Category: Ako | Learn

Observation Something Happened Here…

LI: Learning about New Zealand history.

For reading we looked at New zealand history from the school starter kit. We chose one of the 36 cards and learnt about the tangata whenua which tells us the mountain, river, tribe and marae for place we choose. We chose observation, this card was about Abel Tasman and Dumont D’urville. Abel Tasman’s story was about murderers bay, we learnt why he gave murderers bay the name and what happened.

I found this task interesting because I was given the opportunity to learn about history behind New Zealand.

Character Dispelling

For reading I chose a character from a text and dispelled the gender bias. I chose Brainy smurf as my character, when I dispelled the gender I changed a few things, for example a gave her more feminin clothing and a more defined body shape. While I was dispelling the gender I stayed with the theme of a steryotypical “nerd” because ofter when you hear the word “brainy” people think about “nerds”.

I enjoyed this activity because I got to take one of the characters I like and dispell the gender bias that followed from the past in evolution. This task let me express my ideas and think about questions like “what actually would my character look like as a female?” overall this activity helped me display my creativity and learn about gender bias and how men are displayed as more empowering as woman.

Aretha Franklin Song RESPECT

I completed this task so that I could achieve a CARE award in order to get a badge. For this task I needed to research about Aretha Franklin’s song RESPECT.

Aretha Franklin is a famous singer who was in the music buisness for over 60 years. One of her most famous singles RESPECT. Aretha Franklin created because she noticed that everybody wanted and needed respect. This song was noticed by many people and became an anthem for feminism and civil rights.

I enjoyed this task becasue I got to learn how a song can change society and make a better changes in the world. I found this inspiring on why and how this song became an anthem for feminism and civil rights.

Escape From Afghanistan

LI: To explain in fewer words what the text is about 

 

Our challenge in this activity was to summarise the text in our own words. We were challenged to use powerful vocabulary instead of simpler words. My summary tells the journey of all refugees and the journey they went through.

I found this Mahdi’s journey stressful because all of the obsticals he came to were stressful

Tension Graphs

LI: To gauge the tension in a text

Escape from Afghanistan Tension Chart:

My name is Rez Tension Chart:

From Afghanistan to Aotearoa Tension Chart:

When I compare these graphs I noticed that these refugees had a really hard time setling into a new country and leaving eveything they have behind. 

I found this activity interesting because I was able to learn more about refugees and how they come with the obsticals they face.

Synthesis Challenge

LI: To compare and contrast the way authors hook us in and build tension in a set of texts.

Our group has made the decision that “My name is Rez” has the best introduction out of three texts. As It states what Rez’s childhood has been like. For example “We have never had our own homeland”. Meaning that she has endured psychological trauma and emotional scars that will forever be attached to her for the majority of her life. In act 1 it explains that her life is filled with hardships from being punished for getting something incorrect, to having both of her parents’ villages being bombed. The horrors they faced seemed to never end. But in the end she became a lawyer that helps refugees come to New Zealand and she had a prosperous life.

Our challenge in this activity was to compare and contrast the ways each author built tension and hooked us in using evidence from the texts to support our thinking. When we had read all three texts in the set we wrote a collaborative statement to convince other students why one of the story beginnings was better than the other(s).

I found this activity interesting because I got to learn about different refugees and the ardous journeys they faced.

Procedural Writing

LI: To write a set of clear instructions that show how to make a hangi.

How to make a hangi

You will need:

Equipment/Materials

  • Shovels
  • lighter/matches 
  • stones/iron
  • paper
  • lighter
  • twigs/kindling
  • metal baskets
  • Cloth sacks
  • hook tool
  • Gloves
  • cylinder of water
  • big leaves
  • wood
  • at least 2-3 people to dig the pit.

 

  • Ingredients:
  • Vegetables(potato, carrots, taro leaves, kumara, pumpkin,  cabbage.) 
  • Meat (ox, chicken, beef, lamb, pork)

Numbered Steps:

  1. Dig 1m(4ft) deep pit. Make sure it’s slightly larger than food baskets.
  2. Gather wood and volcanic stones then stack the wood piling the stones on top
  3. Light the wood on fire and let the wood and stones wait for about 3-5 hours so they heat up, you will know when they are ready once stones start turning white.
  4. Prepare the vegetables and add garlic powder and seasonings to add flavor.
  5. Collect meat for the hangi and season with salt and pepper or garlic powder, commonly chicken, pork and beef. 
  6. Line baskets in foil or banana leaves and place food in making sure meat and vegetables are in separate trays.
  7. Soak sacks and sheets in water and place on the side of the pit so dirt can’t get in.
  8. Place all the food trays into the pit on top of the hot rocks making sure the meats are added first and then the vegetables.
  9. Put a wet sheet on top of the trays that is long enough to touch the bottom tray, then add more wet sacks and sheets on top of everything.
  10. Let the food cook for at least 4 hours and then remove all sacks and sheets carefully so that no dirt gets onto the 
  11. Use gloves to transfer the trays of food and let it cool down.
  12. Carve meat to serving sizes and enjoy!

Today we unpacked how to follow and write a set of instructions. To do this effectively your instructions need to be explicit and the steps to follow ordered. Each step begins with an instructional verb and should be written in a way that is easy to understand.

SAFETY MESSAGE: Always make sure someone is looking after the Hangi to make sure that nothing burns and the environment is safe.

I enjoyed trying to follow the steps of the worksheet at the start because it taught me thayt I should always read the instructions carefully before I do anything.

Research About Scurvy

LI: To understand what a balanced diet looks like and why it is important for human health.

For our first Inquiry topic for Term 2 we did a study about what a scurvy is, how can people get affected, and what can we do to avoid it. We wrote did you know facts to help us be able to learn about scurvy such as, Did you know Scurcy can bo killed by eating Lemons and Limes? Scurvy is caused by lack of Vitamin C for at least 3 months. I was mostly common for pirates/sailors.

I found this activity helpful because I got to learn about Scurvy and what I can do to prevent it so I don’t get it.

Kauri Dieback

LI: To gather statistics and protect the Kauri Tree from getting the Kauri Disease.

The following week after camp we did a research about the Kauri Dieback. Then we created a DLO about the Kauri Disease on how we can prevent it from destroying our nature. Though we can do things such as cleaning our shoues before and after walks to stop the disease from killing our tree. 

I found this activity interesting because I learnt about the Kauri dieback and how it can effect our Kauri trees and kill them.

Statistical Investigation

Our math group created a diagram which shows the top six rivers in Auckland from smallest to largest. We used our collaborative skills to find out the data of each river. We put these rivers in this order from shortest to longest Whanua, Puhoi, Tamaki, Waitakere, Hoteo, Waiora. We used our knowledge to come to the conclusion on what river is the longest out of the 6 rivers in Auckland, which is Waiora being 65 km long.

I found this activity useful because I learnt how to make a statistical investigation.