Exhibition Fair Interim Reflection

    On Wednesday I talked the entire 2 hours during the student fair, and I talked to almost everyone in the parent fair. I did a good job drawing people in and explaining the technical elements of the effects of medicine to the students.
    My feedback wasn't that helpful because they really didn't say much. People not only gave me minimal feedback, but I couldn't compare others feedback because it was also subadequate. The only criticism that I got was literally “weird” and that was all that it said. One comment said that they really appreciated the extensiveness as to the answers I gave and that with each answer I had some type of prop to lead into the next idea.  
    By the next fair I am going to improve on how I initiate conversations with people. Instead of asking them if they had any wonders about insomnia or sleep, I would simply start out with some of the positive and negative effects of taking medications or melatonin. Also, there was a lot of waste and debris leftover from my beverage table. A lot of people caught on to the whole caffeine irony, others I had to explain it to, and sadly the rest didn't get it at all. I would use a different method of serving too, I didn't like the fact that people wrote for comments as “I liked the drinks!” or “Thanks for the soda.” In the future I would encourage my spectators to give me some constructive criticism.
    I like the exhibition fair, it gives seniors a chance to talk about their topic and give them more confidence in their speaking skills. This year I thought that everyone was prepared and the fair was well thought out. I am glad that we had the posters due early, but then we had time to work on them up until the time of the fair. The exhibition fair is beneficial to the underclassmen as well, at least it really was for me last year. They get to talk to us about our topics and learn how we do things. 


Meredith Scanlan
Reflection on Exhibition Fair

1.I had two posters, one a foldout covered in turquoise paper, the other was black foamboard. I highlighted my essential questions by put a black background behind the questions to make it stand out from the turquoise. I had a flip poster and I used classic artwork to spice up my poster (artwork that was related to sleeping or insomnia). I provided caffeinated beverages, classical music/ sleep tapes, and an extensive outline of my paper. I had a survey that almost everyone took about their own sleeping habits. The quality of my work was very high indeed and each part had a specific role that was a great addition to my fair.
2.I planned out what I was going to do in advance, and parts of it were done early, the rest was completed near the fair – but none of it was done hastily. I put a lot of effort into the preparation of my fair and that helped immensely as I started to pull it all together.
3.The best interaction that I had at the student fair was with Chris Langeler. I had a great discussion with him and I was able to explain to him the chemical effects in the brain for certain drugs in a way that was clear and succinct. I also had great visuals that I could show him to aid in my explanations – he seemed very interested and he was very impressed with my knowledge on the topic. During the parent fair my best interaction was with Carol Patton, she has insomnia too and we discussed the best methods of treating insomnia and I could show off my knowledge by telling her why certain things worked and how they worked.
4.My performance at the student fair was awesome. I didn't take a break once and I was constantly drawing people in and I had so many things going on at once that I was able to keep everybody engaged. I was able to hand out surveys and pens, serve drinks, answer questions, play music, and direct people to my flip board all at the same time. The quality of my conversations was very good, I didn't find myself repeating much at all because I only talked to people about what they were interested in about my topic.
5.The exhibition fair helped me to see what people are interested in, for example I wasn't going to say anything in my presentation about the evolution of sleep but during the fairs people seemed to be really interested in that.
6.I would change my flip board for a younger audience because grade schoolers aren't too knowledgeable on the effects of drugs and alcohol on sleep. Plus, little kids are always moving (I still am) so I would have them do some of the physical methods, the Day method in particular, that are treatments for insomnia.
7.I think the exhibition fair is great. It was a little hectic before the fair, but what isn't? All things considered everyone was ready and set up by the time we needed to go anyway so it worked out splendidly. Seniors get a chance to advertise their hard work and show-off, juniors get an idea of what is coming up, and the school gets good PR for finding a creative way to show off their students.
8.If people passed out surveys, did they use them? I did, I used mine to show local perspective.

Meredith Scanlan

April 21, 2003


Riverdale High School – Senior Exhibition

Reflection on Exhibition Paper



I first started my paper on the ethics of Stem Cell Research, I wrote a What I Know and What I Wonder Paper and a list of essential questions and research questions. My next step was gathering sources and listing references. For my research I used a technique that I learned from Mrs. Finnerty where I put one idea on one notecard from a particular source. This was the most helpful step in writing my paper!!! It made everything easy to organize and even easier to site. My first draft was about 5 ½ pages of a topic that I had lost interest in. So I changed my topic sometime in January. I again wrote a What I know and What I Wonder Paper and also a list of essential questions. I used a more disciplined version of the note taking process, being more meticulous in my citations. I then started work on my paper writing in chapters to help with organization.

The deadlines were the biggest and scariest roadblocks I have ever encountered in my life, as far as academics go. The deadlines made me anxious and crazy, I couldn't hardly work. I freaked out. I overcame them by just doing it, with the encouragement of my teachers and my friends.

When writing a major paper it is important to get as far as you can on the first draft. I stuck to this and it got me into trouble because I couldn't turn in my paper unless it was perfect, I think I have problems with perfection :)

Almost everything in my paper was new learning for me, including my opinions and conclusion! The strengths of my paper are in the writing, it is interesting and professional. The weaknesses are in the fluency between ideas and “chapters.” When writing my final draft I used the criteria to do a check over to make sure that I felt good about meeting the requirements. When I write another major paper I will have other people read it and help with direction more so than I did this year.

On a scale of one to ten, I give my effort on my paper a ten, and the quality a ten. The paper is by far the best part of my exhibition and I felt that it is through and interesting and it really reflects the work that I put into it. 

The strength of my presentation was in my question and answer period. I tackled hard questions that people had about their sleep to prove that I was really an expert. I also really liked my activity, it's not too deep of an activity, but at least it's fun for the audience.

I changed my slideshow text color to be darker (or lighter) than it was so that it would be easier to read. I also added a few simple slides for the personal aspect, questions and answers, and the ending. With these slides I was better able to perfect my opening and closing. 
    I didn't try too hard to make vast changes in my presentation, I just tried to keep the intensity that I had before. I was able to do two good presentations, and it was very helpful to have 2 presentations to do, so I could perfect my second. The problem with the panel presentation is people treated it like it wasn't a real presentation – but as if it were a practice run through. Well, it is a practice run through for the public presentation, but it is still a formal presentation. I treated it like it was a real presentation, but I didn't many others do that. It's safe to say that the majority of our class had to significantly change their public presentations because they didn't work hard enough for their panel so their presentations weren't good enough.

When I give my next presenation I am going to work out the text color thing, I think I went for a too complex of a background- I will change that in my next presentation. Also, in my next presenation, I will not waste so much time on silly tangential questions from the audience (i.e. Ya know how snakes don't have eyelids, how can ya tell if they are sleeping?)

On a scale of one to ten I give a 9 for effort into my presentation because I really planned it out and tried hard to work out the details. I think that my presentation turned out great too, as a result from the work I put into it, so I give it a 9.

I would like to say that some of the exhibition presentations that I saw this year were below par, but all things considered I think our class pulled through. Something that could have helped people was more involvement on peer AND TEACHER input before our panel presentations.


Meredith Scanlan

May 28, 2003

Riverdale High School – Senior Exhibitions

Reflection on Exhibition Research

I did my research very systematically by writing an idea on each notecard and collecting my research in an organized fashion. I went to the library and checked out multiple resources, most of my research was done at the library and not on computers, I found it was easier and more legitimate to get my information from a book.

The most useful resource was my doctor, I could practice out my theories through my own insomnia and get critical advice from Dr. Miller. Also the self help books were really good because they gave a detailed overview of the conditions, etc...

Research should be done just prior to writing the paper, not a couple months ahead of time with a period of a months rest. My frustrations with research came along with the discrepancies between sources. I overcame them by founding my own opinions through trial or research. I learned that as a researcher I work much better when I am organized and in a quiet or absolutely silent setting. My strengths come in my ability to bucke down and cover a lot of material in one extended setting. My weaknesses are in procrastinating and my self discipline to work.

When I do research again I will try to monitor my time, and more importantly my waste of time. I will try to spread out my work over a greater time period so it isn't rushed. I already had my expert, it was my doctor. None of the sleep specialists would respond to my requests so I went to my doctor who is also a friend, that is not specialized in sleep – but is knowledgeable about the topic.

On a scale of 1-10 I would rate my effort and quality of research a 10 because I was very organized and I used a lot of good, varied sources.

Meredith Scanlan

May 20, 2003

RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK :

Practice runs, how I improved for my public presentation

In my panel presentation I got a lot of feedback on my power point and it's flaws: mostly text color and speed of animations. I also noticed that I have a weak intro and conclusion. I have already rewritten my intro to include a particular quote from Hauri which will pose as my “grabber.” My conclusion was cut short because my very last slide was lost, I had planned to close my presentation with an open ended question that would hopefully encourage people to ask for advice on their sleeplessness, however it was not present and I lost my poise to finish my presentation gracefully. 

I intend to work on my I received a lot of encouragement because people complimented me on my confidence in delivery. So that will help me in my public presentation as well.

Meredith Scanlan

May 28, 2003


Riverdale High School – Senior Exhibition

Service Learning Reflection

I volunteered for the Dunthorpe Auction Gala and I was presented with a certificate for 6 hours of community service. I worked for the CESNW symposium held at our school from 10:00 to 4:00. During a district meeting, I held child care for the members for 3 hours at the gradeschool (through Mrs. Olson) and throughout the month of month of March I worked every Saturday for 2 hours running youth basketball camps with Coach Anthony Baugher for a total of 10 hours. 

Since I was around younger kids a lot I learned how to control and comfort them. The other two services were catering to adults, which put me to work and help to develop my maturity and organization. The gala was quite eye opening, I got to see how callow the inebriated women of my neighborhood are. I learned that even though someone is married with children and successful, they can still be immature and empty. I learned that I like kids more than I thought I did, and that I dislike being immature more than I thought I did.

I benefited by doing service because I got to interact with my community – and I also hooked myself up with a summer job! I wish that I would have been allowed to volunteer my time to something related to my exhibition, but at all the clinics I couldn't do anything related to insomnia because they just had nothing for an uncertified high-schooler to do. None the less, I helped the community raise money in the Gala and helped the district athletic programs (something I really support).

My service work was consistent with my ethics because I think that continuing good sports programs is good for the function and development of children. Through my community service I supported the athletic programs of our schools because it was available for me to do and I like doing it.

On a scale of one to ten I rate my effort during the service learning about an 8, and the quality of my experience was the same, an 8. It was interesting all around, but I still feel that I would have gotten more out of working in a clinic researching or helping.

Meredith Scanlan

April 21, 2003


Riverdale High School – Senior Exhibition

Reflection on Exhibition Paper

I first started my paper on the ethics of Stem Cell Research, I wrote a What I Know and What I Wonder Paper and a list of essential questions and research questions. My next step was gathering sources and listing references. For my research I used a technique that I learned from Mrs. Finnerty where I put one idea on one notecard from a particular source. This was the most helpful step in writing my paper!!!

It made everything easy to organize and even easier to site. My first draft was about 5 ½ pages of a topic that I had lost interest in. So I changed my topic sometime in January. I again wrote a What I know and What I Wonder Paper and also a list of essential questions. I used a more disciplined version of the note taking process, being more meticulous in my citations. I then started work on my paper writing in chapters to help with organization.

The deadlines were the biggest and scariest roadblocks I have ever encountered in my life, as far as academics go. The deadlines made me anxious and crazy, I couldn't hardly work. I freaked out. I overcame them by just doing it, with the encouragement of my teachers and my friends.

When writing a major paper it is important to get as far as you can on the first draft. I stuck to this and it got me into trouble because I couldn't turn in my paper unless it was perfect, I think I have problems with perfection :)

Almost everything in my paper was new learning for me, including my opinions and conclusion! The strengths of my paper are in the writing, it is interesting and professional. The weaknesses are in the fluency between ideas and “chapters.” When writing my final draft I used the criteria to do a check over to make sure that I felt good about meeting the requirements. When I write another major paper I will have other people read it and help with direction more so than I did this year.

On a scale of one to ten, I give my effort on my paper a ten, and the quality a ten. The paper is by far the best part of my exhibition and I felt that it is through and interesting and it really reflects the work that I put into it.