Tuesday, April 15, 2008

ACHIEVEMENTS

So far this year, I have trialled for:
(I got into those in green.)

* Swimming
* Trees For Survival
* Softball
* Kapa Haka
* Orchestra
* Choir
* Literature Quiz
* Dance
* Rugby (!)
* Netball
* Long Jump
* 200m sprints
* Discus
* Shotput
* Cross Country
* Gymnastics
* Hockey
* Volleyball
* Mathex

I will be participating in these Australian Exams:

* Science DONE - Credit
* Maths DONE - Participation
* English DONE - Distinction
* Computer DONE - Credit
* Writing DONE - Participation



MY THINKING

My Learning Styles

The other day, we learnt about multiple intelligences. We took a test to see what learning styles we were. We took the top 3 highest learning styles to find out what we were. I found that I am:

Intrapersonal / Self Smart - someone who works better individually.

Interpersonal / People Smart - someone who works well with other people.

& Linguistic / Word Smart - someone who learns better when they see or hear things in words.


LISTENING SKILLS


For a week or so, every morning we would have a listening test: Listening with the Brain. Our teacher would call out 5 (eventually it got to about 9) words, then call them out in a different order with one missing. We had to write the missing word. Gradually it got harder, but it was fun and it was good for our brains! Here are my results:

Day 1 - 100%
Day 2 - 70%
Day 3 - 70%
Day 4 - 80%
Day 5 - 50%

POETRY



This term we learnt how to write bio-poems. This is the format we were taught:

Line 1 - First name
Line 2 - Four traits
Line 3 - Relative of...
Line 4 - Lover of...
Line 5 - Who feels... (3 things)
Line 6 - Who needs... (3 things)
Line 7 - Who fears... (3 things)
Line 8 - Who gives... (3 things)
Line 9 - Who would like to see...
Line 10 - Resident of...
Line 11 - Last name

Recently (Term 3) we have had to make an anthology, one of the tasks being to write 10 poems, so here they are for you to listen to!



















As part of this assignment, we had to memorize and read a poem to the class. I chose this one, and still know it off by heart!!!

SPELLING

Each week we get spelling words to learn as well as their meanings. I really enjoy spelling. Here are my results from our weekly tests:

TERM 1

Week 1 - 97% (spelling)
Week 2 - 99% (spelling)
Week 3 - 100% (spelling)
Week 4 - 100% (spelling) - 14% (meanings)
Week 5 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 6 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)

TERM 2

Week 1 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 2 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 3 -
100% (spelling) - 99% (meanings)
Week 4 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 5 -
80% (spelling) - 90% (meanings)
Week 6 - 100% (spelling) - 90% (meanings)

TERM 3

Week 1 - 100% (spelling) - 90% (meanings)
Week 2 - 100% (spelling) - 95% (meanings)
Week 3 - 80% (spelling) - 80% (meanings)
Week 4 - 70% (spelling)
Week 5 - 90% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 6 - 60% (spelling) - 13% (meanings)
Week 7 - 100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)

TERM 4

Week 1 -
100% (spelling)
Week 2 -
100% (spelling)
Week 3 -
100% (spelling)
Week 4 -
100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 5 -
100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)
Week 6 -
100% (spelling) - 100% (meanings)

I think that a good way for me to find some challenging words and to increase my vocabulary would be to go on freerice.com, a great site where you can give yourself a challenge and donate 20 grains of rice to the needy every time you get a question right! I encourage you to do it too.


In the beginning of the year, we sat the Schonell Spelling Test A. I got 97%. The 3 words that I got wrong were: irresistible, attorney and pinnacle. However, I know them now, and I can't wait for the mid-year test to see what I get!

We had the mid year test last term, and I got 96 %. I'm a little sad about that because my spelling age went down a month. : (

PERIOD 5

Period 5 is from 12:00 - 12:40. This is the time that we can go to meetings, clubs and groups. I have something choir on Monday and Thursday, Korean Fan Dancing on Tuesday, and Kapa Haka on Wednesday. On Friday, the whole school learns Te Reo.
This is one of the songs we are singing in choir:



We are singing Firefly, Believe, Listen To The Rain, Disco Medley, The Water Is Wide, It's A Lovely Day Today, Tarakihi, Crazy, Bad Hair Day and Double Trouble from Harry Potter. For graduation we are singing Being Here and You Can't Stop The Beat from Hairspray.

I was briefly in Korean Fan Dancing but there were too many people so I had to go.



In Kapa Haka we have learnt Utaina, Kua Rongo, Toia Mai, The Nation Anthem, Haka Powhiri and Pa Mai. To enlarge the words below, click on them.



I have gladly rejoined the orchestra. We are playing Mozartiana, Star Wars Theme, Christmas Carols and Oom Pah Pah from Oliver. It's fun!

SPORT

This term we have been doing Co-operative Games in our team, which is 4 classes. We have rotated and played different games some afternoons. We have played Capture The Flag and Rob The Nest. I love Capture The Flag! Here is my reflection:



Another day we played Force Down! This voice thread summarises it all.


In Term 2 we did Big Ball sports rotations. We had a go at touch rugby, volleyball...

In Term 3 we studied the Olympics and my team (4 classes) hosted a mini Olympics. Here is my reflection.

WRITING

We have focused on Recounts this term, and now we are starting Procedural Text. Here are some examples:

Recount:

On Wednesday 13 February, my class and another class from my school got on the bus and travelled to Piha to learn about Water Safety. We left at 8:00 so that we could allow time for travelling. It took us over an hour to get to North Piha Beach. When we arrived, some lifeguards greeted us. One of them took us on a tour of the Surf Club building, then another taught us all about the different types of equipment that lifeguards use.

We were shown the IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat), ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), paddleboard (for a rescue involving 2 or 3 people), No Swimming Sign (to warn swimmers of dangers) and flippers & a rescue tube (lifeguards need these on them the whole time).

After a quick morning tea break, we were taught all about rips, holes and CPR. The lifeguards showed us CPR on a dummy. They also showed us how to recognise rips and what to do if you ever get caught in one. We learnt about all the different types of waves too, and were also reminded to SLIP SLOP SLAP and WRAP! (and slide into some shade!)

Then after lunch, we headed to the water. There was a big game of Octopus with all the parents playing! That made it almost impossible not to get caught because there were so many parents!

We were split into 3 groups. My group did free swimming first. It was lots of fun! Then we buddied up and rescued each other with a rescue tube. Lastly, we got some boogie boards and had heaps of fun in the waves! The boogie boards we used made you go really fast and they took you right to the edge of the wet sand!

Coming back, the sand was really hot! We then got hosed down and we dried off. We caught the bus back home, tired, but very happy as it had been an awesome day and we had learnt heaps!

Procedural Text:

Banana Cake.

Ingredients:

50g softened butter
1/4 cup of milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 mashed bananas
1/4 chopped walnuts
1 heaped cup of self-raising flour.

1. Put the softened butter into a bowl.
2. Pour the milk and brown sugar into the bowl too.
3. Add the egg and mashed banana.
4. Ground the chopped walnuts with the back of a spoon. Add these to the bowl.
5. Tip the self-raising flour into the bowl.
6. Mix all the ingredients together.
7. Spoon the mixture into a microwave safe dish.
8. Cook in the microwave on medium heat for 11.30.
9. Remove from the microwave.
10. Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes.
11. Carefully tip the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Explanation Text:

How do cows turn grass into milk?

Cows have a peculiar method of turning grass into milk, involving four stomachs! Very Clever.
When a cow eats grass, they don't chew it fully before swallowing. The half chewed grass goes into the Rumen, the first stomach. Fluids soften it and the grass moves on to the second stomach, the Recticulum.
What happens next is unpredictable! The grass is softened once more and made into cuds. The cuds return to the mouth and the cow chews them and swallows yet again.
In the Omasum, the third stomach, the grass is simply broken down even more.
Next, the grass goes into the Abomasm, the fourth stomach. Here it is actually digested.
Then the 'grass' travels down the cow's intestines and the cow extracts all that will keep her healthy and well.
The leftover 'grass' passes into the udder, and the rest is destined to be waste.
A cow makes milk like this most of the time, therefore cows should be milked often. Otherwise, she will make less milk.
This method of turning grass into milk is truly interesting, and quite unique. Maybe we should give more credit to these milk-making machines that go 'moo'!

Persuasive Text:

I don't really have an example of this but because we are doing inventions this term we have also looked closely at how people make money and how they advertise.

I AM HANDY

Right at the beginning of the year, we thought about what makes us handy. We thought of 5 things each, and wrote them on a finger of a hand with our name and photo on.

I am handy because:

* I am a sensible person. I take responsibility for my actions.
* I am a positive thinker and I stay cheerful.
* I can be called on anywhere, anytime and I will come.
* I love to help people, whether it be passing on knowledge that I have or helping people "come out of their shell".
* I am confident in the knowledge that I can socialise well, therefore, support my peers.

SPECIALIST CLASSES

As the year progresses, we rotate Specialist Classes. There are:

*Food and Fabric
* Hard Materials
* Graphics and Design
* Art
* Music
* ICT (for Year 8's.)
* Science

Half of my class started in Science. We made crystals out of Copper Sulfate and water. We let them grow for a few days. Then we focused on electronics. We each made a buzzer board with a spring that causes the board to buzz when contact is made with the washer. On the back we did a lot of wiring including soldering bits and pieces, plus and minus, e.t.c. It was so much fun! I painted a snail on a garden path on my board. I put in LED lights, so when it buzzes, the lights light up as though they are solar lights in the garden!

Now we are in Graphics and Design. We are designing a new product and making a mock up. We started by doodling ideas, then 3D ideas and I have just finished my big, colour washed, detailed drawing. I am designing a Cheese Camera. Some of the holes on the cheese are lens'.

Now we are in Hard Materials. We are making clocks! I finished mine today. It is a snail clock made of plywood and green acrylic with pokerworked details on a plywood back with a mechanism in. It's been heaps of fun making it. We use the pokerwork machine, the scroll saw, the sander, the engraver e.tc. : )

When we were in Music we played games and did quizzes to help us remember terms like, 'tempo', 'dynamics', 'allegro', 'forte', 'piano', 'mezzopiano' and 'mezzoforte'. We had a go at playing the Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, DrumKit and keyboard. As a class we all played Yellow Submarine. I was the electric guitar player.



Now we are just starting Art. We are going to be doing printmaking and making modern Maori art. We have already started practicing how to draw korus. I'm really enjoying it and it's very relaxing!

Food and Fabric taught me heaps of new things! I like cooking. We made macaroni cheese, pizzas, spaghetti bolognaise and Scotch eggs! They were yum!

ICT has just started and it sounds like we're going to be very busy with computers! We are working in small groups and our idea is to film teddies travelling around the world and greenscreen them into world backdrops.



SWIMMING SPORTS

Earlier in the year, we had Swimming Sports at a local pool. We sat on the bank in our houses, Miro, Totara, Kowhai, and Rimu. I am in Miro. This is what I thought of the day.