I&S: Constitutional Monarchy Essay

Should We Keep or Abolish Constitutional Monarchies?

This essay also contributes to the investigation mark. We were provided with 6 sources where opinions and supporting facts, details, and examples are available. We were not required to look at other sites or sources. I read all the sites and decided what information justifies why or not we should abolish constitutional monarchies. Then, I take those points down in my research notes. We were supposed to have different sections for the research notes from each source. I completed my research part without asking a question or checking if I was on the right track.

My high-lighted research notes and my essay planner

What I then do was chose my side by deciding which side of the argument was more convincing. I decided we should keep constitutional monarchies. Next, I picked out all the points that convinced me, making sure I not only had the reasons, but also the facts. I categorised the points into three for my three main body paragraphs. Afterwards, I picked out some reasons we should abolish constitutional monarchies. The ones I picked out were relevant to my main points. This way, I was looking at both sides and using my reasons and facts to blow their point. Once again, I went through this process without any help. All I did was the process I mentioned.

The day the essay was due, we were to write the essay from start-to-finish in an 80-minute class.

   

I got 8/8 for Investigating, 7/8 for Communicating, and 7/8 for Thinking Critically. I thought it was a really good grade for an essay to be researched and planned in a week and written in a class. I am not a very quick person, but I completed it well all by myself. My self-confidence once again increased.

I&S: Religion Research Project

Zoroastrian Religion Research Project - Self Confidence

   

The Zoroastrian Religion Research project was a big project. My partner was Umair and we had 17 pages of research notes and a 20-page (with bigger fonts and spaces) report for Zoroastrianism. The whole process really tested and challenged my self-confidence.

We had to go through processes of searching for sources. One of which we chose to have an interview with a Zoroastrian man from the Parsi Zoroastrian Association of Singapore. Umair arranged the meetings and I planned some questions of what I wanted to know more or clarify. It was a nervous interview since it was face to face and it was only me and the man. And I knew it would be nervous for me. However, I thought it was a more reliable source of information, with the convenience of asking and getting a direct answer. Therefore, I took the risk. It turned out I learnt from the experience of preparing and interviewing someone for the first time. A different type of source also made our research more interesting. Thus, it had a great effect and encourage me to take more risks.

Also, it was a long process of researching. Just reading all our sources and taking down important notes took up ~2 weeks at least. I asked about skipping repeated information, the approximate length of our research. But otherwise, I listened to the instructions in class and was mostly researching by myself, trusting myself the rest of the time.

In the end, we had to write it up. I listened to instructions about how it should be arranged into sections (history, beliefs, rituals...). But then, I wrote it up without help. I picked out the most important points and information, arranged them into even smaller categories and paragraphs. Wrote it in a fluent and understandable format, and added in a couple of pictures with captions. I also constantly reminded my partner. So it was a very individual process that relied on my ability, concentration, and also my self-confidence.

In the end, I received 7/8 for knowing and understanding, 8/8 for investigating, 7.5 for communicating. It was a very good grade, and I realized how well I can do something on my own. Therefore, my self-confidence increased in the end of this Religion Research Project for Zoroastrianism.

Report:
https://docs.google.com/a/huskymail.cis.edu.sg/document/d/1wWHAfakqs-mCpWeIUtzKrPtiD3iFHmTIHj6rY_N1QY4/edit?usp=sharing

Research:
https://docs.google.com/a/huskymail.cis.edu.sg/document/d/1VFbF-3sJtCRoz5f-1Z8eh6J-4FJ7zcGjutx2Z4ETo8U/edit?usp=sharing

Action plan:
https://docs.google.com/a/huskymail.cis.edu.sg/document/d/13eRtTihFsX8Sg7rsYZgPXc13UCwydSUx6KeCS6KEuiU/edit?usp=sharing

Community Service Project: ICARE - I

Community Service Project: ICARE

Main Idea & Plan

I came up with a few ideas for my community service project, and I thought that the recycling project would be the best to do. It is most practical and achievable yet still very useful and helpful. The recycling project should involve making recycling bins for classrooms and floors in my school; collecting and washing bottles and cans from the canteen so people don't throw them in the bins; Creating some (not too much) posters (probably paper, not digital) about recycling and putting them up; Creating pick-up schedules for classrooms' recycling materials. I might also make videos or comics in promoting recycling. The above should have ensured that the stuffs go to the recycling "station" in campus. However, it is still not clear where it goes afterwards. The research should therefore involve some tracking and finding out where does all the recycling materials go - Which station in the district does it get sent to. It might as well involve if they actually get recycled, either Singapore recycles it or they are sent to be recycled. Or do they just get dumped at last? I might as well start from the bigger parts, so I wouldn't be wasting time doing not meaningful things. To measure if it is really the best idea, I used the acronym "SMART".

SMART Goals

• Specific: I think what I have to do is pretty clear. I will be making a plan very soon.
• Measurable: I need to be able to tell how much it helped and present it. Well, it is going to be quite easy as I can count how much I collect each day. I can weight it too easily. I should be able to track until the station.
• Achievable / Attainable: It is not very hard to achieve, as bins are easy to make, especially if I use cardboard. A schedule is not hard to make, and it takes no more than 10-15 mins to gets the recycles to the proper recycle bin in the campus. I will have 10-15 mins time in the morning. For 3 out of 5 days, I am free during lunch-time. Time to wash them should be enough.
• Realistic: This is a practical project. It doesn't take much money at all. It is time sensitive see \/. It is true, it is not like taking everything I find in the streets to the recycling bin. However, I believe I will be contributing a good amount as an individual over about half a year. In those classrooms that have bins already, it get filled up about every 5 days. Ten more classrooms makes it ten times quicker, like 2 boxes a day. And if there is a schedule, bins will have space when needed so people won't be so lazy to just throw in in the rubbish bin. According to the information my sister provided, I should be able to collect at least 70 cans & bottles & cartons for grade 5 & 6. My prediction is about 35 cans and bottles and cartons for MYP. For 150 week-days of that (not including exam), it should be a good amount.
• Relevant: This is a community service project and I definitely think helping the environment is helping the community too. In fact, environment is throughout the world though places with factories for recycling might be a little polluted and it uses energy resources. However, saving material resources and saving land for dumping garbage for the future, is a good service to the communities.
• Time-sensitive: Using 15 mins a day isn't a lot, and making the recycling bins will take like 4 hours totally. The schedules will also make it more time efficient. Making each poster (,video, and comic) each time will take about 1-2 hours, not much. I think I might need some time tracing and researching where they go. Washing them might take some time. For tracing, I need to pick a few days after school to do so.

As a conclusion:

• Yes, I am willing to commit time and skills to this project.
• Yes, the project will have a positive, and visible, outcome for my community.
• Yes, I will be able to measure the impact / results of my project.
• I might be able to promote something to attract my friends and convince them to join me, but help is not very needed. Someone to help during the two lunches when I can't collect and wash might be good though.
• Yes, there is enough time to plan and complete the project.
• No, I will no need funds to do this project.
• Yes, I know where, and how, I will be able to collect needed project supplies and materials?

ICARE

Investigate and Identify
Create a Plan
Act
Reflect
Exhibit

My Research Plan

Community Need:

Increasing the amount of cans, bottles, and papers from my school campus being taken to be recycled.

What do I already know about the need or condition I identified?

I know people aren't recycling enough because the rubbish bins in the canteen are full of cans and bottles. I also know that there are recyclable materials in classroom-rubbish-bins. I also know that recycling bins in classrooms doesn't get picked-up regularly. I notice that some classrooms don't have a recycling bin for papers. I don't notice any recycling bins for plastic bottles, and metal cans (aluminium mainly) in any hallways, classrooms, or even the canteen. I notice that there is no schedule or a responsible person for taking recycling bins to the one and only proper recycling bin in school campus.

In order to take action and make a difference, what do I need and want to learn about?