where the agent has stamped the terrain. Translation is when it directly slides or moves to a new location. They x and y coordinates change but the image itself looks identical to how it was before. Each point translates across the line. Not only do I have the lines of symmetry, there is an outer square that the agents create. Each line is reflected across. As the sectors change, the x and y coordinates of the agents change from negaitive to positive. In the primary sector and the second sector the first agent starts at the point (40, 40). They start at the same point but they head different directions. The agent in the primary sector has a heading of 180 degrees and the agent in the second sector has a heading of 270 degrees. It is similar to the agents in the third and fourth sector. They both start at (-40,-40) but the agent in the third sector has a heading of 0 degrees and the one in the fourth sector has a heading of 90. They end of creating a reflection of the same line. The last type of rigid motion we focused on was rotation. The previous benchmarks featured more rotation than my final kaleidoscope however it was still there. Many agents rotated around a fixed point when they had to turn around or complete specific movements. I did not have any circles in my final design like a lot of other students did but there definitely was rotation but in movements not in shapes.
This project definitely had its ups and downs. One challenge I faced was the software in general. In the beginning I found Star Logo hard to work with. What made it hard was I had all these ideas of what I wanted the agents to create but I didn't know how to make them do it. I didn't know all the blocks and how to use them. As we did more benchmarks and Dr. Drew helped us create and explain parts, it became easier to work with. I also struggled with completing the benchmarks in time. Dr. Drew had very specific due dates and sometimes I struggled with turning them in in time. I overcame this challenge by working more efficiently in the beginning of a new benchmark so I didn't have to rush at the end and paced myself. Some of the more rewarding parts of this project was towards the end when I finally made a kaleidoscope i was proud of. I restarted benchmark 7 three times because I kept on changing the design and how I programmed the agents. I changed how I programmed them because it wouldn't run smoothly so I revised it until it worked extremely well. Overall this project was very interesting and I feel I grew a lot in computer programming because it was something I had never done before. I faced many challenges but in the end I created a product I was very proud of and it was a great way to end the school year.