Thesis Statement: The bowser shell is designed to protect endangered turtles. The shell will be attached to the turtle using an elastic band, there will be spikes attached to the shell to scare off any predators when they come nearby.

Possible names: Bowser shell, spike shell, turtle protector, bowser, The repel shell, defense shell, protection shell, sea turtle protection shell, sharp shell.

Build Instructions: First off, we need to get the measurement of the turtle size we are doing the actual size of it. Then we get cardboard and measurements and cut out a curved shell. Then we cut out "spikes" and attach them to the cardboard. Afterwards, we attach an elastic band  to the shell. And bam. 

Animal: Yellow billed cuckoo

Scientific Name: Coccyzus americanus

Listing Status: Threatened. 

Where listed: Western DPS: U.S.A. (AZ, CA, CO (western), ID, MT (western), NM (western), NV, OR, TX (western), UT, WA, WY (western)); Canada (British Columbia (southwestern); Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango (western), Sinaloa, Sonora) 

Why it's endangered:

Animal: Leatherback sea turtle 

Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea

Listing status: Endangered 

Where listed: Wherever found

Why it's endangered: "Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear. Climate change has an impact on turtle nesting sites." 

Plant: Island Bedstraw 

Scientific name: Galium buxifolium

Listing status: Endangered 

Where listed: Wherever found 

Animal: Leatherback Sea Turtle (Endangered)

Scientific name: Dermochelys Coriacea

Where listed: Wherever found

Animal: Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Threatened)

Scientific Name: Coccyzus Americanus

Where listed: U.S.A, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY, Canada, Mexico, Sinaloa & more Listing Status: Endangered Listing Status: Threatened

Plant: Island Bedstraw (Endangered)

Scientific Name: Galium Buxifolium

Where listed: Wherever found  

Sea turtle-"Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture in fishing gear"

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo- Habitat losses, breeding habitats have been reduced 

Island Bedstraw- "Habitat alteration caused by soil loss and herbivory from feral pig rooting and sheep grazing, trampling and pig rooting along the sea cliffs increases the likelihood of slope failure"

Thesis Statement: The Bowser shell is a shell that is meant to protect the turtle and scare off beings. It is connected to the waist of the turtle with a strap. When something is nearby the spikes will activate and swing back and forth.

Possible Names: Spikey shell, Spike trap, Turtle protector shell, the Bowser shell, Bowser, the repel shell, sea turtle saver, life saver, defense shell, sharp shell.

Step by Step Instructions: We first need to figure out the size of the leather back sea turtle shell. Then we need to cut out a oval like shape cardboard and then we need to curve the cardboard so it will fit the turtle better. We then need to create the spikes that will be on the turtle shell swinging back and forth. Finally, we need to add on the elastic band or strap to the shell.

Since the Cambrian Explosion approximately 541 million years ago, the earth has gone through five mass extinction events. Currently in the Holocene era, we are in the midst of what some have called the sixth mass extinction; as a result of human activity, researchers estimate that current extinction rates are at least 100 times what they were before the dawn of humanity.  Many species are even thought to have disappeared before any human awareness of their existence.

As effective tool-makers and inventors, humans have been able to adapt to almost every climate on earth. Human pressure on the natural environment began with the development of agrarian society over 10,000 years ago. From the domestication of wheat and pigs to more recent genetic manipulation of plants and animals for production of food and resources, our actions have had serious effects on the evolution and extinction of other species. Today, land use and pollution are some of the biggest causes of extinction.

In the first studio, Cyborg Enhancements, students explored the proliferation of technological advancements that augment, adapt, and affect the development of the human body. In this studio we will look at how human advancement has affected (and is still affecting) other species through our impact on the environment.

In both studios, students will begin by identifying specific plants and animals on the LA County endangered species list and research the human and environmental pressures that have led them to their current status as endangered. Students will develop a deep understanding of the human activity that has caused their organism to be placed on the endangered species list.

In the Build section of this studio, students will shift the paradigm of humans as toolmakers and design tools (devices and bots) for species under duress in to this new, harsher world we’ve created. In the Media section, students will create a visual campaign to raise awareness about about these activities. Campaigns around cute animals, such as polar bears, and tigers, touch people’s hearts; how can you create a campaign for animals that are just as deserving but maybe not quite as cute?

This studio will explore the ethics and ramifications both of widespread alterations to the biosphere and the idea that humans can and should take action to help plants and animals protect themselves. 

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_MotorShield.h>

Adafruit_MotorShield AFMS = Adafruit_MotorShield();

Adafruit_DCMotor *myMotor = AFMS.getMotor(1);
//Adafruit_DCMotor *myMotor = AFMS.getMotor(2);

void setup() {
     AFMS.begin();
}

void loop() {
     myMotor->setSpeed(255);
     myMotor->run(FORWARD);
     delay(1000);
}

Alec Brief: Spoonji: A floating barge that utilizes sensors and GPS trackers in order to monitor the PH level of the water surrounding a sponge as well as tag its location on a digital mapping program. When the barge encounters a sponge, it releases a capsule containing PH level sensors and a radio transmitter. Then, the barge marks the location of the aforementioned sponge on Google maps. With the help of this tool, researchers can monitor the chemical content of the water near the sponge without gathering local samples. Spoonji brings an otherwise obscure species of freshwater sponge to the public’s eye, and it will provide a way for the citizens of Massachusetts to interact and care for the sponges. The main component of Spoonji is the floating barge that is powered by two, bottom mounted motors. The barge consists of a wood body along with two sealed PVC pipes for flotation.When instructed to do so, a servo controlled crane atop of the barge drops a capsule containing monitoring equipment and weights into the water. The equipment is contained in a PVC pipe capsule. There isn’t anything technically innovative about this project, it combines multiple pieces of existing technology into something original. For example, the barge by itself is not innovative, but by integrating a crane system with the barge a completely original product. This project encourages people to interact not with the project itself, but with the sponges that it is surveying. The Spooji is a medium in which ordinary citizens of Massachusetts can play a part in aiding a local species.

Amyir Brief: A small remote-controlled barge designed to monitor and protect the freshwater sponge, which helps filter pond water and eats bacteria.Gas emissions from cars, and oil and gas that run off roadways, all contribute to the pollution that raises the pH levels in small ponds  and threatens the freshwater sponge. The barge is a remote-controlled barge about the size of a duck,designed to scare away ducks, one of the sponges' main predators, and to monitor the sponge environment. An underwater camera attached to the barge will allow a user to find freshwater sponges and direct the barge to drop a small module with a pH level sensor and a GPS tracker Freshwater sponges filter bacteria from pond water. This project is helping the sponge by monitoring the pH levels around the sponge with minimal disturbance to the environment in order to make changes in the future. the importance of monitoring the pH levels is that we can find out what things are changing the pH levels and make changes in the future and to scare away the predators of the fresh water sponge. A RC barge users are no longer using big boats to drive through the water to find 3 or four sponge then test the water and drive away the boats  that would me used to find the sponge would be further polluting the water.