Project 1 - Contextualization
"Generally, to contextualize an idea, statement or event is to place it within its larger setting in which it acquires its true and complete meaning. Contextualization aids comprehension. For example, an arithmetic problem may not seem very practical until it is seen within a story problem;"
https://www.gotquestions.org/contextualization.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/contextualization.html
My mother's side of my family is Jamaican so that was really the inspiration for my first project. I wanted to learn more about how Jamaicans live, what they eat, their culture and their lifestyle. I also wanted to learn from my family and from research more about Jamaican Americans, or the people the emigrate from Jamaica to America.
Art
For my art portion of my Apollo project I decided to create a culinary comparison of traditional Jamaican foods, and Jamaican foods that have been Americanized.
For research I looked at foods/recipes that from people that live in Jamaica/have lived in Jamaica for the majority of their lives, and compared it to Jamaican Americans/ Jamaicans that emigrated to America at a young age (or was born in America).
I cooked and brought into school 3 traditional dishes (beef patty and coco bread, rice and peas, gizzada), and 3 America inspired dishes ( jerk chicken, Jamaican white rice, and Jamaican carrot cake).
A lot of my classmates didn't know about the traditional Jamaican dishes like the beef patty and coco bread so I was able to explain to them the history, the process, and the tradition that many of these foods have. At the end of my project when I interviewed my classmates about it everyone liked the Jamaican foods way better than the Americanized foods.
I learned that a lot of people didn't know what those foods were and the history behind them and bringing them to America helped them to see just how influential Jamaican foods have become.
For research I looked at foods/recipes that from people that live in Jamaica/have lived in Jamaica for the majority of their lives, and compared it to Jamaican Americans/ Jamaicans that emigrated to America at a young age (or was born in America).
I cooked and brought into school 3 traditional dishes (beef patty and coco bread, rice and peas, gizzada), and 3 America inspired dishes ( jerk chicken, Jamaican white rice, and Jamaican carrot cake).
A lot of my classmates didn't know about the traditional Jamaican dishes like the beef patty and coco bread so I was able to explain to them the history, the process, and the tradition that many of these foods have. At the end of my project when I interviewed my classmates about it everyone liked the Jamaican foods way better than the Americanized foods.
I learned that a lot of people didn't know what those foods were and the history behind them and bringing them to America helped them to see just how influential Jamaican foods have become.
English
For my English project I created a short collection poems about my family's emigration to America, and how the American Dream has affected their lives.
For research I interviewed my family and I did research about what exactly the American Dream means to many of the people that come to live in America. I also did research on how to analyze a poem using SOAPStone so I can make quality poems.
During my interviews I really learned a lot about my family. I was able to compare my research with my families stories and was able to really understand what it was like for people to emigrate to America. One of the things that I really wanted to portray in my poems was the personality of my family in the poems. I was able to do this by using the SOAPSTone technique on other poems, and then using what I analyzed to help better my writing.
For research I interviewed my family and I did research about what exactly the American Dream means to many of the people that come to live in America. I also did research on how to analyze a poem using SOAPStone so I can make quality poems.
During my interviews I really learned a lot about my family. I was able to compare my research with my families stories and was able to really understand what it was like for people to emigrate to America. One of the things that I really wanted to portray in my poems was the personality of my family in the poems. I was able to do this by using the SOAPSTone technique on other poems, and then using what I analyzed to help better my writing.
Social Studies
Lastly, for my Social Studies project I created a painting, and wrote a short essay about how Jamaican have impacted and changed the city life here in America.
For research, I watch nearly a dozen videos on how to do oils painting, the techniques of oil painting, and how to paint portraits. The research for my painting was one of the more extensive tasks because I knew little to nothing about oil painting and painting portraits.
In my painting I did a portrait of a Jamaican women, and used the color purple because of the Jamaican national flower the Lignum Vitae. I also painted the Lignum Vitae at the bottom of the painting and had them fade into roses which is the American national flower. I also painted a cityscape in the background and added purple to represent how Jamaicans have come to America and added left a big mark on the city life in America.
For my short essay a lot of my research was about what life is like in Jamaica, and how many Jamaicans live. This gave me context to really understand just how impactful Jamaicans moving to America really was. Again, I learned so much about Jamaicans in this project.
A lot of immigrants go through a lot of hardships coming to America, and even more as they move into America. Nevertheless, the presence of Jamaican culture in America is very strong. From food, to music, to celebrities, and even to the Jamaican flag and language, America has definitely been impacted by Jamaicans.
For research, I watch nearly a dozen videos on how to do oils painting, the techniques of oil painting, and how to paint portraits. The research for my painting was one of the more extensive tasks because I knew little to nothing about oil painting and painting portraits.
In my painting I did a portrait of a Jamaican women, and used the color purple because of the Jamaican national flower the Lignum Vitae. I also painted the Lignum Vitae at the bottom of the painting and had them fade into roses which is the American national flower. I also painted a cityscape in the background and added purple to represent how Jamaicans have come to America and added left a big mark on the city life in America.
For my short essay a lot of my research was about what life is like in Jamaica, and how many Jamaicans live. This gave me context to really understand just how impactful Jamaicans moving to America really was. Again, I learned so much about Jamaicans in this project.
A lot of immigrants go through a lot of hardships coming to America, and even more as they move into America. Nevertheless, the presence of Jamaican culture in America is very strong. From food, to music, to celebrities, and even to the Jamaican flag and language, America has definitely been impacted by Jamaicans.