24. Puffer fish (SLJ)

Kia ora,

We are learning to continue our learning journey by participating in the Summer Learning Journey.

For this week’s Cyber Smart session, we worked on the Summer Learning Journey, focusing on the second assignment. The task for this week was the “Kick Start” activity, where we were asked to create a Japanese pufferfish. I really enjoyed this activity because it allowed me to get creative and design my own pufferfish. I used Google Drawings for this task, which made it even more fun. The only tool I needed was the curve line tool, which made the process simple yet enjoyable.

What I found particularly inspiring about this task was learning about how Japanese pufferfish are admired not just for their appearance, but also because they are often used in Japanese art. In Japan, pufferfish are considered very beautiful and are known for their unique patterns and colors. People even create art based on these patterns, which made me more excited to design my own version. This experience helped me appreciate how nature can inspire art and creativity.

24. Word search (SLJ)

Kia ora,

We are learning to continue our learning journey through SLJ.

This week for the summer learning journey, we had a new task to complete, which was to create our very own word search. I really enjoyed this activity because not only was it fun to make, but it was also quite challenging. After I finished creating the word search, I decided to test it myself to see if it was difficult enough, and it definitely turned out to be a good challenge. I liked how I could choose any topic I wanted for the word search, which made it even more interesting and personal. It was cool to see how I could make the puzzle fun and tricky at the same time by choosing harder words.

Another reason I enjoyed this task is that it was the first one where you could earn points for both posting and finishing your work. This made it feel like a rewarding start to the program, and it gave me more motivation to complete the task properly. Because of the points, I felt extra proud of my word search, and it made me look forward to the other tasks ahead.

Overall, creating the word search was a fun and creative experience. It was challenging but also very enjoyable, and it gave me the chance to use my imagination. I’m excited for the next tasks and can’t wait to see what other fun activities we will have in the future!

you can try and complete this by simply searching up: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/7851684/

24. Making decision (reading)

Kia ora,

We are learning to understand different instructions and make the best choice for following through.

This week’s reading focused on two stories centered around life-or-death situations. The first story was about two teenagers trapped in a bunker after an explosion had caused radiation to contaminate the outside air. In this story, the teenagers had to make a life-or-death decision about whether to open the bunker doors, unsure if the air outside was still dangerous. The tension in the story stemmed from the uncertainty of the situation, with the teenagers weighing the risks of potentially dying from radiation against the possibility of survival outside.

The second story involved a family who had to make the difficult decision to put down their chicken. The chicken was suffering and close to death, and the family had to decide whether to end its life to stop the animal’s pain. Although they all loved the chicken, they came to the agreement that putting it down was the most compassionate choice.

I really enjoyed working on this week’s slide because both stories explore the themes of perspective and decision-making in life-or-death situations. Each story invites readers to consider how personal values and experiences shape the way we approach difficult decisions. The second story, in particular, felt relatable because many people have experienced the emotional challenge of having to put down a beloved pet. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to make such a decision, and it can be difficult to know what the right choice is. These stories show how challenging these decisions can be, especially when it involves something or someone we care about.

24. Summer learning journey – wanted Stonefish

Kia ora,

This week, our class began working on the Summer Learning Journey. The Summer Learning Journey is designed to help us continue learning during the long six-week holiday. Once school starts again, we have the chance to earn prizes based on our progress. The activities are fun because they aren’t too difficult; they help jog our memory and ensure we don’t forget what we’ve learned. For the first assignment, we had to create a poster about a wanted stonefish. Stonefish are venomous creatures, and if you step on their sharp spines, they release poison and toxins, which can cause serious harm or even death. I enjoyed this task because it showed me that the Summer Learning Journey is not just about homework; it’s about having fun while learning. The best part is that all the work is done with the chance of winning prizes, which can range from technology to school supplies.

 

24. Thank you KPMG – Gift giving

Kia ora,

We are learning to appreciate what we have, As well as being thankful towards KPMG

This week at Edmund Hillary School, we had the privilege of welcoming KPMG back to our school, and we are all really grateful for their visit. KPMG has visited our school many times, and we know that whenever they come, it’s always something exciting and special. In previous years, they’ve come to give us Easter eggs and help with our Whanau Day, which is always a fun event. This time, however, KPMG had two important reasons for coming.

The first reason was to hand out scholarships to students who were selected for their achievements. These scholarships are a big deal, and it’s great to see students being recognized for their hard work and dedication. The second reason for their visit was to give us gifts. Every year, KPMG kindly gives us gifts, and each of us has a budget to choose something within that price range. It’s a fun way to get something we might really like, and it’s always a highlight of the year.

When it was my turn to choose a gift, I decided not to pick anything too serious. Instead, I decided to ask for a keyboard and mouse. I didn’t want anything too big or complicated, just something useful and fun that I could enjoy. It’s great to have the chance to get something that will be useful to me, and I’m very thankful to KPMG for their generosity. Overall, it was a wonderful day, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to be a part of it.

24.Papyrus.AI

Kia ora,

We have been learning about how to chat and use ai to help us with our work

This week in our writing lessons, we used A.I. to help improve our stories and make them more interesting and detailed. We had two sessions where we worked with Papyrus A.I. The first session was with Naomi, and we used the A.I. to help with narrative writing. What we liked about Papyrus is that it doesn’t just give you a full paragraph, but instead, it provides helpful tips and suggestions to help you build a better paragraph on your own.

In the first session, we focused on improving the way we tell a story. Papyrus A.I. gave us advice on things like how to make our characters’ actions more realistic, how to describe settings in a more interesting way, and how to make the plot more exciting. This way, we were able to think about our writing and make improvements ourselves, instead of just copying a new version of our work. We found this to be a helpful way to become better writers because we learned new techniques and tricks that we could use in the future.

The second session was when we used the A.I. to help with argument writing. Our task was to write an argument about why we should have a 4-day weekend, which means having a 3-day break. We wanted the A.I. to help us improve our starting statement. We asked the A.I. for suggestions, and it gave us a lot of useful tips. It suggested ways to make our argument stronger, like explaining the benefits of having more free time, how it could improve our well-being, and why it could help us be more productive when we do work. The A.I. didn’t just fix the sentence for us, but also helped us think of reasons to support our argument. This made our writing stronger and more convincing.

Overall, using Papyrus A.I. was a fun and helpful experience. It gave us new ideas and helped us improve both our creative and argument writing. We learned how to use technology in a smart way to make our writing better and more detailed.

24. Bee Business Master (reading)

Kia ora,

We are learning how to be a good beekeeper and look after a bee hive.

This week’s reading was about how people can turn bees into a business by selling honey. The story we read was about a group of people who started a honey business at their school. They wanted to start this business not only to make money but also to have honey to use on their toast or as a topping for food. At first, I thought making honey seemed very easy. I imagined that all you had to do was collect the honey, and since you’re protected by the suit, there was nothing to worry about. But after reading, I learned that making and selling honey isn’t as simple as it sounds.

One important thing I learned was that you cannot sell honey unless it passes a professional taste test. Before you can sell your honey, someone has to test it and decide if it tastes good enough for the market. If your honey passes the test and is of good quality, then you can start selling it. This was surprising because I didn’t realise there were such strict rules around selling food products like honey. It made me understand that selling anything requires a lot of work and attention to detail.

Another part of the reading that I enjoyed was learning about the different types of bees. Before this, I always thought that only honey bees made honey. But it turns out there are many other kinds of bees that also make honey. Each type of bee has its own special role and way of making honey, which I found really interesting. It made me realise how much there is to learn about bees, and how important they are to the process of producing honey.

Overall, I really enjoyed this reading. It taught me not only about the process of making honey but also about how to turn something like beekeeping into a real business. It showed me that even something as simple as honey can be a lot more complex than it seems.

 

24. fair chocolate master

Kia ora,

We are learning to summarise and compare.

In this week’s Reading Response, we learned how chocolate is made and the many things it can be used for. The main ingredient in chocolate is cocoa beans, which grow on cacao trees. Inside the cocoa beans, there are these white, sticky bits that need to be dried in the sun with banana leaves placed on top. Once they are dried, they are sent to a factory where the real work begins. There, the cocoa beans are mixed with sugar, milk, and other ingredients to make chocolate sweet.

This Reading Response was the longest one I’ve had to do this term, but I really enjoyed learning about chocolate and how it’s made. I discovered many interesting facts and learned about different types of chocolate. One challenge I faced was creating the timeline, and I thought it would be fun to ask the class what their favourite type of chocolate is. The options were milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, truffle chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. That’s all I have to share, I will now show you my slides!

24. Market day game

Kia ora,

We are learning to apply what we have been learning in financial literacy.

This week in math, we focused on financial literacy through a story about a girl named Anna, who was selling items at a market. We worked on calculating her income from sales and creating an income/expenditure statement. I really enjoyed this type of math because once we finished our work, we got to play a fun board game. The game was math-themed, and even though we were playing, we still had to solve problems like finding percentages. For example, there was a market option in the game that said, “sell juggling balls for 10% off.” Since the juggling balls cost $12, we had to figure out what 10% of $12 was.

24. Argument writing

Kia ora,

We are learning to see if it is better to have four days in a school week.

For this week’s argument writing assignment, we were asked to choose between having a four-day school week with a three-day weekend or sticking to the traditional five-day week with only two days off. I believe that having a four-day week would be much better for both students and teachers.

One of the main reasons I support a four-day week is that two days of rest simply aren’t enough. Many people, including myself, often have plans with family and friends that take up the weekend, leaving little time for relaxation. With only two days off, it can feel rushed and stressful. A three-day weekend would allow everyone to unwind more, spend time with loved ones, and recharge for the week ahead. It would give us an extra day to enjoy activities or hobbies that we love, which is really important for our overall happiness.

Additionally, a four-day school week could significantly improve mental health for students and teachers alike. School can be challenging and tiring, and having an extra day off would help reduce burnout and stress. This extra time could be used for self-care, whether that means relaxing at home, going outside, or catching up on sleep. Students would have more opportunities to focus on their mental health, which is crucial for doing well in school. Teachers would also benefit from the additional time to prepare lessons, grade assignments, or simply take a break.

Moreover, with a longer weekend, students could catch up on homework and study for tests without feeling overwhelmed. This would lead to better academic performance because students would be more refreshed and ready to learn when they return to school.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that switching to a four-day week would be beneficial for everyone. It would provide more time for rest, improve mental health, and enhance learning experiences. A three-day weekend would help us all feel more balanced and ready to take on the challenges of school.