Kayla Cindric

In 10th grade Language Arts, I grew in my ability to write a successful persuasive letter and create a metaphoric poster that informs the viewer of genocide by completing the conflict/genocide letter to a congressman and genocide poster.  

 

The projects that made the most impact on my learning were the letter we wrote to our congressman stating what we would like to see happen to solve the issue in the Middle East (the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict) and why we think that position would be most effective to resolve the conflict using quotes from guest speakers, articles, or power points our teachers presented us with and also the genocide poster where we had to create a metaphoric poster showing the viewers to memorialize those who were lost in a certain genocide or conflict or advocating peaceful actions to be taken to address a current conflict or genocide by comparing it to a past genocide/conflict we learned in class. Each was to help us understand and fully develop what genocide is, how we can create a poster to help others understand it as well, and how to create a well-written persuasive essay that shows that we understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In order to start this project, we first had to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict was, how it began, who is involved and how the U.S. is involved. We learned and answer these questions and topics by listening to guest speakers that presented their different opinions about the topic and where the U.S. should stand and listening to our history teacher as he presented us with power points, primary and secondary documents, and documentary videos. After we knew about this conflict, we learned how to create a persuasive letter to write to a congressman in Language Arts.

 

In Language Arts, we learned how to create a persuasive letter. We learned how to write a proper thesis statement that shows our opinion. In a thesis, it is one sentence stating your opinion, but provides no evidence or reasoning in it. We, then, learned about evidence. In evidence, we support what was in our thesis and back up it (reasoning) using statistics, quotes, documents, etc. We also learned about a counter-arguments. In a counter-argument, it states what the opposing side would say (Basically the opposite side of what you’re supporting) and then stating and reasoning why the side you’re better/right by starting with the word, “however.” We learned that first you have an introduction of yourself. Second background of the situation. Third, your thesis statement. Fourth, evidence supporting thesis. Fifth, the counter-argument (that is relevant to the evidence) and your reasoning why your opinion/side you’re supporting is better/right. Then, we made another paragraph redoing steps four through five but with different evidence, reasoning, counter-argument.

                

 Next, I chose what the U.S. stance should be (support Palestine, support Israel, support both, or stay out of it, support a two-state solution with negotiations or without, or a one-state solution). After we chose, we researched evidence to support our claim. After many drafts, revisions, and feedback from our teachers and peers, we finished our letter. In my letter, I state in the introduction background information of the conflict that I learned in History class by saying, “The conflict between the two groups has lasted for many decades, as they fight for the same reason: land. Many resolutions and attempts to make peace between the groups have taken place and failed, making it very difficult to establish an agreement between the two groups that meet both their needs and wants. Furthermore, foreign countries along with the United Nations have tried to negotiate with the Israelis and Palestinians, but because of terrorism, what to do with Jerusalem, distrust on both sides, and settlements building of Israelis, these issues have been preventing peace to be initiated and encourages the continuous arguments. We must establish peace in the Middle East and end this conflict, for it has not only affected Israel’s and Palestine’s own state, but our country.” I included Language Arts by creating an introduction that included the criteria needs (thesis, background information, etc.) This shows my growth because I persuaded my reader by including background information that supported my thesis.

 

 After our letter, we created a poster showing the viewers to memorialize those who were lost in a certain genocide or conflict or advocating peaceful actions to be taken to address a current conflict or genocide by comparing it to a past genocide/conflict we learned in class. In order to complete this project we were to find a group (or work alone) that shared the same History and Language Arts class. I, then, chose to either choose to create a poster showing the viewers to memorialize those who were lost in a certain genocide or conflict or advocating peaceful actions to be taken to address a current conflict or genocide by comparing it to a past genocide/conflict we learned in class. After, we created a message for our poster, created a visual metaphor, create a slogan to fit the message, and include a fact/static of the genocide(s). I created an initial sketch of the poster, then created it in an art program on the computer. After I printed out the poster, I traced in onto linoleum block where I cut the board so I can ink/print the image on a 12 by 18 piece of paper. I, then, painted it in color and added my slogan and message on the paper.

In my poster, I included Language Arts by including what I learned in the class (creating a metaphoric image) and the information I learned while reading a novel about the Rwandan Genocide by saying, “I created this poster by brainstorming how I can show the audience in a metaphoric way that this was such a horrible event for Rwandans and get people to understand that concept and remember what happened. I came up with the image of the ground is made up of skeletons and skulls, representing that thousands of people died, they make up the Rwandan soil now, and when you walk on it, you’re walking on dead memories and dead people. I put a hand reaching out of the ground to a flower. The flower represents peace and hope, but unfortunately, the hand can barely reach it. It shows that the Rwandan can’t find peace and hope when they are reminded that their past and hope are buried under all those skeletons. I put the quote by Esther Mujaway, a Rwanda Counselor, “On the surface, things are becoming normal. But some of the flowers which are flowering, have bodies beneath them.” I chose this quote because even though, things may look fine, Rwandans are still dealing with the genocide and still trying to move on, because there’s still memories and bodies that prevent them from doing just that. At the beginning of this year and last year in 9th grade, I did not know what a visual metaphor was and how to create one because in 9th grade, all my art work was literal and realistic. It did not have an “in depth” message beyond the picture and my mind was trained on creating literal images and not metaphoric images. By the end of creating the poster, I was able to understand what a visual metaphor was, how I can create one, why it can be more effective to conveying a message than a literal image.

 

This project shows the growth that I mentioned earlier because in order to write a successful persuasive letter, I first, had to learn how to write one. Before, I did not know what made up a persuasive letter, nevertheless, one that meant all the criteria of one. This project shows that I learned how to create a thesis and know what it is along with evidence, reasoning, and counter-arguments that help make my letter informative, professional, and persuasive. I was able to combine two subjects into a successful product/project.

 

 I can use this skill to write letters to congressmen about community or learning/education issues that I strongly believe should to be resolved and create a metaphoric poster that speaks strongly to the viewer about a certain topic or issue.