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For this project students were asked to create an artistic piece that was alluring, captivating, provocative, and represented the short story read by the student. There were no specific guidelines as to what type of art had to be used to represent the story. Freedoms such as this one, allowed for a range of creativity. This piece would then be accompanied by others in a Short Story Fair, where peers would be able to view and hopefully take interest in the story that the piece was representing. 

The piece that I created was a representation of the story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by, Joyce Carol Oates. My initial thought was to create a trailer, but that idea was taken by another student so I was forced to think outside my usual idea box. I then remembered that in literature, one of the most powerful tools is one'e lens. I decided that I would do a charcoal drawing of an eye, and surrounding the eye would be the quote that I felt would provoke thought and interest. That quote was,"Her name was Connie." To accompany the image, I went back to one of my earlier ideas of creating a soundtrack. I combined quotes from the story with different songs that fit the tone of the story at different moments. To listen to audio, the viewer would simply put on the headphones that were coming through the pupil of the drawing and push play.

I could this project be a bit challenging because it called for me to step out of my usual box of ideas. I spent hours combining through songs and riding and emotional roller coaster with Garageband. At  the end I was able create a multimedia product that was interesting, provocative, and stood different from the rest.

The Soundtrack can be listened to below.

​Cyndi Lynn (Felicía) Sheridan
Español 3 - Srta. G
El 2 de Octubre

Extra Crédito:
What did you learn?

 

Throughout this assignment, I have learned many different vocabulary words and understand how to read more sentences in Spanish. This was an amazing experience because I feel more confident in my Spanish ability. I still actually have my Facebook in Spanish because I think I am able to learn more than I already have. I can’t wait to see what else this experience can provide me with.

I learned what a lot of the buttons or places to go meant in spanish that I use daily on Facebook. Since I know how to get from place to place on Facebook it wasn't hard not knowing all the spanish. I knew that me gusta obviously meant like, so if I were to like something on Facebook I knew what I would click.Also with family on Facebook under all the names were hermana or hermano or tia, tio it was just cool seeing a different language and understanding what it meant. It was interesting getting notifications and having everything in spanish. It was a fun experience! Something else that I noticed, was I get texts on my phone from Facebook so when I changed my Facebook into spanish the texts I got were in spanish. I forgot I made my Facebook in spanish when I received a text and I got confused. It was a cool experience and I learned new spanish words!

​We had to create a song based on where we came from. We had to have at least two verses and a refran (chorus). It had to be 10 to 15 sentences. Then we had to record us singing to it. For a higher grade we could make some type of video. I learned that I know more Spanish then I think I do. And it may seem hard to write a song in Spanish and then sing it, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought. I am proud of me being able to actually make verses to make up the song. Probably make it longer, and better. I don’t like my voice so I would try to find a way to make it good with out me singing.  (I can’t sing.)

Me encanta Filadelfia

Tiene muchas cosas buenas

Tiene filetes de queso, las águilas, y los Filis también!

 

Mi familia es de Europa

Mi madre es de Nueva Jersey

Mi padre es del norte de Filadelfia

Soy del centro de la ciudad de Filadelfia

 

Me encanta Filadelfia

Tiene muchas cosas buenas

Tiene filetes de queso, las águilas, y los Filis también!

 

Me gusta come todo tipo de comida.

Me gusta dormir hasta tarde.

Escucho mucha música buena

Me gusta salir con mis amigos.

 

Me encanta Filadelfia

Tiene muchas cosas buenas

Tiene filetes de queso, las águilas, y los Filis también !

Refrain 

La musica estallido 

Personas danza

Todos disfrutar se quieren

Eso es mi barrio

(Repetir 2x)

Verse 1

 

Puertoriquana y morena 

vengo en filadelfia

me gusta la comida 

de me custombrés 

Verse 2

En Filaldelfia

La lámpara brillante brillar 

Con fiestas en la semana

Y la Puertoriquana desfile

Filadelfia es la estar lugar

 

Refrain 

La musica estallido 

Personas danza

Todos disfrutar se quieren

Eso es mi barrio

(Repetir 1x)

​I learned what a lot of the words I would look at everyday, or expect to say, would be if they were translated to Spanish. The overall experience was fun, a lot of the buttons were memorized, but because you are so used to Facebook, it is easy to memorize the words on the buttons if you were to keep the language set on Spanish for longer than 24 hours, like I did. 

"C'mon, your supposed to be the best."

"No, I’m not. Who are you to tell me what I’m supposed to be?" That's what my eyebrow said, arching like a frightened cat. I'd heard it many times before but never in a serious way. It was always in a joking manner, a manner that got old after the six-thousandth or seven-thousandth time- I lost count. It was cold in the counselor’s office, a small room on the second floor of my aging school. It was also unbearably quiet. Usually the sound of my kind, and mild mannered counselor hard at work would restore a comfortable volume. Not now though, as it was only my 5th grade teacher and I facing off about the recent drop in my GPA.

I don’t know where or when my last name came from, but it must have stuck considering no one decided to change it. I can understand why though, I mean it’s and awesome name to have! It never gets old to see the

awkward “really?” face people make when I introduce myself. And on rare occasions, when people assume I misspoke meaning “Beast”, “bet” or my favorite,  “Brest”. And the puns… the endless, puns. Always from older people though, rarely from kids my age. I think we realize how lame it is to make fun of someone’s name especially when it’s not even really all that impressive. I wonder if my ancestors faced the same thing.

         I guess I can’t blame them. They’re just trying to get a quick yuck and maybe cheer me up in the process. Not this time though, I could tell in his eyes that this was for real. He actually expected me to somehow be better then everyone else in my class! As if my name somehow had supernatural powers to affect the universe. What a joke! Does a guy named Miller have to love beer or work a textile? What about a black guy named White, or a white guy named Black? Or a depressed person named Feelgood! I wanted to give him a huge chunk of my mind after a long speech about how “I’m better than how I’m performing” and how he “sees great things in me”. But all that managed to stumble from my lips was a humble

“Okay”.

         I suppose an unrecognized sense of title comes with one’s name. Studies show that a name is automatically considered in a persons natural stereotyping. I’m not saying racism is natural, but what I am saying is that you must be aware of how people see you and of first impressions. Don’t allow yourself to be bottled within your own title, but instead force people to see you for what you do instead of what your called.

 

 

- Anthony Best

 

This project was fun, we got to work on a song to together and got to sing a song that mean something to us. We both were happy because we got to sing a song that we can relate to. We were able to express our life from back home in many ways in the song. This song is mainly about us coming to the U.S.A and how our life was different when we were in Africa. We really enjoin doing this project.

Nosotros Africáno, más fuerte!

Mi nombre es Rugei Tú Es Mabintuu

Nostroso de oeste África, nació y se crió

‘Africa es muy diferente de América

El cocas nosotros comemos. Y el cocas que hacemos.

 el arroz es la comida principal

 

Estamos africano, más fuerte!

Estamos africano,más fuerte!

Estamos africano, Vamoso!

Africaaaaaaaaaa Nosotros Donte. Awooo!

Estamos africano¿yo no oyes tu?

Estamos africano, más fuerte!

Estamos africano,más fuerte!

Estamos africano, Vamoso!

 

preguntar sobre africa y  nosotros te contaremos sobre nuestra historia

“¿Qué es África?”

de la patria donde vida los primeros seres.

different lenguajes, differente culturas pero comparten el mismo pais

 ¿Qué es eso?

ÁFRICA!

 

Nosotros Africáno, más fuerte!

Nosotros Africáno,más fuerte!

Nosotros Africáno, Vamoso!

Africaaaaaaaaaa Nosotros Donte. Awooo!

Nosotros Africáno, ¿yo no oyes tu?

Nosotros Africáno, más fuerte!

Nosotros Africáno,más fuerte!

Nosotros Africáno, Vamoso!

 

En el africano nosotros vivi con mi aborata y aborato

Nosotros vivi ir de vacacione con nuestro aborato y aborata.

Nosotros van el ecuela de sieta a uno p.m

No public ecula en el africano.

 

Llegada a Americano fue difícil,

nosotros vivi a el aeropuerto,

ir de vacaciones el control de seguridad.

Nuestro sientense en la ventanilla

Nosotros despegar

Y atterrizar en de American.

America fue muy frío y hermoso

​     Do you play basketball? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that question. It’s because I’m tall for my age over 6’2’’ and only 15. One day last summer I was in the driveway playing basketball with some friends. This was kind of new to me because I'm more of a baseball guy. However, ever since my growth spurt last summer, people assume that I have to be a good basketball player.

 

It was 10 to 12 and my team had 10 points. I ran and dodged players until I got to the 3-point zone. With 5 seconds left in the game, I had a clear shot and there were players rushing at me I took the chance and shot the ball through the air. It hit the rim and circled and circled… and missed.

 

The players on the court were surprised.

“Yo how did you miss that you’re the tallest one here” My friend Mike said

“I told you I’m more of a baseball person I don’t play basketball a lot”

“Your 6 feet tall”

“I know I’m just not that good at basketball I told you already”

“Oh yeah you did, Oh well I’ll see you tomorrow”

“See you”

 

      It’s been happening a lot lately. Most of the time I just tell people no I don’t play basketball and they just drop the subject. I love being tall most of the time and the cons aren’t just that question I have to duck to get down the steps at dad’s house and I can practically hit my head on anything. But some pros are I can reach most stuff and I can get on any ride at an amusement park.

 

      I can’t blame them, actually I don’t know who to blame I thought I got my height from my dad but I’m taller than him and it can’t be from my mom because I’ve been taller than her since 7^th grade, so I don’t know.  Now wherever I go people take one look at me and instantly think that I play basketball. I guess that when people see one person who looks a certain way they set expectations for that person without knowing anything about them.

 

      I’m kind of good at basketball just not as good as other people would expect. I like baseball and soccer. Sure I could probably dunk the ball if I wanted to but I don’t play enough to know how especially if I cant reach the rim.  I’m used to it now but it’s still annoying when so many people who know I don’t play keep thinking I play. That’s just wrong in some cases. It’s a stereotype all tall people must be good a basketball that can mess up a friendship before it starts. For example If a coach saw me and drafted me onto his basketball team and I make friends before a game once I start playing and people see that I’m bad at this then I would start to lose friends. To sum this up I don’t like the stereotype that all tall people are good at basketball because it can ruin things like friendships before they start.

 

 

2. This project was probably my most "active" project ever. We had to make a song about where we were from, and the good thing was, you could have interpreted it however you wanted, whether it be intellectually or physically. For a little extra umph in your project, you could make a video to incorporate with your song. In this project I actually learned how to become a better photographer and what to look for when trying to make a montage of one specific idea. I also learned that I am a lot better at spanish than they were last year. I am really proud of how well I was able to speak in spanish and flow, as well as the fast tempo I used in the song. That is not edited, that is actually me rapping in spanish! If I could change this project, I would want to get some footage of me and my bro Mat in, but the video of Philadelphia is on of the main highlights of my spanish video. I think it goes really well with the music and what the music represents. 

Somos dos uno cinco en el ciudad

Nosotros venimos de Filadelfia

Somos dos uno cinco porque nosotros jugamos

Americano Futbol porque somos hermanos

Jugamos fuera deportes, como basketball

Porque vivimos en el ciudad de amor y fraternal

 

Yo vengo de Phoenix Arizona

Después tres años yo fue a Nevada

Tuve cuatros años

Me mudé de Nevada

Y me mudé a Filadelfia

Ahora tengo dieciséis años

Y yo vivía con mis abuelos

Ahora vengo escuela

de SLA

Y vengo de libertad

Porque vengo de Filadelfia

Y somos… (CHORUS)

 

Somos dos uno cinco en el ciudad

Nosotros venimos de Filadelfia

Somos dos uno cinco porque nosotros jugamos

Americano Futbol porque somos hermanos

Jugamos fuera deportes, como basketball

Porque vivimos en el ciudad de amor y fraternal

 

Mi nombre es Mateo

Estoy de Filadelfia

Puedo obtener dinero

Yo vivo con mus tres hermanas y mi madre

Yo vengo mi familia

Yo vengo fútbol de Americano

Yo vengo mi la vida de niño

Porque yo es un niño en mi familia

yo vengo de videojuegos

y me encanta lo yo vengo de

 

Somos dos uno cinco en el ciudad

Nosotros venimos de Filadelfia

Somos dos uno cinco porque nosotros jugamos

Americano Futbol porque somos hermanos

Jugamos fuera deportes, como basketball

Porque vivimos en el ciudad de amor y fraternal

 

 

 

​ What is your song supposed to communicate?
Wanted to communicate who I am and where I am from.

What are you especially happy about with your first draft?
Yes because I took my time and made sure that every grammar was right. Also, I had got help from my peers.

What would you like to improve about your refrán?
I want to make it more detailed. Felt as thought my refran wasn't creative enough.

What did you learn?
More of learning words over again and getting them familiar in your brain. Also writing songs that involves spanish words that I never knew.

What are you like/dislike about your product?
I like that I used a spanish instrumental and made it my own. Some things I think that I dislike are the way I pronounce some words.

If you were to do this project all over again, what would you change?
Would write about something else that would make my song more creative, also challenge my self more.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2196173/Yo%20Vengo%20De.mp3

In this project we created songs about where we are from. I learned how to use garage band and how to say where i come from. I am especially proud of being able to produce the song. If i could change something i would maybe make it longer? 

vengo de America
la tierra de el libre
es no perfecto
pero es mi casa

vengo de un amor por fútbol
mi número es dieciocho
fútbol es mi pasión
pasión por la vida

Vengo de cheesesteaks
en la ciudad de Filadelfia
donde la gente se ríe
las personas vivan libres

vengo de America
la tierra de el libre
es no perfecto
pero es mi casa

I learned that I don't have to write all my poems in english (the poem turned into a song). I am proud that I could put together meaningful lyrics and that it made sense. I would probably change some of the difficult parts to sing in spanish, because in english it's much easier to hit certain notes in spanish (because of the different vowel sounds). 

De La Alma: 

Yo vengo de los arboles y el río cafe 

Calles y corazones de piedra del adoquín (2x)

Somos de la luna y el sol 

Pero una vida nueva es que queremos 

Dondé no hay casas almas y rotas 

y las almas no necesitan almas nuevas 

Porqué el sol es una día nueva y la luna es la noche

con las problemas de ayer 

¿Dondé está el paz? (2x) 

Yo vengo de los arboles y el río cafe 

Calles y corazones de piedra del adoquín (2x)

Hay almas muertas en el río y 

nadie sabe por qué

Hay almas muertas en tú corazón y 

nadie sabe por qué 

Pero, ¿Dondé está ellos ahora? ...

Ellos son en nuestra corazón

Yo vengo de los arboles y el río cafe 

Calles y corazones de piedra del adoquín 

This project asked students to create a song that answered the question, ¿De dondé vengo yo? (Where do I come from). We first listened to the song 536 Cuba by Las Orishas, a Cuban hip hop group. We were then sent off to find our roots and put then to music.
From this project I learned that the song writing process is a difficult one. It takes time, effort, and a ton of patience to be able to write, compose, and sing a song.
Honestly, I am most proud of the fact that I finished and was able to create an acceptable product. 
If I were able to do this project over, I would find a already established instrumental track instead of making my own. 

The song can be listened to here.

For this project we had to create a song in spanish that answered the question "Where am I from". We did this by first writing a song and then recorded it on a program called garage band, and then imported it. 

From this project I learned how to work garage more efficiently and learned a lot more about conjugated verbs.

I'm proud of my overall song, I think it's really good. I worked really hard on it, and hopefully you can tell. 


If I could do this project over I would try and  figure out how to make my vocals louder.


Note: when listening to the song, make sure you use both headphones or else you wont hear it. :)

Me Encanta Aqui 

Chorus 

Mi familia viviamos en jersey
Luego nos mudamos en philly
ahora me encanta, me ancanta aqui

Verse 1

Soy de x10
Si, me llamo es Sierra
Yo Soy filadelfia 
Pero mi mama es de haiti 
ella dijo que
no le gusta aqui.

Soy de, soy de, cuidado 
Pero me gusta en philly
Con mi mama, hermano, y mi papi
Me Encanta, Me encanta
Me encanta estar aqui
Mi mama se mundo, se mundo
si, si, asi

Chorus 

Mi familia viviamos en jersey
Luego nos mudamos en philly
ahora me encanta, me ancanta aqui
Es frio en el vierno
El verano..
Es mucho..
Calor..
Es por eso que, mi encanta aqui.

Soy de Fila

El gente es loco.

Soy do Fila

Porque es bueno.

Comida grasa,

Gente extraño,

Las casas lindas,

Los carne rojo.

Yo no tengo más

No amigos

o lugares iré.

Pero no importante

El ciudad da abundancia

Todo ésa quiero.

 

Filadelfia

Es mi ciudad

Filadelfia

Es mi hogar

Filadelfia

tiene la vida

Filadelfia

tiene mis amigos.

 

Cuando yo lluegué,

tuve mi madre

Nadie más,  

hasta no mi padre

El ciudad habló

Habló a mi

Dijo estuve

tranquilo

El diversión,

El diversión

El diversión

Y la vida

sólo comenzaré

Pasar todo

Filadelfia,

encontré amigos

encontré amor

encontré peligros

encontré emocións

encontré familia

encontré mascota

encontré una gata

encontré una perra

encontré las vistas

encontré más

encontré más

encontré más

encontré más

encontré más

encontré más

y más, y más, y más

en Filadelfia

 

Filadelfia

Es mi ciudad

Filadelfia

Es mi hogar

Filadelfia

tiene la vida

Filadelfia

tiene mis amigos.

• This is just a song talking about the things I think Philadelphia gave me.
  
• I learned how to make a song, how to more effectively use Garageband, and proper conjugation .
• I'm definitely proud that it doesn't sound like a hot mess, especially since I was singing in Spanish. I also like the length, it's almost the length of most songs these days, which I'm really impressed with.
  
• I think I'd spend more time trying to fine-tune my Spanish pronunciation, mainly because I tend to stutter on most of the words I say. If I get used to saying the words, I'll be more comfortable saying them, and less likely to stutter.