Friday 4 May 2018

Sign off

Hello viewers, I am no longer posting on this blog. If you would like to see my other blog ( the one im using now) click here. thank you.

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Hot cross buns

Yesterday in home ec we made hot cross buns. Unlike most weeks they didn't turn out great. The recipe said to use whole meal flour instead of white flour so they were baby rocks. We accidentally spilt the salt so they were very salty. this week I worked with Tanaya and Dylan. Next time we would stay on task and do better.


Recipe

1cup whole meal/ white flour
2tsp baking flour
1/2 tsp salt
2tbsp butter 
1tbsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup milk.

Frosting
1/2 cup icing sugar
2tsp milk
1tsp vanilla

Method.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. ( we managed this)
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. ( We didn't sift our flour and we used too much salt so the rolls turned out hard and salty, don't make this mistake, use white flour!)
Cut in butter with a fork until it looks like bread crumbs. ( Just like making scones, this recipe is much like spiced scones. )
Add honey, cinnamon and raisins and lightly toss. ( We did this well, the mix was even and light).
Stir it around quickly with a fork and form a ball. (The mixture did take a while to form a ball)
Divide ball into 6 small ones. ( I would recommend four balls, we did 6 and they were very small).
Cut a cross onto all of them and bake for 15-20 minutes. ( They were a little but messy when it came to the cross.)

Mix the frosting ingredients together. Pour into cross of hot buns. ( We did this very badly, we got icing everywhere.)

Wonder

Here is another question/ answer blog post about wonder. I really enjoy reading the book and answering deep questions about it, it makes me think. I like how most of this part was about the character Justin, Olivia's boyfriend. Next time I would add more graphics.

What are the motivations for Julian's Mum to photoshop August out of the class photo?She didn’t want Auggie in the photo because she thinks he is deformed and ruins the photo for the rest of the class.What message is this sening Julian? It is sending the message that it is ok to pick on Auggie for looking different., it really isn't.

What do you make of Mrs Albans statement about Auggie being handicapped? I think she thinks that Treacher collins syndrome affects mobility and other functions. Do you think she was correct when she said it places too much of a burden of the kids to befriend August? No, lots of kids have become friends with Auggie and It had brought no negative effects other than being disgraced by the popular kids whose opinion shouldn’t matter.

Mrs Alban also thinks Auggie shouldn’t be allowed in beecher prep, do you agree or disagree? I disagree because Auggie causes nobody any harm.

How did Jack handle being frozen out by all the other boys in his school? He spent his breaks with Auggie and Summer instead.

Why was Justin nervous about meeting Olivia’s parents? Because meeting your partner’s parents is a big deal. How did it show? He was acting a little weird. How did it work out? Olivia’s parents like Justin.

Why does Justin greet the different members of the family in different ways? Because he greeted them how he thought was appropriate. Explain how he greeted them? He gave Auggie a hello fist bump, Olivia a kiss of the cheek and Olivia’s parents a hello handshake.

In the bus stop chapter Justin told Julian and his friends to leave Jack alone, was this a good idea? Partly, he was sticking up for someone he knew and who was his girlfriend’s brother’s best friend. It could of been a bad idea because the kids could have teased Jack about needing August’s sister’s boyfriend to stick up for him.

In the chapter called bird Olivia says she is an awful person, why is this? Because she doesn’t want Auggie to come to the play because nobody knows about him. Is she right? No, she has never been embarrassed of Auggie before and it makes sense she doesn’t want people to know about him.

In what ways is part five different to other parts of the book? All the writing is in lower case, it is told from a different perspective.

Tuesday 27 March 2018

Jack and Summer

Here is a venn diagram I have created which shows the characteristics of Summer and Jack from the book ' wonder'. When I started writing them down it occurred to me that they are very similar. Next time I would add more characteristics because I had a brain block.


Summer and Jack

Here is a venn diagram I have created which shows the characteristics of Summer and Jack from the book ' wonder'. When I started writing them down it occurred to me that they are very similar. Next time I would add more characteristics because I had a brain block.

wonder

This weeks work on wonder. I think I have done a good job making things neat and readable. Next time I would go more in depth with my explanations.

What was summers initial reaction to August? She was honestly surprised and she felt sorry for him. Why did they become friends? At first Summer sat with him because she felt bad for him but now she sits with Auggie because he is fun.

Summer isn’t in the popular group, why was she invited to Savannah's party? Because they wanted her to ditch Auggie and join them.

How does Summer foster a friendship with Auggie, in which way is it beneficial to them both? Summer sits with Auggie on the first day of school and they become friends, they both have someone to trust and hang out with.
Part four starts with a quote ‘  Now here's my secret. It’s very simple. It is only with one’s heart one can see clearly, what is essential is invisible to the eye. What does this mean? I think this means that looks can be deceiving, take information from what you are feeling rather than what you are seeing.

What was Jack’s initial reaction to mr Tushman's request to show Auggie around the school? Jack was not keen at all to show Auggie around the school. What made Jack say yes to showing Auggie around? A change of heart ( and persuasion).

Friendship can be difficult, how does Jack feel about him and Auggie being ‘ex friends’? He feels guilty and confused. How does he feel when he finds out why? Horrible and guilty.

How was Jack provoked to punch Julian in the face? Julian was saying mean things about Auggie and Jack wanted to teach him a lesson. Why do you think that was right/wrong to do so? I think it was wrong because violence is not the answer.

How did reading from Jack's perspective change your opinion about the character? My opinion changed because I read abouts Jack’s feelings about certain events. It also changed because I now know his backstory.

Predict how Auggie will feel about Jack punching Julian, how do you think this would affect their friendship?I think Auggie will be surprised and happy Julian was punched, I think it will help mend their friendship.

Wednesday 14 March 2018

spiced apple muffins

Muffins, light, fluffy and sweet, with cooked apple and a brown sugar spiced crust. To sum that up, we made spiced apple muffins yesterday. We did a great job at keeping to time, measuring correctly and cooking them well. The muffins were very light and fluffy, not dense like some muffins can be, I guess my bossiness paid off. Next time we could put the batter in the paper case more delicately so they look neater when they are cooked. That was the only flaw. We are very proud of what we have achieved and my whole family enjoyed them!



Beautiful!

Tuesday 13 March 2018

Wonder character map

LO: Create a character map with August in the middle and other characters around him, the more significant, the closer to the centre.

I used the 'wonder' movie site to create the faces of the characters how I imagine them. If you would like to create yourself, click here.
Next time I would fit more characters In the map.


The black death



The black death was one of the worlds most well known and deadly human disasters. In central Asia, 1347, the plague began. The plague was spread by oriental fleas carried by black rats. The rats boarded boats sailing to Europe and the Mediterranean. Through out the four years the plague was active, it killed anywhere from 75-200 million people. If you were infected you would die within a week, but it would be a slow and painful death. First you would get buboes on your limbs, neck and groin. Next you would start vomiting blood. The plague could also spread to you lungs, causing respiratory problems. An estimated %30-%60 of the population of Europe were killed by the black death. People tried to cure the plague by cutting buboes, soaking the affected person in water and vinegar or slitting the veins to rid the blood stream of the plague. Seeming that over 100 million people died, it looks like none of these 'cures' worked. In conclusion, the black death was one of the most horrific, deadly outbreaks in human history!

Monday 12 March 2018

Pizza!

Pizza, one of the worlds favourite food, was created yesterday in pinwheel form. In other words, we made pizza rolls yesterday. I worked with Tanaya and Dylan to create the rolls. We kept to time and nailed all of our tasks, we even had time to help other teams. Next time we could work on how we divide the end product because people are always screaming for the biggest ones. The only fault was the teacher put way too much sauce on ours, oh well.




Wednesday 7 March 2018

Wonder

The book 'wonder' was partly based on Natalie Merchants song by the same name. The song is about a handicapped lady who, with much support from her adopted mother, overcomes all obstacles. The reason R.J Palacio used this song as inspiration is because it celebrates everyone as equals rather than excluding people.
Goal: Listen to the song and explain what story it tells and how it relates to the story.
How does this show my learning: Because I have explained how this song relates to the story.

Here are my video notes



'Doctors have come from distant cities, just to see me, stand over my bed, disbelieving what their seeing' Hints that she may have a medical complication of some form.
'they say I must be one of the wonders, God's own creation'tells us she valued.
Natilie Merchant wrote this song about a handicaped lady who, with love and surport from her adopted family, overcame her disability. When Natilie Merchant was a teenager she volenteered at a camp for kids with special needs, her song is also written to those kids.
Natilie Merchant views people with disabilities gifted and a wonder, not as a handicaped, doctors can not understand their condition so they are God's wonders
'News papers ask intimate questions, want confessions' Maybe the doctors think having a disability is a sin.
'Reach into my head, to steal the glory from my story' This is most likely the disabled persons point of view, seeing the doctors as trying to make them normal when they are special
The many different people in the video represents how we are all different but we all need love and kindness.
'and they smile as they can not find no explanation' doctors do not know what causes disibilities.
'Laughed when she came to my cradle, know this child will be able' the child will be able to over come the obstacles.
'Laughed as my body she lifted, know this child is gifted' means they are special in their own way.
'With love, with patience and with faith,she'll make her way' we all need love and support to thrive and take on the world. She will succeed!
'People see me, i'm a challenge to your balance' people view others with a disability like a flaw or impurity to their lives
'I’m over your heads; how I confound you and astound you to know I must be one of the wonders of god’s own creation, and as far as you can see you can offer me no explanation' means that we all can succeed, just because we are not the same doesn't mean we are a problem, everyone is different and that should be celebrated, the world would be boring if we were all the same.

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Beatriz Milhazes

Beatriz Milhazes is a Brazilian artist who creates her art based on art from her heritage and references to western art. She works with large art spaces and works by layering different shapes, colours and patterns.
 

This piece of art stood out to me because it is vibrant and incorporates some ko whai whai like shapes. I like how the colours stand out against each other. She also uses an open composition.

Monday 5 March 2018

Quote unquote

This quote means that it is ok to be different, to make risky moves and to go against the grain. I think this quote is important because it helps us to realise that we can’t all be the same; it would be a very boring world if we were all the same.





How does this show my learning? We were asked to choose a quote and write about what it means to you, I think I have achieved this.

Next time I would be more exiting when making a graphic of the quote.

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Fancy a scone

Yesterday 27/2/18 we made scones in home ec. We achieved all we needed to and made no mistakes. We are very happy with our results and how well we worked. We had our scones cooked before most people had them cooking.  I worked with Kaela, Dylan and Tanaya. Next time we could be more efficient and use less dishes or we could communicate more to make tasks easier. I served mine with jam and tea :).



Afternoon tea goals :)

Monday 26 February 2018

Don't judge a book by its cover

This is the second task in my 'wonder' novel study. I have enjoyed doing these tasks and I have really enjoyed the book. Next time I would add even more information and include my own feelings.


Star wars is one of Auggie’s passions. Why do you think this is?
I think many kids like star wars ( boys and girls) because it is a very interesting franchise with lots of elements that may attract your attention.
Do you see any reason for Auggie to identify with these characters or aspire to be like them? In star wars there are many characters who are inhuman but they are still awesome and play an important role in the narrative,
it makes sense to aspire to be like these characters because they have admiral qualities.
 I have only watched the first trilogy plus the force awakens so don’t get mad if I get things wrong :).

What questions did Julian ask and why did Auggie want to slide under the desk?
Julian asked if Auggie had been in a house fire or something because of his face, these questions made Auggie feel conscience and embarrassed.
Why did Julian ask those questions?
Julian asked those questions because he was curious, not away that they would cause embarrassment.

Mrs Browne’s september precept was ‘when given the choice to be right or kind, choose kind’ do you agree with this precept?
I agree that you should always be kind, kindness is important to maintain bonds with other people.

In the chapter one to ten Auggie explains that he is mad at his mother but he is not sure why, why do you think he is mad?
He may be mad because she keeps asking him questions he doesn’t want to answer.

August invited his whole class to his birthday party but only a few came.
Why did only some kids go to the party?
I think only a few kids went because they don’t really like Auggie because he doesn’t look like everybody else (which is wrong).

Auggie says he has an aversion to getting his photo taken, what does aversion mean?
Aversion means a strong dislike/fear.
Why does Auggie have an aversion to getting his picture taken?
I think it is because he thinks that it causes more attention to be drawn to his face, he feels very self conscious about his appearance.

Why does no-one want to touch August?
Nobody wants to touch him because they made up a game called ‘the plague’ which is like the cheese touch ( diary of a wimpy kid).
How does this make August feel? It makes him feel discarded an alone.

Did your opinion of Jack Will change after Auggie overheard him talking to Julian?
Not really, kids can say things that hurt people when they don’t really mean it.

Do you think August will go back to school? Predict the future. I know he will because I have finished the book.



This shows my learning by: Making me read between the lines and add my own opinions.

Don't forget your roots my friend

A coat of arms is important because it represents your family and what you stand for. This is my coat of arms, based on the English/Scottish coat of arms for the 'Drever'  family, of course I made it more suitable to my family


This is the one I made.

This is the original.
As you can see, I have replaced a few aspects to make the coat of arms more in tune with my New Zealand culture. I have replaced the flowers with a white ko whai whai design made up of koru which represent new life. I also replaced the griffins with kiwi, because they are New Zealand's national bird. I also added a silver fern at the bottom because they represent new starts and how New Zealand  is famous for its forests.


Thank you for reading.

Wednesday 21 February 2018

Stir it up

Yesterday 20/2/18 we created chicken stir fry. I worked with Kaela and Tanaya. I think we did well and we were happy with the results. Next time we would cut everything smaller. We also had some hold ups in the form of stretched ability in cutting. In our stir fry we used carrot,cabbage,broccoli, cauliflower, chicken, noodles and lots of sauce.The point of cooking with chicken was to learn how to cook chicken correctly to avoid food poisoning. We experimented with different flavors and veggies. We were very proud of our work, it was delicious.





Wednesday 14 February 2018

I wonder

On monday we were all given a copy of the book ‘wonder’. I would highly recommend reading ‘wonder’ because the author has done a great job at creating different personalities and characters. Warning, spoilers ahead. We were given some questions to answer using the information we have read in the book.


What was August’s one wish he wanted?
Throughout the entire book August wanted to look normal and blend in with everyone else.
If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be?
Like most teenage girls I critique the living daylights out of my appearance but if I could change one thing I would like to have an even skin tone because I have really red cheeks and dark circles under my eyes,
I chose this because I can not otherwise change it.

What does it mean to be ordinary?
Being ordinary is being able to blend in and stay in the background.
Why Is August extraordinary?
August is extraordinary because he doesn't look like other people and he thinks that makes him a target for unwanted attention.
I believe being normal is overrated.

How do people react when they see August’s face for the first time?
Most people were shocked when they saw his face.
How would you react?
I would like to think I would hide my surprise and try my best to be nice because your appearance isn’t your only good trait.

August’s Dad said ‘sending Auggie to school is like sending a lamb to a slaughter house’ what does this mean? August’s dad used this metaphor because like a lamb August is going willingly to a bad situation without realising it.

Would you send August to school if you were one of his parents? I would send him to school because it would teach him to deal with other people. This will be a valuable life skill.

What white lie did Auggie’s mum tell him? She said she was giving him an iq test but it was an entrance exam.Why did she do it? Because he wouldn’t have agreed to take it if he knew Are white lies ok? Even though you are trying to spare someone's feelings it is still lying.

August said he liked ms. garcia when she wasn’t wearing her shiny smile, what is a shiny smile?A shiny smile is a fake smile you put on.

How does Auggie know the first time he meets Julian that he is a bully? He could tell by Julians behaviour. How did Julian bully Auggie? He was not hanging out with him and teasing him. He also started the ‘plague’. How did Auggie respond? August made his own group of friends.

What am I learning? Through this task I have used strategies like remembering and adding my feelings into the questions.
This shows my learning by answering different questions and coming up with my own theorys.

Its heating up in here

Home economics 


On Tuesday afternoon we made a practical in home ec. We had no prior introduction to the room but we did pretty well.

We created savory cases which are spaghetti, cheese and ham inside a toast case. They were really fun to make and they tasted great.
The students I cooked with are Kaela, Tanaia and Dylan. We are proud of they way we worked together and we had our cases cooked and dishes clean very quickly. Next time we would improve how we worked and I believe we will do better next time because we know where everything is.


Here are some of the photos.


Recipe

You will need:
One bread board
One meat board ( if you are using ham)
A butter knife
A serrated knife
A muffin tin
Butter

Ingredients
Two pieces of bread
Two TBSP spaghetti/baked beans/creamed corn
Cheese ( grated).

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan bake.
Cut the crusts of the bread and butter one side.
Put the bread butter side down in a muffin tin.
Press down bread.
Fill with your choice of toppings.
Sprinkle on the cheese.
Bake for about ten minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
Let the cases cool in the tray for a few minutes and transfer them to a wire rack.
Enjoy!

Friday 9 February 2018

Be safe guys

In tec we have been learning about the different types of safety signs.

The yellow signs are hazard signs, the illustration tells you what the hazard is. If you come across a hazard there are three things you can do, you can isolate it by putting cones or a barricade around it, you can eliminate the hazard or you can isolate it and put up a hazard sign.
The blue signs are mandatory signs, you must obey the blue signs to stay safe in a work place, whether it be wearing safety glasses to Steele capped boots. These signs are for your own safety so pay attention to them.
The green signs tell you where the nearest exits are for when there is an emergency. They save you and many others from running around like a headless chicken looking for the exit. They also help eliminate other risks such as people running into each other.

The white circle signs with the red outline and cross through the centre are prohibition signs. You must not do what these signs are asking you not to or you / someone else may be in serious harm in a result to disobeying the prohibition signs.
   
I have created a hazard sign for the workshop. This is a hazard sign ( hard to see the yellow, sorry). The hazard depicted is someones hair getting caught in some machinery. To eliminate this hazard, tie back long hair and keep it out of the way.
To be safe in a workplace you must obey the safety signs. Now you know what these signs are, be safe! not just in a work place, but everywhere.

This vs that

This song is written For millions of children in america who go missing or get stolen and has never been found,Runaway train means uncontrollable or unstoppable.the close ups in the video may represent being trapped and the part where the boy is running could represent breaking free of your capture. the term run away train mean something that goes off its designated path to a new path it has created

Call you up in the middle of the night like a firefly without a light (unseen and fast gone)


Seems no one can help me now im in to deep theres no way out ( There is no way out of a situation where you have been metaphorically captured.

run away train never going back means people are unstoppable to do what they want and not set any freedom to the victims and runaway their feelings.

wrong way on a one way track, going the wrong way about issues and feelings.


perhaps the many images pilled on top of each other to create confusion like how the people who care abot these children are feeling confused and worried.

Prehaps they think running away is better for them facing the pain throughout their problems.

runaway train tearing up the track means there is no way back.

the mother chasing after her child symbolises how the families are chasing answers.
Sorry

I dislike this song because its all about forgiveness for his own doings
Not knowing how to say it in person but through words.

Made alot of mistakes and dont know how to fix them this song is all about love.

this song has no emotion and doesent sound like he means it.

am I too late now to say sorry if he has made a couple of hundred mistakes of couse she wont forgive him.




In the last week, during music class, we have been looking more in depth to our favourite songs. I worked with Kaela and together we analyzed ‘runaway train’ by soul asylum as a meaningful song we could decipher.
We also analyzed ‘sorry’ because we both don’t like the song. We were learning how to use video notes to take notes and make summaries.I think we did well and we have learnt some really interesting things about both of those songs. I am wondering what inspired them to make those songs.

What worked: Video notes was easy to work with and take notes.
What didn’t work: For the majority of this task we had to share a chromebook because mine wouldn’t connect.
What I would change: Next time I would use my own chromebook because it is much easier.