Do you ever feel that time passes far too quickly?.
Because… last I checked, it was September.
Today, it’s my second last day of Grade 8, and I’m rushing to complete my final blog post of the year (while listening to various James Bond songs, of course.)
Anyways, this year has been the strangest one yet… but we got through it.
Hello there everyone, and welcome to my last adventure in Grade 8.
This assignment is called “comic cells”. As expected, the final project was quite difficult (due to my crippling burnout lol). In the end, this project ended up becoming a great learning experience.
For this project, we had to create a comic that demonstrated our understanding of specific topics. We learned all about the mysterious world of cells (more specifically, the immune system), and how they work together to survive.
We used various programs to bring our final project together. We even discovered how to utilize an app called “Comic Life 3” (which I’ll definitely be using in the future.) Also, I used a more familiar program (procreate) for the drawings.
Looking back, I’m very proud of what I’ve created (although the art quality obviously declines throughout the comic).
Similarly to Argh Matey, we began this project with a movie! As an avid movie watcher, I really enjoyed seeing one in class. The movie we watched was called “Osmosis Jones.” The animation sequences were pretty cool, and the whole feeling of the movie really reminded me of “Space Jam.”
As with most science projects, the first assignment we completed was a project start mind map.
Here’s mine:
At first, I didn’t know much about cells and the science behind the immune system. However, as this project continued on, I began to generally understand how it worked. I even ended up doing some research on neurons and anaphylaxis (I have many food allergies so I would know this lol) to assist my comic.
To further extend our learning, we completed two small assignments.
The first one wasn’t as difficult. We had to create a “wanted poster” for a disease of our choice. I ended up choosing tuberculosis, but I didn’t use the information for my final comic later on.
(As you can see below, I created two versions. One has a worn out western look, and the other is more simplistic and modern.)
The second assignment was far more difficult, since it required us to test our knowledge in Khan Academy.
We watched various videos and read many passages. Despite this, I found it pretty hard to understand, and it took a long time to process all the new information. This step was probably the most difficult in the whole project, but I’m very happy that I got through it.
Then, we created our storyboards, which we would use as the backbone of our comic. I ended up using some colour in my storyboard to experiment with colour palettes and some character design.
I also attempted to add some backgrounds, since I’m not as experienced in drawing/designing them. I’m very proud of the backgrounds in certain frames, but towards the end, I had to rush them.
Here’s an example of a VERY RUSHED background:
I tried to make my story different by including anaphylaxis to the mix. I should know a lot about it, since I have food allergies (I can’t eat nuts and certain seeds). This story should try to spread awareness about it, but in a fun way.
Although I didn’t have enough time to create my final comic in the way I originally planned, I did include many ideas from this rough storyboard.
Here’s my complete storyboard…
AND NOW… I PRESENT TO YOU… MY FINAL COMIC!
(This crashed like 5 times, so I improvised and made it it’s own post)
I am so proud of my comic, even though it didn’t turn out how I originally planned. The last time I completed a comic was in 2019 for a religion project. Let’s just say I’ve definitely improved since then…
Anyways, this comic was a headache to complete, but it was definitely worth it in the end (especially since I have a nice long break soon…)
QUESTIONING AND PREDICTING:
To complete this competency, I had to use my time effectively. In the end, I think I’ve accomplished this competency. I’ve definitely improved on my time management, and I wasn’t as stressed out this time around. However, I have some areas I could improve in.
I’m quite happy I managed to complete the comic, since my original plan was pretty elaborate and would’ve taken a lot of time to finish. At the start of my comic book processes, I decided to use a more “detailed” art style, which wasted a ton of time.
Halfway into the project, I decided to speed up the process and draw with less detail/precision. I chose to focus on the main and necessary parts instead of fretting over details. Although, I could’ve chosen to do this earlier on into the project, I’m glad I ended up doing it. Choosing to take out the unnecessary parts saved me a ton of time and effort.
(haha, my sleep schedule is still pretty messed up though.)
In my finished product, my art wasn’t exactly the best, but I believe it gets the point across. Next time I make a comic book… or any other project, I’ll be sure to manage my time more wisely!
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION:
This competency was probably the most difficult, but I believe that the necessary information was included into my comic. I feel accomplished in this competency, but I did have many worries. I didn’t feel confident in this competency, and I have many parts I would like to improve.
Originally, when I finished the comic, I felt that it didn’t have enough scientific diagrams. For some parts, I had instead explained how the cell would work without many visuals. I also worried that I got the scientific information wrong or I used the vocabulary wrong.
Since I was dreading this part, working on the comic felt very tiring and stressful. Although my confidence improved as I completed these scientific parts, I would still feel doubtful over my own work.
Before I had even began the comic, I definitely worried over fulfilling this competency. However, now I feel way more confident, and I know I did it somewhat right. If I were to redo my comic, I would include more scientific diagrams that help explain my information.
EVALUATING:
In my opinion, I believe that this competency was the most enjoyable. I also think that I accomplished this competency. I really liked creating a story that included characters and motivations based on scientific facts.
Although I tried to make my story different and creative by including anaphylaxis, I believe I achieved the necessary criteria. In my comic, I attempted to make the cell characters interact like they do in the human body (but with a hint of fantasy. Cells don’t exactly “interact” with dialogue lol.)
I included the symptoms and logical outcomes of diseases, but differently again. I made it so that my characters were trying to identify the “foreign object” like some sort of meeting. They would include true facts, and explain how these diseases interacted with cells.
I feel really good about this competency, but I do have room for improvement. As I mentioned earlier, I would have liked to have more scientific diagrams to help explain these processes and interactions. I believe that this would have made it more scientifically clear and easier to understand.
Overall, even though I did achieve this competency well, I think I could have done better.
In the end, I’ve learned a whole lot about cells and comics through this project. I feel quite accomplished with my work this school year, and I can’t wait for my adventures to continue in grade 9.
Now it’s time to conclude my last reflection of grade 8 and answer the driving question, “How do cells and diseases interact?”
Well, our bodies and everything around us are made up of cells. I’ve learned that there’s many types of cells in our body. However, there’s some that are helpful and there’s some harmful ones too.
Our bodies’ immune system helps fight and defend against diseases. Although sometimes, they need to be assisted by vaccines and various medications/antibiotics. There are even many other cells in the body who aren’t exactly on the front lines, but can assist the battle in different ways.
I’ve also learned how neurons can transmit messages and communicate with each other without a verbal language. Certain cells/diseases can rely on chemical and electrical signals that help them communicate.
Looking back on this topic, there’s so much to learn about the mystical world of cells, and the information is seemingly limitless.
In conclusion, I’ve had a blast this year, and I’m in disbelief that it flew by this fast. I may continue posting some cool stuff over the summer, but I really need a break lol. I have so many ideas and stories that I want to fulfill, and I may share them here.
I can’t believe how fast time flies when you’re having fun…
Thanks so much for reading this blog post and sticking with me throughout this crazy year! May the force be with you all, and I hope y’all have a great summer!
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