Journal on Lord of the Flies
This journal is an overview of the progress I have made during and after finishing the book Lord of the Flies. It will also state the different ESLR’s (Expected School- Wide Learning results) used in my project and how they contributed through out this book. The journal will be in a format of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The Bloom Taxonomy is a list of a few terms that describe the ideas needed for a journal to meet its expectations along with the ability to include all information. The journal will reflect the final project prepared, the discussions in-class, and the novel we read along with the different ESLR’s used. Each paragraph will start with the different ESLR and their main ideas followed by the ways I used them in the three stages. I will also try to give examples of the areas of the ESLR where I can improve to achieve a greater grade or assessment. The paragraphs will explain how I can develop on being a self-directed learner, an academic achiever, a critical thinker, involved citizen and an effective communicator.
To be self- directed learner you must be able to identify your needs and apply appropriate learning skills. This ESLR to me means doing your work without someone telling you. I was able to identify my the needs and I had applied appropriate skills in the novel by knowing my slow reading which made me read at a steady pace and not read at the last minute. One day I had a mountain of homework and knowing my slow reading I had increased the amount and time period I spent reading.
I had communicated in different ways by asking questions, pointing out facts and adding comments, this made me a self- directed learner. Another example of self- direct learner is taking creative risks in developing untried ideas. I used this in reading the novel by making the atmosphere of the location I read to fit the plot of the book. For example in the chapter about Jack killing a pig, I turned off my lights to create a dim, creepy and frightening mood. In order to be a self- directed learner by taking risks, I had asked questions even though they sounded stupid. Another risk I took is that instead of just making a model of an island I prepared a pamphlet to explain my thoughts to give more of an idea of the book. The pamphlet contains extra info such as “what if” questions and main characters and their roles.
I demonstrated my time management skill by read chapters thoroughly and clearly to get a better understanding of the book. For example I read the beginning chapter bit by bit because it was puzzling. I established my competency in goal setting in my project by fulfilling the details about the island and the book along with it. For home- work the entire class had to read two chapters and I felt that a big load of stress was coming on, so I made a goal to read ½ a chapter when I got home, ½ at night and the same next day. Whenever I wanted to show my organizational skills, I placed post- its around the book pages with the main ideas so it would benefit me in the future. We had monitored and documented all of the events in the book with notes along with group discussions to give every one a better understanding. Whenever I thought I needed information for later, I recorded main ideas, good descriptions and comments. I felt that I could have improved on accepting responsibility for my own learning because sometimes in chapters I didn’t understand, I didn’t look on the internet for a better view. Instead I waited for the class discussions. I would change this by looking on the internet or asking friends if something is not clear to me. If I wanted a better understanding of the events and situations of the first chapter, I should have asked my friends to help me. I have been a self- directed learner in the past when I caught with my up homework by asking my friends what the assignments were.
An academic achiever demonstrates progress in all curricular areas, access information from a variety of sources and demonstrates the ability to work independently and collaboratively. In other words an academic achiever means to learn from your mistakes and improve in all areas. I progressed in all areas such as my reading skills from the novel by reading the amount needed everyday even if it did put me to sleep sometimes, my oral skills in class discussions along with the skill of speaking my mind whenever I had questions, comments or concerns and I improved on my creativity skills in the project during the designing of the setting of the book. I accessed many sources of information such as the web for brief description of chapters from the novel and asked friends to help me understand the areas that are blurry through the phone or at school. Using my memory of the movie of Lord of the Flies the first time I watched it, I could get some details of the books event from the movie. I also used the internet to get the general idea of how an island looks in my project. In the discussions, I asked my classmates and Mr. R some questions and gave some feed- back by asking question and then comments and then back and forth again like a debate. I had shown that I could have worked by myself and with teammates. While we had group discussions on every chapter, at home I read the chapters alone and placed notes. On the post-its I included every thing I thought even if it was just “wow” or “amazing”.
Worked by myself to create the project, but I still got ideas and help from my parents and siblings. As an academic achiever I discovered that I didn’t continually assess, evaluate and adjust work to maintain high standards because in the novel I had not read as thoroughly as I could have while on the project I had used 100%. Whether it was school classes or extra curricular activities, I used this ESLR whenever I grew. I had used this ESLR whenever I had improved in any areas. It could be anything from school classes to extra curricular actives and sports.
An additional aspect of the ESLR is critical thinker. A few points that describe this ESLR is building meaning and understanding using prior knowledge and new information. The bullet points are basically saying to think outside of the box. I built meaning in understanding by taking notes on every chapter along with notes in class reviews to help me raise and boost up my perceptive of the book. I used past and present reference to increase the understanding of the book and its ideas because I remember how I felt when I was small and I was lost in a mall. I guess that was the same reaction and emotion the boys on the island felt. For my project I was a critical thinker by using all the information I knew about islands with new information gathered from the internet, the book and nature to figure a great design for my view of the island because you can’t have an island that is as big as a continent or and island with no vegetation. Whenever I had a feeling or guess about the future I used problem solving skills. This is known as foreshadowing which means to use current events and ideas to predict about the future. Throughout my project I made some assumptions about my island and when the model didn’t match the books location, shape or area I changed it to try and fit the descriptions.
In critical thinker I gathered different information from different sources through the students’ opinions in discussions and my family along with the websites for my project. These are all ways I used my sources effectively. To me I hadn’t really shown that I identified, evaluated and use resources effectively for the purpose of problem solving because I usually only used the sources to find information I need but not for the purpose of solving it. This could be changed by, getting more attached to the book so I would find solutions for the fun of it.
The next ESLR is involved citizen which in short means to help others even though there is no reward. Involved citizen is when you improve the lives of others in their community, show care for the environment and demonstrate awareness and respect for other people’s rights. I did this for the novel because I tried to persuade my family members to attempt to read the book so they can see the messages and themes of the book. I also did the same for my project, but I explained it further by making short summaries and showed the locations of the symbolic items. This all shows how I improved other people’s lives.
I also respected other people’s rights all the way through the assignment in all three groups by letting every have a say about there belief and feelings
The last but certainly not least ESLR is Effective Communicator. This ESLR means to demonstrate creative talents to convey ideas, listen respectfully and ask questions to facilitate understanding and achieve insight, collaborate with others in appropriate learning situations to achieve group goals and last of all in understand and convey written, oral and visual information using appropriate media. This ESLR in brief is someone who communicates either through oral, written of visual media. I used this ESLR everywhere. I demonstrated creative talents to convey ideas by producing a visual project instead of a written project. I used different ways of thinking and points of view for class discussions to let everyone have a say from their own view and for the novel I asked for my brothers’ view of what he thought of the book since he read Lord of the Flies. I especially listened respectfully and asked questions to facilitate understanding and achieve insight by listening, asking questions and giving feed back. I understood and conveyed written, oral and visual information when the whole class had different types of projects from oral posters to written essays to visual t- shirts for different types of learners to recognize. I collaborated with others in appropriate learning situations to achieve group goals whenever I had group or class discussions all through out the quarter. One day our class had worked collectively to discuss the book without the teacher telling us, everyone could express themselves to our friends instead of the teacher. Listen respectfully and ask question to facilitate understanding and achieve insight is an ESLR I thought everyone used in discussions.
My goal was complete but if I were to have a second chance to relive the past few weeks I would try to improve on ESLR’s in the statements above and work on my reading by making sure I have an excellent understanding of every the chapter, plot, setting and character by rereading areas I don’t get. For the class discussions I would want to raise my hand more and express my thoughts more to the class. In my project, I could have brought it further out by showing more events like the trail Ralph went through when running from Jack or I could have placed more “Want If” questions around the island to give a greater consideration of the novel and how the story could have changed.
Overall I feel that I achieved the right amount of the ESLR’s during and after the book although I feel that my weakness is class discussions because I usually didn’t raise my hand in the classroom. If I were to get a grade on my reading, discussions in class and the project (all three groups) I feel I would receive something between B- and B+. I feel that I had shown great improvement in the ESLR’s such as academic achiever, self- directed learner, critical thinker and involved citizen. I know that I need to improve on being an effective communicator whenever speaking in public in this entire quarter. I can adjust this by expressing my thoughts and opinions in class and not think too much in the answers I will receive. I think the ESLR’s I used best for reading the novel is self-directed learner. I thought in discussions I was a good effective communicator while for my project I was a critical thinker. To me the ESLR’s I notice that were similar are self directed learner, academic achiever and critical thinker. I feel that these ESLR’s are all related through their bullet points. They all relate to each other because each of the ESLR’s can be fulfilled in school work and grades. I wish we were able to move further into the book to learn and comprehend more hidden messages.
Six Traits- I used
Idea: Understanding the ESLRs in relation to Lord of the flies explained by using blooms taxonomy.
Organization: I organized my journal by having an introduction, middle and conclusion. In each of the middle paragraphs in had one ESLR, the different points used and how I used them and last a point of the ESLR I can improve on. In the conclusion I had said what I can overall improve on and the ESLRs I think are related.
Voice: These are some sentences I thought that brightened and gave it life was.
-I remember one day I had a mountain load of homework and knowing my slow reading I had increased the amount and time period I spent reading.
-For home work the entire class had to read 2 chapters for home work and I felt that a big load of stress was coming on so I made a goal to read ½ a chapter when I got home, ½ at night and the same next day.
- I had progressed in all areas such as my reading skills from the novel by reading the amount needed everyday even if it did put me to sleep sometimes
- In the discussions I asked my classmates and Mr. Raizdana some questions and gave some feed back by giving question and then comments and then back and forth again like a debate.
- I had used past and present reference to increase the understanding of the book and its ideas because I remember how I felt when I was small and I was lost in a mall and I guess that was the same reaction and emotion the boys on the island felt.
Word Choice: Here are some words I thought were common and not descriptive and the news words that change that.
Made- Prepared
Good- Excellent
Try- Attempt
Improve- Develop
Confusing- puzzling
Since- Given that
Improved- grew
Get- Receive
Greater- Larger
Thought- Opinion
Sentence Fluency: Some sentences I thought were the same form and patterns and how I changed them.
-a This also made me find new and different ways of communicating to my class mate in group discussions by asking questions, pointing out facts and adding comments.
-b Since I had asked questions, pointed out facts and added comments, this made me a self- directed learner of the different ways I communicated. At school one day I found the desk arranged in a square form for discussions so I thought of larger ways of expanding my communication skills.
-a I had also shown my organizational skill by placing post- its around the book to keep the main events out.
-b Whenever I wanted to show my organizational skills, I placed post- its around the book pages with the main ideas so it would benefit me in the future.
-a I had used this ESLR whenever I had improved in any areas. It could be anything from school classes to extra curricular actives and sports.
-b Whether it was school classes or extra curricular activities, I used this ESLR whenever I grew. I had used this ESLR whenever I had improved in any areas. It could be anything from school classes to extra curricular actives and sports.
-a I had personally made my island to be based on Ralphs view by making his community the front of the island.
-b Given that I had used Ralphs’ point of view of the island, I had personally made my island from a different view.
-a In class discussions I tried to ask questions that even though may seem or sound stupid so I can get all my questions answered.
-b In order to be a self- directed learner by taking risks, I had asked questions even though they sounded stupid.
