S.L.C

This is my slideshow for my Student Led Conference

Flags

Distinction evidence: Flags

Today I put out the flags when it was spitting. My flag is the active thinking flag. I got tonnes of drops of water on my glasses. Today I thought the leaders meeting was on today so I was early enough to do my flag. It was funny when Emma H asked if I did my flag because I'm usually late so I don't do it but I did it before her and that was funny. I have been going well with putting it out this week which is a good achievement.

Leadership reflection

My goals from the start of this year that I wanted to achieve by the end of the year are:

1. Get my Distinction Leadership badge- I've have now achieved my Merit and Excellence and I'm on my way to achieving my Distinction.
2. Be a role model for younger students- I try to show the CARE values as much as possible so that when younger students look up to me, they see a good example.
3. Be an awesome Deputy Head Girl- I have been fulfilling my role as Deputy Head Girl by opening and closing assemblies, being a role model to other students, showing the CARE values, getting my Leadership badges, and having a positive attitude.

I have nearly achieved all three of my goals. My next step is to get my Distinction badge. Hopefully I do!

Mia's Maths Prove-It

Mia Speech Prove-it

Do you regret the time you laid the Xbox controller in your father's eyesight when you had to do something important, like serving yourself icecream? Huge mistake. When you return, your epic pool in Minecraft is swarming with squids! 

Kauri Team Event

Distinction evidence: Kauri team event

Over the past 3 days, the year 7/8 have been participating in Koru Games. I have been in the Girls Basketball team. 

I really enjoyed getting 3 baskets towards our win against Lincoln 5-0 because it was our first win. 

Thinking back to the beginning of the year, I really improved on being competitive towards the opposition and dribbling around people.

Something I will remember about Koru Games is my epic savior of scoring 3 points against Lincoln.

PALS

Excellence evidence: PALS

Yesterday, I took over Poppy's job as a PAL because I couldn't do it today (winter sport). We were with the juniors and we played a numerous amount of games. We played Octopus, Simon Says, Crocodile Tag and many more. It was quite difficult to explain the boundaries to the kids as we didn't have any cones, yet you should know if you're playing on the Junior side of the field, or the Senior playground.. Nearly everybody got a turn at being Simon but the kids who didn't started up the game 'Crocodile Tag'. It was very fun

Radio Station

Excellence evidence: Radio Station

On Wednesday, Emma, Hayley, and I were the DJ's of Oaklands School. I have to say I may have to double check the song I'm playing because we started a song when I realized the song was 8 minutes long!!! We played half of it then we had to do a sudden interruption and apologize to our many viewers. We always muck around in the Radio Room and we almost committed a crime: not turning our microphones on!!! Last time our microphones weren't on for nearly the whole session! Until Mr McCallum saved us...

Term 1 Reading

TERM 1 READING GOAL

WALT: I can identify several language features in a text; giving relevant examples.

I have achieved the extended abstract stage.

Spelling group- Writing AsTTle test

WRITING- SPELLING

WALT: I can add something to my blog that shows others how to use these (spelling) strategies.

I have achieved the extended abstract stage.

Music lessons

Excellence evidence: Music lessons with Roger Hamilton

Today Sarah, Jesse and I got a free (not really) guitar lesson because a couple of weeks ago, Roger was sick so we missed out, but we had to have another one because our parents have paid for ALL the lessons. It was fabulous! Last week, Roger gave us "Hold Back the River" by James Bay which is my absolute favourite song at the moment. When he gave it to us, we had no idea what the picky bit was and even Roger struggled with it! He still is struggling with it but I spent a whole day playing guitar so I can nail it! It is a really beautiful song and Sarah and I are going to perform it in the Oakland's Got Talent. I hope we do well...

Reading follow up from ages ago

 

Mia's Magnificent Marvellous Math!

Kakano Talent Quest Judging

Excellence evidence: Kakano Talent Quest Judging

I know, I haven't done it yet but I did something pretty awesome to do with it.
Miss deSchot emailed the house leaders about judging the Kakano Talent Quest and I just made a graph of who can do it each day and emailed it to her. I did it very quickly and she, Mr Ladbrook and Miss O were very pleased :) I had made a minor mistake though by not checking with the leaders first to see if they were available and then sending her the results but I sorted Hayley out reasonably quickly and adjusted the graph and sent it to Miss deSchot.
I got an Active Thinking tick!!!!!!:):):):)

Flags

Excellence evidence: Flags

As house captains and leaders, we need to put out our school flags (showing the CARE values and our school name) and bring them back in. We have made a schedule so that the girls put them out and the boys bring them in, or vies versa depending on the term. We have been doing this regularly though I have been late to school many times so I haven't been able to put mine out. Lately I've been keeping on top of it, but every now and then I'm late so I can't put it out. It's a good job though.

Cyber Safety

Excellence evidence: Cyber Safety

I am in charge of running a Cyber Safety course for the school. I have just recently written out 2 scripts that we are performing in the assembly (Hayley, Emma, Azriel, Becca, Jackie and Cassidy that is). The first one that we are performing is about 'Putting Your Personal Details On The Internet' or 'Personal Info' for short. I have juts earlier sent the skit scripts to the actors so they can practise. If you want to see more just visit my Google Docs.

PALS

Excellence evidence: PALS

Last week on Friday I had PALS. Again no one turned up.
We planned an awesome mega game of Octopus again but no one wanted to play.
I lie, a couple of kids asked us what we were doing, but they weren't that keen on playing Octopus in their lunchtime. So that was boring

Music Lessons

Excellence evidence: Music Lessons

Last week, Jesse and I were given a new song. That is 'The Only Exception' by Paramore.
I've heard that song be3fore, but it looks really difficult. Especially the riff. Woah! It even looks scary! There is some chords in there that I've never heard of either, just to make it difficult enough.
We didn't go over it so I can't practise it which is a bummer. I've lately found out I'm the oldest and the most experienced guitar player student in the school! That's pretty cool, I have to admit.

Being a Role Model

Excellence evidence: Being a Role Model

Yesterday I was being a role model to younger students by being nice and playing with them. We played a small game of tag and then I set them up with a game of octopus to play. They really enjoyed so they got all (I mean all) of there friends to play. It was a massive game on the field. Eventually, I had to leave them to play by themselves. What helped me was that they didn't follow me or pleaded me to stay. It was quite easy!

My Career Explanation

Journalist

My career goal is to become a successful journalist. This career will suit best with my personality because I find enjoyment in writing, reading the paper and magazines, and having something new to do everyday. It is difficult to find a job in this area because lots of very experienced publishers who are trying to get a career in this area and where there is very limited availability. There is quite a large range of categories for a journalist you can choose from depending on your capability. Depending on the job, your career can be aimed towards different focuses such as newspaper and magazine publishing businesses, radio networks, television networks and production companies, online news sites, researching for presses, writing scripts for television presenters, supporting local events. But to get to that stage you’ve got to have experience. The subjects at High School would be a good place to start.

Some recommended subjects would be English, Media Studies, History and Classical Studies, and Te reo Maori. English helps you to improve your writing and teaches you different techniques (for the different topics in journalism) which can help you to build a unique writing style. Media Studies will help you get familiar with the editing program and printing department;also television presenting. History and Classical teach you about the different eras in time. It also lends you knowledge of different areas for the information to put on paper (you want to know what your writing is true!). Te reo Maori is mainly for the translation department. If you looking into that type of journalism, Te reo Maori translation has a lot of availability! These subjects will help you get a better understanding of your focus at Polytech.

To become a journalist I will need a national, graduate or postgraduate diploma in journalism, a degree in communications majoring in journalism, a degree in broadcasting. To do these it usually takes 1-3 years full time studying. There are no specific requirements to be a journalist; However, employers look for those qualifications.

As well as the qualifications, you would need some attributes to help you become a journalist. I would say some attributes that describe me are being honest, responsible,. To help me become a good journalist I need to the skills such as good interviewing skills, writing skills, knowledge of the area of specialisation, and good editing skills. I would also need to be enquiring, curious, persistent and patient, with excellent communication skills, confident and motivated, accurate, able to accept criticism, good time managers and able to work well under pressure, as deadlines may be tight. Although it is a huge financial cost completing the degree; it is the only way to get to my career goal. This step is important because at university I will get taught the skills and knowledge needed to become a journalist. Journalists have a very stressful job to complete their work and for this reason I would need to be calm under pressure. Additionally, I would also need to be accurate as whether I get the true facts of the topic are crucial to a business's reputation.

Although these attributes will help in my goal of becoming a journalist, there could always be the chance that there are no jobs available when I graduate. Fortunately the degree I need for journalism can also be used for other jobs such as an author, television presenter, radio journalist and an editor. This means that I will have a better opportunity of getting a job as there are many options. Another reason why having other jobs to choose from is that if don’t get the job of a journalist then I can always apply for many others similar careers .

Overall I think becoming a journalist would be a good career choice for me because I love working writing and editing and I think I would enjoy taking English, Media Studies and History and Classical Studies at high school. One positive thing about getting the journalist degree I need is that it can be used for other jobs after I graduate.

My Discovery Multistructural

We have passed Multistructural because we know two different ways to jump high.

1st Technique: The Scissor Kick

1. Run as fast as you can up to the bar.

2. If you are right footed you need to spring off your left leg and while you do that raise your right leg and right arm so that your arm will propel upwards and your leg because you have to jump over the bar.

3. Make a scissoring motion with your legs and you should be over.

4. Land on your feet!

5. Run off the mat carefully so you don't knock the bar.

2nd Technique: The Flop

1. Run as fast as you can up to the bar.

2. Put you right arm in the air whilst you spring of your right foot

3. Arch your back while you are going over the bar

4. Flick your legs so they don't hit the bar

5. Land safely on the mat!

Music Lessons

Excellence evidence: Music Lessons









2 weeks ago, We had Cross Country so no guitar could be done.
So I decided to talk about my practising!
I practise about 4-5 times a week to keep up with all the strums the new songs have. The other girls can't even keep up with me! I've already learned that tricky strum that I was working on earlier for 'Something in the Water' by Brooke Fraser which is an amazing song. It sound even cooler with the neat strum that goes with it instead of the constant annoying strum which is just up-down-up-down-up (etc.) which just makes a long vibrating sound that sometimes hits a clank on the guitar.
Whew!

PALS

Excellence evidence: PALS









2 weeks ago, Jonathan, Cody, Rebecca J and I conducted the PALS game.
No body showed up.
We planned an awesome mega game of Octopus but all the little juniors didn't want to play!
Usually they're so pumped to play that it looks like they could run around the field one hundred times!
We waited for about 10 minutes just for a single kid to show up who wanted to play tag. His friends didn't want to play so he ended up cruising off. Rebecca and I did too. We both had basketball practise so their was no point in hanging around with training to be done.
So we had no game.
So sad. :(

Radio Station

Excellence evidence: Radio Station

Last week, Emma, Hayley and I had our turn on the radio! Mr McCullam even said we were the best radio hosts in the school! So lucky!!!!!!!!!
Since he said that, Emma just had to say it on the radio. He seemed very alarmed; which we find strange because we were likely to do that.
I took over the computer because last time, Hayley was mucking around with so we had to announce the 'Technical Difficulties' over a hundred times. Because of the music having a better manager (me of course) the operation went along smoothly. We talked about the game of hockey in Winter Sport that we were looking forward to. We giggled about the conversation around the 'Widest Tongues in the World'.
Quite strange...

Maths

This is my Maths follow up.

I have been learning how to do 'loci'.
This is a locus circle.
Its radius is 5cm as shown.
How to calculate the loci:

We use 'pi' (no, not the pie you eat) which is 3.14
Then we calculate it.
3.14(pi) x 5cm.
Okay, but thats only half the circle.
We need the whole circle, so we times it by 2.
2 x 3.14 x 5cm= 31.4
Thats loci.

To do the diameter not the radius you will be shown this:

Instead
3.14(pi) x 8cm.
With out the need to double it because its already the whole circle.

Thanks

Kauri Team Event

Excellence evidence: Kauri Team Event

Last week, the Kauri team had Cross Country. I thought I had actually trained but it was obvious I didn't. I came 6th. But i guess running around my house 12 times doesn't count...
Anyway, it was very annoying. About 3 kilometers long. It was way to long for me.
Jackie and Jack ran this one though. The house captains games were cool too. The year 7/8's game was 3 throw. We didn't get to throw though so that sucked. It was exciting though.

My Discovery

Our project for My Discovery is "How to jump the perfect High Jump jump"

We have passed Unistructural because we know how to jump high!

How you jump high:

1. Run as fast as you can up to the bar.

2. If you are right footed you need to spring off your left leg and while you do that raise your right leg and right arm so that your arm will propel upwards and your leg because you have to jump over the bar.

3. Make a scissoring motion with your legs and you should be over.

4. Land on your feet!

5. Run off the mat carefully so you don't knock the bar.

                                    
                                             THE END!!!!!!! (^-^)
By Mia, Jackie and Sophie

Alfred the Hippo Gets Lost in the City

An exhausted hippo named Alfred travels alone through a swarming city. As he strolls along the ally way, his mountainous bottom wobbles with curiousity. Then he meets Red, a fire hydrant, and has a meaningful conversation with him about global warming over a cup of tea. He wanders off, ever more lonely, to full his starving stomach with at least a strand of dead grass. He seeks out droplets of melted ice cream on the crumbling cement. His stubby ears prick up at the cry of a young woman, disgustedly pointed in his direction like he's the trigger to the end of the world. The swift chop of blades in the air lower a helicopter, capturing the poor soul. The ragged net plucks him off the unbearable earth. The wind howls around him, swaying to and fro. The ropes begin to splinter.

Language features: Personification, similie, hyperbole

Music Lessons/Helping out around the School

Excellence evidence: Music Lessons/Helping out around the School

On Thursday, Meadow, Sarah and I got given the song 'Hallelujah' by Mr McCullam to perform with the choir in the assembly. All of us are in choir so we get to sing as well as playing guitar. Meadow and i have guitar straps so we can stand and play but Sarah doesn't so she has to sit down. I have to sing a separate part in choir with another little group so I'm the only one singing that separate bit and play guitar! I'm quite excited to do this because I haven't done it before. 

Radio Station

Excellence evidence: Radio Station

 

Yesterday at lunch time, Hayley, Emma H and I were on the radio! The address was 107.2 OAK FM. It's so cool! Hayley caused us some technical difficulties by playing the wrong song or not even looking at the laptop! I had read a disgusting article about a 'wee-powered toilet'. Of course it was hilarious so I cracked up the whole way through. I can't wait to do it again.

Getting Involved

Excellence evidence: Getting Involved

On Tuesday an averaged sized (12) group of girls played whole school tag. It was great fun but after a while it got boring because there wasn't mix up in taggers and no one knew who was in. Most people had a fair idea of the tagger at the point of time but but it turned out that they had tagged someone else so Poppy, Isla, Emma, Monique and I were shuffling through people to hear their thoughts but the story changed every time. It was at lunchtime so this commotion went on for about 25 minutes so it definitely got boring but it was fun being 'sleuth-like' trying to find out who was in. I reckon next time we play, we should discuss what to do if someone tags you but you're paused and then they run away, thinking you're in.

Music Lessons

Excellence evidence: Music Lessons with Roger Hamilton

Today, Sarah, Jesse and I had our first guitar lesson this term. I was so excitited! In the holidays I got a new guitar. It's a beauty! The front of the guitar on its body is a nice golden white which is from Alaska and the rim of the body is a beautiful spruce kind of wood from Africa. It's a very cultural guitar! Roger Hamilton took us through 'Ho Hey' and 'Counting Stars'. Then he gave us a new song: 'Something in the Water' by Brooke Fraser. It has a very difficult strum but I've nearly got the hang of it. I've been practising a lot lately because are so called 'band' hasn't practised together in a while. I've got to keep it up!

Technology

Excellence evidence: Technology

Wewere on the bus, it was quite a commotion. Everyone was talking some people were complaining about the '3-to-a-seat' rule, and most people were swapping seats. Hayley and I were fine though. We just asked people to sit down quietly so we could get moving. Eventually we did head to Lincoln. When we got there, we hopped off the bus and skipped to our classes. We said farewell to our friends and parked up at our bench at Wood Work. We are making a smallish speaker box to play music on. My one will be Spongebob with hands held out where my iPod will sit. I already have made the box part so far and stuck it together but I still have a lot to do. Wood Work is an awesome class and I can't wait to go back next week

Te Reo

Maths

In my maths I got to relational because I know the answer and I can explain the strategy I used and how I completed it. My next step is to complete the maths sheet quicker.

Self Portrait

I think I am at extended abstract because I can use several elements and I know when and why I use them.

Ed Sheeran Competition Song

Description Writing

Wouldn't it be amazing to just relax on the sofa, scoff chips and fizzy lollies, watching new action movies, not having parents commanding you to do chores every second and being just plain awesome. The movie is now getting to the scary part where a man is chasing a girl down a long ally way. DING DONG. You spy through the window curtains. A tall, dark figure is standing outside the doorway. Its a foggy night so you can just make out the facial features. He's unrecognisable. What do you do?

You could not answer the door. He might get cold outside and probably leave because they don't have a puffa jacket. He could also break in and steal your piggy bank. That wouldn't be good. Or he could be super annoying and keep ringing the doorbell til morning. Yay. That would be heavenly, wouldn't it?!

You could answer the door. The first consequence is simple, so simple that I'm only going to say the sound effect: KAPOW!!! Ouch. He could be a neighbour, or a close friend of your parents. You never know, he could be the prime minister!

You could hide and call your parents. The man might break in while you're on hold, though. You'll definitely get thirsty after eating all those fizzy lollies. You might even get stuck!

The best option is to hide and call your parents. you don't even have to hide, just call your parents. They might clear up a situation, like they were expecting someone but forgot about it and went out. You might get stuck but its better to be stuck then sorry!

CARE Values:how they are shown at Oaklands school

Home work challenge: Alcatraz model

Wonder Narrative

WALT: I can use the features of a narrative text and I know when and why to use them. I can seek and act on feedback.

California Chaos

I hate public places.

And I especially hate airports.

But I adore California and that's the only reason I"m here. Also Christopher and his family are traveling with us. I'm so excited yet I tremble with fear. Everyone gawks at me and whispers rude comments behind their hands about me. Everywhere I go, there's a lull in conversation of those in the room and then a faint scurry of voices gather up as one as I slope away. That thought lingers in my head.

"Were just going to the loo, you guys need to go?", questions Dad with a wink in his eye.

"No daddy, I'm a big boy now, I can go when i want"

"Sure you don't need me to take you?", Dad says with a smug face.

Christopher starts cracking up.

"Okay then . You guys wait here and don't leave to California with out us"

'

Leaning on the wall to the toilets, Christopher and I start chatting about Yoda and how he's so midget, green and ancient yet he can do flips and cartwheels. Christopher attempted to do an impression of him and a cartwheel with light-saber sound effects and nearly crashes into a mother with a pram passing by. He expeditiously skids back to the wall but he missteps and we turn out to be in a big heap of ourselves. For some reason this is humorous to us and we start cracking up! A whole cluster of tourists  scramble past, eyeballing us. We leap up somehow from the human knot and briskly dust ourselves off. We are still chuckling though. Suddenly, Christopher falls silent.

Two shadows lurk up behind me. 

"The living dead is coming out soon. Such a thriller."

"Yeah its really gruesome. Heard its based on a true story."

"Dude what wrong with you?! That's why its called a story. Don't you know what a narrative is?"

"Wait. Be quite. Yo Pug Face!"

I know he's aiming those words at me.

"Can't ya hear me?!" 

"Probably cant hear through those bomby-knockers."

They snicker.

I get a hard shove on my shoulder. It felt like it almost dislocated. He spins me around.

"Whoa, he's worse then i thought!"

"Hopefully you're not getting a passport photo. The photographer would have to wash his eyes out with soap!"

That thought leaves another dent in my heart.

I think for a second. Time to fight fire with fire.

"Then how come you're looking at it?"

"Coz I'm better looking..."

"That's rich", I reply, "because you look like a ruffian piece of scrub of Hitlers mustache in a bomb fire. You better not stay here much longer because I can hear the cops coming with the ambulance because you look and smell like something died. They want to throw you lunatics in to the front line of Russia when the greatest of all wars come. The sky will crash on top of you"

I say the last line calmly for effect.

He looks shell shocked.

They quickly scuttle off horrified.

"Good thing i showed you my argument speech!", Christopher finally says.

I have achieved the extended abstract stage.

Helping out around the school

Merit evidence: helping out around the school.

On Friday last week, the Kauri team had their 'Run, Bike, Run'. As one of the Leaders, we had to run around calling out how long we've got to go for example: "5 minutes to go, guys!". My voice got tired after a while. Rowan and I (as the deputies) had to open the event for 2015. We were very nervous about talking in front of them because Mr Forman hadn't given us the scripts, so we just had to 'wing it'. It turned out really good. No mistakes. After the year 7/8's had already left to go to their games, Rowan and I saw that the teachers had trouble keeping the students behind the cones around the starting line. We decided to go and help them out. It was quite easy, we basically just asked the students to hop behind the cones and moved some bags that were in the way.

Role Model for Younger Students

Merit evidence: being a role model for younger students

Last week, I was playing tag with my friends when my partners little buddy came up to me. She asked if she could play but I had to tell her that was a big kids game and she might get hurt. She gave me a sad face that looked like she might cry and run away but I couldn't deal with that, so I invented a new game. It might sound silly like a parent made it up for a child to stop being annoying such as a "who can be quite for the longest" kind of thing. But my one was to pick up rubbish. We pretended to be rubbish trucks picking up the rubbish rolling around and then had a car race (us as the cars) to the playground and back. She sure does like running! At least we made the courts a bit more clean.

Music Lessons

Merit evidence: Music lessons with Roger Hamilton

Last week, Jesse, Sarah and I had guitar. I am so happy with my results!!! I finally nailed the riff in "The Story of Us" by Taylor Swift. It was so tricky when we heard it but I can smash it now! Roger asked me to take role and do the riff by myself in front of everyone. I epically failed the first try which totally embarrassed me so there was no way I'd try again, but I ended up doing it, and I rocked it! Roger thought so himself. Then Sarah did it easy-peasy on her brand new guitar which sounds awesome. I kind of felt silly after that. But Sarah practises all the time! Actually, I have been practising WITH Sarah at our 'band' practise. Its turning out quite good though. Way better then I expected anyway. Sarah mentioned it to Roger and he said we are good guitar players so we should step it up a little bit. I'm just so happy!

My Student Goals

Getting Involved

Merit evidence: Getting involved

On Monday last week, I organised a massive game of tag around the whole school. We played gang up tag which is where someone is in then they tag you and then you're both in and if you tag some one else all three of you are in etc. until everybody's in. Then you start again. About 16 people played (Poppy and I took track of who was playing) and it was epically awesome! It turned way better then expected, which was for 2 people to show up, and it was good timing too, nearly everybody was available at lunch!
It was awesome.

Music Lessons

Merit evidence: Music Lessons with Roger Hamilton

2 weeks ago, Sarah, Jesse and I had guitar lessons. Jesse didn't come because she wanted to go swimming again. Sarah and I had an enjoyable lesson because we got to learn a new song, 'I See Fire' by Ed Sheeran. Sarah had practised it a lot over the holidays so she got there before me! I love that song so it was great to get to play it on the guitar. We also had a jam at 'Ho Hey' again and Sarah had been practising that one a lot too and she fingered F#m (the chord) quite quickly the riff of 'I See Fire' is very tricky but Roger pick it up easily even though he hadn't really heard the song before and he forgot how it went after he first played it. He is an amazing guitar player and he played it awesomely. I wish I could be as good as him one day.
That means more practising...

PALS

Merit evidence: PALS

Last Friday Cody, Jonathan, Rebecca and I had to do our PALS duty. We were with the Kauri team so I suggested to play soccer because a lot more older students would be interested. A few kids came up to us to see what we were doing, then heading back to their game of tag. I bet a lot of kids weren't attracted because we only had a ball and no cones. We had to go around asking people to play and we had about 3 kids come with their friends so that added up to 8 kids (all boys) and we had a good match. We used part of room 2 and 3 as one goal and 2 trees at the other end for the other. It was 7 year olds verses everyone else. Us PALS ended up versing all of them and I don't really enjoy soccer and I'm not very good at it so I hung around the goal with Rebecca. We gave pozis to everyone who'd play and we had a couple of kids run away with them so we got them back and would only give the pozis to them after they played. We also gave 3 pozis for the first person to score  a goal then 2 for the second, 1 for the third and so on.
It was a good game.

Swimming Sports

Merit evidence: Kauri fun day event

Today we had the 2015 swimming sports fun day. I really enjoyed it. I came 2nd in freestyle and 3rd in backstroke which is way better then I expected because I haven't done serious swimming (not playing around) in ages. Our class also came 2nd in the class relays which I was in. Sorry Miss O for not getting your forth time in a row win. Anyway we all tried our hardest and we were no chance against Jordan who I think will be in the Olympics for swimming in a few years... . We had shifts for handing out pozis sticks to respectful people in the audience and for those who tried their hardest in their race. The thing that spoilt it the most for me though was not being able to host the cannon ball competition because of time but it was a pretty awesome day.

Music lessons

Merit evidence: Music lessons with Roger Hamilton

Today Sarah and I had guitar. We got given a new song 'Ho Hey' by the Lumineers which I think is awesome. It is quite tricky because there is a chord called F#m which is really hard because you have to stretch your fingers all over the neck to reach the frets and hold your hand in a really awkward position and quickly change from that chord to another chord and vice versa. I love that song so I will get good at it hopefully:) Sarah had got a new acoustic guitar and she had a jam on that and I cant wait to get a new one too. Practise makes perfect so I will try to play that song lots before our next session.

PALS

Merit evidence: PALS

Last week on Friday, I played a game with the juniors for PALS. The rest of our team wasn't able to make it so me and my partner had to join another group. I had never done PALS before but it is exactly like my everyday life because I'm always playing with little kids. It was really fun. We went around asking kids from the Kakano team to join and lost of kids responded so our group was quite big. We started off playing 'octopus' and then it changed to 'Simon Says' and that was hilarious because we had lots of people being Simon at the same time so you had to do tons of action all together! We started 'Duck, duck, goose' but then I realised we went over-time. It was a good first experience.

Music Lessons

Merit evidence: Music lesson with Roger Hamilton

Today I had Guitar with Roger. Sarah is in my group so we learn all of our songs together. If she gets stuck in a certain part of a song I help her out. If I completely lose my place in the song (which usually happens) she points out where we are. We asked Miss O if we could 5 minutes before it started but she said we would be losing 5 minutes of work time. I was a little bummed because it takes us about 5-10 minutes to tune our guitars, decide what we are going to play and put the capo in the right place and that would mean we would lose a bit of our session but I was cool with it because we ran overtime anyway. We played The Story of Us by Taylor Swift for the whole lesson and I learnt how the last interlude works and how the tune goes. It is the trickiest part of the song but I sussed it out now all I have to do is practise my little heart out!

Technology

Merit evidence: Technology

On Tuesday we had our first technology session for 2015. We now have 5 subjects, hard materials, science, textiles, cooking, and design. Design is a new subject and for this term I'm am in that group. We do not travel to Lincoln but we work in the breakout hub of room 25. It's an interesting subject, but yet an awesome one because its all about architecture and designing furniture. The first lesson was a bit boring but it was cool to meet the new teacher and the other students in the group. It was good to work with the students it did not know quite well because I made some new friends. I learnt how to have a discussion with a client and ask them questions to adjust my thinking of their project. I had lots of ideas but I couldn't get all of them out because lots of other people had ideas to. The best thing about design is that we get to create model house (out of cardboard and paint and all that kind of stuff) and put our dream home into it! I'm so excited!!! It's going to be super cool. I can't wait to get started on making MY model!!!