Market Day Reflection

Yesterday the year 9 and 10 business studies classes held a market day and sold our products as a
part of our assessment in business studies.

As a group, we worked really well together - we came to mutual agreements with ease and our time management was great. Everything in regards to our business plan and the execution of it was done on time, and by the end of the day we had sold out and made a profit.

Not everything went quite as planned in regards to our financial plan - upon buying our products we
began to worry that we wouldn’t have enough mince or beans, but we soon realised by the end of the
day it was actually the opposite and we had gotten too much (not that it was too much of a problem
because we didn’t have any expenses due to the fact all our money was from sponsorship). We didn’t
book a kitchen area or try to find a place to cook everything prior to the day, which wasn’t a great idea
but surprisingly once again didn’t cause too many problems. Another problem was that we were in a
rush when our first customers arrived, and the way we packaged/wrapped the burritos was trial and
error for the first few we sold.

I think if we were to do it again we would do more with marketing - e.g print out more posters, etc. I
would probably make sure we were more prepared before the actual day so we weren’t running around
like maniacs. I’d also probably prepare for making more of our product than we did because we sold out
quite early and still had people coming up to us asking for a burrito.

What did the Treaty say?

What did the Treaty of Waitangi say?

Using the two versions of the Treaty - the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi - and the main point(s) for each Article, discuss in pairs what the main differences are and then explain them in the following spaces. Then reflect on why you think these differences in perspectives on the Treaty would cause conflict between Māori and Pākehā.

People in our group (names): 

Article 1

Key Differences: 

In the English version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, article 1, the mutual understanding between the Europeans was that Maori were to give up complete sovereignty, meaning Britain had complete control.

In the Maori translation, this was not the case. They were put under the impression that although Queen Victoria was to be sovereign of New Zealand, the Maori chiefs still had control over their tribes.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

As the main idea has been lost through translation, of course both parties would act in a way in which they believe lines up with the treaty. As they unknowingly have two different meanings, Maori continuing to act as if they have control over their tribes may be seen as disobeying the treaty in the eyes of the British.

Article 2

Key Differences: 

In the English version, it was said that Maori could sell land only to the British. However, in the Maori version if the Maori wanted to sell their land they could sell it to whoever they please, but only if they offered  it to the British Crown at an agreed price first.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

The British have the understanding that the Maori are to sell their land to them and only them, but the Maori have been given the impression that they can sell to someone else if their first offer to the British Crown doesn’t work out. Because of this, the Maori may sell their land to someone else, (e.g the French or the Americans) defying what they agreed to in the treaty without knowing any better.

Article 3

Key Differences: 

This is the only one of the three articles in which the translations for both languages are consistent. They have the same meanings.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

However, this could still cause conflict. This article declared that Maori and Europeans all had the same rights - they were to be treated as equals. Yes, this is definitely a good idea, but it’s unrealistic to think that the British and Maori would immediately treat one another the same as they would their own. 

Why was a Treaty Needed in New Zealand - Essay

It is argued amongst historians that the cause of a historical event is more important than the event itself. The Treaty of Waitangi was a written agreement between the Maori and British settlers, signed in 1840. Due to various complications and conflicts between the Maori and the British, a treaty was - and to this day, is - required in order to establish peace throughout New Zealand and provide a common understanding of boundaries and laws for all. Today, the Treaty of Waitangi is actively recognised and upheld by both the tangata whenua of New Zealand and the New Zealand government.

The questionable behaviour and lawless acts of the European whalers in Kororareka were a large reason contributing to support for the signing of the Treaty. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi allowed the British to establish laws and consequences for such behaviour, reducing the occurrence of these incidents and making the Treaty an effective and necessary solution. For example, heavy drinking - which lead to fighting, severe prostitution and lawlessness - was an unhelpful reactant in the problems effecting the people of Kororareka, specifically the Maori. As the British whalers were getting well out of hand, writing a formal agreement (the Treaty of Waitangi) was needed to decide on how people could and could not act.

The Missionaries went to great lengths in order to earn the Maori's trust and protect their rights. By working to protect the rights of the Maori and earning their trust, the Missionaries had substantial influence over the Maori and their decision to sign the Treaty of Waitangi. For example, the British Missionaries taught Maori how to read and write in Te Reo Maori, introduced new agricultural technology and methods, purchased and protected land on their behalf, and demonstrated considerable concern for the number of Maori being either killed, enslaved, or both during the Musket Wars. By making a conscious and active effort to protect the people's rights, the Missionaries had great influence on the Maori's decision to sign the treaty. The fact the rights of the native people needed to be protected - and this alone - proves that a treaty was required.

By gaining muskets through trading with the Europeans, certain tribes obtained power never before seen by the Maori, and immediately abused it, using these new weapons to wage war on their enemies. As more tribes hurried to follow in pursuit - trading anything and everything they could to get their hands on the guns and raise their chances of survival - a bloody and merciless series of wars began. These wars played out throughout the course of 35 years. Between the years these wars took place (1807-1842), it is estimated that more than 20,000 Maoris were killed in action. The introduction of muskets to New Zealand lead to violence and tens of thousands of deaths. As a result of this new source of power, the Maori population declined rapidly. Multiple wars were declared amongst numerous tribes, leading to many people losing their lives, and many more being enslaved. When muskets were introduced to New Zealand and traded between Maori and Europeans, it set off a chain reaction of violence, war, and inevitably death. If there were laws and regulations in place, mutually agreed upon by all - such as those in the Treaty of Waitangi - this could have been avoided.

But what came before the Treaty, surely there was something, anything? Well, there was. The Declaration of Independence, also known as 'He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni', was a declaration signed by a number of Maori chiefs and ratified in 1835. This piece of paper declared sovereign independence of New Zealand and created peace between Maori and Europeans. In this declaration, it was agreed that the two groups would meet annually to discuss current affairs/issues and establish laws. It also ensured that Maori had supreme power over the country and - for the most part - independence. Although the Declaration of Independence was effective in regards to fostering a positive relationship between the Maori and Europeans, it clearly wasn't enough to keep everyone in line and to keep everything running completely smoothly. They still required something more - a treaty.

This series of previous events and information demonstrates why New Zealand so desperately needed the Treaty of Waitangi. The Musket Wars, the inexcusable behaviour of the British Missionaries in Kororareka and the Europeans having considerable concern for the rights of Maori being violated - and rightfully so - all give adequate reasoning for why a treaty was needed in New Zealand. The consequences of these events were far greater. Throughout the course of the Musket Wars, tens of thousands of Maori were killed, all of which could have been avoided with a simple set of gun regulations putting restrictions on the ownership and use of these new dangerous weapons. The alcohol-fuelled violence and misconduct of the British Missionaries in Kororareka did not only lead to negative outcomes for themselves, but also affected those around them - more specifically, the Maori. The declaration - although it was signed by both parties - made little to no difference in regards to how both groups acted towards themselves and each other. If it weren’t for the Treaty of Waitangi, events such as these may still be a recurring sight to this day.

Maori and European Population in New Zealand 1836-1901

Maori and European Population in New Zealand 1836-1901

The graph below shows the population of Maori and Europeans in New Zealand between the years 1836 and 1901, and how the numbers of people change.

Why do you think the numbers of Maori changed?

When Europeans in New Zealand, there was a lot of conflict between the two cultural groups. A lot of Maori people were killed in armed conflict against the Europeans (the Europeans having more advanced weaponry).

Why do you think numbers of Europeans changed?

As time went on, more and more people from Europe migrated to New Zealand from wherever it was they lived beforehand (mostly countries in Britain, e.g Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England). Therefore the number of Europeans living in New Zealand increased.

Comprehension Box

Denim 4 - Stinkiest Jobs in History
1. The word stool in paragraph 3 means:
C - bowel movements

2. What part of the contents of human urine was useful in cleaning wool?
C - ammonia

3. The process of removing fur from a hide is the main idea of:
C - paragraph 4

4. What did the tanner have to do to the hide before removing the fur?
A - remove fat and meat

5. What do both a tanner and fuller use in creating their product?
C - urine

6. Which of the jobs did not involve faeces (bowel movements)?
A - fuller

7. If a man was walking the streets with a shovel and container, he would most likely be collecting:
B - dog faeces

8. You can conclude that the king ____ the groom of the stool.
B - trusted

9. Which of the following is a fact, not an opinion?
C - urine was used in medieval times by tanners and fullers

10. Why would the groom of the stool use his bare hands to wipe the king's bottom?
B - toilet paper was not used in those times

11. What cause the tanneries to be located far from the town centre?
B - the smells created during the tanning process were unpleasant

12. Which sentence summarises the supply and use of dog droppings by tanners?
C - Tanners soaked hides in a mix of dog droppings collected by pure collectors.

13. This text was written to:
A - inform

14. The pronoun them in paragraph 1 refers to:
C - jobs

Fuchsia 1 - The Elusive Scarlet Pimpernel
1. The word aristocrats in Paragraph 3 and 5 refer to:
C - wealthy land owners

2. The French revolution occurred because the common people:
B - were starving while the aristocrats lived in luxury

3. Madame Guillotine was:
A - used to chop off people's heads

4. The 'Reign of Terror' lasted for about a:
B - year

5. The novel about the Scarlet Pimpernel was written ____ during the French Revolution.
C - more than 100 years after

6. If an aristocrat begged for his life at the guillotine, the crowd would probably have shouted:
A - off with his head

7. We can conclude that the common people revolted against the ruling classes because they were:
C - desperate

8. The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel rescued French noblemen and women because they:
A - felt a loyalty towards them

9. The Scarlet Pimpernel was written as a work of:
B - fiction

10. It is a fact, not an opinion, that thousands of French nobility were:
A - executed by guillotine

11. An adjective which might be used in a summary of the French Revolution is:
C - brutal

12. In paragraph 3, the pronoun they refers to:
B - thousands of arsitocrats

13. Sir Percy and his wife's brother are similar because they both:
C - are in danger

14. The Scarlet Pimpernel was named after:
A - a small red flower

Rust 2 - Nelson Mandela
1. The word reconciliation in paragraph 2 means:
B - harmony

2. What was different about the law firm of Mandela and Tambo?
A - it helped black South Africans who couldn't afford to pay for legal help

3. Which words provide the best summary of Nelson Mandela's character?
C - wise and determined

4. You could predict any project Mandela supported would be likely to:
C - be highly successful

5. The main idea of paragraph 1 is that Mandela was:
B - an interesting person

6. Which statement would Mandela have been most likely to agree with?
C - violence should only be used when nothing else has worked

7. People around the world asked Mandela for advice because:
B - they admired his achievements and his character

8. Mandela was given the name Nelson by his:
C - teacher

9. You could conclude from the text that FW de Klerk:
A - also worked hard for peace

10. It is a fact, not an opinion, that Mandela:
B - was president of South Africa

11. The text was written to:
B - give information

12. The first thing Mandela did was to:
B - go to Johannesburg

13. Mandela was different from Tambo because he:
A - won a Nobel prize

14. The pronoun them in paragraph 4 refers to:
C - Mandela and Tambo

Creative Writing Matrix - Can you hear it?

Can you hear it?

Write a descriptive paragraph or poem about a setting.

The sounds and scenery can tell where a story is, how the characters are feeling.

Background sounds can be used to show where the character is.  eg. If they are at home in the summertime: the sound of a lawnmower

Every breath hung in the air as it escaped my lungs, the cloud it took shape in only visible due to the faint light illuminating from a nearby lamppost. Oak trees lined each side of the road, their branches reaching far enough to touch the sky, the bark encasing each one a dark shade of brown. Above, the sound of leaves rustling in the canopy of the surrounding trees was a sound far more welcoming than a nerve-wrecking silence. This sound was accompanied by the rhythmic click of my shoes meeting the pavement as I walked, and occasionally the disruptive rumbling engine of an oncoming vehicle, though it lasted no longer than half a minute. The faint sound of music and casual conversation could be heard from inside homes every so often as I made my way down the dark road.

Papatuanuku and Gaea

Every mythology has it's own stories and deities. A god or goddess of the earth can be found in most of these mythologies, and more often than not they have some role to play in each culture's creation story. The Maori goddess Papatuanuku and the Greek goddess Gaea are only two of many supreme beings of the earth spoken of in mythology.

Creative Writing Matrix - Crazy Lyrical Dialogue

Crazy Lyrical Dialogue

1. Go to a lyrics website like http://www.lyrics.com and select a song randomly, preferably one you've never heard or one to which you don't know the lyrics. For instance, I went to the website and selected, Fergie's "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)." I've never heard the song and haven't heard the lyrics.
2. Then, scroll through the song and select the craziest lyric you can find that would be appropriate for school. In Fergie's song, I selected, "What do you think, GoonRock?" because it was the nuttiest phrase on there.
3. Repeat this process twice more, selecting two more songs and two more crazy lyrics.
4. Then, start a conversation with the first lyric you selected between two people very unlikely to use the phrase. For instance, I might write something like, "What do you think, GoonRock?" Aunt Ida asked Bernie, sitting two wheelchairs away in Serenity Meadows Assisted Living Center.
5. Once you get the conversation going, insert the other two lyrics elsewhere, shifting the dialogue to make sure the conversation between the two characters makes sense. Continue until you can end the conversation definitively, with a resolution that meets the needs of one of the characters

"Danny says we're living in a simulation" The boy said, looking across the water and moving a stone between his two small hands. He examined it for a few seconds, before lobbing it upwards into the air, only for it to land with an ungraceful 'plop' no more than three metres in front of him. His sister rolled her eyes from her position further up on the river bank. "You shouldn't listen to that kid, Carlos. He's weird, he'll fill your head with all sorts of nonsense." The boy shrugged, a smile forming across his face. "He's funny" "He's weird." She corrected him, shuddering as the blanket around her shoulders fell to the sandy ground of the river side, the cold air hitting her like a truck. Carlos shook his head, "He's my friend." Another eye roll from his sister. Moving his attention from the body of water in front of him, Carlos looked up at the sky. "The sky looks so much prettier at night. Don't you wish that the sun never came up?" His sister smirked, "If the sun never came up we'd all die." Carlos furrowed his eyebrows "How?" She sighed, "We'd freeze to death, moron." A few moments went by before Carlos broke the silence once more. "I start middle school next year. How weird is that?" She smiled - this was one of the first things he had said that actually made sense all day. "Yeah. Seven years has gone so fast. You'll be graduating high school before you know it." The boy shuddered "I'm not that old."

Essay Brainstorming

Climate change is a lie (Against)

• Arguing against - Climate change is NOT a lie
• There is clear scientific evidence to prove that climate change is a real thing
• The temperature is rising, ice caps are melting
• The level of CO2 in the air is increasing drastically
• Coral reefs and ocean life are dying partially due to the acidity of the ocean rising because of the amount of carbon dioxide we are emitting
• The sea is warming up and the sea level is rising

1. There is clear scientific evidence to prove that climate change is real - explain times in the past where climate change has occurred.

2. The level of CO2 in the air is increasing - explain that this is due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, caused by us.

3. Coral reefs and other ocean life (explain other consequences of climate change, e.g rising sea levels, ice caps and glaciers melting etc).

Fruit and vegetables should be tax free (Agree)

• It might encourage people to buy more fruits and vegetables, or choose them as a substitute good for less healthier options
• Companies that sell fruit and vegetables would earn larger profits
• People would eat more fruit and vegetables meaning they would be healthier
• They would be affordable for people who don't earn enough money buy fruit and vegetables
• Farmers would earn more money, as they would be supplying companies with more to meet the consumers wants - lowering the price of fruit and vegetables would increase demand
• Fruits and vegetables have a high nutritional value

1. It will encourage people to buy more fruit and vegetables or at least choose them as a substitute for healthier options.

2. Companies that sell fruit and vegetables would earn larger profits, farmers would also earn more money (refer to the law of supply and law of demand).

3. People would be purchasing and consuming more, therefore they would be healthier as fruit and vegetables have a high nutritional value.

Critical Literacy - Adverts

Critical Literacy - Drink-Driving Adverts

Today for critical literacy we have been looking at the stereotypes and groups of people presented in drink driving adverts in New Zealand. Upon looking at these three advertisements, I found that almost all of them focused on intoxicated young Maori or Pacific Islander men, none of them predominantly showed women or white people as the main people getting drunk and making stupid decisions. They all perceived young men, and two of the three focused on specifically Maori and Pacific Islanders as reckless and irresponsible drinkers.

Our Own Stories Workshop

Session Two: Autobiography - Settings

- Choose a memory

- Setting - what did it look like? Sound like? Feel like? Smell like? Who was there?

The time I had to babysit Bambi

-My sister invited me over for a while and I wound up looking after her new kitten Bambi who became mildly obsessed with me. She kept climbing up and down my legs and she was determined to eat the shoelaces on my vans. 

-It was cold outside, late in the evening (the sun was setting). Taryn's room was nice, lots of makeup and that sort of stuff. Also a lot of cat toys. 

-It was pretty quiet, other than the odd sound of cars driving past and the sound of Bam running up and down the hallway chasing her roommate's giant St. Bernard Charlie. 

-Felt pretty relaxed. Was just sitting on my sister's bed watching Netflix and playing with Bam and Charlie. Had kind of sore legs though. Tends to happen when a tiny creature repeatedly claws their way up them. 

-I don't remember exactly what it smelt like, but probably booze - my sister just got back from a holiday, during which she spent a bit of time in Russia. She brought home a lot of vodka. She has lined it up, along with some other things she brought from Estonia, Germany, Poland, Singapore etc, on her windowsill. 

-It was just me, Bambi, and Charlie. Bambi is mainly brown with black stripes down her back and forehead, a white stomach and paws, a ginger target on both of her sides and a ginger patch on her forehead. Charlie is big and very fluffy. Pretty much a giant pillow. 

Not long after my sister Taryn moved out and went flatting she got a kitten from one of her friends. She named her Bambi Melon, also known as; Bindi, Bin Girl, Rat, Cone Girl, Melon, Scrambles, Bambles, Bamble Scrambles, Bam, Bambini Mussolini, Pam, Pammers, and various other equally ridiculous names. But mostly Bambi Melon. Anyway, I was about to get a bus home after going out with my friends to the city for the afternoon when my sister asked if I wanted to come around to hers for a while. I said yes, I hadn't seen her in a few weeks, and went over. This was the first time I'd met Bambi. We talked and watched movies and that sort of thing for a while, then my dad drove around. Him and Taryn had to go do something for an hour or so and she asked if I could look after Bam as her roommates were both at work, and once again I said yes. I was wearing these black ripped skinny jeans, and Bambi was absolutely obsessed with them. I think she thought they were a scratching post or a ladder or something, because she kept climbing up and down them. She pretty much spent the entire hour doing that, and by the end my legs had tens of tiny scratches all over them. Luckily for her, she is very very cute. I suppose. 

Muralists and Painters of the 21st Century

Mural Artist - C215

C215 - real name, Christian Guemy - is a French-born muralist, and is known as one of the most talented stencil artists in the world.

This particular mural is on the side of a building in Paris. His main art focus is on creating portraits of local people. In his words, "Faces reflect the personality of a city". He often does portraits of those in the community who are often neglected by society, such as the elderly, homeless, refugees and more. I like this mural in particular because of the bright colours, the detail, and his use of Chiaroscuro modelling. Yes. I did just search that up. But doesn't it sound way cooler than shading?

Painter - Banksy

Banksy is an anonymous street artist, film director and political activist from Bristol, England. He has been doing graffiti since he was a teenager, and much like c215, uses stencil art in his graffiti, along with a some relatively dark humour which is always fun. This is one of his most famous paintings, 'Girl with Balloon' which can be found in London -

I like a lot of Banksy's work, once again due to the use of stencils, and also because of the way he keeps large sections of his artwork monochrome and adds only one or two areas with bright colours. It isn't only his more comedic art, but his other work which relays messages of social importance. The meanings behind a lot of his artwork are really deep. 

Advancements in Technology Essay

Throughout history, major technological advancements have been made. This essay will discuss how technology has changed over time, as well as how technology that was used in the past differs from the technology we use today. Technological advancements have been made in things such as architecture, literature and communication, transportation and more, all of which demonstrate how technology has changed throughout time.

The early Paleolithic Era - also known as the Old Stone Age - is one of the earliest time periods with discoverable evidence of technological advancements. It was during this time period that the creation of stone tools began, as well as using fur pelts as clothing to keep warm. These were crucial advancements for mankind, and without inventions such as those made during this time, humans would not have survived. Stone tools were used by the early humans to defend themselves and to hunt, providing them with a diet with more sustenance than berries and other plants, whilst the clothes they made prevented them from freezing to death during the cold winters. Thousands and thousands of archaeological sites have been excavated, studied, and dated over the years consisting of debris from making and using stone tools, and give evidence of where and when early humans lived, as well as how they survived in certain habitats and climates. In the past, clothing was used more for practicality, whilst today it also serves the purpose of being comfortable and fashionable. Therefore, modern day clothing is not only far more practical due to a difference in materials and techniques used, but also in appearance. Today, we rarely use stone tools. Instead, our basic tools are crafted from metal, while our more technical heavy machinery is run by electricity, making completing the required tasks faster and eliminating needless physical labour. Although the general function remains relatively the same, we can see by comparing clothing and tools from the Paleotlithic era to clothing and tools today, that they have developed immensely. 

Ancient Rome is another time period in which life changing advancements were made in technology, a large number of these technological advancements being architectural. The Ancient Romans are responsible for the invention of aqueducts, dams, bridges, roads, sewers and arches. They were also the first to begin making things such as surgical tools and newspapers. Most of these things are used in modern day society, roads and bridges used to make travelling and transportation easier, and sewers used to protect water quality. The roads they made to connect their Empire serve roughly the same function as our’s do today - but not quite. The first main Roman road was the Appian Way, constructed in 312 B.C and was used as a main route for military supplies, essential to the Romans. Unlike modern day roads, the Romans began building their roads by digging trenches, which they would then fill with stones, sand, and cement. In this day and age, roads are put on or slightly elevated off the ground and used by everyone, a sizeable improvement. They are made of more reliable materials which are capable of supporting more weight, and painted lines are used to keep those travelling along them from crossing into oncoming traffic, preventing accidents. Our asphalt roads are a major advancement from the trench-like roads built in Ancient Rome, and a clear sign of how technology has changed throughout history.

The Ancient Egyptian time period was another full of new advancements and discoveries. It was during this time that a form of paper was invented, devices such as ramps and levers were created, and a form of written language was developed. Egyptian Hieroglyphics were the first written form of communication to consist of an actual alphabet, and were an improvement from prior forms of written communication such as cave art which used vague drawings and symbols. Due to the use of a proper alphabet, they were able to communicate more effectively, efficiently, and with more clarity. Today, there are around 7,100 different spoken and written languages and forty six different alphabets, most of which are comprised of letters much simpler and easier to identify than the original Egyptian Hieroglyphics, a vast development from the Ancient Egyptian times. The first known examples of hieroglyphics were found in a tomb in Abydos on bone and ivory tags, and dated back to between 3,400 and 3,200 B.C. Egyptian Hieroglyphics - in juxtaposition to modern day written languages - show an evidently clear technological advancement that has had a positive impact on our world and how we communicate.

To conclude this essay, we can clearly see that much of the technology created and used in the past during these three time periods, has since been improved drastically to serve the purpose it was made for more effectively, making our lives far easier. The examples given for each time period show how modern day technology differs to that which was developed earlier in history, and describe ways in which technology has advanced.

Creative Writing Matrix - The 6 Sentence Story

1. Your first sentence begins with ‘Once upon a time’ and introduces the main character.
2. The second sentence describes where the character lived.
3. The third sentence describes the character special talent.
4. The fourth sentence describes the characters problem.
5. The fifth sentence tells us why the character felt that way.
6. The final sentence tells how the character solved the problem

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Jaime. She lived alone in an underground bunker in Moscow, Russia, along with her five undomesticated cats and her pet rock Jonathan. Jaime had a knack for doomsday prepping, cutting onions without crying, and taming feral animals. She was out on a stroll one evening when she received the unfortunate news that Moscow had been infected with the avian flu. Jaime feared for her life, but knew this was the moment she had been preparing for her entire life. For the next three years, Jaime would be locked up in her bunker with enough food, water, and other supplies to last the century - this is how Jaime survived the avian flu epidemic in Russia.

Creative Writing - Absurd Warnings

Gymnastics

Gymnastics
For the fast few weeks in PE, we have been doing gymnastics and learning to do different routines on each of the apparatuses. We first had a period of getting use to the equipment, and then began learning the routines. At the moment I'm working on the trampoline, the bar and the floor.

What have I done well?
I'm honestly rubbish at gymnastics but I can kind of do some of the routines on the beam, trampoline, and parallel bars. In general I think I'm doing okay. That might be generous. I'm doing better than last year.

What do I need to work on?
I think I need to work on (other than literally everything) my routine on the beam. I can do it. It's just not fun to watch. Also need to learn how to do a backwards roll.

How could I improve?
By gaining more confidence, and making my routine on the beam look less horrific :) I also want to work on making my routine more controlled by asking for feedback and learning from it.

Mythology Workshop

Mythologies Workshop - Session 1

What Countries have mythology that you can think of?

Rome, Greece, Russia, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Australia, Egypt, Scotland, Ireland, China, Japan, Phillipines (all countries have mythologies)

The Maori myth of how fire came to be vs the Greek myth -

Prometheus the Titan started a fight among the other gods over a golden pear/apple. When all the gods were distracted, Prometheus stole the fire from Hephaestus in either a hollowed pumpkin or a hollowed reed. There are a couple of slight variations of this story.

Maui extinguished everyone’s fire, and when everyone asked where the fire had gone he went to beg to Mahuika to give him more. She gave him one of his fingernails and he dropped it in a river. He continued to go back, receive her nails and then “lose” them, before deciding he would teach them how to make fire instead.

Norse myth of how fire was created/discovered.

Surtr was a fire giant with a flaming sword, and ruler of Muspellheim - “The land of fire”. Surtr killed the god of fire Freyr during Ragnarok, and set the world on fire.

Mythologies Workshop - Session 2

Folklore

Russia - The Russian Sleep Experiment - according to this story, in the 1940s took five prisoners and performed an experiment, locking them up in an airtight chamber with a special gas which would keep them awake in order to see the effects of prolonged sleep deprivation. On the 5th day, paranoia set in and they stopped talking to each other. On day 9, a couple of the prisoners began endlessly screaming, tearing apart the books they were given and attempting to smash the one-way mirrors so they could no longer be watched. On the fiteenth day, they opened up the chamber and found one prisoner torn to shreds with chunks of him stuffed in the floor drains. The other four had mutilated themselves almost beyond repair and were afraid to go to sleep, begging to stay in the chamber. They were removed and when the surgeons tried to sedate them they fought back so strongly they couldn’t. All four prisoners were completely conscious and laughing maniacally as they were sewn back together. When they tried to put them back in, one resisted and shot the head researcher and one of the remaining subjects. Another researcher shot him soon afterwards. 

Creating folklore

Jerusalem - The temple mount - 

The Temple Mount is considered a holy site in Jerusalem in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam alike. It is considered so holy and sacred that many who are a part of these religions refrain from walking directly on the mount itself. One day a man was walking through the city and came across the Temple Mount. He looked at it for a moment, but his thoughts were interrupted by a small boy. The boy warned him not to step on the mount, telling stories of how all who had done so before hadn't lived to tell the sotry. The man ignored him, and continued walking, stepping on the Temple Mount mockingly. The next day the man woke up with an excruciating pain in his stomach. The day after this, his eyes had gone bloodshot, his skin pale and cold to the touch, and the pain in his stomach now felt through his entire body. He was found lifeless in his bed by his wife and children the following day.

If History had a Twitter Page

If History had a Twitter Page

The Trojan Horse -

The Salem Witch Trials 

Henry VIII

Idioms

Idioms

 Write down the figurative meaning of the following sentences:

Literal drawings:
Hes driving me up the wall -

He gave her the eye - 

Self Directed Learning Matrix Reflection

In English we have been looking at self directed learning, and more specifically a matrix designed to assess how we manage our learning. Things that are highlighted in green are the things which I already do, and things that are highlighted in yellow are things which I want to work on. One of the things I would like to work on is setting goals based on the work I need to complete. I already sort of subconsciously do this in my head (hence why it's semi-highlighted), but I think setting official goals and/or deadlines would be more effective.

Hyperboles

Hyperboles

For each of the following sentences, does it have a hyperbole or not. 

1. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole elephant! (Hyperbole/Not)
2. May is the nicest month of the year. (Hyperbole/Not)
3. Her brightly coloured dress hurt his eyes. (Hyperbole/Not)
4. The roof rose up and down to the rhythm of the music. (Hyperbole/Not)
5. I ate all of my salad for lunch.  (Hyperbole/Not)
6. The dog was so dirty it had a tomato plant growing on its back. (Hyperbole/Not)

1. Hyperbole
2. Not a hyperbole
3. Hyperbole
4. Hyperbole
5. Not a hyperbole
6. Hyperbole

The wind was strong enough to blow me off of my feet.

His head ached so much so that he thought it might blow up.

Unlike most older computers, this one worked faster than a Formula One car.

We thought we might die of laughter before the movie ended.

The pan was hot enough to melt Tungsten.

Her crying was so loud that it could be heard from New Zealand to Moscow and everywhere in between.

My groceries were so heavy, I'm lucky my arms didn't snap off.

The dog was so scary, I thought it might bite my head of.

Revision

'As straight as an arrow' - simile

'Lucky lady' - alliteration

'Boom!' - onomatopoeia

'The city was a jungle' - metaphor

Onomatopoeias

1. A plate being dropped on the floor - smash
2. A balloon being burst - pop
3. A gun being shot - bang
4. Someone eating chips - crunch
5. A light being switched on - click
6. A fierce dog - growl
7. A small bell being rung - tinkle 
8. A door opening - creek
9. A bomb exploding - boom
10. A child screaming - screech

Highlight the onomatopoeia in each of the following sentences:

1. The old engine chugged down the rickety track. 
2. The hard-hit tennis ball whistled by my ear.
3. The truck’s brakes screeched in the distance.
4. The rain beat on the metal barn roof.
5. His guitar strings twanged the sad melody. 
6. The old floor creaked as we walked slowly across it. 
7. The fire cracked and popped on a cold night. 
8. The snake hissed when I startled it.

Onomatopoeia sentences:

The door slammed as a gust of win flew through the house.

The pork crackled and sizzled as it was flipped on the barbecue.
The branch fell to the ground with a loud crack.
Jaime slurped her pathetic excuse for milo obnoxiously.
The raindrops landed on the roof with a light thud.
Leaves rustled in the trees above us as we made our way down the dimly lit path.