Posted on in Humanities

Winter Exhibition

                         

Metaphor Machines: Rube Goldberg

This year was my first-ever winter exhibition.  Our project was in Humanities, and it was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences I’ve had. We were given a creative project: to build Rube Goldberg machines that represented a significant revolutions throughout history. Along with this, we had to understanding what factors cause revolutions, how ideas can spark change, and how those changes continue to shape the modern world. My group of six had the Haitian Revolution, an important event that led to Haiti becoming the first independent black country and the first nation to abolish slavery. Through infographics and a Rube Goldberg machine, we explored the complexities of revolutions and the power of transformation/change.

The Beginning: A Rough Start

When we first began the project, I was excited. Our driving question was: What factors precipitate ‘revolution,’ and how have they shaped the modern world? This question was both intriguing and challenging, as it asked us to think deeply about the causes of revolutions and their long-lasting impacts. My group was tasked with creating a Rube Goldberg machine to represent the Haitian Revolution, and we also had to create six infographics—three about George Orwell’s Animal Farm (which the whole class mad and read to understand revolution) and three about the Haitian Revolution itself.

However, my enthusiasm was quickly interrupted when I became seriously ill with pneumonia and had to miss a whole week of school. Later, in the final week, I caught the flu and couldn’t attend the Winter Exhibition, where we were supposed to present our work. I felt guilty for missing so much of the project, but I was incredibly proud of how hard my group worked to pull everything together. They managed to complete all the final details, and our machine was a success. Incase you were wondering who were the lovely people in my group, i’ll link their blogs down below so you guys can read there blogs as well! 

Julia

Ella

Milaina  

Madeline 

Chloe

The Middle: Starting Over and Teamwork

Initially, my group struggled to agree on a design for the Rube Goldberg machine. Our first plan was too complex, and we realized we wouldn’t have enough time to make it work. After discussing it in detail, we decided to start from scratch. I was worried about meeting our deadline, but the team pulled through. Watch our machine working down below 👇.

 

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As we worked together, it became clear that collaboration was key. We had different ideas, but by listening to each other and compromising, we managed to create a simpler yet effective design. Our Rube Goldberg machine was meant to symbolize the stages of the Haitian Revolution. Each step in the machine represented a key moment in the revolution, such as the anger and inequality that started the rebellion to Haiti eventually becoming independence.

In addition to the machine, we also created infographics that explained different stages of the Haitian Revolution and connected them to Crane Brinton’s Theory of Revolutions. This theory talks about that revolutions through four stages: incubation, moderate, crisis, and recovery. These infographics helped us map out the events of the revolution, making it easier to understand what each action in our machine symbolized.

Animal Farm and Revolutions: The Parallels

Animal Farm played a key role in helping us understand the Haitian Revolution. Orwell’s novel shows how the animals, who rebel against their human oppressors, eventually end up  to the same corruption they fought against. This mirrored what happened in the Haitian Revolution. While the revolution itself was a victory for enslaved people, the aftermath wasn’t perfect. Leaders like Toussaint Louverture, who fought for freedom, sometimes acted in ways that contradicted the very ideals of equality and justice they were fighting for. This showed me that while revolutions can bring  change, the pursuit of justice can often be undermined by new power struggles.

Both Animal Farm and the Haitian Revolution demonstrated that revolutions often result in setbacks and internal conflicts, and that those in power can sometimes become just as oppressive as the old rulers. Despite this, the Haitian Revolution remained a huge moment in history, as it inspired other movements and showed that change was possible even in the face of tremendous odds.

What I Learned

This project deepened my understanding of revolutions. I learned that while revolutions are often started by legitimate grievances—such as inequality, oppression, and economic struggles—the outcomes are rarely perfect. Power struggles and corruption can interfere with the initial goals of revolutionaries, but the impact of a revolution can still be significant. The Haitian Revolution, for example, didn’t immediately bring about equality or peace, but it did set a powerful example for other enslaved people and anti-colonial movements around the world.

Building the Rube Goldberg machine helped me visualize how revolutions are a series of interconnected events. Each action in the machine was a symbolic representation of key moments in the Haitian Revolution, with one event leading to the next, just as one action leads to another in a chain reaction.

Answering the Driving Question

What Factors Precipitate ‘Revolution’ and How Have They Shaped the Modern World?

Revolutions are often sparked by a combination of factors: a sense of government injustice, economic crisis, weak or ineffective reforms, and growing intellectual opposition. When these issues are ignored or poorly addressed, it can lead to widespread dissatisfaction and the eventual breakdown of the existing system. In the case of the Haitian Revolution, the enslaved people of Saint-Domingue faced extreme inequality and oppression, and when their demands were ignored, it led to an uprising. Governments often address to revolutionary movements with half-hearted reforms, which only delay change and increase  tensions.

In the Haitian Revolution, the internal corruption that followed the revolution serves as a reminder that change doesn’t always lead to an ideal outcome. Even after Haiti gained independence, there were still power struggles and divisions, highlighting the ongoing challenges that come with revolution. Yet, the Haitian Revolution remains a crucial example of the power of resistance and the struggle for freedom.

Competencies Developed

How I showed the core competencies:

  • Historical Understanding: I gained a better understanding of the causes and consequences of revolutions, specifically the Haitian Revolution.
  • Creative Thinking and Problem Solving: I contributed to designing and building the Rube Goldberg machine, which involved creativity, experimentation, and overcoming technical challenges.
  • Public Speaking and Presentation: Although I couldn’t attend the exhibition, I practiced presenting information and ideas to others through infographics and discussions.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration: Despite challenges, my group worked together to complete the project, and I learned how to collaborate effectively and resolve conflicts.

Conclusion

This project was a valuable learning experience that helped me connect creativity with history. It allowed me to explore the complexities of revolutions, specifically the Haitian Revolution, and understand how they are shaped by the actions of everyday people seeking change. Although I couldn’t be there for the final presentation, I’m proud of the work my group accomplished. This project not only deepened my understanding of the Haitian Revolution but also gave me insight into how revolutions continue to impact societies around the world today

Thank you for reading!

Posted on in Maker

Running a Remake

What I Learned from Recreating a Short Film

For this project, our driving question was: How might we learn video skills by recreating a short film? Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be so tough to recreate a video exactly. It was a good challenge though, and I learned a lot about video editing, teamwork, and being flexible with the process.

Our group, made up of me, Gemma, and Sven, recreated “Run!” a short horror film. I was in charge of editing the footage, while Sven did the sound. Gemma helped out by filming, even though she didn’t edit. Everyone played an important role, and we all worked together to make the video as accurate to the original on as possible. Here’s the video below 👇

Answer to the Driving Question

I learned that video skills aren’t just about technical stuff like filming and editing; it’s also about collaboration. By remaking the short film, I learned how to plan shots, edit the clips to fit together, and adapt to unexpected challenges such as sharing sets with other groups. It wasn’t just about copying the original video, but about making sure it still told the same story in our own way.

Evidence of Learning

I helped with creating the storyboard and screenplay, and I got better at editing the video using iMovie. Some of the bloopers we caught were pretty funny, (watch them below👇) showing how much trial and error went into filming. It also reminded me how important it is to keep trying, even when things don’t go perfectly. Also go look at my groups storyboard and my individual screenplay.

screenplay

 

Curricular Connections

This project really helped me understand how skills can grow through practice. I learned that making a video is a step-by-step process—storyboarding, filming, editing—and each part is key to the final result. I also got better at analyzing how each scene worked and how to use technology to tell a story.

What Went Well and What I Can Improve

One thing I did well was staying engaged during filming. I tried to keep the actors motivated and gave tips when needed. When I realized I wasn’t contributing enough during filming, I took on the role of editor, which helped balance the workload.

However, I noticed I struggled with staying focused during filming, especially with other groups so close to us. I let myself get distracted at times, and I know I need to improve on staying focused and being a better example for the group.

Conclusion

This project taught me a lot about video creation and teamwork. It wasn’t easy, but it helped me improve my editing skills and understand how everything in the video process fits together. It was a fun challenge, and I’m excited to use my skills in future projects!

Posted on in Uncategorized

Alberta!

My class and I recently went on an exciting trip to Alberta. However before that, we read “Banner in the Sky” in our humanities class to learn about perseverance. In our Maker class, we practiced our social skills and video making techniques by interviewing our classmates to uncover their unique stories.

(Insert video)

We travelled to Alberta in hopes to answer the question, “How do we become the best version of ourselves?” We would ask strangers about life advice during our hikes and if possible film the as well. However, we approached this challenge uniquely: we had to create ten questions that reflected what we believed were the ten essentials of life, connecting them to the ten essentials of hiking. Later we would gather all the clips and make a video answering the driving question. 

(Insert video) 

Throughout the trip, I learned something valuable from everyone who was willing to talk to us. Some of the main ideas that really stood out to me included the importance of education, the pursuit of happiness, and the value of family and friendship. The advice I received  was both practical and inspiring. People told me to “Live life to the fullest,” “ Remember that we grow from our mistakes,” “Set goals,” “Get into nature,” “Plan ahead,” and “Life only gets better.” 

Even though I didn’t find a straightforward answer to our original question, I gained  some helpful tips and guidelines for personal growth. This experience taught me that self-improvement is a lifelong journey, and there’s always room for growth. I realized that being the best version of myself is about learning from others and continuously working to become better.

We didn’t just travel to Alberta to answer our driving question; we also went to improve our core competencies in personal and social responsible learning and questioning. I showed responsible learning during our hikes by being careful and attentive, especially since the teachers weren’t always nearby. I demonstrated purposeful questioning during my interviews by following up on my initial questions and really listening to what the person said. I made sure to ask relevant follow-up questions based on their answers to keep the conversation going.

Posted on in Maker

TWKTWD

On November 6th, Grade 9 students across Canada had the opportunity to participate in National  Take Your Kid to Work Day. For me, that meant I got to spend the day with my mom and see what her work life is really like. The main question my class was supposed to answer was, “How does experiencing a workday shape our view of career choices?” Honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to discover. But I was about to find out.

Early Mornings and the Long Commute

I decided to shadow my mom, Carol. She’s one of those people who can juggle a million things at once and and not brake a sweat. I’ve always admired how she manages to get everything done, but I was curious to see what her actual workday looked like.

The first thing I learned? My mom wakes up super early. Like, WAY earlier than I’d ever want to. It’s still dark outside when she starts getting ready for work, and she’s out the door by 7:30 a.m. to drop my sister and me off at school. Then she has to drive all the way to New Westminster, which takes about an hour. I can’t even imagine having to wake up that early and drive that far just to get to work. I’ve got to say, I’m not a fan of long commutes—I value my sleep way too much to be up at the crack of dawn three times a week.

Her Work Life

When we finally got to her office, I got to see what her day is like. She works at the YMCA, which is a non-profit, so her job isn’t about making money like a regular business. Instead, it’s all about helping people and supporting the community. Her day is packed with meetings, emails, and phone calls, but she always seems to have it under control. There’s no time to waste—she’s always moving from one thing to the next.

I sat down with my mom to ask her about her job and how she got into this line of work. She told me that she loves working for the YMCA because it’s a job that makes a real difference in people’s lives. They don’t just focus on profits; they focus on helping people, which I think is pretty cool. She said that while her job can be busy and sometimes stressful, she finds it rewarding knowing that she’s contributing to something positive.

What I Learned About Career Choices

So, how did this experience change the way I think about my future career? Well, for starters, I learned that I definitely don’t want a job with a long commute. That’s just too much time spent in traffic for me. Also, sitting at a desk all day isn’t something I’d enjoy either. I’m the kind of person who likes variety and staying active, so a desk job might not be my thing.

But here’s the twist: Even though I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, I found it really inspiring to see how my mom works for a non-profit. The fact that she’s part of an organization that focuses on helping people, rather than just making money, made me think, “Wow, I want to do something that makes a difference too.” Maybe my career path won’t just be about working in a hospital—I could also look into jobs where I can help others in other ways.

New Perspective

In the end, I didn’t come away with all the answers about what I want to do in the future. But I did learn a lot. Spending the day with my mom showed me how hard she works and how much she cares about what she does. She manages her job, her family, and everything else in between, and she makes it look easy. I definitely have more respect for what she does now.

I still want to be a doctor, but I also want to find a way to make a difference, just like my mom does. Even though I wasn’t sure how shadowing her would help me figure out my future career, I think I got some important lessons about work, life, and what really matters.

So, National Take Your Kid to Work Day wasn’t just a random day off school—it helped me think more seriously about my future. And while I still don’t know exactly what I want to do when I grow up, I feel like I’ve got a better idea of what’s important to me. Maybe one day I’ll find a way to combine my dream job with the kind of work that makes a real impact on people’s lives.

TWKTWD and PLP: 

Even though the day was about learning what my mom does for work, there was still some work I had to do too. As part of PLP, my class had to make a 2-3 minute video about our day, answering the driving question: “How does experiencing a workday shape our view of career choices?” We had to show what we learned in a creative way and then upload the video to YouTube to share with the rest of the world. Video down below 👇

On top of that, we also had to write a professional thank-you email to our parents, thanking them for taking the time to have us shadow them. It was a good way to practice writing in a professional tone, which could come in handy for any future job, whether I end up working in a hospital, office, or something like my mom’s non-profit work. Email Below 👇

 

It was a lot to juggle, but it was cool to connect what we were learning to real-world skills. And even though I still don’t know exactly what I want to do when I grow up, this experience definitely helped me think more seriously about what kind of career I want to have.