Reena's Portfolio

Social Studies Unit 2: Visual Presentation 

January 15, 2026 /

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The task for our final Visual Presentation that was assigned to us in this Unit was to create a physical model in order to represent the technology/transporation that we researched on to demonstrate our learning. On top of this, we also had to create the project independently while also demonstrating our problem solving skills (independently solving issues). After creating the product we were assigned to present to the class about what exactly our project was and some basic information on it, focusing then mainly on the negative and positive impacts of that mode of transportation or technology.

One thing that I did well:

I believe one thing I accomplished pretty well was the fact that I demonstrated 7+ hours worth of work and dedication due to the fact that I not only finished the product at home since I missed a few classes but I also came up with creative visual effects/features, and unique parts of my presentation that came with individuality representing not only my style of work but also the impacts of the technology. For example, the choice of color and the bunches of newspaper all contributed to the resulting effect of “smoke-like” and “dusty” vibes.

One thing I need to improve on:

One thing I need to address and improve on is the preparation and problem-solving independently + working more efficiently and faster. Due to the fact that even the teacher had emphasized on perhaps socializing less with the people around me, working faster, and trying to solve issues on my own more, I believe it is a very crucial problem I need to address in the case I want to gain many exceedings, and most importantly be able to address more realistic issues out in the “real-world”.

L4: Sketchbook Cover Project – Reflection Portfolio

January 15, 2026 /

Process:

Throughout the creation of this project, I followed a sequence that helped in the completion of my cover. Firstly, I had to complete a plan for the cover, and by sketching out 2 copies of what I had in mind, I had clearer vision on the final product, allowing me to choose more cautiously and with precision on what exactly I would create. Then I began thinking of design principles and elements I would incorporate into my work.

Some design principles/elements:

  • Elements – Color, texture, the use of space, form

There is a definite variety of color in my cover project, and the different news papers represent texture as you can feel the rough texture. Also the use of space can be seen from the black areas in my cover, which are like blank areas which allows for the audience to focus on the thought cloud. Form can be seen from the main figure, me, having the thoughts.

  • Principles I used – Contrast, pattern, Emphasis, Movement, Proportion, Variety.

How does this represent me?

The different components including me in the center, and obviously the different hobbies and things in my thought bubble all represent my hobbies and or things I love.

For example, I have books in their representing my love for reading. In addition, I added a sentence saying: “Reading… isn’t for girls?” because I wanted to address a global topic in addition to making my piece personal.

Furthermore, I also have volleyball, my character holding my paintings, AMC8, math, and a small figure in the middle of my thought bubble being “Perfection?” indicating my constant pressure of wanting to be top of all classes and handling the stress that is indirectly or directly given by peers, parents, etc. The different pieces of newspaper with a huge amounts of words on it represents the tons of thinking and worrying that I always experience, and this feels very personal as I believe I’m a very observant and sensitive individual.

Vision Board & Smart Goal Portfolio

January 15, 2026 /

Reflecting back on my goal setting last semester and my vision board I believed was what I would accomplish that semester, I personally would say that I did pretty well in completing my goals to the best I could do. Regarding my SMART Goal, I feel that the goal of having most if not all exceedings in my courses is turning out well. I always reach for exceeding expectations when the opportunity is available and I also make sure to check the rubric (sometimes) for specific instructions. The evidence can be seen in my gradebook on Schoology, as meetings-exceedings vary there, showing my dedication in learning as well as the progress in my goal.

For my Vision Board, I have somewhat completed what’s on there, with having pretty high standard grades, stepping outside my comfort zone, persisting volleyball for a long time, and of course going to New Zealand and Australia. What I think I need to work on is exercising and eating more healthy, and also managing a more disciplined lifestyle. The obstacle that came in the way of me accomplishing my goals was the many toefl tests that I had to prepare and carry out, for my upcoming high school application in America.

Social Studies Unit 2 : Essay

January 13, 2026 /
Reena Qiu – Essay How does technology have an impact on society – 4130646Download

Throughout the process of the completion of my essay, I had multiple steps that added to it’s success. Firstly, I made sure to research and find solid information I could use as evidence in my text regarding negative impacts and positive impacts of my transportation/technology. I looked at trustworthy websites such as Britannica, TFL (because my transportation was the London Underground) etc. Then after annotating all three articles and transferring the information to a graphic organizer to keep me organized I started creating my essay by using a essay helper/organizer. On the essay organizer I wrote each paragraph one by one (not including the introduction and conclusion) and transferred them to the essay document. Then after all 3 paragraphs were consulted with Ms. Sawyer and edited I turned it in for grading and started writing my introduction and conclusion. After I had finished with my introduction and conclusion I pieced all paragraphs together and therefore resulting in my final essay on the London Underground.

One thing I did well in my essay:

Writing with a formal tone, persuasiveness in all paragraphs, and majorly having a very strong reasoning and claim.

One thing I need to improve on:

Reading the rubric and listening to instructions more clearly as I found incorrect evidence, evidence that was not in the correct time range the teacher gave us.

Unit 3 Proportionality and Percentages

January 10, 2026 /

UNIT REFLECTION:

U: What do you understand in this unit?

Throughout this unit, I learned and understood multiple pieces of information that can be crucial and very useful for future purchases at stores, investing, comparing deals at restaurants etc. For example, I learned about the formula for percent change -> Which is change over the original amount. By using this information I can calculate the difference between two values over a period of time, and help understand if its a percent increase or decrease which would then benefit me depending on the situation, such as if it were stocks I would realize that I have lost money/gained money.

N: What new information did you learn in this unit?

New information that I’ve learned in this unit includes different vocabulary and definitions regarding aspects like percent error, when a mistake occurs in an estimation of a value between the actual value and the desired value, expressed as a percent, or interest rates, when I deposit money in a bank account and later on receive the money I’ve deposited and an additional amount of money. Some other new information also includes concepts, like the percent change formula I just mentioned. All of these information helped me in completing my final project for this unit on investing in banks.

I: What was interesting in this unit?

I believe what was interesting in this unit was the different real-life examples that percentages could help with. Such as comparing restaurant deals, or investing in stocks. These real-life examples made me realize and learn more about how math specifically in this unit percentages, and sometimes proportionality, can benefit with actual issues we may face in the future.

T: What was tricky for you in this unit?

Personally, the tricky part for me in this unit would be independent research on the final project. As I was aiming for an exceeding, I had to learn even more about bank investments and savings accounts. The problem here was that accessing information about these accounts and finding the right banks and right place in the website to find information while also creating the PPT was a lot to manage, as I was also preparing for other final assessment/projects in other classes, so doing the final project independently was a tough job to complete and I’m very happy with the final creation I made since it demonstrates my independent research and my knowledge on percentages.

Unit 3 Substance abuse – DECIDE MODEL – Reflection

January 7, 2026 /

#Substanceabuse#gethelpifyouraddicted#kidshelpline#Ihatehashtags#drugs

When making difficult decisions, in this case most often deciding between fitting in with the “cooler” people or valuing your body and your physical health more. By using the step by step DECIDE model, it can help you better identify what consequences would occur fitting to the decision you made, therefore allowing you to have a clear perception of what you should do in that situation.

Our groups situation for the summative project was a scenario regarding “you” at a party with your cooler, more mature cousins and other adults. At this party your offered some small candy-like pouches, where your cousins call “nicotine pouches”. Your curious as your older cousins eat them and they seem cool, so there’s an urge to eat them as well, to become one of the “mature, cool” kids. However, you do realize that these nicotine pouches, from your past school lessons, are highly addictive and dangerous to eat, so your weary about eating it. Then your cousins offer it to you, saying it isn’t dangerous if you only consume it once.

L3 Critical Thinker – Unit 2: Cells and Human Body Systems Portfolio Reflection

December 16, 2025 /

PART 1:

The essential question that I chose to answer was A: What happens inside our bodies when we get sick? In this Unit we learned about the cell organelles, different types of cells, different types of human body systems, and how the human body systems work together. By learning of how different human body systems and cell organelles interact, I have more knowledge that I can use in creating my projects. For example, for the final Cell Model Blind Box Creation and the CER needed to complete as well, I used my previous knowledge about cell organelles (like the functions or structures of the cell organelles) to make a 3D model that fit the description and function of a Leukemia cell, because Leukemia cells have a slightly different function but overall the same functions and shapes as the original normal cell, it required my basic knowledge of cell functions like how the shapes or functions of the rough and smooth ER to compensate. Furthermore, by researching about what happens inside our bodies when we get sick I also learned about how the body is a system of subsystems because the leukemia cells are within the bone marrow, a muscle, and the leukemia cells is a subsystem of a leukemia blast which is another subsystem of the general term for leukemia, cancer.

PART 2:

I thought that the Dissections and the Independent research projects not only helped me learn productively and effectively, but it also allowed me to learn with happiness and excitement as those projects or assignments was hands on and interactive or it allowed me to be in a very calm and relaxed state while completing it (sometimes I don’t like working in very noisy and messy states). The Dissections not only allowed us to work on a hands on experiment and have fun with poking around the model etc. but it also allowed us to collaborate with our groupmates, strengthening our effective collaborator skills and socializing skills. In addition, the individual research organizer/projects allowed for students (especially me) to after many socializing and collaborative tasks to settle down and focus on work that is also crucial in my or others’ overall learning.

PART 3:

If I could improve one aspect of my learning in this unit as a whole it would be aiming for exceeding potentials more. Throughout the body system unit there were a few opportunities I was not able to reach to exceeding, such as the body system research note papers, as I forgot to complete the extra step of additional body system to research. Furthermore, my group in creating the cell analogy also forgot to review the rubrics so we got all requirements checked therefore unfortunately we were not able to reach an exceeding score. However, overall of the entire unit I believe that I did generally successful job and met what my standard was of me learning biology and its different aspects in this unit.

Influencer CRAAP test REFLECTION!

October 30, 2025 /

#CRAAPTEST#Ihatehashtages#Influencersarefake?#HowtotellInfluencersarefake?

I used to think that influencers on social media were more credible according to the amount of views, subscribers, and likes they had. I had assumed that most health videos with actual claims and evidence from different health websites automatically meant they were accurate, since I didn’t dive deep into the actual information, or check the url etc. I decided whether or not to trust advice from social media by the after affects it could possibly do. For example, a video tells me information that could help my skin, but it includes products like a spoon burned on fire, put on your face, then apply ice cold ice cubes to smudge on your skin. This combination (whether or not it’s true) sounds like it’s very possible it will harm my skin instead of helping it, and therefore I would not trust it.

But now I believe that influencers on social media are credible based on their authority and background information. A student who went to law school and has a genuine certificate is more credible on public political information than a random stranger who states “strong opinions” about this topic. I use CRAAP testing to test if the source is credible. By using the CRAAP test I’m much better at identifying if a source can be used for research, or just to trust for health advice. I will approach online health content and wellness influencers with caution but with curiosity, being alert all time that it could be fake content from influencers just trying to get views and product advertisement offers.

In this unit, the CRAAP test of Ashton Hall helped me realize that many influencers on youtube post similar content forms (hooking content that are mostly full of fake lies) therefore I’m able to realize that by using my previous fake health content identifier, it wouldn’t be a good idea.

Regarding these two feedbacks, one states “they like the details in the video that was picked up and how the supporting reasoning are logical and relevant.”, another states they like “the captions are very detailed and they like the editing and the direct claims.” therefore, I should focus on the nice reasoning and evidence, captions as well, improving them and perfecting them.

Social Studies Unit 1: Media Presentation:

October 14, 2025 /

My peer assessment form:

I received feedback to add an element on the side, because I forgot to incorporate an Ad, small features etc. After my partner had told me this, I had rushed to make a QR code. And unfortunately I had to change at the last moment because before, when we were doing this sheet for the first time, I had just transferred from News Report/Fake News V.S Real News to Newspaper, therefore didn’t have most elements that would’ve been assessed by my partner. I also listened to Ms. Sawyers feedback, suggesting I should use Magic School to rewrite my information that I already had from the script for the News Report. And after transferring the information through AI I got a lot of information, which I edited and input into my article.

Feedback on page:

Moreover, my peer assessment partner thought I could “use some more elements to create a slightly more appealing newspaper frontpage”, and therefore I decided to add boxes, such as the interview with Lan and her child, and the bottom box about her son.

One thing I’m proud of/improve on:

One thing I’m proud of of my work for the media summative presentation was the quick and efficient change from the News Report to the Newspaper article. I managed to transfer all the information clearly and concisely into the Newspaper template, and also adding aspects of emotional and strong feelings in the language choice, allowing me to persuade the audience that both sides were suffering drastically during this war.

One thing I think I should work on is developing a better format and template on the News Article because, as my partner stated, it would be even better if I were to add even more elements, making it really look like a formal, realistic article you would see nowadays.

Bias:

I believe bias is when the author or writer of an article, book etc. uses features like strong connotation words, strong emotions in the words and other persuasive features to persuade to something, shaping their perspective.

Pros/Cons of same perspective:

If many people had the same perspective, then it might result in positive and efficient conversations and discussions, and perhaps even making new friends. On the other hand though, it might disapprove diversity, and if suddenly someone has a new perspective, they might get scolded and yelled at for having, supposedly, the wrong idea.

https://saschina-my.sharepoint.com/my?id=%2Fpersonal%2Freena01px2031%5Fsaschina%5Forg%2FDocuments%2F7th%20grade%20Social%20studies%2FUnit%201%29%20Media%20and%20persuasion&viewid=2dbc8a8a%2De502%2D4578%2D867f%2D5a8a4090df26&login_hint=reena01px2031%40saschina%2Eorg

(Link to my newspaper article, the right file name is: Black and white…)

Math Proportional Relationship Unit 1 Reflection:

October 10, 2025 /

Overview:

In this summative, we demonstrated our understandings of proportional relationships and input it onto a project on hosting a party. There were different sections, such as creating the basic information for hosting this party, also calculating the unit costs and managing the food companies that will be associated in the party, and also renting tables/chairs/decorations etc.

What did I understand in this unit (U)?

I understood the relationship between two numbers on a table, a ratio. I also understood when the ratios were fractions and I could find the CoP by dividing the fractions together by multiplying by the first number by the second’s reciprocal.

What new information did you learn in this unit (N)?

In this unit I learned about proportional relationships, which is when ratios have the same CoP (Constant of proportionality), a constant ratio between numbers. Furthermore, we demonstrated this by doing quizzes, exit tickets, homework papers, the final summative etc. We also learned about how to input our knowledge in solving word problems of proportional relationships.

What was interesting in this unit (I)?

What I found interesting about this unit was the input of our learning into word problems and actual real life scenarios, which depicted not only our learning but also our critical thinking and “thinking outside the box” skills.

Challenges (T):

A challenge me and my partner faced during creating the summative project was explaining clearly and concisely, as seen in page 1 we didn’t show what the equation was. Furthermore, on page 2 we also forgot that the CoP isn’t always x/2 instead it could vary and change, such as x/5. It actually should be y/x.

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