Revolutions

Revolutions

The Revolutions project is a predominantly individual project, and so far I have only had limited help from my parents. When the green sheet for the Revolutions project was first handed out, I will admit, it was a little overwhelming in the sense that I had to keep from procrastinating, and manage my time efficiently unlike other projects previous to this one. I feel that this project will be difficult for many people to complete, but so far my initial plan has helped me understand what I must complete by March 16, 2012. During this project we must complete 43 assignments. I see it as completing a Literature Packet, a Do Make, a Blog, movie notes, sheppard software, and we must teach a 20 minute class. Each of these assignments provides a new challenge as they come along. Although not exactly similar in difficulty, at times the less important parts can be more challenging than the other more accentuated parts.

Managing my time will be the most important part of this project. I believe that this project is designed in order to help us keep from procrastinating from future classes and projects. I feel that this project will help, as it is supposed to. For the Do Make project I drew an Italian Gothic Cathedral called Il Tempietto di San Pietro. The Cathedral is in Rome, Italy. Although I drew something, there are many options that people can choose, such as a video, a model etc. I chose to create a drawing, because I feel that drawing is one of my strengths. I completed this project in around 2 or 3 hours. I was very enthusiastic about the Do Make, because I felt, and still do feel, compelled to prove myself in a primarily independent project. Our previous project, Fame (Feudal Asia and Medieval Europe) was a group presentation, with very few individual assignments. I feel as if I have been very on task with Revolutions, considering that I have completed more than half assignments even before the halfway point. If I keep up the pace I think that I will be in good shape. My Do Make was a sketch of a very old cathedral, which just by saying that identifies the uniqueness of it, but his specific cathedral was different. It was the spot of Saint Peter’s crucifying. He was crucified upside down due to the fact of not wanting to dis-honor Jesus Christ, but that is not interesting part. What is interesting, at least to me, is that this cathedral was made in such complicated time, yet the architecture of this temple is so simple. The cathedral has pillars in holding up the second floor. Then there is another set of pillars hold up the round top. The cathedral is very small, and simple when compared to other Italian and French cathedrals, palaces, and temples. I chose this drawing, not because of history, but because of the architectural simplicity that defines, in a sense, the uniqueness of its history.

Another assignment is the Literature Packet, which is a series of nine stories in which we have to answer questions to. Some of the stories are letters, and some complete fiction, Candide. Some pulled out from books, some speeches. It is a wide variety of stories that is trying to help us capture the time period in which we are studying, 1500’s – Early 1900’s.  The Literature packet was very difficult for me to complete. Although not very difficult it is time consuming. When something is not difficult, but time consuming, I subconsciously think of that item in less priority, therefore, the literature packet, to me, is essentially an outline for procrastination. There were many different stories, with much variety. The first two stories in the Literature Packet are almost as different as can be. One is a letter from Blaise Pascal, which is a completely non-fictional scientific letter, and the second story is Candide, which is a completely fictional story. I believe that having such a variety in the different types of stories compels the brain to pay more attention. If I were reading one long story I would read the start very thoroughly, and then read only partially, without paying nearly as much attention as at the start of the story, but when the story is stopped at the peak of my attention span, it becomes much easier to answer the questions with full comprehension. I think that in the literature packet I managed my time very well in the sense of completing the project before the initial due date. Although this assignment proved difficult to manage, I believe that I did a splendid job.

One of the most important projects, if not of highest importance, is the Teach a Class. In a sense this project is very straightforward with only three main aspects of our 20 minute class. The first aspect in which we must complete is an introduction to our topic. This aspect is designed to engage the students of our teaching. The second part of our class is a presentation in which we give the class information. This is the biggest part in the class. It is the aspect in which you must provide your class with knowledge and a well thought understanding of the topic you taught. The third and final aspect of the class we teach is an activity. The activity is designed to engage our students with a sense of still learning. There are many different types of activities that we may use. Some people are giving a test; some are doing a game, as in jeopardy. There is a wide variety of activites that you may do, they may be creative or straightforward. I decided to teach a class on Napoleon Bonaparte. I chose him because of a fascination of mine for both France and Napoleon himself. At times France was at the peak of civilization, they were the luxurious elegant country in which no other country could defeat, and then there was Napoleon. Although Corsican, Napoleon became the emperor of France, and the King of Italy, both at the same time for 8-9 years. Napoleon was one of the first of his time to rise not because of his blood, but because his ability as a General. This is the main reason for my fascination towards Napoleon.

For my introduction I will be talking about the revolutionary times that were occurring as Napoleon was growing up, and joining the army. I will first talk very briefly about what was going on in England, and the revolt against the government to leave to America. Then I will talk about what was going on in France at the time period, which was the French Revolution, and handing the power to the republic, with no more monarchy. My presentation will be a very straightforward PowerPoint. I chose to do a PowerPoint instead of something creative, because I would like the class I am teaching to be full of educational information, without much fun and games. My PowerPoint will accentuate the main areas of Napoleon Bonaparte’s life. The PowerPoint is suppose to supply the class with information, while at the same time give a mildly clear timeline in order for the class to understand the more important events in Napoleon’s life. My activity is a handout sheet that has boxes in which the students, with their table partners, may fill out a timeline of the bigger events in Napoleon’s life. Although not too creative, I feel that it will help the students with understanding the main points and benchmarks in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte.

I did my presentation on Napoleon Bonaparte on February 27, which was a Monday although that is not very important. My Introduction was supposed to help the students understand why Napoleon was so important to France, because of the revolutionary background among which were happening in England and other countries. I feel that it did not come near to what I was hoping it would become, in the sense that it didn’t feel as though it provided my class with enough information, as I would have liked. In my view the power point was the main source of information. I feel that although it didn’t go as fluently as intended it still provided the students with enough information to fill out the interactive worksheet I planned. The activity I planned was designed to get my students thinking about the big picture of Napoleon’s fascinating lifetime. It was a timeline that was supposed to help the students comprehend order of occurrences in Napoleon’s life. Although I didn’t print out enough sheets, because I was under the impression that the students would be working with a table partner, I think that this worksheet helped the students as intended.

Overall I feel that The Revolutions project has been a challenge of multiple different activities and assignments that challenged me to finish on time with quality work. I feel that I have done as intended by Paul. This project has taught me about many different people, objects and other things that has helped me understand the general time period conveyed by the assignments being required.