Conference for Innovation, Research, and the Creative Arts

In Storyteller, Leslie Marmon Silko weaves the oral stories of her ancestors into a craftily designed novel that not only retells their cultural history, but also follows the cultural shifts and struggles of Native Americans after European contact. The history of Native Americans is rarely seen through the eyes of those Natives; therefore, the proposed poster presents a senior level high school lesson plan that uses Silko‟s text to explore the effects the Europeans had on Native American storytelling and the survival of the oral tradition. My approach for teaching this novel to high school students between the ages of sixteen and eighteen is to begin with a thorough exploration of the Pueblo Indian culture. Then, I would like to discuss the discrepancy between the culture of the Natives presented by the Westernized man and the actual culture and proceedings of the Pueblo Indians we have studied. I would like the students to then be able to discuss the reasons for the United States‟ continued reliance on a curriculum that omits the truth behind the history and culture of Native Americans today. By having the students read the stories so commonly told to Native Americans at their age even today, I hope to immerse them into the truth behind the tactics of the Natives in the time of European colonization. I would like them to conceptualize the differences in the cultures and how those differences caused the fear exhibited in the actions of the settlers. Also, I would like them to decide how, through the obvious continuation of the traditional storytelling, the Native Americans have revived their culture even in the confines of Indian Reservations strategically placed in the plains of the country.

12th Grade Lesson Plan for Leslie Marmon Silko's Storyteller

A variety of supplements can be used as exercise stimulants and weight gain. This study used Trichoplusia ni caterpillars to test the effects of these supplements on growth. We hypothesized that adding protein would make the caterpillars larger while DMAA (1,3 Dimethylamine, a common stimulant), would increase length and mass. Caterpillars we reared on three diets, one with whey protein, one with DMAA, and a control diet, until they pupated. Pupae size was compared between both supplements and the control diet. The larvae that were fed whey protein were larger than the control group. This suggests that diets supplemented with larger amounts of protein have a greater effect on size than diets with smaller amounts of protein. The caterpillars that were given the DMAA were longer but they weighed less. This suggests that DMAA cause an increase in metabolism and burned more fat. This shows that different types of work out supplements have different effects. Further research could include similar supplements to see if our results are consistent.

The Effects of Different Supplements on Caterpillars

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is on the rise in the United States. The increasing number of children with ASD has led to new fields of study within the medical community. We researched different case studies to determine if a gluten free – casein free diet was helping children with ASD. After investigating four different case studies we found that there was evidence that the change in diet helped the children with their behavioral difficulties and other symptoms. Many scientists have studied what causes adverse behavior and gastrointestinal issues in autistic children. Some have found the causes to be due to the improper metabolizing of proteins found in gluten and casein containing products (Seitler, B.N., PhD.) as well as the increase of antibodies which can trigger an inflammatory response in the intestine (Research on Dietary Interventions in ASD). These studies also found that when children with ASD were placed on a gluten free – casein free diet, symptoms observed by parents had improved. The issue with these conclusions is that, the idea is still new and all testing is being done on small scale groups. Testing on large groups is still required to make substantial progress.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and the G.F.C.F Diet

We would like to test the effectiveness of various disinfectants over a period of time to determine their short term and longer term effects in prevention of pathogenic microbe proliferation. Our hypothesis is that the disinfectants will select for more resistant bacteria. Supplies: 20 agar gel plates, 20 sterile swabs, 2 types of disinfectant, paper towels, water, a measuring cup, and 4 groups of 5 computer keyboards actively in use in a computer lab. Procedure: Step 1: The first group of computers will be the control group. The second group of computers will be cleaned with a paper towel with a specified amount of one of the disinfectants. The third group will cleaned with a paper towel with a specified amount of the other disinfectant. The fourth group will be cleaned with a damp paper towel with the same specified amount as above of tap water. Step 2: After 5 days, each computer keyboard will be swabbed and each swab will inoculate one agar plate. Step 3: After 5 more days, the growth in each agar plate will be recorded and identified if possible. Special attention will be paid to the level of resistance of the bacteria found. We expect our results to show that harsher antibacterial disinfectants will select for more resistant microbes.

Pathogenic Microbe Analysis of Lab Keyboards

In this experiment, we wanted to determine the outcome of placing Trichoplusia ni on a specific diet for ten days. The purpose of the experiment was to compare growth rate of caterpillars reared on a lipid supplemented diet to others reared on a non-supplemented control diet. We hypothesized that the supplemented diet caterpillars would grow larger and faster than the non-supplemented control diet. The biomolecule supplement used in our experiment was olive oil and a soy-wheat germ premixed artificial diet was used for our control. The caterpillars were weighed for their mass and then placed in containers filled with the specific diet they were to consume. We recorded their mass again after five days and were going to record again at ten days, but nine of the ten died when pupating. We were unable to form a concrete conclusion because of the high pupae mortality rate. We concluded that the high pupae mortality rate was due to the interference of the lipids with the juvenile hormone.

Spinach Is Good, but Olive Oil Is Not

The primary goal of our study was to observe the adverse affects of aspartame on a living organism – the Tricholplusia ni. caterpillar. We also wanted to try and determine another organism's perspective, the ant Formica exsectoides, on the effects of aspartame. We hypothesized that the Tricholplusia ni. caterpillars that were fed the aspartame supplemented diet will noticeably weigh less than the control. Similarly, the caterpillars that were fed the aspartame diet will be less palatable to the Allegeny Mound Ants. We introduced the substance to ten out of twenty Tricholplusia ni.caterpillars for a period of ten days. Statistical analysis showed no significant effect of aspartame detected in our experiment. However, our hypothesis about the ant favoring the control over the experiment was correct. We also made an additional discover regarding the color and consistency of the bodily fluids of the caterpillars as the control was clear and more jello-like, whereas the experiment was slightly tinted green and the fluids were harder to contain as the resembled as liquid rather than a jello.

The Manipulation of the Tricholplusia ni. Through Dietary Molecules: Aspartame (Poster)

The central question of my project is "How does human evolution transform future offspring through the combination of genes in the process of sexual reproduction and natural selection?” The process of exploring solutions to my central question involved looking at the various photos of my family members to see how their physical characteristics were similar to one another. The major conclusion of my project is that as a result of sexual reproduction offspring tend to resemble their parent off spring more so than any other species unrelated to them.

Unique Evolution

I shall present a group of original poems that I feel help bridge a connection between the subjectivity of being with the objectivity of the universe. My poems explore the innocence of childhood lost through a coming of age that ends with the ultimate realization of finiteness that many of us have yet to come to terms with. I have striven to capture this by writing several pieces through an intimately human perspective, juxtaposing and connecting the nuances of human life within a larger scheme.

Seasons of Being

Yasmina Reza's “Art” is about friendship and how friends deal with each others' maturation as they grow older. This play asks the question, “If someone is your friend, how far do you go to support their endeavors?”

Art: A Transformation to Adulthood

The lack of communication, with its destructive consequences, is a central theme for 20th century modernist authors. Sherwood Anderson and Ralph Ellison reveal the aloofness of society and individuals by challenging readers to embrace and question the unnatural truths that their stories represent. Anderson and Ellison position themselves within the societies they create to expose the unattractive realities that surface in response to selfish individuals. The first panelist will outline the grotesque and what it employs. This panelist will also connect Anderson‟s use of physicality to represent his characters lack of communication. The second panelist conveys Anderson‟s idea of the grotesque through the lens of existentialism and then applies this theory to the modern movement as a whole. The final panelist explores the grotesqueness of racism by reflecting Booker T. Washington and Ralph Ellison. He argues the grotesqueness of racism and the difficulties that present themselves within possible solutions. This panel argues that communication failures are the basis of many of our society‟s inconsistencies and ongoing problems. Proper communication in this arena is a critical solution to balanced individuals and a less marginalized form of society.