First Semester RLA Reflection

Over the first semester in Reading Language Arts, I am most proud of how I have developed as a reader by gaining a constant pace of reading and including different ranges of genres. Though, as a reader I do need to improve by keeping track of my note taking, which I will do by writing in my thoughts in my readers note book after a session of reading. As well as, over the course of this semester, as a writer, I am proud of how I have developed a stronger understanding of writing different genres for Back to the Drawing Board. As in previous classes, writing projects would only consist of a genre that was set. For example, factual writing, which never included a wide range of different genres. So, having to do some reading to understand different genres, such as dystopian and poetry. I have been able to incorporate different writing styles into my writing. As well as, I have been able to improve my craft on my writing pieces with the help of given examples and mentor texts to give me a better understanding.

Though next semester, as a writer, I would like to accomplish having a stronger meaning into my writing pieces. As I feel really comfortable with the Back to the Drawing Board writing because it is free writing of any topic or genre, I would like to accomplish by putting more time and effort into class writing. With this, I will be able to gain a stronger understanding of the meaning, which will then lead to me being able to write stronger and more powerful writing pieces. As well as, it would be important to have a better grammar structure into writing pieces.

The most challenging part in RLA this semester was in the unit of our Application Essay. I found this the most challenging project as I haven't had any experience with writing an application essay, as well as I wasn't strongly developed and didn't have a complete understanding of all the important parts that make up an application essay.

Overall, over this past semester I am glad to say that I have improved as a reader, writer, and listener in many different ways, but still have goals I have set to improve even further to grow as a reading language arts student.

Persuasive Speech Reflection

1. What was your favourite part of your speech? Why?

My favourite part of the speech was how with my loud projection of my voice, I didn't use any filler words. As I felt a lot of pressure and nervousness to be the first speaker, I was proud that I kept a clear voice, used pausing/pacing, and had no filler words.

2. What do you hope your audience noticed as you spoke?

During my speech, I hope the audience members noticed my emphasis on some of my words. As in parts of the speech I would starting talking or faster, I hope the pacing wasn't overpowering the use of emphasis on some important words I shared.

3. What do you wish you had more time to fine-tune?'

If I was able to practice and edit this speech more, I would like to have been able to have a clearer projected voice, so some words wouldn't sound so unsure. I would also have liked to put more revising and editing into my speech, so there would be stronger in between sentences from my supporting claim to evidence. As well as, I would have liked to practice and understand my speech more so I could have a stronger connection of eye contact with the audience.

4. How do you feel you grew as a persuasive speaker during this unit of study?

Over this Persuasive Speech Unit, as a speaker I have grown by understanding more of additions that provide to an important speech. Including, hand gestures, pacing, tone, and the use of counterarguments to power a speech. As before this unit, I was uncomfortable with persuasive speeches as I haven't had a lot of experience with them, I grew to be more comfortable with greater understanding of them.

Documentary Analysis

1. The film uses shots such as the Ken Burn Effect. It puts an impact on the film by seeing more and having a closer focus about what the subject is itself.

2. The film uses mostly indirect interviews of the Trainers. It helps tell the subjects story by giving the witness perspective, and stories from those who have experience who knew if there were suspicions and lying going on about the cases. Therefore, it puts a stronger telling impact on the subject.

3. Blackfish uses many hand footage(Film Footage) to show the event leading up to an accident, the areas and captivity the whales were kept in, training sessions/shows, and how the whales acted. The hand footage is helpful because it gives a lot of examples and imagery of the situation. They also have the use of showing Sea World commercials and News Casts (Archival Footage) to emphasise the lying of the people from Sea World that they give an innocent and good reputation.

4. Blackfish uses different types of soundtrack in the film to set/emphasise the mood. Also, ambient sounds are used during scenes when the sound was made, such as the splash of a diver or whale flipping into the pool, so the ambient sounds can give an idea of the setting and whats going on. Overall, most of the music and ambient sounds were used as emotion emphasis on the documentary.

5. My overall thoughts on Blackfish is it puts a lot of questioning on the viewers toward sea park owners as you could see how many accidents and events there are, but aren't told. As well as, the lying that is brought, just to not ruin their reputation and industry. Other individuals should watch it because it is a very interesting story and is a great film to understand what goes beyond the shows and controversy in sea parks.

Personal Choice Nutrition Video

Bill of Rights II

Need to Knows for Test:

First Amendment = Five Freedoms (RASPP)

1. Freedom of Assembly

2. Freedom of Speech

3. Freedom of Religion

4. Freedom of Petition

5. Freedom of Press

Second Amendment = Double Barreled Guns

Fourth Amendment = Search Warrant

• Grant to do a search and surveilence

Fifth Amendment = Plead the 5th/ No Double Jeopardy

• Rights for somebody who is going to be or is arrested
• Can't be put in the same trial twice

Sixth Amendment = Speedy Trial

• Can't keep in jail while waiting for a trail
• Be brought before judge to have a case within a time

Eighth Amendment = No Cruel or Unusual Punishment

• Need to follow judging guidlines

Responding to an Essential Question

1. Intro.
1. Present Historical Context
2. CLEARLY Present Claim (Restate the Question)
3. BRIEFLY present three ideas to be discussed
1. DO NOT PRESENT DETAILS, FACTS, or DATES
2. Idea 1
1. Topic Sentence
2. Evidence

3. Idea 2

1. Topic Sentence
2. Evidence

4. Idea 3

1. Topic Sentence
2. Evidence

5. Conclusion

1. Lesson or big Idea related to the claim
2. Restate the claim in a new way

Question #1:

How can citizens and groups participate effectively in the democratic process?  (Think about the Bill of Rights and the voting rights for individuals vs. representatives)

Citizens and groups participate effectively in the democratic process in the United States of America.

Question #2:

How is the Constitution interpreted in different ways, and how has that played out over the course of U.S. history? (Think about the Bill of Rights, the 27 amendments to the Constitution, and Supreme Court decisions.)

Question #3:

Discuss three parts of the preamble to the US Constitution.  Be sure to include a discussion of the meaning of each part and provide examples.

Bill of Rights Presentations

1. Freedom of the Press

• Allows citizens the right and freedom to publicise writing regardless of content

2. Freedom of Speech

• Adults believe that having a freedom of speech is important but students should have regulations and limited amount of speech
• To be able to express and say whatever one wants to say

3. Freedom of Assembly

• Bankers on Wall Street received bailout money from tax payers during time of bankruptcy
• Tax payers occupied street to protest
• Freedom to assemble and protest

4. Freedom to Petition

• Tells 

5. Freedom of Religion

• Freedom to hold as many religions and beliefs
• Muslims in United States are being disrespected and US citizens believe they should be under surveillance and kept a close eye on which the Muslims believe will invade their privacy.