New Zealand Olympic Whakatauki

This week's inquiry task was to create a Whakatauki for the New Zealand Olympic team, to do it the DLO was supposed to have the English version, the Maori version and an explanation on what the Whakatauki means. After we'd finished it and taken it to be checked by Ms Kirkpatrick we were then told to ask our Maori teacher Whaea Odie to check the translation, once that was done we were then allowed to blog it. 

PBS And Olympic Venn Diagram

This week one of our inquiry tasks was to create a Venn Diagram on the Olympic values and our school values, at one point we had to change something because both of the things being compared had Respect and Excellence as values. To change that all we needed to do was swap them over to the similarities slot, we also found out that the Olympic motto is in Latin and translated it means Faster, Higher, Stronger. 

Electives Math Work

This week's maths work was to figure out an equation on electives for a school, to do it we needed to use fractions and decimals. After I finished the equation I then just added in the answers on the sides and the working out underneath the problem, during the time that I was working it out I was confused at one point until I realised that because I'd thought that there were only 24 students I done the problem wrong. I then quickly just re-read the first part of it and realised my mistake, after that I then proceeded to finish the problem.

Whakatauki

This week for cybersmart the task was to create a DLO on our school's whakatauki, the group that I joined for it was composed of Julian, Lyric and I. Together we created a version of the LS1/2 building as well as a representation of our school's whakatauki, to do the care for the land part I created a Kiwi, for the care for the people I created a chain of people holding arms and finally, for the go forward we just drew a person running forward. To do the image of LS1/2 I had to guess the number of things on the building so it might not be completely accurate.

Certificate

Today at assembly Junior and I received certificates, the certificates were for being organised with our school related equipment. I'm happy with it because I bring my bag, my computer (in a case) and my other things that I would need for school with me every day. I think that I've made a pretty good start to the year if I've gotten this certificate, I also think that if I keep on bringing all of my necessary items to school I'll have a good year. 

Reading Summary - The Week

For reading this week we read the second novel in the five part series about the treaty of Waitangi, this book was about the week before the treaty was going to be signed. To do the activity we first had to get into a group and in those groups everyone read the book, after we'd read the book our next task was to write down important words related to the story. Once that was done the task after that was to create a DLO for the summary that we'd done.

Softball Reflection

Yesterday LS2 group B went to softball, at softball the first thing that we did was get into partners, once we were in partners one of us had to go on one side of the grass while the other went behind a cone a bit further away. In those partners we practiced throwing the ball to each other, we tried different challenges like rolling the ball on the ground to each other, throwing it up high and clapping as much as we could until we caught it and some other things too. We also did a warm up which was 20 star jumps and a run to a tree and back.

Kiwi Can Reflection

Yesterday at Kiwi Can LS2 group B played two games and learnt more about fairness and fair play, to do the first game we had to get into a circle and in that circle there were three hoops. We were then numbered from 1-4 and whenever a number was said, the people who were that number then had to speed walk around the circle until we reached our original spot, when we reached there the objective was to quickly run into a hoop. That continued on until the Kiwi Can instructors started to take the hoops away, I managed to be the last number 2 but I was caught out in the last match. The second game that we played was ball tag, three people from one team were the taggers and a whole other team were the runners. The rules for the taggers were; You're not allowed to move while holding the ball, you can't throw the ball at someone and you can't one hand tag someone with the ball (two hands only).

Olympic Values

LI: To collect information in order to make a comparison.
For inquiry this week the task was to research our school and the Olympic key values, to do that we first read through a text about the Olympics. After we'd done that we started on the DLO, once the Olympic part was done we then did a little bit of research on our school (Because we didn't know some things). I learnt about how the Olympic motto is also in a different language, how their creed is about trying their best (No matter what the outcome is) and also how their three values are excellence, friendship and respect.

Chinese New Year Explanation

This week's writing task was to create an explanation for the Chinese New Year, I worked with Aung Naing. We could write about one of three things, how the Chinese New Year came to be, what people do to celebrate it or how the zodiac animals came to be. Aung Naing and I decided to do one paragraph on each topic instead of just three on one, for the explanation we used T.I.I.C (Title, Introduction, Information and Conclusion).

Kung hei fat choi! (Happy Chinese New Year), this year symbolizes the year of the dog. The Chinese New Year
is well known today but, how did it start off?

In the beginning it is said that Chinese New Year wasn’t celebrated, the reason being because of a monster
named Nian who terrorised Chinese people on the first moon of every year. The monster did that for a long time
until a wise old man told the people about Nian’s three fears; Fire, the colour red and loud noises. The next time
that the Chinese New Year came they were prepared, and so as soon as Nian arrived the people were covered
in red coloured clothes, lit fireworks, made loud noises from hitting their drums. Nian then ran away and to
celebrate, every year people wear red clothes, light fireworks and make loud noises by hitting drums.

One day the Jade Emperor decided to make animals take part in a race, the race was to decide what twelve
animals would be on the Chinese New Year zodiac. The animal that came first was the Rat, followed by an Ox
and a Tiger. After them came a Rabbit, a Dragon, a Snake, A Horse, a Goat, a Monkey, a Rooster, a Dog and
a Pig.

People also celebrate CNY by giving Hong Bao to unmarried adults and children, inside of the Hong Bao there
is supposed to be money. They also eat food like egg rolls, noodles and shrimp. The foods represent (in order)
wealth, healthiness and happiness.

This is what has happened or is happening to create the Chinese New Year that we know today.

Summer Learning Journey Thank You Letter

On the first year that the Summer learning journey was created and introduced to my school barely anyone participated, my brothers and I did and since there were rewards given at the end the number of participants increased. The second time that they did a learning journey there was more competition, therefore meaning that I had to work harder and focus more if I wanted to take a spot. With more and better rewards being handed out over the years most people who could take their computer home participated, making it more and more competitive. In the 2017-2018 Summer learning journey I had to work harder than ever, since so many wanted to win I had to test my ambition with theirs- sometimes spending half a day on my computer doing as much as I could. I believe that the Summer and Winter learning journeys have helped me with my education because then I could practice my reading and writing skills in the holidays, I really do believe that the learning journeys have helped me develop into the digital blogger that I am today.
So a thank you to Rachel and all of the contributors that are helping with the learning journey, especially the NEXT foundation. Which I'm sure that without their support the learning journeys would not be the same.

Everyone who at least received a certificate.

The prize winners along with Rachel.

Tech Reflection

This term at tech the year 7 group are doing pewter casting, to start we had to create a plan. In the plan we had to fill out a list of 3-4 family members or people that we could give the finished pewter to, we also had to write own four things that are related to them to help us decide on what we should make for them. Our teacher, Mr Grundy also showed us a machine that we would use to cut the shape of our silhouettes, there are special keys to start the machine so that nobody cuts themselves on the blade (The blade goes up and down 50 times a second). He also showed us melted pewter and finished pewter pendants, as well as a tutorial video.

Kiwi Can

At Kiwi Can this week we played three games and were taught more about key values, one of the games that we played was basically a  last person in the middle game. For it someone was in the middle and they would then call out a specific something that someone was either wearing or had done, the people who were wearing that thing or had done what ever was called out had to change their spots - The last person to move to another spot was the person in the middle afterwards. The second one that we played was an acting one, for it we either had to show someone being discouraged or encouraged in a short skit. So finally, for the last one we had to go outside and play ten-second-tag. To play it you have to split into different groups, one group will receive a ball and they then have to try to tag the other team with the ball in a small playing area. The rules were; You can't move with the ball in your hands, no blocking, you can't go outside of the circle and you can't throw the ball at someone (only to other team members).

Acting Game

Ten Second Tag

Marathon Math Problems

For this maths task in groups we had to compare the 2014 half marathon and full marathon average time to the winner's time. My group was confused at one point because we were getting a different answer to everyone else, we then found out that one part of the equation was wrong and fixed our mistake to get the correct answer.

My Morning Routine

For writing this week all of Ms Kirkpatrick's groups had to write down what our morning routine for everyday is. We also had to link our paragraphs together as well as the introduction to the conclusion.

Everyday I have to do a certain amount of things before I go to school, these are the things that have to get finished before 8:20 (Which is when I leave for school).

When I wake up I first take a shower, and then get dressed. After that I eat weet-bix and drink a hot chocolate, when I finish doing that I then have to rinse and put my dirty dishes into the dishwasher. Before I start making my lunch I brush my teeth and get changed out of my pyjamas.

Since I’ve done most of the things that I need to do before leaving by that time I then make my lunch, sometimes I make a sandwich out of whatever’s available but other times I just take something else. By the time that I’m finished it’s usually almost time to leave, I then just read a book on my bed until my Dad tells me to get into the car.

If it’s raining outside I just stand in the doorway until he comes and gets his shoes on, I leave to get into the car because I don’t want wait so long in the rain. On the drive to school I just sit there, while my Dad drives and wait until I get to school.

This is my morning routine, something that happens every day for me and rarely changes.

Summarising The Pathway

For reading this week I had to group up and in the group the other members and I had to read a book called the pathway, the book is about before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. We then had to write down questions and interesting vocabulary that we found, in the end we combined the words that we'd written down with the other groups and then decided on which 6 words were the most important. After that the groups we split up again and then had to write our own summary.

Winter Olympics Mascot Comparison

For this task my group and I had to research about the current Winter Olympics Mascot and another one from a different time, we chose to research one called Bely Mishka and also the current one that's called Soohorang. 

Winter Olympic Games | 1924 - Modern Times | Venn Diagram

For this task I was put into a group, all of the groups were then supposed to create a Venn Diagram showing the similarities and differences between the 1924 Winter Olympics and the Modern Olympics. We learnt about all of the types of games that they did back then, how the games have changed and what types of safety equipment they use now.

Blog Post Analysis

LI: To carry out a statistical inquiry.
For this analysis task I had to find out how many blog posts I've done every year for the past three of them, I also included this year because there are still a few that I did. In 2015 I was able to do 248 posts, in 2016 I only managed to do 198 but last year I did better than before by publishing 316 posts. For the task everyone also had to find a reason as to why I did more or less posts for each year, as well as having to set a goal of blog posts for the year that we had to beat.

Remembering Our Summer Holiday In Seven Sentences

Today for writing all of LS2 had to create a copy of a DLO and then fill it out with seven sentences
(One for each sense) and also a picture of one of the sentences. We also had to try and use different
language features eg; a Hyperbole, a Simile, a Metaphor, Onomatopoeia etc.
I chose to create a picture of my sixth sentence in which I use a simile, the sentence is about when my
brothers blocked a door by pushing it to keep me from getting out.

L.I. - Writing to recount

Writing using language features to engage readers

Complete these sentences about an event over the summer holiday.
Don’t tell us what the event was just give us enough information that we can know for ourselves.

I heard a man running through the crowds, and a woman trying to calm her baby down.

I heard the object fall to the ground with an earth shattering ‘Clunk!’.

I saw an advertisement when I went to the cinema.

I wondered if I would see anyone that I knew there.

I wondered about the ending for the movie.

I felt like an ant when I tried to push the door open.

Although I felt one of my brothers trip me over, I quickly just got back up and chased after him.

- Me being unable to open the door because  they were pushing really hard.