Computer Programming 11 Reflection

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This activity helped to develop my Personal Awareness and Responsibility competency. While most people wouldn’t attribute a Computer Programming assignment to this particular competency, I’ll explain how this assignment was developmental to me. I was fortunate enough to attend the 2024 Centennial EuroTour trip over spring break – an experience that was amazing and full of learning experiences, but unfortunately led to me missing a few days of class prior to spring break. When I arrived back to class after spring break, I found that I was behind. I am working hard to get back on track with my work, completing many assignments including the one pictured above. I have used the following “I can” statements in order to demonstrate Personal Responsibility:

I can use strategies that help me manage my feelings and emotions– Through the process of getting caught up, I have often encountered an assignment that is challenging or difficult. I often feel frustrated and inclined to give up, but I manage these feelings by taking deep breaths and focusing on the task at hand.

I can advocate for myself and my ideas – I have felt overwhelmed with the amount of work to complete in this class, and have expressed that to my Computer Programming 11 teacher. She has allowed me to stay in the classroom during my free block to work on assignments. Had I not advocated for myself, I may have not been able to take advantage of this opportunity to get caught up.

I can take ownership of my goals, learning and behavior– Rather than giving up and allowing myself to fall behind further in this class, I have made an active effort to take ownership of my learning and try and get late assignments completed, even if it means working at home or in flex blocks. I am balancing this class with Pre Calculus 12, which is a class that takes up most of my flex time, but I take advantage of my free block to complete assignments.

Anatomy and Physiology 12 Core Competency Self-Assessment

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Artifact: Piggy Dissection Lab

An image of the fetal pig (pre-dissection).

I demonstrated the Communication Competency during this lab. I collaborated with two other lab partners to perform the pig dissection on a fetal pig. During the lab, we each took on roles in preparation for the dissection, including setting up materials and preparing the pig. Throughout the dissection, we helped each other to identify different parts of the pig, and each utilized different resources such as our notes, textbook and lab book to identify the functions of each part of the pig’s digestive system.

During the week of the dissection, we identified that the dissection would take us longer than we anticipated, so we coordinated times to come in for extra work time. We were able to come into school early, as well as book flex blocks to allow for more dissection time. Throughout the lab, we took turns participating in different aspects of the lab, including making incisions, draining liquids and pinning different parts of the pig. As well, we divided clean up duties equally in order to quickly and efficiently tidy up our dissection station. 

Overall, myself and my lab partners collaborated to perform our dissection effectively and competently. When encountering roadblocks involving a lack of dissecting time, we worked together to coordinate a solution that would allow us to find more dissection time outside of class. We were able to successfully dissect the fetal pig and fully complete the lab to the best of our abilities.

BCFP 12 Reflection

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What has changed in terms of your perspective with First Nations people? What has led to this change?

When I first started the course, I thought that I had a good understanding of the impacts of colonialism on the Indigenous peoples. Having learned about residential School since I was in the primary grades, I had learned about most of the horrors that went on within the walls of a residential school. I learned about the children that never came home, the abuses that other children faced at the hands of priests and nuns, and complete and utter lack of control that families had in sending their children to residential school.  

However, this course has taught me a more in depth understanding of the true impacts of colonialism on the Indigenous peoples of Canada and walked me though the slow poisoning of the Indigenous community throughout centuries of taking land and culture. The Indigenous peoples of this continent welcomed settlers with hospitality when they first arrived, and the settlers repaid this hospitality by abusing and capitalizing on First Nations land, making empty promises regarding reserve land and trying to control the actions of the First Nations people.  

I learned about the Inter-generational impacts of the trauma suffered by Indigenous children at the hands of the government. For me, this was one of the most meaningful parts of the course that changed my perspective on the issues that Indigenous people face today. We discussed the domino effect of abuse, and how unresolved trauma from residential school led to alcoholism and addiction in First Nations communities, which was then passed down through generations as children who were raised at residential school became parents and were forced to watch the destructive cycle of residential school continue.  

The reality of these abuses came to light when we attended a residential school survivor presentation. Sam, the survivor who shared his story with us, detailed the physical, sexual and emotional abuse that he suffered throughout his childhood at a residential school, and how it tore apart his family and distanced him from his siblings. He shared the impact of residential school on his adult life, and how his methods of coping with the pain that he endured ended up hurting him even more. Although difficult to hear and process due to the heavy nature of his stories, his talk was highly impactful. As much as we learn about subject matter in school, hearing from a first-person perspective was very valuable and meaningful.  

Despite the darkness of the past, we have also been learning about the ways that the Indigenous community can heal in the future. I gained knowledge of the beauty and life of Indigenous storytelling, and the power and healing that Indigenous writers find in sharing their unique stories. I also learned about the ways that Indigenous communities are taking back power for themselves. To name a few, Some nations have started to become self-governing through tireless advocating and negotiations with the government, and Indigenous writers are going to First Nations-led publishing companies to have their stories valued and put out into the world. Learning about these methods of healing and moving forward has given me a new perspective on the potentially bright future that we can all work towards on the path to reconciliation. 

Core Competency Reflection 

Social Awareness and Responsibility has played a big role throughout this course. Learning about the past of the land that we live on, the present-day challenges that we as a country face, and the future that we as a community and a country will one day face in respect to reconciliation has been eye opening. Being aware of the history of Canada will help me to make informed, responsible decisions socially and within the community. 

Music Monday

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  1. Reflect on how these songs contribute to making the community or natural world a better place and identify how the lyrics actions call others to action and can work to make positive change.  

These songs contribute to make the world a better place by drawing attention to important issues that Indigenous peoples face. The artists use their platform as music creators to spread awareness about the societal and historical mistreatment of Indigenous peoples. The lyrics evoke a powerful message of resilience and rebellion and invoke discussions on cycle breaking and accountability. 

  1. How do these songs represent that something is unfair? What is that “something”? Explain. 

The songs represent that the treatment of Indigenous peoples is unfair. The “something” that is unfair is the mishandling, assimilation and erasure of Indigenous culture by society over many generations that has led to systematic racism. 

  1. What emotions do these songs generate for you? Compare your emotions between each song. Which one is more compelling? And why? 

The first song generates emotions of anger and frustration stemming from the crushing feeling of an authority that doesn’t have good intentions for the narrator. The second song invokes feelings of frustration and sadness, a feeling of helplessness over the circumstances that the narrator is struggling with. The second song is more compelling, not only in delivery but also in the fact that it is coming from a First Nations perspective. 

  1. What is important to each of the singers? What is the message they are trying to convey? 

The singer of the first song speaks of rebellion and living life individually, without the suppression of authority. The singer is promoting a loud, blatant rebellion that relishes being arrested by the police. The singer of the second song sings about injustices to the Indigenous community, and the formation of a quieter rebellion.  

  1. Using one of your similarities and differences, discuss in a short paragraph how music can convey different perspectives on the same cause? 

Music can convey different perspectives on the same cause through the use of lyrics. This can be seen in “Wreck Beach/Totem Park” by the Zolas and “Caribou ghosts and Untold stories” by Leanne Simpson.

Both songs have themes of rebellion woven into the lyrics, but the implementation of this rebellion differs. The Zolas have the perspective of white settlers, and thus they may be less afraid of authority and law enforcement. They are more eager to “sit on the beach till they put me in cuffs,” and rebel by willingly being arrested. Their rebellion is loud. Leanne Simpson uses lyrics that speak of a quieter rebellion, one that doesn’t want to be noticed. “Meet me at the underpass, rebellion is on our way” gives the feeling of an elusive, undercover form of moving against authority.  

To conclude, both the Zolas and Leanne Simpson share the interest in rebelling, but the lyrics in their songs convey the differing perspectives shown in their music. 

Pre-Calculus 11 Core Competency Self-Assessment

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Core Competency Reflection

Working collaboratively with others  

This semester, I enjoyed and greatly benefited from group work. After each lesson, our class would split into groups to do “group work” questions together. I found that this practice enhanced my understanding of the topics covered in the lesson, as I was able to fill in the gaps in my comprehension of the lesson by asking my classmates who understood the lesson quite well. My group members explained concepts that I didn’t understand in a way that was helpful, kind, and constructive. I also explained concepts that I had grasped to classmates that needed help. Overall, group work was helpful to myself and my group in improving our understanding of the topics covered in class. 

Strategically preparing for assessments

This semester, I used studying practices that helped me to successfully prepare for assessments that I completed in this class. These practices included reading over the lesson notes published on OneNote, completing all assigned workbook questions, going to Flex or CENT time when I required help with a concept, and highlighting any mathematical vocabulary that I might need to know for the test. I also created a study plan a few days before the assessment day so that I wouldn’t be left cramming the night before the test. These studying practices helped me to retain the information taught in the course so that I could perform to the best of my ability on the day of the assessment. 

Managing time effectively

This semester, I managed my time effectively both in class and outside of class. In class, I was attentive during the lessons and group work. My goal for each class was to complete all or most of my workbook questions in class so that I could fully understand the concept. Most days, I was able to meet this goal. Outside of class, I booked flex and Cent blocks in Pre-Calculus so that I could receive help with workbook questions that I was struggling with or have extra time to work on a unit that I was moving slower than normal through. After school, I set aside time for studying, and completing workbook questions. Overall, my time management this semester allowed me to complete all assigned work to the best of my ability while leaving time after school for additional study time or other homework. 

Advice for Future Students

I have two pieces of advice for future students taking this course. The first piece of advice is to do all assigned workbook questions! They are very good indicators of what might be on the test, and they allow you to practice the concept over and over again until you get it. Also, don’t skip questions. Every single question has a small chance of being on the test. 

My second piece of advice is to ask questions. If you don’t understand a concept or even just don’t know why you’re getting a question wrong, it never hurts to ask the teacher or another classmate. Getting help shows that you’re not afraid to advocate for yourself. 

Transforming Parabolas

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The equation of the Parent Function

The equation of My Function

DESMOS Graph

A graph of the parent function and my function

In my quadratic function, ‘a’, ‘h’, and ‘k’ all played different roles in creating the parabola.  

‘a’ determined the width of the parabola, as well as if it would open up or down. ‘a’ was positive in my parabola which caused it to open up. ‘a’ was also over the value of 1, so the parabola is more compressed than the parent function.  

‘h’ determined which way the parabola shifted horizontally. When ‘h’ is positive it shifts left and when it is negative the parabola shifts right. ‘h’ was positive in my function, so my parabola shifted to the left. ‘h’ determines the ‘x’ value in the vertex. It also determines the axis of symmetry for the parabola. In my function, ‘h’ was 1, so the axis of symmetry was –1.  

‘k’ determined whether the parabola would shift up or down vertically. When ‘k’ is positive, the parabola will shift up and when it is negative the parabola will shift down. ‘k’ was negative in my function, so the parabola shifted down. ‘k’ determines the value of the ‘y’ part of the vertex, as well as the minimum or maximum value of the parabola. In my function, the minimum value was 0. 

To conclude, ‘a’, ‘h’ and ‘k’ made my function different to the parent function by shifting it horizontally, vertically, and causing it to compress. 

Self-Assessment 

  1. Give an example from this assignment where you represented the same mathematical idea in multiple ways? 

I used the graphing calculator to visually represent my quadratic function. I used this as a visual aid for the reader to refer to when reading my explanations of ‘a’, ‘h’, and ‘k’ and how they affected my parabola. These concepts were represented visually on the graph, and then explained in writing in paragraph form. 

  1. Give an example from this assignment where you used mathematical vocabulary to demonstrate your understanding? 

In this assignment, I used mathematical vocabulary such as ‘positive’, ‘negative’, ‘shift’, ‘horizontally’, ‘vertically’, ‘quadratic’, ‘function’, ‘vertex’, ‘axis of symmetry’, and ‘minimum value’. These terms helped me to demonstrate my understanding of the vocabulary used in this unit. 

  1. Give an example from this assignment where you used formatting to share the information in a clear and organized way? 

I used the colors red and green to emphasize the effects that positive and negative numbers would have on the parabola. This helps to establish clarity and enhance the meaning of the message that I am trying to convey. 

French 11 Movie Posters

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An image taken of my Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone movie poster.

I demonstrated the Personal Social Core Competency through my selection of the movie for my poster project, and my execution of the elements of design that went into my poster. 

I connected with my personal identity when I chose the first Harry Potter movie as a topic for my poster because I recognized that it was a movie that was important to my childhood and is still important to me today. I also recognized that the movie would be an appropriate choice for the poster because I knew it so well that I would need minimal research on its characters and plot.

I also demonstrated the Personal Social Core Competency when I designed my movie poster. Being an art student at Centennial, I knew that I would be able to effectively use paint to create a design on the poster, so I utilized this skill when I created the title heading on my project. I also used my skills in color theory to generate a good flow of colors that creates a pleasing effect on the eyes. The poster isn’t too busy and is easy to read. I am very pleased with the result and found the creative process of designing my Harry Potter themed poster to be enjoyable! 

Core Competency Self Assessment

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Collaboration

The Coronavirus brochure and model created by myself and my partner

I demonstrated the Collaboration skill during this project through my work with my partner. At the beginning of our process, we divided the duties and responsibilities necessary for the creation of our model and brochure between us. I volunteered to gather the materials and keep the model at my house, and my partner offered to do some extra work on the brochure. We set a date to work on the project at my house that would work for both of us, and we also sketched out a rough draft of how the model would look. Additionally, we came to an agreement on when our respective work on the brochure should be done, and we both met this deadline. We communicated online when we had questions for each other, and I always consulted with her before making any drastic changes or decisions regarding the model. Next time, I would set aside more time for the two of us to work on the model together, as I had to finish and construct most of the model by myself. However, my partner did a fabulous job polishing and editing the brochure, so I feel that our work was about equal. 

Natural Selection Critical Thinking Self-Assessment

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Artifact: An image of my group completing this lab

I demonstrated that I can collect and analyze evidence when I effectively performed the lab to the best of my ability, and analyzed the data gathered to draw conclusions about which feeding adaptations provided the best advantage when gathering food. 

I demonstrated that I can connect evidence I collected to big ideas when I made connections between the concept of natural selection and the lab. I observed that the feeding adaptations of the organisms are representative of natural selection, specifically variation. These feeding adaptations would affect the organism’s ability to feed, giving them either an advantage or disadvantage in the struggle for survival. Organisms that are disadvantaged would eventually die off because advantaged organisms would edge them out of the competition for food. 

I demonstrated that I can make predictions based on evidence when I predicted what would happen to each organism in each environment based on how well they did in each environment during the lab. Using the data gathered, I analyzed the feeding adaptations that were most successful, and made predictions as to what new species would develop in these environments.