PROUDLY PRESENTS

The Grade 10 Personal Project Exhibition

March 28th, 2012 at 7 p.m.

“Obstacles are those things you see when you take your eyes off the goal” By Hannah More

 

 

What is the Personal Project? “It is a significant body of work undertaken by all MYP students over an extended period of time. It is an important aspect of the MYP and is the product of the student’s own initiative and creativity, reflecting a personal appreciation of the areas of interaction and the application of approaches to learning skills.” (MYP: From Principles Into Practice)

Agenda

A) Introduction

B) Student Presentations

1. Khalid Al Nahdi , Kimberlee Brinkman and Yusuf Lahham

2. Fares Al Khatib and Nabil Hussein

3. Nikita Frolov and Konstantinos Nikolakopoulos

4. Mohamed Saleh and Shakhida Zaitova

5. Ahmed Al Shamsi and Kareem Elkady

6. Adil Rashid, Nadine Sakla and Zaheer Thanawla

7. Hossama Dawood and Lloyd Van der Bijl

C) Closing Remarks

D) Gallery Walk

HUMAN INGENUITY

Why and how do we create?

What are the consequences?

Designing and Making a Skateboard Bag

Kareem Elkady

My product was a skateboard bag, which makes it easy

for skateboarders to transport their skateboards in a

safe and protected manner when they travel by air. I

felt that there was a need for such a bag because I had

encountered some problems when travelling by plane

during last year’s summer vacation. I found out that

these bags were not for sale in the market. For this

reason, I know that I addressed a real personal problem. This experience made me

appreciate the importance of time management and good design. Although I am happy

with the outcome of the bag, I know that there are areas for improvement, such as

designing the bag in a more stable way so that it is more secure.

3D Model of a Windmill

Ahmed Al Shamsi

My goal was to create a 3D model of a windmill that could be utilized in an environment

much like the United Arab Emirates, to generate clean and limitless amounts of energy. As

an Emirati, I feel responsible to provide our future generation with an alternate energy

source, since oil is a non-renewable source of energy. To create my 3D model of the

windmill, I used ‘Google Sketch Up. My focus was Human Ingenuity because I was able to

use my research information, imagination and inventive skills to create the 3D model. To

achieve my goal, I gathered information about how windmills use wind to harness energy.

Then I researched different type of designs to get an idea of how windmills looked like,

and then I chose a program to design my windmill. I enjoyed the creation stage of my

project. I also enjoyed showing my project to others and listening to the positive

feedback. This experience helped me develop computer skills and learn new programs

(e.g. Google Sketch Up, AutoCAD, and Pro Desktop). It has helped a lot in my ATL skills,

especially- with thinking and organization. Mostly, this project has helped me as a learner

by giving me a lot of confidence.

Implementing a “Mock” Model United Nations for Younger Students

Mohamed Saleh

Model United Nations (MUN) is an

authentic imitation of the United

Nations. Participating in the MUN

improves students’ public speaking

and research skills. It also boosts

their confidence and helps them

look at problems from different

perspectives and to come up with

solutions. MUN helps students

understand that sometimes it is

best to solve problems through compromise, in order to avoid bigger problems. My goal

was to create a resource for teachers to implement a 'mock' MUN for our younger students,

who are not yet eligible to join the school MUN team. I created a resource booklet using

Microsoft Publisher. Human Ingenuity was my focus, since I used my creativity to create a

useful resource for teachers. If followed and implemented successfully, it can increase the

student’s awareness of MUN and help them succeed, once they are eligible to join.

Gaming Computer

Lloyd van der Bijl

My goal was to assemble a “gaming computer” at the lowest cost possible. I had always

wanted a good gaming computer, but my dad said that it would be too expensive. My final

product met all my specifications. It is fast, has state of the art graphics and is technically

advanced. My focus was Human Ingenuity because I researched the components of a

gaming computer, purchased the required parts and assembled it on my own. I had never

done anything like this before. I enjoyed learning about computers and satisfied my

curiosity on how this piece of technology is put together. Overall this project was a great

learning experience for me. I enjoyed it and was motivated the whole way through.

COMMUNITY & SERVICE

How do we live in relation to each other?

How can I contribute to the community?

How can I help others?

Teen Obesity in the U.A.E.

Fares Al Khatib

Reflecting back on my project, I can now see that informing my community via a website

about teen obesity in the UAE was harder than what I originally anticipated. My focus was

Community & Service. My website was

difficult to create as I had issues

making a template that was visually

pleasing. To create my website, I

collected information from multiple

resources ranging from websites to

interviewing with owners of fitness

centres. This was somewhat difficult

because I had to spend a lot of time

combing through the information to

evaluate what was useful and what

was not. Furthermore, some people did not want to divulge personal information about

their body weight and such. My second step was to organize the information according to

the different web pages my website will have. The final step was to create my website

and publish it online for everyone to see.

JBS Connect: An Exclusive Social Networking Site for JBS

Hosssama Dawood

Social Networking is the 21st century’s mode of communication. 96% of teens today use

social networking applications such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Facebook alone

has more than 845,000,000 members! With its many benefits, social networking sites also

have their concerns. It increases the risks of children befriending strangers, and there is

also the threat of the user’s privacy being breached. My goal was to create

“JBSconnect.com”, an exclusive social site for the JBS community (students, staff and

parents) in an effort to bring them closer together. I also wanted to ensure a safe and

secure working environment for our community that is free from cyber bullying, which will

give parents the peace of mind that

their children are interacting within safe

boundaries. This website allows

members to create profiles, list personal

interests, upload photos, chat and

remain updated with school events. My

inspiration was doing something for the

community using my computer skills and

passion for website design. Therefore,

my chosen Area of Interaction was

“Community and Service”. Even though I

faced difficulties, I was able to produce

a successful product that benefited

many people. For example, the MYP Weekly Update relies on JBSConnect.com for photos. I

commit to donate JBSConnect to JBS after my senior graduation and pay all of its costs

until 2021. JBSConnect would not be possible without the guidance and support of the JBS

community.

Raising Money to Help a School in Chitral

Zaheer Thanawala

My goal was to raise money to fund Al-Nasir School in Chitral, Pakistan so that they can

use it to build their own Early Learning Centre. I designed and printed my own customized

2012 calendar, containing pictures of the Al-Nasir School and of their students. Through

sales of my calendar, I raised

800 AED that they could now

use to start their construction

or save it until further funds

are collected. The steps I took

were creating my own

calendar, visiting new people in

Chitral, interacting with the

managers of different printing

presses and getting to know a

little about the printing

business. The best part was

communicating with the school to find out what their needs are.

Coaching Swimming to Younger JBS Students

Konstantinos Nikolakopoulos

My goal was to coach three students of grades 6 and 7 in order to improve their speed and

endurance in freestyle swimming. My focus was Community & Service. My final product

was a booklet, which included my students’ swimming background; graphs depicting their

improvements; written feedback on their improvement; and reflections on my coaching

abilities. I chose students who wanted to become better swimmers. I gathered data about

their initial swimming skills and swimming background. I then came up with lesson plans

for future trainings. I had to make some adjustments to my plans due to time constraints.

I was able to record the students’ final skills and monitor their improvements and

difficulties. Based on this experience, I created the booklet in order to help other students

improve their skills. Apart from the technical skills of how to set a goal and follow it to

completion, I gained some social skills as well. I found the right way to communicate with

my “students” so that they would follow my instructions and improve their swimming as a

result.

UAE Labour Situation

Adil Rashid

My goal was to enhance my knowledge of the UAE

labour situation and to determine a way in which I

could help. My area of interaction was Community &

Service as my product was delivering 95 care

packages to the labourers in Ajman. I researched

the living and working conditions of the labourers,

along with the support that they were receiving.

Through my research, I was able to determine how to fundraise. I wrote a letter which I

distributed in school. I also emailed companies requesting for a cash donation. I was able

to raise 13,000AED. I then coordinated with Sak Finefoods and acquired discount prices for

the items included in my care packages. They also agreed to package all the boxes from

the material that I got from Arabian Packaging. On the 29th of December 2011, I

distributed 95 care packages. I gained many things from this experience, the greatest

being a more clear insight into the life of a UAE labourer.

Raising Money for Rashid Paediatric Through Sales of My Anthology

Nadine Sakla

I raised money by selling an anthology of my poems. Proceeds

from my sales went to Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre. I

chose that centre because I saw how happy children with

physical disabilities were with getting a meaningful education.

This centre also depends primarily on donations to keep it

running. Therefore, my focus was Community & Service. I

enjoyed this whole journey. I enjoyed writing poems, since it is

my hobby. However, I also enjoyed finding out how to print and

to publish a book. I gained more insight on how centres work

with less abled children. I still managed to come across some

challenges. I am known for my atrocious spelling, so I needed to be extra careful. No

matter how many times I read over my pomes and how many times I asked an adult to

check for spelling and grammatical errors, mistakes still came through. I wanted to

include at least 30 poems. I found it difficult to “force” myself to write poetry. I don’t

usually sit at the desk and think ‘okay I have to write a poem now’. Writing comes

naturally to me, at any moment in time. I’m used to writing at random times, and most

times I am not aware that I am writing a poem until I have one finished before my eyes.

HEALTH & SOCIAL EDUCATION

How do I think and act?

How am I changing?

How can I look after myself and others?

Dangers of Smoking

Nabil Hussein

My goal was to increase awareness amongst teenagers about the

dangers of smoking. My final outcome was a presentation to the grade

6 to 8 JBS students in assembly. My focus was Health and Social

Education because I discussed how harmful smoking was to our health.

I enjoyed speaking in front of the young teens on an important real

life issue. This experience helped me understand the skills required to

deliver my message when speaking publicly. It also showed the

importance of raising awareness on a global issue such as smoking.

The Field of Psychology and its University Requirements

Shakhida Zaitova

My goal was to learn about the field of psychology and the

needed requirements to enter such a profession. This will help

me and other students, who are also interested in this field, to

learn more about it and potentially influence their decision to

pursue such a career. To achieve my goal, I made a booklet on

the research that I have gathered. My research included an

introduction to what psychology is; branches of psychology;

short history on psychology; the universities in Dubai that offer

psychology programs along with the specific entry

requirements; and careers that require a psychology degree. I

collected information from different sources such as online articles, videos and books. My

booklet addressed Health and Social Education because psychological well-being deals

with the emotional aspect of health. I had many challenges while creating this product

such as language comprehension, analyzing information and filtering it down into one

booklet. I learned how to research an unfamiliar topic and evaluate my sources. This is an

important transferrable skill. I learned how to organize and structure information in a

multi-chapter booklet, and I also enhanced my verbal and written communication skills.

Weight Gain Brochure

Khalid Al Nahdi

My goal was to gain weight in a healthy manner and to create a brochure that would

include gym exercises. It also included the different foods to eat, what to do before going

to the gym and things not to do after the gym. I have managed to achieve my goal, and I

am pleased of what I accomplished in a short period of time. I followed a special diet and

exercise patterns at the gym that helped me gain 3kg in 3 months. The outcome has been

successful to some extent as proper weight gain needs time, effort and motivation. I hope

to continue with this exercise routine and diet as it has made me more confident and

helped me to control my anger. My area of interaction was Health and Social Education. If

this goes well over a period of time I will be able to help other teenagers follow this

programme. I enjoyed learning new exercises. I was happy to interact with other people at

the gym, and they helped me with some routines. Having to go to the gym, I was able to

gain a lot of knowledge about different exercises and how these helped to gain weight a

bit faster. I also learnt about the food that went into the diet.

Basics for Teen Health and Fitness

Kimberlee Brinkman

My goal was to create a book that would inform teenagers, between ages of 14 and 16,

about how to have a healthy diet and exercise routine without having to completely

change their own routine. My product was a book that included simple ways for teenagers

to be healthy and stay fit. Health and Social Education was my focus. I did a lot of

research on teen health and interviewed our PE teacher, Ms Blair. I also needed to gain

understanding for what teenagers know and don’t know. I found that knowing what a

healthy diet was is common knowledge, however applying it was not. My favourite part

was seeing the book done, and knowing that it was my work. I gained knowledge of things

I could do, such as write a book with

the right commitment. I also realised

some of my limitations, such as

spreading my workload out because

it was hard to juggle schoolwork with

personal project.

A Guide on Healthy and Sustainable Weight Loss

Yusuf Lahham

My goal was to create a guide on healthy and sustainable weight loss. This is long-term

weight loss that will not cause any harm to the body. My focus was Health and Social

Education because weight loss improves a person’s physical and social well-being. To

create my product, I conducted several interviews with people experienced in the field of

weight loss such as a personal trainer and the head of a weight loss clinic. I read a few

books on weight loss and condensed all the information into my booklet. I enjoyed

learning more about the human body and weight loss.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING

How do I learn best?

How do I know?

How do I communicate my understanding?

Football Guide

Nikita Frolov

My goal was to teach some people basic football skills and rules, and then use that

experience to write a football training guide. My guide will help people improve their skills

and knowledge of football. My Area of Interaction was Approaches to Learning because I

learned the best ways to teach people a new sport. I collected the information from

different sources, such as video, books, websites and magazines in order to make my guide

versatile, easy to understand and interesting to read. I faced a few challenges. I needed at

least 10 sessions, but I was only able to have 5. I needed at least 5 subjects, but I worked

with only 2. It was also challenging for me to be a teacher; something that I have never

done before. I enjoyed my Personal Project because football is my passion. At the age of

6, I started to play football and make my own analysis of the game. I gained a lot of useful

skills such as collecting and evaluating information, teaching others and making my own

routines. I also experienced firsthand how to plan a long-term project, something that I

am certain to encounter in future studies.

The Grade 10s would like to thank their family, supervisors and support

staff for their help, feedback and support....

Ms. Alder

Ms. Asad Ms. Blair

Ms. Elkady

Mr. Godel

Mrs. Godel

Mr. Housley

Mr. Jarrar

Ms. Kamal

Ms. McLay

Ms. Muhtaseb

Mr. Paul

Ms. Rogland Mr. Shadeed

Ms. Siklos

Ms. Vatkar

Mr. Were Ms. Yousef