Model United Nations
This project was about learning how the United Nations worked and how world problems are really solved. We did our model UN on the Israel Palestine conflict in the middle east and debated if the Palestine should have the right of return. In our MUN i was Belgium although you may think that Belgium is not an important country in this debate but in fact Belgium feels very strongly about this issue. This project also forced us to work on our writing, and our public speaking skills. I think that this MUN was very professional and also very realistic.
Model UN Reflection
Some advice that I would give a student going in to this project is to do your research and really know the background on the topic. If you understand everything that has to do with your topic then you can have a very in depth speech and by having a good speech can persuade people to agree with your views more than they did before. Also knowing the background will allow you to make more comments that help clarify and prove false facts wrong. By making more in depth comments you can stump the speaker which makes their resolutions look less appealing to other countries.
Perseverance was my number one used and most proud of habit of heart and mind. This project was a very long and strenuous process and by persevering I got more quality work done which got me a rather good grade and gave me a more rewarding feeling in the end. I am most proud that I used so much perseverance because in past projects I have kind of given up if it is long and I don’t do quality work when I have stopped trying so therefore I get a bad grade and feel it does not feel rewarding at all.
If I could start this project over the only thing that I would have done differently is to have researched each countries perspective so I could have known if they had really done there research to the extent that they were supposed to do. If I would hav known each countries perspective on the issue I would have written a better resolution that would need only minor amending because it would have what everybody wanted in a resolution then my resolution would have been the one to be chosen for the final resolution.
I believe that the overall best speech was made by the delegate from Honduras, Marianne Brown. Her speech was cut off by the time limit but it was packed full with the information that she researched. Just listening to it you could tell that she researched everybody’s perspective and knew the issue like the back of her hand. I’m sure that if I had never heard of this issue and had all of the speeches presented to me then I would be pulled to her side right as she started.
Some advice that I would give a student going in to this project is to do your research and really know the background on the topic. If you understand everything that has to do with your topic then you can have a very in depth speech and by having a good speech can persuade people to agree with your views more than they did before. Also knowing the background will allow you to make more comments that help clarify and prove false facts wrong. By making more in depth comments you can stump the speaker which makes their resolutions look less appealing to other countries.
Perseverance was my number one used and most proud of habit of heart and mind. This project was a very long and strenuous process and by persevering I got more quality work done which got me a rather good grade and gave me a more rewarding feeling in the end. I am most proud that I used so much perseverance because in past projects I have kind of given up if it is long and I don’t do quality work when I have stopped trying so therefore I get a bad grade and feel it does not feel rewarding at all.
If I could start this project over the only thing that I would have done differently is to have researched each countries perspective so I could have known if they had really done there research to the extent that they were supposed to do. If I would hav known each countries perspective on the issue I would have written a better resolution that would need only minor amending because it would have what everybody wanted in a resolution then my resolution would have been the one to be chosen for the final resolution.
I believe that the overall best speech was made by the delegate from Honduras, Marianne Brown. Her speech was cut off by the time limit but it was packed full with the information that she researched. Just listening to it you could tell that she researched everybody’s perspective and knew the issue like the back of her hand. I’m sure that if I had never heard of this issue and had all of the speeches presented to me then I would be pulled to her side right as she started.
Country Perspective PaperAlthough Israelis have a right to the land where their ancestors once lived and they consider their “holy Land”, but Belgium believes that the Palestinians lived there more recently and developed their lives, homes, families, and culture in that land so they have the right to return to their homes in the means of a partition.
The Palestinian refugee issue is a continuing and overall hard to solve problem because Palestine is not open to any negotiation and “they demand independence in all of Palestine.”(United) This problem first arose when the Jews started to migrate to modern day Israel in 1882. When they moved in the Palestinians were already there and had been for a long time. After this there were civil wars and then the six day war in 1967 and the later war of 1948 which was “caused by the civil wars.”(1948) This was the war that caused the refugee problem in the first place. “Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from the area that became Israel and became Palestinian refugees.”(1948) A resolution that have failed are the 1947 partition plan. This mess was caused by both parties so they should both have to work together to clean it up. Luckily Belgium has found a solution to this problem. Belgium believes that we should try another partition. They want to “return to negotiations without pre-conditions, in order to reach a solution that results in two viable and secure states.”(Palestine) If we could get Palestine to agree on this resolution then this problem would be solved forever. In order to get both parties to agree on this solution Belgium will provide any aid the Palestinians need such as providing them with food, water, housing, and many more. In the last year “Belgium donated EUR 6 million”(Belgium) and if they do not comply Belgium will cut off all aid to the Palestine refugees and even worse they will continue to be refugees and have no real home in Israel. This resolution is one of the best or maybe the best resolution proposed right now and Belgium Believes that it will work. |
ResolutionThe General Assembly,
Deeply concerned that the refugee problem will continue to exist if any other action is taken to try and solve this issue, Alarmed by the lack of action being taken to solve this problem such as political and civil movements, Convinced that this is a delicate issue because of each conflicting party’s views Noting with deep concern that the Palestinians need to return to their old homes and neighborhoods, Recalling that Palestinians as refugees have been living in poor conditions in other countries, Observing the problems that come with being refugees such as low income, and minimal living conditions the Palestinians need to accept this resolution or conditions may worsen, Fully aware that the Israelis are open to a two state solution, Keeping in mind that Palestine has rejected partition plans such as one in 1947 which sparked the 1948 war, Fully believing that this partition plan will not be rejected by either party, Confident that this resolution will be the one to solve this issue once and for all, 1. Expresses that the country should be split into two secure and viable states; 2. Notes that boundaries will be similar to the 1947 partition plan with these changes: (a) All “holy lands” will be neutral areas so each party may worship there; (b) Anybody may move through the other’s state but only if they are traveling to their state; 3. Endorses these changes in order to make each party happy; 4. Urges the Palestinians to agree to this resolution within six weeks of the resolution being passed or all aid and support will vanish from the Palestinians; 5. Welcomes Palestinians to accept this resolution and these actions provided by Belgium and fellow supporting countries will be taken to comfort them: (a) Aid will continue; (b) Housing will be provided; (c) Security will also be provided; 6. Requests that Israel accept and they will also be rewarded with these things: (a) Any aid necessary; (b) Protection from their enemies; 7. Encourages both parties to end this feud once and for all by accepting this resolution; 8. Realizes that some blood may be spilled before this resolution solves all of the problems; 9. Strongly supports that this resolution will solve this conflict forever and will keep world peace. |
Greek Tragedy Play Project.
Project DescriptionThis Project was a very good way to learn about multiple topics in one project. The many things we learned about include empathy/morality, character development, story boarding, social issues, and the format of a Greek tragedy play. After we researched independently or learned as a class about these topics we were instructed to write a Greek tragedy whether it was a play, movie, animation, comic, or graphic novel that was on a current day issue.
Madam And Eve Script |
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Project Reflection
1. What are you most Proud of about your project and why?
I am most proud of how we utilized the technology that we use every day to do something extraordinary for this project. For example, we used our computers to edit the videos we took to make them all come together and line up in the order we intended them to. The editing also worked out some sound and video problems. I am also proud of how much work we got done in a relatively short time. We filmed all of our scenes and edited all of it in two days, but it did take staying in for lunch and filming and editing after school in our free time.
2. What challenges did you struggle with working with a partner and how did it impact the project? What did you like about having a partner to work with?
The challenges that I struggled with having a partner was that we had a lot of conflicting Ideas and that brought a lot of arguing but it was usually resolved quickly by me just letting her idea win because it was usually better. Also, my partner cathy is an accomplished swimmer so she was gone for a couple days at a swim meet. Because of this I had to edit by myself and make some mistakes that if she was there would have seen. Having a partner was definitely not a bad thing though. We got more work done faster because we could each work on different parts at the same time.
3. What could you have done as an individual to make the project better? Give specific details.
There are many things that I could have done my self that would have made the play better in small ways but the big things that would have made it better are that I could have left more time to film and get more and better footage. For example, some of the footage was shaky and sometimes the sound was horrible. Also, I could have added more prologue to the play to give the reader or viewer more inside knowledge about the characters and family because the beginning is kind of confusing and leads you in the wrong direction.
4. What specific advice would you offer an incoming freshman about how to be successful at project based learning? Be specific.
There is a lot of advice that I would give an incoming freshman to a PBL school but the most important would be to always keep your papers and files organized or you will struggle all year because you will sometimes look at a worksheet from two months from when you got it and you will need evidence for SLCs and POLs and sometimes the seemingly least important project could be the difference between an A and failing a POL. Also, always leave time to double check that you saved something or did it. This is because otherwise you will need to re do the whole paper or project.
I am most proud of how we utilized the technology that we use every day to do something extraordinary for this project. For example, we used our computers to edit the videos we took to make them all come together and line up in the order we intended them to. The editing also worked out some sound and video problems. I am also proud of how much work we got done in a relatively short time. We filmed all of our scenes and edited all of it in two days, but it did take staying in for lunch and filming and editing after school in our free time.
2. What challenges did you struggle with working with a partner and how did it impact the project? What did you like about having a partner to work with?
The challenges that I struggled with having a partner was that we had a lot of conflicting Ideas and that brought a lot of arguing but it was usually resolved quickly by me just letting her idea win because it was usually better. Also, my partner cathy is an accomplished swimmer so she was gone for a couple days at a swim meet. Because of this I had to edit by myself and make some mistakes that if she was there would have seen. Having a partner was definitely not a bad thing though. We got more work done faster because we could each work on different parts at the same time.
3. What could you have done as an individual to make the project better? Give specific details.
There are many things that I could have done my self that would have made the play better in small ways but the big things that would have made it better are that I could have left more time to film and get more and better footage. For example, some of the footage was shaky and sometimes the sound was horrible. Also, I could have added more prologue to the play to give the reader or viewer more inside knowledge about the characters and family because the beginning is kind of confusing and leads you in the wrong direction.
4. What specific advice would you offer an incoming freshman about how to be successful at project based learning? Be specific.
There is a lot of advice that I would give an incoming freshman to a PBL school but the most important would be to always keep your papers and files organized or you will struggle all year because you will sometimes look at a worksheet from two months from when you got it and you will need evidence for SLCs and POLs and sometimes the seemingly least important project could be the difference between an A and failing a POL. Also, always leave time to double check that you saved something or did it. This is because otherwise you will need to re do the whole paper or project.