Reflect on at least three takeaways that you learned from creating your project.

1. I learned that when you and your classmates are on the same page, and they know exactly what you have in mind, your work will be much more efficient. And when they aren't seeing eye to eye, you work will not be great.

2. While making a project, you must focus  on each step with the same attention. If one step goes wrong all of the others will as well.

3. Your prototypes and initial thoughts will decided the outcome of your whole project. No idea is a bad one at first.

Explain what was difficult for you during this process and why.

What was difficult for me during this process, was not knowing the route I would take to make the gas mask. Before building the gas mask, I had no plan for what it would be made out of, or how it would end up. I just thought that ideas would come to my head as I go along. That did not work. About midway through the project I was lost and I had no idea how to make a mask of any sort. The biggest difficulty for me through this, was that I was unable to plan ahead, so when it came to making the mask, at points me and my group were lost.

Talk about feedback that you received and how you were able to incorporate that into your process.  

The feedback that we received on our initial ideas were very constructive and helpful. It helped us get away from dioramas, and to really make our project abstract. The feedback we got at the mid review was very positive. What was good about it, was the fact that she really liked our product, and she did not suggest that we went a different route. For some groups, I heard that the feedback was to take a whole new path. For us it was to keep exactly what we have, but make it more immersive and add sound and smell. We decided that because of the time frame, we would chooses one of those senses and add it in. So that resulted in us adding headphones to the mask.

     In 1990 Iraq invaded the country of Kuwait in asperation to gain more control over the lucrative oil supply of the Middle East. The US and UN both demanded Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to back down but he would not. Hussein believed that if he was able to capture Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, Iraq would be able to pay off its massive debt in the war with Iran. The US feared that capturing Kuwait would be the first step for Iraq consolidating power in the Middle East and the possibility of Hussein owning over twenty percent of the world's oil supply if he succeeded in his endeavors. Therefore, both the US and the UN threatened war on Iraq if they should not move out by January 15, 1991. However, Iraq did end up invading Kuwait in August of 1990. Therefore, President Bush unleashed Operation Desert Shield. Operation Desert Shield was essentially a line of troops protecting Saudi Arabia and liberating Kuwait from Iraqi forces. On February 28, 1951 conflict took a drastic change. The President bush unveiled Operation Desert Storm which was the combat portion of his plan. It began with a five-week bombing campaign. In response, Iraq launched ineffective short-range missiles at civilian and military targets in Saudi Arabia and Isreal. After 4 days of fighting on the ground, by February 28, 1991, Iraqi forces had fled Kuwait and President Bush had called a ceasefire. Although Hussein did remain in power Iraq was subject to searches for Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMDs). In the end, the Gulf War was over and Kuwait had been liberated.

Source: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/modern-us/1990s-america/a/the-gulf-war

With our Gas Mask, we are trying to represent Madeline's time in Israel during the Gulf War. While in Israel during this time, she said their were a lot of attacks that involved bombs and gas. She would also hear the loud ring of alarms, which would mean she had to go inside. Though she was very distant from America, she will still in touch with her son's, and they were very worried about her. Fortunately, Madelyn made it out of the war zone peacefully, and she looks back on it as a life changing experience. 

The gulf war was caused by Iraq invading Kuwait. Iraq wanted Kuwait for it's top notch oil fields, to relieve the debt they owed them, and to expand their empire. The Israeli president at the time was Chaim Herzog. The Iraqi president at the time was strongly opposed of Israel. On April 2, 1990 the Iraq president stated “I swear to God we will let our fire eat half of Israel if it tries to wage anything against Iraq.” Iraq during the Gulf war had one of the worlds strongest chemical weapons, and if Israel attacked them, they would unleash those chemicals on Israel. This is why Madelyn and residents of Israel alike wore gas masks during the time. 

https://www.britannica.com/place/Israel/The-question-of-Palestinian-autonomy#ref741872

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/myths-and-facts-the-gulf-wars-chapter-13#_ednref7

Historical Content:

The Gulf War, nicknamed Operation Desert Shield started on August 2, 1990  and didn’t end until February 28,1991. The United States led 35 other countries against Iraq. This war started in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait due to oil pricing and product disputes. This war has many names such as; Persian Gulf War, First Gulf War I, Kuwait War and the Iraq War. The war was also given the name Video Game War because the whole war was being broadcast daily.

Our project is a gas mask. This relates to this time period because whilst Madeline was in Israel, the Gulf War was going on. During this time Madeline  would have to wear gas masks to help with breathing and keep her face from being exposed to radiation while walking through the streets . During this time there were nuclear warfare and bombing planes and that is why gas masks were a necessity. Also on our second visit Madeline told us that her gas mask was so dear to her that she tried to take the mask back to America. She also has a scrapbook and  surprisingly a photo of her own gas mask.

     Our project is a replica of a gas mask from the Gulf War in 1990. From the outside, it looks like a normal gas mask. This represents how others viewed Isreal at the time of the war. The gas mask symbolizes fear and danger. The mask is black and has the three tubes on it which a functioning gas mask would use to filter air. To create this mask we first blew up a balloon to bout the size of ahead. We then created a paper mache. We poured equal parts of water and glue in a bowl and mixed until it was the right consistency. Then we took strips of newspaper and covered the balloon. We used about 3-4 coats of newspaper strips. After about 24 hours the newspaper hardens around the balloon. We then take a needle and pop the balloon so that we have a hardened sphere. Next, we cut the sphere in half so that It created a mask. The half was then painted black and we added straps and put on the tubes. However, this is far from a normal gas mask. Where the eye wholes of a regular mask should be there is a virtual reality google looking contraption which inside is home to a glistening jewel wall. At its center is a small cluster of red and blue jewels. The diamond jewels represent happiness and excitement, the red jewels represent passion and distinction as well as Madeline herself, and the blue represents her religion(Judaism). This feature gives us our first sensory experience of sight. In addition, we have headphones that the viewer would use to hear the sounds of the ocean and waves crashing against the rocks. These sounds were an integral part of Madeline's experience in Isreal. She would often find herself walking down the beach and hearing the waves and smelling the ocean. This gives the project another dimension and gives us our second sensory experience of sound. Our project is meant to take you out of the world that you see and the object that you see. It is meant to release your preconceived notions about our object and bring you into Madalen's world. It is meant to open your eyes to a new and unique perspective of a seemingly negative experience.                                                                                                                        I see this ugly looking mask in front of me and they tell me to try it on. It looks scray. I see the dark intense black paint and the mask horrifies me. I put it on and am surprised to see beautiful, glistening, silver colors and red and blue pearls. I hear the sounds of the ocean. I forget where I am and am lost in another world. I feel free and connected.