Book Challenge Task 4

Book Challenge Task 3

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1u5ajOxPgShKj5oQv1L9t6y1m-UR2Bduc-9YpWThV6wE/edit

Book Challenge Task 1

Book Challenge Task 2

The book Piri’s All Black Dream is based off all black legend Piri Weepu. I really enjoyed this book because at the start I didn’t know it was based off Piri Weepu and then when I got to the end it had a picture of him so that was a good surprise. I enjoyed reading this book because the message was to never give up and to follow your dreams and I think this book displayed this message really well. Another thing I enjoyed was the ending, because it ended up him playing for the all blacks and winning the world cup. He made our country very proud by winning the 2011 World Cup and becoming and very good all black.

Book Challenge Task 5

Toothbrush Escapade

Toothbrush Escapade

That morning my mom took me to the spca and we picked up a dog for my birthday. I named my dog Mac, when we got home I decided to give him a brush because he had leaves and grass all through his hair. Once dad had left for work I crept into his bathroom, I saw two toothbrushes sitting in the cup he kept them in. I knew that one of them had to be an old one that he didn’t use, so I took the one that looked the oldest. I started to brush Mac, it was working brilliantly. Once Mac was looking nice and clean I walked back to dad’s bathroom to put his toothbrush back when I heard the front door open. It was late so I knew that he would be brushing his teeth very soon, I had no time to clean the dog hair off his toothbrush but then I remembered that this was his old, I immediately took a huge sigh of relief and made my way out to say hi. My brother and I had earlier decided to watch a movie, mum and dad told us they were going to sleep after a long day's work. I knew now would be the moment that I found out if I picked up his old toothbrush. This wasn’t the case he stormed out his bathroom like a angry tiger about to strike “ Who was this!! “ “ There's dog hair all over my brand new toothbrush”

“ I’m sorry “ I said “ I was only trying to brush Mac, and I thought it was your old anyway “

“ That’s it go to your room!! and take that dog with you as well “

Later on I came out of my room to get a drink, dad was sitting at his desk staring at his laptop screen. “ Sorry son it was my fault, I picked up the wrong toothbrush “ “ It’s ok I forgive you dad “

THE END

Bamboo Wrinting

Why is Bamboo a Sustainable Building Material

Bamboo is one of the most sustainable building materials because it is cheap or even free sometimes. Another reason is that we have unlimited use of it because when you cut it down the same plant will grow back very quickly.

Bamboo is a good building material because it is strong and light. It has the strength of steel and the compressive strength of concrete, if you put four tonnes on top of a piece of bamboo it wouldn't break. The reason it is light is because it is hollow so it can be lifted by just a few men.

Another reason why bamboo is such a sustainable building material is that we will not run out of bamboo because every time you cut it down the very same plant grows straight back. Bamboo also can grow extremely fast, like three metres in one day. It can take trees traditionally used for building up to 30 years to grow to full maturity.

Bamboo can also be used fo

Bamboo is still one of the most sustainable and reliable building materials in the world.

Synth Writing

I want my writing to warn children and young adults that technology such as synths could get very out of hand and end up taking over the world.

My first point is if technology does get to the point where we do have synths or other human like robots, if we don’t keep them under control and, at a small number they could get very out of hand and end up hurting humans or wrecking our property and that would be very hard to get under control. Because if one starts something chances are the others will follow on.

My second point is that in the future if we have access to things like synths people could get the wrong idea and use them for things that could put people in harm or it could be even worse like terror attacks or mass destruction.

Finally, my last point point on how technology could be heading in the wrong direction is that although it’s all well and good having Ipods, Ipads, computers and gaming consoles. I don’t think we should rely

Term 4 Reading Challenge

Maori Inquiry

Inquiry Project

Social Media Safety for Children

Social Media

More than half of the world's children that are under the age of 10 use a form social media. There are many dangers associated with having a social media account. Below there are some simple steps children can take to minimise these risks.

My first step to staying safe on social media is not to message people you don’t know in person. This is because they may not be the person you think they are and that can lead to you getting in big trouble and even hurt. For example through facebook you might invite someone over who is the same age as you only to discover a peadiphile has come to your house and they could kidnap you. If your parents don’t know where you have gone it would be hard for them to find you again.

Secondly do not fake your age or post any fake information about yourself. If people go onto your social media account they will see that you are 15 when actually you’re 10. You could get treated very differently, such as people might talk to you about things that are inappropriate for your age or it might not even make any sense to you.

Fourthly do not share your passwords with anyone else because they could mess with your account and share fake information about yourself or cyber bully your contacts.

My fifth and final point to staying safe on social media is to not share personal information such as your address, your age and your school. If someone decided they wanted to stalk you and you had all that information on your social media page it would make it very easy for them to track you down.

Thousands of children around the world have suffered abuse due to social media. I hope my writing has instructed kids on how to avoid this.

Project Huia Summary, page 201-225

Project Huia

Jim, Logan and Ana are driving in the institute car to go pick up a vehicle that can drive on railway tracks. The track evaluation van is very flash so it needs special people to operate it. Colin was their driver. They were going to the gorge to find Olivia wrapped up in an old raincoat. Logan thought he saw the Carson's truck in the carpark but he wanted to keep quiet so he didn't worry Jim. They had previously told the Carsons that they were looking for something historical in the gorge but the Carsons were still suspicious. On their way to tunnel one Jim saw where him and Mavis used to tie up the dinghy. Logan added that they must be getting close to the tunnel.

A few minutes later they were at the first tunnel. Jim pointed out where the jigger had been parked all those years ago. They kept driving through the two tunnels until they saw daylight out the other side. The driver applied the brakes, they came to a stop next to what looked like an old broken down shed. “Te Apiti station,” said Colin, “This is where you get off, we will be back to pick you up no later than 1:40.” Ana mentioned that they would be going into the tunnels. Colin agreed that he would wait at the station if they didn’t get back in time. They stood looking down the gravel path as the van moved away. Logan thought about going inside the station but a glance through a broken window put him off because it was a mess.

Jim said he felt scared about going into the tunnel because he has memories of being trapped in the tunnel by the freight train. They approached the first tunnel, but found nothing a part from some recesses just a few centimetres deep. They decided to turn around and go through again after they had worked out that this was the tunnel that the crash was in. They soon figured out that Olivia had to be in there. As they were searching the walls for a second time they could see the van coming. Logan was standing on the tracks and he didn’t move because he thought that the brakes on the van were strong enough to stop but one of the hoses failed and the van nearly ended up hitting Logan.

While Jim was giving a spiel on why the gorge is so jinxed Logan was studying a hole in the wall. He called Ana to inspect it as well. Ana laughed out loud, “Oh Logan you've found her!”

Discussion Question: Why would the Carsons be at the gorge, if that was their truck that Logan saw?

Cross Country

Cross Country

Cross Country isn’t my favourite event but I always try hard to beat my last year's placing. This year I came 66th out of year 7 boys and girls but out of just the year 7 boys I came 41st. In training I tried my best and this year I went for three 3 km runs in my own time and I think this helped a lot. The reason I didn't beat last year's 33rd placing was because there are twice as many students this year and they were pretty good at cross country.

Speeches

Speeches

This year my speech was on why being a pilot is the best job in the world. I had three main points and they were: The amount of money you can earn, the skills it takes to be a pilot and the different jobs you can have as a pilot. I didn’t practice my speech much at home and I think that showed on the day. I had some good information because my dad is a pilot so I interviewed him and got some good information. Next year I am going to try practicing more so that I get a better mark from the teacher.

French Flag

The capital of France is Paris
French Flag

There are three colours on the French flag. Blue, Red and White. Blue and Red represents liberty, equality and fraternity. The White is the colour of the Royal House of Bourbon. 

Bugsy Malone

Last night our class performed Bugsy Malone to everybody's parents. It took us about five hours altogether to put the show together. I was Slippery Pete so I got to splurge people with a gun. My favourite part of the show was when Bella Luna had a tantrum and smashed her lollipop on stage when it wasn't even supposed to happen. I really enjoyed being part of the show and I might consider auditioning for the opera next year. The most challenging part for me was trying to act more intimidating as I was a gangsta.

My Learning in 2015, Term 2

What has made a difference to my learning this year so far?
Having a teacher that is good at explaining the tasks and helping me become more independent.

How do I learn best?
In a quiet environment where I can focus and concentrate on my work.

What have I found challenging this year so far? How did I overcome this?
Some weeks I found that I was struggling to complete all the homework set so I either got an extension or I came to school early and finished it before school.

How do I reflect on my learning? What do I do? 
I go through my books and see my marks and how I have done in the tasks. I use the feedback given to me by Miss McGarva or my friends.

What are my successes this year so far? 
Making the second eleven football team and getting an academic point. I enjoying being in the show "Bugsy Malone." I have completed some good pieces of writing.

What groups/teams have I been involved with this year? The second eleven football team and the top tennis team. Outside of school I am in a group called the Young Eagles which is at the Waikato Aero Club. We do something every month like go flying in a light aircraft and have a bbq wherever we land with some other flying groups or we go just go cross country flying from place to place.

What is the most important skill I will take through to the rest of the year?
Learning to become more interdependent and going out of my comfort zone because those were my goals at the start of the year and I think that my teacher has helped a lot with achieving those goals.

The Habit of Mind I need to focus on in Term 3 is....
Striving for accuracy because I am working on pushing myself and stepping out of my comfort zone with all subjects. 

WRITING

I am enjoying writing this year because we are learning about a lot of different writing styles. I find it easy to come up with ideas and I can draft quickly. I think I did a particularly good job on my hydropower explanation.

My Next Steps are ...

To use a range of language features and complex punctuation; for example, rhetorical questions, metaphors and semicolons. Also to create a sense of tension and suspense in my writing. Another is to spend time re-crafting my writing by exploring various ways to improve the quality of my message. I also need to proof-read to eliminate simple spelling errors and punctuate dialogue correctly

READING

I enjoy reading action stories and I like books by Chris Ryan and Terry Deary. I don't usually read at home but I do when I am enjoying a book.

My next steps are ...

• Infer information by reading between the lines and making my own judgement.
• Understand, organise and sequence material.
• Read regularly and select a wide range of reading material to help me build on my vocabulary knowledge.

100 Word Challenge

For my eldest brother's 21st birthday our family went to Queenstown. We flew to Queenstown from Auckland and this was very exciting for me because it was the first time I had been there. On the first day we went on the shotover jet boat, we went down stream 7 km. The jet boat roared down the stream and the huge engines sounded like a lions roar, we did quite a few 360 spins which got of quite wet. On the second day we walked around the Queenstown streets and my brothers and I stopped to watch as two people danced to Michael Jackson I could hear a drum in the music they were dancing to. As we kept walking I saw all the the leaves that had fallen off the trees I said it was the same color as a cornflake, bright orange and crisp.

Apostrophe Slideshow!!



https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1U8_ERVO56V4-x7F6DVWNpsKbuq_gTKHQ3pJmZgaj6Qw/edit#slide=id.p

Character Desciption

Character Description

“Hey Sam come over here and take a picture for my snapchat” my brother asked. “Ok” I replied. I took the photo as he tensed his biceps like a bodybuilder trying to look cool at the same time. He said “Wait I need another one with my new shirt” I sighed “You're such an idiot” He quickly pushed his brown hair to the side just to try make himself look better. His hazel eyes glittered as the flash went off. He said “ No not enough of my legs” I replied “You better be paying me” I stood further back to get his long hairy legs into the photo. He opened his big mouth on his funny looking face and said “Thanks bro” I looked at him in anger and walked away without saying anything.

Book Character Day

Today it is book character day and I dressed up as the Karate Kid from the book written by Alex Simmons. We also did a lit quiz and my house came 4th. I was pleased that I could answer some of the questions.

Term 1 and 2 Goals

The Magic of Three

This technique involves the convention in which a series of three sensory hits (involving any of the three senses) are provided in a way that builds tension-the third hint leading directly to a revelation.

1. You heard a sound. You look nothing. You dismiss it.
2. You see a fleeting shadow. Again you try to figure out what it was, but you don’t notice anything unusual. Still you start to worry.
3. You feel something brush past you. You turn. There it is! (revelation)

When using the magic of three, authors use red flag words or phrases to grab the reader’s attention, to build suspense and to let the reader know that something important will happen. For example - All of a sudden…

Here is my example…

All of a sudden, I heard rustling coming from outside. I listened some more but didn't hear the noise again. I was tired so I thought I must have been imagining things so I dismissed it and went straight back to sleep. Once again I heard a sort of snuffling sound. I sat up and pulled my curtain back to look outside.

In the blink of an eye, I saw a huge shadow run straight past the window. Woah! I jumped back from the window. What the heck was that? I thought to myself. I quickly zoomed out of my room and rushed into my parents bedroom.

Then without warning, the creature came crashing through the bedroom window and we found ourselves face to face with bigfoot himself.

TERM ONE INQUIRY - REFUGEES

Write a definition of a refugee.

A refugee is someone who has fled from their country because of different reasons but most of the time it is because of war.

What challenges do refugees face when leaving their homeland?

Trying to get into another country after being a refugee can be very hard because some countries don't let refugees into their country that often. They often have to try and sneak into a country under someone else’s name or as a different person. Leaving your family and deciding which possessions to take.

What challenges do refugees face when arriving in a new country?

Most of the time refugees will arrive in a country that doesn’t speak their language, so they have to try and communicate without speaking the same language as the people around them. Also finding a house would be quite challenging unless they already know someone in the country and they have a house.

Can you spot a refugee in a crowd? Explain your answer.

No because they would fit in like everybody else but once they're settled in and have a job and some where to live.

Write a definition of what it means to belong.

To belong means to feel welcome. If feels good to know that you belong to someone or something because you know that you always have support around you if something happens to you or someone else.

How can you and others help to create a sense of belonging within New Zealand for refugees?

Welcome them into our country and give them the feeling of belonging that we have as New Zealand citizens by giving them a safe state house to live in and support integrating into our society. I can make donations and make sure I am educated about refugees.

Should New Zealand always accept 750 refugees a year as per quota? More or less? Explain your view.

No because if you put yourself in their shoes and try to feel what it would be like to be declined to come into a country. So we need to step up our game and let more refugees in because imagine what they would be going through without parents and separated from most of their family. So I think we need to let more refugees into our country.