26 April, 2007
Quarter 3 Reflective Journal
This journal shows my understanding of the Expected School-wide Learning Results, or ESLRs, using Blooms Taxonomy. This quarter in English we worked on the Teen Life Project with three others schools from around the world, in Canada, Columbia, and USA. In the Teen Life Project, we addressed global issues that are important to people our age. In addition to the Teen Life Project we had our Poetry Unit. Our Poetry Unit included the poetry night and our poetry book.
I was a Critical Thinker by building meaning and understanding using prior knowledge and new information. To me this means creating something new with the knowledge you had before, along with what you learn from school or research about the topic. I demonstrated this by writing poems using the knowledge I already had on global warming along with research I conducted. I demonstrated this same ESLR by creating poems with the knowledge and thoughts I had along with my new wisdom of poetry. To improve myself next time for the Teen Life Project, I would go above and beyond not just do what is assigned to me. If I had been more involved working on the subject in my free time like others I would have had a better knowledge on the subject and been able to write a better poem on the topic. Overall for this skill if I were to grade myself I would give myself a B. I did do the bullet, make a new product from my previous information on the topic and new information but I don’t think I did it to the best of my ability. I don’t think I built much meaning and understanding on the topic either.
I was an Academic Achiever by demonstrating the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. My personal definition of this is the ability to work well by yourself and in a group. I demonstrated this by writing poems and doing some of my book by myself. In making the book, a few of my friends and I planned a day to put our books together. Working in a group for this part of the project was a good idea because with many of us we could each bring supplies that we had and share them. To make it better next time, I think I would work in an environment where there was no distractions, such as toys or computers or games. I would also invite people who work well together and would take the work time seriously. Overall if I had to grade myself, I would give myself a C. When I was in the mood I could sit for hours and write great poems, sometimes, well most of the time I was distracted, called someone for help, and then ended up talking to them for up to an hour. When I was in a group I tried to work well but a few of the people I invited were not taking it seriously and were easily distracted playing games. In the end, I just ended up making most of the book myself.
I was an Academic Achiever by demonstrating technological literacy and the use of technology as a tool for the efficient and creative completion of a project. In my own words it is using technology, such as a computer, to complete a project creatively and doing it well so it is pleasing to the eye. For almost all the pictures I used in my poetry book, whether from the internet or taken by myself I edited it on the computer. Also for the photography part of the unit, I edited the pictures so they still looked realistic but looked more poetic. If I were to do it again, I think I would have drawn a few pictures, scanned it and coloured it in and edited it on the computer. For many of the pictures I edited I just deleted the background or changed it to something else, resized it, and/or cropped it. Next time I think I would mess around with the colours. For this ESLR I would grade myself with a B. I edited the pictures and did it quite professionally although I did not utilize all the tools that were available to me.
I was an Involved Citizen by demonstrating care and concern for the environment. In a more straightforward description, it is to show you are concerned about the environment by undertaking a task to better the world. For me, I showed this ESLR by writing at least two of my poems about global issues that are concerning me, such as global warming and poverty. I showed this same ESLR in the Teen Life project. In this project, I thought about what global issues concern me and which one I thought was most important. Our whole project was about that issue, global warming. If I were to do this again, I would have tried to take a more active role in the Teen Life project. Seeing that our part of the project was poetry there was very little connection with our part of the project and all the other schools. There was very little assigned to us for this project and I did the bare minimum. If I were to grade myself for this ESLR I would give myself a C. The poems I wrote were true and I truly believe what I wrote and I am deeply concerned about the matter. However, my part in the Teen Life project was minimal and I did not try my hardest to be involved.
I was a Self-Directed Learner by demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills. This in my own words is to be organized, have a plan, set your priorities, and to manage your time wisely. I feel I demonstrated this by making my poetry book. I kept up with all the poems we had to write so I wasn’t doing them at the last minute. I cut up a newspaper and wrote which pages would be on the same piece of paper. Doing this I had to see which colours I wanted the pages to have and paired them up. I had a goal when to finish the book and finished it completely and on time. I think I could have improved in this ESLR by finishing my cover earlier. Since I didn’t have paint at my house I planned to go to the art room at lunch to paint it. One day the art teacher had a class so I had to do it the next day, the day the book was due. Despite this I finished the cover and the whole book well. For this ESLR if I were to grade myself I would give myself an A. This is because I finished the book completely and on time I set goals for myself and was very organized.
On the whole I think I had a great 3rd Quarter. I feel I showed most if not all the ESLRs but those I wrote about above are the ones I feel I demonstrated the most and best. I will try to improve on what I lacked this quarter, such as being an Effective Communicator, and grow in what I am doing well in. I feel I worked efficiently in the completion of this unit.
17 January, 2007
Anne Frank Final Assessment
Design and create a memorial to Anne Frank and the victims of the Holocaust
A memorial is something designed to preserve the memory of a person, or event. You will design and create either a model or blueprint/layout of a monument. This memorial can use multi-media. If you want to have flat screens projecting a movie, or speakers playing a song, you can. You simply must explain these features in your design plan, and insert them into your model or blueprint.
Design and create a commercial or short film spreading Anne’s hopeful message of peace
Questions
How are symbols, images, and sounds and other conventions used in visual media?
iMovie
In the iMovie, we searched for pictures on the net and we took those images and inserted them into the iMovie so that we could recapture the reminiscence of World War 2, the holocaust, and Anne Frank. We used sounds, such as recordings, music, and downloaded sounds from the internet. We used recordings to enhance the pictures and make them seem more like a reality. The music was used to set the mood and many of the lyrics are related to Anne Frank and World War 2 victims. For example after Anne’s family and her pictures had been shown the song changed into a sadder and more depressed song when Margot’s letter to the concentration camp appeared. For symbols for the movie we had gas chambers and chimneys to symbolize death and being trapped with no escape. Also the trains symbolize life being caught and put to death. The Judd badges and the Nazi symbols show how diverse and separated they are from one another. Symbols were in almost every single picture and will be found if you really look in depth.
Memorial
For the memorial, we showed images of everyone’s personalities, for example, we showed Margot, with an A+ beside her showing how perfect she was. We showed a big rock with each war victims name engraved on it showing that everyone’s lives has been acknowledged. The holocaust room has a door that shows people dying and trapped. This symbolizes how the Jewish were treated and felt when they were abducted by the Nazis. Also there is a cut up carpet on the floor after the room of friends that shows how rugged and unruly their lifestyle were after the Nazis actions of discrimination were put into force. In the peace room there are yellow flowers that shows how the world has come to harmony and all is in serenity and well-being. Also this memorial goes in a type of order for first Anne was a happy girl who had her friends and family however after the Nazi’s attacked they had a secret Annexe and were discovered so they were sent to concentration camps. Sadly when peace had come Anne and most of her family and friends had already died and said their goodbyes to the world they once knew.
What are the ways in which image-makers carefully construct meaning?
iMovie
Some ways they do this is by capturing a specific cause of what is happening now. For example to show death and execution the iMovie has shown a chimney to show how every puff of smoke shows the remains of a dead Jew leaving the Earth. Also it shows a gas chamber to show how they did mass killing all at once in vulgar ways. Another thing that image-makers construct meaning is the colours. Like if you show black and white you will see how ancient or long ago it was or maybe it would make the picture seem more serious where as a colourful picture will not be as serious and mature.
Memorial
In the images of the memorial I have pasted them in various ways. This shows some meaning because for example if I put it crooked you can see how messed up and crowded the place was really like and you would get some feeling of imperfection or wrong doings, though if straight and neat you will have a feeling vice versa of a crooked image/picture.
How are techniques used in visual media to influence or appeal to a particular audience?
iMovie
Some techniques we used in visual media are how we changed the colours and made the background suit what the topic was. Also the pictures showed things that are related to Anne Frank, World War Two, and the holocaust. Also the fonts and the settings of the text have been arranged in a way to get people to pay attention and feel the way we want them to. Visual media pays a very important role in the iMovie and send out a message without really being said.
Memorial
The techniques used in visual media to appeal to the audience are the colour and settings. I have set them up in various different ways so not everything seems the same and dull. This adds a bit of spice to the project and it becomes more lively and more of a reality. Also I frequently rotate colours for the project to be more attractive.
Blooms Taxonomy
Knowledge - Describe the symbols, images, and sounds you used to complete your project
For the Imovie we used pictures of a train with the sound of the train moving, we used pictures of The Franks peaceful life before they were caught with the song how to save a life (in craniological order), we used pictures of the actual fighting we had the sound of people crying, we had a very important picture of the final solution we had people screaming and crying, and lastly we change the song to Emenium and had two pictures of Margot and Anne Frank’s grave with a quote.
For the memorial the doors, which symbolize beings trapped with no escape.
Comprehension - Discuss how these symbols, images, and sounds carefully construct meaning
For the Imovie some symbols that we used to elements that caused such things in the world. Such as the chimney, which does not show the whole picture however if you look in depth to it you will see that it symbolizes people dying/dead. As for the images we first did all of them in chronological order according to Anne’s age and after Margot’s letter to the concentration camp we showed pictures of the Secret Annexe and after they got caught pictures of the concentration camps were shown and the slaughtering or the things used to slaughter the Jews in mass numbers. In the end we showed Anne’s grave and a few quotes to the world. As for the sounds for the concentration camp we had people and babies screaming in pain and also for the end when you see the grave we have Eminem’s song “When I’m Gone” to symbolize Anne’s death.
For the memorial we show symbols by in the room if the jew’s discrimination we showed a red silk carpet that as torn for it symbolized the jews of how they used to have a great rich life but then it all was tattered away. Also there is a door on the room of concentration camps which showed how the jews were trapped and dying, but were fighting to escape. Another symbol were the yellow flowers thrown on the floor to symbolize peace and harmony. For the images we have Anne’s interests in the first room and in the Family room aka 2nd room it shows Margot with an A+ on the side to show how she was viewed as perfect, same goes for the rest of the pictures.
Application - Explain how these symbols, images, and sounds will influence or appeal to your audience. Illustrate the symbols, images, and sounds (This will be done when you actually do the project)
For the imovie we used modern sounds to capture peoples attention and the images show world war 2 and almost everyone can relate to that because it affected everyones families in some way. As got the symbols there were things such as the jewish badges and nazi badges to show how diverse and separate the were from one another.
Analysis - Compare the symbols, images, and sounds you chose. Which are the most powerful? Why?
The symbols for the movie was concentration camps which symbolized death and trains which symbolized lives being caught and about to reach their death. Some images we used were things such as Anne and her family along with all the other sad things, we first started before the war and after to create a more dramatic effect. As for the sounds we used different music according to lyrics and tunes to suit the images/symbols. The most powerful was probably sounds for it made people feel a certain way about each image.
The symbols for the memorial was that people were dying on the door and were trying to escape, also we have people starving in concentration camps. Also at the end in the peace room we have yellow flowers to symbolize peace and hope. For the images we showed how people lived through each situation, the people itself, or maybe some side things that happened during that event. (No sounds) I think the most powerful were the pictures for it gave people straight forward information where as the symbols you had to really look in it in depth.
Synthesis - Create or design a memorial to Anne Frank and the victims of the Holocaust, or Design and create a commercial or short film spreading Anne’s hopeful message of peace. (Doing the project will accomplish this aspect of Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Evaluation - Summarize and grade the final product and the process to accomplish this task
The final product of our iMovie was well constructed. It was a good introduction to Anne Frank and the war. A few drafts of the movie were made before the final copy. Firstly we got all the pictures, music, sounds, and symbols. We then organized them by the order of which they would be shown. We put this into a movie and kept editing it until we were happy.
The final product of the model of the memorial was very well thought-out. Each room has a specific idea to show. Most of it was very well constructed and looks well made. In both projects a lot of time and effort was put into it and we had very good time management.
ESLR’s
Completing this task will involve the use of many ESLR’s. Your write up should also include a paragraph or two about how your group used the ESLR’s. If you want to be successful in this project please pay close attention to the Effective Communicator ESLR. The key to this project is collaboration. So please also include a paragraph or two about who did what, and how effectively they were at completing their assigned tasks.
iMovie:
Some ESLR’s that were used was effective communicator for we have to be able to communicate with people through a different way and we are being a critical thinker so we can think of many ways to present it to the audience. Another ESLR that this covers is an academic achiever for we have gone to find over 65 pictures and have put in a lot of effort to record sounds and find them on the internet. During the process of making the movie, it is important to be a self directed learner for there are no set guidelines on what the iMovie should be there fore you have to think about it for yourself and manage to put it out on paper and share it with others and that will make you be and involved citizen for you are letting others in on your idea and giving them a better understanding of the topic.
The memorial showed effective communicating skills for it manages to show and tell everyone about Anne frank, World War 2, and the holocaust. Also information is shown in various different ways. The memorial also shows a self directed learner because you have to stay up and finish gluing and cutting, along with drawing and a lot of other art related things. Also this shows an academic achiever for you have to really be neat and concentrate on what message you want to give out in order to have a successful project and to capture and audience’s attention. Another thing that the memorial shows is critical thinker because you have to really think on how you want to place something and where or maybe you have to question yourself on if there would be enough space for “that”.
Josh had made the whole iMovie with some assistance from Novia, while Farouk commented on it, while Novia on the other hand did the whole memorial with the help of Josh and feed back from Farouk. Also Farouk brought some supplies needed for the project such as the Styrofoam. Every member of the group put in effort to make this project a successful one and tried their best to make sure we all manage to complete the work on time.
Using resources to the best of your efforts.
Exp: We used all the tools in iMovie and tried to use it to enhance what we were talking about.
Grade: Excellent
16 November, 2006
Lord of the Flies Journal
This journal shows my understanding of the ESLR’s using Blooms Taxonomy. In this quarter of English our main focus was on our class reading assignment, Lord of the Flies. We had three main parts to the Lord of the Flies section, reading/book, class discussion and assignments, and our quarter project.
I was being a self-directed learner by accepting responsibility for my own learning. I demonstrated this by reading the necessary chapters for homework while I was away and using post-it notes to mark important events and questions or comments that I had. I made assumptions about what would happen to the characters and where the story would take us. Compared to past reading assignments I have been doing practically the same thing. I wonder if I would have worked any better if I was in
Malaysia during this time. Overall, I have not improved in my reading and working habits, however my working habits have not worsened. I would have graded myself as average.
By editing post-it notes after I have found out more information about the questions/comments on them, I could have been a self-directed learner who monitored, adjusted, and documented work in progress. I have never done this before, but I thought it was a good idea after seeing others doing it. I wonder if it would have made a difference if I did do this, would I have understood the book any better? I did not do this at all, although it was not necessary. Never the less I would have failed this.
During the class discussions, that I was there for, the first few classes I did try to be an effective communicator demonstrating the skills of effective collaboration by participating more than I usually do by raising my hand when opinion questions are asked and asking questions about things I did not understand. I think at first I was doing this rather well although, I went back to my usual sit and listen self after returning from
Australia. I was trying to be an effective communicator at first, but as we returned with all the emotional trauma and stress I was going through I forgot I was trying to be an effective communicator. I wonder if I would have persistently been an effective communicator if I hadn’t gone to
Australia. Overall, I found I can be an effective communicator but I just need to strive harder. I believe when I was being an effective communicator I did it rather well.
I feel I was an effective communicator by collaborating with others in appropriate learning situations to achieve group goals. I feel I was working well with others and sharing my ideas more than usual during group assignments, e.g. the island simulation. I am very impressed at my development as an effective communicator compared to previous experiences where I would just sit and listen. Usually when I was in the group I would convey my ideas to the one person in the group I was most familiar with. I think I should have told everyone in the group so that they could comment and add on to my philosophy. I wonder if it would have made a difference to the group if I didn’t participate at all, as usual. Overall, I am very impressed at this improvement.
I was being an academic achiever demonstrating technological literacy and the use of technology as a tool for the efficient and creative completion of a project. I demonstrated this by receiving my homework through email. In comparison to my trip a week earlier I did the same thing, perhaps better the first time since the second time all I did was read and take the Meyer Briggs test. I wonder if I would have been an academic achiever any other way if I had not gone to
Australia. I do feel I used technology well to complete my English work.
By demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills, I was a self-directed learner. Despite my extra and missed homework, by managing my time wisely I finished my project. I believe I did a good job catching up. I didn’t accomplish as much work as usual but that was because I was very tired and stressed. I wonder if I would have been able to finish all my work if I hadn’t gone to
Australia. Considering my drowsiness I feel I worked to the best of my ability to be a self-directed learner.
I was a self-directed learner by demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills thus again. I received the unit project late but was still able to catch up despite the extra homework I had. Compared to previous English projects I found this the most fun and easy because it included picture editing and writing which or both I am very keen. I wonder if I had had to make the cover by hand if I would have done as good a job. I feel I worked adequately on this project.
I feel I proved to be a critical thinker by using prior knowledge in new situations. I feel by making the blurb I used the knowledge I knew on the book to make a captivating blurb. Compared to my previous writing assignments I feel my blurb is at the same standard. The limit for the blurb was 250 word, however I summed mine up in less than 100, next time I think I should try to at least meet the half-way point of the limit, e.g. 125 words. I feel I was a good critical thinker for this project.
In conclusion I showed I used all ESLR’s to complete the assignments and project of the Lord of the Flies book. Next unit I will try to improve upon what I lacked in this project and grow on what I am already doing well. I feel that I worked efficiently in the completion of this unit.
Six Traits
Ideas and Content: I narrowed my topic down to show my understanding of the ESLR’s using Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Organization: I organized my journal putting my introduction first, then in paragraphs by each topic in the order reading/book, class discussion and assignments.
Voice:
I wonder if I would have continued to be an effective communicator if I hadn’t gone to
Australia. à I wonder if I would have persistently been an effective communicator if I hadn’t gone to
Australia
Compared to my previous trip a week before I did the same thing, maybe even better the first time since the second time all I did was read and take the Meyer Briggs test. à In comparison to my trip a week earlier I did the same thing, perhaps better the first time since the second time all I did was read and take the Meyer Briggs test.
At first, I think I was doing this very well although, after I returned from my trip to
Australia I went back to my usual sit and listen self. àI think at first I was doing this rather well although, I went back to my usual sit and listen self after returning from
Australia.
I did not do this at all, although it was not necessary, but I would have failed this. àI did not do this at all although it was not necessary however, never the less I would have failed this.
I believe I showed this by managing my time wisely and finishing my project despite my extra and missed homework. àDespite my extra and missed homework, by managing my time wisely I finished my project.
Word Choice:
|
Before |
After |
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Predictions |
Assumptions |
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Pretty much |
Practically |
|
Got worse |
Worsened |
|
Did not |
Hadn’t |
|
Very |
Rather |
|
Growth |
Development |
|
Tell |
Convey |
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Complete |
Accomplish |
|
Try |
Strive |
|
Ideas |
Philosophy |
Sentence Fluency:
At first I was trying to be an effective communicator but as we returned with all the emotional trauma and stress I was going through I forgot I was trying to be an effective communicator. à I was trying to be an effective communicator at first, but as we returned with all the emotional trauma and stress I was going through I forgot I was trying to be an effective communicator.
I was a self-directed learner by demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills thus again. àThus again I was a self-directed learner by demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills.
I was a self-directed learner demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills. à Demonstrating competency in goal setting, time management, and organizational skills, I was a self-directed learner.
I could have been a self-directed learner demonstrating monitor, adjust, and document work in progress by editing post-it notes after I have found out more information about the questions/comments on them. à By editing post-it notes after I have found out more information about the questions/comments on them, I could have been a self-directed learner demonstrating monitor, adjust, and document work in progress.
During group assignments, e.g. the island simulation, I feel I was working well with others and sharing my ideas more than usual. à I feel I was working well with others and sharing my ideas more than usual during group assignments, e.g. the island simulation.
