Oh Shoot! Shutter Speed

I'm taking a photography class online from JessicaSprague.com, and I'm learning so much! I decided to post my assignment photos so I can look back and see where I've grown and so others can maybe learn a little but about photography.
Our first lesson was about shutter speed. Here's the basic idea: For action that you want to capture quickly, use a higher shutter speed. To show movement, use a slower shutter speed.
From looking at the pictures, you can see a slight difference in the amount of light. The slower the shutter speed, the more light is let in. A faster shutter speed will have less time for light to get in.

Fast Shutter Speed:
Notice the ball is sharp even though it's moving.

Slow Shutter Speed:
The ball is blurred because it's moving. But so are her hands. This is not the best example of why you'd want a slower shutter speed to show action, but it's what I turned in for my lesson.