Christina's Portfolio

Math U3 Reflection

January 8, 2026 /

U-What do you understand about the topic?

I understood the concepts of this unit, proportion & percentages, and how to apply them into real-world situations (such as taxes and tips).

N-What new information did you learn?

I learned the idea of percent change and simple interest. Percent change is the amount increased/decreased as a percentage of the whole. Simple interest is usually used in banking and is a straightforward method to calculate interest only on the original principal amount of a loan or investment.

I-What is interesting about the unit?’

I found it interesting how percentages are so important in our lives. Whether it is to find your total after tipping 20% or the markup rate of our schools popular iced tea.

T-What was tricky for you?

I found it quite tricky at the start of the unit when I was still unfamiliar with the vocabulary and definition of new concepts, such as percent change and simple interest.

Unit 3 Summary SheetDownload

Social Studies Unit 2 Reflection: Essay

January 8, 2026 /

How does technology have an impact on societies?

In this unit, we explored how different kinds of technology affect society. After reading reliable articles and researching our topics in depth, we each wrote an essay explaining the influence our chosen technology has on the public.

For my project, I focused on e‑scooters (a.k.a. e‑mopeds). Since I live in downtown Shanghai, I see them every day. They’re everywhere, and they affect people’s lives in all kinds of ways. Sometimes they cause traffic accidents or block sidewalks, but they also make deliveries incredibly fast and convenient. Because they have both big advantages and big drawbacks, I thought they were an interesting technology to study, especially when connecting to the “impact” on large communities.

As part of our final project, we turned our article notes into a graphic organizer. This helped me sort out my ideas and made it easier to write my final essay. While writing, I also practiced using CERL (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, Link) paragraphs, which is a really helpful structure for organizing information clearly.

My essay ended up going well as I scored a 20/20, but there are still things I can improve. Some of my quotes were too long, which made the paragraphs feel a bit heavy. Next time, I want to choose shorter, more focused evidence so the writing flows better or paraphrase using my own words.

Overall, this project helped me understand my topic more deeply and also strengthened my formal writing skills. It showed me how technology can shape everyday life in ways we don’t always notice, and how important it is to explain those impacts clearly.

Christina Li – Essay How does technology have an impact on society – 4130681Download

Social Studies U2: Visual Presentation

January 8, 2026 /

This unit we researched the impacts of technology on society. I decided to make a card game about e-scooters. I chose this topic because I was surprised by how e-scooters can be both a disturbance and a convenience. They often cause traffic problems, but at the same time they give people in the city super-fast delivery speeds. Also, I’ve always enjoyed playing board and card games, and I think they can teach important lessons even though they look simple. That’s why I thought a card game would be a fun way to engage and educate players.

The process of making the game wasn’t completely smooth. I had to design all the details of the cards from scratch and figure out how to make the game both fun and informative. Even after printing the final design, the work didn’t stop. While presenting to parents and other students, I noticed parts that felt confusing or boring, so I made changes right on the spot.

This project was a unique way to expand our understanding of the unit. I learned that nothing is ever truly “finished.” There are always ways to improve or add to something, even if it’s already published or well known.

Screenshot 2026-01-08 at 14.55.26Download

Collaboration Reflection (Language Arts)

January 6, 2026 /

Effective Collaboration Self-Reflection:

Effective collaboration is the ability to work respectfully and efficiently with a wide range of people. I make a consistent effort to listen carefully to others and offer my own perspective, because understanding different viewpoints helps a group or team move forward more effectively. This approach allows discussions to stay focused and productive rather than competitive or tense. However, I also recognize when an idea I’m offering is important or correct, and I make sure it isn’t overlooked simply because I’m being polite or quiet. Overall, I aim to be a dependable and consistent collaborator who helps maintain a respectful working environment while making sure the tasks are completed carefully and accurately.

In the Dystopian story project, my partners Jessica & Reika and I split up the tasks, organized our thinking, and took consideration of other people’s ideas. We wrote down everyone’s ideas and combined them to form a whole story plot, making the process extremely efficient.

Effective collaboration is extremely important for successful teamwork. When people listen to each other and share responsibilities, the group gets more done and the final result is better than if one person tried to do it alone.

Language Arts U2 Summative Reflections

December 20, 2025 /

CERER (Part 1):

For the first part of our unit two summative, we each wrote a CERER (claim, evidence, reasoning, evidence, reasoning) paragraph addressing the conflict in the short story “Ponies.” I earned a 4 on my claim, evidence, and reasoning, which demonstrates a deep understanding of the different dystopian features and writing techniques we learned this unit. Regrettably, I received a 3 (later changed to 3.5) on conventions because I didn’t include a leading sentence and went straight into the quote. Despite the error, I still improved a lot from my previous formatives, using the feedback given to enhance my writing skills. I am also well aware of the mistake I made on the summative and can easily fix it next time.

Outline (Part 2): For the second part of our summative, we were required to write an outline of our dystopian story, including analyzation of round and dynamic characters. I earned a meeting (3), which means I met the basic expectations of the task, but could’ve worked better on it. One part I need to improve on is explaining round and dynamic characters more thoroughly. When I first worked on it, I struggled to find adequate characteristics due to the lack of planning on my story. I eventually chose two, but realized afterwards that they weren’t the best traits to mention and I could’ve emphasized how they affected the character more. Adding more detail would have made my outline stronger and more insightful.

Christina Li – L4 – U2 Summative Parts I II – RoundDynamic Characters – 4130681Download

Presentation (Part 3): For the presentation, I was very close to reaching an “exceeding” (4), but still haven’t met all the criteria. At the beginning, I felt confident and clear about what I wanted to say. However, in the middle of the presentation, I started to panic and had to rely on my note cards more than I planned. This interruption affected my flow and made me lose some of the confidence I had at the start. I think this happened because I didn’t practice enough times beforehand. With more rehearsal, I may have delivered my ideas more smoothly and reached the next level.

Science Unit 2 Reflection

December 16, 2025 /

How do our body systems work together when we play our favorite sport?

In this unit, we explored the different parts and functions of organelles in both animal and plant cells. For our final project, we created a “blind box” that included a model and an explanation showing how a specific organelle supports either a sport or a sickness connected to one of our essential questions. I chose to model the mitochondria, an organelle that plays a crucial role in long‑distance running.

This unit also connected to our previous study of body systems. Long‑distance running depends on the cooperation of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Together, they bring oxygen into the body, transport it through the bloodstream, and deliver it to cells. After oxygen enters a cell through the cell membrane, it moves through the cytoplasm to reach the mitochondria, one of the key organelles involved, where ATP (energy) is produced. This energy powers the body and helps build stamina.

This project helped me deepen my understanding on the parts of a cell and how the organelles work together with the body systems. It also clarified the role and purpose of each organelle, especially since I haven’t learned them before.

Math U2 Reflection

December 15, 2025 /

U-What do you understand about the topic?

I understand the concept of scaled copies and how to determine the scale factor between two figures. I also know how to use the scale factor to calculate corresponding side lengths in a scaled copy, making it easier to compare and create proportional shapes.

N-What new information did you learn?

In this unit, I learned about how perimeter and area change when a figure is scaled, and how to find the surface area of a shape based on the scale factor.

I-What is interesting about the unit?’

I found it interesting that scaled copies connect directly to the idea of similar shapes, especially the familiar concept of similar triangles. It was cool to see how these ideas fit together and how scaling is used to prove similarity.

T-What was tricky for you?

The most challenging part was understanding how the areas of two similar shapes relate to the scale factor. It took some time to understand how the side length of a shape connects to a scaled copy’s area.

Unit 2 Summary SheetDownload

DT Unit 1&2 Reflection

December 11, 2025 /

Unit 1: Clock (Laser Cutting)

In this project, we were each assigned a different client and created a clock based on their requirements and specifications. Initially, I thought the project would be simple. However, once I started designing in Inkscape, I realized how complex it was. The drawing was intricate, and the bitmap tracing tool didn’t capture it well. Spray painting was also frustrating—it was hard to mask and paint the tiny details without smudging. Despite the challenges, the project was a valuable learning experience. It taught me to adapt and find alternative solutions when things didn’t go as planned.

Unit 2: RC car (3D Printing & Laser Cut)

For this unit, we built a pre-designed remote‑controlled car using laser‑cut wood and 3D‑printed parts. After assembling the basic model, we redesigned certain components based on our own interests. For example, I created a cat‑inspired top cover and laser‑cut it. Some other students redesigned the remote‑control box or added features like a front bumper. Through this project, I learned how to use Onshape, an advanced 3D design platform, to create parts suitable for both laser cutting and 3D printing. It also helped me strengthen my overall building and design skills.

ELA Unit 2 Formative #2 (CERER-Dystopian Characteristics)

November 24, 2025 /

What are you proud of?

I am proud of writing a claim and finding evidence that are relevant to the story and identifies a dystopian characteristic in “Harrison Bergeron”.

What were some challenges for you?

It was challenging for me to write a reasoning for my second evidence since there wasn’t much to reason of the quote, so I had to repeat the paragraph in different words, trying to explain it. Another problem was MLA formatting issues; I wrote 2 periods in my evidence and placed a comma between the author name and page number for the citation (e.g. (Vonnegut, 2) instead of (Vonnegut 2)).

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

I would pay more attention to the MLA citation formats and choose a different second evidence that contains more information to explain and reason of.

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

I will work on the MLA citation bot on Flint every week to improve my awareness of the special punctuation when citing evidence in a CERER paragraph.

What advice would you give yourself moving forward?

Ask questions during class and pay more attention to details.

Math U1 Reflection

October 15, 2025 /

U-What do you understand about the topic?

To interpret if two sets of numbers are proportional, list them in a table or plot them on a graph. On the table, you can see if they are multiples of each other by trying out numbers. Or on the graph, see if they form a line that passes by the point (0,0) if you extend it indefinitely.

N-What new information did you learn?

I learned what “COP (Constant of Proportionality” means and how to calculate them. The COP can be solved for by dividing the ‘y’ term by the ‘x’ term (under the condition that the numbers are proportional).

I-What is interesting about the unit?’

In the end-of-unit project, we created a “pretend/fake party” where we had to use our understanding of proportionality in planning a party. I also realized the connection between the COP and slopes; both are y/x.

T-What was tricky for you?

I didn’t understand what some specific vocabulary meant at the start of the unit; for example “COP”, in which I thought was another word for slope (partially true).

Unit 1 Proportional Relationships ReflectionDownload
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