My science notebook is a well-organized, carefully created artifact of my learning in science class this school year.
Evidence of Active Learner Habits
I have improved on preparing ahead of time for tests and contributing to discussions in a responsible way, though I could continue improving on putting in time at home to learn science.
This project showed us more about how thoughtful design can turn simpleconcepts like the CNY into more meaningful experiences, and we had a lot offun. What worked well was our team’s commitment to staying true to thesymbolism of CNY and safety—we combined well‑researched Chinese NewYear symbols like the horse and cupcakes, while clearly documenting ourprocess. If I could change one thing, I’d test prototypes earlier and seekmore direct feedback to deepen our understanding. Through the process, Ilearned a lot about creativity, and each detail such as the color of red andgold to the research we did for the stories behind the decoration played a bigrole in the final product. I also gained a better understanding andappreciation for the Chinese New Year culture, learning more about thecelebration and shared meaning that these cupcakes brought to us.
Something I learned in the swimming unit was how to play water polo. I’m in the swim team, so swimming wasn’t a huge problem for me, but because I’m not as good as games that involve balls, it was challenging although quite fun in my opinion.
I still struggle with catching the ball with one hand. I can do it well during passing practices but I struggle with it during the actual game, and it usually leads to a foul, so it is something I could work on if I do water polo again.
This oral is related to the review unit at the start of the year. In this task I was supposed to summarize the story “La Guerre des Jumeaux”, a short story we as a class read. I did this based on a series of photos provided, in which I had to describe each photo in one sentence based on the context in the story. I am in explaining in French the story of the twins who hated each other and often fought because they were different, but bonded after they accidentally lost their dog and worked together to find it. For me it was both easy and challenging because I understood the vocabulary well, but it was a bit hard to summarize without reading anything and only improvising based on pictures.
My pronunciation is pretty good but sometimes I still stutter often. I think that if I practice more, I will be able to be better and clearer at speaking.
This work is part of the unit on World War I. It is to assess understanding on formatting a letter in French, the experiences of the soldiers, new vocabulary, and writing skills. What I needed to do is to collaborate with a partner to select character profiles (one is a French soldier from WWI and the other is their family member) and each of us would write a French letter addressed to the other from our point of views. I chose to present this piece of work because it showcases my writing abilities well and also shows my improvement through learning in this unit.
This is my work:
My teacher gave me an exceeding score but noted that there were a couple grammar mistakes. I think it is quite accurate and I will continue to improve by working on my grammar to avoid making errors next time. Overall, in this unit I learned a lot of vocabulary as well as ways to express emotions, and the way to format and address a letter. I think I can reuse this knowledge in real life if I must write a letter in French or say anything to show how I feel, although I’m not completely confident in using it yet because I haven’t practiced it that much.
One strength I bring to math class is that I assist my friends when they struggle with a concept, meaning I collaborate well with others and is willing to help them with anything they need. Another strength I bring is that I am always prepared for class and on time, with the materials I need and I remind others to be prepared as well, for example writing down the learning target. A third strength I bring is that I am focused in class and make sure to listen carefully to instructions as well as what the teacher is teaching us, so I can make sure I understand the concepts and help others when they need it.
One habit I want to improve this semester is raising my hand and speaking up more, and this is an area of growth for me because I feel that I do not participate as often as I need to during class discussions when the teacher asks the class a question, and it is important for me to contribute more to the class as a whole.
I will work on this habit by making sure and being mindful of the times in which I speak up about my ideas during class, and when I am communicating with my peers during group discussions as well. One specific action I will take is to raise my hand at least once or twice per class if the teacher initiates a class discussion or response to a question.
Math Notation and Communication
At the start of the year:
End of the year:
Over time, my math notebook and organization has shown improvement through the detail that I put into my step-by-step solutions and my drawings, as well as how I explain my reasoning that leads me to the final answer.
This example shows that I understand the transformations of lines and other figures, including rigid motions and dilations. One strength in this work was that I was able to write in detail how I utilized these transformations to result in my final sticker. This work shows growth because it showed how I was able to use mathematical language and notations to explain the process of how I solved a problem.
2. Statistics COL
This examples shows that I understand the concept of statistics and how to distinguish correlation from causation, as well as using new vocabulary. One strength in this work was that I was able to write in detail and explain my understanding of the meanings of functions in context (slope and y-intercept). This work shows growth because it showed my improvement in use of mathematical language as well as new learning from the unit.
Overall, my work shows that I can utilize new vocabulary and understand concepts taught in class, as well as growth in my ability to use mathematical language to explain reasoning.
Our story modeled a real-life situation in which a girl decided to set up a bakery and started with a certain amount of money to build it and acquire ingredients. The story measured the amount of money she spent and earned, as she was able to earn a large amount of money from bakery sales. After a month, she took a break and temporarily closed the bakery – however, someone stole her card and spent all the remaining money.
The part of the project I’m most proud of is the story and the graph I drew, as well as the observation and data my partner and I recorded analyzing the graph, including the range, domain, intervals of increase, decrease, and constant.
However, something I didn’t do well is how I forgot to included the step-by-step work, which deducted points. Next time I will make sure to read the rubric more carefully and add everything in time.
