BW
My Junior Year
This year I grew in my ability to persist through tough times. In my first quarter of school I was hospitalized for two weeks. Once I was discharged I was diagnosed with Autonomic Dysfunction (Disautonomia) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (P.O.T.S). This made coming back to school an especially challenging experience and I considered leaving DRSS because I was so behind. I spent fourteen weeks getting caught up in my studies on top of keeping up with an already heavy course load. I’ve had to stay persistent in my work on projects such as writing a collaborative scientific manuscript based off of information we found in my Chemistry course. This manuscript involved everyone writing different portions and then all of them being put together and polishing the final product. It took a very long time to complete this project and some days it felt like we got nowhere so continuing to work hard often made my fellow students and I just want to give up. Persistence plays a huge part in the academics of DRSS as every project poses the students with a new challenge that not everyone will excel with on their first try. In school I learned to persist in getting and staying caught up in my studies and always trying my best not matter how hard a project is but as we say at STEM “The real world starts here.” This motto has carried on into my life outside of school as well as I had health challenges that I am capable of overcoming but will have to work towards for an extended period of time. I know that getting back to the way I used to do things not only as a student but as a teenager will take a lot of persistence to not just give up and live with my new challenges the way they are. I will be able to take this growth along with me later on in life and know that I can overcome all challenges I am faced with. My Manuscript is just the first of many projects below.
Technical Reading and writing
In my 11th grade Technical Reading and writing class I grew in my ability to write in a professional manner specifically a Manuscript or other technical scientific paper. Manuscript are detailed outlines of completed studies or experiments and can be used by anyone just wanting to know more about a specific topic or share their findings. This growth has impacted the way I write as a student and as someone going into a professional field. I now write with proper usage of commas preventing me from incorrect sentences that can still be found on even the most advanced writer’s work. I feel I could now read a technical document such as a manuscript and not feel intimidated by the work as I have now written parts of a manuscript that when put together formed a complete manuscript with my fellow students. This growth also affects my level of skill in other classes such as Chemistry. In my Chemistry course and future science courses I may be expected to read and analyze a scientific manuscript or set of technical instructions for a job or internship and will now be able to better understand these documents and write them if asked by a professor or higher up.
More specifically my teacher taught us each part of a technical manuscript. The structure of a manuscript flows from the Abstract to Introduction then our Methods and Materials onto our Results that includes our figures and tables then our Discussion and Conclusion and of course our Cited Literature. After we learned the different parts of each section we were broken up into groups to either write a section of the manuscript or give feedback and edit that part of the manuscript, then after those portions were completed and proof read it was the editors turns to compose a section and the previous writers then filled the role of editor. After this process was completed we had all of our manuscript drafted and simply had to put it in the proper order and give it one final proofread as a class before handing it over to our final class editors. This overall process showed me each step someone would take to write a manuscript just in a way that wasn’t over whelming to someone who was just learning how to do so.
During this process I had a set of guided notes that my teacher had us go over and fill out as a class. I often found myself referring back to these notes as I worked in editing and writing parts of the manuscript. If you zoom into the guided notes more you’ll find that I knew nothing about manuscript writing and was learning what to include in each section. I was also learning how many sentences were in each section and if I was going from a broader topic are to a more detailed one or vice versa. I feel that the best demonstration and artifact that shows my new understanding of manuscripts as it is a completed document that my peers and I feel is written well enough to submit to a science journal and attempt to have our manuscript published. If you zoom into the completed manuscript in comparison to the note taking packet you’ll see that each section follows what was outlined to my peers and I for that section. Going from not really thinking that I would ever need to use or know much about manuscripts to learning how they could help me in my future endeavors and then playing a role in a completed manuscript really shows my growth as a student in my knowledge of manuscripts and composing one.
Implications of completing this manuscript are a better understanding of how one writes a manuscript, what a manuscript includes, what the different sections of a manuscript includes and how a manuscript can help better explain a study completed by someone previously. In order to further develop my skills and become a better professional writer I need to make sure I’m taking advantage of manuscripts available to me and ones that could benefit my knowledge as a student not only in a Technical Reading and Writing course but a student in a Chemistry course. As well as working towards writing a manuscript on my own and not in a collaborative setting. My overall goal to improve this skill in the future would be to conduct a study and write a manuscript on it in a professional setting such as an office or lab for a company I work for as an adult.
This was a valuable learning opportunity to someone who isn’t a student of the Dayton Regional STEM School as manuscripts are technical documents used not only by professionals. It can also be used for those curious about a topic that someone may have conducted an experiment on previously. My growth in manuscript writing is not only seen in my final manuscript with my classmates and my improved technical writing skills.
Chemistry
I grew in my ability to properly complete Lewis Dot Structures in my eleventh grade Chemistry class. This learning endeavor started off with a power point Mrs. Kancler made on how to properly complete a Lewis Dot Structure step by step and how it can be used in Chemistry. Mrs. Kancler explained to us how Lewis Dot Structure is a critical Chemistry skill as it assists students and Chemists alike in visualizing the bonds made between atoms and a molecule. This skill also led to learning about molecules reacting and creating and breaking bonds. Lewis Dot Structures can be used for any covalently bonded molecule. The purpose of creating this work was to improve as a Chemistry student and grow my understanding and my competence in this tool.
The process of creating this work was learning it in class, practicing in class and on my own time as well as having one on one instruction with Mrs. Kancler to perfect this skill. The learning process of this started with learning about Electron Configuration which allowed my peers and myself to learn how to build basic dot structures for Valence Electrons and single atoms. Lastly, we learned about VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory) and the shaped formed by these covalent bonds. The product of this all would be my ability to properly complete Lewis Dot Structures that I will use in future Chemistry courses. I personally really struggled with understanding Lewis dot Structure and had to overcome this by practicing over and over again until I understood it and could complete Lewis Dot Structures correctly. Greatly improving my personal skill of persistence in the process as well as my Chemistry skill of being able to create proper Lewis Dot Structures.
My first artifact is a Lewis Dot Structure homework Mrs. Kancler assigned us. It was the first one and has many of mistakes so I feel it shows how much I struggled with this skill in beginning. This homework when compared to my second artifact which is my quiz over Lewis Dot Structure shows growth as there are many less mistakes and you can better see my growth in understanding. The biggest content specific thing that I took from this endeavor would be that I am now able to draw Lewis Dot Structures for any covalently bonded molecule or ion’s make up that is given to me with just a little hard work. As well I think it is evident that I grew in this skill as I have documents showing my struggle to me excelling at the skill and getting a good grade on the final quiz over Lewis Dot Structure.
I feel as a student of the Dayton Regional STEM School that it is important to remember that while Chemistry is challenging it is not impossible and all problems can be solved accurately, and easily with a little bit of persistence. Just because I did not immediately understand Lewis Dot Structure does not mean I can’t do it. This is why I feel I grew most in my ability to properly complete a Lewis Dot Structure as a Chemistry skill as a student during my time in this Chemistry course.
Algebra 2
In my Algebra two class I grew in my ability to understand logarithms and solve them. Through my gain in my understanding of this. It has also helped me grow in the STEM quality of inquiry as I had to ask a lot of questions in order to understand how to properly solve them and be able to apply the in a real life situation. This growth can be seen when I ask questions in class now. My questions have gone from being simple yes or no questions to in depth questions that not only bring a great answer but a greater understanding of the subject. This can be seen in my logarithms paper I completed in class with the help of my table mates. Classroom content is shown in this not only with the actual assignment but with solving. For this endeavor I had to solve problems from chapters one, two and three. These all has various levels of difficulty and skills from previous math courses. The purpose of this work was to show Mr. Petrofes what we have learned and to test our skills and show him not only what we’re good at and what we can do improve. I overcame some of the learning challenges on this by looking back at old notes and looking in the book at vocabulary words to improve my understanding of each problem. As well I asked clarifying questions of Mr. Petrofes. This shows a final product of my work. It also shows equivalent forms and patterns in our math problems and how to properly re-write equations. My key problems also demonstrate my work in class as they are like tiny challenges or tiny real tests that we do for a grade throughout the quarter. I spent to the most time and put the most effort into the twenty point questions as they accounted for almost half of the tests points.
Goverment
In my 11th grade government class I grew in my ability to advocate for myself and others. When someone advocates for themselves or for another individual or group they are identifying a need and working towards embittering the situation in which there is the need or fixing the problem. I am also growing in my advocacy skills in my other classes as this year I have been diagnosed with Autonomic dysfunction on top of my severe migraines I have had since the age eight. Having severe migraines at such a young age I learned to tell someone when I was having a problem or needed help. As my recent diagnoses with Autonomic dysfunction a condition in which someone’s nerves do not properly communicate it is imperative I take action when I don’t feel well or I am having a migraine as my reaction to these things could be anywhere from passing out or losing my vision temporarily to temporal discomfort or dizziness. Improving my advocacy skills has shown me that if I see an injustice in my community or plaguing someone I as a citizen can make a difference. That could be holding a door open for someone with a wheel chair or having a bill passed for all of the sidewalks in a city to have ramps so they are more accessible to people in assistance of the need of a wheel chair. If I am in another class and I find that my class mates and I are not properly understanding something due to a lack of class room participation it is my job as a student to advocate for myself and others and encourage my peers to participate in a helpful and encouraging way.
In my argumentative essay for government class I was given the prompt “Why should Senate bill 343 be passed?” Senate bill 343 requires the implantation of family restrooms and adult changing tables in public buildings built after the year 2016. Not only was it something that I felt should be passed I felt that it was the right thing to do and found that it also aligned with the United States Constitution and The Constitution of the State of Ohio. I then used tis evidence to compile a strong essay in which supported the bill and identified the need at hand and how to fix it. Because I grew in advocacy in this way I am more likely to contact my local Senator when I find a problem in my community I feel needs to be changed for the embitterment of others. The essay I wrote could easily be used in a letter to my Senator on the issue. In order to further development my skills in advocacy I need to advocate and speak out with my opinion in a helpful manner such as the argumentative essay or through identification and solvation of a problem. The more I advocate and practice proper advocacy the better I will get at it.
My argumentative Essay is a good example of my growth in advocacy when put next to my outline of my argumentative essay because it shows how I went for identifying a problem, identifying how to fix it and why it needs to be fixed and then putting my words to action by later sending a letter to my Senator on the issue. The growth is shown through the steps I took through the process. From identification of the problem shown on my outline, then my final copy of my essay being an example of advocacy and my letter to my Senator being the final step in insuring my voice is heard and I am advocating in a manner in which a change can actually be made.
Spanish
In my 11th grade Spanish course I grew in my knowledge of the Spanish language and its culture. My new knowledge of the Spanish language can be applies when I vacation in Spanish soaking countries or am just trying to communicate with a Spanish speaker. I don’t get this type of skill on other classes as they are not as focused on immersion in other languages and the people in the world around us. Specific learning endeavors that prompted this grow was a fashion project in which we made outfits that applied to a theme of our chose. Once we created those outfits we then labeled each of those items and added descriptive words to seven of those articles of clothing. This system helped us better understand our Spanish vocabulary. Below I have two of the outfits I created with their labels so you can better visualize what I am talking about.
These are a good example of my growth as I had no idea what any clothing vocabulary in the Spanish language. The implications of this project was my gained knowledge of Spanish vocabulary.
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