Learning from my mistakes.

Acceleration for Term 3

This term I am going to accelerate in...

• My writing as I want to be above standard by the end of the school year but I am currently tracking to be at standard by the end of the school year.

• Also my maths as I believe that I can do better. I am currently a 5a but I think that I can get to a 6b minimum.

Winter Learning Journey Day 7 Bonus Activity

Over the winter holiday period, and Term 2 break, I traveled all around New Zealand from the comfort of my den...

I went with all of my fellow Maniakalani bloggers and visited several different places in our beautiful country presently covered in a dusting from the Long White cloud know as New Zealand that I hadn't been to before...and probably wouldn't of known about if I hadn't been on this virtual learning journey.

I explored the awesome city of sails - Auckland.  I tried some  Maori cuisine. I got to see an amazing All Blacks haka live at Eden Park. I got to celebrate the Maori new year known as Matariki.  I rode a bike along the Otago Central Rail Trail and I got to visit Farewell Spit which is really now just a whale graveyard.

 I even got to prove that the moa still exists!

I have enjoyed my journey, but perhaps this sums it up better that I can...

Winter Learning Journey Day 7 Activity 2

I find watching any movies/documentaries about animals or WWE wrestling relaxing especially when it is a cold day...or getting lost in a good book (I'm currently reading Harry Potter) with a mug of hot white-chocolate.  I also like to relax on the rugby field, or by cooking a tasty meal in the kitchen.

Winter Learning Journey Day 7 Activity 1

1. Put more rubbish bins out to be used with flaps on the front so that when the rubbish gets put in, nothing comes out.

2. Have less construction around local neighbourhoods as this will decrease the pollution in the air.

3. Create signs that are noticeable and place them around the area to create an awareness of the problems.

Winter Learning Journey Day 6 Bonus Activity

Haka...

All Blacks Haka 2015 Rugby World Cup VS France

Ordered in BEST to WORST Haka...

1. New Zealand VS SA
2. New Zealand VS Argentina
3. New Zealand VS France
4. All Blacks Haka 1973

Winter Learning Journey Day 6 Activity 2

Things you can do at the Matariki festival...

1. Make a Maori lantern...after you have made one you can walk the star walk with the rest of the community lighting the way.





2. Enjoy and embrace Maori cuisine such as...hangi, fried bread, boil up and learn how to prepare and cook traditional Māori cuisine. Watch Māori chefs in action while listening to live cultural music.

3. Watch a fireworks display...what is a new year celebration without fireworks?  Enjoy a live fireworks display over looking the capital city Wellington.

Winter Learning Journey Day 6 Activity 1

New Zealand

Navigating the rough water

Each and every new dawn

We hope to finally meet this luscious land

Zigzagging through all of the different regions

Engulfed in an array of colours

Awestruck because of it's beauty

Life afresh with a new hope

A fresh chance...a new beginning

Nurture balances with nature

Dreams become reality.

Winter Learning Journey Day 5 Bonus Activty

I would like to ride on a bike on the Otago Central Rail Trail. 

It sounds like really good fun because New Zealand has beautiful landscapes to look at whilst you are riding along and a great way to keep fit!

I think that it would be a really good experience to do with friend and/or family but only in the Summer season.

Winter Learning Journey Day 5 Activity 2

Richie McCaw was born in Oamaru, New Zealand on 31st December, 1980. 

He is famous because he has played for the All Blacks at four different Rugby World Cups, three of which he captained and two of which he led the team to win. 

Not only has he played for the All Blacks, but he also played for the Super Franchise Team The Crusaders (based in Christchurch) from 2001 - 2015.  He has also played for Canterbury in many provincial rugby tournaments and charity matches.

Winter Learning Journey Day 5 Activity 1

After admiring a giant Kauri tree, I turn around to re-join the rest of my group...but they were gone! 

I wonder to myself..."What I am going to do?" 

I start to worry. 

I think to myself..."What if I never see them again?" 

I start looking around.  I start to walk one way and call out for my group, then I hear them. I start to jog but then I hear the voices getting softer and softer. So I call out again, but they obviously can't hear me. 

I start to sprint, and yell at the top of my lungs....

Then they yell back..."Harrison, where are you?" 
I hear curious kiwi squeal with delight and my heart rate begins to slow. Finally I catch up with them and I tell them all about my journey and we laugh off the situation as we head out of the forest.

Winter Learning Journey Day 4 Bonus Activity

I think we should stop fishing at Farewell Spit because...

• Illegally under-sized native fish are being caught in the area and marine food supplies/stocks are being diminished. 

• Hector dolphins are being killed and captured in the fishing nets and boat propellers which has led to a dramatic decline in the population of Hector's dolphins; there are now only around 7,000. 

In this picture a baby dolphin was killed by someone's boat propeller...

• Farewell Split is a sacred place for the Maori people where they believe the "spirit" of a dead person leaves the land and I believe that it should therefore be respected.

Winter Learning Journey Day 4 Activity 1

What happened at Farewell Spit? 

300 whales got themselves beached on the shore, and unfortunately despite numerous efforts from a lot of people they died.  

 Environmentalists, tourists and everyday kiwi people spent hours running back and forth, filling buckets up with seawater to make sure that the whales didn't dry out and suffocate. 

Unfortunately not all of them survived, and eventually only a handful were successfully re-floated back to sea.

Winter Learning Journey Day 3 Bonus Activity

Moa hatching from an egg, Moa skull, Moa bone and fossilised Moa poo.

I have uploaded my mission to Wild Eyes. It is under the username Monster1795.

Winter Learning Journey Day 3 Actvity 2

I definately agree that possums should be hunted because the kiwi population is on the brink of extinction due to the many predators they have, but largely due to the numerous ways in which the possums affect the kiwi population. 

Not only are the possums eating the kiwi eggs, but they are also destroying the native plants, damaging the habitats of other native animals and generally a nuisance. 

Most New Zealanders believe that possums aren't just endangering the kiwi,  but also endangering other native birds such as the kererū, kiwi, harrier hawk, fantail, muttonbird, and tūi to name a few. 

Winter Learning Journey Day 3 Activity 1

I have decided to adopt a Tuatara. 

The reason I decided to adopt a Tuatara is because they are such interesting reptiles. They are nocturnal, and territorial, but they will often bask in the sun during the day to warm their bodies because they are cold-blooded. 

They feast on insects, birds and they might even eat some young Tuataras'!  They are the oldest relatives to the dinosaurs aswell! Who wouldn't want to adopt one!?

Winter Learning Journey Day 2 Bonus Activty

I interviewed my Mum and she answered...

• Walking in the countryside and open landscapes taking in the beauty which we often overlook...

• Sitting on the beach, relaxing to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach and smelling the sea air...

• Eating a meal outside...nothing tastes better than a meal and a glass of wine outside...

• Listening to open air music concerts or watching live theatre performed outside; it creates an electric atmosphere...

• Watching sport...rugby, netball but NOT cricket, definately NOT cricket!

Winter Learning Journey Day 2 Activity 2

If I had the chance to interview Laura Dekker I would ask her...

1. Who, Why and What inspired you to sail around the world?
2. What was your favourite place to visit and why?
3. If you could do it again, would you really?
4. What would you do differently if you knew then what you know now?
5. Was it boring sailing by yourself or did you discover things about yourself which you didn't know before?

Winter Learning Journey Day 2 Activity 1

I went to Rangitoto, Karekare Beach and also Tane Mahuta. 

I went to Rangitoto which is a nature reserve and the largest volcanoe in New Zealand. The best thing that I did there was "twitching" aka bird watching.  I saw Tui's, Kea's, Weka's and the awesome Morepork owls. 

After Rangitoto I journeyed to Karekare Beach which is where they filmed the iconic 1993 film "The Piano". After a nice swim in the clear waters, I took off and headed over to the oldest kauri tree in New Zealand, Tane Mahuta. 

Tane Mahuta is a giant kauri tree and is estimated to be between 1250 and 2500 years old.  Here in the Waipoua Forrest I did the 166m hike to the 'Lord of the Forest' along the track which was really fun.

Winter Learning Journey Day 4 Activity 2

Whale Rider

Traditionally, boys are only allowed to become a chief in a Maori tribe however, this tradition looks to be upset when the child that is in line to be the next chief dies at birth but is survived by his twin sister, Pai. 

However at the age of 12, Pai asks for help from her Grandmother, and under the training of her Uncle Roa, to claim her birthright to be chief. To hold the mantle of chief she will have to convince her grandfather that she is beyond worthy of such a position and of "great" character..

Grandfather however is of the belief that to honour their ancestors, the age old tradition of male descendants leading the whanau must be upheld.  Can Pai convince everyone that she is a leader, and will her Grandfather change his opinion of her as a girl and see her true calling?

I would rate this movie 4 out of 5

Winter Learning Journey Day 1 Bonus Activity

My flag symbolises every man and woman who represented New Zealand when they went to war in defense of peace, and of all those who didn't come back to their homeland.  

• The flower is a symbol of the blood which was shed, and the lives lost, with eternal gratitude and love of their sacrifice.  
• The green depicts the associated "kiwi" colour from the land they have come from.  
• The black is the colour of grief and mourning for where they have fallen.

Winter Learning Journey Day 1 Activity 2

After watching the Auckland tourism video, I decided that I would like to;

• Catch a ferry to Devonport and have farm-raised catfish with a side of caesar salad at the Red Lobster. 

After my lunch, I would go to;

• Rainbows End where my favourite ride is...Fear Fall.  It has is a drop tower measuring over 18 stories high, with top speeds of 80km/h. 

Next I would venture into;

• Auckland Domain and have a wander around the Auckland War Memorial Museum.  I would go directly to the natural disaster exhibition where there is a volcanic eruption simulator and a detailed explanation of what would happen to Auckland if there was a volcanic eruption.  I would also visit the World War 2 area and look at the Spitfire and the Zero (WW2 Planes) fighter from Japan.

After a long day of sightseeing I would be rather hungry so I would;

• Catch a bus into Ponsonby for a delicious dinner at Burger Burger.  I would get a Kiwi Classic- a Burger with a NZ beef patty, aged cheddar cheese, pickles, cos lettuce, tomato, fried egg, beetroot, tomato jam, mustard and mayo all washed down with a glass of LnP.

Winter Learning Journey Day 1 Activity 1

Top 3 Facts

1. Four hundred years before Captain Cook set down his anchor in Poverty Bay Gisborne, the Maori people had voyaged in their waka's to find the land that we know today as Aotearoa (The Land of the Long White Cloud).
2. One of the many things that New Zealand is infamous for is AJ Hackett's invention of the bungy jump...A J Hackett - NZ . The first ever modern bungy jump was on April 1 1979, from a 76 metre high suspension bridge in Bristol, England. This particular jump was carried out by David Kirke, Geoff Tabin and Simon Keeling...all members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club. The idea was based upon native tribal "land diving" in Vanuatu. Here a tribesman would jump off a tower made of wood (about 20-30 metres high) with tree vines wrapped around their ankles as their "bungy-cord".
3. New Zealand is presently home to 4.596 million people, with a combined land mass of 268,021 km2...however 56% of this population live on the North Island. A longstanding popular myth has always been of the extreme ratio of sheep to people (allegedly 20:1). However, that is not the kiwi reality with the ratio now being only 6:1 and there being more cows (dairy) than sheep in today's New Zealand pastures.

Schooling

We went to Howick Historical Village on tuesday the 27th of June. One of the activities that we did was schooling. I really enjoyed this activity. Mostly because we got to experience what schooling was like back in the 1830s to 1840s. There were a lot of differences from then to now. One of them being there as a cane which teachers would use to punish the students.

Buttermaking

We went to Howick Historical Village on tuesday the 27th of June. One of the activities that we did was butter making. I really enjoyed this activity. Mostly because we got to eat the butter after it was made. It tasted really different to what you by in the supermarket.

Indoor Toys

We went to Howick Historical Village on tuesday the 27th of June. One of the activities that we did was indoor toys. I really enjoyed this activity. Mostly because all of the majority of the toys used gravity to work. That was sort of there electricity I guess?!