Biological Drawing

In Science, we have also learnt how to draw a proper cell and we use the rules of biological drawings.

Rules for making biological drawings
- Draw what you see, not what you expect to see.
- Use a sharp HB pencil and clean eraser.
- Make the drawing as large as possible.
- Draw the main features. Cells are relatively complicated and there is no need to draw very detail.
- Use clear bold lines Sketches and lines that ae cross over each other unacceptable.
- Don't use shading or cross-hatching. Generally stipping (using dots) is not allowed but permitted by some schools - check with your teacher,
- Plant cells generally don't exist in isolation so you shouldn't have gaps between plant cells
- Add an appropriate title that identifies the biological material used, shows the magnification used and any stain used.
- Label organelles AND features of the cells.

NO doodling on the side of the paper. Make sure just put what the instruction asked for and nothing else.

Microscope Slide

In Science, we have also learnt how to set up a microscope slide to be able to see the different organelles under the lens. In this task, we have look through the onion skin.

Basic Slide Preparation Equipment
Stain - A chemical stain is often used to dye the cell (for particular organelles) so they are more visible.
Tweezers - For manipulating the line specimen and coverslip.
Coverslip - A very hin piece of glass used to hold the specimen flat and keep it in place.
Slide - It's made of glass, this is used to hold the specimen.
Specimen - MUst be transparent and thin.

How to set it up: (Making Slide)
1) Place your specimen in the middle of a clean slide. Ensure that the specimen is laying flat and not folded over on itself.

2) Add 2-3 drops of the stain solution. Plant cells are commonly stained with iodine, whereas animal cells are commonly stained with methylene blue. Both of these solutions stain the nucleus of each cell (and your fingers and clothes, so be careful).

3) Holding a coverslip by its edges in your left hand, manoeuvre it so that the bottom edge of the coverslip makes contact with both the slide and the edge of the stain solutions. With your right hand, support the top edge of the coverslip with a pair of tweezers.

4) Gently lower the coverslip with the tweezers, ensuring that no air bubbles are trapped under the coverslip.

5) Place your slide on the microscope stage and examine it under low-power magnification.

Microscope

In Science, we are also learning about the parts of a microscope and the jobs they do.

What is a Microscope?
Microscopes are used to magnify objects that are too small to see with our eyes and it makes the little object to see in a large amount.

Parts of the Microscope:
Eye-piece lens - The lens we look through that usually 10x magnification.
Objective lens - The objective lens has three lenses and those three has a different range of magnification such as 4x, 40x and sometimes 400x
Stage - The stage is the flat platform where you put the slides it on.
Light Source - Sometimes a microscope has a mirror to reflect the light towards the specimen.
Switch - To turn on and off the light or the illuminator.
Base - The base supports the Microscope
Neck - Supports the tube or the Eye-piece lens and connects to the base of the microscope
Stage Clip - Stage Clip holds the slides in place on the stage
Coarse focus knob - Bring the slides into general focus and it helps to move the stages and lenses relative to each other.
Fine focus knob - It also does the same thing as the coarse focus knob but in a smaller amount.

Tweet Like Trump

In English, I have finished another task form MAtric Creative Writing. I have chosen the Tweet Like Trump.

This is the instruction for this task:

Tweet Like Trump

WHAT IS THIS? This doesn't make sense, how come people under the age of 18 can't use their phone in public. What if it is important?

Characters: 132

What am I learning?

I am learning how to improve my writing and think the right word that can fit in 140 characters.

How does this work show my learning?

This work shows my learning by finishing it and understanding the task.

What am I wondering?

I am wondering if Trump actually tweets like this.

Parts of a Cell

In Science, we have been learning about cells and what are the parts of the cells.

What are cells?
Cells are very small. They are the basic building blocks of all animals and plants. Animal and plants are made of cells but they are quite different. Cells are made up of different parts and they are called organelles.

In the plant cell, we have:
The Nucleus
Large Vacuole
Cell Wall
Cell Membrane
Chloroplast
Cytoplasm

What do they do?
The Nucleus is the organelle which stores the DNA. Large Vacuole can hold food for later use or waste for removal, in other words, it's used for storage. Cell wall helps with the structuring the plant because they don't have bones. The Cell Membrane is the organelle that it only lets certain molecules to enter and exit. The chloroplast is the organelle that absorbs sunlight and used to produce food for the plant. The cytoplasm is the jelly stuff that holds them together so they won't go around.

In an animal cell: we have
Cell Membrane
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Vacuole

What do they do?
The Nucleus is organelle in an animal cell, it is also the same as the plant, it also stored the DNA. The cytoplasm is the part where it holds the organelles in place. The Cell Membrane allows things to enter and exit. The vacuole is the thing used for storage.

Kate Sheppard

In Social Studies we started to learn about money and its value, so we were given a task just like all other topics. The one I picked was to pick one of the people of New Zealand dollar note and search about them and why they are important, I picked on the $10 note where Kate Sheppard is on.

Goal this Week

This week I have to set another goal for English.
- Finish and edit my work that I am going to send it on Friday.
- Send it on time.
This is my goal for this week and I am improving to edit one of my work in creative tasks.

Design Process|| Classroom Layout

Yesterday we move to a new building and in Math, we were asked to layout the classroom. In our class, we have 24 small tables and 2 high tables.

This is the new classroom set up/layout is currently like this.

Brief:  In our, we design a classroom layout for T8

Research: My group and I did some research to find an example of a classroom layout. We took some ideas from them.


Idea-  1st
What we like about this is that there are so many spaces in the front and there is enough walking area. There are different numbers of tables so if they want to work in a group or individual. It looks neat and organized.

What I don't like about this is that it's hard to see the whiteboard and we have to turn our head to see the board.





2nd Idea
We didn' actually change anything in the table but we change the tv and whiteboard.

What I like about the ideas is you don't have to turn around to see the whiteboard because the tv and the board are in the same area(in the front).

What I don't like about this is that 3 tables in the left might distract on what is going outside the room because it's a window. The students in this part might not be able to see the board and tv clearly.


The 2nd idea is our final idea for the classroom layout because we are able to see the board clearly.

What do you think about the classroom layout? What do you like and dislike about the idea?

Ansel Adams|| Photographer

In Art, we have to choose a photographer and select 1-2 work from them and we have to make a research about their details and up it in our blog.

This photograph is called Hald Dome, Apple Orchard, Yosemite and is by the famous photographer Ansel Adams. Ansel was from San Fransico, Carmel, California and was known for landscape photographer and environmentalist he is known for his black-and-white images of the American West. He is also perhaps the most widely known in the history of the United States; the popularity of his work has only increased since his death.  Adams was a key advisor in the photography department at the Museum Modern Art in New York.

If I were to use this image to inspire my work, I would take a picture of a cherry blossom tree but it's either spring or autumn season. What I like about the image is the contrast. Unlike Adams, I would do mine with colour using the two-season(spring or autumn). I may not make it black and white but I would maybe edit a bit to make the colour brighter.

Conservation Week

In ESOL, we had to make blogpost research about Conservation Week in New Zealand. In this research, we have to explain what Conservation Week is and explain why we think it is or(isn't) important. We also have to explain 3 things young New Zealander can do to help conserve our plants, animals, and environment.

Conservation Week/Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Tūroa is a national celebration that encourages people to get involved in nature and help to take care of it. It takes place this year from Saturday-14th till the 22nd of September. This year we celebrate 50 years of Conservation Week. Conservation Week was originally launched in 1969 by New Zealand Scout Association, they have a goal to promote greater interest in the environment. 

Conservation Week is important in our society and environment as it helps the environment to reduce the air and soil pollution. It is also important because if we didn't do it or not participate in Conservation Week there's going to be a big impact on the environment we might not be able to save our planet. Many things happened this year the forests are burning like the Amazon forest, native animals and plants threatened or at risk. The things that are happening this year can affect not just people but other living organisms. If we didn't do any action to encourage other people to help, the problem will get worse and might be too late to save the environment. 

As a student and a teenager, we have many ways that we could help the environment and save the planet. First, we could plant a tree or plant in our backyard to release oxygen and people will able to breath fresh air, we could also make a com spit bin to put the recycle bottles. Secondly, don't throw food everywhere because it might attract mice and rats to eat and they might able to re-produce and their population will grow and that will cause a big problem, they might eat all of the bird eggs. Lastly, we could be part and volunteer for cleaning up in your community. Doing little things can make a big difference in the environment.

King of Excuses|| Creative Writing

Today I have finished another Creative Writing Task. I have chosen the King of Excuses.
The topic I have chosen is "Why you shouldn't have to sports?"

Why you shouldn’t have to do Sports?

Please understand why I couldn’t do sports.

Can’t you see that I have been running for the entire time?

If you can’t understand, I am just going to complain to the court.

Please don’t make me run.

I just had lunch and it’s so hot under the sun.

I’ll promise I’m gonna do the sports next week.

But right now I am too weak.

What am I learning?

I am learning to improve my writing skills.

How does this work show my learning?

This work shows my learning by completing and understanding the given task.

What am I wondering?

I'm wondering if I could do this on another time but with a different topic and excuses.

Money Tasks

In Social Studies we have to finish one task about money to show my understanding. I have chosen to do the T-chart, in this task I have to put the benefits of using the money on the one side and the disadvantage on the other side of using money.

I have learnt that there is a different way to use your money you could do it in a good way or a bad way. Sope people also have a different opinion/perspective about money.

A Letter To Your Writer's Block || Creative Writing Matrix

For English, I have finished another task from the Creative Writing Task. For this task, I have chosen to do the A Letter To Your Writer's Block.

Dear Writer’s Block, 

It’s not you, it’s me. At first, you are the reason why I am writing a story but while the time is passing you also the reason why I stopped doing it. In the first place, I know that we are never meant to be. You were the reason for all my ideas but you distracted me and now I couldn't think of anything. Now I want to tell you the truth, I want to part ways with you because you were distracting me from my writing and that’s not how supposed to be. It was really funny how you distracted me from my writing. I guess it’s really time we parted ways. I hope we won’t end up meeting each other again.

What am I learning?

I am learning to improve my writing skills.

How does this work show my learning?

This work shows my learning by understanding the task.

What am I wondering?

I am wondering If I could use this to get rid of my writer's block.

Music and Poetry || Creative Writing Workshops

In English, I attend my Music and Poetry Workshops and we talked about emotions. We have to come up with different aspects like colour, shape, sound, animal, and weather. After we had completed we have to make a word cloud.

If History Had a Twitter Page || Creative Writing

For English, I have done another Creative Writing Task. I've chosen the If History Had a Twitter Page and the topic I have chose to do is the Twin Towers. For this task, I have to:

If History Had a Twitter Page

On September 11, the Twin Towers of the World Centre Trade were burned. Many people are crying, panicking but most of them are laying on the street.

What am I learning?

I am learning ho to improve my writing skills.

How does this work show my learning?

This work shows my learning buy trying my best and understanding the task.

What am I wondering?

I am wondering If I could do this another time but different topic?

Weather With You || Creative Writing

For English, I have to choose one task from the Creative Writing Matrix and I have chose the task "Weather With You". For this task, I have to write a descriptive paragraph or poem about a character. The weather shows how your character is feeling.

Weather With You

The weather is just like you.

Because you brought the weather with you.

You are happy like when the sun is shining.

You are sad like when the sky is filled with dark clouds.

Your tears are like rain that fell from the clouds.

I don’t know but I felt like your emotion is like the weather.

I don’t know when you would change your emotion.

But wherever you go, you always take your weather with you.

What am I learning?
I am learning to improve my writing skills.
How does this work show my learning?
This work shows my learning by understanding the task.
What am I wondering?
I'm wondering if I could do this another time.