Google Expedition

Has there ever been a time where you want to go to somewhere but plane tickets are expensive. Well, Google HQ created a special type of technology that can take you to different places without actually going. Room 7 took a world wide tour to amazing places with spectacular views. We used Google goggles called Cardboard viewmasters with a smartphone inserted. Out of those amazing places my two favourite places we visited was the Slovenian caves and the Great wall of China.

The Slovenian caves were mind blowing. Throughout the tour of the cave Mrs.Parker explained the different informations about the cave and how she had visited the cave three years ago. Turns out the cave is over ninety million years old, it’s even older than the dinosaurs. Some of us tried to get closer to the cave but just bumped into each other. We discovered that the cave creates these type of rock statues made by a special type of liquid. The caves were very large but had such low entrances with Stalagmites and stalactites hanging over which also create the rock statues.W

My second favourite place we had visited was the Great wall of China.  We visited the Great Wall of China when we were looking at the Seven Wonders of the world. As we were standing from a distance the view of the Great Wall of China was spectacular. The Great Wall of China was built 2,220 years ago and the wall is about 5,500 miles which would take a long time to walk from one end to another.

What a fabulous experience that was. To put on the view masters and going to all those places were so surreal. A couple of times I tried reaching out to touch the objects in front of me but was actually just waving my hand in front of myself. This a experience of a lifetime that I hope I can try again.

How do we have seasons?

I have written a short explanation to explain how earth has seasons.

Seasons are 4 divisions of a year like weather patterns which affects the temperature. These seasons are Winter, Autumn, Summer and Spring.

Winter is when coldness sweep in beneath our feet, Autumn is when all the summer leaves fall, Summer is when it is very hot and finally Spring is when the flowers and plants bloom.

Many people would say that earth’s axis is straight. That's where most people are wrong, earth’s axis is on a tilt. That exact tilt creates our seasons, “you never knew that, now you do.” So as earth tilts the hemisphere(north & south) closest to the sun gets Summer and the hemisphere facing away from the sun gets Winter. Spring and Autumn come when earth moves slightly 90 degrees anticlockwise (to be precise).

Earth, Uranus and Venus are the only planets tilted on its axis which mean they are also the only planets with seasons. Some last years others only last days.

Stardome Observatory

What a great day it was to go on a special trip to a Observatory based on our Inquiry topic. The sun was out, shining brightly just as the day started smoothly. That Thursday I expected to leave straight away to the Stardome Observatory but instead we stayed at school for Dance Fever until Ten O'clock.

As dance fever finished Room 7, 8 and 9 lined up. Miss Elia came into the hall to speak to us about having manners around the StarDome workers and around the public. Atlas we were sent one by one to the buses. In one bus was Room9 and 10 and in the other bus was Room 7 and 8. Then Finally we left to the Observatory, on the way we sang songs, pretended to sleep and some of us even read books. Also some students pretended to claim houses as if it were their own. But Finally as we headed towards One Tree Hill, I knew we were getting closer. As we rode by pass the Observatory and into the parking lot the view of the park was just amazing. Room 7 and 8 waited patiently in their seats, eager to run around outside but unfortunately we only had time to have morning tea before we had our session inside the observatory.

Later on we were seated along the park grounds to eat our morning tea. After we ate Room7 and 8 lined ready to go to our session inside Stardome. As we entered the Observatory, amazing displays were just sitting there ready for us to read information about them. But instead of visiting the displays we entered a classroom. Moments later our instructor entered the room, she seemed friendly and like a person who obviously knows a lot about planets and space. Inside the classroom we discussed why we have seasons, Why sea water doesn’t fall out space and Whether the Sun orbits Earth or do we orbit Earth. Well I know all the answers to these questions since I learnt about them in the Learning classroom. We also learnt about what the different colours of stars mean.

Afterwards all students were sent outside to where all the displays were so we can learn more information. I was very intrigued at all the displays but I was more intrigued in learning about the biggest planet in the solar system Jupiter. After we had a look at all the displays, our educator summoned us towards a large door. Moments later we walked into the other room to discover a mini theatre with the screen as the ceiling. Then we looked at the constellations in the sky and the the planets we can see in sunrise. Afterwards we watched a movie about seasons.

When the movie finished, it was our turn to play outside on the park. When we went outside, we ate our lunch. As we finished eating our lunch we rushed to the park and started playing. My favourite ride was the Octopus. After an hour it was time to go on the bus back to school.

I had a lot of fun and now can’t wait to share what I have learnt in my inquiry. I learnt that the reason why we seasons are because the earth is on a tilt.

No Escape-Black Holes

This week for Reading, Kakapo has been reading a book called No Escape which is about Black holes. For our reading work we had to create a google drawing to summarize the different headings in the book. For our second activity we created a document/Google drawing to  pretend to be astronomer in a situation
n with black holes.

                                                                (Click to enlarge images)

My super hero poem

SUPER HERO POEM

My superpower is Teleportation

I am adventurous, alluring and adored

If I could Teleport, I would flash in different places confusing my enemy like lighting striking repeatedly

People would see me and kiss my hand because I would Teleport them to whatever place they think about.

With my SUPER power, I am a soaring eagle never to be seen when fighting.

I'm as heroic as can be.

When I use the SUPER powers within me.

My super hero name is Spiral.

The Vege Car

Today for reading this week, my reading Kakpo have been reading a book called the Vege Car. For our reading task we had to create a letter pretending to be James Iti writing to a friend in Palmerston North. Our second reading task was to put information in our PMI(Positive, Minus, Interesting) graph.

Task 1(Click to enlarge the letter)

Task 2

Plus	Minus	Interesting
After the bad start, they were on the road driving smoothly. The Macdonalds Drove over 3000 km with the vege car not breaking down which was an achievement to be proud of. James family was proud of him for organizing  the trip, helping to build the engine for the car and for being the cameraman as well as the chief navigator. The vege car set a record of the fastest Maori vege car. Vegetable oil is 100% environmentally friendly and is recycled.	James Dad received a ticket for driving over the limit. The vege car was damaged while being transported to the South island. Driving a car that runs on petrol puts nasty gases into the air we breathe in. The nasty gases put into the air, cause health problems, like asthma, cancer and are responsible for climate change. Other people did not think the vege car was reliable.	James and his father traveled along NZ to teach people about cleaner and cheaper fuel choices for their cars. NZ is the fourth largest  car owning country after the United states, Italy and Australia. Some people say that the Vege car smells like a barbeque, but others say it smells like fish and chips. The vege car runs on vegetable oil.

A special time with my buddy

Have you ever looked back at a special time you and your friend have had , well I certainly have. My friend Autumn and I had a holiday netball programme along with other girls at the AMI stadium. It was such a lovely day to just play sports and have fun.

Before Autumn and I arrived at the stadium my mother made us juice to fill up our bottles. We also got changed into our sports clothes and headed into the kitchen. Autumn’s mum was waiting outside talking to my mum.

Then as soon as we shouted “We’re ready!!” my mum straightened her dress up, hopped in the van and we followed along.

Autumn had told my mum her mum had given her money to buy her lunch so we drove to the dairy to get out lunch as well as Autumn’s. For lunch I had salted popcorn, chicken sandwich and a medium sized dorito chip. Mum had said that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to take junk food to a sport programme but I just stood there with my eyebrows up and my hands crossed.

Later on we had arrived at the stadium, we were told to sign in at the office and to wait inside the stadium. Autumn’s face blushed as we were greeted by our instructors. We put our bags down and played Master, my mum stood near the railing and waved good bye. I waved back in time to catch her eye as she turned around and then I continued playing. Afterwards a few more girls arrived as the programme had started. All the girls were sitting in the middle of the courts while our instructor was calling out the roll. Before we started with our drills our instructors introduced themselves. Our  instructor’s name was Shiner, (Shin-Ear is how you remember her name) Josie and Trish. After the roll we did warm ups. For our warm up we played a game called Captain's Coming. Autumn and I made a pact to stick together no matter what. When Shiner called out “SHARK ATTACK” Autumn and I would always jump on each others back and fall down laughing. But we weren’t the only ones.

After our warm up, we were split into groups with 2 instructors to play small games or practice skills. Of course Autumn and I were in the same group. In every exercise or game we would be buddied up or just stick together. After all the warm ups, games and skills, all of the girls were really exhausted including Autumn and I. We collapsed as soon as Shiner blew the whistle for lunch time. At the same time we we were relieved and breathless (literally). It took a while for us to stand up but we made it and when we did we bursted into laughter and ran up to the main cafe. As I took out my salted popcorn out of my bag so did Autumn, we saved a little for the ride home but ate the rest of my lunch. I looked at Autumn and she looked at me giving me a sign that I had mayonnaise on my nose, I didn’t know how though. The day went past as Autumn and I had more fun and got a little more silly.

At the end of the day we had our final netball matches in our small groups. Parents arrived cheering near the rails and I spotted my mum  cheering too. With my mum watching and cheering I felt confident enough to play my hardest. Autumn and I made a great team, I’d pass to her she’d pass back and I shoot getting a final score for my team and winning! Josie blew the whistle and called all the girls to the middle. Autumn nudged me and smiled, I blushed and nudged her back. Shiner, Josie and Trish called out the players of the day but unfortunately I wasn’t one of them. I knew that having a great friend beside me was better that any prize. As our small prize giving finished my mum hugged Autumn and them me. She was very proud of both of us and knew that one day we could become a silver fern.

Hanging out with one of my greatest friend was really an adventure. We h a lot in common which makes her a better friend. But the best thing in our friendship is that we always have fun in good and hard times.

Why is the moon upside down

This week Honey and I have been working on a google drawing to explain why the moon appears different in our different hemispheres. We chose 1 country from each hemisphere to demonstrate in our google drawing. (Click photo to enlarge)