Extract 2: Additional Evidence of Research Skills Media Literacy Skills: Another way that I was able to access and understand information was by identifying my mother's specific point of view about the affordances and drawbacks of crocheting when I interviewed her. When she noted that knitting and sewing were matters of necessity while growing up in communist China and that crocheting was a fancy pleasure, I started to question the viability of my entire project, worrying that crocheting a blanket was more frivolous than sustainable. However, when I thought more critically about the matter, I realized that hand-making anything in modern times was a step toward sustainable living even if this notion ran counter to a unique viewpoint developed in communist China.
Extract 3: Product Criteria
This is the product criteria that I set in April when I first started working on the project.
My final product will be a blanket that:
I have crocheted by hand
is multi-colored (grey, blue, and green)
is made with yarn purchased in local shops that I have personally visited, not sourced from a vendor on the Internet
is accompanied by a note explaining its connection to sustainable living
is comprised of 100 granny squares
consists of granny squares measuring 9 cm x 9 cm
measures 10 granny squares in length x 10 granny squares in width
has two rounds of Classic granny squares (64 in total - 32 grey, 24 green, 8 blue)
has two rounds of Solid granny squares (32 in total - 20 blue, 12 green)
has a center of Starburst granny squares (4 in total - all multiple colors)
follows the pattern below:
This is the product criteria that I re-developed in November after working on the project for six months and making many minor adjustments along the way.
Criteria for learning how to crochet:
Consult primary sources (for example: crochet lessons, expert consultations, Crochet for a Cause CAS club, etc.)
Consult secondary sources presented through various media (for example: magazines, video tutorials, and DIY websites)
Practice basic crochet skills: slip knot, chain stitch, foundation round, slip stitch, double crochet, half treble crochet, treble crochet, and double treble crochet, changing colors, and sewing seams
Engage in action research.
Criteria for designing a blanket:
Investigate granny square patterns of various levels of difficulty
Select three granny square patterns: easy, medium, and hard
Create a design that consists of three different granny square patterns
Create a design that consists of three different colors: grey, green, and blue
Create a design that consists of 100 granny squares in total
Investigate pros and cons of joining squares as I go vs. joining all squares at the end
Complete a "casual" cost analysis to determine a reasonable amount of money to spend on materials
Keep an ongoing list of musings and principles that I can use to write a note that explains the blanket's link to sustainable living
Criteria for making a blanket:
Use materials purchased in local shops that I have personally visited; do not use anything sourced from an online vendor
Crochet the entire blanket by hand
Make all squares over a six-months period
Use an average of 30 minutes to complete one square
Ensure that each granny square measures 9cm x 9cm (check consistency of size and tension)
Sew in all loose strands of yarn
Ensure the blanket measures about 90cm x 90cm (the equivalent of 10 squares x 10 squares)
Follow this pattern:
Criteria for living a more sustainable life:
Read slow fashion and eco-living blogs
Increase patronage at local shops that sell handmade goods
Minimize patronage at fast fashion shops
Make do with what is already in my closet
Extract 4: Action Plan and Record of Development
Extract 5: Additional Evidence of Self-Management Skills
Organization Skills I prioritized tasks according to their urgency and importance. For example, when I was sick with stomach flu, I made a conscious decision to suspend my personal project focuses to ensure that I'd have enough mental and physical energy to uphold the non-negotiable duties in my life, most notably planning and teaching my lessons at school. Looking back, I'm quite proud of myself for easing off when I was ill. Even so, I think I could have made more mindful choices like this throughout the duration of the project in order to achieve better balance in nutrition, exercise, rest, and relaxation.
Affective Skills Another time that I applied a solution-based approach was when I'd fallen very far behind on my project in September. I was quite mortified, but instead of dwelling on this shortfall I reframed my understanding of how and why I'd stumbled off course in order to acknowledge that I tended to bite off more than I could chew, largely due to my ambitious nature and proclivity for setting high expectations. By coming to terms with my blunders, I practiced how to deal with disappointment and unmet expectations, and trained myself to focus on fixing a problem to move past it. Looking back, I see that I also could have utilized positive thinking and sought out strategies for reducing stress and anxiety to manage my state of mind in these situations.
Extract 6: Additional Evidence of Thinking Skills
Thinking Skills: Instead of feeling discouraged and falling back on a convenient Web-based purchase when I couldn't easily locate the yarn shop, I looked at the situation positively and approached the challenge to find Cheer Wool not as a tortuous feat but an opportunity to exercise my commitment to eco-conscious living.
Extract 7: Additional Evidence of Communication and Social Skills Communication Skills: I negotiated knowledge and ideas with others when my mother provided crochet tutorials via FaceTime. I struggled with her preference to teach through modelling -- that is, showing me how to do something by doing it herself -- because I learned best with verbal instructions. To overcome this difficulty, I narrated what I saw my mother doing and asked her if my descriptions were accurate. When she was satisfied with my spoken accounts, I wrote them down so that I could capture her tutorial in words. Another challenge arose when my mother kept referring to stitches by their Chinese and American names. This confused me since I'd learned to crochet from two British women who used British terminology. To resolve this matter, I used a US/UK conversion chart. which enabled me to continue engaging with people of other cultures instead of picking just one form of knowledge.
Extract 8: Product Criteria Evaluation
Extract 9: Additional Evidence of Extension of Knowledge and Understanding of Topic
I used to think that sustainable living meant adjusting one's eating and traveling habits to reduce carbon emissions, but now I knowthat changing my approach to fashion and shopping can lead to a healthier lifestyle as well. I have learned that the fashion industry contributes to the sustainability challenge in huge ways -- by depleting fossil fuels for production and transportation, diminishing water reservoirs for cotton crop irrigation, and developing synthetic materials that do not easily decompose in nature -- which means that making more responsible fashion choices can help to protect the earth.
Extract 10: Additional Evidence of Development as an IB Learner I have also developed as abalancedlearner. I never underestimated the importance of this project as it was the capstone of my MYP experience, but I never allowed it to overwhelm my life to the detriment of my physical, emotional, and intellectual health. I did this by assessing the project's priority on a weekly basis to determine how much time and energy I would commit to it. This enabled me to set aside a specific amount of time for the project without cancelling other important engagements like exercising, spending time with my husband, and getting quality sleep each night. It was through this balanced approach that I was able to maintain and enjoy different aspects of my life, and thus stay healthy, while working on the Personal Project.