Future Aspirations 2014

We had some very special guests come to talk to the Year 7 and 8 students at Point England school, this morning. Four people came to tell their stories of how they became who or what they are now. These people were Anthony Samuels, Paula Fakalata and Amelia. Paula was one of the speakers who traveled to our school to inspire us. His story was really inspiring and I think made people want to try to get some where in life, and also look for something that they want to do in the future. Paula's story was that he wanted to help people whether its relationships with people, bullying or any types of problems.

Manaiakalani Film Festival 2014

Knowing that today was the Manaiakalani Film Festival filled my stomach with butterflies. I quickly got ready, as the thought of attending the Film Festival filled my mind. As I arrived at school I darted into the class, with anticipation and excitement. “When will we be going?”, I thought to myself. All of the senior students eventually got the news that we’ll be having morning tea early, so that we can make our session at about 11:30 or 12:00.

A couple of hours later it was time for the senior block to leave and go to the Event Cinemas. Three fairly old buses pulled up outside of the school as the bus drivers waited patiently, for all the students and teachers to hop on. I automatically hopped on any bus, eager to get to the Cinemas. As we got closer and closer to Sylvia Park on the bus, excitement rapidly filled me. Suddenly the bus stopped, and I heard Mr Barks announce that we had arrived at Sylvia Park. I speedily jumped out of my seat and headed for the door.

As I began walking through the entrance of the Event Cinemas, different schools from the Manaiakalani Film Festival Cluster were walking out of the door. I strolled excitedly along down the walkway, and made my way through the doors and into Cinema 3. At the moment that I walked up the steps, I scanned rapidly for an adequate place to sit. It had to be a place that I could easily see and is comfortable for me. Eventually after browsing for a great seat I found one, right on the middle. As I sat down quickly, eager to watch the Film Festival Movies, I waited patiently.

Suddenly the lights went dim and the movie began. At first a person that attended Tamaki College introduced the Manaiakalani Film Festival, then it went straight into the first movie which was our class’s one. Our movie contained kindness and caring for each other. Henry and Mua were our presenters for the movie, and as they began saying their last lines, everyone in the Cinema clapped and cheered. After the movie had finished playing, a huge ripple of applause spreaded across the cinema.

My absolute favourite movie was “The Bowl Cut”. There are many reasons why I adore this video, my number one reason is because it’s entertaining and funny. Especially when they explain the process of how to do a bowl cut and the materials needed, their voices were very amusing. Reason number 2 is that they had really good actors, you can’t make a movie without superior actors. Overall I truly enjoyed the Manaiakalani Film Festival. Hopefully there’ll be another one next year, because I’m really looking forward to seeing some new movies.

Maths Think-board

This is my maths think-board. The question was 5/6 of 48? There is a diagram to show my thinking, the strategy I used, a word story problem I have written on my own and last but not least 10 other similar questions.

Maths Think-board

This is my maths think board. I have now completed it and have posted it on my blog for people to have a look at what I am learning.

Triangle Addition

                                                                    Triangle Addition.

Quickly Word-Web

The word that we had to find synonyms for was "Quickly". I found 17 words, and have now completed it.

Fr/dec/% Year 8 - WALT solve word problems using the 'Within' strategy on a double number line.

Kowhaiwhai Reading Activity

What is Kowhaiwhai?

Kowhaiwhai are beautiful painted design patterns. At first, kowhaiwhai patterns can be viewed as decoration only, but closer examination shows that they involve sophisticated mathematical precision.  These patterns include symmetry, rotation, reflection and translation.

The koru or pitau is the most basic design element of kowhaiwhai. These are curving stalks with bulbs at one end. They bear a striking resemblance to the young shoot of a native fern.

After the koru or pitau, the next main motif or pattern of kowhaiwhai is the crescent or kape. This is characterised by a line of evenly placed white circles on the outer edge of the crescent.

The koru or pitau and the kape, are all that make up the list of basic kowhaiwhai motifs. However when used in various combinations these two patterns can create many varying designs of incredible depth.

1. Why does it say that kowhaiwhai are more than just decoration? Kowhaiwhai are beautiful painted design patterns. They involve sophisticated mathematical precision.

2. Describe the two main patterns of kowhaiwhai? The koru and the pitau.

An Artform

Stories that explain the origin of kowhaiwhai all say that it is an art form secondary in importance to wood carving (whakairo) and tattooing (ta moko). When kowhaiwhai is compared to wood-carving and tattooing, there are several contrasts.  Apart from the obvious differences of how they are created, kowhaiwhai is seen as something more temporary. It is not seen as having  lasting value, so requires no special ritual and no formal training. It is considered to be a common (noa) activity and so therefore, can be carried out by anyone.

The colours red, black and white are often the only colours that appear in kowhaiwhai patterns. Red was obtained by mixing red ochre with shark-liver oil.  Black paint was made by mixing shark oil with powdered charcoal. For white paint, taioma or pipeclay was burned then pulverised and mixed with oil.

3. Why is kowhaiwhai seen as less important than whakairo and ta moko? It is an art form secondary in importance to wood carving.

4. Why do you think whakairo and ta moko was carried out by anyone? Because it is a common activity.

Origins

One oral account from Ngati Kahungunu, traces the origin of both wood-carving and kowhaiwhai. It tells us that:

When Whiro, Haepuru and Haematua climbed up to the second heaven to obtain carvings for their house, they were told by one of the gods that the art of decorating houses with wood carvings had already been taken away by their younger brothers. Whiro and his two friends complained to the god that they could not go begging to their younger brothers for the art, so the god showed them how to embellish a house with painted designs.

Whiro and the others then descended and adorned their own house with painted designs.( Best (1982:287-8…)

5. Why couldn't Whiro, Haepuru and Haemata get carvings for their house? Because their younger brothers had already taken it.

Look at these words in the article and see if you can work out their meaning from the context. Then look up and write down the definition from the dictionary

Precision: Great quality, or fact of being precise or exact

Resemblance: Two things being alike

Motif: A decorated or detailed design

Secondary: Less important than something else, or resulting from something or someone.

Temporary: Something lasting for a certain or limited amount of time

Pulverised: Crushed or reduced into fine particles

Obtained: Get or acquire something

Embellished: By making something more eye-catching, with detail or special features

Adorn: Make something even more beautiful or attractive

Decoration: The process of art or making something more detailed

Popplet - Think

My popplet has synonyms for the word think. I managed to find 20 words for think. I made this with http://popplet.com/. 

Maths Thinkboard

This is my maths fraction think-board. The question was 4/9 of 63= ? I managed to complete and solve the problem. On the think-board it has a diagram that shows my thinking, the strategy I used, a word story problem of my own and last but not least 10 other similar questions.

Current Events Six Thinking Hats

 This is my Current Events Six Thinking Hats Presentation. I have now completed it.

Fr/dec/% Year 8 - WALT solve word problems that involve moving between fractions, ratios, decimals and percentages.

 This is my maths presentation that is completed. WALT solve word problems that involve moving between fractions, ratios, decimals and percentages.

How To Make A Celtic Knot- Explanation

To create a celtic knot, you initially have to research some patterns that you really like or admire. Think about cultural patterns, or a design that represents you as a person. After you’ve searched for a pattern or a suitable symbol, make sure it is not too simple or not too detailed. Furthermore you have to be able to fit your unique design on the celtic knot paper.

When you are certain with your pattern, draw it on a practice piece of paper. You additionally have to figure out what colours you’re going to place on it. After brainstorming a couple of ideas and having a think about what type of colors to use, put them to good use. Using the colours and pattern that you have chosen draw it on the celtic knot paper given. Since there is three pieces that make up one celtic knot, it is easier to have three people in a group. Each person creates one part each.

As you are finished illustrating you unique design on the celtic knot, trace over it with a black vivid. This is so you’ll be able to see the pattern nice and clearly. Once you have completed that step, it’s time for you to start colouring in. Using pastels, crayons, colouring pencils or whatever you have got, colour in your patterns nicely. Make sure that the colours that you’ve picked works really well together with one another.

Remember every single person in your group has to have theirs finished, otherwise it will not be formed into a celtic knot. Eventually when each person has completed their own piece of the celtic knot, gently and carefully place it on a black piece of paper. Be sure to glue it in the right position, so its not crooked. After completing that step smooth it out on the paper. Finally when all of the steps above are completely done and dusted, you have your celtic knot. You can hang it up on the wall or put it on display somewhere.

Camp- Word Web

For my popplet I managed to find 27 words that relate to our "Year 8 Camp".