Summer Learning Journey - W3 D3 A1,A2

Activity 1: Bird of the Year! [4 points]

Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many different kinds (species) of native birds.  Sadly, about a third of our native bird species are at risk of disappearing forever (becoming extinct). 

Each year, Forest and Bird New Zealand hold a ‘Bird of the Year’ competition where people can vote for their favorite native bird. This year, the winner was the kererū (or wood pigeon). 

Go onto the Bird of the Year website, look through the native birds on the site, and choose one that interests you. 

On your blog, write a short description of your bird. Where does your bird normally live? What does your bird normally eat?  Post a picture of the bird underneath your description. Be sure to attribute your picture properly.

Task Description: For this task I had to choose a bird from the website provided. Then we had to write a description about our bird and add a photo. We also had to make sure we attributed the photo (s) correctly. The bird I chose is the Fantail (Piwakawaka). 
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Activity 2: Flying Foxes [4 points]

Not only is New Zealand home to many native birds but we also have a number of native bats. Some of these bats are really small while others are much larger. None, however, are as large as the largest bat in Australia. It is called the flying fox and it has a wingspan of up to 6 feet or 2 metres. Wow! That is taller than most of us!

Flying foxes usually sleep during the day and hunt for food at night, using their ears to guide them through the darkness. Like other bats, they have the best hearing of any mammal. It is their ‘superpower.’

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? If I could choose, I would like to be able to fly. It would make it possible for me to fly back to Canada and visit my family whenever I wanted. How amazing would that be?!

On your blog, tell us what superpower you would like to have and why you’d like to have it.

My Superpower:

If I were to have a superpower I would choose Psychokinesis or Telekinesis. I don't know if it's a superpower but if it is that is what I would choose. I want want this power so I can control things (Physical Systems) with my mind.

Task Description: For this task I had to think of a superpower I would want. I chose Psychokinesis or Telekinesis. I also had to explain why I'd want this superpower.

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Summer Learning Journey - W3 D2 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Bee Informed [4 points]

One of the most important, but least talked about, animals in New Zealand is the bumblebee. It was first introduced to New Zealand in 1885 to help pollinate a special plant called the ‘Red Clover.’ Today, bumblebees do many other important jobs, including the pollination of greenhouses and orchard crops. If the bees did not pollinate the plants, they would not survive.

For this activity, we would like you to bee-come detectives and to learn more about the mysterious, and often ignored, bumblebee. We will provide you with five sentences about bumblebees from the NZ Bumblebee Conservation Trust website and it is your job to fill in the blanks with the missing information about bees. Choose the phrase/word that makes the most sense from the list at the bottom. (Each phrase/word can only be used once).

To earn full points for this activity you must type all five sentences and then fill in the blanks for each one. Post the completed sentences on your blog.

My Full Sentences:

The word ‘bumblebee’ is a compound word (bumble + bee). The word ‘bumble’ means to hum, buzz, or drone.

Bumblebees can fly very quickly. They can reach ground speeds of 54 kilometers per hour (km/h).

Bumblebees are very strong! They carry up to 90 percent of their body weight in food with them to avoid starvation.

Bumblebees can do more work and carry more pollen than other bees, including honeybees. In fact, they can do up to 50 times as much work as a normal honeybee.

The number of bumblebees is declining in New Zealand due to a number of factors, including the removal of wildflowers and flowering trees, habitat loss, and extensive use of pesticides.

Task Description: For this task I had to fill in the blanks relating to Bumblebees. The sentences I had to fill the blanks in are above, I filled in the blanks to the sentences. But there were key sentences/phrases/numbers. So I used those key information to fill in the blanks. The way I did that was by making the blank keys bold, so the key sentences/phrases/numbers that are made bold are the blanks.

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Activity 2: Carbon Sinks Don’t Stink! [4 points]

Every day a chemical compound called carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced and released into the air.  If it isn’t removed, it can become toxic for humans. Fortunately, there are a number of places where CO2 is absorbed (removed from the air). Two of the most common places are forests and oceans. They are called ‘carbon sinks’ because, like a sink, they gather, clean and drain things away that we don’t want. One of the largest carbon sinks in New Zealand is a forest in the south-western part of the South Island. It drains away 60% of our unwanted carbon!

Let’s imagine that you could design a sink that could gather up and then drain away any foods that you don’t like. On your blog, tell us what you would put in your special sink. If it was me, I would put rice pudding, brussel sprouts, custard, parsnips, and seafood chowder in the sink. Yuck! What about you?

On your blog, list all of the foods that you would put in your special draining sink.

First of all I would add spinach to my sink. I would add spinach because the texture of it makes me gag. I would also add seafood chowder to the sink. I would add this because when I first tried seafood chowder I didn't like it, but then it doesn't help I don't eat fish.

Task Description: For this task I had to list down foods that I would put in my special draining sink. This draining sink makes the foods I chose drain away aka disappear. My list of foods are above go check it out.

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Activity 3: Flying Fungi [10 points]

Let’s imagine that we tested the air in your classroom and found 7 different kinds of mould. Eek! The cleaner says that it takes 5 days for each mould to be eradicated (removed). If the school had to remove each mould one at a time, how long would it take to remove all the mould from the classroom? 


On your blog, tell us how you would solve this tricky maths problem. Be sure to also post your final answer in days or weeks.

This is how I solved the problem.
Task Description: For this task I had to solve the problem above. Then I had to explain/show my working out. My working out is next to me go check it out.

Summer Learning Journey - W3 D1 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Togs or Trackies? [4 points]

New Zealand is a pretty lovely place to live, isn’t it? Apparently, New Zealand (NZ) is also a pretty lovely place to visit. In 2017 approximately 2-3 million people came to visit NZ as tourists. Some of them chose to come in the middle of our summer, while others braved it and came in the middle of winter! When do you think is the best time of year (season) to visit NZ?

If you would like some help making a decision, feel free to read the Go New Zealand website. It has lots of information about the seasons in NZ!

I, personally, encourage my friends and family from overseas to come and visit NZ in early spring. The weather is usually warm and dry and the tourist attractions, beaches and holiday spots are less busy than they are in the middle of summer.

On your blog, tell us what time of year you think is best for tourists for come and visit. Be sure to share at least three things that tourists could do while they were here in NZ.

In my opinion I think that the best time of year for tourists to visit is in December because it's summer. There are a lot of things to do in summer, I will be telling you three things that you can try out while you're here. One thing to do is visit our beaches. One beach that you can visit is Matai Bay. It's clean and clear water is a very beautiful appearance, also adding to it the bays soft white sand makes it the ultimate summers escape. There are multiple activities to do there such as, swim in the beautiful water, go snorkeling, or kayak among the smooth water. Another thing to do is visit our famous landmarks. NZ has a lot of landmarks and all of them are different in a way. One of my favorite landmarks is One Tree Hill. One Tree Hill is one of my favorite landmarks because the landscape is amazing. I also love the park that they have there because it very fun and unique. It is also amazing to check out in summer because once you've made it to the top of the hill you will be able to see the great view which also stars the sun. But one of the things I hated about it was the walk, it was so tiring and long. But I knew that, there was also a road to use but we decided to walk. I still liked it though so you should definitely check it out. Lastly you can visit our famous water park Splash Planet, located in Hastings. It is a very fun place to visit, especially in summer. It's got a range of pools, slides, water activities etc. I love going here with family it let's us bond together. So you should go visit it for yourself.
Task Description: For this task I had to explain what time of year I think is the best for tourists to visit. I chose Summer because it is a very famous season in NZ. I also had to list three things to do in NZ while it is Summer. My listings are above go check them out.
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Activity 2: You are my Sunshine [4 points]

People in New Zealand love spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, the sun is very powerful and the rates of skin cancer are incredibly high in New Zealand. In fact, they are higher than anywhere else in the entire world! To protect ourselves against skin cancer, we need to be careful about how much time we spend in the sun. We have to be ‘Sunsmart.’

Read the Sunsmart website.

On your blog, list five different things that we can do to protect ourselves from the sun this summer!

One thing that you can do to protect yourself from the sun is to apply sunblock to your skin 20 minutes before going outside.

Another thing is to put on a shirt with long sleeves, although this is a great one I don't really like it. I don't like it because on hot days to wear a long sleeve shirt that would irritate me. So I don't think this one is that great, but it still protects you in the Summer time.

Also another thing you should always wear a hat when going outside. This is my favorite one, you should always wear a hat when outside in any weather. You should particularly wear a hat with a wide brim or with flaps.

One other thing is to lay out your hangout spot somewhere shady, Like under a leafy tree or under an umbrella or two. I suggest bringing an umbrella or two because then you can hangout on the beach but also have protection from the sun.

Lastly you should plan your outdoor activities for later on in the day such as after 4:00 pm. This is because during the day it is boiling hot, but going in to the evening the heat starts to lower and the sun soon starts setting. So you will still have time to play but at least wait for the evening when it's a bit cooler.

Task Description: For this task I had to list five things that we can do to keep safe from the sun this summer. My five listings are above you should go check them out. Comment down below what else you think we can do to keep safe, I hope you enjoy.

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Activity 3: Burning Up… [15 points]

While it can get hot in New Zealand, especially in the middle of summer, it gets even hotter in places like Dallol (Ethiopia), Dasht-e Loot (Iran), Tirat Zvi (Israel), Kabili (Tunisia) and Bandar-e Mahshahr (Iran).

The hottest temperature on record in each place is: Dallol: 41oC; Dasht-e Loot: 71oC; Tirat Zvi: 54oC; Kabili: 55oC; Bandar-e Mahshahr: 51oC. Crazy ‘eh?!

For this activity, you are asked to use this information to create a graph. The graph should have a title along with the names of each city and their hottest recorded temperatures. You can draw the graph by hand or use a computer program like Google Draw to create your graph. It’s completely up to you!

Here is an example of a graph:

On your blog, post a picture of your graph.

Task Description: For this task I had to create a graph. Thiss graph is based on the hottest temperature on record in these places. My graph is next to me, go check it out.

Summer Learning Journey - W2 D5 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Off the Menu [4 points]

Fishing is a really common activity in New Zealand. In fact, people have fished in New Zealand for centuries. Unfortunately, over the past few decades some people have caught too many fish in one area and left the region without enough fish to refill (replenish) the stocks. When this happens we call the area ‘overfished’ and it is closed to all private and commercial fishing. If people are caught fishing in these areas, they are required to pay a fine (money). The maximum fine for fishing in a restricted area is $100 000.

What do you think about this rule? Is it fair that people are charged up to $100 000 for overfishing?

On your blog, tell us what you think about this rule and why you think it!.

I think that this is a great rule. I just think that they can bring down the fine, so make it lower a bit like 50,00 or so. Either that or change the rule to maybe....community service for the whole time until the overfished area is back to normal. I also think that the people fishing should also be aware of what they're fishing up so they don't have to close the area. I think that because once they've overfished, then the area is closed. But what they do is they keep going to fish there and then they get caught, but once they find out they have to pay they start making excuses.

Task Description: For this task I had to tell what I think about the overfishing rule. I have my explanation above go check it out. I hope you enjoy.

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Activity 2: The Black Drain [4 points]Approximately two-thirds of all rivers and one-half of all lakes in New Zealand are too polluted to swim in, according to a recent article in an online newspaper. One of the most polluted is the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. Pollution enters the river from a local pulp and paper mill, from local farms and through the local sewage system. Many other rivers in New Zealand are also polluted with waste from businesses and farms.

Use Google to help you find two other polluted rivers in New Zealand.

On your blog, tell us:


1) The names of the rivers.
2) The location of the rivers.
3) What is being done to clean up the rivers (if anything).

First River: Waikirikiri (Selwyn river)

Located: Canterbury

Solution: To solve the problem they will resolve the over allocation of ground water in the catchment to bring back lowland stream flowage. This is caused through switching ground water takes to alpine fed surface water. Also a regulatory regime is now in place to ensure the water quality is improved.

Second River:

Name: Manawatu River 

Located: Manawatu-Wanganui

Solution: They will be doing many things to improve the river. such as reducing nutrient and bacteria in the river, prevent over allocation of river water, reduce the impacts of flood control and drainage on the natural processes of the river.

Task Description: For this task I had to find two rivers in NZ that are polluted. Then I had to explain some information about these rivers. I found my two rivers, their information above go check it out. I hope you enjoy.

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Activity 3: Faded Glory [5 points]

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, made up of 2900 individual reefs. It is so big that it can actually be seen from space! The reef is located on the east coast of Australia and many people believe that it is millions and millions of years old. For most of its life, the reef has been a healthy, vibrant ecosystem. Over the past thirty years, however, it has changed dramatically. Much of the beautiful bright coral has become bleached and has lost its colour. Sections of the reef have also been damaged by tourists, cyclones and the introduction of new, damaging invasive species.

The Australian government is working to protect and preserve the reef. Each year they spend about $200 million dollars repairing and protecting the reef. It is a lot of money and they could really use some help raising the money (funds) required to repair the reef. This is where you come in!

On your blog, list three different ideas or strategies for raising funds to preserve the Great Barrier Reef. What could you do to fundraise here in New Zealand?

My Three Fundraising Ideas:

• Hold a show at the beach for people to see and fund money to help the Great Barrier Reef.
• Host a water day, A day where there are different types of water competitions and public people fund us with money to help the coral reef and to participate in the challenges. Then get a prize if they win.
• Host a trivia night. Ask public people questions about the coral reef and the sea. But also ask if they would like to help fund the coral reef project.

Task Description: For this task I had to list three fundraising ideas to help fund for the repairing of the Great Barrier Reef. My three ideas are above go check them out. Then comment below what you would do to help.

Summer Learning Journey - W2 D4 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Planes, Trains and Automobiles [4 points]

Let’s imagine that you had the chance to visit Milford Sound by boat, foot (walking) or air (helicopter). Which option would you prefer?

On your blog tell us which of the three options you would take to explore Milford Sound. Be sure to tell us why you have chosen this option.

If it was me I would choose to go by air. I would go by air because then I get to see the amazing view. I would also go by air because I love going places through planes and air. But at the same time I would also like to go by boat as well because then I get to go through amazing river.

Task Description: For this task I had to explain which of the three options I would choose to take to visit Milford Sound. My explanation is above go check it out and see what you think. After that comment down below what option you'd choose, Well anyways I hope you enjoy!!

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Activity 2: It’s All in the Name [4 points]

Rotorua is one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist destinations. It is a city filled with incredible forests, mountain biking tracks, lakes, and geothermal wonders, including hot springs (geysers) and mud pools. One of the most famous geothermal pools is called the Devil’s Bath at Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. It is a neon green pool of stinky water.

Over the years, people have suggested that we come up with a new name for the pool. What do you think we should call it? Take a minute to let your creative juices flow.

On your blog, give us a list of three to five options for the name of this geothermal pool. Put a star (*) beside the name that you like the most.

• Ogres Soup*
• Dragon Snots
• Devils Juice

Task Description: For this task I had to list five names as ideas for a new name for the geothermal pool, Devils Bath. I could only come up with three names, I really liked these names though I thought they were really creative. I need some help with the other two names so if you have any suggestions comment down below, I hope you enjoy.

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Activity 3: Picture Perfect [10 points]

While New Zealand is home to some beautiful waterfalls, there are a number of stunning waterfalls in places like Canada and South Africa. In Canada, the largest waterfall is called Niagara Falls. It sits on the border between Canada and the United States of America. Thousands of tourists flock (go) to Niagara Falls every year to see the falls and to have their picture taken in front of this natural wonder. Over the past few years people have started taking ‘selfies’ and posting them online. Do you ever take selfies?

For this activity, choose one of the following three selfies. From left to right: Selfie #1, Selfie #2, Selfie #3

On your blog, write a short story about what you think is happening in the picture. Be sure to tell us where you think the people are and what you think they were doing at the time that they stopped to pose for the selfie. To earn full points, the story must be 8 – 10 sentences long.

In this photo a woman is standing on the edge of a building taking a selfie. In my opinion It looks like she is struggling to take the right photo. I think this because it looks like shes trying to get a right angle but she is unstable so she has to be careful. To me it looks like she is in Greece or somewhere on an island. In this photo it looks like she is a tourist that is on a tour. But then she sneaked off to take a selfie. To me after taking this selfie it looks like she ends up falling into the water. For this woman that day was just a normal day until......

Task Description: For this task I had to pick a selfie out of three options. I chose this selfie, after that I had to write a story about this selfie, to score full points we had to make sure the story was 8-10 sentences long. I couldn't do that but this is what I have.

Summer Learning Journey - W2 D3 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Night Owls [4 points]

Here in New Zealand we have many amazing and unique sea creatures, including penguins. The blue penguin, or kororā, is particularly special because it is the smallest penguin in the entire world! Blue penguins are typically found on the east coast of the South Island in places like Oamaru but they can be hard to spot as they rarely leave the water. If they do come onto land it is usually at night, when most of us are sound asleep! That’s because they are nocturnal. Not all of us, however, sleep all night. In fact, some people love to stay awake late into the evening. People who like to stay up late are called ‘night owls.’ Are you a night owl or are you an early riser, like me? I typically wake up every day around 6:00 a.m. and jump out of bed, ready to start the day!

On your blog, tell us whether you are a night owl or an early riser. Then, tell us about the rest of your family. Are they the same as you?.

Am I an Early Riser or a Night Owl?
In my opinion I think I'm a Early Riser because I wake up at 5:45 a.m everyday to get ready for school. I also think my mum is an Early Riser as well because she wakes up at 6:00 a.m to get ready for work. For my whole life I've been an Early Riser, due to my mum starting work early in the morning, so I've pretty much got used to waking up early.

Task Description: For this task I learnt about Blue Penguins and how they come onto land late at night. I also learnt that some people stay up very late to see them, and those people are called Night Owls. There is also people who wake up early everyday, and so in this task we had to explain whether we're an Early Riser or a Night Owl. We also had to say what our family members are, Night Owls or Early Risers.
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Activity 2: A Local Delicacy [4 points]

Whitebait is a very special fish in New Zealand. It is rumoured (believed) to be a very delicious fish. Some restaurants in New Zealand make dishes that feature whitebait, including whitebait fritters. Have you ever tried whitebait fritters? They are a favourite dish of many of my friends. I, personally, prefer foods from places like Mexico and Italy. Pizza and nachos are two of my all-time favourite foods! In fact, I often make homemade pizza with Aronui on Friday nights using the same ingredients (pizza base, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, red onion, basil and feta cheese) each time. For this activity, please choose a favourite food and find a recipe for it.

On your blog, share a list of the ingredients that you need to make this food. You must type out the list of ingredients yourself (and not simply copy and paste it from a website) to earn full points.

Task Description: For this task we had to choose a favorite food and also a recipe for it. I also had to list the ingredients but I couldn't copy and paste is from a website. I did mine in a presentation so go check it out above and I hope you enjoy.
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Activity 3: The Midnight Zone [10 points]

One of these creatures is called the ‘Colossal Squid.’ A colossal squid can weigh as much as 495 kilograms (kg)! Here in New Zealand, we have a full sized colossal squid on display at Te Papa Museum in Wellington. It is the only specimen of its kind in the entire world! This squid weighs approximately 500 kg. In 2018, a team at Te Papa decided to move the giant squid from one area of the museum to another. Deep in the ocean, far below the surface, lies an area called the ‘Midnight Zone.’ It is called the midnight zone because it is always dark or ‘pitch black’ in this area. Much of the deep sea has yet to be explored by humans, however, we do know a little bit about the creatures that live here.

Let’s imagine that the average adult can lift 25 kg and the average child can lift 15 kg. How many adults and children will it take to move the giant squid into its new room at Te Papa? [Note: There is more than one right answer to this question.]

On your blog, tell us how you will solve this maths problem. You can write your answer in words, use a Sketchpad image or post a video explaining how you would figure it out. Be sure to give us your final answer.

25kg + 15kg = 40kg

40kgs X 10 = 400kgs

25kgs + 25kgs = 50kgs

25kgs + 10kgs + 10kgs = 45kgs

400kgs + 50kgs + 45kgs = 495kgs

Task Description: For this task I had to explain how I solved this problem above. It took me ages to work out the problem but I got there in the end. Go check out my solving then comment down below if you have a different way.

Summer Learning Journey - W2 D2 A1,A2,A3

Activity 1: Weaving a Tall Tale…[4 points]

There is a long history in New Zealand of collecting natural plants, including flax (harakeke), and using them to create cloaks, baskets (kete), mats, traps and ropes. Flax weaving is an art form. It can take years for people to perfect the art of weaving. Have you ever tried it?

For this activity, you are asked to watch a short video of someone weaving a fish (ika) out of flax.

On your blog, tell us whether or not you would like to try flax weaving. Does it interest you? Why or why not?

Would I like to try flax weaving?

To be honest I would like to try flax weaving. But fortunately I have already tried flax weaving. Before I tried it, it really hooked me in because it looked fun and also the finished product was amazing. When I ended up trying it was hard but I got there in the end.

Task Description: For this task I had to explain whether or not I would like to tr flax weaving. I have already tried this before so I explained that in my piece. Check my piece above and I hope you enjoy.

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Activity 2: Mighty Mangroves [4 points]

For this activity you are asked to think of someone who is very tough and strong. They can be someone who you know personally or they can be a character that you have read about in a book, seen in a movie, or on a television show.

On your blog, tell us about this person. Who are they? Why are they, in your opinion, so strong and tough?

I have so many strong and tough people in my life. But I want to acknowledge this one person, my mum. I chose my mum because she is one of the strongest and toughest person I know. I decided to choose her because she gave birth to me. She is the strong and tough woman that bought me to this world. She always knows the right things for me and my wellness, she is a huge help to my life and I can't be more grateful for her.

Task Description:For this task I had to tell you guys about a person I think is strong and tough. I decided to choose my, so go check my explanation to see why I chose her. I hope you enjoy.
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Activity 3: Stranger than Fiction [10 points + 5 possible points]

Here on earth there are more than 298 000 different kinds (species) of plants. Some of these plants live on land and some live in the water. Follow this link to read about 10 of the strangest plant species in the world. When you are finished, choose two of the plants from the list.

On your blog, list three similarities and three differences between the two plants that you chose. To earn five extra bonus points, post a picture of both plants on your blog..

Task Description: For this task I was asked to pick to plants from the list. Then I had to list three similarities and three differences, I couldn't find any similarities so comment down below and help me with some similarities. Well I hope you enjoy.