Mapping the unnecessary war

I have always enjoyed movies growing up, especially movies that involve some type of historical war. I learned about the Romans this way after watching ‘Gladiator’. I learned about the British and French rivalry after watching '‘Timeline’. Even ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ introduced me to colonial-era Britain. Speaking about Britain, during the time I went to Europe when I was in elementary school, I adored the historical sites of the countries I was visiting, especially when they have dioramas. Rome with its Colosseum (the picture is me under the Colosseum where the slaves would prepare), Paris with the Louvre, London with the Big Ben. It opened my exposure to timepieces that were able to last for years. My media and cultural exposure revolved a lot about history as well. Last year, during MYP English Literature, we had a unit where we roleplayed ‘The Crucible’, and I loved how during that unit we had a chance to live in the shoes of settler puritans in the 17th century. That book was a representation of McCarthyism, a byproduct of a series of events that started in WWI. That triggers me into choosing WWI as a topic I would like to cover because I think that this period in time coincides between the end of the colonial era and the beginning of the modern era. I feel that its importance has always been overshadowed by other wars following WWI like WWII or the Cold War.

Product Goal

After achieving my learning goal, my hope is that I have gained new skills and information about my topic (WWI) and would like to put into practice the things I have learned into creating a product. I want to make a diorama in the form of a map that can describe the borders of Europe during the onset of WWI. The map would be filled with flags, pins, and accessories and would be colored based on the countries and terrain that occupy the territory. The maps would show the countries that were involved as a result of the war. I will create this diorama as a 3-dimensional representation, with geological and political accuracy, useful as a tool for people to learn about my topic and my learning process. I would also have to apply the intricacies of diorama making, sculpting, and outline applying techniques to create my product. This phase of the product-making process would require that I work with a personal supervisor on the methods and techniques of making my diorama product later on.

Reflection

Looking back on my project, I knew that this ‘present time’ would come and I’ve already predicted beforehand how I would feel after finishing my project, but even then it’s still a surprise. I knew at the start of my project that I’d learn more during those weeks where I worked on my diorama with my supervisor but it still surprised me how much I learned from him. I knew that I would be focusing on the more intricate details of WWI but I still surprised myself when I learned about the personal journals of some of the people that brokered the Versailles Treaty. Frankly, it gave me a new sense of appreciation for abstract subjects like these. Diorama-making isn’t at all like other subjects with clear criteria of success and failure. It’s really up to the creator what they define as a successful product. And as for history, I think that throughout this learning process, it’s easy to forget that events in history aren’t just bygone events of clicking and clear progress. It’s chaotic and blurry. It’s also easy to forget that wars aren’t just rational states acting accordingly They are tragedies that involve the livelihood of millions. And as for the casualties, they aren’t just numbers on a piece of paper, they are actual people, living their lives, experiencing a whole host of feelings and emotions that are racing through, breathing in their ‘present time’.

Product Evaluation

My final product is a WWI-themed Map Diorama, consisting of the base, the outlines, and their accessories. This diorama broadly shows the geographic and social map of Europe in 1914, the first year of WWI. It has mainland Europe, Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, North Africa, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, Cyprus, Crimea, and Zealand, as well as the flags of the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Russia. The soldiers were color-coded as such: Green soldiers represented France, yellow soldiers represented Russia, Brown soldiers represented the UK and other Entente forces. The red soldiers represented the entirety of the Central Powers. Grassy surfaces resemble flat plains, coarse sand resembles areas of high topography, and fine stone resembles mountain ranges. Normal sand resembled the ground that is neither the ones mentioned above and the base of the diorama was color-coded blue to resemble the sea or territories not included in the diorama. All in all, I think that I created a successful product, even though I don’t think that it’s the highest quality that I was able to make. Learning from other people and myself, I recognize the positives of this product and the areas where I can improve. My main weakness is this product’s ability to convey what I want it to convey, WWI history. My main strength is that aesthetically speaking, the product was made successfully. Overall, I have met both my goals, achieved my success criteria, and I am satisfied with the journey that I was on, all culminating in the diorama and in this report.