Summer Learning Journey Week 1 Day 1 Activity 3: Ice, Ice, Baby

Antarctica is the world’s coldest continent. Even though it is made up of ice, it is also the driest continent in the world. In fact, it hasn’t rained there for nearly 2 million years! It is home to many animals such as whales, seals, birds, and fish. There are no permanent human residents (people who live there all the time) in Antarctica, however scientists do visit and stay in Antarctica for a while to study it.

This year the airline, Air New Zealand, filmed their safety video in Antarctica. They used some fabulous actors from Hornby Primary School in Christchurch. Just like on aeroplanes, we also need to keep safe and be smart online. We need to think about the type of information we are sharing online, who we are sharing information with, and how to have a positive digital footprint.

On your blog, make a copy of this footprint and, inside the footprint, explain how you create a positive, digital footprint. What do you do to stay smart online?.

Summer Learning Journey Week 1 Day 1 Activity 2: North And South

The country of New Zealand is made up of two main islands – the North Island and the South Island. Approximately 77% of the New Zealand population live in the North Island. Many of these people (including our Summer Learning Journey design team) live in Auckland city. Auckland is a great place to live with lots of amazing parks, beautiful waterways and stunning scenery to enjoy. It is also a busy, vibrant city with many cafes, museums, galleries and theatres to visit. I feel lucky to call Auckland my ‘hometown.’

Now it is time to think about your hometown. What is special about where you live? On your blog, describe your hometown. Be sure to include lots of describing words (adjectives) in your post.

In my hometown (Panmure) we have an awesome public library where you can use the free internet, partake in after-school activities and they're currently doing a holiday activity programme. We also have a big public pool, a community centre and an old stone cottage.

If images of places that I've mentioned aren't there then they weren't free to use.

(The stone cottage)

Owner: GPS 56 CC by 2.0

(The public pools)

Owner: Wikimedia Commons CC by SA 3.0

Summer Learning Journey Week 1 Day 1 Activity 1: Top 3 Fun Facts

According to Māori mythology, much of Aotearoa New Zealand was formed when Māui, a powerful demigod, fished it out of the sea. Legend has it that Māui created a magical fish hook from the jawbone of his grandmother and that one day he took his hook, boarded a boat, and rode out into the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Once at sea, he threw his magical hook into the water and caught a fish. This ‘fish’ was actually the North Island of New Zealand! In honour of this legend, the North Island of New Zealand is sometimes referred to as Te Ika a Māui or ‘Māui’s fish’ and the South Island of New Zealand is sometimes referred to as Te Waka a Māui or ‘Māui’s canoe’.

To learn more cool facts about New Zealand, check out the Tourism NZ website. Read the fun facts posted on the website and choose your ‘Top 3.’ On your blog, post your ‘Top 3 Fun Facts’ about NZ in your own words.

1. New Zealand was once a part of the territory of New South Wales and Australia.

I think this is an interesting fact for me because I didn't  know this before and I was wondering how different it would be if we were still governed by Australia and NSW.

2. Dairy farmers make 100 kilograms of butter and 65 kilograms of cheese every year for people living in New Zealand.

I chose this fact because that's a lot of butter and cheese since there are millions of people in New Zealand.

3. The Auckland City Sky Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere because it's 328 meters high.

This is an interesting fact because having such a big structure really puts our country on the map and makes it a tourist attraction.