I chose communication as one of the core competencies that best connected to my dichotomous key button project because of the group aspect. I displayed communication through asking questions, listening to my peers and working well with my partner. Communication is a critical part of group work because without it, the end result would never turn out like you want it to. Listening to each others ideas, speaking our opinions, understanding how we work together and allowing one another to take over at times helped us to collaborate well. I also enjoyed the critical thinking aspects of this assignment as my partner and I constantly had to step back and rethink our decisions. Changing button placements and switching how we looked at our key helped us to come out with the result we did. This project was challenging at times however, I enjoyed thinking outside the box.
I respectfully advocate for my needs by asking for help when appropriate and communicating with my peers. Asking for help can be scary sometimes but I have learned not asking for assistance is much worse. Talking to my peers helps me better connect to them and benefits both of us in the end.
Some skills I have developed to make my school work perform better are knowing strategies of how to keep myself calm and engaged. I find listening to music, drinking water, dim lighting and being comfortable, really benefit me when I am studying or doing assignments. Feeling rushed to complete work is one of my biggest downfalls and nothing ever comes out how I want it to when I am in a hurry. Not procrastinating is a big way of how I get my school work to perform better.
One of the ways I ensure my group is clear on the common purpose is to communicate my ideas and hear what my group members thoughts are. Making sure everyone feels included and has a job ensures we will be the most productive and complete our work with no setbacks.
For my self assessment I chose to use my final Shakespeare project to reflect on. We were asked to create a Digital Awareness Campaign (photo above) for one of the major themes in Romeo and Juliet; I chose violence. The second part of the assignment gave you 6 different options to choose from. I chose to create a five song soundtrack for a movie production of the play and write about my reasoning for each song. I can demonstrate creative thinking through this project by generating new ideas and building on the ideas of others. I can persevere over time to develop my ideas, I expect setbacks, but use that to develop my ideas. I appreciated the creative freedom given to us with this unit project and feel it helped me to achieve my full potential for this assignment.
I used both critical and reflective thinking skills when making floral embroidery for Arts and Crafts. I was assigned a personal textiles project and was given a lot of creative freedom to make whatever I want. I decided to embroider because I had minimal experience and it would have a pretty, colourful outcome and would be fun to create. I can generate new ideas and build on other peoples ideas by brainstorming and asking for help from my peers with difficult decisions. The first time I ever tried to embroider was about a year ago and and used that to reflect on problems I encountered to generate new ideas. I really enjoyed this project and am really happy with the outcome I was able to produce.
I demonstrated my critical thinking skills when creating my Spanish Family Project. We were asked to create a PowerPoint of four family members plus yourself as well as a family tree. My thinking skills were a great asset to me for this assignment because it helped me to overcome any struggles I may have encountered. Asking questions, watching videos, talking with my peers and talking with my teacher helped me have a better understanding of Spanish and helped me to succeed. I gained better thinking and communication adroitness throughout this task because now I feel more comfortable asking questions, and know how to get help. This project helped me gain a greater understanding of Spanish and what I am capable of in this course.
Atticus Finch Body Biography from “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Starting this project I chose my friend Tyler as my partner because I already knew we would have good communication and be able to create a positive project. The best thing we did was assign ourselves different sections of the assignment to focus on separate parts. Doing this gave us the ability to both be working during class as well as taking our own parts home to work on. I demonstrated communication through the body biography project we did in my English 10 class. There were times where we disagreed but it was always over something iota and we never had it weigh over us for too long. Overall this project was a complete success and hope I am able to continue growing in all aspects of my learning and development.
Whenever I want something in my life to be different I make the necessary changes to achieve that goal. If I put time and effort into my goals I believe I can achieve them. Organization and productivity being some of my biggest strengths are helpful in situations such as these because they assure that I will be determined and successful. Taking time for myself is really important to keep me grounded and calm when I am under a lot of pressure or stress. Writing notes, making lists, having people hold me accountable and creating smaller goals are all strategies I am using to monitor the progress of my goals. I take my education seriously by studying, setting reminders, asking questions and talking to my teachers about how I can become a learner. Academic validation is something I feel I need to continue be a better person everyday and am always striving to succeed.
Elements of the town: Sawmill, Housing, Farmland, Rivers, Coal Mine, Factories, Barns
Population: 274
Explanation / Brief History: Millstone is an up and coming town founded in 1822 by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Miller. They have been married for 22 years and have three beautiful young children together . Their family loved each other very much but they never had enough money for rent or to buy a home so they would get in arguments a lot. One day Mr. Miller decided he had had enough and took him and his entire family across the country looking for a fresh start. After days on the road Mr. Miller finally decided that this was it, this was the land he and his family would put down roots. After a few weeks of them living in what is now Millstone village, Mr. Miller invited his good friend Mr. Samuel Copestone to their new home. Mr. Copestone was a bachelor born into a wealthy family and as soon as he saw the land he knew what he wanted to do with his fortune. Mr. Copestone sat down and talked with Mr. and Mrs. Miller about co-founding a town together. Mr. Miller loved this idea and was right on board to get started. Now just over 12 years later their village has grown immensely with over 200 residents, 50 plus buildings, many opportunities for work and is constantly expanding and growing.
Media Fluency Reflection
A. How was the ease of access in building the town, and what software did you use specifically?
Building my town was easier than expected but it took awhile to get the hang of. I used the software ‘Roll For Fantasy’ as requested by the ADL teachers, and I enjoyed playing around with the different designs I could do. If I ever needed to do something like this again I would defiantly use this website because of the simple layout and how easy it was to navigate.
B. Were you able to apply the skills you learned in the planning stages appropriately to a digital environment?
Before actually creating my design I drew it out on a piece of paper to see if I liked the look of it or not. I tried my best to fit the description of the town into the design for a more realistic understanding. So, yes.
C. What were the sources you researched that made this an “authentic make-believe” town?
I used 2 different sources to try and get as precise as possible. The first source I used was just using google and looking up different pictures and drawings of factory towns. Doing this helped me to get the main idea of what these towns all have in common and then creating one design with the information. The last source I used was reading the book ‘Lyddie’ by Katherine Paterson in my Social Studies 9 class. ‘Lyddie’ is about a very poor young girl that works at a factory during the Industrial Revolution. When I read about the town Lyddie lives in, it is described in my opinion very similar to my design.
D. Is there other software online that could have done the job better? Explain.
There is defiantly other software that could do a better job, however I would still use Roll For Fantasy. Other websites may have a better look to the finished product, but if you just want to be efficient and get it done I would recommend Roll For Fantasy.
I created an infographic using Canva. I screenshotted it to add it in my EduBlog. My infographic poster explains what a positive digital footprint is and tools to achieve one.
Personal/Social Competency Reflection
Some of my preferred strategies for maintaining a healthy, balanced online presence include, turning my phone off an hour before bed, talking to my friends to stay connected, and giving myself limits to decrease the amount of time on my phone. I do these sorts of things to monitor the amount of technology I use and fix what I think needs improvement.
By asking friends and family for their consent before posting on any social media platforms, I make a positive difference to my peers. Doing this makes them feel more comfortable and more aware of their online identity. Whenever friends and family ask for my permission before posting a photo or video of me it makes me feel valued and respected.
I know that my digital footprint can have both negative and positive consequences, such as missed job opportunities, false rumors, or something as simple as a bad photo, so I adjust my actions to secure my online identity. Some things I do to ensure my online identity is safe include having all accounts private, using strong passwords, and only allowing people I know in real life to see what I post and share online. I take these precautions to help me feel safe and secure whenever I am posting or sharing parts of my life online.
