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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Day 3 of SLJ: Awesome animals

Activity 1: Fantastic beasts

In New Zealand we have many unusual animals. One of the most unusual is the kiwi bird - a bird that does not have wings and can not fly. Pretty strange, eh?! J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, has recently written a new book about strange or unusual animals called ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’
For this activity, please watch this cool book trailer. Year 7 and Year 8 students in South Auckland, New Zealand helped to make it. Once you have watched the video, use your imagination and create your very own beast. What does your beast look, smell, feel, and sound like?
On your blog, post a description of your beast. Use interesting adjectives (describing words) to tell us about your beast.
This beast is feared because it is known to eat it's prey by making them into a stew! It has a singular eye in the middle of it forehead, bloodshot from lack of sleep. The cyclops never sleep. They long for the taste of demigod flesh and satyr meat, YUK! The size, well, that depends on its age. The tallest is 914 cm (30 cm). The fur is hard and bristly. Not a beast you would like to met. 
Activity 2: The secretive skink
We have a number of small lizards (geckos and skinks) living in New Zealand. One of the least common is the Chevron Skink. According to the Department of Conservation, Chevron Skinks live mostly on two islands - Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island. These islands are ‘animal reserves.’ Very few people, other than staff working for the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), are allowed to live there. The DOC staff are called ‘Rangers.’ Their job is to protect the wildlife (animals and plants) living on the island.
Would you like to be a DOC ranger and live with the animals on Great Barrier Island?
On your blog list three pros (good things) and three cons (bad things) about working as a DOC ranger. At the bottom of your post, tell us whether you would like to be a DOC Ranger or not.
Pros 
1: You get to meet new animals.
2: You might get to go to places you've never been to. 
3: You might be the discoverer of new ways to save the environment. 

Cons
1: Some animals might get attached to you or you might get attached to an animal.
2: You might see people sabotaging the forest (which might upset or infuriate people)  
3: You might not be able to save an animal. 

Activity 3: WWF: World Wildlife Fund 
In 1961, a number of people came together to start an organisation called the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The main goal of this organisation was/is to protect life on earth. Hundreds of WWF staff work in countries all over the world trying to protect our planet and the animals who live here. To learn more about their amazing work, click on one of the two video links below.

Clip #2: Tigers

Once you have watched the video, go to your blog and, using full sentences, tell us:
1) The name of the animal the WWF is working to save.
2) What the WWF is doing to help the animal.
3) What, if any, success they have had protecting the animal.

The name of the animal is Saimaa ringed seal.
WWF is trying to help repopulate the population of Saimaa ringed seals by building snow banks so seal pups have a place to stay safe, keep warm and hide from humans that might cause disturbance.

7 comments:

  1. Hello Taleisha,

    Great job on day 3's activities! I really like that you do all three activities for the day in one post - it makes it very easy to comment about them all at once. WOW, your beast sounds scary! I definitely don't think I would like to meet it. You used some fabulous descriptive words and painted a really vivid picture of your beast in my mind. Well done.

    I found your pros and cons very interesting. I hadn't ever considered seeing people sabotage the forest as one of the cons but think you make a very good point. I think especially in relation to the theme of this year's programme "The World Around Us" it's so important to consider the impact we are having on the environment and the DOC Rangers play such an important role in protecting our natural environment and the wildlife that live within.

    The snow banks are such a good idea. The WWF has made such a positive impact on the population of saimaa ringed seals. Can you remember how many seals there used to be and how that number has changed since WWF has been helping them?

    Keep up the great work and I look forward to reading your blog posts tomorrow!
    Nga mihi, Georgia.

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    Replies
    1. Kia ora Georgia,

      Thank you for this positive comment. The beast was a cyclops. It is a beast in Greek mythology. I do have a fascination for all mythology but Greek and Roman is my favourite.

      I think it is a smart idea of WWF building snow banks. This then ensures that the Saimaa seals are repopulated.

      Thank you! Taleisha

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  2. Hi Taleisha,
    I like your blog post. MY favourite is the pros and cons they were really creative. I can't wait to see what you post next

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you AJ!
      I like your posts too. Very creative!

      Thank you once again! Taleisha

      Delete
  3. Good afternoon Taleisha,
    I really love your blog post. They way you described your best was exquisite. I am so excited to see your future blog posts.
    Bella

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Bella, Thank you for the positive comment :)
      Taleisha.

      Delete
  4. Hi Taleisha
    I really liked your blog post. They way you described your best was good. Keep up the good work.
    Rikesh

    ReplyDelete

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