Summer Learning Journey-Day 20-Week 4

Day 20: Return to New Zealand

Your trip has now come to an end and it’s time to fly back to New Zealand. As you board the airplane, you start to think about all of the people who will be waiting to pick you up from the airport in Auckland and you get very excited. It’s time to go home!

http://www.conventionsnz.co.nz/

Activity 1

Imagine that you have just arrived at the airport in Auckland. Your whole family is there to greet you. They can’t wait to hear all about your trip! You decide that you’ll go home and have a special meal together to celebrate your return. Your mum offers to make you anything that you would like to eat. On your blog, tell us what you would choose to have for your special meal.

If it was me, I would ask for homemade hamburgers with ketchup, American-style mustard, onions, tomato and lettuce; Cajun-style wedges with tomato sauce and Greek salad with cherry tomatoes and lots of feta cheese. For dessert I would ask for vanilla cake with chocolate icing and neapolitan ice cream. What would you ask for?

I would take several stops at my favourite fast food shops, Burger king, McDonald, Denny’s. Eat burgers, chips and cold drinks. With the German food I've been eating, it wouldn’t hurt to eat some fried food. Or….

I'd have my family have a barbecue. Patties, sausages and home made potato salad.

Activity 2

After four full weeks of planning and travelling, you are now safely back in New Zealand. You have now had some time to relax and to reflect on your experiences. What are two things that you have learned from your travels? On your blog, tell us about any two things that you have learned.

1. Germany’s national celebration day is called the The day of German Unity, which is celebrated on the 3rd of October every year.
2. One of Germany’s famous landmarks is a castle which is called Neuschwanstein Castle.

Bonus Activity

School is about to start again for a new year. Yay! Imagine that you walked into your classroom and your teacher asked you to stand up in front of the class and talk about the country that you visited. On your blog, you can:

1. Post a short video clip of yourself talking about the country that you visited and the things that you learned (1 – 2 minutes)
2. Type out what you would say to the class if you had 1 – 2 minutes to speak.

What a journey. I flew to Germany eager to learn more about my German background. That is what I did, I met several of people from varieties of countries. I would say i’m the luckiest girl in the world, I visited the Neuschwanstein Castle. Yes!, a real life castle!. The beautiful chandeliers, dining rooms, and well painted portraits. I do hope someday you guys could also visit, and experience what I had gone on.

Now for the questions. Any questions?

Summer Learning Journey- Day 19-Week 4

Day 19: Planes, trains and automobiles

It’s the last day in your country and it’s the final chance to head out and see places or people that you have yet to visit. It’s also your last day to sample the local food and enjoy the atmosphere. You decide that you will head out of the city and explore some of the smaller, neighboring towns. In order to leave the city, you will need to find a vehicle. It could be a bus, a train, a taxi, a bicycle, a scooter...

Activity 1

Let’s imagine that the neighbouring town was about 30 kilometres away. There are a number of beautiful villages and interesting things to see along the way. You have four options for this trip. You can take a:

1. Train – 25 minute ride; No stops along the way; $12 for the trip (return)
2. Bus – 45 minute ride; Two stops along the way to look at interesting villages; $8 for the trip (return)
3. Scooter – 1 hour ride; Unlimited number of stops; $5 for the trip (return)
4. Bicycle – 2 hour ride; Unlimited number of stops but there are some hills along the way; $1 (return)

On your blog, tell us which of these four options you would choose and why!

I’ll take the 1 hr scooter ride. It’s more efficient and only 2 people on the scooter. I would have a hour ride with unlimited stops. I can stop at several beautiful sightings within that times.

Activity 2

These days there are, literally, dozens of different kinds of vehicles that we can use. Some of them are quite familiar (eg. car, truck, bus) but some are very unique and different. Watch this Youtube clip of the most Amazing vehicles ever made.

When you have finished tell us which of the vehicles you liked the most. On your blog tell us the name of the vehicle and the reasons why you liked it so much. There are a number of pretty interesting options!

The vehicle I liked the most is the hover board. Unlike the the hoverboard with wheels this hoverboard actually hovers above the ground. I heard in the video that the board hovers over a non ferromagnetic material. I like that you can balance properly without falling back or frontwards.

Bonus Activity

The Canadian government has decided to build the longest walking trail in the world. It is called the ‘Great Trail’ and it covers 15 000 miles. Wow! For this activity, we are drawing inspiration from this walking trail and thinking about our own footprints.

Your task is to use DrawIsland tool to create your own digital footprint. The footprint must include your name and the name of the country that you are visiting. Otherwise, you can decorate it in any way that you want. It’s totally up to you! Once you have drawn your footprint, save it, and then upload it to your blog. Here is an example of my footprint:

Here is my design

Summer Learning Journey-Day 18-Week 4

Day 18: Famous/Infamous animals

It’s time to go to the zoo! You have been invited to tour the national zoo with some students from one of the local schools. Although you don’t really know anyone you decide to be brave and give it a go! When you arrive at the front gates, you walk into the zoo and you immediately see…

Activity 1

Imagine that you have just entered the zoo. On your blog, tell us what you think you might see on your visit. You can start with this sentence:

I had just entered the zoo when, all of a sudden, I saw humongous life like animal balloons. Floating in mid air, I can hear animal noises coming from the balloons. They must be real, wait...nope. I turn my attention to the Safari exhibit. I start walking towards the exhibit and several Giraffe heads poke out and give me an odd look. Coincidently I was eating a apple at that time, which explains the look the Giraffe gave me. I slowly approached the hungry animals. One Giraffe nudged me and I stumbled a little, exposing the other apples in my bag. I start running rapidly to the monkey exhibit, panting rapidly, tongue out and legs spread.  I grabbed out a banana out of my bag. I felt eyes suddenly shoot at me, at that moment I lifted my head to the sight of banana loving monkeys. “Oh no”. Without hesitating, I gave my bananas to the monkeys and quickly ran to the petting zoo. “I should leave before I attract other animals with my food. And i’m really hungry. One more snack.”. I pull out a carrot and I sigh immediately as I spot rabbits hopping towards me.

“Oh come on!!”.

Aim for a blog post of 8 - 10 sentences in length. You can do it.

Activity 2

When you are at the zoo, you have the chance to learn about some animals that are specifically found in your country. They are called ‘indigenous’ animals. This means that they are originally from your country. Use Google to identify two indigenous animals from your country. On your blog, post a picture of the animals and tell us a bit about them. What are they called? Where do they live? What do they eat?

Alpine Ibex

http://www.letsbewild.com/tag/alpine-ibex/ -Photo Link

Alpine Ibex are wild goats, that live in the mountains of the European Alp. Alpine Ibex reminds of a story I was told when I was younger, have you heard of the Billy Goat Gruffs. They are Herbivores, so they only eat vegetations such as, shrubs, bushes and grasses. Ibex make their homes on cliffs that would be dangerous for predators. They are smart prey. There are 5 species of Ibex, The Nubian ibex has a special way to deal with the hot, dry climates of the African and Arabian mountains. Their shiny coats reflect sunlight and keep them cool.

http://www.livescience.com/28102-ibex.html - Fact Link

Bonus Activity

Sadly, there are a number of animals in the world that are struggling to survive because they cannot find enough food to eat or a safe place to live. Many of these animals are dying and, in some cases, there are very few of them left. They are called ‘endangered animals.’ In New Zealand we have many endangered species, including the kakapo, a shiny green bird that likes to make its nest on the ground. Unfortunately, the nest is really easy to get to and other animals can easily steal the kakapo’s eggs. As a result, very few new kakapo are born. There are 55 kakapos in New Zealand right now.

http://www.arkive.org/kakapo/strigops-habroptila/image-G41488.html

The New Zealand government is trying to save the kakapo. They are looking for creative ideas. What do you think they could do? On your blog, tell us what you think should be done to save the kakapo. Please be as creative as you can!

I think Nz should reserve an island for the Kakapo to live in, and to stay permanently. The island should be filled with all the resources needed for the Kakapos to survive and to breed properly. Predators of any kind are not permitted to be on the island.

Another way to save the Kakapos, are donations. Commercials could be made to spread the word to the world and to the country. The slogan could be Save the Kakapos. I’m still working on it.

Summer Learning Journey- Day 17-Week 4

Day 17 – Famous Sights

Before you leave to head home, you will want to dedicate a few days to sightseeing in your country. There are dozens of beautiful buildings and gorgeous natural wonders. Scroll down to see pictures of three of the most famous landmarks in each country.

Germany

Brandenburg Gate – Beautiful arch in downtown Berlin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate

Neuschwanstein Castle – One of the oldest castles in Germany

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein_Castle

Berlin Wall – The most famous symbol of the Cold War in Germany. It used to separate the east side from the west side of Germany.

https://kuruc.info/r/4/160532/

Day 17 – Famous Sights

Activity 1

On your blog tell us which of the icons you would most like to visit in your chosen country. Be sure to tell us why you have chosen it!

I have already spoken of this before in my previous posts. As I said I would like to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle. This is because of a dream i’ve always had, being in a real life castle.

Activity 2

Let’s imagine that you have been asked to host a visitor from another country. They are going to come and stay with you for three days. During that time, you are expected to take them on a tour of New Zealand and show them some our most famous icons. Where would you take them? If it was me, I might take them to Mt Cook in the south island, to the Sky Tower in Auckland and to Chums Beach in the Coromandel. What about you? On your blog, tell us which three famous places in New Zealand you would go with your visitor.

I would start of the visit at the Sky tower. Admiring the city view from the sky tower and perhaps book an appointment for bungee jumping which would be spectacular.  Then I would take the visitors to the Redwoods tree walk. The Redwood tree walk is well known because some of the scenes in the movie Fantastic Beasts was shot in their redwoods forest. Perhaps we can go dragon hunting? ;). The last place i’de take my visitors to is Kelly Tarltons. The spectacular views of the sea creatures  ought to bring a smile to their faces.

Bonus Activity

Take a picture of yourself standing beside a popular place in your community. It can be anywhere that’s pretty popular in your area (e.g. a store, a restaurant, a marae, etc). On your blog please tell us about the landmark. What is the name of it? Where is it? Who goes to it?

I don’t have  a photo but here’s a photo of a place I want to visit.

http://www.heartofthecity.co.nz/activities/entertainment-activities/sky-tower

Summer Learning Journey-Day 6-Week 2

Day 6 – Hola!

Kia ora! G’day! Selamat! Guten Morgen! Hola! Welcome to the beautiful country of your choice. Before you leave the airport and go to your hotel, you will want to learn how to say hello in the language of your country. Look at the table below to learn basic words and phrases that you may need when you are travelling around the country.

English Canada, United Kingdom, Australia	Spanish Chile, Mexico	German Germany	Malay Malaysia	Japanese Japan	Arabic United Arab Emirates	Afrikaans South Africa
Hello	Hola	Hallo	Hello	Kon'nichiwa	Marhabaan	Hallo
Thank You	Gracias	Danke	Terima kasih	Arigatogozaimas	Shukraan	Dankie
Do you speak English?	¿Habla usted Inglés?	Sprechen sie Englisch?	Adakah anda bercakap Bahasa Inggeris?	Eigo o hanasemasu ka?	Hal tatahaddath alanjlyzy?	Praat jy Engels?

Activity 1

Once you have read these phrases you will be ready to leave the airport and head to your hotel. Take a moment and imagine how you might feel if you were standing in the airport in a foreign country and you had to figure out how to communicate with people in a brand new language. Would you be scared? Would you feel confident? Write a short poem that describes how you might be feeling (i.e. excited, happy, scared, nervous, etc).

I’m a nervous wreck

Loads of sweat running down my neck

Trying to understand, listen to every word they say

It’s like speaking to a predator, yup i’m the prey!

Leaving a good reputation, ought to make my day

I’ll be waving delightfully, skipping screaming “YAY”

The end of my poem

Activity 2

Take a selfie that captures how you might be feeling. I think that I would most likely be feeling scared.

I would be feeling quite left out and confused. But mostly left out because I have no idea what they are saying, and I would just want to know what exactly they are saying. Also because I would want to fit in as well.

Bonus Activity

Translate the following five basic travel phrases into Spanish, German, Malaysian, Japanese, Arabic or Afrikaans. Use the Google Translate website to do the translations.

Type the English phrase into the box on the left. Choose the language that you want it translated into on the right and then click the blue ‘Translate’ button. It will translate the English word or phrase into another language. Pretty cool ‘eh?!

Good morning = Buenos días, Guten Morgen,Selamat Pagi,おはようございます,صباح الخير, Goeie more (Same order as above!)

Good bye = Adiós, Auf Wiedersehen, selamat tinggal, さようなら, وداعا, totsiens.

How much does this cost? = ¿Cuánto cuesta este?, Wie viel kostet das?, Berapa harga ini?, この費用はいくらですか？, كم سعر هذا؟,Hoeveel kos dit?

When is the next bus? = ¿Cuándo pasa el próximo autobús?, Wann fährt der nächste Bus?, Bilakah bas seterusnya?, 次のバスはいつですか？,متى ستأتي الحافلة القادمة ؟,Wanneer is die volgende bus?

Where is the nearest hospital? = ¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano?, Wo ist das nächste Krankenhaus?, Mana hospital yang terdekat?, 一番近い病院はどこですか？,أين يقع أقرب مستشفى؟,Waar is die naaste hospitaal?

Summer learning journey- Day 1

Day 1 -Choosing A destination

The world is a very big and very cool place. There are currently 196 countries and approximately 7.1 billion people living on earth. For this project we are going to focus on just 10 countries across 6 continents – Canada (North America), Mexico (Central America), Chile (South America), England (Europe), Germany (Europe), South Africa (Africa), United Arab Emirates (Middle East), Japan (Asia), Malaysia (South-East Asia), and Australia (Australasia).

Please click on the ‘World Map’ tab on the main menu. It will bring you to a big map. One by one click on the names of the countries and ready the ‘Quick Facts’ about each place.

Activity 1

Germany

I would like to go to Germany because I want to learn and adapt to the German ways for I am part German, also so that I can hopefully learn more about my German ancestors.

I would also like to go to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle, I have heard a lot of stories about the nineteenth century castle and I would feel very fascinated to be in an actual castle (making my child dream come true).

Activity 2-

On Google, research the country that you have chosen to visit and write, in your own words, three interesting facts about that country. They must be facts that weren’t already provided on the World Map.

Facts about Germany

• Over 100 Germans have been awarded the Nobel prize in their field, including Albert Einstein, who was born in Germany
• Germany has had an unsettled history, including the Nazi, hitler and the conflict between east and west of Germany.
• Germany has legal say on what babies are named

• Germany's capital centre has shifted seven times – these cities are Aachen, Regensburg, Frankfurt-am-Main,  Nuremberg, Berlin,  Weimar, Bonn (and East Berlin), and, since 1990, Berlin again.

Activity 3- Write a letter to a friend or family member to tell them that you are going to visit your country of choice. In your letter, please tell them where you are going, why you have decided to go to the particular country and how long you will be away. Feel free to invite them to join you, if you’d like!

Dear Mum and Dad!.

I have great news, I have decided to move to Germany but before you start worrying I will not be staying permanently of course. The cause of my decision is because I want travel the world, first starting off with our home country. I will be touring around the capital city and it has been confirmed that I will be visiting a real life castle (Neuschwanstein Castle). Hope fully on the way I would meet with some of my German friends, and learn how to speak German. For a starter I have already learnt how to say Hi (Hallo) and Goodbye (Auf Wiedersehen). Also on the last day of my visit I will be having a private lesson with a German teacher from Berlin, about our ancestors and learn about the German folk stories. It’ll be great fun!, no need to worry about me, i’ll be coming back in a week. Oh and i’ll be bringing back some souvenirs for you guys and the family.

That's all from me now. See you mum and dad.

Sincerely yours Luisa