In the first semester, I demonstrated my learning and understanding of literature by creating a mind map that shows my comprehension of the short story Soaring by Tim Waggoner. In this project, I analyzed key components of a story,  such as symbolism, protagonists, setting, irony, plot, conflict, and mood. 

Unfortunately, my completed mindmap of the short story Soaring is currently at school and I am unable to access it at this point in time.

2) I tailor my work to appeal to my intended audience and use language and visual design elements appropriate for them

Throughout the creation of my mind map, I was encouraged to use visually creative means of illustration and design to further promote my interpretation of the text. For instance, I created a strong central image of a bird flying free of a cage to symbolize the story, which focuses on letting go of restrictions and embracing one’s true self. Moreover, I tailored my work to be aesthetically pleasing, visually eye-catching, and simple to understand, as I knew it would be showcased with the mind maps of my peers in the classroom.

6) I determine and use the most effective medium to present my work.

When receiving the details for this assignment, I was given the option to complete it traditionally or digitally. As I have much more experience with traditional art, such as the use of pencil crayons, watercolour, and paint, as opposed to digital programs, I decided that working with paper would be a more effective way of showcasing my abilities and knowledge, since it would enable me to create my best work without the limitations and restrictions I may experience when creating a mind map digitally.

7) I design my work with consideration given to aesthetics and design, such as consistent colour schemes, symmetry or organization of visual elements, and overall layout.

Because the objective of the task was to demonstrate my learning through the creation of a mind map, I put a considerable amount of thought and care to ensure that the final product would be organized in a way that would make it straightforward to read and understand. I effectively utilized different colours in a particular fashion to simultaneously make my work stand out and to distinguish elements of a story. For instance, all of the information about the mood was strategically outlined with a red border.