Final Project post
This is my final poster on the poem “Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost
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As the first semester comes to an end, take time to reflect on your learning and growth in this course. In a well-developed response, explain what you enjoyed most about the class, identify the project or assignment you found most engaging, and discuss which aspect of the course you connected with the most (such as poetry, fiction, writing, or discussion). Finally, reflect on one area where you feel you need additional support or improvement as we move into the spring semester.
Prompt Response: As this first semester concludes, out of all the assignments we've done, I enjoyed the origin myth the most. Writing that story was a great creative experience for me, and I often think about going back and expanding the story. I hope to build upon the story because I feel that a lot more can come from it. I also enjoyed the writing assignments because they encouraged me to think deeply about topics I don't often touch on. Finally, an area I need improvement in is definitely procrastination. I always put off doing my blog posts until the last minute, and it's caught up to me sometimes. For the final project, I didn't even get my poster till the night before, and finished it right before we started presenting. Summary: Today, I had my engineering final. Reflection: It was the easiest final I'll have, and I passed it easily.
Many holidays center around traditions. Describe one tradition that is important to you or your family and explain why it still matters (or why it no longer does).
Prompt Response: A tradition thats very important to me is making rolls with my grandma, then opening one gift on the night of Christmas Eve. Ever since I was a little kid, we had done this, but once she got hospitalized and we no longer had Christmas at her house, the tradition stopped. Summary: Today, I went to Cross Keys, so I was absent. Reflection: It was a great field trip, and seeing that school compared to Lakeside was flabbergasting. They have giant facilities and actually put more towards teens' futures.
How have the holidays changed as you have grown older? Compare your experiences of the holidays during childhood with how you experience them now, focusing on shifts in perspective, responsibilities, or emotional meaning.
Prompt Response: As I've grown older, the holidays have grown bland and less enjoyable. When I was a child, I was always looking forward to Christmas with presents under the tree. But now being older, I can order all the presents myself, and there isn't much I want anymore. Summary: Today was our last vocabulary Monday. Reflection: There were more words I knew, and I breezed through them.
Write about something that you can't stop thinking about.
Prompt Response: There are a lot of things I can't stop thinking about, but one thing that occupies my mind is Digimon. It is my favorite show of all time, and ever since I was a child, this series as a whole has stuck with me, and a major part of me as a person comes from this series alone. The shows have inspired me, taught me many life lessons, helped me in tough times, etc. It really is more than just a "Pokémon copy." It's an entire community, and it holds a special place in my heart. Summary: Today, we visited the library to speak to our counselors and select our classes for next year. Reflection: I chose classes that would be best, along with dual enrollment, and I noticed that Mr.Rease put my next English class as accelerated multicultural literature. I don't think the classes will be difficult; only adjusting to being a senior and going to college classes would bring complications.
Write about the best gift you have received.
Prompt Response: The best gift I have ever received is life. Yes, it is a generic answer, but it makes sense. If I hadn't been born, I wouldn't experience the good and bad parts of being human. I wouldn't know what love or suffering is. Being human has its many downsides, but theres always an upside, something to look forward to. Not only is being human its own experience, but everyone has a different experience. Nobody lives the exact same life as another. Theres also a sword I recently got for my sixteenth birthday. Summary: Today, we learned new vocabulary words and then worked on our cultural identity masks. Reflection: The vocabulary words were familiar and didn't take too much time, but the mask had me stumped. I have a basic idea of what I want it to look like, but there are some
Cultural Identity Mask
Prompt Response: This is my mask Summary: Today, we presented our masks. Reflection: I was hoping to go first and get it out of the way, but I ended up going later in the class. My presentation went well, but I could have spoken more slowly, looked at the audience more, and done a few other things. Other than missing a few topics, I did well.
After watching the short film Identity, write a blog post reflecting on how the masks in the film represent the pressure to fit in and the struggle to discover who you really are. Choose one moment from the film that stood out to you and explain why. Then, connect the film’s message to Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too” and to the mask you are creating in class. What part of your identity do you want your mask to reveal?
Prompt Response: The masks in the film represent the pressure to fit in by displaying how everyone either tries to look like the mask on a poster or changes their mask to fit in with others. A scene that stood out to me was when the protagonist broke her mask. In that moment, I believe she realized the mask did not matter anymore and that she should be herself and stop trying to fit in. This part of the film connects to Langston Hughes' "I, Too" by displaying how people should be proud of themselves and their identities. Several aspects of my mask are going to contribute to this topic and show parts of me, especially my creativity. Summary: Today, we watched a short film titled "Identity". Reflection: The film was interesting, and I have seen some short films similar to it, but it did have its own individuality.
In “I, Too,” the speaker expresses pride in his identity and his rightful place in America. Reflect on your own life: What aspect of your cultural identity are you most proud of, and why?
Prompt Response: The part of my cultural identity that I am most proud of is my Ghanaian ethnicity. It's the part of me that comes from my dad, and my family on this side is extensive. I love everything about it, from the food to the music. Summary: Today, we read a poem titled "I, Too" by Langston Hughes. Reflection: The poem was alright in my opinion, but I do resonate with the poem somewhat. Being a young black man in America has its challenges, but just because of my skin color, I am still American, just like anyone else.
Prompt: In “We Real Cool,” the speakers make choices that seem exciting, bold, and rebellious, even though those choices lead to consequences. Write about a moment in your own life when you followed what looked cool or fun, only to realize afterwards that it wasn’t the smart or responsible path. What influenced your decision, and how did your perspective change later?
Prompt Response: Some years ago, I had TikTok on my phone. It was an older phone that I could use to play games and other things on, but it was mainly for communication. Around this time, there was a trend going on where people would spray glass cleaner on their mirrors and then set them on fire for a brief moment. I, not thinking about the consequences, decided it would be pretty cool to do and would get me a lot of followers. So I waited for my mom to leave for work one Saturday and grabbed the glass cleaner from under the kitchen sink. I went to my bathroom, recorded the whole thing, and posted it. After setting the mirror on fire, a dark stain was left on the mirror. Seeing the streak, I panicked and tried to wipe it off with a paper towel to no avail. I struggled to clean the mirror, trying whatever I could, but nothing worked. Later, when my mom came home, she saw the mirror and grounded me for about three weeks. Looking back on the situation, it was definitely a dumb choice...
What did you do over the break?
Prompt Response: Over the break, I went to Louisville to see my grandparents. While I was there I helped clean up around the house a bit and helped cook too. Unfortunately, my grandma is still in a wheelchair without use of her legs but she is starting to move her hands and arms more. Around a day after I arrived, my youngest aunt came. She took charge and got the house looking much better than before and she cooked most of dinner. Another thing I enjoyed were cats my grandparents have been taking care of. For the past two or three years, they have been cats outside that they feed. I think its been around 3 "generations" now and there was a new orange cat with white spots and hazel eyes. I found it sitting at the door quite a few times so I assume it was already somewhat comfortable but anytime I set my hand out with some food, it would sniff for a second then scurry away. Summary: Today, we did vocabulary to ease back into school. Reflection: Nothing special to reflect on,...