Written Reflection
Sally Student
10th Grade Exemplary Work Reflection
1st Semester
STEM: Science Unit Test
Getting ready for this test took a lot of effort on my part. The concepts were challenging
and it required more than simply jotting factual notes. I had to analyze causes and effects of
certain systems, learning why the protists are grouped together in the six-kingdom system, what
prompted the creation of the three-domain system of classification, and the major differences
between the six-kingdom system and the three-domain system of classification. I needed to learn
things like what plants and fungi have in common, traits tied to scientific names, how a
taxonomist uses embryological evidence in classifying an organism, and how amino acid
sequences function as a biological clock.
A lot of the information was confusing to me at first and I had a really hard time with
some of the vocabulary. After meeting with my teacher and studying with classmates, I was able
to elaborate on my skimpy notes so that I had more meaningful notes written down which made
studying for the test easier. Talking about topics like why scientists might disagree with each
other about the course of evolution and what kind of evidence we could expect to find in fossils
really helped me to understand the bigger picture of what we were studying.
I see that I can use some of these same skills and strategies in my other classes too
because analyzing causes and effects in history, English, and even math will look much like the
analysis in science—just a little different depending on the topic and context. Using the same
strategies for adding to my notes and studying will help me in these subjects too. I can improve
my notes by examining the relationships between history dates, literary uses, or math
equations—not just memorize the facts.
I am really proud of my work on this test, not only because I earned a good grade, but
because I actually learned something about analysis! My answer on question number 18, for
example, shows that I really understand and can explain how the evolutionary history of reptiles
can be studied using comparisons of their sequences of macromolecules. I thoroughly explained
Written Reflection
how the degree of difference can be related to the time that has passed since any two species
descended from a common ancestor. The analysis I gave on that question was one of my best on
this test and I’m really proud of myself for the amount of effort I put into learning the concepts
and then taking the time to carefully explain in my answer what I had learned. Even my teacher
was impressed as she wrote “Nice details. Very thorough answer!”
I was pleasantly surprised by my grade on this test because I wasn’t sure I’d remember
the facts, but studying the causes and effects made remembering the facts easier. I thought I
would do pretty well because I studied so hard, but I didn’t expect to receive a 92%. I guess hard
work really does pay off in the end.
In the future, I’ll have more confidence in my note taking and studying skills based on
what I learned in this unit. Now I know a little more about the type of information I need to write
down when I’m taking notes, and I learned that it is really helpful to go back over my notes in
the afternoon after I take them while the information is still pretty fresh in my mind. By going
back to my notes when I have more time, like at Knight Academy, I can add to what I wrote
down in class and make sure everything makes sense. I also learned that it is really helpful to go
back over my notes multiple times throughout the unit because everything ties together and
going over the notes several times helps me understand all of it better. I’d also stop being afraid
to ask questions because that’s how I can clear up any confusion. After talking with my teacher
after school, I feel much more confident asking questions in class, and I realized that most of my
friends needed to hear the answers to the questions I had too.