Q2. Reflection

1. What topics/ activities did I enjoy the most / least? Why?

 I like writing my own passages using descriptive skills the most. The reason why is that I can express my feeling and situation freely. I couldn't enjoy literature circle activity well. Analyzing whole noble and having presentations are too heavy for me.


2. How was I able to develop my communication skills?
    What difficulties did I encounter when communicating in class?

I try to develop my communication skills by practice listening. Sometimes I watched BBC News to improve my English listening. I practiced hard, nevertheless I still have difficulty on speaking and listening someone who speaks very fast.


3. How did I prepare for
a) descriptive letter : This assessment went off during the 2 lessons. So, after the first lesson, at home, I wrote the draft for next day's writing. It was really helpful to me.

b) semester exam : I studied grammar and writing skills to get good score especially on questions number 6 and 7.

How can I improve?
I got B on my semester exam. Next time, I should read the passages more carefully to reduce mistakes on easy questions like number 1 and 2.

4. Other thoughts / comments?
  Criterion A (Content) - 7
   : Generally able to capture dominant impression. Ideas are relevant and descriptive.

Criterion B (Language) - 5
   : Some  in language but a good attempt to we receive and praginative language

An experience in a place

 The table clock on my desk is passing at half past eleven. Through the window, there is midnight blue sky. Completing lab report until tomorrow puts me under tough stress and it smashes my lung cruelly. Countless words are wandering weightlessly in my head like planets that run about in confusion in the empty inky space. Using gravity, I want to drag the words down but it does not work. Words are holding out stubbornly and playing at a tug of war forcibly with my dim judgement. As time goes by, now both of the hour hand and minute hand meet together and they stand upright. My heart almost runs riot facing at outside of the Earth and my concentration makes a flat sound with a whoosh. The words feel like that wandering the space seem to drawn into a black hole so still finding the way to get out of the Andromeda. Finally, as finishing the lab report, all the words stop wandering and they go back to their place again.

The transition description

 
 The sun goes down and darkness fall. At dusk time, the color or the sky is lavender like cotton candy but for now midnight blue tent cover the world. Because of night breeze, the tent starts to wave with a flutter. On the tent, the shining shimmering and sharp holes like shattered biscuits are numberless as the sand. On the left side, there is the bridge as long as the Great Wall of China. Before the sunset on the bridge, street lamps do not go on, then it change to the bluish glow of the street lamp that looks like the vague moonlight. It does not have any fountains or illuminations. Before long, the fountains on the bridge are dancing with swing its arms, and it twinkles as much as sunlight. In addition, the fountains are rainbow also its color represents affirmation and hope. There are many buildings looked blue opposite the river, and it is totally changed the mood by lights on. The lights for the buildings and towers look like stars are staring at me.

A place (from an outsider's perspective) description

 This is the place of my last high school 'Young Dong Ill High School' in South Korea.

 In front of the high school, there are bare branches of the trees and bushes like hedgehogs. They all do not get dressed, so they look cold. At a distance, the placard, which said 'Celebrate Entrance to Young Dong Ill High School' flaps flutter in the wind. Beyond the fleecy blanket of fallen leaves, the rainbow- colored bicycles are waiting for students. Behind the bicycles, there is brick-red main building, which has windows with wide white frame. Between the two of brick-red buildings, ivory main entrance that huge as Grand Canyon and looks like the temples at Greek Rome is standing. Top of the every four columns, there are elaborate and delicate sculpture.  The school logo is above the glimmering name of the school. The logo represents courage and wisdom. Inside the columns, there is the entrance. The entrance is a period. On the last day of school, as walking out of the entrance,  it was the ending of my high school life in Korea. 

Description from a novel

The Body - Stephen King

 To me summer is always going to mean running down the road to the Florida Market with coins jumping in my pocket and the sun flying my brains. The word brings a picture to my mind of railway tracks running off into the distance. There were also favourite songs and films, games to play, grass to cut, sports to play and teams to support. (Stephen King and Robin Waterfield, The body, page 20)

King, Stephen, and Robin Waterfield. "Chapter 10 Milo and Chopper." The Body. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 2008. 20. Print.

Before - After Photo

a. Personification

The fountains on the bridge are dancing with swing its arms.

The lights on the brides stare me .

b. Hyperbole

The fountains bright as much as sunlight.

                                         

c. Symbolism

The color of fountains, rainbow-colored represents affirmation and hope.

Just right after the sun set, the sky's color is lavender like cotton candy. (Similie)

The fountains are rainbow.  (Metaphor)

Reflection Journals - Analytical Essay & Literature Circle

Analytical Essay (10.Oct.2014)

What were my goals / objectives?

 Last task, the letter to character, I got the score 4/7. And the problems were mainly about grammar. So, I set my goals to reduce my grammatical errors.

What skills did I use / learn / develop?

 I learned and developed the right grammar for writing from books and internet lecture. I studied about the subjunctive mood, relative pronoun etc.

I used the things which I studied before and before I submitted, I checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

What were the results of my efforts?

I did my best to reduce my grammatical errors, but still I got 4/7. I think grammar skill could be improve in short terms. So I am going to try to study more about it.

1. Literature Circle

a. Comments by teacher + score
  (17 / 20) : 5  

Analyzing : Very good analysis of each concept, linking all ideas to the (6)
Organizing : Good presentations planning - very well organizing (6)
Producing text : Generally very clear presentations some issues language minor (5)

Provides introduction to help understand textThoughtful to the text

Provides images traits of characters

Themes good analyzing

Does not show growth of characters of strongness.

b. My reaction (I learned that .. / I felt that ...)
 

 I realized that I didn't show much things about characters like growth. And now maybe I got how to do these presentation things. It was my first time so I was very nervous and didn't know how to do it, but next time I want to do better than now.

2. Analytical Essay

 a. Comments

Analyzing : Generally adequate analysis of Karniss' development but lacks depth of discussion.  Organizing : Generally groups idea together but structure is basic, at times confusing.
Using Language : Attempt at sophistical language but expression and sentence construction poor.

 Capital (SV) :2

Subject verb agreement (SV) :2

Verb tense (VT) :21

Word choice error(WC) :1

Expression Unclear (EXP) :3

Sentence Construction (SC) :7  

b. Reaction

I agree with the comments. I also think my using language is not good enough. Maybe I can improve it by reading news or books in English. For this term vacation, I decide to read a book in English. 

Then, I realized that my descriptions and analyzing are lacked. Next time, I am going to try to write more in detail and intentionally.

 I most have problem with the part of verb tense. I didn't know I couldn't use the past tense in my essay. I thought that I read the book before, so I had to use past tense. Now, I realized it, so I am not going to repeat these mistakes for my next tasks.

c. Further reflection

 Generally a good attempt but will need to improve language and structure

 Question : What strategies did you use for this task?              

                    I tried to reduce grammatical errors than last task the letter to character.

                  What skills did you use? Learn? Develop?

                    I learned and developed the right grammar for writing from books and internet lecture.
                    I studied about the subjunctive mood, relative pronoun etc. I used the things which I 
                    studied before and before I submitted, I checked for spelling and grammatical errors.

Reflections - Literature Circle

1. What goals did I set for myself at the start of the quarter?

  I wanted to make more relations through communication. Also, I wished to improve presentation skills like speaking aloud without script.
 Before I start the literature circle, I set up this goal.

 :My group's members helped me very much. So, I wanted to help others too.

    I did not want to think just fragmentary form.

2-1. What skills did you use?

  I spoke in clear and loud voice when I was presenting. I tried to communicate with audience clearly by eye contact.

2-2 .What skills did you sharpen?

  I wrote the script for the literature circle presentation, and I memorized it all. 

  Then, I practiced a lot presenting without the script at home. I measured the time that needed for my presentation and try to make 5 to 6 minutes presentation.

2-3. What skills did you learn?

  I learned the skill which made me speak in loud and clear voice.

3. How did you achieve your goals? What goals were not completely achieved? Why?

  I tried to help my group members, but I could not help them very much. I just answered to their questions wholeheartedly. I wished my answer was helped them.
 Secondly, I achieved the goal making more relations through communication. Discussing and advising with my group members, I noticed their thinking and personality. 
 However, I think that I did not do the concrete thinking. I had presentation just about my lesson. I did not add much new ideas and things in my presentation. I regret it. If I put some of new things about characters, it could be better presentation.

4. What are your goals for the final task this quarter (the essay)?

   I had the writing the letter to main characters task before, and I did not get the good score for that. The reason why, I had too much grammatical errors. So, my goal for the final task is to make less grammatical errors than before task.

The Hunger Game2

Utopia: Imagined perfect

Dystopia: Imagined nightmare

(Panem = ) Totalitarian government: Full control / (totalitarianism)

Horrifying: All tributes kill each other
                   Tributes are consist of teenagers
                   Reeping & Teserae - to get the foods to survive > to increase the probability to die :Irony
                   The arena is similar with the zoo.


Horrors that can be happen if we do not be careful:

The real fact is reflected by Hunger Game: Reality show - Laugh at them
                                                                     Hitler starts with small leader / no one stopped him

Vocabulary Words

Describe / Meaning

Page # (chapter and paragraph)

Sympolism


The Capitol

Definition Dictionary



 Society and Class
 Do not want the revolution anymore. All of people are very rich.
 Enough foods. Clothes, make - up and hair are all colorful.
 (#page 22 paragraph 3)

The Districts
 The Districts are consist of 12 districts. All districts have their own feature of industry.
 'All forms of stealing are forbidden in District 12' (Chapter 2 #29 paragraph 3)
 'They have to hunt to avoid die of hunger. They must be happy to be tribute for Hunger Games Quiet dirty, poor and old. Most of the peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they're as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is' (Chapter 1 #5)

The Arena
 In the book, the arena is imaginary forest that is hosted Hunger Games every year.
 Game makers can control everything in the arena.
 'This was no tribute's campfire gone out of control, no accidental occurrence. The flames that bear down on me have an unnatural height, a uniformity that marks them as human-made, machine-made, Gamemaker-made. '(Chapter 13 #173 paragraph 1)

The Seam
 Under the ground, there are minerals.

The Cornucopia
 The area where all the tributes start at when the Hunger Games is about to start, also known as the bloodbath.

Mockingjay pin

1. Definition Dictionary


 It is symbol of Catniss in the Hunger game. It became famous at the end of the game.
Katniss was received Mockingjay pin from old women. When Prim was afraid of Hunger Games,    Katniss give it to Prim. After Katniss volunteered the Hunger Games, Prim gave it back to her. In this book, Mockingjay pin means blessing.

Goat Cheese
It is a kind of cheese that produced by goat.
Katniss was bought a weak goat, and Prim took care of it. The goat was healthy, then Katniss and her family can eat Goat Cheese.

Nightlock
showdow lock -die
  Part (#387 3rd paragraph Peeta's saying There nigntlock You reach the stomach

 Fox face stole it. Importance of appearing.


District 13
: Of panem
:  page22 second paragraph last sentence - The symbolize the
: Power


Destroyed

page 22

Crowns
: pageants (American Idol) , Royalty
: Powerful image
: (page 442 - President gave the crowns to Peeta and Katniss)
: The Capitol is not powerful. Winner of the game

Groosling
:
:Sizes of large turkey
:(page 290 chapter22)
:symbolize power of capitol - fale your place

Body Armor
:Closing by army
(pg 331 He has body armor _ Cato)

Stew
: soup
: = vegetables in here slowly
(page 51 my book The sight of the rabbit seemed to stir something in my mother. She roused herself, skinned the carass, and made a stew with the meat and some more greens Prim had gathered.)

Mockingjays (46p not my book)
female mockingbirds
mimic jays
sign of reberian


The Woods
The Society and Class
 (page 5: ) proverty

Dandelions
symbol Katniss
flower
reu

Bread
peeta gave Katniss
hope
friendship
goodmeaning
help Katniss
(37 give bread to Katniss)

Bow and Arrows
Katniss power
p6 shot the deer
society and class

Burn Ointment
injured Katniss
medicine  (227)

Berries
fruit
poison
nightlock(338)

The Hunger Game

Relationships

Katniss / Prim: When Prim was crying, Katniss sang a song for her. (on the movie)
                          Katniss gave her Moking Jay pin to Prim. (on the movie)
                          Katniss volunteers Hunger Games for Prim. " I volunteer as tribute." (p. 22)

Katniss / Mom: "Try to win the Hunger Games" Mom worries about Katniss. (on the movie)
                           "You can't leave again" (p.35)
                            Katniss worries about mother cannot take care of Prim. When her father was died,                             her mother didn't take care of Katniss and Prim.

Katniss / Peeta: Peeta rescued Katniss from starving. 'To this day, I can never shake the connection              
                           between this boy, Peeta Mallark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the dandelion                        that reminded me that I was not doomed.' (p. 26 - 33)

Katniss / Gale: Good partner for hunt "It's gonna be you" (in the movie) "Look what I shot" (p.7)

Characters

Prim - Meek: Katniss " Prim? Is the jungle?" "I can't" (in the movie)
                      (p.18)
                                 
Katniss - Brave, has responsibility: go for a hunt to get foods for her family.
               "I volunteer" She is the very first volunteer for Hunger Games. (p. 22) /

Gale - Kind, Good , Likes Katniss / He gave his half of bread to Katniss. / Gale holds up a loaf of bread with an arrow stuck in it, and I laugh. (p.7)

Mom - Loving Katniss, Weak will: She gave her blue dresses to Katniss. / To my surprise, my mother has laid out one of her own lovely dresses for me (p.15) She just left Katniss and Prim when their father was died.

Peeta - Not the tallest (same as Katniss), Confusing about his situation: He want to be memorized by sponsors / But Peeta holds his ground, actually waving and smiling at the gawking crowd. / (p.68)
                                                           : Do not want Katniss' death. / He gave some breads to Katniss when her father was died. / The boy took one look back to the bakery as if checking that the coast was clear, then his attention back on the pig, he threw a loaf of bread in my direction./ (p.31)

Cinna - A designer: Kind. Do not think Hunger Game is entertainment. :"I'm sorry about these things are happen to you" (in the movie) He wants Peeta and Katniss can be survived / He wants to make Katniss and Peeta give impression to audience, who lives in Capitol.

President - He represent of the capitol. He rules whole capitol and districts.

Haymitch - He doesn't have any passion be a mentor: "There's nothing to do for me to save you" (in the movie: in the train, to Peeta) " Mentoring is taxing stufff "(in the movie / In the train to Katniss and Peeta.)

Effi - She thinks hunger games as a just entertainment "Happy Hunger Games" (p.19)

Setting

District 12 - There're no enough foods. / They have to hunt to avoid die of hunger. They must be happy to be tribute for Hunger Games Quiet dirty, poor and old. Most of the peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they're as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is.(p.5)

The Capitol - Do not want the revolution anymore. All of people are very rich.
                      Enough foods. Clothes , make - up and hair are all colorful.
(Pent house)- Consists of big size rooms.

District 1, 2 - The strongest district.

Themes

Society and class -The people who are live in District 12 are too poor to survive. They can not get enough foods. / I found myself stumbling along a muddy lane behind the shops that....(p. 29)
The people in Capitol enjoy the party with prachtliebend looking./ Most of peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they're as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is.(p.5)

Importance of appearances - When Katniss and Peeta dress up, many people shows special interest.

Power
The president is really powerful so that he rules whole Capitol.
Suffering as entertainment

Plan_ Set of goals

1. Communication

Good At ; listening someone's speaking

What I want to learn / improve ; want to make more relations through communication

2. Collaboration

Good At ; sharing my ideas

What I want to learn / improve ; my group's members help me very much. So, I want to help others too. 

3. Analysis

Good At ; thinking about why it was happened

What I want to learn / improve ; do not think just fragmentary .

4. 19.Aug. 2014. / 1st. meeting in class

Because of today's class meeting, we decided that we could skip tomorrow's meeting.

 1.Today, I(character presenter) chose the 4 character in the book.

 - Catness

 - Peeta

 - Haymitch

 - Rew

 2. We made google docs presentation, and planned we're going to upload our works on that page.

3. Until the next meeting, (27. Aug. 2014. ) I am going to read part 3 again, and write about characters.

Novel Study Literature Circle / Group 4

1. Role ; Marnix - Group Discussion Leader / Theme Presenter
 
              Ji-Won - Character Presenter

              Broud - Plot Summarizer / Vocabulary Provider
 
    Plan ; (until Wed. 20. Aug.) Read The Hunger Games
           
            ; Think about the character
 
            ; To Discuss
 
  Suggestions from group ; have the meeting after the school (3 times)


2. Meeting Times

  Wed. 20. Aug.

  Wed. 27. Aug.

  Thur. 18. Sept.