Academic Artifact Reflection (Know, Do, Reflect)

Complete the KDR graphic organizer below with comprehensive thoughts. Each section should consist of
1-2 detailed, thorough paragraphs that showcase what you KNOW, what you can DO, and your
REFLECTION on your project. The boxes will grow as you type.
KNOW:
Explain the goal
or objective of the
course, what your
project/assignment
was, and how it met
that goal/objective
Discuss what you
needed to know in
order to complete the
project/assignment
effectively and
proficiently, as well as
discussing what you
LEARNED upon
completing it.
DO:

Discuss
the process of what
you actually did in
order to complete
your
project/assignment
and what you can do
as a result

Think because I know

(this) I can now do
(this)

Discuss
new technologies
used, new subject
matter encountered,
new skills learned or
skills that were
improved, etc. as you
worked through your
project.
REFLECT: Reflect on
the process of
completing the
project/assignment (both
steps taken and
knowledge and
experience gained).
What went well? Why?
What could have gone
better? How could you
have improved it?
How have you
demonstrated growth
in your knowledge and

The project I am doing my Academic KDR on is my Euthanasia project

from my Sophomore year in Mrs. Abbott's class. The project was supposed
to either reflect your own opinion on it and whether you agree or disagree
with it. Before starting, I needed to find out what euthanasia was, what its
use is other than in a veterinarian office, the controversy surrounding it,
and both the popular and unpopular opinions on the topic along with the
arguments made by each side. By this, I was able to form an opinion
somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of possible responses, and
based my project off of that. Through this, I learned that along with
differing opinions comes different background reasoning besides an
individual's moral reasoning. Anything from a sick relative to an elderly
pet could have been an underlying experience that helped shape the
person's opinion. From there, personal reasoning and morals come into
play, as well as religion.
Starting from when I developed my opinion on euthanasia, a not very
direct yes or no, I found to be continuously drawn back to the 'yeah but's
in people's arguments and opinions. Being that I couldn't seem to get over
those and a lot of the contradictions in arguments on either side, I decided
what my project would be; a four canvas project where one canvas
depicted an AK-47, and another canvas with a needle filled with a green
liquid. On the two remaining canvases, I put a bouquet of flowers with
stems that matched the same color as the green in the needle on one, and
'evil looking' swirls that matched the green liquid. I used the came sized
canvases for all four and matched up where the green leaving the gun and
the needle would match up with where the swirls and the flowers met on
the edge of their canvases - making the four interchangeable with each
other, showing the changes in arguments. The goal was to show that with
a needle and flowers and a gun with evil, euthanasia administered in an
office can be accepted, but the killing of others cannot be. The goal for a
gun with flowers and the needle with the evil was to show how war and
killing of others could be accepted, but the killing of animals couldn't be,
no matter if the animal was in pain while the people killed were wanting
to be home. This project helped me gain some knowledge in painting and
how to depict messages in art. I was able to improve my artistic skills in
sketching and painting, communication, and composition. Before this
project I had never done silhouettes, especially ones of guns. After getting
help from my brother on how to go about drawing and painting them, it
turned out well enough for Mrs. Abbott to want to keep the project.
Starting this project, I was afraid that my opinion wasn't a true opinion
since it wasn't a definite yes or definite no for euthanasia; from this, I was
wary to do the four canvas idea. Going with my gut, I decided to do it, and
I am happy I did. Looking back, I think the project turned out great and
went really well, even though I didn't know it then. I wish I was more
confident in my project that I created, but that was a task to be learned,
and it was. From this project, I learned that I need to be confident in both
my opinions and in my creations. To only see the mistakes I made in the
painting was a mistake, instead I should have been looking at the bigger
picture of my project, how it came together, and every different aspect
that the project could have been taken to. Now I am a lot more confident
in my projects, no matter how small or big. Of course, I have an some
worry about my overall result, but I now know to look at the beauty as
well as the mistakes and not to take those mistakes to my grave, and to

skills as a student & in

this subject matter as
a result of working
through the
project/assignment?
Describe why & how
this particular
project/assignment
was impactful on your
tenure as a student in
the Arts Academy?

instead just improve. This project was impactful to me as an Arts Academy

student because, as it was my first year in the Arts Academy, surrounded
by people who had more experience in both the Academy and the arts, I
was unsure of my place and my own artistic abilities, I was taught to push
myself out into an exposed feeling of expressionism that I had never felt
before. By teaching me that my opinions, art, and self matter, I gained
confidence in my own artistic ability and am now in AP Studio Art getting
ready to take the AP exam, and I'm taking it with confidence. This project,
from my memory, wasn't a very big one, but is a key builder in young
academic and artistic minds to be able to develop the proper courage they
need to put themselves out into the world both artistically and
academically. Luckily, I found that, have executed that, and would never
go back to the shyness I once held myself under.