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Monday, December 31, 2018

Week 3: up, up and away

This week we are focusing our attention on the sky. There is so much that we still don’t know about this environment but, from what we can tell, it is a pretty magical place. Let’s venture together into the unknown…

Day 1: A heated debate

Activity 1: Togs or Trackies?
New Zealand is a pretty lovely place to live, isn’t it? Apparently, New Zealand (NZ) is also a pretty lovely place to visit. In 2017 approximately 2-3 million people came to visit NZ as tourists. Some of them chose to come in the middle of our summer, while others braved it and came in the middle of winter! When do you think is the best time of year (season) to visit NZ?
If you would like some help making a decision, feel free to read the Go New Zealand website. It has lots of information about the seasons in NZ!
I, personally, encourage my friends and family from overseas to come and visit NZ in early spring. The weather is usually warm and dry and the tourist attractions, beaches and holiday spots are less busy than they are in the middle of summer.
On your blog, tell us what time of year you think is best for tourists for come and visit. Be sure to share at least three things that tourists could do while they were here in NZ.

Summer.
Reason 1: Because you get to go for swims at the beach! The best place to go cool down after a long, hot day :)
Reason 2: You can go kayaking around islands and maybe go for a swim if you didn't get the chance earlier in the day :)
Reason 3: Go parasailing!!!! Trust me, I have been on a parasail and I first felt scared when I first did it but when we were actually in the air it was amazing!! You get a birds eye view of everything! Its so amazing!


Activity 2: You are my Sunshine


People in New Zealand love spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, the sun is very powerful and the rates of skin cancer are incredibly high in New Zealand. In fact, they are higher than anywhere else in the entire world! To protect ourselves against skin cancer, we need to be careful about how much time we spend in the sun. We have to be ‘Sunsmart.’

Read the Sunsmart website.

On your blog, list five different things that we can do to protect ourselves from the sun this summer!
  1. Slip on a shirt
  2. Slip under some shade
  3. Slop on sunblock 
  4. Slap on a hat
  5. Wrap on some sunglasses

Friday, December 28, 2018

Day 5: wasting away

Activity 1: Off the Menu [4 points]
Fishing is a really common activity in New Zealand. In fact, people have fished in New Zealand for centuries. Unfortunately, over the past few decades some people have caught too many fish in one area and left the region without enough fish to refill (replenish) the stocks. When this happens we call the area ‘overfished’ and it is closed to all private and commercial fishing. If people are caught fishing in these areas, they are required to pay a fine (money). The maximum fine for fishing in a restricted area is $100 000.
What do you think about this rule? Is it fair that people are charged up to $100 000 for overfishing?
On your blog, tell us what you think about this rule and why you think it!
I agree with it but I think it is a bit too much money. Some people might just be fishing because they don't have enough money to buy fish from the supermarket. This then puts emotional strain on them because they don't have enough money.

Activity 2: The Black Drain
Approximately two-thirds of all rivers and one-half of all lakes in New Zealand are too polluted to swim in, according to a recent article in an online newspaper. One of the most polluted is the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. Pollution enters the river from a local pulp and paper mill, from local farms and through the local sewage system. Many other rivers in New Zealand are also polluted with waste from businesses and farms.
Use Google to help you find two other polluted rivers in New Zealand.

On your blog, tell us:

1) The names of the rivers. 2) The location of the rivers. 3) What is being done to clean up the rivers (if anything).

Activity 3: Faded Glory
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, made up of 2900 individual reefs. It is so big that it can actually be seen from space! The reef is located on the east coast of Australia and many people believe that it is millions and millions of years old. For most of its life, the reef has been a healthy, vibrant ecosystem. Over the past thirty years, however, it has changed dramatically. Much of the beautiful bright coral has become bleached and has lost its colour. Sections of the reef have also been damaged by tourists, cyclones and the introduction of new, damaging invasive species.
The Australian government is working to protect and preserve the reef. Each year they spend about $200 million dollars repairing and protecting the reef. It is a lot of money and they could really use some help raising the money (funds) required to repair the reef. This is where you come in!
On your blog, list three different ideas or strategies for raising funds to preserve the Great Barrier Reef. What could you do to fundraise here in New Zealand?

1. Perform Kapahaka. There would be a sign to inform people what we are fundraising for and see that we are fundraising for a good cause.
2. Bake sale. Who doesn't like some homemade baking?! You could be as creative as you like. You could have theme's (namely under the sea because, well... Great Barrier Reef), you could go all out, making great big cakes. The possibilities are endless.
3. Raffles. You could make heaps of cool and fun prize bundles. Again, like the bake sale, the possibilities are endless.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Day 3: First you sea me, now you don't

Activity 1: Night Owls
Here in New Zealand we have many amazing and unique sea creatures, including penguins. The blue penguin, or kororā, is particularly special because it is the smallest penguin in the entire world! Blue penguins are typically found on the east coast of the South Island in places like Oamaru but they can be hard to spot as they rarely leave the water. If they do come onto land it is usually at night, when most of us are sound asleep! That’s because they are nocturnal. Not all of us, however, sleep all night. In fact, some people love to stay awake late into the evening. People who like to stay up late are called ‘night owls.’ Are you a night owl or are you an early riser, like me? I typically wake up every day around 6:00 a.m. and jump out of bed, ready to start the day!
On your blog, tell us whether you are a night owl or an early riser. Then, tell us about the rest of your family. Are they the same as you?
I am a night owl. I prefer going to sleep then waking up. You usually see me on my iPad. On School nights I stay up till 8:30 (which is very late for me on a school night). On the weekends, it depends. I still go to sleep Relatively early.
My brothers are definitely night owls. They like staying up and don't go to sleep easily unless the are playing the Playstation, watching Pj masks (a tv program for kids) or being on technology in general.
My mum is also a night owl. She tries to wake us up early by putting on an alarm but we never wake up because we are fast asleep.

Activity 2: A Local Delicacy
Whitebait is a very special fish in New Zealand. It is rumoured (believed) to be a very delicious fish. Some restaurants in New Zealand make dishes that feature whitebait, including whitebait fritters. Have you ever tried whitebait fritters? They are a favourite dish of many of my friends. I, personally, prefer foods from places like Mexico and Italy. Pizza and nachos are two of my all-time favourite foods! In fact, I often make homemade pizza with Aronui on Friday nights using the same ingredients (pizza base, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, red onion, basil and feta cheese) each time.
For this activity, please choose a favourite food and find a recipe for it.
On your blog, share a list of the ingredients that you need to make this food. You must type out the list of ingredients yourself (and not simply copy and paste it from a website) to earn full points.
My mum's shepherds pie ( I have seen her make this so I haven't copied this off a site)
Ingredients:
Potatoes
Mince
Peas, corn, carrots
Cheese
Shepherds pie sachet (you can get these at the supermarket)

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Day 2: Fabulous Flora

Activity 1: Weaving a Tall Tale…
There is a long history in New Zealand of collecting natural plants, including flax (harakeke), and using them to create cloaks, baskets (kete), mats, traps and ropes. Flax weaving is an art form. It can take years for people to perfect the art of weaving. Have you ever tried it?
For this activity, you are asked to watch a short video of someone weaving a fish (ika) out of flax.
On your blog, tell us whether or not you would like to try flax weaving. Does it interest you? Why or why not?
I would love to weave again. I haven't woven again and I see very interesting. It would be fun to make.

Activity 2: Mighty Mangroves
Here in New Zealand we have a native tree called a Kiwi Mangrove. Kiwi Mangroves grow in shallow water (harbours). The largest mangrove or manawa forests in New Zealand are located in Northland and in Auckland. According to many environmental experts, they are one of the toughest and strongest trees in the world because they can survive in really harsh (difficult) conditions.
For this activity you are asked to think of someone who is very tough and strong. They can be someone who you know personally or they can be a character that you have read about in a book, seen in a movie, or on a television show.

On your blog, tell us about this person. Who are they? Why are they, in your opinion, so strong and tough?
Annabeth Chase. She is a character in the book Percy Jackson and the Olympians. She may not have special powers like the rest of her friends but she is smart and uses battle strategy to get out of situations. And she is also very good with her dagger when an opportunity comes. Those are the reasons why I think she is tough and strong. Oh, and she has helped saved the world countless times.









Activity 3: Stranger than Fiction
Here on earth there are more than 298 000 different kinds (species) of plants. Some of these plants live on land and some live in the water. Follow this link to read about 10 of the strangest plant species in the world. When you are finished, choose two of the plants from the list.



On your blog, list three similarities and three differences between the two plants that you chose. To earn five extra bonus points, post a picture of both plants on your blog..



Monday, December 24, 2018

Week 2: Water, water, everywhere. Day 1: Swimming with fish

Welcome to the second week of the Summer Learning Journey. We hope that you enjoyed learning about the amazing land habitats that we have here in New Zealand and overseas. This week we are going to  focus on water; the lakes, rivers and oceans that make up our beautiful country. Are you ready to jump in and get wet? Let’s hope you brought your togs!

Activity 1: Surfs Up!
In New Zealand we have many beautiful beaches and stunning waterfalls. One of the most spectacular waterfalls is called Kitekite and it is located in Piha, a small village west of Auckland. Tourists and locals flock to Piha during the summer season to enjoy the waterfall, the local beach, and the great surf. Have you ever tried surfing? Although I have never surfed many of my friends have and they absolutely love it. In fact, it is their favourite summer activity! What is yours?
For this activity, please take a picture of yourself doing one of your favourite summer activities. It could be anything! Here is a picture of one of our team members (Laura) doing one of her favourite summer activities.
On your blog, post a picture of yourself doing one of your favourite summer activities. Below the picture tell us what the activity is and tell us why it is one of your favourites.
One of my favourite activities is reading. I like reading in quite places but it is quite hard to find quiet places to read in my house! Very chaotic with 3 noisy brothers! The day before my birthday I purchased some books for me to read. It is a series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Here is me with my books the first night I had it.
What was included?
First book: Percy Jackson and the lightning thief
Second book: Percy Jackson and the sea of monsters
Third book: Percy Jackson and the titans curse
Fourth book: Percy Jackson and the battle of the labyrinth.
Fifth book: Percy Jackson and the last Olympian
Extra book: Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods.

Activity 2: The Great Taupo Cycle Challenge
Every year approximately 7500 people arrive in Taupo, New Zealand to compete in a one-day cycling race around Lake Taupo. The race route is 160 km in length. Participants can choose to compete in the full race or the half-race (80 km). Let’s imagine that you were given a free ticket to compete in the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge next year and you were able to bring three people with you as your ‘support crew.’ Who would you bring with you?
If it was me, I would choose my son, Aronui, as one of my supporters because he’s really funny and energetic. I think that he would make sure that I had a great time and that I spent the entire day laughing and smiling. I would also choose my sister, Leigh, because she is very strong and fast. Thirdly, I would choose my co-leader, Hazel, because she is very organised and would make sure that we followed the trail and didn’t get lost!
On your blog, list the three people you would like to have on your Lake Taupo Cycle Race Support Crew. Tell us why you have chosen each person.
My support team:
Astin. She is organised and reliable she will make sure we go down the right tracks and make sure that we don't get lost.
Imogen. She would be walking (well, riding) med kit and the encourager. In case one of us get hurt she will be the one we call to. She will also make sure we don't give up. No matter how hard it looks.
Putri. She would be the entertainer. She will make sure we always have a smile on our faces at all times. She is the helper of all team members. She will help Imogen when someone is injured, she will also help Astin navigate.
I would help all my team so we can successfully make it to the finish line.

Activity 3: Something Smells Fishy…

One of the longest and largest rivers in the world is called the Amazon River. It is located in South America and is approximately 6400 kilometres (kms) long. That is four times longer than the entire country of New Zealand. Wow!
Scientists believe that there are over 3000 different kinds of fish that live in the Amazon River. Now, that is a lot of fish! To learn more about fish, we went online and found some really cool facts about fish.
For this activity, we are going to provide you with five sentences about fish. Some of them are true and some are them are not. It is your job to read these ‘facts’, and decide whether they are true or false.

On your blog, write out each fact and in CAPITAL LETTERS beside the fact, write the word ‘TRUE’ if it is a true fact or ‘FALSE’ if it is not true.
True or False?

Fish Fact #1: The oldest known fish in the world is a 65 year old Australian lungfish. TRUE
Fish Fact #2: Sharks are the only fish that have eyelids. TRUE
Fish Fact #3: Starfish are a type of fish. FALSE
Fish Fact #4: Fish communicate with each other by making low-pitched sounds (moans, hisses, etc) FALSE
Fish Fact #5: Fish usually swim together in groups called ‘classes.’ FALSE

Friday, December 21, 2018

Day 5 of SLJ (aka: my birthday!!): Blink and you'll miss it

Activity 1: Towering timbers
There is a long and rich history of logging in New Zealand. Logging involves cutting down trees. The people who cut them down are called loggers. The trees that they cut down are sold and used to build things (eg. houses), to make products (eg. paper), and to generate (create) heat and power. Over the past two centuries, many of the trees in New Zealand have been cut down by loggers.



Left: NZ native forest Right: A logged forest

Some people like logging because it creates jobs for the loggers and generates money for New Zealand while others are against (opposed to) logging. Many of those opposed are worried that logging will damage the environment. It might also force animals who live in trees (eg. owls) to find new homes.
What do you think about logging? I think logging is benefiting us humans but putting animals at risk of extinction.
On your blog tell us whether you think logging should be allowed in New Zealand. Be sure to provide at least two reasons to support your argument.
I am against logging because it causes 2 problems. 1) although it gives us a few benefits (paper, tables, chairs etc) it causes environmental problems like pollution. This can help climate change and global warming to the point where we have to evacuate Earth and find a new planet. And 2) this risks animals lives. Their homes, destroyed and no where to store food or sleep. We will drive the animals in our forests to the brink of extinction! 
Activity 2: Living on the edge
While it can get quite cold in New Zealand, it rarely drops below freezing (00C). Most of the time the temperature in New Zealand is pretty mild. This is not the case in the tundra. The tundra is an area of land (biome) that is cold, dry and completely treeless. Did you know that the average temperature in the tundra is -280C?
Over the past few years, however, the temperature in the tundra has been rising and the weather has been changing. Let’s imagine that your teacher decides to take you on a class trip to the tundra before the weather changes too much and you aren’t able to go.
On your blog, write a letter to your best friend or a family member telling them about your trip to the tundra. To earn full points your letter must have a greeting (eg. Dear…) followed by 5 – 6 sentences of information about what your experience.
Dear Mum,
My trip to tundra was out of this world! It was so dry, sometimes cold sometimes warm Unbelievable! You wouldn't thing tundra was super cold because the earth there looks so dry. Although it was super cool I wouldn't advise you to visit. Not a very nice place and not a hotel in sight! We had to sleep in tents and sometimes our layers weren't enough. Brrrrr. Anyways, I'm coming home in 2 days so I can sleep in a proper bed then. Yay!
Activity 3: Going, going... gone
Over the years, scientists have made some surprising discoveries. One of these discoveries is that we have entire cities (e.g. Jakarta, Indonesia and Venice, Italy) that are slowly sinking into the ocean. Scientists believe that, one day, the cities will disappear completely under the water. Yikes!
Some of the residents (people living in the cities) have taken pictures of their neighbourhoods and written stories about their lives in order to make a record of what ‘life was like’ in their city before it disappeared.
Let’s imagine that New Zealand was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean next week (Eek!). Before it sinks you are asked to write a blog post telling people what life was like in New Zealand in 2018.

On your blog, post a description of life in New Zealand in 2018. Please remember that the people who read your post will have never been to New Zealand or even seen a picture so it is your job to ‘paint a picture’ of New Zealand using your words. You can also post pictures, if you wish. Be sure to fully attribute the pictures.
New Zealand is a place of adventure with lots to do like kayaking around scenic islands, trekking through forests, it's basically a adventurers playground. You can also go on boat trips to see caverns, explore new islands. New Zealand is a wonderful place with picturesque views and places to go.   


Thursday, December 20, 2018

Day 4 of SLJ: More than meets the eye

Activity 1: Scaling new heights
Aotearoa New Zealand is a country of mountains and valleys, dense forests, and sparkling oceans. At the centre of the South Island sits the tallest mountain in the country, Aoraki Mt Cook. It is the place where Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the top (summit) of Mt Everest, learned how to climb mountains. It was pretty difficult for him, at first, but Sir Edmund Hillary did not give up and, in 1953, he achieved this dream of climbing Mt Everest. His face can now be found on the New Zealand $5 note!
Let’s imagine that you met Sir Edmund Hillary in real life and were able to interview him.
On your blog, post five questions that you would like to ask Sir Edmund Hillary about his life.
Question 1: how did you feel when you first reached the top of Mount Everest?
Question 2: when did you first the title 'Sir Edmund Hillary'? 
Question 3: how many people helped you with your voyage to Mount Everest? 
Question 4: what happened on the first day of your voyage?
Question 5: why did you go the voyage? was there a reason you had to go there? 

Activity 2: Pancakes and Maple syrup? 
Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many spectacular sights and natural wonders. One of these is the Punakaiki Rocks and Blowholes located on the West Coast of the South Island. The Punakaiki rocks attract tourists from all over the world who are keen to see these amazing rock formations. Many people think that they look like pancakes stacked on top of one another. Pancakes are one of my favourite foods! They are delicious and pretty easy to make.
For this activity you are asked to choose one of your favourite foods. On your blog, write the name of your favourite food and then tell us how to make it. You may need to ask a family member, friend or Google (!) for help, if you do not normally make this food for yourself.
My mum's rice krispy treats (there really yummy)
The ingredients you'll need are:
Marshmallows
Butter
Rice bubbles
Sprinkles or any add on's (this is optional) 
Materials:
Pot (size depends on how much you want)
Spoon (wooden) 
Something to put your mixture in
Steps:
First: you place the rice bubbles in the pot along with the marshmallows and butter
Secondly: you heat up the pot and wait till the marshmallows and butter have melted
The mixture should be a little sticky. 
Thirdly: you need to put the mixture into a dish. This is the time you can add on some sprinkles or melted chocolate. Again. The additions are optional. 
Lastly: Wait for it to harden a bit.
Now this step isn't hard. You get to eat it!

Activity 3: Salt and pepper 
Deep in the heart of Bolivia (a country in South America) lies a natural wonder unlike anything else. It is a massive area of salt, over 10 000 km2 large, that is referred to as the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Tourists who visit the flats often stay in hotels made completely out of salt (salt hotels). This is not the only unique hotel that you will find around the world. In fact, you can stay in hotels made entirely of ice (ice hotels) or glass (glass hotel). Let’s imagine that you were given enough money to build your very own hotel.
On your blog tell us where you would build your hotel and what you would use to build it. For an extra five points, use Google Drawings to design one room in your hotel. You can also use a paper and pencil to draw your room, take a picture of the drawing, and post it on your blog.