The Giver Reflection #2

Why does Jonas find the instruction of lying so disturbing?

I think Jonas finds the instruction of lying so disturbing because of 2 reasons. One reason is that because he is in such a structured society, lying would be against the rules so he has not experienced it before. the second reason as to why Jonas finds instruction of lying so disturbing is because he feels it is a terrible crime to do it. Though he has never experienced it before, it is a sin to lie. For example, lying would probably be the equivalent to murdering someone here in Malaysia. You can get in a lot of trouble. In the novel, The Giver, Jonas has been raised to not lie. 'Finally he steeled himself to read the final rule again. He had been trained since earliest childhood

, since his earliest learning of language, never to lie.' (Page 70)

The first reason as to why I think Jonas finds lying disturbing is because he lives in such a united and structured society. I would rather not call it a perfect society because they are a lot of things about it that are not perfect. In Jonas' world, they have many rules and one of them would be to never lie. I think we can all agree that lying is bad. Even the slightest lie can change someone's future. For example, if someone is going for a college interview and you don't want them to get in so you call the interviewer and act as that person and tell him/her you're sick. You have just ruined that person's future. That person could have been successful, but now they won't be because you lied. All Jonas knew was that lying is bad because that is the way he was raised. Jonas also might've thought that there would be nothing to lie about in his world because they seem to b

e the "best society". I agree with Jonas as to how lying is bad. I have to admit, I have lied before and I regret lying, but if I hadn't lied, I might not be what I am today.

The final reason is that Jonas thinks that lying is a crime. I believe that lying is a crime, it just doesn't have the same punishments as murdering someone or being accused of a crime you didn't do. In our society, we have laws. If we don't follow them, it's either jail or death. Because you have been warned as you

didn't listen. Jonas' community must also have laws like this, but they are still different from ours. As I said earlier, lying to them might be murdering to us. We all have different levels of severe and minor. For us, it might be okay to lie sometimes but for Jonas' society, you can even get killed because they know it wasn't the way they were raised.

In conclusion, I think Jonas finds lying so disturbing because it's against his rules and he believes it is a crime to do it. We all think this, but I don't think, we classify it as important. Since Jonas has no intention of doing it, I think he will be safe from the law!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OVm84MipjGs/TFAriZ5LNjI/AAAAAAAAAAk/AabNWYY0Lyg/s1600/thegiver.jpg

The Giver Reflection #1

Would you want your future to be decided by others ? Why or Why not?

I chose this question because though it seems like an easy question, if you really think about it, it's very hard to think. Both sides have their pros and cons and it's a very hard decision. Sometimes people will not need guidance in their life but others do. Sometimes it's hard to make some decisions and you need someone to help you make it, maybe even make it FOR you. You probably know what you want so you go with your choice, but occasionally it will be the wrong choice. People might think that having people choose for you is a good thing because it requires less work of you. But those are the kinds of people who never get far in life.

I have decided that I would like my future to not be decided by others because I recommend people should have some sort of freedom in their life, but not too much freedom that would get me wild and crazy. I realized that everyone should have guidance in their choices and advice but would not like them to make the entire decision for them. I would get my family to help me out with my choices or my friends to give me advice on which choice to make. If I disagree with what they say, I still have the right to follow my own opinion. You would still have someone who has your back but you would't be controlled by them. For example, in the novel The Giver, Jonas starts to wonder about his society because he starts to think deeper into the decisions the Elders make. He suddenly realizes that he can't make any choices for himself. Jonas worries about the assignment he has been selected for and is questioning why he can't choose his own assignment. I think Jonas has suddenly realized that he is being controlled.

Though I am gestalt, I still feel I have a little bit of logic in my brain, and as a "logic", I like things to be in order while gestalt people like to look at the big picture first. Though I like things to be in order, I figured I wouldn't like that to imply with the decision of me not having my future decided by others because there are 2 completely different things. Having someone control you is having no freedom and when we can get a list in order, you can either choose to follow it or to not. It's entirely your choice. I think Jonas feels the same as most people do. Nobody would like their future to be decided by others. For example, slaves have their "future" decided for them, but it's not their choice. They grew up in poverty and would want to do anything in order to get wealth.

In conclusion, I would not like my future to be decided by others but I like guidance and advice for the choices I make. I have the choice of following or not following it. I also believe that Jonas would not like his future decided by others but he can't help it. Would YOU want your future to be decided by others?

Why do you think Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs created monuments?

I think they created monuments because they believed that that was the only way to represent their thoughts and beliefs. The pharaoh I researched on, Ramses II, built monuments to represent his religious beliefs and to enhance his relationship with Ra, the god that he worshipped. Pharaohs might have also built monuments because they wanted to be remembered and they believe that monuments would be the best solution. For example, Ramses II built the Ramesseum because it was the place where his memory would be kept alive after he passed on from his world.

2. What monuments in our society are similar? (be sure to provide explanations and graphics).

One monument that was similar to Ancient Egypt's monuments would be the Statue Of Liberty, which is located in New

York. The Statue Of Liberty was a gift to America from France. It was first completed in France and then presented to America on July 4, 1884. It's similarity would be the Abu Simbel, which is a monument that Ramses II built, because

both buildings showed purpose. The Statue Of Liberty was given to the US by the French to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American Declaration Of Independence.

Another monument would be the Taj Mahal. Many say that if you kiss someone at the Taj Mahal at sunset, you'll know if she/he is your true love, which makes the Taj Mahal the perfect place to symbolise love! It is located in India and it is also one of the 7 Wonders of The World. It's similarity would probably be the Caesareum, which was founded by Cleopatra. According to Natalie's blog (Thanks!), it was to symbolize her love for one man named Julius Caesar.

3. How did the using google docs as the main portal for collaboration help you with this assignment?

Google Docs is an absolute tool for presentations, projects and research, especially if you're working in a group. On a collaborative document, you can chat with them in case you're stuck or just don't know what to do. Google Docs also automatically saves your work, so your partner can always be updated on your work. They can also tell if you have been doing your share of work.

4. What did you learn from this assignment?

I learned that pharaohs didn't just build monuments for the sake of it. They actually did it for many purposes such as, religious beliefs, love, glory and many others. Another thing I learned is just everything about Ramses II. I actually never knew that they were so many pharaohs. I only knew 2; King Tut and Cleopatra. And this project just opened me up to a whole new subject.

5. What was challenging?

What I think was challenging was just getting the iMovie done. Sometimes in class, you aren't able to always finish your work and you have to do some work at home, but the fact that you and your partner have very different schedules, it would be hard to make some time for each other.

6. Which schoolwide learning results were evident in this assignment?

I think "Collaborate Constructively","Think Creatively", and "Learn Enthusiastically" were some of the SLRs that were evident in this assignment because you and your partner had to work together, think of some creative ways to do your iMovie, and along the way, having enough information to learn and fit into your iMovie.

SOURCES

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX81q37pkVntzKJA4OqYhwD4MCA45wo0fVZZO-iJVbzybvpEu97pU5RDewDadhAuyUROGkzSIIlKnrWzchlO9vfd1ZZ6IPF8hvyBCGXMiTsNDrF4qwVOs5ZbOsgEcSibV0Gzkg-PjnDnj0/s570/statue_of_liberty_800cropped[1].jpg

http://www.veneziatravel.com/dbpics/cities/thumb1264343496Abu_Simbel1_gdj.jpg

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1/401877-Caesareum-Alexandria.jpg

http://rajivawijesinha.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/taj-mahal.jpg

北 京 欢 迎 你, Beijing Welcomes You :)

In class, we all had to present a powerpoint on our home city. Even though my home city is KL, I chose Beijing because 1) a lot of people were doing KL and 2) I consider it my second home since I lived there for 7.5 years.

1) What you believe you did well on the project?

What I believe I did well on my project is the information I found. I put in the requirements that Mrs Narsiman expected us to put it in. Environmental factors, historical factors, statistical information and other interesting facts. I believe I covered all the guidelines Mrs Narsiman gave us.

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

Something I would like to improve for future presentations/projects would be the oral part of my presentation. I should be more prepared with speaker notes, notecards etc...I start to fidget and tend to look at the board very often. In the future, I can work on my physical appearance, no moving my hands and eye contact. Even though I LOVE performing on stage, I have a phobia of presenting my work to a crowd of people because of the worry of the quality of my work.

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

I learned that you should be confident and proud of your work, because (courtesy of my friend, Natalie's, blog post) if you're confident enough, then everything will be fine. I also learned that you should always use your time wisely because you never know what will happen. Like for me, I had no wifi that week so I couldn't do any internet-related homework, so I problem-solved and try to get as much as I could in class so that I wouldn't have any problem with homework at home.

4) What is your analysis of your performance?

Overall, I think my performance was good. I could've have done worse, but the best piece can ALWAYS be improved because no matter what, we will always have presentations to do. I'll take the mistakes I made and put them into effect the next time I present my work and will be proud of my work. And I won't worry about anything.

If you would like to see my presentation and you'd like to learn more about Beijing, here's a link to my project----https://docs.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/present/edit?id=0AaIsXQbl7EzZZGRkMnpzYmpfNDZjanRrd2ZmOQ&hl=en

Sources

-http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/IMZ/IMZ008/businessman-making-presentation_~wdr0002.jpg

-Google Docs "Nadia_Beijing" https://docs.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/present/edit?id=0AaIsXQbl7EzZZGRkMnpzYmpfNDZjanRrd2ZmOQ&hl=en

New Year's Resolutions and Goals from 2011 To The London Olympics

New Year's Resolutions and Goals

Who here has made up some New Year's resolutions? How many of you have done it EVERY year? For me, this is my first year making New Year's resolutions. And that's perfect because 2011 is the start of a new decade. A fresh start. Here in this blogpost, it will ALL be about my New Year's resolutions and goals (not to be arrogant) and about my mom, dad and sister's New Year's resolution. Enjoy!

My first New Year's Resolution is to be nicer to my family. Sometimes they can just
REALLY tick me off by asking questions over and over again, making me pause the DVD all the time so they can go to the bathroom etc. But all families have their rows and fights now and then because it's life. So I have to adapt to get used to that and control my patience. My second New Year's resolution is to be nice to other people, not only to my friends but to all the others I don't know as much as my friends. Some people say that I'm bossy and I seem very mean and arrogant to them.To be honest, I don't believe this even other I have had my moments. I would let them sit next to me at lunch if they're lonely and let them have a piece of seaweed etc. In 2011, I will try my best to complete these resolutions and surely, I will be a better person in time for the London Olympics.

Many people have goals like "I don't want to have fights with my family" or "I want to get fit." I have goal that relate to my strength, swimming. I will always have a goal for my swimming but these 3 goals, to me, are the most important and hardest to achieve. They are to go under 37 for my 50 breastroke, at least a 1:20 for my 100 breatsroke and to dip under 30 seconds for 50 free. To succeed and achieve the goals, I have chosen 3 methods of strategy. 1) I will work harder in training and give 110% everyday even if I feel down. 2) I will eat more healthier such as eatying right before a competition or just simply not beating junk. And finally 3) I will have a positive attitude everyday. Not looking at my past and thinking "I can't do this.

Hope you liked reading about my New Year's resolutions and my goals. I also hope you enjoy reading about my Winter holidays and what I heard and did.
 

A Harry Potter Marathon and An Unique New Year's Resolution

I stayed here in KL for my winter break. For the first part (1.5 weeks, it was actually pretty boring. Swimming everyday and double training on Tuesday and Thursday. Not really fun right? Well, my dad and I went to the DVD store and bought every Harry Potter DVD until Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. I brought it home and popped Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone into the DVD player. It was good, good enough for me to watch the second one. Way good! Then came all the other DVDs, #3, #4, #5 and then #6. Sure enough, I had finished a Harry Potter marathon. It's amazing what spare time can hypnotise you to do.

My family doesn't always make New Year's resolutions but I found this one actually interesting. They said, based on age and probability, they should all be nice to me! I asked them about this and they answered "Well Nadia, since you are the youngest in the family you will end up burying us in to the ground." I felt quite happy about this because well, they should be nice to me. My sister, Diana, started arguing about how I could die earlier than her by a drunk driver or a car accident etc. But then my mom started emphasising on the BASED ON PROBABILITY part of every sentence she said. This only proves that we should all be nice to eah other even though we have our fights because you never know what will happen in the next 5 seconds.


This concludes my blog post on my New Year's resolutions, my goals and 2 things I did over the winter holidays. This is NadiaRedza :) signing out.

My Zeitgeist-First Half Of 6th Grade

Here is a video of pictures of my first half of 6th grade AKA a zeitgeist

I'm Unique...I'm JJ...

On Tuesday November 30th, Mr Whiting had come in to help us find out how we learn best and what our profile was.  My profile was profile JJ, which means that I am gestalt dominant, right eye dominant, left ear dominant, right hand dominant and left leg dominant.  In this blog post, you will learn when I learn best, what I need to do, some strategies that would help me in my learning and what I would like my teachers to know about me. Even though some information does not suit my character, it is the perfect profile for me.

When do I learn best? I learn best through movement and by focusing on the whole picture, context and emotional relevance to self. My movements tend to be spontaneous and fluid but I have the good coordination with my body. For example, I can exhibit good technique when doing a specific dance step but I may lack skill when I'm stressed. I also learn best when I am relaxed since for me, I see the whole picture instead of step-by-step. 

What do I need to do? I need to do activities that have cross lateral hand and foot play such as knitting, writing, drawing with the non-dominant hand, massaging the TMJ, walking, dancing, soccer and martial arts like Tai Chi. In my opinion, something I need to do is to be assertive. I won't be too assertive that everyone would hate me, but assertive enough to tell someone to back off if they are annoying me. 

What are the strategies that would help me in my learning? One strategy that would help me learn is to refrain from sitting on the left side of the classroom as it will affect my hearing. The profile suggested doing Lazy 8's and having people encourage and model for me on how to learn with details.

Something teachers should know about me is that whenever you are explaining homework or a unit in class, I will be playing with my pencil or doodling. Why? I don't know. It is something that keeps me awake. It may seem like I am not listening but I am. Another thing I would like teachers to know about me is that unfairness can really get me mad. I will start to tense my body up and will clench my pencil tightly when writing. One example of unfairness to me is not picking me when I have my hand up. Many people in my class just shout out the answer and the teacher won't mind. It seems unfair to the people who are quiet and are disciplined enough to raise their hands. Another thing that would tick me off are hypocrites. If someone tells me something I'm not supposed to do and behind my back they do it, it will get me angry as they are basically, liars. 

Below is a picture of me and JJ

I hope you learned more about me and my profile, JJ. Thanks for reading (: