Beginning of Semester Reflection

Something I was proud of this semester was my American Icon artist statement. The icon i chose was Eleanor Roosevelt and I was proud of this because I had put a lot of work into making my essay sounds professional and having it connect to the readers. Another reason I feel this was some of my best work was because I think I had accomplished the goal of making myself really connect to my icon and being able to show that through my writing. I feel i accomplished these by managing my time, staying on task, and having my paper critiqued many times. The steps It took to get to my final product was basically a lot of drafts and having it critiqued. I had started off with information on my Icon and then went into how we relate to each other. After a small draft of my writing i went more into depth and had it edited more than once. I then had my pictures taken and photoshoped it so it went more with my writing.
My American Icon Artist Statement

Mt other project that i was proud of was my H2O photo essay. I had done my project on how the water in Ocean Beach affects the Surfers. I was proud of this because i had completed the assignment a week or two before it was due and my pictures came out just the way i wanted them too if not better. The writing portion was also very informative and i thought it was the perfect amount of writing. I accomplished this project because i had stayed on task and i had made sure i got all m y work done before it was due.
Another way i accomplished this was by making myself a schedule and having many different critiques done to my paper.

Caption for the above picture:
Not only is this contaminated water making humans sick, but marine life as well. Plastic bags, bottle caps, cigarette butts, food packaging and other waste ends up choking, poisoning, or blocking the digestive tracts of sea birds and other marine animals who mistake it for food.

He's Not Black

(<--Barack and his Mother)

In this article Arana mentions "Isn't it time for the language to move on?" 

I wouldn't say i fully understand what she means when she uses language in that term, but from what i understand, i think she refers language as to race and the color or your skin. Also something that brought me to my attention was when she says "move on." When i hear this question i picture people trying to look at humans more than the color of their skin. Arana brings up how a student of hers had told her how she is half german but when people look at the color of her skin, they only see an African American girl. So you can say i agree with Arana when she says people need to move on if she's looking at it the way i see it. Just because you may not see someone's religion on the outside doesnt mean you can judge them by the different color of their skin. I do also have a slight disagreement when she says our new president-elect is not black. I, aswell as others know that he is not fully black, but by saying "He's not black" is like telling him he has no black in his blood even though the color of his skin is shown as an African American. I just found her words to be a little too precise and unstable. 

I think that the people of the United States view Obama mostly as our new black president because i believe they want change in our country and think it will do our country some good. I cannot say i dissagree with them because i am all for Obama, but viewing him as a better president just because of his color is not the way to chose our president. I personally liked Obama because of his policies and his great words that he promised this country. I see him as a great leader and someone who can make great changes. 

Thanksgiving

This year i would have say I'm thankful for my grades because i didn't think i could do so well compared to last year, and i have managed to keep them up throughout this year.

Three things I plan on working on over thanksgiving break is taking more pictures in OB, finding out more information about illnesses (take notes), and start at least four or five paragraphs of writing for my pictures.

H2O Project

So far in my project i have discovered some of the different illnesses that our ocean water can cause. I have not really gone into depth in my project yet but i have a good understanding of exactly what i want it to look like.
I'm not really surprised about much, but i do find it to be a lot of work in this amount of time. I do however think i can most defiantly get it done on time if not before.
Although something i was i was a little surprised on was how many rough drafts we have to have before our final product.
My next steps for my project would have to be going down to OB and taking lots of pictures. I would most likely like to go down at sunset because i think that would make the pictures better looking.

H2O Project Examples

For my H2O project i plan on creating a Photo essay of numerous s

urfers, people, and beaches such as OB. 

These are an example of some photo essays that i would like mine t

o look like. 

The topics are just different.

Historic Day

Birmingham and Selma, Alabama witnessed critical moments of the civil rights movement. In the early 1960s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led massive protests in these cities that eventually led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed the widespread discriminatory practices that had for decades prevented African Americans from voting.

 The Specter of History

Congolese government forces man the front lines in eastern Congo, Sunday November 9. The fighting between rebels and the government has left tens of thousands of refugees desperate for international aid. The fighting in eastern Congo is fueled by ethnic hatred left over from the 1994 slaughter of at least 500,000 Tutsis in neighboring Rwanda.

These relate to my project because the picture is so detailed the reader can already tell what the article is going to be about. 

Also i chose these because the writing is short and simple, but still gets the story across.

An Eternal Revolution

"BARACK OBAMA’S victory marks the end of another magnificent chapter in America’s experience of democracy."

For many years in the past blacks as well as women could not vote. That is why Borack Obama's success in this years 2008 election will remain a huge part of America's life. I found that this years election was a huge improvement compared to the earlier days which is mainly what this article talks about.

I think that Americans should really be so proud of themselves becuase this year has brought so many different races together to become one and in the end we ended up with great success and an amazing new president.

Having a black President will make such a huge difference not only in America, but in the world. I find America to be very insperational to other countrys as different as we may be.

Election Reflection and H2O Project

Election Reflection
Throughout this election i have stood by Obama and supported his every; word which is why I was very happy when he had won. Watching his speech and the hearing the crowd brought goosebumps and chills. Something that i found to be very special was not only the fact we have a new black president, but the fact that i am old enough to cherish that night and be apart of this new America.
Some of my hopes for this Country would have to be based on ending the war and bringing home our troops. I think/know that would make so many Americans happy to just have their loved ones come back safe. Another hope of mine would be bringing more money into education and schools. As well as giving teachers a better pay.
As much as i like Obama a concern of mine is that he has a fear of going to war if needed. I don't however wish to ever go to war ever again, but if we were to be attacked I wouldn't want Obama to be afraid of protecting us as much as possible.


Civic Knowledge
I think that I have an okay understanding about the world and where things stand as far as politics, but i can defiantly improve on civic knowledge in general. Something we have done well in this class involving current events would have to be the Blogs that we do every Tuesday and Thursday. The blogs force us to look up different sites and summarize different articles to improve our understanding of the world. Compared to conversations i have had in school and outside of school, outside of school i feel really intelligent with the people i talk to. Not that i don't feel intelligent in school, i just seem to know more than those outside of school, and it feels amazing.

H2O Project
How does the sea water affect the surfers in Ocean Beach?

-Different illnesses that can occur

Interview with doctor (have not yet chosen doctor)

-Interview different surfers around OB and ask their opinion on the water pollution, and if they have had any type of illness.

Photo Essay

November:

Saturday 8th --> Tuesday 11th

*Find a doctor to interview

*Set up appointment for interview

*Plan out questions for doctor and OB surfers

*Take some OB pictures if extra time

Wednesday 12th --> Friday 14th

*Try and interview doctor in that week

*Work on writting for the pictures that have been already taken

Saturday 15th

*Go to OB and interview surfers

*Take (more) Picutures

Monday 17th --> Friday 21st

*Put all Pictures, my writting, quotes etc. together.