August 3, 2024
Ocean Themed Learning and Creativity

Today's meeting took place at First Alliance Church. We kicked off by diving into ocean research projects. Our journey began with Ian's fascinating discussion on deep-sea life. He explained how some animals survive in the ocean’s depths, using bioluminescence to glow in the dark, and contrasted this with humans' need for light and air. He also described how fish can easily navigate between different depths.

Max brought attention to the ocean’s critical role in absorbing 90% of excess heat and 25% of CO2, highlighting the adverse effects on marine life caused by these changes. Ava then addressed the dangers of pollution, sharing how sea creatures like seals and sea lions often get trapped in fishing nets and plastic waste. She urged us to take action, such as cleaning the most polluted beaches.

In the second half of our session, we shifted gears to creative projects, making ocean-themed games and videos using Scratch. Coach Shuyi guided us on the key elements of themed animations: Scene, Characters, Story, and Message. Ian, Ava, and Alina collaborated on a video, featuring dolphins and mermaids.

Both Ava and Alina designed mermaids, while Wesley developed a game called "Seahorse Crossing." The objective is to navigate a seahorse upward to touch a starfish, all while avoiding other fish.

Wesley and Max designed another game using Among Us, where players eliminate trash in the deep ocean. Max invested significant effort in designing trash pieces, emphasizing the importance of cleaning our oceans even in a playful context.

The session was a great blend of learning and creativity, all centered around our underwater theme. We look forward to seeing more exciting projects as we continue our "Submerged" journey!