Semester 2 of Humanity:
The Energy Project:
This project showed us the different ways that energy is looked at and used in the world. In the energy project we learned the main concepts behind how energy is created, distributed, and used in every day life. We also learned the humanitarian side as well as the political challenges that oil, coal, and natural gas give to communities that reside near these power plants. In Humanity's class we studied the complex politics and issues that mining coal, oil, and natural gas have on local communities through the lenses of Utilitarianism, Rawls theory of justice, and Libertarianism. We also looked at the challenges and issues that a local solar project has on our own community.
Reflection:
What is your biggest take-away from the content we learned?
My biggest take away from the Energy Project in Humanity's class was learning how to write complex speeches and papers that drove my points across in a professional way. During the Energy project, we combined with math and physics to look at the way we consume and generate energy. We also looked at political and social conflicts of energy generation on a national and local level. For our exhibition, we wrote speeches (monologues) that communicated our opinions on the most just way of dealing with the energy crisis. It was an amazing learning experience and I found this to be a valuable skill that has really helped me grow as a writer. By practicing writing speeches it has helped me learn the technique so when I need to use this in the future I feel prepared to be able to write a complex speech.
What challenged you the most intellectually during this project?
During the energy project the hardest challenge for me was the readings. Because of my dyslexia, reading has always been a challenge for me, especially something as complicated as a college level reading. In the start of the project , we read seven complicated and lengthy articles within a 24 hour period with more later on as we dove deeper into the issues of energy production. I persevered through, but it still was a challenge to gather the information that was important for the project in often a rushed manner. By working hard I challenged myself and I was able to finish all the readings and annotations without accommodations and extended time. I was able to use the information I gathered from the readings and wrote a speech for exhibition that I was extremely proud of.
What is your biggest take-away from the content we learned?
My biggest take away from the Energy Project in Humanity's class was learning how to write complex speeches and papers that drove my points across in a professional way. During the Energy project, we combined with math and physics to look at the way we consume and generate energy. We also looked at political and social conflicts of energy generation on a national and local level. For our exhibition, we wrote speeches (monologues) that communicated our opinions on the most just way of dealing with the energy crisis. It was an amazing learning experience and I found this to be a valuable skill that has really helped me grow as a writer. By practicing writing speeches it has helped me learn the technique so when I need to use this in the future I feel prepared to be able to write a complex speech.
What challenged you the most intellectually during this project?
During the energy project the hardest challenge for me was the readings. Because of my dyslexia, reading has always been a challenge for me, especially something as complicated as a college level reading. In the start of the project , we read seven complicated and lengthy articles within a 24 hour period with more later on as we dove deeper into the issues of energy production. I persevered through, but it still was a challenge to gather the information that was important for the project in often a rushed manner. By working hard I challenged myself and I was able to finish all the readings and annotations without accommodations and extended time. I was able to use the information I gathered from the readings and wrote a speech for exhibition that I was extremely proud of.
Rising Voices: Adolescent Storytelling:
Project Overview
Use this link to listen to my full story
Reflection:Question 1:
One of our main goals at AHS is to prepare you for the 21st century. Using the image to the right, which 21st-century skill do you feel you grew in the most during this project? During my first semester of school, I had to face many challenges one of which was working in groups. Specifically not trying to control everything about the projects I was a part of. Working together with people is a challenge for me because I want everything to be perfect and exactly how I wanted it to be. Whether it is a project or a small task I want to control what the outcome is. During humanity’s class, I had to work together in several groups throughout the semester. An example of me stepping back from controlling the group work was during the exhibition teams. I was on the graphic design team and we were creating the final logo for the exhibition. I started to spiral into the bad habit of trying to control everyone in the group so that the logo would look how I wanted the logo to be. Though once I realized that I was doing this I took a step back and let my group decide how we should create the logo. I have been working on this throughout the year by stepping back and letting the groups that I have been a part of work and create beautiful work that we all could be proud of together. |
Visual Element:
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Question 2:
If you could go back, what would you do differently? What would you refine? (Be specific)
During the exhibition, I was on the graphic design team in charge of getting together all the artist statements, QR codes, visuals, and papers. We first started by telling everyone to put all these documents individually in a google drive. This was the first challenge that we faced in this process because several of the people did not put the documents in the google drive. So our whole team had to go find the people who didn't follow the instructions and get their artist statements, QR codes, visuals, and papers. Then once we had everyone in the google drive we had to print them. I had to download all the files and put them on my flash drive to then try to print all of them. When I tried to use the printer it would not print any of the documents. I had to problem-solve how to get all the files printed. So we asked the teacher to print all the documents on the regular school printer. I had to send her all the documents but there was one final problem the files weren’t all there as some were missing, and the ones we did have were all different sizes when we finally printed. If I were to do this all over again I would have everyone send all these in one document with all the same formatting so that when we print everything would all line up together and it would make it much easier to finish the task before the exhibition.
Question 3:
What are you most proud of? This could be from any element of the project, test-taking skills, team, and collaborative work, your story, recording your story, or what you contributed to the exhibition. Explain why you are proud.
When I was working on my story I very much did not want to do it. I do not like to talk about myself especially when I have to write a school paper on it. During the project I was struggling with what I wanted to write about. I knew that it had to relate to my adolescence but I was lost on how I would talk about it. I finally chose to write about how Dungeons and Dragons have had an everlasting impact on how I developed. I wrote about DND as my saving grace. My saving grace from stress, and pressure from school, family, and doing well in sports. As well it had helped me connect with people who had similar interests as me. Once I started writing that paper I found that I actually enjoyed writing this story that was about me. Now that I look at it is am amazed at what I was able to write all on my own, without needing help from my mom who has helped me with writing my whole life. I am immensely proud of what I had created.
If you could go back, what would you do differently? What would you refine? (Be specific)
During the exhibition, I was on the graphic design team in charge of getting together all the artist statements, QR codes, visuals, and papers. We first started by telling everyone to put all these documents individually in a google drive. This was the first challenge that we faced in this process because several of the people did not put the documents in the google drive. So our whole team had to go find the people who didn't follow the instructions and get their artist statements, QR codes, visuals, and papers. Then once we had everyone in the google drive we had to print them. I had to download all the files and put them on my flash drive to then try to print all of them. When I tried to use the printer it would not print any of the documents. I had to problem-solve how to get all the files printed. So we asked the teacher to print all the documents on the regular school printer. I had to send her all the documents but there was one final problem the files weren’t all there as some were missing, and the ones we did have were all different sizes when we finally printed. If I were to do this all over again I would have everyone send all these in one document with all the same formatting so that when we print everything would all line up together and it would make it much easier to finish the task before the exhibition.
Question 3:
What are you most proud of? This could be from any element of the project, test-taking skills, team, and collaborative work, your story, recording your story, or what you contributed to the exhibition. Explain why you are proud.
When I was working on my story I very much did not want to do it. I do not like to talk about myself especially when I have to write a school paper on it. During the project I was struggling with what I wanted to write about. I knew that it had to relate to my adolescence but I was lost on how I would talk about it. I finally chose to write about how Dungeons and Dragons have had an everlasting impact on how I developed. I wrote about DND as my saving grace. My saving grace from stress, and pressure from school, family, and doing well in sports. As well it had helped me connect with people who had similar interests as me. Once I started writing that paper I found that I actually enjoyed writing this story that was about me. Now that I look at it is am amazed at what I was able to write all on my own, without needing help from my mom who has helped me with writing my whole life. I am immensely proud of what I had created.
Mock UN Project:
For this semester's humanities project, we held a mock UN debate on the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis. For this debate, we had to all chose a country that we would be representing and research their opinion on the subject of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. As well we had to learn all the different rules and regulations that we had to follow during the conference. After we researched our serpent topics and country's opinions we wrote resolutions in the format that the UN official delegates write in. Next we all crafted speeches based on our resolutions. Finally, we did a conference where we gave our speeches and worked together and debated with one another on what we would put in the final resolution that we all worked together on.
Policy Paper:
Final Resolution:
Highlights:
The best part of this project for me was when we finally got to present. During this project I got to learn about how China as a country goes about political issues. The debate was interesting for me because I loved to hear all different perspectives that other countries had, and what other countries solutions where the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Over all this project was spectacular and an amazing experience.
Growth:
I have grown as a writer. I use to need help at every turn in school, either from my parents or my teachers, but everything I did in school I needed help to do. But this year I changed that. I have been trying to work and manage my time better so that I can try to do all my work this year on my own. Because I have dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia doing school work on my own is a major challenge that I have wanted to overcome. This year I have done all my essays, math papers, and projects all on my own which for me is a big deal and a huge success in my learning.
Conference Preparation:
During the preparation of the conference, I had to chose a country that I would be representing and research their opinion on the subject of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Then I worked on drafting a resolution based on what china thought on the topic. Then I wrote a speech based on the research and my resolution document. Over all I felt prepared and ready to face the debate ahead of me. I had done all the work to the best of my ability and I had it all in front of me ready to go at a moment's notice.
The best part of this project for me was when we finally got to present. During this project I got to learn about how China as a country goes about political issues. The debate was interesting for me because I loved to hear all different perspectives that other countries had, and what other countries solutions where the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Over all this project was spectacular and an amazing experience.
Growth:
I have grown as a writer. I use to need help at every turn in school, either from my parents or my teachers, but everything I did in school I needed help to do. But this year I changed that. I have been trying to work and manage my time better so that I can try to do all my work this year on my own. Because I have dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia doing school work on my own is a major challenge that I have wanted to overcome. This year I have done all my essays, math papers, and projects all on my own which for me is a big deal and a huge success in my learning.
Conference Preparation:
During the preparation of the conference, I had to chose a country that I would be representing and research their opinion on the subject of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Then I worked on drafting a resolution based on what china thought on the topic. Then I wrote a speech based on the research and my resolution document. Over all I felt prepared and ready to face the debate ahead of me. I had done all the work to the best of my ability and I had it all in front of me ready to go at a moment's notice.
Reflection:
Over all the MUN conference was spectacular. It was breathtaking to hear all the different resolutions being argued and when we all finally came together to a create a resolution that everyone agreed on. During the creation of the final resolution we broke up into two committees that had to come together at the end to agree on the final resolution. At the end of it all it felt that we really did succeed on creating something important.
Over all the MUN conference was spectacular. It was breathtaking to hear all the different resolutions being argued and when we all finally came together to a create a resolution that everyone agreed on. During the creation of the final resolution we broke up into two committees that had to come together at the end to agree on the final resolution. At the end of it all it felt that we really did succeed on creating something important.