Unit Reflection

Reflection on the Learner Profile:

During this unit, I demonstrated Risk- Taker, Reflective, Inquirer, and Principled

Risk-Taker: Throughout this unit, I answered a lot of questions in groups and I was included in them- this means that I was confident enough to answer something even if I was unsure. However, I think I should be included in class discussions more often- because I get quite nervous when it comes to answering the teachers’ questions- Since teachers are always excellently right, I’m usually afraid and I get the feeling of being wrong.

Reflective: When it comes to reflections, I always see the Rights and the Wrongs in any topic we did in class. I briefly write down the things I need to improve on for the future, and the things I did well and continue doing them well in other topics we will continue doing in class. This might sound weird, but I think I am the only person in my class who likes to write reflections. This is because I get to think-over and actually write down EVERYTHING I want myself to know. However, I think it might be well if I were to share my feelings with my classmates- maybe they would give me tips for the next unit.

Inquirer: I enjoyed learning about Ancient Egypt this unit. I was quite curious- I wanted to find out more. So, I went online at home and researched some well written and reliable facts on my laptop and this enabled me to learn more and get prepared for the test. (This is true!) I think I should have written these facts that I found on the net in my notebook instead of just reading them and trying to memorize every single fact.

Principled: I was good at this skill- because all of my writings are not all made up; I was honest about everything, especially my reflections. During group discussions, I was fair enough, and I let other people talk first to show respect. I was quite tolerant (meaning that I let other people share their ideas and be patient while they talk) and I got along with almost all of the people’s own perspectives.

Reflection on the ATL’s

Organizational: During this unit, I was very organized. I did not lose anything- and I made sure everything was in its place. I collected all papers and gathered them up in my folder to keep them safe and tidy so I would have them at home when it comes to studying for the test. Throughout this unit, I paid more attention to Graphic Organizers than I did before; because before, I thought they were not helpful at all and that my notes are much more useful, but now that our teacher has talked about how good they are quite often, I think I tried using them as useful tools and I stopped rewriting everything at the last minute.

Collaborative: As said in the Risk-Taking section, I was included in group discussions, but not class discussions. This is because in groups, there are only 3 or 4 people, and during class, there are a lot more classmates who might all make fun of you if you say the wrong answer- and this is the reason why I don’t normally talk during class.

Information Literacy: I have changed a lot since the beginning of the year. During this unit, we had to do a lot of research, especially in presentations, Blog Posts, and include facts from the net in posters. I was able to write paragraphs and essays in my own words- and I certainly did not plagiarize. I am able to scan and skim text and then rewrite it; This is better than just rewriting every sentence from the book or from a site on the computer.

Transfer: During this unit, I used a lot of information that I knew and that I found out in my tasks. For example, I included some things I already knew before in my notes. Another example would be my presentation on the Daily Life and Jobs of Ancient Egypt. I used a lot of valid info and made it interesting for my friends during my presentation.

How did the physical environment affect the development of civilizations?

Ancient civilizations were affected by the geography of where they were living. Cities were built near bodies of water (For example; lakes, oceans, rivers, etc.) because it provided them to have fertile soil and sediment, food, and water, leaving the people to hunt more animals and hygiene- more importantly for people and animals to drink in order to survive. Stabled food sources were a very big part of how you lived in an Ancient Civilization. If animals were to have a place to stay stable and calm, the people would too- and this results in them settling down well. In some civilizations, there were areas with average temperature too. In colder places, animals such as birds and monkies would have to adapt to the snow whereas in hot regions, polar bears that live in the Arctic (Although the Arctic barely gets warm) would have to adapt too.