I demonstrated collaboration core competency skill in this titration lab. We worked collectively to accomplish our tasks. I contributed during group activities and shared roles and responsibilities to achieve goals. For example, I collaborated with my partner efficiently during this experiment and reading while collecting the data. We took turns in adding drops of NaOH and managing the burette as well as swirling the flask in order to fully mix the solutions.
My inquiry question is “How does art reflect and represent a community?” with a subtopic of “the role of art in community” that I would also like to explore. After me and my mentor discussed about the plan for this project, I decided to stick with my inquiry. But I got more ideas on how to explore it. I realized that art is not just visual art, it also includes literacy. There’s so much I can research about. Currently, I have not yet finished all my research, and sometimes I use CENT time as flex for other classes. So, I often work at home so make sure I have enough information gathered for this week. I used various websites to help with my research process and it has been working well. My growth of creative thinking core competency can be shown during this inquiry process. I’m able to develop a body of a creative work overtime by analyzing details I collected from the internet. I chose this inquiry because I wanted to pursue my interests. I am pretty confident that I can share my learning by the end of May if I keep using my time wisely on Wednesdays plus some extra time on the weekends.
I think my Capstone project is going to be on a different subject, since art is not what I want to continue in the future.
In the intro Japanede course in this semester, I learned the hiragana chart, some kanjis, and basic sentence structures. I completed all the homework and assignments on time and paid attention during class times. I was also doing some self studies and reviews. When I listen to japanese songs, I always pull up the hiragana lyrics and try to sing along with hiragana instead of romaji. I often try to catch some words when I watch anime or movies as I can learn new Japanese when I do something I enjoy doing.
I will take Japanese 11 next semester to continue studying Japanese.
I would tell myself to pay more attention when the teacher talks about important grammar points as they are the foundation of learning Japanese. I would also do more practice before tests to get review on the content.
1. How does school in Japan compare to Canada? Is there anything they do in Japan, that you wish we did at Centennial?
Schools in Japan have way more strict rules compare to Canadian schools. They have different schedule structures and responsibilities in place in high school. For example, instead of electives, Japanese high school students take certain courses for certain majors or careers. It allows them to learn what they want to learn in post-secondary earlier so that they could have clearer thoughts on their future. In addition, students are given cleaning duties, include but not limited to cleaning their classrooms and the hallway. I think Centennial should implement this because it plants more sense of accountability and commitment on students. Japanese high schools also have uniform policies. Although the original intention of school uniforms was to prevent students from being distracted by their outfits and thus interfering with their studies, it also come progressively along its way of giving student a better idea of cohesion and equality, help students develop a stronger concept of group identity, and cut down potentials of bullying caused by clothing. If Centennial enact a uniform policy as well, it would probably be really beneficial, but might create some negative feedbacks at the same time.
2. Do you think that students should have more responsibilities at school like cleaning duty? Why?
Yes, because its everyone’s duty to keep the environment clean and tidy. When students are the ones largely creating the mess, it is natural that they ought to be the ones to clean it up. Cleaning duty also shapes the habits of teenagers.
3. How lucky are you in じゃんけん？Would you be able to snag leftovers?
It depends on how lucky I am on that day, but normally I would lose in the first round. I will probably get nothing for leftovers…
Nyango Star is my choice for a Japanese mascot. Nyango Star is the mascot of Kuroishi, a city in Aomori Prefecture. He’s an apple possessed by the spirit of a dead cat, and he can absolutely slay the drums. “Our hero,” according to the Nyango Star website, “is part cat, part apple, and all metal.” Nyango Star became famous international wide last year after a video of him performing went viral. I like how Japanese mascot is kawaii and metal at the same time.
Instead of haunting tourist traps and advertising sports teams like what mascots in other countries often do, Japanese mascots represent everything from police departments to restaurants to government initiatives. Nyango star is the mascot of Kuroishi, a rural farming community best known for its apples. People in Kuroishi recognize Nyango Star as a superhero and hope that his fame and fortune will help the city’s economy. The fact that he’s supporting his community makes him an instant inspiration.
Mascots in Japan are used to represent cities, regions, organizations, events, and businesses. Mascot market is an amazing investment. It not only makes a lot of money, but it also teaches foreigners and locals about the culture, mission, and values. Because of their beloved adorable appearance, they have always been a nice teaching tool for children. In addition, many mascots in Japan are created to fight for political causes. For example, Kanzou-Kun, a mascot that is combined of a human liver and an elephant, was designed to encourage people to get tested for hepatitis. It would be nice if Canada have a similar take on mascots and introduce the mascot culture. If Coquitlam has a mascot, I think it would be something relates to the Kwikwetlem first nation culture.
Citation:
Civil, Eli. “Japanse Mascots: The Weird, the Cute and the Popular.” Japan Yugen, 26 Aug. 2021, japanyugen.com/japanse-mascots-the-weird-the-cute-and-the-popular.
VICE News. “Nyango Star: The Heavy Metal Cat Mascot Saving a Japanese Farm (HBO).” YouTube, 10 Jan. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dntu3VDep8w.
Wikipedia contributors. “Coquitlam.” Wikipedia, 22 Nov. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquitlam.
In this project, we were given the scenario of a plane forced landing and a class having to survive on a desert tropical island. We were to create our legal system and government to govern the people on the island. This legal code must include the government authority, laws dealing with any problems that this community might very well encounter, and punishments for violators in order to maintain order on the island.
I can analyze my own beliefs and consider views that do not fit with them.
I had to consider the problems from both the security and survival perspectives in order to create a legal code that helps society function as well as it can. When I reflect, I can see the similarities and differences between my legal code and other legal codes throughout history. I understand what caused the differences and why they occur as a result of different community formations.
I can understand and share information about a topic of interest in a clear, organized way.
I understand and share information about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Magna Carta, and the Code of Hammurabi, and I apply my knowledge when working on my reflection. I demonstrate an understanding of how the law serves to keep society in order. To determine the strengths and weaknesses of my legal code, I compare and contrast it with other law codes. I also conducted extensive research on the legal codes of Canada and other countries to assist me in developing a structure for my legal code. I can organize my knowledge clearly by giving explanations and including many details on the government body, law enforcement, criminal offenses, and other sections. I can also think ethically about the legal code and how it affects society and its function.
I can form new ideas to create new things. I can also build on the ideas of others.
To create a legal code that would rule the island community and help people survive, I did some in-depth research on the various laws that should be used. I read the example work and some legal codes from different countries and centuries to help me develop my code in the very beginning. I considered various perspectives and developed ideas from laws in other codes and adjust to them.
I can develop a body of creative work overtime.
I had to manage my time carefully. We were given some class time to work on it, and I always used it to finish the work that I was supposed to do every day. In addition, I spent my weekend doing additional research to supplement my work. I couldn’t finish it before the deadline because I had two big tests from other subjects that I needed to take seriously, so I asked for an extension to finish my work. I didn’t rush to finish it; instead, I put a lot of effort and time into my content.
I can ask open-ended questions to gather information.
I chose this statement because it represents a goal for which I intend to work towards. Most of the time, I would complete the work by myself rather than collaborate with other classmates or seek assistance and advice from others. Suggestions from others can enrich my work because people think in different ways, and sometimes an idea proposed by friends or even strangers can be really helpful.
My parabola: y = -2(x+7)2-2
Standard parabola: y = x2
HOW IS MY PARABOLA DIFFERENT FROM THE STANDARD PARABOLA
The a value: the negative sign in front of a makes the parabola opens down. The value of 2 makes the shape of the parabola appears to be narrower than the standard parabola.
The h value: when a positive h value is subtracted from x in y=a(x-h)2+k, it shifts the parabola right. But when you minus a negative h value, the negative automatically becomes a positive, and shift the parabola horizontally to the left. In my equation, the h value is -7, meaning that the axis of symmetry is x= -7, and the parabola is shifted left horizontally for 7 units.
The k value: if the k value appears to be positive, it shifts the graph up; on the contrary, if the k value is negative, the parabola will be shifted down. The k value in my equation is -2, which shifts the parabola down vertically by 2 units. The vertex of the parabola, therefore, changes because of the shifting caused by the h and k value, which now, instead of (0,0), becomes (-7,-2). The range of the parabola also changes to y ≤ -2. And because the graph does not cross the x-axis, the x-intercept does not exist in my parabola.
SELF ASSESSMENT
Give an example from this assignment where you represented the same mathematical idea in three different ways：
In this assignment, I represented mathematical ideas as an equation, a graph, and in words. My parabola is presented in the form of a written equation. The equation is then typed in Desmos to be formatted as a visual graph. The graph makes it easier when I break the equation down into parts and show my understanding in words.
Give an example from this assignment where you used mathematical vocabulary to demonstrate your understanding.
I use mathematical vocabulary to demonstrate my understanding when analyzing a parabola. For example, I can effectively explain the relationship between the equation and the visual graph using various important values in the equation. I can also identify the vertex and the axis of symmetry and determines the range of my parabola after analyzing the h and k value.
Give an example from this assignment where you used formatting to share the information in a clear and organized way.
I used different colors for the parabolas representing different equations and I labeled the equations beside the parabolas to make it clear and straightforward. I can organize my ideas using separate paragraphs and headings.
Personally, I don’t believe in the existence of yokai or any other kind of monsters. But I am very curios about their stories and backgrounds. The yokai I choose to write is Kiko (気狐, きこ). The name translates to “fox spirit”. I’ve read about fox form monsters since there’s also nine-tailed foxes in Chinese ancient legends, and they are always described as the most bewitching and charming monsters. And I choose Kiko because I want to know the major differences between these two different fox form monsters.
Kiko’s appearance is similar to nine-tailed foxes, but Kiko has tails depending on their age which can be between five hundred to thousand years. The oldest one has nine tails. They are not as likely to act maliciously towards humans than lower ranking kitsune, but neither are they as pure as the higher ranking Kūko (空狐) and Tenko (天狐). Kiko often transform themselves to human form to interact with people. Some of them fall in love with humans and live with them in disguise for many years. (although these relationships often end up being in heartbreak once the true nature of a kitsune is discovered)
Monsters are a fascinating topic to discuss all over the world. Monster stories can vary greatly between regions. Both Western and Japanese cultures have ghosts. In both cultural backgrounds, ghosts are spirits of dead and tend to wander around the location where they died or where they liked to stay when they were alive. Many other western monsters are supernatural creatures based on religions, such as vampires, werewolves, and zombies. They are terrified of the cross, flames, silverware, and other holy objects because their nature is evil and they all cause harm to humans.
From the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the fruit of wisdom in the Garden of Eden, to the fallen angel Lucifer and Satan, devils manifest to tempt human beings to sin and deviate from the will of God. Monsters in mythology, like Medusa in Greek myths, are also well-known and famous in western cultures. In Japanese monster tales, monsters can come in a variety of shapes, means, and thoughts depending on their stories and backgrounds. They can either harm or help humans, and the majority of them have animal features or are humanoid in appearance.
Monsters vary in different cultures. The monsters were merely a depiction of worldviews in particular societies. People use monster tale as a condensation or articulation to express their own fears and anxieties. This is most likely because monster tales have always been used to explain the numerous misfortunes that human beings have to deal with, in addition to the diseases that afflict them on a daily basis.
I don’t believe in horoscopes or blood types. There is no scientific evidence to back it up, and while they can be accurate at times, believing in them completely is not a wise decision. Just because we have the same blood type doesn’t mean we’re all the same. Aren’t we all unique individuals? However, I found it interesting to look up my zodiac sign and learn more about it. Instead of judging others based on their horoscope, blood type, or personality test, we should form our opinions after getting to know them. The reason why they are still popular is probably that they are some enjoyable ways to get to know ourselves better. It tickles people’s interests while also allowing people to relate to it. People also find it a good way to socialize with others, and they usually become friends easier when they discover they have the same zodiac sign or MBTI results. Lastly, I do not believe in any form of superstition because they should not impact my feelings toward anyone or anything.
When it seems the good ideas just won’t come to me, I …. to help calm myself or create space in my mind to…
When I don’t have any good ideas, it’s probably because I need to think more. So I’d complete other homework first and leave the assignment I’m having trouble with until last. Also, when I struggle to find decent ideas, I’ll do some research to see if there’s anything I can use and build on. Asking friends for suggestions is another nice option. Because different people see things from different perspectives, my friends sometimes come up with some very unique ideas that I never thought about. Occasionally, I will also ask my teacher for assistance.
When I am sad, angry or frustrated, doing… helps me be more productive or calm.
When I’m in a terrible mood, I often put my current tasks aside and try to release stress by watching virtual YouTubers or listening to music. Doing something I enjoy will always help me overcome the problem since I feel glad afterward.
The other way is to talk with my friends. They are always so supportive and encouraging which makes me feel much better after a small talk.
How do you learn best?
I will jot down some notes while the teacher is explaining key concepts. I never listen to music in class except for working periods, which allows me to concentrate more and know exactly what I should do. To make the notes more understandable and tidier for quiz and test reviews, I’ll rewrite them when I get home.
I found myself a visual learner. I like writing every single step down when I solve math problems. And if I make any mistake I can immediately figure out where and why I did it wrong. I also believe that videos are very good resources to study and find the answer to my questions when I turn on the captions since it contains both images and texts which helps me gain new information quicker.
I learn best when the environment is quiet because noises disrupt my ideas. However, I enjoy listening to music when I’m working on projects that require creativity.