Having Kool Koor workshop with our class was an amazing experience that completely changed how I think about art. Learning about his background in the graffiti culture of the Bronx directly influenced the techniques he showed us, like using bold outlines and vibrant, contrasting colors to make letters pop, which comes from the need for street art to be seen quickly. This also connected to his point about different environments impacting art; he explained how creating in a calm studio versus a public street changes the pressure and allows for more detail, which we felt firsthand as we carefully practiced his style in our classroom instead of on a wall. This workshop made me reflect on my own art, and for my future self-portrait, I want to incorporate elements from my own background, like using colors from my favorite places or including patterns from my family’s culture, to express my unique identity in the same way Kool Koor’s art expresses his.
One area where I have achieved significant success is the alien message project. I can teach my alien to use a variety of sentence types. My alien can also use correct sentence structures of simple and complex, etc. I can also successfully identify the different word choices, connotations and denotations. The biggest challenge for me so far in Language Arts is that I sometimes don’t lock in and dive out of my concentration zone. I always come prepared and stay positive in class. So far in the year, we haven’t done any group projects, but I can communicate positively with my classmates when needed.
I think something I am successful at is the Socratic seminar kind of talking is the 2nd unit. I think I am also good at the second unit of inquiry question. I think I know my topic a lot and can talk about it.
The biggest challenge in this class is that I think I can concentrate more and stay dialed in during class time.
I can collaborate with my peer efficiently and also stay positive during collaborative work.
This year, I will develop my critical thinking skills by questioning assumptions, analyzing evidence, and exploring multiple perspectives in science. I’ll practice this by asking “why” and “how” during lessons, not just memorizing facts, and by connecting concepts to real-world problems. During discussions, I’ll challenge ideas respectfully and support my reasoning with data or examples. This will effectively improve my critical thinking skills.
What are you most proud of in this class so far?
In science, something I am really proud of is staying engaged in class and keeping track of my notebook when having class. I also improved my overall 3for 3 scores and stayed persistent when working. I also understand the concepts clearly.
What has been your biggest challenge in this class?
The challenge in this class is to be precise when writing CER’s including using precise language when explaining something.
How have you demonstrated the qualities of an Active Learner — preparing effectively, participating fully, collaborating well, staying positive, and reflecting to improve?
I can collaborate with my peers successfully and always keep a positive attitude.
El Anatsui profoundly influences his audience by masterfully transforming discarded materials, like liquor bottle caps, into breathtaking, large-scale installations that challenge preconceived notions of value and beauty. This act of alchemy forces a re-evaluation of waste and consumption, embedding themes of sustainability and potential within the work itself. Simultaneously, the specific materials evoke complex histories of colonial trade and global exchange, which Anatsui repurposes into a narrative of resilience and cultural continuity, rather than erasure. The immersive, tactile nature of his flowing, mutable tapestries creates a shared sensory experience of awe, compelling viewers to physically engage with the art and contemplate the fluidity of form and history. In this way, he bridges specific African aesthetics with universal themes, ultimately reshaping the audience’s beliefs about art, history, and their own role in finding meaning and beauty in the fragments of the world.
I began this unit unable to sustain a rally, often hitting the ball too hard and off the table. I learned that the key to rallying is a relaxed grip, a soft touch, and focusing on control rather than power. Through consistent drills, I developed a feel for the ball and learned to keep my paddle angled correctly. My serves were just as inconsistent, usually flying long or failing to clear the net. I practiced the basic underhand serve repeatedly, focusing on a gentle swing and making clean contact with the ball. I discovered that a good serve starts with a consistent toss and a smooth, low-to-the-table motion. Now, I can consistently land my serves and engage in extended rallies with control. This progress showed me that precision and technique are the true foundations of table tennis. Mastering these fundamentals made the game much more enjoyable and competitive. I am proud of the muscle memory and skill I built in such a short time.
This project involves a lot of creativity. I included a lot of my hobbies and what I do in everyday life. This cover is very colorful and full of imaginations. The whole theme is colorful and active which matches my personality.
A highlight of the year was the start of the year Masterpiece Alteration. For that project, we recreated a famous artwork. The artwork I chose was Mona Lisa. I recreated her top be a popping and luxurious with all the goods like LV or Hermes earrings.
My game is called the ” Uno Spinner”. It basically is a spinner and a deck of Uno cards except for the action ones (0-4). After spinning the wheel( labeled with 0-4), they will try to get the same color or number as the spinner result.
My partner are Austin and Alex. Mostly we worked smoothly. Except, my partner Austin didn’t really contribute into the project. He also didn’t bring the prizes we assigned to each other.
The thing that went well is when went out one by one to play each other’s games. We always made sure that at least 2 people is at our game to make sure it runs smoothly.
The probability of winning our biggest prize is 0.2%.