My IE Reflection

This week I presented my IE. I think I did a great job, and I was very informative.

Weekly Reflection Term 2 Week 2

Positives:

• I practised my IE presentation, and I got feedback to make it better!
• I really enjoyed playing Balloon Hockey!
• I got into the Hauraki Plains Representatives Netball Team!

Negatives:

• I had a lot of difficulty with my Manga High tasks this week.

What I learnt:

• I learnt how to do a great presentation!

My Photo Caption

I wrote a caption for this photo from dumpaday.com!

Superman is at it again!

Puzzle

On Tuesday Holly, Georgia, Freya, Alyson, Kate, Brooke, Sarah, Sophie, Lara and I did a world map puzzle. It took us about three hours, and we had a lot of fun doing it! We learnt a lot of different country names, and we also used some different strategies. We started off with some people doing the edges, and some people working on different countries. After we did the edges we got all the countries built, and we put them into the puzzle. We then started on the ocean, which took a while because all the pieces looked the same. But eventually, we finished the puzzle and we were really proud!

Holiday in the Gold Coast: Day 2

I woke up super early due to my early night the night before. We had breakfast at The Deck. I ordered pancakes with bananas and maple syrup. They were scrumptious! We then went to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. When we got there, we got to feed the lorikeets! They came along and sat on your arm, but I was too scared to do it. Next, we went to get a photo with the koala. I got to hold the koala, and it was really fluffy! The koala’s name was Toby. Toby hugs you really tightly like a tree, which was really cute! Although, he did have some pretty sharp claws. Next, we had a look at some of the other animals like the dingoes and the echidnas. We then saw that there was a train you could ride to get to places when you couldn’t be bothered walking. We rode the train to the kangaroos. It was really cool because you could just walk around everywhere with the kangaroos, which was really cool. The kangaroos pretty much just lay about all day doing nothing. We got lots of photos! After looking at some more animals, we were pretty keen to get home, so we took the train to the carpark and headed back to the hotel. Once we got back, we went for a swim to cool off. That night we went to a really fancy restaurant (I can’t remember what it was called). I ordered some king prawns, which were really delicious. I found the menu quite confusing though… Then we went home and went to bed.

Holiday in the Gold Coast: Day 1

We drove to the busy Auckland Airport at 7:00, and we arrived at about 8:30. It took us fifteen minutes to find a car park, and it was quite a long walk to get to the actual airport. We had to wait around for a while to get our baggage onto the plane and to check in. There were a lot of different lines we had to wait in. After about 3 hours, we finally could get on the plane. The plane ride was long, and the landing was really bumpy! When we got to the Gold Coast Airport, we had to wait in more lines, until eventually, we had all our luggage, and we were ready to go. We had to hire a car, which took us a while to sort out. Then, we were away, and we drove to our hotel. It took us about half an hour to get there, and then when we did get there, it took about 15 minutes to check in. Then, we were on our way to our room. Our room had two bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchen, a deck, and a balcony! When we got there, we put on our togs and made our way to the nearest pool. We found a pool practically right next door to our room, which was really handy! This pool had a slide, and it was really fun! The pools were really deep, about 2 metres. We went to the Splash Zone next. At the Splash Zone, there were lots of little slides, but the water everywhere was only a few centimetres deep. There was also a big bucket full of water that tipped down and hit you! I did that around about a million times… After we had a little bit of an explore, we went to dinner at the restaurant at the resort, called The Deck. I ordered coconut crumbed prawns, which were really delicious. We went back to our hotel room and I was exhausted! It may have only been 6 o'clock, but I was fast asleep.

Mum Wears Dinosaur Outfit To School

Max (7) and Jacob’s (8) Mum, Leslie Eggenberger picks up her children wearing a dinosaur costume! She says she bought the outfit on Amazon for $60 to teach her kids to have fun, and be brave and bold without caring what other people think.

My Opinion:

I think this is a great message to convey!

Source: I found this information on Kiwi Kids News.

My Wondering:
Where is Red Bug Elementary School?

Answer:

In Florida:

Words:

Convey: communicate (a message or information).

Costume: a set of clothes in a style typical of a particular country or historical period.

Inflatable: capable of being filled with air.

Weekly Reflection Term 2 Week 1

Positives:

• I got my IE presentation and creation finished! Now I am ready to share!
• I really enjoyed starting my Art Frame!
• I am doing really well at tech! My train carriage is doing good!

Negatives:

• I had a pretty good week last week, so no negatives!

What I Learnt:

• I learnt what the word hierarchy meant!

Princess Charlotte Turns Two

This is what I discovered:

A photo of Princess Charlotte has been released by Kensington Palace to mark her second birthday, which was on 2 May. The picture was taken by her mother at the family’s home in Norfolk. The palace stated: “The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this photograph as they celebrate Princess Charlotte’s second birthday. Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank everyone for all of the lovely messages they have received.”

My Opinion:

I think that Princess Charlotte looks very mature in the photo. She is dressed very nicely!

Source: I found this information on Kiwi Kids News.

My Wondering:

How old is Prince George?

Answer:

Prince George is 3 years old, and his birthday is on the 22nd of July.

Words:

Motif: a decorative image or design, especially a repeated one forming a pattern.

Statement: a definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing.

Released: allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free.

Hockey Big Day Out

On the 28th of March, we had Hockey Big Day Out. Hockey Big Day Out is a have a go day to play some hockey. In my team, I had my mum as the manager. In my team, there was Josh, Matthew, Layla, Jonty, Brooke, Logan and myself. Our team was called the Pumas! Most of us had never played hockey before so it was a great day for us to learn some new skills. Our first game was against another Ngatea team, the Jaguars. We had a great game, and when the bell rang, the score was 3-3. But the umpires hadn’t yet blown the whistle, so the game was still in play when the Jaguars scored another goal. Unfortunately, we lost 4-3 but I still feel like we played really well together as a team.

I don’t really remember much about our other games, apart from the fact that we lost them all. I do remember my last game, in which we played against some adults. We lost miserably, but it was fun to play against them.

I had a lot of fun at HBDO and I’m sad that it’s my last opportunity to do it.

My Shelfie Milestone

I have completed the Marama My Shelfie Milestone! For this milestone I had to read a lot of different genres of books, and then create a shelfie. Here it is:

Private Peaceful - Michael Morpurgo

The life of Tommo, who believes he killed his father.

Born To Run - Michael Morpurgo

A heartwarming story about the different lives of one dog.

One - Sarah Crossan

A heartwarming story about conjoined twins, and how everything changes.

Tekau nga Poihau - Manu Te Awa

A simple children’s story about numbers and colours in Maori.

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

This poem is about making a difference in the world.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child -  J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

The eighth amazing Harry Potter story set 19 years later.

Do tablets still have a place in our digital lives? - Stuff

All about tablets and why we like and need them.

Boy: Tales Of Childhood - Roald Dahl

Tales of Roald Dahl’s really eventful, funny and interesting life!

One girl, One dream - Laura Dekker

Laura (14) pursues her dream to sail around the world.

Dear Toby - Diana Noonan

Are you worried about your bear? Call the expert, Toby.

Esio Trot - Roald Dahl

A story about Mr Hoppy’s plan to marry Mrs Silver!

Felix And The Red Rats - James Norcliffe

Uncle Felix has an adventurous past that will change everything.

Waiting For Callback - Perdita & Honor Cargill

A great book about Elektra, an actress with big dreams.

My IE Summaries

So far in my IE I have answered all of my questions with summaries. Here they are:

What is politics?

The word politics means the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power. Politics is a way of deciding the government, and making different decisions that impact our community. It is the way we make laws in our society. Politics can also be used not just in laws, but also in schools, and big companies. Politics is about making agreements in groups so that they can live in peace together, and without fights.

How do politics work in NZ?

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy, which is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state. I NZ’s case, this person is the Queen. The Governor General represents the Queen. New Zealand uses an MMP voting system. This stands for Mixed Member Proportional. Using the MMP system, each voter gets two votes. The first vote, is for the party you prefer. This is the vote that largely decides which number of seats each party gets of the 120 seats in Parliament. For example, if 40% vote for the banana party, they will get 40% of the seats in Parliament. Your second vote is to choose a person to represent your local electorate in Parliament. Under MMP, New Zealand is divided into 71 electorates. Whoever gets the most votes, will become your local MP. For a party to get seats in Parliament, they have to get at least 5% of the votes, or win an electorate seat. But, if for example, a party got 4% of the votes, but also got one electorate, they would be entitled to 4% of the seats. The government is formed by a democratic election held every three years.

What do the different political parties represent?

There are 7 parties that currently have seats inside of Parliament.

• National Party
• Labour Party
• Green Party
• New Zealand First Party
• Maori Party
• ACT Party
• United Future Party

The most popular party is the National party. The leader is Bill English. The party was founded in 1936. They have 59 seats in Parliament, and they are the Labour party’s main opposition. The National party supports a mixed economy market, and lower taxation.

The Labour Party’s leader is Andrew Little. They have 32 seats in Parliament. Founded in 1916, they are the countries eldest party. They support everything that the National party supports.

The Green Party is the third most popular party. They have 14 seats in Parliament. They were founded in 1990, and their leaders are Metiria Turei and James Shaw. They support environmentalism and nonviolence.

The New Zealand First party was founded in 1993. Their leader is Winston Peters. Their primary goals are to reduce immigration, reduce Treaty Of Waitangi payments, and increasing sentences for crime. They have 12 seats in Parliament.

The Maori Party have 2 seats in Parliament. Their leaders are Te Ururoa Flavel and Marama Fox. They were founded in 2004. They are a party that addresses the concerns of NZ’s Maori minority. It promotes the rights and interests of the Maori.

The ACT party was founded in 1994. Their leader is David Seymour. They have 1 seat in Parliament. They promote free market economics, low taxation, and increased punishments for crime.

The United Future Party have 1 seat in Parliament. Their leader is Peter Dunne, and they were founded in the year 2000. They have a strong Christian background, and describe their platform as “common sense.”

How was the Prime Minister decided?

The Prime Minister is decided after the election. The party with the most seats leader is the Prime Minister. Or, the party can choose another leader if one stands down, like they did when John Key left, which meant that the new leader of the national party, Bill English became the Prime Minister. In September, when we have the election, if a different party wins the majority of the seats, their leader will become Prime Minister.

Are politics changing? If they are, is it for the better or worse?

Politics aren’t really changing. Of course the House Of Representatives and the Prime Minister might change each year, but that is simply how politics work in NZ. Nothing big in the rules has really changed. Right back at the start, there were things that changed, like how women couldn’t vote. Now they can, and New Zealand has created a great system that works really well. People still want their governments to make things better. It’s not always about the government’s decision, it’s also about what the community wants, and how the decision made affects our society.

What does a politician’s job involve?

I emailed Scott Simpson, and here is what he said.

• Representing their constituents in our Parliament.
• Assisting and advocating on behalf of constituents.
• Representing their Party, and being the voice and face of their electorate in Parliament.
• Participating in the legislative process through select committee work debates in the House.
• There is also a considerable degree of ‘pastoral care’ that includes helping people with problems and issues.

It’s a huge privilege to be elected to Parliament and it involves a wide range of activities in both the local electorate and in Wellington.

How does the government make decisions that impact our community? What impacts their decisions?

Here is what Scott Simpson said:

“By formulating policy that is presented to voters during election campaigns. Elected governments then seek to use their term of office to implement those policies. Members of Parliament will listen to a range of views and opinions expressed to them by a wide range of individuals, pressure and lobby groups, officials and advisors. Those views are debated within political party groups and also in the House. Every piece of legislation requires the approval of a majority of MPs in Parliament before it can become law.

The advice and feedback received from members of the public. Ultimately politicians who do not listen to and act upon the wishes of those that elect them will be voted out of office.”

How long is the government in power?

The House of Representatives is formed every three years after a general election using the MMP voting system. Or, they might have a snap election, which is an election before the three years is up.

What is an MP?

MP stands for Member Of Parliament. An MP is a member of the House of Representatives, which has a minimum of 120 members that are elected at a general election for a three year term. There are 70 electorate MPs in New Zealand, 7 of which are elected by Maori. The remaining MP’s are selected using the MMP voting system. For example, if the cherry party had 8 electorate MPs, and had won 10% of the votes, they would get 12 chairs, 8 of which would be taken up by their electorate MPs, and the other four would be taken up by other selected MPs.

An electorate MP is a representative of their electorate.

What different roles are there in politics?

Here is what Scott Simpson said:

“Lots. The main role is as a member of our Parliament, but within that there are members of the Executive (sometimes referred to as the Cabinet) lead by the Prime Minister. Some of us are select committee chairs or Parliamentary Private Secretaries. The roles are divided into Government and Opposition roles. Opposition MPs are often ‘spokespersons’ for various portfolio or policy areas.”

Man Runs 300km in Undies for Charity

This is what I discovered:
An Australian man run 300km in just his undies for charity. In January Braden Hayes jokingly posted on social media that he would run 323km if the Hobart Hurricanes beat the Melbourne Renegades. Unexpectedly, they did. During his run, he made $17,000 for his local charities MND (Motor Neurons Disease) Tasmania and Diddy's Day Out through Run For A Cause. 
My Opinion:
I think that it is great that he kept his promise and he actually did it! And, he even made money for charity. 
Source: 
I found this information on Kiwi Kids News. 
My Wondering: 
What is MND?
Answer: (Information from southerncross.co.nz)

Motor neurone disease is a neurological condition that causes the progressive degeneration of specialised nerve cells, called motor neurons, in the brain and spinal cord. It has no known cause and is invariably fatal, with a likely life expectancy of 2 - 4 years from diagnosis.  In New Zealand about 300 people have motor neurone disease at any one time. Slightly more men than women develop the disease.

Motor neurone disease symptoms can include generalised muscle spasms, exaggerated reflexes and a progressive wasting and weakness of muscles responsible for speech, chewing and swallowing. As the condition progresses, sufferers may be unable to walk, speak, use their arms and hands, or hold up their head.

Words:

Quip: a witty remark.

Jokingly: in a humorous or flippant manner.

Record: the sum of the past achievements or performance of a person, organization, or thing.