Look at that dainty mascot!

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop our understanding of history, continuity and change.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I write down five facts about mascots.

Look at that cute, little puppy!

Learning intention: We are learning to develop our understanding of the English grammar.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that opinion adjectives judges the look of objects.

Stop, you're going to slip because your friction force is low!

How Friction Works

What is friction and how does it work?

Friction is a type of force that holds back an object that’s sliding. It is a force that acts in the opposite direction of movement. The force of friction is the other side of the object so if the object is sliding left, the friction force is on the right.

Friction is always here. It works when we step on the ground and stop. The friction is caused by the shoe touching the ground. Even if there’s a liquid, the friction force is not stopped. It’s just weakened so when you try to stop on wet grounds, it’ll be harder to stop yourself and can cause you to slip and fall on the ground since the friction is weak. If a car was to use the brake, the friction will cause the car to stop caused by the brakes, but if the car was to brake on ice, the friction is weak and the brakes of the car will result it to spinout.

Friction has different ways for it to be helpful or dangerous. If a jet was going at a very high speed near a docking bay and trying to land, when the ship lands in a straight path, the rubber material can cause  to burn it - breaking it and making the jet’s friction power futile. This will cause the jet to slide and hit many things along the way, making it dangerous for people and the surroundings. Friction (in a good way) can help fast-moving objects to stop and protect things from getting destroyed.

Friction force can be dangerous yet helpful, in many ways. Make sure when running fast or moving fast, you try to keep your friction force steady or you could hit something or you could end up injuring yourself and others.

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand and follow the structure of an explanation.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain how frictions works starting with an introduction, followed by the explanation, then the effects and end with a concluding sentence.

Eww! I don't like the taste of the dried pickles!

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop our understanding of the English grammar.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that interjections are words that are used to express a feeling.

What phrases do you know in Te Reo Maori that supports our New Zealand athletes?

Learning Intention: We are learning to speak Te Reo Maori.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use blabberize to record the phrase 'haukerekereha' and the translation of it in English.

Oh no, it's raining acid!

How Does Acid Rain Form?

Acid rain is a type of rain caused by pollution that burns through all living and non-living things. It is caused by the pollution emitted from factories through  burning fossil fuels (which are fuels we use in cars) and the acid particles rise up into the clouds and mix it, causing a burning rain.

When acid gases are blown to the sky then into the clouds, the sulfur oxide (which is the acid gases) mixes with nitrogen oxide creates a chemical reaction in the clouds to make it become more acidic. When it starts to become cloudy, the acidic rain causes it to fall like normal rain. Sometimes the percentage of the acid is low, which makes the acidity content less likely to burn objects or any living creatures.

Acid rain badly affects the growth of  plants and trees as it poisons them. If acid rain reaches the water, it makes the water toxic and marine life could suffer.  It can also cause diseases in humans like asthma or cancer including heart disease.

The acid rain can cause limestones to melt and crumble and these can be used to make bricks in buildings. Limestones are also used for creating statues.

Acid rain can cause great human disasters. But this can be stopped or minimized if we are conscious of the way we look after the environment. We need to take care of the earth to prevent other disasters caused by human errors or careless attitudes so that the world will still be habitable for our generation and the generations to come.

Learning Intention: We are learning to follow the structure of an explanation.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain why acid rain forms starting with an introduction, followed by the explanation, then the effects and then end with a concluding sentence.

Do you know any Maori phrases for supporting our New Zealand athletes that are participating in the Olympics?

Learning Intention: We are learning to speak Te Reo Maori.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use blabberize to record the phrase 'wetiweti ana' and the translation of it in English.

Look at those nine, shiny, small apples!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand and use descriptive language.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that order adjectives are adjectives that are sequenced.

Oh no, my bow broke!

On Thursday 6th of August, Room 7 had a great time gathering the materials for our sport sculpture.

First, we had to make a presentation that included these questions:

• What sport are you presenting?
• Why did you choose this sport?
• What are the rules?
• Which New Zealand team is doing this sport?
• And what is one technique for your sport?

It took me a long time to write the rules since some of the sites I searched from, gave different informations about the sport I was researching for (which was archery). My group and I worked together to share the data we collected from different sites. While we were looking for more data for archery, I looked up different techniques for archery. I just found out that there were different types of draws so I wrote down the techniques which I thought would be useful for our presentation.

After I finished my presentation, Salome, our art teacher, let me start on my bow sculpture. I followed the diagram which our group drew.  I needed to change some parts and pieces from the plan like the riser which on the plan was made of straw. I had to change it into a twirly piece of cardboard. I asked Miss Chao to help me glue the stick of cardboard onto the milk bottle (which was used as a grip). There was a problem when the glue connected the piece of cardboard to the milk bottle, it started to bend a bit so I had to rip it off and glue it again using the hot glue gun and  with the help of Salome. This time, I used a popsicle stick but it broke apart because it wasn’t sturdy enough. Unfortunately, it was nearly home time so I had to leave my unfinished project behind, helped  tidy up the classroom before we  said our ‘karakia’.

Getting to work on our sculptures was amazing yet challenging. But I am determined not to give up until I have produced my sculpture. I wish though that  our bow didn’t break apart while we were working on it because this means that we will have to re-do it, yet again.

Learning Intention: We are learning to use the appropriate language features in our recount.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use past tense verbs to describe our Thursday art lesson.

Did you know that Pierre de coubertin started the Olympics?

In oral language, we have been learning about the Olympic rings. We learnt that the rings represent the connection of the five continents. The founder of the Olympics was Pierre de coubertin.

Do you know what the sign is for 'travelling' in basketball?

Learning Intention: We are learning the game of basketball.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use Wevideo to record the four signs that are used in basketball: travelling, double bounce, time out and swap a player.

Look out, there's an angry volcano!

Why do volcanoes erupt?

An eruption is caused by the plates rubbing together. The magma is forced to rise in the air, then hot lava runs down.

The volcano is caused to rise by the pressure of the plates rubbing so the magma is forced from the magma chamber and blow the top of a mountain. Other parts of magma burns through other parts of the mountain to create a ‘vent’. The crater is blown, causing flying ashes and rocks. The heat emits a very hot cloud of smoke which is toxic from the sulphur which turns the water to acid.

When a volcano erupts, the lava travels and burns everything in its path. It could also be useful because the fragments of the rocks are absorbed by the soil, making it to become fertile for plants.

Volcanoes can be very dangerous (and should be aware of). If you see smoke coming out from a mountain, there’s a chance it could be a volcano!

Learning Intention: We are learning to follow the structure of an explanation.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain why volcanoes erupt by starting with an introduction, followed by the explanation, then the effects and then a concluding sentence.