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WWII How is it Remembered? ❄️Winter Exhibition❄️

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Categories: Humanities, Winter exhibition, Tags: , , ,

Intro

For our Winter Exhibition project, our class researched World War II, and how it’s remembered through stories, media, and propaganda.

Each group chose a theme to guide their work, and my group focused on Power and Control. We learned how those in power influence others through fear, propaganda, and force. We learned early on that this was to be connected to the Avatar movies, and surprisingly it connects very well! Our final task was to create an exhibition where we presented our learning through posters, props, and interactive artifacts for an audience. Now that I’ve given an acceptable introduction, let’s get into it!

 

This photo represents the relation of avatar and WWII. There is struggle and pain  within both, showing that even in fictional movies war can be depicted similarly.

What did I want to learn?

When I first started this project, I knew I wanted to understand WWII further, but less certain dates and specific information like that. I wanted to understand the things that occurred “behind the scenes” things people don’t talk about as much. It was also very fun to be able to connect the project to something I love, like Avatar, and see how themes like power and control show up both in history and in fiction.

My previous WWII understanding 

Before this project, I had a basic understanding of WWII, from books, movies, and my own research. I knew about Hitler’s invasion of Poland, the Holocaust, and major battles like Pearl Harbour and D-Day. However, I wanted to dig deeper: how did propaganda and fear really influence people’s lives? How did leaders use power to control entire nations? And could those same patterns appear in stories we watch, and reality we live in today?

Vision, Mission, and Values

My VMV, especially engagement and self-regulation, played a huge role in how I approached this project. I stayed engaged in class by actively listening, taking notes, and participating in discussions. I also worked on managing distractions so I could really focus on research and artifact creation. Yes, there were times of goofing off, but the important thing was that my group and I were able to have fun while also being proactive and ultimately succeeding in the project. 

 

Props

 

Posters

For the props and decorations, my group and I came up with a few different things. We made two information posters that portrayed our learning of WWII and its relation to Avatar. This was the main thing we talked about during the presentation, as it had the most important information. 

The first poster explored power and control in WWII. We talked about how the Axis Powers gained and maintained control through fear, violence, and propaganda. I gave examples like Nazi-controlled newspapers, films such as Triumph of the Will, and radio broadcasts used to shape public opinion. 

 

The second poster connected these ideas to Avatar, showing how the RDA controlled the Na’vi through advanced weapons, fear, and cultural manipulation. Looking at both together made me realize that whether in real life or in fiction, power built on fear and force can only last so long before people resist it.

Command helmet

Secondly, we took a mannequin head and used it as a display for our helmet. This helmet represents the authority German officers had during WWII. Anyone wearing it had the power to give orders that soldiers and civilians were expected to follow. It symbolized discipline, hierarchy, and the strict military control that shaped everyday life. Even without weapons, the helmet showed who was in charge and who had to obey. (I wasn’t able to get a photo but just imagine how amazing it was)

Radio

Lastly, (my favourite part) is the interactive radio! This radio was an extremely influential part of propaganda, which is why we chose to make one. As you can see in the photo below, we added two QR codes to access propaganda speeches from both Hitler and the officer in command in the Avatar movies. Letting the audience listen to these, I believe, gave them a better perspective on how both leaders dehumanized the enemy and acted as if they were above them.

The hardest part of the project

The hardest part of the project was connecting historical research to a fictional story in a way that was clear, meaningful and most importantly, engaging. I wanted our posters to be accurate, but also engaging for an audience that might not know much about WWII or Avatar. We worked very hard on the project and spent a lot of time writing and making props, but this left us with little time for practice of our presentation. Because of this, the first time we presented our learning at the winter exhibition didn’t go as planned. We talked too much, it was boring, and the audience wasn’t engaged!!! After that we all got together and we worked adjusted Our script on the spot, which made the rest of the night go smoothly! It’s all about communicating ideas in ways that others can understand and connect with.

Response to the driving question:

The driving question for this project is “how do stories, media, and propaganda shape how we remember World War II?” 

Stories, media, and propaganda shape how we remember World War II by influencing what perspectives are highlighted and which aren’t. During the war, propaganda was used to control public opinion, justify violence, and dehumanize enemies. After the war, movies, books, and documentaries continued to shape memory by focusing on certain narratives, such as heroism or victory, while often leaving out the experiences of different perspectives. By studying both historical propaganda and fictional stories like Avatar, I learned that media has a much bigger impact than people realize. This is why it’s important to think critically about the stories we consume, because they play a major role in how history is remembered and understood.

Conclusion

Over the course of this project I learned how power, control, and propaganda shape people’s actions and beliefs. By connecting real history to Avatar, I learned that the same methods of control appear in both reality and fiction, reminding us that these patterns continue over time. The Winter Exhibition also challenged me to communicate my learning clearly to an audience. Even when our first presentation didn’t go as planned, adapting and improving helped us grow. Overall, this project strengthened my ability to think critically about media, power, and how history is remembered.

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Atomic Habits Reflection

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Categories: Careers, Tags: , ,

 

Intro 

“You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” This is a quote from the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ve done projects before that centred around books that were quite similar, following the “self help” genre. I didn’t find them very helpful, so when I found out that this project was going to be similar, I wasn’t thrilled lets say. The focus of this project was to read the book, and pick a habit to try and accomplish using the systems James Clear provides. I’m happily surprised to say that this book became very helpful to me and I still think about some of the quotes now!

 Over the course of this project I learned “How can improving by just 1% each day help me take responsibility for my learning, strengthen my habits, and create balance and purpose in my future career and life?” This is also the driving question to the project, which I will answer at the end of this blog post! 🙂

What was my goal for the project?

For my goal I decided to choose something that I’ve been trying to work on for a veryyyyy long time. My sleep schedule/management. I have been trying to work on it on and off, but I always ended up falling out of habit. 

Because of the book I realize I focused more on goals than systems. I liked setting big targets because they feel motivating at first, but I often lost consistency over time. After reading Atomic Habits, I can see that focusing too much on goals can be frustrating when results don’t come right away. I’ve started paying more attention to my systems of keeping small daily routines that make improvement automatic. If I can build habits that make progress more natural, I won’t have to rely so much on motivation alone.

Something from atomic habits that stuck with me

There are two mains things that stuck with me because of this book. I’ve realized that I get hyper fixated on my homework and room being perfect before bed. I wouldn’t go to bed until my room was clean and I had no other side things that needed to get done. Because of this I stayed up late and never got as good of a sleep that I could have. Now i’ve become okay with things not being perfect and its actually paid off! 

Secondly, and most importantly, the quote that “removing the habit altogether is easier than trying to resist it.” For example, turning notifications off and putting my phone across the room is easier than having it right beside me and trying to resist the temptation while going to bed.

 

My focus Statement 

 

Screenshot

 

 

 

4 Steps to reach my goal

 

 

Video

The final assignment for this project was to create a video that explained the project but also shows the steps I took to reach the goal. Below I’ll add the video if you want to watch it! 

 

https://youtu.be/OjSYwSCdEco?si=9ZUcrWpOTTOeI_dj

 

 

 

 

Driving Question:

How can improving by just 1% each day help me take responsibility for my learning, strengthen my habits, and create balance and purpose in my future career and life?

Improving by just 1% each day has shown me that small, consistent actions are more powerful than occasional bursts of effort. By focusing on tiny, manageable changes, I’ve been able to take responsibility for my learning and daily routines without feeling overwhelmed. These small improvements are going to strengthen my habits over time, making the progress feel more natural rather than forced. In the long term, this approach will help me create balance in my life. Even a tiny improvement each day adds up to big results over months and years, showing that consistent effort outperforms short bursts of motivation.

Conclusion

This project taught me that growth doesn’t come from motivation or willpower alone, which is why I think I’ve had trouble with goals in the past. It also comes from building reliable systems and making small, intentional choices every day. By improving just 1% each day, I’ve learned how to take responsibility for my learning, develop stronger habits, and create a sense of balance and purpose that I can carry into the future. Yes, Atomic Habits helped me with my sleep schedule, but it also gave me a framework to approach challenges in all areas of my life. I now understand that lasting change isn’t about perfection, but about steady, consistent progress.

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Building Bonds and Breaking Cliques at Loon Lake

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Categories: Maker, Uncategorized

 

Introduction:

Last week, our class went on a five day field study to Loon Lake, filled with team-building exercises, outdoor challenges, and reflective activities. If I’m being honest, I went into this trip with not a lot of optimism. The main reason I went was because my friends were going, and I wasn’t under the impression I would truly learn anything useful. I quickly realized that through the activities and discussions we did, there were not just fun, but about learning to trust each other, communicate openly, and appreciate the strengths each person brings to the group. Because of this experience I feel much more connected with my class, and I even learned more about myself.

Revisiting My VMV:

My experience at Loon Lake connected closely with my vision of becoming a confident and adaptable learner. Exercises like trust falls and building huts in the forest pushed me to try new things and step outside my comfort zone. My mission to grow my confidence and independence was supported by the talks with Jhonno and the various team building activities, which encouraged me to speak up, trust my classmates, and take initiative. I could see my values in action: collaboration and communication were essential during group challenges, and creativity and critical thinking helped our cabin design posters for the ending exhibition and solve tasks efficiently.

Meaningful Moment:

One moment that really stood out to me was during the talks with a inspiration man named Jonothan Willcocks. One exercise we did was trust falling. Seeing everyone catch each other, both physically and emotionally, showed me how much our class had bonded. A lighter, fun moment was when my cabin was goofing around, taking photos, and listening to Christmas music. I’d say the girls in my class are already very connected so hanging out like this was something that came very naturally. Another unforgettable moment happened at the disco party. Our grade 10 class wasn’t afraid/embarrassed to dance and have fun, and we helped the grade 8s join in by starting a huge conga line. This showed me our unity and how much we had grown as a team at Loon Lake.  

Reflecting on Strengths and Challenges:

During the field study, I felt strong in trying new activities and being open to learning. I pushed myself in trust exercises and group challenges even when I was nervous. However, I struggled with the packed schedule, because it left very few quiet moments, which made it harder to focus and recharge.

5-Day Action Goal:

Over the next five days, I want to continue building the teamwork habits I strengthened at Loon Lake. My goal is to actively help my classmates during group activities in class, just like we did during exercises. I will track my progress by reflecting each day on one thing I did to support the group, whether it was listening, helping, or encouraging others.

Big Takeaway:

The Loon Lake field study taught me how valuable connection and teamwork are, both in learning and in life. I feel more confident in myself as a learner and more connected with my classmates as a community. These experiences will stay with me as I continue to grow academically, socially, and personally. 

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Teach a Teacher, Conference Reflection

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Categories: Maker

Intro

 

A big focus for this grade 10 year is blog enhancements. Learning to make our blogs better overall; the writing, formatting, photos, links, tricks, tools and more. To kickstart this project our most recent assignment was to find a blog enhancing tool and make a tutorial on how to implement it into our blog. Through this post I will reflect and talk about how my learning process, blog conference, and blogging skills are progressing/how they are going.

My tool

The tool I learned and taught is Pixabay images. When using Pixabay, you have access to beautiful, copyright-free images in just a few clicks. I went through a step by step tutorial, as well as a walk through with tips and tricks on how to have a perfectly formatted blog. 

If you’re interested in learning more, this click the link below!

Link:

https://s.craft.me/kSLoKxHvPoedBK

How the conference went

I think the conference between my teacher and I went great, my presentation and ability to explain my idea thoroughly as well as explain the “why” this is relevant to the readers was at a proficient to extending level. 

The goal for my blog was, of course, to be informative and helpful, but to also give additional informative information. Whether it’s just tips and tricks or a backstory on why I think this is important, it’s always a good idea. A good example of this is cooking recipes, you’ll notice most food dishes don’t just have a recipe, but a intro answering the “why.” For example, why does this matter? Why should I care? Why is this good? It’s important that your trying to connect with your audience instead of the bare minimum. 

Tumisu / Pixabay

 

Adjustment/changes

One of the adjustments I’ve been recommended is to apply this process of Pixabay images to my own blog. 

To directly quote my revision: “One thing to consider for the future is for you to apply this process to your own blog. As you just recently found this tool, make an attempt to apply this plugin to your summative blog post. In connection with the research on making your images stand out, I’m sure your post will be a hit.”

This revision is something I completely agree with. in general I feel more prompted to listen to someone when they implement the advice they give into their own life. It doesn’t feel as real or believable when people promote things they either don’t care about or don’t know anything about. 

Moving forward I’ll be implementing pixabay images into my blog posts, not just because I enjoy the plugin (of course I do) but also because I want my readers to know I am a reliable source.

Driving question

The driving question for this project is “How can I enhance the storytelling present in my learning portfolio?”

There are many ways you can enhance the storytelling present in learning portfolios. By combining clear writing, engaging visuals, and reflections, my posts are more meaningful and memorable. Using tools like Pixabay allows me to add high-quality, copyright-free images that complement my ideas and help readers visualize what I’m sharing. Storytelling/blogging isn’t just about presenting information. By explaining why something matters, sharing tips and insights, and giving context or backstory, I make the content more relatable and engaging. For example, instead of just showing a tool like Pixabay, I explain how it improves blog posts and why it’s useful for readers. This approach ensures my portfolio isn’t just a collection of work, but something that shows my growth, learning process, and personal perspective. Integrating these elements helps readers feel involved in my journey rather than simply observing it.

Conclusion

Im conclusion, I learned that enhancing my storytelling means making my blog more authentic and visually engaging. The Pixabay tool helped me understand how strong visuals can support my message, and the conference feedback encouraged me to apply my own advice to build credibility. Going forward, I’ll continue using images, personal reflection, and connection to the audience to make my posts more effective and enjoyable to read.

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My Atomic Habits Learning Intention

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Categories: Humanities, Tags:

 

In Atomic Habits by James Clear, I’ve learned that small, consistent actions can create big changes over time. My goal is to understand how habits form, why they stick, and how I can use that knowledge to improve not only my school life but also my personal goals. I want to become more aware of my daily routines and find ways to shape them into something that supports who I want to become.

Project launch

Within the launch of this project we’ve made a habit snapshot mindmap. This showcased my habits I have set in my life, whether they’re intentional or not.  

Learning Intention

My learning intention for this project is to understand how habits form, why they stick, and how I can use that knowledge to improve not only my school life but also my personal goals. I want to become more aware of my daily routines and find ways to shape them into something that supports who I want to become.

What I’ve Learned So Far

One of the biggest lessons I’ve taken from Atomic Habits so far is that small improvements build up and are more important than they may seem. When you get just 1% better every day, those small improvements eventually turn into major progress. I’ve also learned that systems are more important than goals. A goal gives you direction in where you want to go/what you want to do, but your systems, the habits you repeat every day,  are what actually move you forward. You can’t just set up goals for yourself and expect it to happen. It’s important to made a mind map of sorts, or a way on HOW you will get where you want to.

James Clear also talks about how habits shape your identity. Instead of saying “I want to be organized,” it’s more effective to start thinking “I am someone who stays organized.” That mindset shift really stuck with me because it shows how small actions can change how you see yourself.

Areas I Want to Explore Further

  1. Habit Stacking: I want to learn more about connecting new habits to old ones. For example, if I already check my phone after school, I could make a deal with myself to first review my homework list or tidy up my desk before doing that. This could help me create routines that feel more natural and doesn’t completely
  3.  change my lifestyle.
  4. Breaking Bad Habits: I’d also like to explore how to make bad habits harder to do. For example, putting my phone in another room while studying or setting a timer to limit distractions. I think learning how to make bad habits less convenient could really help me focus and stay consistent.

Connection to My Vision, Mission, and Values (VMV)

This connects strongly to my Critical Thinking value because it pushes me to question why I do certain things and whether they actually help me. It’s easy to act out of habit without realizing it, but this book reminds me to look deeper into my choices and challenge what is or isn’t in my best interest.

It also connects to Agency because creating and maintaining small, realistic habits helps me take ownership of my progress. Whether it’s finishing assignments on time, improving my grades, or just staying organized, I’m learning to set goals that are measurable and check in on them regularly. 

Connecting to the Driving Question

The driving question for this project is “How can improving by just 1% each day help me take responsibility for my learning, strengthen my habits, and create balance and purpose in my future career and life?”

For me, it means focusing on progress instead of perfection. Each small action, whether it’s studying for five more minutes, keeping my space clean, or reviewing class notes after school, this all helps long term growth. By improving a little bit each day, I’m learning how to take full responsibility for my learning, build stronger habits, and create more balance in my daily life. These lessons will continue to guide me in school and beyond, helping me grow into the person I want to become. The habits I create over my lifetime will change, but its not solely about what habits I put in place, but that they stay consistent. 

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My Learning Intention Blog Post, WW2

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Categories: Humanities, Tags: , ,

 

 

In class, we’ve been exploring the idea that history is written by the victors, and that the way we remember events like World War II depends on who is telling the story. These things influence how we see the past, what we choose to remember, and even what we forget.

As far as my knowledge of WWII, I’ve read books as well as a few movies and shows, and I have some basic understanding from my own research. Once this project ends I want to be able to have a good conversation with someone about WWll, where I know enough information to fully contribute and engage with them. Below is an overview of where my knowledge is right now with World War II.

 

My knowledge 

World War II is one of the most important and devastating events in human history. It began in 1939 when Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland. This caused Britain and France to declare war on Germany, and soon the conflict spread across Europe and beyond. Fighting broke out on land, sea, and in the air.

Especially in contrast to World War I, WWII introduced not just new forms of warfare, but the quality and quantity of weapons increased drastically. It caused more destruction and higher death tolls than ever before because of advanced weapons like tanks, airplanes, bombs, and machine guns.

One of the darkest parts of WWII was the Holocaust, where millions of Jewish people and other targeted groups were killed by the Nazi regime. This was horrific event powered by hatred and discrimination, that, like most wars, is still talked about today.

The after effects of the war, especially for the soldiers who made it back, were hard. Many, if not all, struggled with  insomnia and or PTSD, however it was known as shell shock.

What I want to explore/learn more about 

As I continue this project, I’m excited to learn more about WWll in general, but if I had to be specific, I want to learn more about how the war affected everyday people, including families, children, and communities who lived through it. I think it’s important to understand not just what happened in battles, but how the war changed people’s lives. Second, I want to explore how countries rebuilt and recovered after the war, how they handled loss, rebuilt cities, and tried to create peace after so much destruction.

 

VMV

For my vision missions and values I want to connect back to two section, self regulation and engagement. For engagement, I want to consistently stay engaged in class and actively participated in discussions. Listening to presentations and taking notes I’ve found notes to be extremely helpful to look back on, and complete the final project. Additionally, coming ready to learn when walking into the classroom helps me stay engaged and be ready to learn. For the self regulation section, I want to work on managing distraction. Managing distractions helps me connect to my other values, like taking notes. A way I can manage distraction is making sure to sit with people who have the same values, and separate myself if they become too distracting.

 

Driving question 

The driving question for this project is “how do stories media and propaganda shape how we remember WWll” Stories, media, and propaganda shape how we remember World War II by influencing the way events are told and understood. During the war, propaganda was used by all sides to control public opinion. Whether it was posters, films, or news broadcasts, these messages didn’t always tell the full truth, but they shaped how people saw the war at the time.

After the war ended, stories and media continued to shape memory. Movies, books, and documentaries often focus on certain heroes, battles, or tragedies, while other experiences are left out. For example, many stories highlight the bravery of soldiers or the victory of certain nations, but not always the suffering of civilians or smaller countries. Because of this, the way we remember WWII today depends a lot on who is telling the story.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, WWII changed history in countless ways, but just as important as the events themselves is how we choose to remember them. I’m excited to learn more throughout this project, and demonstrate what I learned in the final blog post! 

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Comic Quest WW1

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Categories: Humanities, Tags: , , , , , ,

 

Intro

This project was all about ww1, learning about the causes and effects of it, and then creating a comic book about it! Out of all the humanities project this year this has been my favorite, I love to draw, so i enjoyed this, but learning about the historical aspects was also very interesting. Without further ado lets get into this! 💪

World war 1 notes

Okay, so before we even started the planning for this graphic novel, there was a lot we needed to learn about ww1. There was lots of researching involved and class activities. For example, we watched videos on ww1, and took notes, as well as reading a graphic novel about ww1. 

This is the ww1 graphic novel, it’s very interesting with great visuals! Reading this book didn’t just help with learning more about ww1 but also how to structure a comic book, and all the different aspects that go into it.

 I enjoy art but I’ve never explored the making of graphic novels, nor did I have any idea on what different aspects of them meant or how to make them. The research part in this project wasn’t just about ww1, but also how to make a comic book! 

 

 

 The criteria for the comic book included:

  • A minimum of 1 Splash Panel
  • A minimum of 1 Open Panel
  • Reverse
  • Bleed
  • Close-up
  • Longshot
  • Narratory Blocks containing your narratior ‘
  • Speech Ballons containing dialogue ,
  • Thought Bubbles containing character thoughts*
  • Sound Effects
  • Labels and Captions

Below descriptions of some of the criteria  

 

Story planning

The first part of creating a comic book is of course, creating a story! I wanted mine to be a bit different from the usual storyline a man going to war, I decided. I wanted to show more of a behind the scenes perspective, so my comic book was about Clara Mitchell, a women woh joined the camouflage corps. Once my idea was planned out I drew a draft of the general panel layout, this helped guide me through the making of my comic.

 

Comic book progress

We were warned at the start of this project that everything would pile up quickly, and staying on task was important, especially since the due date was firm as its the end of the year. I knew i needed to lock in, outside and inside school! I created a system, coming prepared with a game plan before showing up to class, so I didn’t waste the time that was given to us. Anyways, wow after many weeks and LOTS of drawing, I’m ready to show the final product!!!

Finished product 

Response to the driving question 

The driving question for this project was “how can researching historical significance of World War 1 inform and enhance the storytelling in a graphic novel I create?” Historical information in a comic crucial, but even more so when talking about such a significant moment in history such as WW1. You can’t just throw in random facts and add inaccurate images because it looks cool. Furthermore, since I’m putting this novel out to the public its my responsibility to not spread false information.

 

Conclusion 

Overall, this project was ver enjoyable and taught me a lot. Being able to mix history with something I love, like drawing, made the whole thing even more enjoyable! I’m honestly really proud of how my comic turned out. It took a lot of work, but I stuck with it and created something that’s both creative and meaningful. I feel like I improved my time management, creativity, and focus throughout this project. Now that it’s finished, I’m proud of what I created and how much effort I put into it. Out of all the projects we’ve done this year, this one was by far my favorite, and I’ll definitely remember it!

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Spring Exhibition, pollination!🐝🌼

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Categories: Science, Tags: , , , , , , ,

Intro

This project was called “Don’t worry, BEE happy” it’s all about protecting pollinators in our local ecosystem. We were each assigned groups and different types of local pollinators that we would then present in the spring exhibition! My group was hummingbirds, so I’ll be talking about them in this post! 🐝🌼🦇🦋

Hummingbirds

Like I said before, my group researched and presented the hummingbird pollinators! I’ll add lots of photos of the information pamphlets, posters, and food webs we made, but first I want to talk a bit about how important hummingbirds really are are. 

Most people don’t see hummingbirds as pollinators, but they are, and really good ones at that! By transferring pollen, hummingbirds enable plants to reproduce, producing fruits and seeds. Sadly, their suffering habitat loss and other things that are decreasing their population. This leads me to the informative posters we made, so you know how you can help!

Posters 

Theres lots of things you can do to help hummingbirds, like making your garden grow wild, no pesticides, and feeding them sugar water. 

Pollination pamphlet 

In addition to the posters we made a pamphlet to learn more about hummingbirds.

Interactive food web

When you clicked on the animals in the interactive food web it would give you information on them, and when you clicked the hummingbird it would transition to show what would happen if the hummingbird when extinct!

 

Besides the information we gave out we also provided a balancing ping pong ball race and food! The food was quite a hit  

My response to the driving question 

The driving question for this project was “how can we support and protect our local pollinators to ensure a healthy ecosystem in our community?” There are lots of ways to protect our local pollinators, for hummingbirds specifically there are three simple ways to protect them. #1 getting a hummingbird feeder, BUT cleaning it every 2-3 days and only add sugar water. #2 make your whole garden, or parts of it grow wild. In the winder especially its good for hummingbirds to have cover, and places to hide. Lastly, pesticides are a big problem. When you spray your garden with them it makes hummingbirds or any pollinators sick, and harder for them to find food.

Conclusion 

 To conclude, this was a very fun project and I’m so happy it got to be the spring exhibition, since I’ve never had science as an exhibition before! It was a great way to educate the public and I had fun learning it as well.

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T-Pol 2025!

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Categories: m-pol/t-pol, Tags: , , ,

Intro 

wow, this year has really flown by! From crazy D.I days to days where it almost felt too calm… this year was lots of fun. I’m here to give an end of year post, better known as “t-pol” before I go M.I.A all summer, so her it goes!

Cult speech 

“Thank you for coming to my presentation of learning. I am the expert on my own learning. I am also responsible and accountable for my own learning. You can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress. We will discuss my strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you in advance for listening and for offering feedback that I can use to improve as a learner.

My growth as a learner

This year I have grow in all my classes, but I’ve also brought this growth outside of school. I learned some new skills but I also, (and most importantly) continued to work and grow on previous ones. The first course I’d like to talk about is Humanities.

Humanities 

Throughout this year in humanities we went through many projects, and as this year has progressed I think I’ve shown lots of growth. A good example of this was the project that is just wrapping up right now, comic quest ww1! At the start of this project we were warned that the work for the comic book would pile up quickly and to finish it in time, we would need to stay on task at every opportunity. I really enjoy art, which is why I’ve found this project so enjoyable, however, i’m NOT fast at drawing which is something. I can accept. Instead of trying to change that i came face to face with it and found ways to problem solve. I knew from the very start I needed to stay on task, otherwise known as LOCKING IN!!! Working in class used to be a lot harder than working at home, because of distractions, and it was just hard to get in the right head space. We were given many class days to just work (thank god) so whenever these came up, i made sure I utilized them. By listening to music  or my trusty audio book I was able to blog out distractions. Another way I locked in was having a plan before going to class. For example, I would have the idea for a panel decided before showing up, so I didn’t waste unnecessary time. My work ethic and motivation is what has helped me throughout this year, and I’m confident I can continue that work and mindset next year.

Science 

I’ve had a lot of fun with science this year but I do have a project that stood out to me in particular. “Don’t worry BEE happy” was the name of our pollination project that was ALSO our spring exhibition. I really like animals and learning more about them, which is one of reasons I liked this project so much. Another reason I enjoyed it so much was that we were given the opportunity to educate the public on pollinators, (my group was hummingbirds) There were so many aspects that went into the final product at the spring exhibition, and it really was a team effort! My group all worked pretty well together, but in the future I think our communication could be a bit better so there was no confusion in whose doing what. Furthermore, I think i’ve gotten pretty good at helping manage the workload. I always do my part, but I’ve been striving to go beyond what is expected of me, staying open to do some extra things to help out. For example, I contributed lots of drawings for our food web, helping out other group members since it was something I knew I could handle. Overall, I’m proud of how my group worked together, presented and balanced research, letting everyone contribute and do their part.

 

 

 

 

Maker 

I wanted to talk about the 7 habits project for maker because they’ve been very helpful to me this year even though I didn’t think so at first. After reading the book I started to apply some of the 7 habits to my life and it’s made such a big difference! For example, beginning with the end in mind., that means having goals and a clear vision of what you want. I used this habit in the ww1 comic book project, and I’d like to think it was a large to contributor to my success. this is just one example of how Sean Coveys book has helped me grow and even though there were some parts of the book I didn’t enjoy as much as others, the idea of the 7 habits as a whole are very important.

 Vision Mission and Values

 

 

Success 

One of my biggest successes this school year has been showing resilience en persistence when met with challenges and setbacks. When something unexpected happened I didn’t fixate on it, letting it get the best of me. Instead I just looked for a solution rather than dwelling on whatever happened, even if the situation isn’t ideal.

Another success that I’ve gotten much better at is managing distractions. At the beginning of this year there were times when I struggled with staying focussed and got wrapped up in conversation, and even though I do slip up from time to time, I’ve learned how to recognize when I need a break and I’ve created better boundaries to help me stay on task.

Stretches 

Even with that growth there are still areas  I want to work on. For example, I still sometimes struggle with overworking myself. I’ve made progress in setting realistic goals and being okay with taking breaks but I want to keep improving on that next year.

Another stretch has been staying consistent with healthy routines like going to bed early. I made progress, but it wasn’t always easy to maintain, especially when school got busy. Next year, I want to build stronger routines so I’m not depending on last-minute motivation.

My response to the driving question

The driving question is “why do I feel I am ready to advance to the next grade level” 

 I feel ready to move to the next grade because I’ve learned to manage distractions, stay focused, and bounce back from challenges. I’ve worked on balancing my mental health with school, and even though I still have things to improve, I know how to keep growing

Thank you for being part of this process and for supporting my growth as a learner.

by

🇨🇦In The Name of The Nation🇨🇦

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Categories: Humanities, Tags: , , , , ,

Intro

The big idea for this project is that “collective identity is constructed and can change over time.”  Since nationalism was a key focus in this project we researched quite a bit about it, which then led into our group video. Let’s get into it🇨🇦

Researching Nationalism 

We watched videos, took notes and learned about nationalism history and consequences. Learning about the positive and negative impacts of nationalism, understanding the history and how it shaped countries all led to the final video about Canadian confederation. 

I’ll add the notes I made below. 

 https://s.craft.me/6mqY94nFHfpeiN 

American nationalism presentation

We were given groups to research about the nationalism in different counties, for example, my group and I talked about America. This wasn’t necessarily a hard project since it was a small presentation answering a few questions. The Idea was to to learn how to take notes, reviewing case studies and know how to present that to the public in a way that can be understood.

 

The final product

All the the researching, note taking and presenting led up to the final video. Now you may be wondering, what final video? As a group, we were tasked to create a persuasive promotional video, advocating for a territory to either join Confederation OR remain sovereign. My group and I chose Quebec! Thee next few days were used to research, and create a script for this video. 

I’m very proud of 1. How our video turned out, and 2. The script. The idea of our video was that it was going to be a debate between two people, and why or why not they wanted to join confederation. I had the idea for two important people to appear from the future (with a magic button of course) and give important insight on the debate. The idea came to life and with a comedic aspect! (Hint.. Donald Trump🟠) 

My group 

My group for this video were Sven and Evelyn, I’ll add their blogs below

Evelyn: https://www.blog44.ca/evelyns/

Sven: https://www.blog44.ca/svenz/

Our video:

https://youtu.be/_J5MDTCJcis

Response to the driving question 

The driving question for this project was “how has Nationalism’s influence shaped the global structure? Moreover, how has Nationalism impacted the establishment of Canada as a nation?”

Nationalism has shaped the global structure by motivating European powers to expand their empires and spread their influence. It led to colonization in places like Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, nationalism played a key role in uniting British and French settlers and forming a shared identity that led to Confederation in 1867. It helped build Canada into an independent country, separate from British rule. However, this nationalism focused mainly on European settlers and excluded Indigenous peoples. Laws like the Indian Act and policies such as residential schools were created to erase Indigenous cultures and force them to adopt the settler identity. So, while nationalism helped establish Canada as a nation, it also caused long-term harm to Indigenous communities.

Conclusion 

 Throughout this project, I learned a lot about the effects of nationalism and Canadian Confederation. I always find projects like these helpful, since they’re not usually topics I’d explore on my own. But learning about them made me realize how important they are to understanding the world today. Nationalism has shaped so much of our history, for better and for worse and it helped my understand how identities and countries are formed. I also think our group worked really well together. Everyone did their part, which made things way smoother and more fun to work on. Overall, this project taught me a lot, not just about history, but about working as a team and thinking more deeply about the different perspectives and events that shaped how Canada became a country.

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