Alina's Portfolio

Art Sketchbook Cover Reflection

January 15, 2026 / Alina

This is our art sketchbook cover. We had to create a sketchbook that artistically represented our identity. In my cover, I used multiple symbols and artistic techniques, with a particular emphasis on the sky, which is the main symbol of growth. I did this by making the sky pretty cluttered so it looked amusing to the eye, and having a pathway leading to it. Additionally, I use contrast through the shapes on my cover and also through color on my background. Furthermore, I attempted to use rhythm, using a road to direct the eye, and repeating items in my background. Even though they aren’t the same items, the technique of filling the background with small items repeats.

The sketchbook expresses my identity in various ways. This includes the elements shown; the ocean is the beginning of my life when I was a child. There is an iPad, a bed, and a figure faded in the ocean. The iPad represents how I was disconnected from the world, spending most of my time online, with the bed representing my “safe space” where I felt like I could be free on my iPad. Moreover, the figure represents me, me alone, not having many friends, spending lots of time alone. Alone at home, alone in my compound, and overall just alone.
(I still had friends, but didn’t hang out with them much other than at school, or they moved.) In addition, the road represents the path of growth, with the bridge representing facing my fears (taking a jump). The mountains represent obstacles, having bad days (going down), and good days (going up). The indian flag represents my cultural identity. Flower represents me growing, while still having space to grow. The bird represents me soaring, as I found my building blocks in life and have the power to “fly” now. The stickman/figures represent my friends, who stuck with me the whole time. Last, the background, a sunset, represents my and my dad’s relationship, the one thing that influenced my growth, where my dad and I used to always watch the sunrise/sunset every morning, where we always reflected on our days and created goals. Ultimately, my sketchbook cover has a deep sentimental value, showing my growth since I was a kid and how it has influenced me now.

Math Reflection Unit 3

January 8, 2026 / Alina

What I understand:

A few things I understand about this unit is converting percentages, applying percentages to real life situations and using percentage equations. Over the unit I have been able to dive deeper into these topics and overall get a more in-depth understanding allowing me to have sophisticated explanations of how to use percentages not only in math but real life.

What new information do you have:

Some new information I have gained includes applying percentages to MORE real life scenarios and being able to explain the process of solving for percentages well.

What is Interesting:

A few interesting aspects of the unit include the word problems given in class or even tests. This is because the scenarios are often weird or even funny at times. It makes applying percentages much more interesting and sometimes even easier.

What was tricky:

At the beginning of the unit something that was difficult was explanations. For instance, having to explain why I did specific steps and how it helped easier solve the problems.

Me as a Collaborator

January 7, 2026 / Alina

How would another student describe your collaboration in class?

I believe another student would describe me as helpful and as a person who expresses ideas. For instance, when I am in group discussions, I am always providing ideas for the task at hand and helping out people who are confused or struggling.

What will you do to improve starting in January?

I could try and ask more questions for clarity during group discussions. For example, if I ever need more details/clarity on an idea from someone else, I could ask for it.

Ultimately, as a collaborator, I would give myself an exceeding grade. I was able to consistently work efficiently with my peers. Furthermore, I would always participate in group discussions and help my peers if they were struggling. Overall, I believe this all adds up to an exceeding grade.

Social Studies Unit 2: Essay

January 5, 2026 / Alina

To write my essay, I began by researching helicopters and identifying which societies I would be focusing on; in my case, it was global societies. Subsequently, I started writing my claim and planning the structure of my essay, such as planning the quotes I would use, planning the reasoning, etc. This ensures flow when writing the final draft of my argumentative essay. Consequently, I was able to write my essay without many problems.

One thing I believe I did well, and am proud of, is my ability to write insightful and detailed reasoning. This builds persuasiveness, a deeper analysis of the evidence, and overall adds depth and flow to my essay; it’s able to make the reader explore more than just the obvious,

Something I can improve on is the complexity of my conclusion and introduction. I would like to go beyond what I have done in my essay, where I stated the obvious and didn’t allow for a more in-depth analysis/explanation of what I had written in my essay, missing key factors of the essay as a whole.

U2 Summatives Pitch, CERER, and Outline

January 5, 2026 / Alina

How do you think your summative compared to your formatives?

I performed comparatively well in my formative to summative assessments. I was able to go from approachings in my formatives to getting exceedings in my summatives. This change was significant, with lots of growth shown.

What are you proud of?

I am pretty proud of my summatives. I was able to achieve 4’s on all of them through hard work, reflection, and studying using the bots. I was able to enter the summatives with a deep understanding of the topics, such as round and dynamic characteristics, etc.

What were some challenges for you?

A few challenges for me during the unit were my reasoning. This is because, before the summative, I never went in-depth explaining the how and why for my reasoning. I always re-stated my evidence and slightly touched on the how and why, but it wasn’t sophisticated enough, leading to a worse grade for the formative.

How effectively did you use feedback (both from peers and teachers)

I believe I was very effective in using the feedback given. I received a lot of feedback on various formative assessments, including suggestions to incorporate more sophisticated language, improve conventions, and expand on the how and why. Due to all this feedback, I was able to use it and do much better in my summatives.

What advice would you give yourself for unit 3?

I would advise myself to focus during class and make sure to ask questions. This is because in unit 2, I wasn’t asking any questions at the beginning of the unit, and only started to now.

If you could redo the summative assessment, what changes would you make?

I wouldn’t make any changes, as I was able to receive 4’s for all of them.

Goal

My overall goal for semester two is to ask questions and to always try my best, getting the best grade I can receive.

Unit 2 Formative #2 (CERER- Dystopian Characteristics)

December 16, 2025 / Alina

What are you proud of?

I am proud of being able to identify a level meeting undertsanding of evidence. I was able to support my claim with the evidnce with an attempt to reason it.

What were some challenges for you?

A few challenges included conventions, reasoning, and creating a good claim. To elaborate, my reasoning didn’t answer the main questions, “How” and “Why,” which continue to be a challenge for me. Furthermore, I wasn’t focused on conventions and fully didn’t write them, resulting in a lower grade

If you were to redo the assessment, what changes would you make?

If I were to redo the assessment, I would make a few changes. To begin, I would pay closer attention to the rubric, making sure I read it. Additionally, I would make sure to answer the how and why in my reasoning, understand the dystopian characteristics, and review and use correct citation techniques.

What will you do between now and the summative to ensure you meet standards?

I will make sure to use the CER bot and the conventions bot, ensuring I ask for clarification during class.

What advice would you give yourself moving forward?

I would give myself the advice to always try, work hard, and make sure i’m always understanding the unit and that it’s okay to ask questions.

P.E Table Tennis Reflection

December 16, 2025 / Alina

In P.E, we learned multiple skills to use during table tennis games, which include serves, receiving, and the main idea we aimed to understand was how the speed and/or trajectory of the shot is based on the location of the object in relation to the target.

In this unit, I believe I did okay. I was able to get a 3, which is a meeting, which allowed me to practice my skills, and reach for improvement.

DECIDE Reflection

December 12, 2025 / Alina

The decision model helps people make complicated, hard decisions. Through its format, you’re able to explore deep within you to see which decision is better for you and everyone else. It ensures your values are followed, and you can explore all options.

D (Define the problem)

The first step of the model is to recognize and explain your problem, so you have an understanding. My group and I did this step, where we created. A scenario in which friends offered an underage drinker alcohol at a party.

E (Explore your options)

The second step allows you to understand all your options so you can choose the best options and understand them.

C (Consider the consequences)

This step allows you to understand what will happen for each decision so you can see which one fits you the best.

I (Identify your values)

This step ensures you are following your values, rules, and boundaries. It ensures you are thinking about yourself.

D (Decide what to do)

This is one of the concluding steps where you make the decison coming face to face with the problem at hand.

E (Evaluate your decsions)

This allows you to reflect on what decision you have made, seeing if it was the best or if you can improve next time.

Math Unit 2: Proportionality and Scale Drawings

December 1, 2025 / Alina

I believe I have a solid understanding of the key concepts of this unit, including scale factor, graphing, etc. Additionally, I am able to apply the formulas learned throughout the unit to a variety of problems.

Some new concepts learned were specifically related to the scale factor for area, including how to apply it and how to use it to further help find the scale factor, etc.

Some interesting things about the unit were the ways we were taught. For instance, we were taught through collaboration, like physical games, collaborative papers, etc. Moreover, we applied the concepts learned in to a running game, which was a way for us to collaborate and further strengthen our understanding.

Something difficult for me is paying attention to the questions given and checking my work when solving. This means that when I am given questions, I don’t read the questions fully in depth; I just skim over them, causing more errors. Furthermore, I tend to make mistakes when I am substituting numbers, etc. This means that when I am solving a problem, I usually make “dumb” mistakes, and then I don’t check my work, causing me to get problems wrong.

P.E Soccer Reflection

November 25, 2025 / Alina

In this unit, we practiced and played soccer for 6 units. This included passing, dribbling, shooting, and moving into open space during the game. I believe I did descent during this unit. I was able to meet standards for each criterion and play good games, working well with my team.