What have you been doing in PBL so far? What have you learned?
Hi. I am Jasper Chang. I attend VIS. I'm in 7th grade. I’m 12 years old. I’m from Taiwan. I’m really excited to be here and to tell you a little bit about myself.
One of my favorite things to do is play golf. I started playing recently, and I enjoy it a lot. Playing golf teaches me to stay focused. It’s fun to challenge myself to get better each time I play. I enjoy being outdoors and spending time on the golf course. It’s also a great way to relax and have fun.
At school, I enjoy learning new things. I like asking questions and trying to understand how things work. I also enjoy working on projects and sometimes helping my friends when they need it. I enjoy sharing ideas and listening to others share their ideas. We work together to find information and write about it.
In my free time, I also like to play basketball. I’m looking forward to meeting more people, making new friends, and learning more this year. Thanks for reading.
What are you looking forward in PBL? Is there a goal that you have this semester?
In PBL, I look forward to working in groups with my classmates. Doing group work builds teamwork skills. We work together for our project. We learn to share ideas, make plans, do research and organize our thoughts. It is hard sometimes, but we can ask each other for help. Working together, I learned the importance of teamwork and communication as a group. My goal is to improve my English and learn to be more confident in presenting my work. I want to be able to explain my ideas more clearly so that people can understand me better.
PBL Project Planning Reflection
From PBL project planning, I learned it is important to organize our ideas before starting a project. We need to have a plan. Having a plan helps us understand what we need to do. Project planning also lets me practice my English. Projects such as making a poster or diagram are very different from making a product. A poster or diagram only shows information. A product is something that people can use. Sometimes, making a product is more interesting than making a poster because it is something that actually works. Making a product takes more time, because you need to think about how it will work.
PBL Feedback
One feedback I received that I agree with is I need to make better eye contact. I need to memorize my script. Sometimes, I get nervous and forget what to say. To improve, I can study my script at home so I can present more confidently. I will try to practice my script more so I can remember it better. If I practice, I can speak more smoothly during my presentations.
SDGs for my Project
The SDGs that match my project are Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and Goal 14: Life Below Water. These SDG goals match my project because they help people learn how to keep water clean and protect sea life from pollution in the ocean. In my group, we learned about making a DIY water filter using a plastic bottle, cotton, activated charcoal, find sand, coarse sand, and gravel. The different layers remove dirt, debris, small particles and some chemicals from the water. After filtering the water, it needs to be boiled, UV sanitized, or chemically disinfected using iodine tablets or unscented bleach. This makes it safe to drink. SDGs are global goals shared by everyone and help make the world a better place. I think it is very important to learn about SDGs because we can all learn to help take care of the Earth.
What have you learned about Environmental Science?
I learned about water pollution and climate change. Water pollution can happen in many ways. Trash, oil, and chemicals can go into the rivers, lakes, and oceans. This can hurt the animals in nature. It can also hurts the people who use the water, risking people's health. We can all help in small ways such as not throwing our trash into the water. We can use less plastic, because plastic can end up in the water. We can reduce plastics by incorporating more small swaps: replacing cotton swabs with reusable ones or switching from plastic food storage containers to non-plastic versions.
I learned that climate change is a problem because it makes the Earth hotter. This affects not only humans but animals too. Climate change is caused by pollution, such as from cars or factories. Climate change makes it harder for animals to live in their natural habitat. It is important to find ways to eliminate pollution by reducing energy consumption and minimizing our carbon footprint.
What have you learned about Social Emotional Learning? (SEL)
I enjoy learning about water pollution, climate change, and protecting our planet. When I learn about water pollution, I feel worried. When I learn about how pollution endangers animals and people, I feel sad. I also feel hopeful, because there are things we can do to help. Even small actions, such as keeping water clean, using less plastic, and saving water can make a difference. Small actions can add up and make a big impact on the world. Learning about water pollution has taught me to be more caring and responsible. SEL helps me understand my own feelings and keeps me staying positive. Sometimes, the problems in the world might feel big. If we work together, we can help make the world a better place.