My grade nine year was a new and big step in my life. The switch from middle school to high school seemed to be a big hurdle for me when in reality it was not. As a grade nine student, I have had many experiences that have shaped the person I am today and the lessons I have learned on my journey of discovery and growth. At the start of the year, I was excited and nervous. I was unsure if I was able to adjust to the situation I was in. At first, I found it difficult to navigate around the schools in search of my classes as the school was much bigger than my middle school. There was lots for me to figure out. Eventually, I got used to the layout of the school and was able to navigate around the school easily.
Academically, this year school was relatively easy. The work was similar to that of middle school but there were many other courses that I could pick to my passions and interests. I paid attention in class so when it came to tests and assignments I did not need to study or research very much. The only difficulty in terms of completing work was my procrastination. Procrastination made me cram all my work or studying the previous day before we had to do it. My work although rushed is always done to my best efforts as I get good marks on the assignments and tests. I believe this is a bad habit and will only hinder me. By doing work every day, I will be less stressed and the work itself will be better, as I have time to proofread and improve it if I feel like I need to.
My Favourite Website
This website is my favourite this year as it helped me to study for tests. Brainscape is a flashcard study website that offers a variety of different study sets as well as some that can be made by yourself. This website unlike other has a confidence scale so when studying you can rate your confidence on how well you know it from one to five which affects the frequency of which questions appears.
I chose this video as my favourite as it helped me understand a concept in my science class when I was a little bit unsure. This channel has even more videos that helped me learn about topics for subjects such as math and science.
My Favourite Image
I took this picture in my Food Study 10 class after making fettuccini alfredo and focaccia. In my food class, we have to work in groups of 4 with partners. We cooperate and I build on my teamwork and personal responsibility and awareness skills.
My Favourite Quote
“Always train hard, work harder, never give up” – Marcus Rashford
I chose this quote as it applies to me. I constantly work hard pushing myself to the most I can do. Additionally, I believe that I should never give up even if the circumstances are against me.
Works Cited
Brainscape: The Best Flashcards App | Make Flashcards Online. https://www.brainscape.com/. Accessed 19 May 2023.
Common Polyatomic Ions | Atoms, Compounds, and Ions | Chemistry | Khan Academy. www.youtube.com, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpnUrVXSLaQ&list=PLSQl0a2vh4HCEnYC_IshkFbFNSxmtk51y. Accessed 19 May 2023.
The house costs $800,000, and we are attempting to save 15% of the purchase price for a down payment. We already have 80,000 saved and hope to have 120,000 at the end of three years. We make enough to add 10,000 each year, which is added to the downpayment.
For this we had 3 options that we could invest in:
A. 1 Year 3.5% annual non-redeemable GIC
B. 3-year 4.2% non-redeemable GIC (4.2% annual return per year)
C. Stock Investments***
I chose to invest in a 3-year GIC and stocks
3-year GIC
Year 1 – 50,000 x 1.042 = 52,100
Year 2 – 52,100 x 1.042 = 54,288.20
Year 3 – 54,288.20 x 1.042 = 56,568.30
Stocks
Year 1 – 30,000 x 1.075 = 32,250
Year 2 – 32,250 x 1.075 = 34,668.75
Year 3 – 34,668.75 x 1.075 = 37,268.91
56,568.30 + 37,268.91 = 93,837.21
93,837.21 is the amount of money created by combining the total of the GIC and Stock. As this was a simulation of 3 years we added 10,000 to our down payment each year. In total, we would have made 123,837.21.
93,837.21 + 30,000 = 123,837.21
1 Year of Stocks Downturn
Year 1 – 30,000 x 1.075 = 32,250
Year 2 – 32,250 x 0.0866 = 2792.85
32,250 – 2792.85 = 29,457.15
Year 3 – 29,457.15 x 1.075 = 31,666.44
(Stocks) 31,666.44 + (3 Year GIC) 56,568.30+ (3 Years 10,000) 30,000 =118234.74
If there is a 1-year downturn in stocks we will not be able to pay our downpayment in the span of 3 years. We would need 1765.26 more to reach 15% of the house downpayment.
120,000 – 118234.74 = 1765.26
Alternatively, I can also choose to put all my money into a 3-year GIC
80,000 x 1.042 = 83,360
83,360 x 1.042 = 86,861.12
86,861.12 x 1.042 = 90,509.29
We can then add the 30,000 we saved up and get 120,509.29
90,509.29 + 30,000 = 120,509.29
The 3-year option GIC will also be able to accumulate enough for the 15% downpayment. Unlike stocks, GIC is a very safe option when investing your money. It is almost guaranteed and will typically result in no loss.
Justification:
Risk Tolerance Pie Chart
Speculative: 10%
Moderate risk: 30%
Low risk: 40%
Cash and cash equivalents: 20%
I like to avoid risk by investing in low-risk investments. I picked a 3-year GIC and stocks for my solution. I wanted to take some risks while still increasing my balance. GICs are very low-risk investments which suit the pie chart of my risk tolerance. I decided to put the majority of my money in GICs and the remainder in stocks. Stocks, despite having a high-profit margin, also carry a significant risk. I put 30,000 into stocks so that even if I lose some money, it didn’t impact me as much. With the potential for large profits, I planned to invest a few thousand dollars in stocks. While a GIC is guaranteed I cannot deposit or withdraw money within the 3-year span. So if there is a situation where I need money for something, I will not be able to get the funds required. Thus I must save my money and use it resourcefully.
Collaboration Questions:
How did you find working with your group? – I found it okay working with my group. I felt that I had to step up most of the time and actually finish the questions we had to answer.
How did you contribute to the group? And how did others in the group contribute to your learning? – I contributed by doing the work and also helping the other members of my group if they needed it.
Did you use any other solutions proposed by your group? Why or why not? – I did not use any of the other solutions proposed by our group. We only did 1 solution thus I just thought of another solution on my own time.
How would you rate your ability to collaborate with others in your group on a scale of 1-4 (1 not good; 4- excellent) – I would rate my collaboration abilities a 3/4. My collaboration ability is great but in this situation, our group did not cooperate as much as I wanted and was mostly one individual doing most of the work. If the group all cooperated and collaborated together I would rate my ability 4/4
Core Competency:
When I need to boost my mood or re-focus, I…
When I need to refocus or lift my mood, I either take a quick break or do some exercise. Taking a short break or doing some exercises can help you refocus because they replenish your mind. I then go back to work. Another thing I do to keep myself from being sidetracked is to take my phone away from me while getting rid of any additional distractions. For example, when using a computer, I will close any social media tabs that are open.
When I need to work collaboratively with people I don’t know well, I…When I have to work with people I don’t know well, I tend to be quiet and awkward at first. So, in order to resolve this issue, I will force myself to speak up. If I notice that no one in the group is taking the initiative, I will be the first to act. If the group is unable to work well together at first, we can all begin by introducing each other in order to get all members to talk and feel more comfortable. Everyone will eventually become more comfortable talking to one another, and we will be able to work well as a group.
I know the group is working well together when I hear/ see… I know the group is working well together when I hear/see that everybody is participating in productive activities and discussing the project. The goal of a group project is to complete the assignment with the assistance of all members. Not just one person doing all of the work. Everyone should work together to help one another while also doing their fair share of the work. Most people will probably lose focus after a long period of work, so we can take a quick break or I will make sure that everyone is completing their given tasks.
I figured out what the characters looked like by the description the author wrote. Most of the important characters such as Ralph, Piggy, and Jack when introduced got a brief description of their physical appearance. Additionally, the contradiction of what the author calls the character gives us further details.
The plot points were simple to figure out. I figured out the plot points by reflecting on the story and thinking about the important and interesting parts.
The setting was introduced by the author. In the beginning, we first know that the group of boys landed on an island stranded far away from society. Furthermore, as the novel progresses we learn that it is during a war. There are many clues that hint at you if you are thinking deeply.
In literature, the mood is best described as the emotion that the author wishes to convey to the reader. The mood is the atmosphere or feeling the reader gets while reading the novel. The Lord of the Flies has a suspenseful and mysterious mood. There are lots of questions presented to the reader due to the lack of information given by the author. The song I chose represents this mood well thus I chose it.
Core Competency Reflection
When I need to boost my mood or re-focus, I…
When I need to refocus or lift my mood, I either take a quick break or do some exercise. Taking a short break or doing some exercises can help you refocus because they replenish your mind. I then go back to work. Another thing I do to keep myself from being sidetracked is to take my phone away from me while getting rid of any additional distractions. For example, when using a computer, I will close any social media tabs that are open.
In discussions and conversations, I help to build and extend understanding by…
In discussions and conversations, I help to build and extend understanding by asking questions and partaking in the conversations. Without asking questions I can be unaware of how to properly do the task at hand and partaking in conversations will overall improve my understanding of what we are learning about.
I use evidence to make judgments or decisions as demonstrated in this…
As demonstrated in this assignment, I use evidence to form opinions or make decisions. I was able to make decisions about the settings, characters, and mood based on evidence provided by the book. While the novel describes the settings and characters, there is still a lot of information left out. So I figured it out by putting one and one together.
The internet is an amazing tool. You can spend time watching videos, playing games, chatting with friends and family, and online shopping. However, in addition to its numerous advantages, it has some disadvantages. Many people today rely on the internet on a daily basis. Furthermore, the recent increase in cybercrime can pose a risk to many people who are unaware of proper internet safety. To understand the significance of internet safety, you must first understand the internet’s dangers. Unauthorised access is one of the most common types of cybercrime. Unauthorised access is the act of gaining unauthorised access to one’s account, computer, or network. This is especially dangerous because it can ruin your online reputation. If a hacker gains access to your social media accounts, they are free to post whatever they want. Even if you regain access to the account and delete the hacker’s posts, there will still be fragments of them floating around the internet. This may have an impact on your future job applications. The employer will look up your name and if they find anything negative, you will not be able to get the job. Additionally, if a hacker gains access to sensitive information such as your bank account, your life will go downhill very quickly. There are also other forms of cybercrime including phishing, spamming, predators, pornography, and cyberterrorism. Without proper internet safety knowledge, your personal information as well as the information of others can be jeopardised.
Whenever you are browsing the internet here are a couple of unsafe activities you should never do.
1. Taking personality quizzes online from unknown sources
While personality tests appear to be harmless on the surface, a hacker may be attempting to obtain your personal information. Some are legitimate, while others are not. In fact, the vast majority of these quizzes on your favourite social media apps are likely to be run by hackers or scammers. These hackers create things that lure people to give them their personal information so they can use and profit from it. When you change your password, hackers or scammers create questions similar to those used by your financial institution. They might, for example, inquire about your hometown or high school. If you really want to take a personality test, make sure the website is dependable and verified.
2. Using public Wi-Fi without checking its dependability
Nowadays, you can almost always find public Wi-Fi wherever you go. But just because it’s open to the public doesn’t mean it’s safe. Most people are unaware of the risks they face when using public Wi-Fi. The most serious issue you may encounter when using public Wi-Fi is the installation of malicious software. Hackers use this software to harm your devices and steal your personal information. Hackers can easily bypass firewalls and insert malware and viruses that affect everyone who connects to the specific Wi-Fi.
3. Using the same password for multiple accounts
Accounts that you want to keep private can be put at risk if you don’t use a strong, unique password. One of the security measures used to keep you safe online is your password. As a result, using the same password for all of your online accounts can be risky. If a hacker gains access to one of your accounts, they can perform credential stuffing. Credential stuffing is the act of a hacker using one of your stolen login credentials from one website and using it repeatedly on other websites until they gain access to another account. Using a different password for each account you use can help keep hackers out. For example, if a hacker gains access to your shopping account, they will be able to view your previous purchase history, which includes sensitive information such as your credit card number, phone number, full name, and so on.
There is a variety of methods for staying safe while using the internet. Never share your personal information online. This is a fundamental principle of internet safety. Everything you do and post online is permanent, even if you delete it. On the internet, personal information such as your address, birthday, and name should never be shared with anyone. Sharing personal information increases your chances of being stalked, harassed, or having your identity stolen. Another thing you can do to stay safe on the internet is to double-check the links you visit. To ensure that a link is safe, hover your cursor over it to preview the entire link. Hackers and scammers create URLs that look similar to the ones you normally see. For example, if you receive an email from Amazon and hover over the link, you might see “http://123.456.789.538/amazon.ca/” when the real one is “https://www.amazon.ca/” which is the real web address. When downloading software, double-checking is also extremely important. Hackers can insert malicious software into your downloads, so whenever you download something, make sure the website is trustworthy. While these are just a few steps toward internet safety, others include using a VPN, downloading anti-virus and antimalware software, creating unique passwords, and backing up data.
Works Cited
“9 Seemingly Harmless Things You Should Never Do Online.” Mental Floss, 2 July 2019, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/586893/9-seemingly-harmless-things-you-should-never-do-online.
Establishment, Communications Security. “Get Cyber Safe.” Get Cyber Safe, 31 Aug. 2021, https://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/en/blogs/why-you-should-never-use-same-password-more-one-account.
“How to Stay Safe Online: Internet Safety Tips and Resources.” Reviews.Org, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/how-to-stay-safe-online/.
News ·, Katy Parsons ·. CBC. “Why Taking Facebook Quizzes Is a Really Bad Idea | CBC News.” CBC, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tech-columnist-warns-against-taking-social-media-quizzes-for-fun-1.5442282. Accessed 26 Sept. 2022.
“Risks of Using Public Wi-Fi Networks for Businesses.” Western Governors University, https://www.wgu.edu/blog/7-dangers-public-wifi-businesses2112.html. Accessed 26 Sept. 2022.
“The Ten Most Dangerous Online Activities.” Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/2006/10/25/microsoft-mozilla-malware-ent-tech-cx_sb_1025smallbizresource.html. Accessed 25 Sept. 2022.
“Tips on How to Protect Yourself against Cybercrime.” Www.Kaspersky.Com, 5 July 2021, https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/what-is-cybercrime.
I know that my digital footprint can have both positive and negative consequences…
My digital footprint is important. I know that destroying my internet reputation now will come back to bite me later. Things you do on the internet almost never vanish. I currently keep a positive digital footprint by maintaining a few social media accounts. While I have a few accounts, I never post anything that could potentially harm my future. I only view things through those accounts. A positive digital footprint benefits me by increasing opportunities and improving my reputation. If you searched for me on Google, you would get no results. Without any negative information about me, others would favour me because I did not damage my reputation. This can come in handy if an employer searches your name.
My values around (ex. Achieving high grades in school)… inform my decisions about (ex. How much time I spend on my personal device engaging in recreational activities)…
In school, I want to get good grades and be able to finish homework with effort, so I listen to music to keep myself from using other devices for recreational activities. I plug in my AirPods and listen to music while working on the computer. I keep my phone on my desk while working, but I can easily resist using it. Listening to music helps me focus on my work and keeps me from becoming distracted. If I finish my homework for the day and am pleased, I will use my phone to relax, but only after I have finished my work.
I make digital ethical choices such as (considering commenting on others’ posts, thinking about what you put online)…in order to…
When I’m on the internet, I always think twice before doing anything risky. Even the smallest comment can have a negative impact on me. When I do comment on something (rarely), I don’t write anything that could harm the person on the other side because I don’t want to ruin my reputation. If and when I post on social media, I will make sure that my account is private and that I only post things that do not reveal too much of my personal information. Furthermore, whenever I meet people on the internet, I check to see if they can be trusted. However, I will never share any personal information.
Speculative: 10%
Moderate risk: 30%
Low risk: 40%
Cash and cash equivalents: 20%
