MYP Reflection

MYP Reflection - Drama

Stage Combat Reflection

Planning Stage Combat 

First character - The first character is Jessica, who finds fun in bullying the nerd of the school, Jane. She's filthy rich and lives in a huge mansion as an only child. Jessica is incredibly bratty and spoiled, who always has to get her way.

Second Character - The second character is Jane, the nerd of the school who is constantly harassed by Jessica. 

Why are you fighting? 

Jessica is constantly harassing and bullying Jane and she's had enough of it, it was time for her to stand up for herself.

What Happens During the Performance?

What happens in our performance is a simple scene between a popular girl in school and a nerd in the same school.The name of the popular girl is Jessica and the nerd is called Jane.In the beginning the popular girl comes in with a new outfit. The nerd is then in the same room.The nerd then does not compliment the popular girl (Jessica) on her outfit unlike the other people. So then the nerd is bullied by the popular girl.The popular girl then is enraged due to the reason that the nerd didn't compliment her and ignoring her outfit.The nerd is than enraged for beating her up and  is tired of her being bullied.She then rages and proves the popular girl wrong by blocking all her beats.She then gains revenge over being bullied continuously and beats the popular girl up.

How I Think It Will Go

I think my partner, Monica will do well but I'll mess up and make several mistakes throughout it, probably with creating sound as I do tend to forget. I think i will fail at being realistic as stage combat is not what I'm really good at. 

Reflection After Performance

I think I did okay, it wasn't amazing but I don't think I messed up horribly. I was impressed by the feedback I got from my fellow peers and my actual mark as I expected to do much worse since stage combat was not one of my stronger points and something I often got nervous about due to my previous mistakes during this unit, especially with things like punches and making them look realistic which is even a mistake I did today, looking at the video. Even though the camera's view is in the corner and not the audience orientation, it's still clear to see that the punches could have been improved more as you can vividly see that I did not actually punch her and I feel my reaction sounded  fake and I could have jumped a bit more since a punch to the stomach hurts very much. When Monica came to slap me, my knap was not as loud and realistic as it could have been but it was adequate and got the point across and it was better than missing it completely. The eye poke also did not seem very realistic as it was clear to see that she didn't actually poke my eye. My idea also could have been a lot more creative as it was a cliche plot even though nobody seemed to have done something similar to it other than the nerd concept.

For things that I feel I did well in, I would say was my showing of reaction when Monica came to slap me or even lay a hand on me, I showed that I was full of rage and anger towards her and was determined to get a few punches or slaps of my own in. The regular slap then the following backhand slap was by far my favorite part from this whole video as even though I knew it was fake, it still sounded very realistic to me as Monica did a fantastic job creating sound with the knapping technique. In addition, I ensured that I showed that slapping was something that was not a piece of cake and showed that my hand ached from slapping her by shaking it hard.

Overall in the unit, I learnt about various things, a complete list is the following:
-Slaps
-Punch to the stomach
-Upper Cut
-Hair Pull
-2 different types of choking
-Neck Snap
-Punch to cheek

The worst I was at from the above list was probably the neck snap as I had trouble wriggling my body to the ground acting like I had my neck snapped since I had never actually died before and wasn't sure on what to do. Although being the person that actually snapped someone else's neck wasn't too difficult. Another thing I need improvement is all the punches really, on creating sound and making it look realistic because when I come to swing at the person opposite me, it is obvious that it is not real unlike the slaps which I feel are what I'm best at due to how many times we had practiced it. The hair pull is also quite simple for me except if my hair is being pulled, it is difficult for me to try and hold my body back by putting my feet firmly on the ground, I prefer to stay in one position. The choking wasn't too difficult except if I was the one being choked since it was difficult for me to make it look like I was being choked. The uppercut is also something I'm okay at since I can actually create the sound and everything, however hiding my fist when I knap is difficult for me to do.

Overall, stage combat was something difficult to learn at first and get the hang of but after several practices, I go a hold of the basics and it slowly became easier and more enjoyable.

Reflection on Stage Slap

Reflection on Stage Slap

I originally worked with Sireen on this, however the day we were supposed to take the photo, my partner was absent. It was a bit hard to get the hang of at first because I had to try to make it look realistic without it actually being real. We were first shown a video with all the basics and the first thing I worked on was attempting to imitate the sound, which was the knap, where you would slide your hand down while hitting it in order to make a slap-like sound. There was also a matter of where you stood, which would be in the middle of the pair's feet and also right before you slap the person you must giving eye contact and then look at exactly where you're going to slap so that the person knows exactly where you're going to slap them. You also have to be arm's length away from someone and ensure the distance is good. 

I think I was okay at learning this however I would at times mess up in the knap part and reacting because the timings would not always be right. In the picture, I do not think it was very realistic for a couple of reasons; this wasn't my original partner, we were rushing because we did not have much time left and that the person slapping me doesn't look very angry at all and you can't really see my facial expressions.

Things that I was successful at was when I was actually being the slapper as I showed my arm being raised high and stood in the correct positions and ensured I had eye contact so my partner knows. I showed tension in my arm and made myself look furious when I was slapping the person and got very into the scene. 

I did not get to actually perform it in front of the class, however while I was practicing, doing the dialogue part was okay but the sounds were the hardest to do because my hands hurt after a couple of times. To improve my performance, I would ensure my reaction and sounds are correct and be more careful with making it look more realistic/ 

Reflection on the Unit

Melodrama - Reflection on the Unit

1) What skills do you feel you have developed in the unit?

I feel that I have greatly developed my ability to exaggerate my movements and speech as that was what Melodrama was all about. Instead of using violence and making things all depressing, I gained skills on making scenes more lighthearted and comedic. My speech was also very projected and loud. 

2) What were your greatest successes in the unit? 

The best thing I did in the unit is my melodrama twisted film as I got to work with people that I like to worth with as they cooperate well and I know them quite well so it was quite to easy to film everything and I feel that the outcome was great. 

3) How did each group member contribute to the portrayal of your story?

I was Pocahontas and was the hero with which quite a twist in the story, I was still in love with John Smith, however I saved the day by rescuing him. John Smith in this case was the damsel in distress who gets kidnapped. Another twist was that Pocahontas's Father, Powhatan was the villain who kidnapped John Smith even though in the movies he's portrayed as a wise, kind man. Sam was the made up brother of Pocahontas, Pontiac who was the henchmen.

4) Do you think television/film can the change the way we see the world?

Yes I do. I believe this because television and film is a big aspect in our lives and is used in every day life, people spend a lot of time watching it and can teach you a lot of things. They can influence the ways we act and teach us new things even if it isn't necessarily an educational channel. Even something as childish as a kid cartoon can be far more than that when analysed. Whatever we see on the news and media can change the way we see the world even though we shouldn't always believe everything we read and see.

5) What reaction did your performance get from the audience and was it expected or planned for? (What was your original objective?

My original objective was for people to find it funny and entertaining.I got my expected reaction which would be laughter, as I think my melodrama film is exactly like a melodrama should be, lighthearted and comedic.  I also got claps at the end which signified that the audience had enjoyed it. I knew that it would be comedic because the script was quite lighthearted and different accents and jokes were incorporated, I made fun of how girls would always fall in love with the man just be looking at him and greatly exaggerated that scene, which brings me to my next point which was how my group incorporated exaggeration in both their movements and speech.

6) How can you apply your newly developed skills to other performance work in the rest of this course or another subject?

I can apply my newly developed skills in different courses in drama such as my acting in any old film as those weren't quite as realistic as the films are now. I can apply it to English in my writing in exaggeration as that can be scene as a language device or type of thing to use in descriptive writing for things such as imagery and being able to paint an image in your head. 

Pochahontas: A Melodramatic Remake

Pocahontas

My group (Salma, Sireen, Riccardo and Sam) decided to do our melodrama based on Pocahontas. Our twist was that the villain in this is Pocahontas's father, Powhattan and that John Smith would be the damsel in distress. 

Script

Scene 1

John Smith: Alas! I have arrived at the Americas! Let us see what we find next!

Scene 2

Chief: Pocahontas, there is something we need to discuss?

Pocahontas: What is it, father?

Chief: Well, ever since you turned eighteen, I was expecting you to be married by now.

Pocahontas: Father! We've discussed this, who is there possibly to get married to?

Chief: Possibly someone from the tribe?

Pocahontas: Like who?

John Smith: (Interrupts conversation) Elo, elo, elo! Sorry to interrupt your conversation. Oh! Here! Have a peace offering!

Chief: (Throws basket away) I don't accept your petty peace offering.

Pocahontas: Who is this man?

John Smith: My name is John Smith, from the isles of England. Nice to meet you. (Pulls out top hat and sips tea cup). I'm here on an exploration trip and... Who are you?

Pocahontas: I'm Pocahontas, this is my father Powhattan, he's the chief of the tribe. And over there is my brother, Pontiac. (Points in his general direction).

John Smith: Well okay... I was wondering if I could stay in one of your huts for a night or two?

Chief: Um... (Waves) Son! Come over here!

Pontiac: Papa! I finished hunting! (Looks at John Smith) Who are you?

John Smith: I'm John Smith, from the... Forget it.

Chief: Son, let's take this young man to the... (Waves arms) The Hut.

Pontiac: Yes! We should take him to the... (Waves arms) Hut.

John Smith follows Pontiac and the Chief while Pocahontas stays behind.

Pocahontas: I am in love with this man!

Scene 3

John Smith along with Powhattan and Pontiac walk to the Hut.

Chief: Right this way, come on (waving her arms).

John Smith: Urm... Is this the (waves arms attempting to imitate chief) Hut?

Chief: Ha! No! This is the dungeon! (Kicks door open)

John Smith: Oh no! I haven't done anything wrong! (Pontiac pushes him in)

Scene 4

Chief closes door of the dungeon and high fives his son, Pontiac.

Pontiac: He's been taken care of.

Chief: Yeah!

Pocahontas: Father? Where is John Smith?

Chief: Oh well, just between you and me (places arm around Pocahontas) he's been taken care of.

Pocahontas: What do you mean?

Chief: I put him in the dungeons..

Pocahontas: Why would you do that?!

Chief: He is a trespasser!

Pocahontas: Well I am in love with that trespasser!

Chief: How dare you!

Pocahontas: (Storms off)

Scene 5

Pontiac: (Places hat on head) Off to hunting.

Chief: Well done, son. Proud of you!

Pocahontas: (Runs in) I have 2 arrows! And one of them is for you!

Chief: You wouldn't dare!

Pocahontas: Try me! (Shoots arrows)

Chief: Ow! (Looks down and pulls it out) What is this puny arrow? (Shrugs and walks off)

Pocahontas: Aha! I have done it! (Attempts to open door twice) Why isn't it opening? (Shoots arrow and steps inside) Hello? (Looks around and grins) I have found you! (Runs and unties John Smith)

John Smith: Why thank you for saving me! Let's go! (Pocahontas and him run off together)

Pocahontas & John Smith: Yeah! (High fives)

Production Notes

1. What character are you playing?

Pocahontas is Salma, John Smith is Riccardo, Sam is Pontiac (The Brother/Henchmen) and Sireen is the Chief (Powhattan)

2. What Melodrama Conventions will you be using in your performance and how will you use them?

1. Pocahontas falls in love with John Smith at the beginning to give a reason for why she rescued the damsel.
2. The Damsel (Riccardo) will be captured by the Henchmen (Sam) right after they fall in love so that Pocahontas (Salma) will have a reason to go after the villain (Sam).
3. Pocahontas will rescue John Smith towards the end and they will live happily ever after?

3. What costumes will you wear? Why?

Pocahontas will wear a leather dress, blue necklace due to that being her respective costume in the films. John Smith will wear a long sleeved blouse, jeans and boots. The chief will wear a black leather vest with tassels and a brown shirt. The henchmen will wear tribal clothing. All of this is because this is similar to what these characters wore in the films.

4. What props will you use?

Green screen for backgrounds and bows and arrows for fighting. 

Peer Assessment on Silent Movie

Riccardo, Adam, Ward, Gunce, Omar Group

Save the Princess, Save the Day

I feel the silent movie was substantial,  the actors are great and made to sure to exaggerate all their actions. I loved how Ward made sure she showed how much of a damsel she was. The different costumes and props that were used were excellent and the music for the fighting scene suited it greatly. More cue cards should have been used to explain what was happening more. The music should have been more loud and half during the ending scene as it was a happy ending. Overall, the aging was excellent however the music was substantial.

----

Salma, Arthur, Nasser, Presha and Ammal

Birthday Surprise Group

I'd say my silent movie was substantial as we had used props and costumes to enhance everything, most of the actors in it exaggerated their moves and I felt that the music that was incorporated in with the scenes suited them greatly especially the fighting scene as while it was breaking out, the music was loud and suspenseful. We also made sure to use enough cue cards that sufficed enough but were not too much.

---


Sireen, Ibrahim, Kareem, Harang

Strapped onto the Rails

Substantial. The acting was good and I loved the music and acting incorporated in it, however the tying up scene was practically half of the movie so there wasn't much action when the fighting scene should have been much longer. I love the way Karim and Sireen exaggerated their moves to get the point across. There was also a good use of cue cards to ensure that we understood what was going on.

---

Akshansh, Anishka, Faris, Maygol

Oliver's Sudden Rescue

Substantial. The music was great but the acting could have been far more exaggerated. I loved how there wasn't too much violence and it was all pretty happy and light hearted like a melodrama should be. The hero also did not show his face which is vital in silent melodramas as since there is no sound, we need to see their expressions and actions which were quite difficult to see.

---

Rania, Sam, Kiara, Hyeonho

How to Find your Maiden

This was my favorite melodrama, everything was incorporated in it. Acting, music, cue cards, etc. the acting was exaggerated and made sure we knew what was happening, Cue cards were used to back up the acting in case some parts were confusing. The only thing that should be improved is that it should have been more synchronized and in sync. Overall, it was excellent especially the comedy as melodrama should be light hearted and funny just like this one.

---

Monica, Rathin, Jenna, Bassel

I'd say this melodrama was adequate due to there being too much violence due to the numbers of guns shown and being shot. Comedy was evident in it in the costumes used and the music was great as it meshed well with the rest of the scenes however the acting could have been more exaggerated  and the filming had different orientation.

Silent Movie - Birthday Surprise

Melodrama Worksheet

Melodrama Worksheet

1. In which century did melodrama develop?

Melodrama developed in the 19th century. 

2. Why is it called Melodrama?

It is called Melodrama because the plays always had music in the background, thus the name 'melo' whilst the drama part is pretty straightforward as drama is related to acting. 

3. Why was Melodrama so popular?

Melodrama became popular because they used spectacular settings, music, exaggerated acting and interacted with their audience during the performance to promote its popularity.

4. List the three segments of a standard Melodrama plot. What action does each segment involve?

- Provaction: It's the cause for setting action into motion. Emotions during this segment are jealousy and greed to encourage the villain to plan an offense or 'evil plan'.

- Pangs: This part includes the suffering of characters that are kind innocents who get caught in the evil plan.

- Penalty: Justice is granted as the villain is defeated and handed a punishment.

5. What are conflicting themes a Melodrama would usually explore? 

Themes a melodrama play would usually have is using polar opposites to engage the audience. Examples are justice vs revenge, honesty vs dishonesty, innocence vs dishonesty, etc. These plays also had small scenes of actions and violence, along with a mixture of romance and sentimentality. 

6. Are the characters in Melodrama life-like or stereotyped? 

The characters in melodrama are stereotyped, as in every play, there's always the same set of the characters. The villain, the damsel in distress, the hero, etc. They also always have the same type of personality, the villain is evil, the damsel in distress is innocent and requires saving and the hero is always handsome and brave, ready to save the day. Their personalities are very easy to identify and they are referred to as 'stock characters'.

7. List 3 Stock Characters and describe each of their personal qualities. 

- The Hero: The character is handsome, strong and brave. He is usually middle class or higher.

- The Damsel in Distress: She is beautiful, innocent and vulnerable. Usually middle class or higher.

- The Villain: Cunning, cruel and evil. Usually middle class or higher. 

8. What is the difference between a faithful servant and a maid servant?

The differences between them are that the faithful servant is usually the one to find out the villain's evil plans whilst the maid servant is the one that simply flirts with the faithful servant. 

9. What is an 'aside'?

An aside is when the character speaks directly to the audience, explaining their plans and revealing their thoughts. 

Train Track Terror

Train Track Terror Reflection

Above is the video of my performance in Train Track Terror along with the other members in my group; Ammal, Arthur, Akshansh and Omar. It started with me, as the damsel in distress, exclaiming for help which was responded by the angry shouts of the villain (Ammal), asking the henchman (Arthur) to tie the damsel up who refused as the train was heading their way. As the damsel pleaded for help, the hero (Omar) finally appeared, ready to save the day. The sidekick (Akshansh) followed behind him and the hero tied the villain up, releasing me as we made our escape and the sidekick fell to the ground.

The good things I found out about my performance was the way I let out my words with a voice that sounded like it needed saving, although I could have been a bit more high pitched. I feel I could have done adjustments to my performance. Firstly, I mostly only showed movement in my legs when it should have been my body which just made me look like I was kicking aimlessly in my legs, not bothering to use my arms. Well, the damsel has always been a tad bit ditzy... To enhance my performance with costumes, I could have dressed in the classic innocent damsel in distress look, which usually is just a simple dress, with my hair let down and a wide doe-eyed look, showcasing innocence.

I felt that the rest of my group did quite well, although Ammal had stumbled over her lines once or twice. I liked how my group created space instead of just using a confined space, using the free places to jump around and incorporate a small fighting scene. We also added a sidekick, which was not originally in the script and was used for a bit of comedy. The villain could have used a costume of a black cloak and suit. The prop being a rope to use to tie the maiden to the train tracks. The henchmen could have worn very ragged, old looking clothes as they are usually turned away by society due to them being 'weird and ugly'. The sidekick could have worn pretty much anything as they don't really have a specific costume unless let's say the hero was Batman and the sidekick was Robin. The classic costume for Robin would be a cape and tight clothing like Batman. 

Melodrama Stock Characters

Melodrama Stock Characters

The task was to pick three different melodrama stock characters and the most important ones to the melodramatic stories, the villain, the hero and the damsel in distress. The following are the images that I took of me dressing up as my three chosen characters.They are in black and white filter due to these type of films being made without color.

The Damsel in Distress

In the above picture, this is the damsel in distress. The damsel in distress's personality is usually one of innocence, she is also demure and lady like which I have done in the picture. She looks innocent with her wide-eyed look. For the pose, I have put one hand on my hip and put my other arm on my forehead to show that the damsel in distress is in need of help due to the villain's cunning plans. I am wearing a dress and let my hair down to show that the damsel is lady like. 

The Villain

In this picture, I use a villain's signature cloaks to shield a bit of my face. A villain's personality is evil and they are often portrayed as people that are sly and manipulative. In most melodrama scenes, the villain has a moustache which is shown in the above picture. They also usually have top hats which I have worn. For my pose, I bend down and use my cloak to signify that the villain is cunning and manipulative. 

The Hero

This is the hero, their personality is one of bravery, courageousness, and strength. They are most commonly dashingly handsome and romantic which is why the damsel in distress always falls in love with them. The pose that I have struck is one that resembles strength and sense of pride, as to show he will always be there to save the day. There is not a very specific costume for the hero but one of the main ones used in old movies is one in a sleek suit. One leg is in front of the other and my arms are behind me to puff out my chest to show how courageous and brave the hero is. 

Year 8 Drama

Year 8 Drama

MYP : Melodrama

Key Concept : Relationships 

Related Concept: Audience, Expression, Presentation

Global Context: Fairness & Development 

Statement of Inquiry: A hero saves the day in Melodrama to ensure that justice and peace will overrule the destroying plans of evildoers. 

Inquiry Question: Will the hero always destroy the evil plans of the villain to save the day? Will Melodrama always have a happy ending? Must all stories have a happy ending? Will good always win against evil? How can the world become a better and more peaceful environment for all?

Me, Myself & I Piece

Reflection

When I was informed about what this music assessment was based on, I began to think about my personality. Who am I? What do I enjoy? What traits am I known for? I didn't just focus on my likeable traits because that does not cover my whole identity, I have traits that are my flaws such as my pessimistic mindset and my negative outlook on many things, I decided to incorporate my mood changes into my piece, if you listen closely, the beginning part is quite slow and sad, the middle is a lot faster-paced and more melodic and light-hearted and the ending is much softer, giving a calm sound that shows a relaxed ending. So this is my meaning behind my piece and how it describes my personality, at first I am negative and sad, then my mood brightens up after something good happens and by the end, I am at ease and relaxed.

To explain my process through creating this piece, I first put my mind on what I wanted it to sound like which I've already explained so I played around with some minor chords that bring out a sad sound whilst playing lightly to give off a soft, sad sound then I began to go to more major chords and notes in the middle of the keyboard as they give off a more neutral sound which shows great contrast, I show repetition at both the beginning and end as well, although the ending is much softer but nevertheless around the same notes and technique of playing.

I used the violin as my instrument as it provides both a harsh yet calming sound which is what I wanted my piece to sound like. I also took a what instrument am I quiz because I wasn't sure what instrument other than the piano represented me.

To improve my piece, I would try to extend the length of it and perhaps show more techniques of presenting my personality and incorporating more of my traits such as showing anger through my piece as I have a short temper so I could have played some notes more harshly.

In my actual video, my introduction to my piece was a book opening, I used snippets from music videos from my favorite artists such as Marina & the Diamonds and Melanie Martinez, I used some of my photos from my previous post on photos that represent me and used a video of a typewriter in it to show my passion for creative writing. In the happier part of my piece, I used clips with my friends and I to show what makes me happy which is as you can tell, people that I am close to. At the end, at the part where the sound is more relaxed and at ease, I show a clip from one of my favorite book series, Harry Potter. To give it a proper finale, I added in a clip of a book closing to show my love for reading.

Peer Assessment

Creative Posters

Collection of Photos That Represent My Personality

As I am mostly a negative and pessimistic person, there are a lot of duller colored photos apart of the collection. They are some that have a sad theme to them as I am quite an emotional person. As well as that, there's a lot of photos that represent my outspoken personality and pictures of things I enjoy such as writing, reading, music, etc. There are also artists that have influenced my music taste that are a part of the list. Finally, I have also added things to do with my Arabian culture. These will also be converted into a video once I complete my melody. Although this is not the only selection of photos that will be a part of my video but this is the sort of theme that will be a part of it.

Analysis

When listening to music, the instruments in particular, there is often a type of emotion they're trying to portray and send a message through the music they create. Examples are the emotion, anger, the composition will be loud and be chords and keys that give off angry sounds, they may play a chord in a way that is angry by pressing harder onto the keys if they're playing piano, the composition would also be of a fast pace. However, if they were trying to give off the emotion, sadness, then the composition would be slower and be played with minor keys softly if played on a piano. Comparing the two, there is a great contrast in speed, technique of playing and the notes used in the compositions. Also, when a song is sad this is what the composert intended for it to sound like so the way this it is performed portrays a sad emotion. In conclusions, composers write compositions to make us think of different characteristics by technique of playing, hard or soft, notes, minor or major, speed, fast or slow and at times, the instruments used, pianos are usually used for soft, more classical pieces whereas electric guitars would be for pieces that are loud and anger fuelled. 

References

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/12/what-makes-a-song-sad/67709/

http://music.arts.uci.edu/dobrian/CD.music.lang.htm

http://www.mfiles.co.uk/what-is-music.htm

Duck Theme

Reflection

I did not find difficulty in playing this, only a slight difficulty in playing the optional beginning note as I tried not to stumble on the notes. Otherwise everything went smoothly, everything else was easy to play as the notes were repetitive and close together so I didn't need anyone to teach it to me. Finding the clip was easy and editing was simple. Thankfully, both the computer and the internet were working so I posted everything easily. All in all, this was the easiest theme to play out of the previous ones. However, I did notice an error in the ending of my song and had to adjust it so the ending did not go on for a further 10 seconds, that sounded similarly to a shriek. 

Peter Theme

Reflection

This proved to be quite difficult to play and I struggled to do the right timing as the Peter Theme was a lot more fast paced so it was quite hard to play with a good tempo. However, nothing went wrong with the computer and I found it quite simple to edit as mixcraft was working and the internet was fine. The notes at the end of the song quite confused me as they put Ab twice but I quickly learnt that it was just playing it twice. All in all, this was the hardest to play as the notes were quite complicated. 

Wolf's Theme

 





Reflection


I found this theme much simpler than the other as it was mostly notes repeated over and over again. As well as that, I found it a lot simpler to edit it all together, managing to finish in class on time. Mixcraft was a lot easier to use, as the whole class all had a computer to work with despite the fact that we were sharing, I also split the clip and was quick to record as I had already learnt how to from the previous lesson. Overall, I found this quite simple to edit, a huge step from my last theme.

Peter and the Wolf - Hunter's Theme

Reflection

I found this quite challenging in the beginning as it had been the first time I had experienced using mixcraft, as well as that, it was quite difficult getting work done when you had to share the computer with two other people. After I had gotten the hang of using the application, I found it quite easy to perform the song, the only thing I wished was if I had gone a bit slower, as I felt I didn't go with the clips perfectly but that is something I can work on in my next piece of music that I have to use with another clip.

Treble Cleff Quiz

1. GAG
2. DAB
3. BAD
4. CAB
5. BEE
6. CAGE
7. BEEF
8. BADGE
9. BEGGED
10. DEFACED

E,G,D,B,F Sentences

EGDBF Sentences

Progress

Sentences

1. Ethiopian gazelles bring damaged flowers.

2. Entertaining games beat dangerous friends.

3. Eggs gather best dinner food. 

4. Entering giraffes bother drinking flamingos.

Peer Evaluation of Instruments of the Orchestra

Peer Evaluation

Last music class, the powerpoints were presented and all that were presenting spoke with confidence and with very detailed information. The following is my evaluation and opinion on how they did. 

Brass Family

By: Monica, Kiara, Rania & Harang

Their presentation was excellent, they did not overload with too much information instead continuously listing relevant facts in bullet points. They consistently presented with confidence so I would give them a level 7/8 as they spoke about their features, how they're played and following everything the teacher had asked for to be added in a presentation, etc. To conclude, I think they did very well with their presenting and detailed information. 

Percussion Family

By: Karim, Faris, Akshansh, Nasser 

Their presentation was excellent with a level 7/8. Although most of the slides were interesting, filled with interesting info and consistent confidence in presenting, there were one or two slides that could have had more info add and could have spoken about things like the orchestra, etc with less hesitation. To conclude, most of their info was to a high standard, however they could have improved more on eye contact and a lack of hesitating to achieve a level 8. 

Woodwinds Family

By: Mohamed, Amonie, Hyeonho, Riccardo & Sam

Their presentation was substantial, I would give them a level 5//8. My reasoning is due to them being unprepared and the lack of information they had pasted on their powerpoint, with some even not having any information to present at all. To improve, I would advise them to be more prepared and ensure they have put a suitable amount of relevant information.

Instruments of the Orchestra Project

The following is our PowerPoint presentation on the string instruments along with the video attached under it.

Reflection

My group researched the strings family. I was responsible for researching the Violin, as well as the features that the strings family have as well as background information such as where they are located in the orchestra, the instruments that belong there, etc. Sireen was responsible for researching the Harp. Anishka was responsible for researching the Cello. Ward was responsible for researching the Double Bass and Presha was responsible for researching the Viola. I think we did well with collecting enough information and should improve on summarizing as we had collected loads of info and could not fit them in slides without resizing the font.

Identities Through Music

MYP Year 7

Identities Through Music 

Key Concept

Identity 

Communication 

Expression 

Global Context

Identities and Relationships 

Personal and Cultural Expression 

Statement of Inquiry

The process of artistic creation can lead to self-discovery.

Inquiry Questions

1. How does the culture around me influence the way I express myself through music? What elements can be identified as a specific to a characteristic/personality?

2. How does the culture around me influence the way I express myself through music? To what extent does the identity of the artist impact on the artwork?

3. How does the culture around me influence the way I express myself through music? Is everyone an artist? Can I represent myself through music?

4. How does the culture around me influence the way I express myself through music? How do different cultures express themselves through music?

Art Reflection

Reflection

Final Mask

The following is my final mask that connects to my identity.

Reflection

I am quite proud of the final outcome of my mask, I used different materials and objects to finish my mask, such as cotton for the cloud to signify that I daydream a lot. Paint and cardboard to create my nationality, Palestine, cardboard and paints to create the rest of my mask, such as the colorful ears that show headphones with a musical note on the left cheek to signify that I love music, along with the piano keys as my mouth. For my nose I used three layers of cardboard, one stuck down, one folded and another one folded that is under it. I have horns to signify that I am a Capricorn. On my right cheek, I painted a range of colors to show a rainbow, signifying my happy side. To improve, I would have made my mask a lot bigger as compared to other masks, mine is quite small.

4 Drawings of My Mask

The following is my planning of my final mask that connects to my identity.

Reflection

I loved experimenting with different masks and sketching out all the things that connected with my identity,such as hobbies, thoughts, etc. To improve, I would have sketched it out better and used more varied ideas to create different masks. 

Hidden Identities

The following is the front page for the new unit, Hidden Identities, along with the research and drawing of the Ravana Mask.

Reflection

It was interesting to research about different tribes and why they use their masks and how they're made, etc. Drawing the mask was quite fun as I got to use creativity to sketch and color the mask. 

Paper Montage

Reflection

I think I was successful in adding more detail to the plane and building as before in my previous drawings, they were very dull and had a lack of color. I think I was not successful in cutting out the clothing for the cutout of me. To improve, I would choose a different color and add a bit more to the house such as the wall and roof.

Draft Montage

The following is the montage I created before the paper cutouts to join all the four memories into one.

Reflection

I think I was successful in joining all the memories into one. To improve I would add more detail and improve the house I drew which is something I did not find successful.

4 Designs Of My Montage

The following is my four original ideas of a memory that is a part of my identity.

Reflection

I think I was successful in drawing out my ideas and showing 4 very different drawings of the same memory. To improve, I should add more detail to the plane and buildings I drew.

Henry Matisse PowerPoint

The following is the powerpoint I created on Henry Matisse and his famous cutouts, also known as montages.

Self Portrait

Reflection

The aim of this task was to draw ourselves without lifting our pens off the paper. I found trying not to lift my pen off the paper very difficult. I found getting all the features on my face in the right place successful. Next time, I would go slower and focus on every single feature. With this task I developed my hand-eye coordination skills.