Te Reo Tech

Last week marked the exciting beginning of our new tech rotation, and we kicked things off with Te Reo Māori. The day started with a bus ride, and as soon as we stepped off, we headed straight toward our technology class. We ended up waiting outside for quite a while, wondering what the session would look like, until our tech teacher finally arrived. His name was Matua Adrian.

Right from the start, he welcomed us warmly. He introduced himself by sharing his pepeha, beautifully explaining the connection to his ancestors, who he was, and where he comes from. He also shared an inspiring story about his journey and how he eventually landed his role as a teacher at Tamaki College. Once the introductions and the roll call were out of the way, it was time to head to the whare.

As we approached the whare (marae), we noticed a lot of litter scattered around the grounds. Me and a few of my classmates immediately jumped into action and started picking up all the rubbish. We knew how important this was—in Māori culture, the whare is a deeply sacred and special place, and keeping the grounds clean is a vital sign of respect and kaitiakitanga (guardianship).

Before we even stepped inside, Matua Adrian gathered us to teach us a few interactive actions. He called out different words in Te Reo representing various body parts, and we had to match them with the right movements.

Once we got the hang of that, he explained the beautiful symbolism behind the structure of the whare itself, showing us how it represents the human body:

  • The Doors: These represent the heart, because just like a heart, they open up to welcome people in.

  • The Windows: These represent the eyes, looking out at the world.

  • The Space Underneath: The shaded space under the structure represents the mind, because it holds a vast amount of room for knowledge and wisdom.

    When we finally stepped inside, we were surrounded by incredible, intricate Māori designs. There were stunning woven panels featuring harakeke (flax) and many other traditional art forms. However, there was one specific artwork that completely caught my eye. It was a powerful depiction of Māui, a Taniwha, a giant fish, and the blazing sun.

    Matua Adrian noticed my interest and graciously explained the rich history behind it. He broke down the meaning of the tā moko (facial tattoo) on the figure, explaining that every single line and pattern on the face represented a person’s achievements, their skills, what they knew, where they could travel, and even their age. It was like reading a person’s entire life story right on their skin.

    Then, things got really interesting—and a little bit gross! Matua Adrian explained the traditional process of how the dark ink for the tattoos was historically made.

    According to the traditional method, you take a shark liver and let it sit out. Meanwhile, you feed a dog a strict diet of only caterpillars. The dog really doesn’t enjoy it, but once the dog digests the caterpillars, it produces a distinct white poop.

    This dried material, along with the shark liver oil and a few other secret ingredients, would be mixed together to create the rich, lasting ink applied to the face. Hearing how they utilized natural resources like that was pretty mind-blowing (even if it was a bit disgusting!).

    To wrap up an amazing session, we played a high-energy game called “He-Ha-Ho.” It’s a bit hard to explain the exact rules, but it is all about pure speed, razor-sharp focus, and lightning-fast reaction times. Everyone was laughing and trying their best to keep up.

    All too soon, our time was up. We exited the whare, slipped our shoes back on, and hopped the bus to head back to school. It was an unforgettable start to our rotation, packed with laughs, respect, and some truly unforgettable history.

Mood-O-Meter Chapter 19

Today in Reading, our teacher made up something called the “Mood-O-Metre,” which is a tool to show how the characters’ feelings changed throughout the story (Boy in the striped Pajamas). We looked at Bruno and Shmuel, two boys who became friends, we also tracked how their emotions shifted during different parts of the story. The Mood-O-Metre covers a range of feelings from very sad to very happy. We started by placing their mood at “Elated,” meaning very happy, as they first became friends. As the story went on and difficult things happened, their mood dropped all the way down to “hopeless,” which shows they felt very sad and despairing. Later, their feelings improved again, and their mood went back up, especially at the very end, when they died. This shows that despite everything, they shared a strong bond and cared about each other deeply, even in the face of terrible circumstances. The Mood-O-Metre helps us understand how their emotions changed over time and highlights the strength of their friendship, which remained important until the very end.

 

Contrast – Chapter 16

LI: To use AI to create an image that shows the contrast between events or characters

Today we have done something different so for this task we first as LS2 read the book “The boy in striped pajamas” chapter 16. The task today was to make a AI image to show what contrast is. Bruno and Shmuel is best friends. They can only do small thing when they hang out because there are a endless fence separating them.

What is contrast, contrast is the opposite of things. For example: Bruno can eat 3 meals a day but Shmuel eats 1 piece of bread a day.

Something I enjoyed is learning how to define what contrast is and using Nano Banana AI for our task.

 

 

How to divide decimals

This week Group 1 has been learning about dividing decimal numbers the first thing to do is 1st we Check the Divisor: Look at the number doing the dividing (the number outside the division box). If it has a decimal, move it to the right until it is a whole number.Adjust the Dividend: Move the decimal point inside the division box (the dividend) the exact same number of places to the right.Bring the Decimal Up: Place your new decimal point directly above its new spot in the division box.Divide as Usual: Perform your long division steps (divide, multiply, subtract, bring down). If you need to, add trailing zeros to the right of your dividend to finish the problem.

How to take notes like a Caveman

Couple of weeks ago, we learned how to take notes in a very simple way, kind of like how a caveman would do it. That means using short, easy words and only writing down the most important points instead of full sentences. We worked with a partner so we could share ideas, bounce suggestions off each other, and come up with a better note together. This teamwork made the process easier because we could help each other figure out which bits of information really mattered and should be written down. It also made taking notes faster because we focused only on the main ideas, not on writing everything out in detail. I realized that notes don’t have to be exact copies of what’s said or written; they just need to be clear enough for you to understand and remember what you learned later. Overall, this way of note-taking helps save time and makes it easier to grasp and review the key information when studying.

Panmure Basin Walk

A couple of weeks ago, on a Wednesday, our school went on a trip to a place called Panmure Basin. It’s a big, pretty pond or small lake, and we spent the whole day walking around it. We didn’t just walk, though we stopped at different spots along the way, we stopped to learn more about the area. Our teachers explained things about what the basin is and its history, it was kind of like a lesson outside the classroom.

One of the most interesting things I found out was about a legend connected to the basin. It’s about a mythical creature called a Taniwha, which is a kind of supernatural being in local stories. The Taniwha in this case is called Moko ika hika waru. People say that this creature lives under the bridge that connects the two sides of the basin. According to the stories, the Taniwha isn’t just a monster—it’s considered a guardian or protector of the area, keeping watch over the place and perhaps the people nearby.

Learning about this legend gave me a better sense of the local culture and traditions. It’s kind of like how different places have stories or myths to explain things or to keep history alive. The trip also helped me see the natural environment in a new way, understanding the plants, the water, and how humans interact with this space. All in all, it was a good experience because I got to learn outside the usual classroom setting, and I got to hear stories that are part of the community’s identity.

Sewing Tech

This week was the last day of our rotation at the sewing class. For my project, I chose to design a bag featuring a traditional Māori pattern. The main design is a large koru, which is a spiral shape that comes from Māori art and symbolizes new life and growth. I made the bag using white fabric for the pattern and such more. I decided to make this bag for my mum because she has done so much for me, and I wanted to find a special way to thank her. Since Mother’s Day was coming up that week, I thought it would be a nice gift to give her.

When I finished the bag, I was really happy with how it turned out. I didn’t expect it to look so good, and I was surprised at how much my skills improved while making it. The design on the bag is important to me because it reflects my Māori culture. It feels special to include those symbols in my work and to share that part of myself with my mum through this gift.

I think my mum will probably use this bag when she’s going out, for example shopping and more. It’s important that it was actually big enough to carry all the things she may need, like her wallet, keys, phone, and maybe some other small items. I hope she likes it and that she feels proud that I made something meaningful for her. Overall, making this bag was a fantastic experience for me, and I’m glad I could create something that not only looks nice but also represents a part of who my mum is and me aswell.

My Mural (Painting the town)

>This week, the students in LS2 including me,were challenged to do a special project. But before we started working on our special project which is a mural, everyone had to read the story called “Painting the Town” by Renata Hopkins. This story talked about what happened to the city of Christchurch back in 2011. That year, there was a very strong earthquake that caused a lot of damage, especially in the middle part of the city, called the downtown area. The earthquake broke buildings, made roads crack, and caused a lot of destruction, making the city look very sad and broken.

After the earthquake, the people in Christchurch wanted to make their city look better and help everyone feel happier again. So, they started painting big murals these are colorful wall paintings on the sides of buildings all over the city. These murals were bright and lively and made the area look cheerful and full of life. The main idea was to help people feel hopeful and to make the city beautiful again. The murals worked as a kind of art therapy, helping everyone heal emotionally and restore the spirit of the community after such a big disaster.

For the project, each student was asked to create their own digital mural, which is like a colorful tracing or drawing on a computer. The murals had to show where they come from like their hometown, family, or culture and what they see or feel about who they are. In simple words, they could use their artwork to share their background, their experiences, and what makes them unique. This was a way for each student to show who they are without using words, just pictures. By making these murals, the students could express themselves and their feelings, and they could also be part of the effort to help their city recover and look nice again.

Their murals are personal they tell their own stories but they also help the bigger picture of Christchurch becoming a better and more welcoming place. The project helped the students understand how art isn’t just something pretty to look at but can be a powerful tool to help people feel better, to share their stories, and to help a community heal after something really upsetting or destructive. In the end, they learned that art can bring people together, make a community stronger, and help a city rebuild after difficult times.

The mural I made using Google Draw shows where I come from and what I see as part of who I am. It’s my way of showing my background and what makes me myself, all through pictures. I wanted to share a piece of my life and feelings in my artwork, so others could see a little bit of who I am just by looking at it. I think that art like this can be very helpful for a community. It can help people feel hopeful again after something bad happens, like a big earthquake. My mural is personal, because it shows my story, but at the same time, it’s part of the bigger effort to make Christchurch look nice and feel welcoming once more. Making this mural helped me see how drawing and art can be more than just pictures. They can be tools to help heal, to express yourself, and to bring people together after hard times.

 

Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

Today we got assigned to create a (DLO) about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus, but then we found out the real task was to learn about a different kind called the North West East South Tree Octopus. There was a special rule with this assignment: I was only allowed to use one website that had all the facts about Tree Octopuses. This made me realize that trusting just one source of information can be tricky because sometimes what you read might be confusing, make little sense, or even be wrong. Also, some words and how they explain things might be hard to understand, so it’s a good idea to look at more than one website to get a clearer picture of what you want to learn.

In the process of doing this task, I discovered something pretty surprising: the story about the Tree Octopus isn’t real, it’s made up. It’s a hoax or fake story that people created on the internet. Even though the story isn’t true, I did find a website that had some real information about actual octopuses, just not about this fake tree version. This experience taught me an important lesson — whenever I’m learning new things online, I need to check multiple sources to make sure I’m getting correct information. Relying on just one website can lead to misunderstandings or believing false stories. It also showed me that not everything I read on the internet is true, so I should be careful and think critically about what I find to avoid being misled by fake stories or misinformation. Overall, it was a useful exercise in being more cautious and responsible when searching for knowledge online.

How to Multiply Decimals

LI: How to multiply decimals using algorithims

This week in class, Group 1 are learning about multiplying decimal numbers. Multiplying decimals is very similar to multiplying regular whole numbers. The main difference is that after you do the multiplication, you need to figure out the correct place for the decimal point in the answer.

Here’s how it works:

First, you ignore the decimal points from the numbers you’re multiplying and just multiply the numbers as if they were whole numbers. When setting up the problem, you don’t need to line up the decimals perfectly; just focus on multiplying the digits as usual.

Next, when you start multiplying, you set everything up normally: line up the numbers to the right and multiply as if they were whole numbers. During the process, if you need to move to the next digit (like moving from ones to tens), you might add a placeholder zero to keep track of places and make sure the multiplication is accurate.

Finally, after you get the full product (the answer), you count how many decimal places there were in the original numbers you’re multiplying. For example, if one number had two decimal places and the other had one, that’s three total decimal places. Then, you take the total number of decimal places you counted and move the decimal point in your answer that many places to the left. This gives you the correct decimal answer for the multiplication.