Ancient Egypt iMovie Reflection

Ancient Egypt was a great civilization and thrived for thousands of years. They enabled various opportunities that we have today. Ancient Egyptian civilization was built on strong foundation. They flourished under the able rule of their pharaohs. Through the process of making our iMovies we were able to learn about how these rulers were able to lead Egypt to success or failure. I, and my partner, Nick, had the lucky experience of doing our iMovie on the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, Cleopatra XIV. We were able to appreciate what accomplishments Cleopatra achieved and when and how she affected Egyptian history when she reigned.

Throughout her reign, Cleopatra constructed various monuments, like other pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. But why did pharaohs, much like Cleopatra, create these? Probably, because they wanted to leave an imprint on history, or showcase their superiority and resemblance to different Egyptian gods through their monuments. Cleopatra in particular used monuments to display that she was the reincarnation of Isis, the Ancient Egyptian mother goddess, and created several monuments depicting her as Isis. Other pharaohs have tried a similar strategy to gain their subjects' trust and adoration. Some of the monuments may have been made to praise and applaud a pharaoh, by putting them up high on the pedestal and their egocentric attitude can be helpful for convincing the people they are great. Numerous constructions could also be built to represent the benchmarks and important events of history. Multiple monuments were created for religious purposes. Any monument makes an impact on the people living in the same society.

In our current society we have similar monuments that were made for similar purposes. The monuments today are iconic for the city or country of its birth. Famous constructions such as the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Sidney Opera House, the KL Twin Towers, Statue of Liberty and endless others represent their city for one reason or another. These constructions are known across the world and have made the city of where they are located popular and recognizable. Even though some of the structures that were built long ago were for purposes of religion, protection, or any other reasons, they have been maintained for the main motive of being renowned and drawing tourists and investors. People look up at these constructions and immediately know where they are from and their story, proud of their city or country's accomplishments.

The Taj Mahal, India

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taj_Mahal_in_March_2004.jpg

The Statue of Liberty, U.S.A

http://wirednewyork.com/landmarks/liberty/

The Great Wall of China, China

http://www.crystalinks.com/chinawall.html

The Sidney Opera House, Australia

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sydney_Opera_House_Sails_edit02.jpg

Using Google Docs definitely aided us in our collaborated process of finishing this assignment. We were able to both complete our project, piece by piece, together establishing success. If the need arises, we could communicate from our houses and discuss on the Google Doc itself, about what information we could add. Knowing that someone else could check over your work, through the Google Doc, gave me a sense of comfort, for I had someone to lean on when I needed assistance. The Google Doc guaranteed a less mass of work to do. We were able to organize our work schedule and have a specific person to a do a section of the project, while the other worked on something else. It was nice to see that our notes and script on Google Docs benefited our project and that Google Docs was a reliable support for any collaboration assignment.

This assignment, though based on a single pharaoh, gave us an insight on what all pharaohs strove for or what drove them to their fall. We were able to examine how an excellent society had control and comfort in their midst, by learning about the leaders of that society. Also, we could redirect this information on stable or instable civilizations and compare them to others, knowing what makes a developed community. We identified how the pharaohs' war plans, tactics, influence, relationship with others, and leadership affected a civilization, immensely.

The challenging part of this assignment, for us, was distributing the work load, even with the aid of Google Docs, for though you can communicate through the document, it does not always ensure the carrying out of what you discuss, because that depends on your partner. In any collaboration communication is key, but I think that my partnership lacked this. We did not fully discuss what we were supposed to do and worked independently for the first half of the assignment. Although, along the way we learned to depend on each other for the completion of this project and I gained a trust for my partner to be able to finish what was needed. So, this assignment proved a learning experience and strengthened my skills in group work activities.

There were a few school-wide learning results that would apply to this type of project such as Collaborate Constructively and Communicate Effectively. These two were essential in my partnership and I think if you established this while working on your project, you would do well. Both of these key SLR's are important to the contribution of work and organization of your project. If you communicate effectively with your partner, then you have a better idea of what you are going to do and how the project is going to be done. Collaborating constructively and using your time wisely will assist you in the challenging process of finishing the project. I think having these two SLR'S are necessary for this project.

This iMovie was an excellent experience and I was able to learn so much about Ancient Egypt, one of the greatest civilizations of all time.

Here is our (my partner and I) iMovie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad4IyVAUnrE

We graded our own iMovie, including 4 others. Check it out-

Sunskruthi and Nick's iMovie Rubric

My Reflection On My City Connection

The City of Bengaluru

http://www.oyunlab.com/5-City-resimleri/liste-320.html

Bengaluru is a well-developed city in the state of Karnataka and is a leading IT exporter. The population being more than 5,000,000 and the average age being 26, the people of Bengaluru have certainly aided their city in it enormous growth over the past few decades. Environmental factors have also played a role in the establishment of Bangalore and historical factors of the past have definitely influenced the present. Throughout the years I have seen Bengaluru's fast changes in society and this made me wonder how a place can develop at a rapid rate in the right direction and how it reflected in people's lives. Bengaluru is a familiar city to me, as my parents are from there. I wanted to understand these developments and how Bengaluru became so global. These were the multiple reasons I chose to do my City Connection project on Bengaluru; it was a haven of new interesting knowledge that I never knew before. Several of my questions were already answered at the beginning of my research, but my study of Bengaluru also raised additional questions to ponder over. The final product of my City Connection is a success and it is now time to reflect upon my work.

1. What do you believe you did well on the project?

I believe I worked hard on my presentation and the final presentation was quite informative. I shed light on the environmental and historical factors of Bengaluru and I shared statistics that would spark interest for the audience. The pictures of my presentation enhanced and made the presentation attractive for others to see. Also, the slide design and font color of the text were pleasing to the eyes. My presentation had all the needed criteria. Though, my presentation was a rewarding accomplishment, improvement was welcomed.

2. What would you improve for future projects/presentations?

I think that my actual presentation in front of the class was okay, but could be better. Due to my nervousness, I skipped some of my information and was in a hurry to finish up. Now looking back there was no reason to stress or be nervous, for everyone was going to present. Next time I should not be tensed, because when I feel under intense pressure I usually blank out. I could have practiced more and memorized a little of the content or used notecards, instead of reading off the presentation, which withdrew my eye contact with the viewers and made my voice bounce off the wall, when it should have been directed to the listeners. I should have spoken in a louder voice and maybe even have used a bit of tone and facial expression, so my presentation would be exciting. My main goal of improvement should be focused on my presentation skills.

3. What did you learn from you preparation (for your presentation) in addition to the presentation of others?

This whole project was to learn more about the place where you or your classmates call home and I did just that. I never knew the history of Bengaluru and did not think of finding out about it, but this presentation drove me to do this. The history of Bengaluru appealed to me and I am glad that I was able attain so much knowledge of it. The advancement of Bengaluru which was once a small place, but now a major city housing most international fortune and more than 500 successful companies, was riveting to read about. Bengaluru presence in the global economy proved to be something worthwhile to know. I was able to learn of the environmental resources in Bengaluru, such as the Vrishabhavathi, a minor tributary of the Arkavathi River, which I had seen before. My understanding of how education and liberalization can affect the people and their country was elevated. I was amazed at how many of us are from two or three places and this project gave me the opportunity to discover more about these places.

4. What is your analysis of your performance?

My performance was good, although my presentation skills could be better. I think the product matters more than the presenting itself, for it displays the learning of the people who are not the greatest presenters. My presentation contained everything that was supposed to be included and had intriguing graphics. Since I worked immensely hard on this presentation the achieved project was quite nice. Overall, I think my performance was well done.

To see my presentation click on this-

Sunskruthi's Bengaluru Presentation

New Year Resolutions and My Christmas Break

1. Write 2 resolutions and goals for the coming year ~ Be sure to include rationale/ explanations to support your ideas.

New year resolutions are made when a person looks back on previous years and wants to change their lifestyle and habits for the better. People must keep to their word and carry out their resolutions throughout the new year. I tend to break my resolutions quickly when they are small changes to my lifestyle, but when they are important I do try my hardest to fulfill my goals. The problem is I do not make important resolutions any more, so this year I made two resolutions that I think I should complete, because these resolutions will prove useful in the future.

My first resolution is to spend more time with my dog. My dog is more like my brother and he is close to me, because I grew up with him. I do not know why, but something about animals makes me happier and I think they have the same effect on other people, too. Spending time with my dog strengthens my bond with him and also makes me cheerful, but these days I do not have enough time to play with him, because I have loads of work and other jobs to finish. My mom often reminds how important it is to play with him, because he is quite lonely. I am going to fulfill this resolution by playing catch with my dog, taking him on long walks, talking to him, and making sure he feels appreciated and loved. This year I am going to accomplish this for not only me, but also for my dog.

The second resolution that I have set for myself this new year is to enhance a life of an under-privileged. This is usually the goal of my family and I and we have strongly beliefs in it, because there are so many lives that are less fortunate and every child has a right to a bright future. People that are in needy situations require our assistance. I am going to carry out this resolution by sponsoring a child and paying for the child's health benefits using programs such as this one: Sparsh Vachana. This group works in helping children with physical disabilities. For more information go to this site:

http://www.sparshvachana.com/vachana/Default.aspx

Everyone has a right to health, food, and shelter and it is the responsibility of the people of the entire world to help each other for we are all one people, one family. And a family rejoices in success together, but also face problems together.

2. Write a snapshot from your holidays.

The Arabian desert in Dubai was an ocean of golden sand that seemed to stretch endlessly into the horizon. We bounced on our seats in our car and screamed as we slid across hills of sand and rocketed to the tourist spot that included dune buggies to ride. Skidding to a halt, we held on tight to our seat belts and gazed outside. The sun was moving down in the pink and yellow colored sky, as the land welcomed dusk. When we were finally able to take our eyes off the beautiful sky, we were once more interested by what we saw. People were riding dune buggies in a large patch of sunlit sand. The bikers were wearing huge grins and were having the time of their lives.

We trudged in the heavy sand to the man in charge of the dune buggies and my brother and I hopped upon a dune buggy as my parents paid the man. The engine whirred as we started it up and I beamed. The tires that were specially used for riding across sand rotated as we began our journey across the restricted circle of sand that we were to ride around. I felt the wind in my face and my heart pumping rapidly. We traveled across the sand quickly and I could tell my brother, who was driving the vehicle, was making it go too fast for I was literally falling out of my seat. I gripped my seat cushion, in hopes that my hold was strong enough to save me from toppling on the the ground. Luckily, the dune buggy-man indicated my brother to slow down. The rest of the ride was a breeze and relaxing yet exhilarating at the same time. The dune buggy stopped abruptly in its fourth or fifth round of the sand-circle as the man told us our time was up.

This ride was short and only lasted about 40 minutes, but in my mind minutes were hours, so it will always be a thrilling and memorable experience to share.

My dune buggy ride on the sand dunes.

Semester 1 Reflection Zeitgeist

This is my reflection of my first semester of 6th grade. This year has been AMAZING! I hope you enjoy my video. :)

Learning Profile E

Each person has their own unique identity and trademark. Everyone is created the same way, but function and think differently. No person is the same as another. We were able to embrace this fact when we completed a test to see what Learning Profile we had. There were various Learning Profiles that are based on how you do on the test. This test discovers what your learning style is and how you process information. People were grouped into categories that centered around their way of learning. This test gave me an insight to how I learn and how I could preform better. According to my Learning Profile test I am Learning Profile E.

"Learns best by analyzing and communicating (either verbal or written), the details of information. These learners will benefit by being a part of a cooperative learning group that has the freedom to talk and learn."

I learn best when someone explains through verbal or written communication. I understand verbal/written information, for I am able to process it more efficiently. I am quite aided, because most of the assignments my teacher gives us are on written/online documents or sites. This is comfortable for me, because if I misunderstand the instruction or want to recall the it I can always refer to it, easily. A discussions will assist me, for I am able to gain a better understanding with varied aspects and opinions. If I have doubts, I can clarify these in a verbal discussion and thus enhancing my learning. Verbal and written communication are critical to my learning.

"Under stress or new learning may have difficulty seeing, hearing and remembering the details."

I agree with this, because usually when I am under pressure I start to forget what I need to know and often make silly mistakes. Even if I know the facts, say for a test, I tend to stress out and suddenly I cannot remember the essential. I learn best when I am not under pressure and am calm and relaxed. I need to improve on being at ease for if I do so I will succeed. I can accomplish this task of improvement by calming myself before a test and preparing the days before. This way I will know the crucial facts and also be able to remember these facts, for I will not be stressed. I am a perfectionist and have the desire to have everything just right. Though being a perfectionist empowers me to work hard and put the utmost effort into everything I do, it can also lead to stress.

There are certain ways that I prefer to learn, though they may differ from other people's preferences. I want my teacher to know that I am serious about my work and always do my best. My grades are important to me and I value having good grades, because if I earn high grades then I feel rewarded and satisfied and that my completion of various assignments have been appreciated. Often if I do not have good grades, I work hard to improve them. I believe I am a hard worker and want to succeed. No matter what I will aim for accomplishment and never falter in my task to achieve high grades.

This Learning Profile test will aid students and teachers. When students complete this test they are able to identify how they learn and how their learning skills can improve. They can work to develop their weaknesses and maintain their strengths in learning. Though the downside of this test is it may not be accurate to what the student thinks of him/herself. This test is a wonderful opportunity to discover what is the best way for you to learn and how you can improve on your learning skills.

This is my Learning Profile!

Working Together Is Success

A collaborative Lit. Circle enables us to work together. One of the main benefits of working in a partnership for Literature Circles is that the work is divided equally between the two partners . This way there is a decreased workload for both people and more time to focus on making your half of the Lit. Circle the best it can possibly be. A partner can also give you feedback, allowing to edit and revise your work, so you do not have silly mistakes to weigh down your grade. A cooperative partner listens to your ideas and contributes their own. They do not mind if one idea may be dismissed for another. Even though the work is less, you should not slack off, because if one person does not do their work it will affect their own and their partner's grade. When working with my partner I realized that we finished the Lit. Circle very early and before the due date. Usually it would have took longer for me, alone, to be done with the whole Lit. Circle. Since we completed early, we were able to check our work and spotted errors that we had not seen before. I think collaborative Literature Circles have various advantaged benefits.

Though doing a partnership Literature Circle has its benefits, it also has its difficulties. The problems that my partner and I encountered were minor, but nonetheless situations that we had to overcome. There was a moment where we both had run out of ideas and were not doing much work, but soon enough we snapped out of it and worked vigorously to finish the Lit. Circle. An obstacle that we faced was we both picked the same passage. We searched the book for a different passage and eventually found one. I found that working with a partner, though with a few challenges, was a stress-free experience. I realized there is no I in teamwork and that two heads are better than one. 

Having a partner for Literature Circle was interesting, for I was able to gain a better understanding of the novel. My partner opened my mind to new possibilities and additional information and we were able to  write this on our Lit. Circle, making it a mixture of unique thoughts and ideas. Some of her thoughts were so contrasting from mine, that first I had the conception that they were wrong, but once I thought logically I realized that they made sense. This will aid me when I do an individual Lit. Circle for my mind will try to think of other views on the story. I completed a Lit. Circle, with my partner, on a set of chapters in the story, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. One of my conclusions concentrated on the negative: it was Charlotte's fault that Zachariah and Mr. Cranick died. My partner, however, had the idea that it was not completely Charlotte's fault, for it was Captain Jaggery that was the one who was killing innocent people directly. I discovered that I agreed with this, also, but I had never really thought about it. 

Collaborative Literature Circle is a benefitial opportunity to work together and understand the story, thoroughly. With obstacles included, Collaborative Lit. Circles, I believe, are easier. In life you will need to cooperate with different people and this is a way for us to practice this, so we have improved collaboration and communication skills. I enjoy the less stress and the feeling of having a job accomplished before the day it is due. The ability to work in team will prove valuable when I work in a job later in life. The synergy of us two working together made this Literature Circle successful.

http://www.westmeadltd.com/Profile/profile.htm

http://www.trainingtouch.com/?p=193

http://www.ideashelper.com/

Literature Circle Charlotte Doyle Reflection

In sharing knowledge comes the power of understanding. A Literature Circle is an efficient way to share your ideas, thoughts, and predictions. Everyone has individual understanding and viewpoints of a book, so to get another's thoughts on the book is interesting. During my Literature Circle discussion we talked about the book, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, which is an exciting and mysterious book that prefers to give the slightest hints of what is to happen in the future. This magnificent book has many hidden meanings, complex characters, and heart-stopping moments around each corner. Avi has portrayed this novel from the standpoint of a girl named Charlotte, who faces intense moments, without knowing the truth of everything she sees. Each of my group members gave me inferences and thoughts on the book that were dissimilar from my own. I was awed by how differently our minds think, but that was the beauty of the Lit. Circle discussions. 

My understanding of the book was elevated a step higher by the other's comments. Before the discussion, I had the idea that Zachariah was a bad person and nothing else, but afterwards they shed light on an idea that I did not think of: he could also be trying to help Charlotte when he offers her the knife and be a reliable, kind person. I started to understand the hidden meaning of the author's words and that some answers we need to look and ask for. Understanding of the true effect the ship and its crew has had on Charlotte came to me. Charlotte will have to live with the crew and adapt to their way of life,  even though it will be tough because she comes from a higher class society. With the help of the others, I was able to gain a clearer understanding and a mind that Reasoned Critically for each page. I felt that if we Collaborated Constructively then we can understand the novel, thoroughly.

It was fascinating to see that people in my group had similar questions about the story and together we were able to get answers using evidence from the story and our combined thinking. Individual thoughts and opinions brought new questions to the surface, each begging to be answered. We found out that many of our interests were identical, for we picked the same passages. To hear each other's answers to questions was a great experience for we were able to discover that there was information that we could have added to our Lit. Circle Assignment and that we could improve upon these faults in the next Lit. Circle Assignment. We were all able to connect with each other through our similar questions and favorite passages, proving that although minds can think differently, they can also think alike.

Everyone was jittery with excitement of what might happen next to Charlotte. We spent some time speaking of our predictions. There are so many predictions you can make, but you must review the story's words before creating any. My group members kept enlightening me with predictions that I never even thought of like maybe Charlotte murders Zachariah or maybe Charlotte is really a murderer and is not framed after all. All of us could not wait to read more of the story. Each page unraveled another question to answer, another mystery to solve, another piece of the puzzle to put together. The other's predictions seemed to open a door to numerous other thoughts.

Literature Circles bring forward varied opinions, multiple ideas, understanding, and predictions and this opens our minds to ideas and observations that we did not notice before. Each new thought from a fresh mind is like a undiscovered pathway that we can tread. Distinctive, personalized ideas and opinions is what make our world so advanced. A collaborated activity is important for it serves as a way to communicate with other people effectively. Lit. Circle enables all of us to work together with people who each have contrasting backgrounds and minds and come together as a group. These discussions give us the opportunity to see what other people think and appreciate the fact that we are all not the same and have unique ideas and concepts. As the story starts to make us increasingly puzzled the need for Lit. Circle Discussions becomes greater.

My Lit. Circle book

http://www.sunprairiepubliclibrary.org/SunPrairiePublicLibrary-HistoricalSurvivalStories.html

This is my group and I discussing our Literature Circle Assignment.
http://www.slide.com/r/Uqwu6Sam5j8xG-BsA1ycZOhYtd-pJc_w?map=2&cy=bb