Earth and Beyond / Space

Yesterday Fau and I has activated our prior knowledge as we have created a collaborative DLO explaining about the facts we know about space and planet. After that we had watched a video talking about different types of facts about space. We grew and built on our prior knowledge by learning new things we hadn't already knew about. As a team we told each other the things we knew so we could also build on our knowledge by talking about things we already knew about space. 

Science Experiment / Planting our Beans

Last week Mrs Wells from Tamaki College came to Panmure Bridge to test out a science experiment using different types of fertilisers to help plant a dwarf bean. We wrote out our methods, steps, independent variables, dependent variables and our hypothesis. Today, we have all collected soil to use and added in our different types of fertilisers. Although since I didn't have enough tea grounds I ended up having a different amount of soil. I had 20 grams of tea grounds and 200 ml of soil. After mixing both the tea grounds and soil together we gently patted the soil down into two pots but in my case one. For the next two weeks we will all start to water our plants and see who's fertiliser works the best!

Metal Tech.

Today was group b's last session at metal tech. We all had a very fun time from the very beginning to end. I was able to finish my cake server and I am really proud on how it turned out. Although, today we tested out our final designs. We had two pizzas made fresh from Miss Heather so a big thank you to her. I would also like to say a big thank you to Mr Naicker for helping us during Metal Tech. Everyone was able to test out their Pizza Cutters and I was able to test out my Cake Server. I am really proud of my final design and I really enjoyed metal tech this year!

Star Dome Trip.

Yesterday night LS2 got the amazing opportunity to visit the star dome. We all had such a lovely and amazing time at the evening (night) light show. We got to experience such a fantastic show and we even got to learn about the different stars in the sky. Did you know that the rings around Saturn are actually made of dust and ice? We all also found out about the constellations. We found the scorpion, in the middle of the scorpion a red star can be seen and some people call that the heart of the scorpion, the Sagittarius and the hook.

Information Report - Magellanic Penguins.

Magellanic Penguins

The Spheniscus magellanicus or Magellanic Penguins are a extraordinary type of penguin. They have beautiful black and white feathers coated on their body and has a really amazing backstory to their names.

The Magellanic Penguin has a black coat of feathers lathered on their back and their bellies are white. They have a special kind of pattern covering parts of the head, bellies and around their flippers. They can grow up to 61-76cm tall!

Magellanic Penguins ( Spehnsicus Magellanicus) are Carnivores as they eat CuttleFish, Squid and Krill. Did you know that Magellanic penguins excrete extra salt with special glands just near their eyes?

Magellanic Penguins ( Spehnsicus Magellanicus) are Carnivores as they eat CuttleFish, Squid and Krill. Did you know that Magellanic penguins excrete extra salt with special glands just near their eyes?

Magellanic Penguins live in south America. They breed in Coastel of Argentina, Chile and also Falkland island. A group Magellanic Penguins migrate to Brazil as they have been seen in the far North of Espirito Santo.

Did you also know that Magellanic penguins are named after a Portuguese explorer called Ferdinand Magellan. Currently, 3,600,000 Magellanic penguins live on Earth.

I find Magellanic Penguins amazing as they can live up to 25 years in the wild!

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This week I have been focusing on Information reports. I have written about the Magellanic Penguin! I have written about their diet, height, habitat, fun facts about them and their appearance. While researching about the Magellanic penguin I have found multiple amazing facts about them! I never actually knew about the Magellanic penguin till I started learning more about them.

Sun Facts

For reading this term Rakino and Waiheke has joined up to complete a range of tasks (challenges), reading books linked to our topic space. The first book I read was Sun Facts. The article included multiple facts about the sun. I have listed three facts I found the most interesting in the story. Below them I have written more facts the book had included. I really enjoyed reading this book as everything was easy and clear to read. I was also able to have a learning conversation with my partner Mele about the book as we both read it and found it very interesting.

First up / DLO

For reading this term I have completed a range of tasks reading books linked to our topic space! The second book I had read was First Up. I really enjoyed reading First Up as I was able to learn more about the adventure Yuri Gagarin went through. The story is very interesting and everything was clear and easy to read. I have explained about the photos in my DLO using the book and a little bit of my basic knowledge. Victoria and I also had a dialogical conversation! Her comment and feed back was positive and also included a question. I replied and we had a positive learning conversation responding to each others questions and replies.

Venn Diagram / Return Ticket, Please!

This term in reading we have been focusing on reading texts that links to our learning topic which was space! We have replied to comments left on our work and it created a strong dialogical conversation. The comments left on our individual activity's helped us fix our mistakes and created a thoughtful back and forth learning conversation. We have had a range of fun challenges to complete that all links to reading. The book I currently read is Return Ticket, Please! The book includes lots of interesting facts about Venus, Mars and the current plan happening to visit Mars in 2020! The Venn Diagram I have created is about two books I have read and what they are both about.

Gymnastics

Today LS2 had gymnastics. We all really enjoyed the new activities and rotations we had today. The new challenges were fun but also a little bit hard for some of us. Although I first started with lifting myself up on the bars. I found this one really fun as I was good at this activity. The next activity I tried out was lifting myself up using two bars and trying to get my legs straight. I was able to complete this and carried on to the next rotation. I firstly tried doing a forward roll on a beam. After that I then walked on the beam going very slowly being careful not to fall. After those activity's I then went to the last (third) rotation. I did backward rolls, jumping very high and landing properly and hand stands.

Science Investigation.

Today Miss Well's came in from Tamaki College and taught a small group of students a lot about science! We learnt about the out comes of growing plants using different kinds of fertilisers, liquids and other types of objects like pencil shavings. We all had a lot of fun thinking about the different types of fertilisers we could try bring to Mars for an experiment. Everyone also thought of independent variables we could try for next week. I really liked the idea of chopping tea leaves into very fine pieces so it won't disturb the bean plant when the roots grow under the soil. Another way of using the tea leaves to help the bean plant grow is to layer the top of the soil so it can protect the soil from too much sun.

Tamaki College Visit.

Today the year 8's had the great opportunity to experience what it is like in Tamaki College and we all had a fantastic time. Our first rotation was Maths. We learnt about Co-ordinates. I was very stuck at first but as time went by I slowly started to learn how to do Co-ordinates. After everyone was able to complete the Co-ordinate math game we were playing we moved on to our first challenge. We got given a ruled out piece of paper and a set of instructions. We all then tried drawing out a alien using Co-ordinates which was very fun. Our next and last rotation was in Science. I really enjoyed science as we were able to complete 4 experiments. The first one was to fill a glove with 3 - 4 pieces of dried ice. Then, we set aside our first experiment and left the glove to grow. Our next experiment was to create a mini rocket using dried ice, water and a little barrel with a lid. We filled up the little barrel with 4-5 pieces of crushed dried ice, pour in some water and as a team we have to quickly close the lid, place it upside down in a little bowl and watch it explode and lift off into the air! Our next experiment was to fill a cup with a little hole in the bottom and at the top it is secured with some glad wrap. As a team we then all placed 5 pieces of dried ice into the cup, poured in a bit of water and tapped the glad wrap gently so the gas flowed out. Our challenge was to put out the candle flame using the carbon dioxide. Our team was able to complete this task. The final experiment was making the biggest bubble using a paper towel dipped in soap and water and dragging it slowly across the top of a bowl filled with a lot of dried ice and water. Our team wasn't able to complete this task but we were really proud of the team who did. After our amazing day at Tamaki College it was time to go back to school. I would like to say a big thank you to all the teachers and student helpers who were there to help us through out the day! I also really enjoyed the many challenges we faced in science, maths and tech. Speaking of tech we all finished our designs! I am really proud to have finished my cake server as I was the only person who completed and made the cake server. Next week everyone will have the chance to use our Pizza cutter's and Cake server on a real pizza and cake.

NZSL Week

Last week was NZSL week. I have made a DLO explaining when sign language was the third official language in New Zealand and many other facts. I have a picture on the side of the DLO to show how to sign the main colours in the rainbow and a couple more extra. I am really proud to have learnt a couple words in sign language and how to spell out the alphabet. 

NYLD Trip.

Yesterday the school leaders ( including me ) had the great opportunity to attend NYLD. We all had so much fun and learnt what the Korero (food) of a leader is. The food of a leader is conversation. When we have conversations we listen, learn and lead. The speakers who presented were Christian Gallen, Hana Tapiata, Ronnie Taulafo, Dr Lehan Stemmet, Kings and the hosts were Liz Alexander and Phil Baker. Everyone's speech was inspiring and amazing. Learning the background's of these leaders were interesting and inspiring. Not every one has a good start but if you push through, stay brave, believe no matter how old and how you look and listen to the good voice in your head you listen, learn and lead. NYLD taught us about the importance of being a leader and the korero (food) for a leader. My favourite presenter / speaker is Christian Gallen. He was funny but inspiring and had a interesting back story. During the start of session three, two giant ball's were thrown out towards two sides of the crowd and our job was to get it to the back and hit it back to the stage. Towards the end we had a special visitor to sing his amazing songs. This independent, strong and inspiring man was King's. Thank you so much to Ms Kirkpatrick and Mr Shaun for bringing us there.

Times table challenge.

Today I completed my times tables maths challenge. I did the seven times table's challenge again but this time I improved a bit in timing. I was able to complete the challenge in 1 minute 9 seconds which was great.

Nyjah - I am an Agent Of Change.

Today I have made my Agent Of Change DLO. I have written down what I need to achieve to become an Agent Of Change, How I can become an Agent Of Change and What an Agent Of Change is. An Agent Of Change shows respect, tolerance, participates in multiple events, stay's on task, listens to other people's ideas and shares there ideas. Three main things I personally think makes a good Agent Of Change is to take risks, step out of there comfort zone and set goals for themselves.