Celebrating the Summer Learning Journey

LI: To celebrate our PBS SLJ participants.

During the end of the year holidays, the Summer Learning Journey for 2020 to 2021 was held. I participated in this program and would like to talk about my experience and about the rewards that were given to the participants.

We were given many fun and exciting challenges to complete and blog about. The activity I enjoyed the most was the Step it Up task for the Optical Illusion activity where I created my own optical illusion art piece and shared it with the world.

It was very fun to recieve the challenges given by Nano Girl, however I could not complete them myself due to the busy holidays. They looked very interesting and in my spare time, would be happy to do them seperately.

Today, the Summer Learning Journey prizes were given out during our weekly school Assembly! The different rewards were given to people who participated, the outstanding comments and blogposts, top participant in the Manaiakalani Cluster and top participant in New Zealand. There was also a lucky draw where four participants had the opportunity to win a speaker.

The prizes were handed out by Mrs Grant, the head of the Manaiakalani Cluster and Miss Paleti, a new recruit to the Summer Learning Journey team. The awards that I had won were the participation award, outstanding blogposts and a speaker.

Finally, I would also like to congratulate Sakshi who was a former student at Panmure Bridge School and is very intelligient. During the Assembly, she won the following prizes: Top commenter, top blogger for Manaiakalani and top blogger in the school.

I very much enjoyed participating in the Summer Learning Journey and completing the activities that were set for us because they were very fun and kept my learning going in the holidays. This is a very special day for Panmure Bridge School, because this is their 6th time (in a row) coming out as top school in New Zealand for the Summer Learning Journey!

Summer Learning Journey | Week 2 | Day 8 | Activity 3: Camping Site

For the third activity of day eight (of the Summer Learning Journey), I worked out which campsite design would earn the most amount of money if all the tent sites were occupied for one night. 

The focus of this activity is to practice our math skills and challenge our ability to multiply and use logic to find and solve an equation.

First, I observed the two campsite designs to get an understanding of what I had to work with. Both campsites cost $15 to stay for one night. The objective was to find out which of the two campsites were payed the most money if all tent sites were occupied for one night.

I first began to count the amount of tent sites there were in both camp sites. The first campsite design had fifty tent sites and the second had forty-eight tent sites and two toilet blocks. I multiplied the amount of tent sites by the amount of money it cost to stay one night.

The first campsite had fifty tent sites, so 50 x 15 equals 750. The second campsite had forty-eight tent sites, so 48 x 15 = 720. The first campsite earned more money because there were more tent sites to be occupied, but it is possible that the second campsite could earn more money because the campers have the opportunity to use the toilets (which is something that the first campsite doesn't provide).

I had lots of fun completing this activity because I enjoy maths, especially with money. I also liked this activity because I was able to share my strategy and how I worked out the answer with others.

What I found difficult about this activity was understanding the activities explanation and doing the multiplication in multiple different strategies such as algorithm, place value, the Japanese and Lattice method (which was my own choice).

LI: to challenge our maths and multiplication abilities and improve our skills.

 

Summer Learning Journey | Week 2 | Day 8 | Activity 2: Tama-nui-te-rā

For this activity (the second activity of day 8), I created a word art using keywords (as well as words that were most important to me) of a Maori proverb.

Proverbs are short and well known phrases that have meaningful messages. For example: Ka tō he rā, ka rere he rā means: The day ends and begins again, and people say that this happens when something goes wrong. Life continues as well as other things.

I started off this activity by choosing a Maori proverb and learning about it by reading a text explanation and researching more about it to get a better understanding of the phrase.

Once I decided on a Maori saying, I thought about multiple keywords relating to the proverb I chose. I also worked out the keywords that were most important to me, and eliminated the ones that didn't relate to me or anything important to me.

Eventually, I created my word art using the keywords that I chose from the Maori proverb. I chose to shape my word art as Earth because the well-knowing saying that I chose applies to everybody in the world.

The proverb that I chose was Tērā te rā e whiti ana kei tua atu Tāwauwau, meaning 'The sun shines beyond the Tāwauwau'. This phrase means that despite the hardships and effort that people put into working, there will always be better days ahead.

I chose this Maori proverb because I can somewhat relate to the saying and I understand the meaning of it very well. It also applies to the rest of my whanau because they work hard to maintain a suitable and healthy environment.

The keywords that I used in my word art were: sun, shining, beyond, Tāwauwau, effort, people, hardships, work, better, days, ahead and forward.

This was a fun activity because I had the opportunity to practice using Maori vocabulary and expanding my knowledge and understanding of proverb meanings. I was also able to practice my writing abilities and making art as well.

What I found challenging was understanding the activity explanation because it was in Maori and I am not a fluent speaker, so completing this activity took longer than expected. However, I enjoyed this activity alot.

LI: to use our Maori vocabulary and writing abilities to create art.

Summer Learning journey | Week 2 | Day 8 | Activity 1: Tastes of Summer

The first activity for week two of the Summer Learning Journey programme is a writing activity. I used food adjectives to describe the tastes of three different summer foods.

The purpose of this activity is to learn more adjectives and practice using those complex adjectives to describe foods.

Food adjectives are words that are used to describe the taste or texture of a food. There are words such as tart (meaning sour or bitter) or fruity (meaning the food tastes similar to a fresh or sweet fruit).

The first thing I did was watch a video that explained the different areas of food adjectives: sour, sweet, bland, savory/salty and bitter. A person could also describe the taste or texture of a food in a positive or negative way.

I created a google draw/poster and looked through a list of food adjectives to describe the taste and texture of three different foods that my whanau eats often during summer. The foods I included in my poster were strawberries, watermelons and fish and chips.

I really enjoyed this activity and looking through the different food adjectives to describe taste and texture. It was a great opportunity to learn more adjectives as I can use them in the future.

What I found difficult about this activity was finding the right food adjectives to describe the taste as well as texture of the foods.

LI: to learn more and practice using adjectives.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 7 | Activity 3: Ultraviolet

For the ultraviolet activity on day seven (activity three), I learnt about UV light and indicators. Using a google draw, I created and came up with my own ultraviolet ray indicator.

UV rays (ultraviolet light) are naturally sourced by the sun. However, when a person, animal or thing is exposed to UV rays for too long, it can cause damage like rusting and sunburns.

There are three kinds of UV rays: UV-C, UV-B and UV-A. 

UV indicators identify the strength of the ultraviolet rays. By knowing how strong a UV ray is, it allows a person to know how and when to protect themselves in certain situations with different UV ray levels.

First, I watched a video that explained what UV rays are, the effects of UV rays, what a UV indicator is and its purpose. This helped me get a better understanding of what I had to create and include in my UV indicator.

I created a UV ray indicator wand that uses light sensors to catch UV rays and transmit them to a UV reader, which identifies the type of UV light. It also provides the strength of the UV rays in percentage. The wand's base is made out of strong and flexible glass so the light can pernitrate properly.

This was a really fun activity and I very much enjoyed researching about ultraviolet light, indicators and creating my own indicator.

What I found most challenging or difficult about this activity was thinking about how the UV light indicator would work and manage to capture light.

This was a great opportunity to learn more about ultraviolet and use different comprehension skills to learn something new.

LI: to use different comprehension skills to create a UV light indicator.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 7 | Activity 2: It's Cool To Be Kind

The second activity for day seven of the Summer Learning Journey programme is a commenting activity where we reply to someone that has given us feedback.

The purpose of this activity is to use open questions and practice using our vocabulary skills to reply to others.

The first thing that I did was take a screenshot of a comment that someone has posted on one of my blogposts and insert the image onto a google draw.

After that, I typed up a reply in a text box on the same google draw and double-checked the reply to make sure it had a greeting, a thank you, connection, detailed answer to their question and an open question. I copied the text and pasted it as a reply to that person's comment.

I enjoyed using my understanding of vocabulary, communication and open questions to continue a comment thread.

What I found challenging was thinking about an open question where I would get an answer that could potentially teach me more about that person.

LI: to use our knowledge of comment threads.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 7 | Activity 1: 3D Lucky Paper Stars

For the first activity of day seven of the Summer Learning Journey, I created 3D lucky paper stars from strips of paper.

The purpose of this activity is to challenge our ability to create new things and follow instructions as well as channel our listening and understanding skills.

The first thing I did for this activity was watch a short tutorial video that explained how to create different sized 3D lucky paper stars in a step-by-step procedure.

To make 3D lucky paper stars, I took multiple strips of paper (the size of the strip of paper will alter the size of the 3D lucky paper star at the end of the procedure). I first created a knot and continuously folded the remaining piece of the strip of paper to make a pentagon. Finally, I made a dent into each side of the paper and it created a 3D star shape.

I really enjoyed creating multiple lucky stars and it was a great opportunity to reuse scrap paper, create decorations and learn how to make something new.

What I found most difficult about this task was repeatedly folding the remaining bits of the strip of paper so that it would match perfectly with the sides of the pentagon, however I managed to complete this task.

I could challenge myself by making even bigger 3D lucky paper stars because they are really fun to make and they look amazing.

LI: to use our comprehension skills to create something new. 

Unfortunately I could not take an image of the stars I created but here is a preview of what the 3D lucky paper stars look like.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 6 | Activity 2: Te Huarere

The second activity for day six of the Summer Learning Journey programme is a Maori activity relating to weather and revision.

The focus of this activity is to apply our knowledge of the Maori language to expand our understanding of Maori vocabulary usage.

The first thing I did was read a list of weather types in English and Maori. The list included fine/sunny, hot, cloudy and rainy.

Fine/sunny in Maori is paki. Hot (weather) in Maori is pūāhuru. Cloudy in Maori is kāpuapua, and rainy in Maori is hāuaua.

I gave three different answers for the question "He aha te tohu huarere?" meaning "What is the weather forecast?" The answers I gave were "He rangi paki", "He rangi hāuaua" and "He rangi kāpuapua" I included images to give a visual reference of the sentences and weather.

What I most enjoyed about this activity was giving different answers to the question "He aha te tohu huarere?", because I learnt more about the Maori language and when to use it.

I could improve my ability to use Maori more often so that my knowledge of the Maori vocabulary doesn't go to waste.

This was a great opportunity to use my understanding of the Maori language and apply my knowledge of different languages.

LI: to apply our knowledge of Maori vocabulary.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 6 | Activity 1: Maui me te Ra

The first activity for day six of the Summer Learning Journey summer programme is a Maori based activity where we have to learn about how Maui slowed down the sun and write a poem, haka or song about it.

The purpose of this activity is to expand our Maori vocabulary and learn more about the Maori myths and legends. It is also to apply our writing skills to share our understanding.

The first thing I did for this activity was watch a video that told the story of Maui and his brothers slowing down the sun.

At first, the sun moved quickly, therefore the days were very short and there was not much time to get things done. So Maui came up with a plan to force the sun to slow down. He gathered his brothers and they created magic ropes, strong enough to hold the sun. 

Maui and his brothers travelled by night to a great hole in the earth which was where the sun would rise. They built a stone wall near the hole and readied themselves. When the sun rose, Maui's brothers tied their ropes to the sun's ends. Maui took his grandfather's jawbone and attacked the sun with it, making the sun weak. 

Maui's brothers bound the sun to earth using the magical ropes. The sun was too weak to move quickly across the sky, so instead the sun moved slow and the days grew longer.

I wrote a ballad poem telling the main points of the story. A ballad poem is a rhyming poem that is often used to tell a story. 

I included the main points of the story to shorten my poem and so the audience could get a clear idea of the major events.

What I found fun about this activity was researching different words to use for my poem and expanding my Maori vocabulary.

What I struggled with most about this activity was completing the last verse of my poem, mainly because I had to maintain rhyming and keep the syllable count even so that it would go well with the rhythm of the poem.

I could improve my vocabulary use and use more Maori words. I could challenge myself by creating a different poem and using more complex and advanced wording.

LI: to learn more about Maori history and apply our knowledge of Maori myths to make a poem/haka/song.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 5 | Activity 3: Kiwi Jingle Bells

The third activity of day five is to create or write our own version of the Jingle Bells song and write it so that it is a New Zealand themed song.

The focus of this activity is to use our knowledge of Christmas in New Zealand and use inspirations to rewrite the Jingle Bells song. We also used our vocabulary, rhyming and music understanding skills to write our own quality version of the song. We also added illustrations/images for each verse of the song.

The Summer Learning Journey programme also included a video of the Kiwi Jingle Bells song to get ideas and inspiration from.

What inspired me to write the lyrics of this song was weather that often occurs during Christmas time in New Zealand and what people often do or go to during that time.

In my rewrite of Jingle Bells, I mentioned that a family was going to the beach with friends and family and they also brought cold drinks with them because of the hot summer weather.

I really found this activity fun and I enjoyed creating my own version of Jingle Bells. It was a great way to use my creativity and understanding of different things and applying my knowledge of music.

Something that I found challenging was coming up with lyrics with a certain amount of syllables that followed the rhythm of the song.

I could be more creative with the lyrics and include more things in the song that are unique to New Zealand. I could also improve my ability to choose or write lyrics that flow smoothly with the rhythm or theme of the song.

This activity is a really great opportunity to be creative and original when writing lyrics or songs. It could also help improve a persons ability to use/brainstorm ideas and apply their knowledge or understanding of a topic. I encourage the audience to try this activity out for yourselves and I look forward to seeing what you can do!

LI: to use inspiration to rewrite the Jingle Bells song.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 5 | Activity 2: Pigpen Cipher

For the second Summer Learning Journey activity for day five, I learnt how to decrypt the pigpen cipher code and use it to write messages.

The purpose of this activity is to learn how to use/encrypt and decrypt using the pigpen cipher code.

The first thing that I did was watch a video that talked about what pigpen cipher is and how to understand it. The video also explained why pigpen cipher has it's specific symbols.

Then I used my understanding of pigpen cipher to decrypt a code to find out which beach had a cave with treasure within it. This part of the activity was called 'Treasure Map'.

I learnt that the first nine letters of the alphabet are put onto a three by three grid in order from A to I. The letters in pigpen cipher are whatever lines of the grid they are touching or closest to.

The next nine letters of the alphabet are also in a three by three grid just like the previous nine letters. They also have the same symbols, however in the middle of each symbol is a dot or circle that indicates that it is the second set of letters.

The next four letters of the alphabet are s, t, u and v. Instead of in a grid, they are separated by the lines of an 'x'. Similar to the first eighteen letters of the alphabet, these letters in pigpen cipher are whatever lines of the 'x' they are touching or closest to.

The final four letters of the alphabet (w, x, y and z) are also separated by an 'x' shape. They have the same symbols as s, t, u and v but have circles in the center to indicate that they are the second set of the letters.

What I most enjoyed about this activity was applying my knowledge of pigpen cipher to encrypt my favorite beach into the code so others could decrypt it and learn more about me (most specifically what I like).

What I found challenging was decipher the name of the beach that had a cave with treasure within it, but I also enjoyed decrypting the code using my knowledge of pigpen cipher.

I found this activity really fun and delightful because I was able to learn a new secret code and I could use my knowledge of pigpen cipher to write messages or communicate with others that know this code.

LI: to learn, decrypt and use the pigpen cipher code.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 5 | Activity 1: Haka Kōkō Design

The objective of this Summer Learning Journey activity was to create our own Santa Claus clothing design by thinking about the features of Christmas and New Zealand.

The purpose of this activity is so be original and use our understanding of Santa, Christmas, New Zealand and summer to invent a Hana Kōkō design.

The first thing I did was brainstorm ideas on what I should include in my Hana Kōkō clothing design. I decided to include pohutukawa flowers and involve a summer theme because summer is the season in which Christmas takes place.

Once I thought about what to include in my design, I started thinking about the necessary clothing needed in summer. I used the google search feature on google draw to research clipart clothing that included the features I previously thought about.

I found a red shirt and added a pohutukawa flower on the front because red is a signature color of Christmas, and pohutukawa flowers were part of the design. I also found red shorts with a purple and yellow design to fit with the shirt, and because I couldn't find green or Christmas themed shorts. I included a sunhat and sandals because they are necessary summer-wear.

I named my Hana Kōkō design 'Summer Claus' because I thought it was unique and fit with the clothing design and theme. I also wrote what inspired me to create this specific design and why I included the certain features of my Hana Kōkō suit.

I found this activity interesting and exciting to do because I was able to use my ideas and inspiration to create something new. I most enjoyed coming up with the name of my Hana Kōkō  design. I encourage you to be creative and invent your own Santa Claus clothing design!

LI: to apply our ability to be creative and original.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 4 | Step it Up | Tānerore

Today, I completed the step it up level for the Summer Learning Journey activity called Tānerore. I created a unique kowhaiwhai pattern using the koru and kape.

Our kowhaiwhai pattern could represent either Tānerore or summer, and I chose to make it represent Tānerore because my previous kowhaiwhai pattern represented summer.

Tānerore is the son of Tama-nui te-ra. He performs the haka for his mother, Hine-raumati. A Maori myth states that when the weather is hot and sunny, you can see Tānerore performing the haka in the wiriwiri (faraway movements made by the heat of the sun).

The koru in the kowhaiwhai pattern that I made represents the wiriwiri movements in distant areas. The kape represents the ground or sky in which the wiriwiri movements take place. 

The colours I used for my kowhaiwhai pattern represent the heat which makes the wiriwiri and the uniform in which Tānerore was wearing when performing his haka.

This was a great opportunity to practice making more kowhaiwhai patterns. I think I could challenge myself by making a kowhaiwhai pattern that tells a Maori story, myth or legend.

LI: to investigate Maori history and create a kowhaiwhai patterns.

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Summer Learning Journey | Day 4 | Step it Up | Insect/Summer Art

Today, I decided to do the next level of the Summer Learning Journey insect art challenge and completing the step it up challenge.

The step it up challenge is to make a summer scene or another insect using only leaves, flower petals or sticks/twigs.

I decided to make a summer sunset with flower petals and sticks I found on the ground. I made the  gradience of the sky using the petals of roses that grow in my front yard. I also used pink flower petals for the ocean (pink because of the sun's light). I found dead sticks as the frame for the art.

To make sure I wasn't killing trees or flowers, I used petals that were on the ground and around the roots of the bushes. I found sticks that were on the ground. There were sticks that were long, short, thick and thin.

I really enjoyed taking the opportunity to be resourceful and creating insect art. I think I could challenge myself by creating a different and more detailed setting. I also drew a visual reference of what the picture represents to prevent confusion.

LI: to be resourceful and make insect/summer art.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 4 | Activity 3 | Summer Haiku

This Summer Learning Journey activity for day four (the third activity) is to learn about haikus and create your own revolving around summer.

The purpose of this Summer Learning Journey activity is to practice using your ability to use your knowledge and understanding of a topic and write about that. It also encourages you to use your understanding of syllables and rhyming.

A haiku is a short poem containing only three lines with a certain amount of syllables. The first line must have five syllables, the second line must have seven syllables and the last must have five syllables.

My haiku talked about the sound of the ocean waves, the feel of the sand on the beach and the many shells that lie on the sand and ocean floor. I also chose an image that related to summer to fit with the haiku.

I enjoyed creating my own summer haiku. It was also a great opportunity to use my creativity to write an original haiku using my knowledge and understanding of syllables and summer. Next time, I could challenge myself by writing more complex types of poems.

LI: to apply our understanding of syllables and summer to create a haiku.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 4 | Activity 2 | Which One Doesn't Belong?

For this Summer Learning Journey activity (day four, activity two), I observed four similar photos/images and selected the few that didn't belong with the rest.

The purpose of this Summer Learning Journey task is to encourage others to use their senses and compare the differences between similar things, as well as understand that there are no two things that are exactly the same.

First, I observed an image of four different Santa's and chose the two that were different. I did the same to images of ice creams, cookies/treats, spaceships, domino's numbers, clocks, car brand logos, playing cards and emojis.

There was an extra slide where I was able to create my own 'Which One Doesn't Belong?' challenge. I chose to do four different Christmas trees to maintain the 2020 Christmas spirit. I encourage you to try out this activity yourself using the challenge I created.

I really liked this activity because it was similar to spot the difference. I didn't quiet understand this activity or what they meant by 'Which One Doesn't Belong?', so I just decided to point out the differences of the images.

LI: to develop attention to detail.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 4 | Activity 1 | Rise Up

For this Summer Learning Journey activity (day four, activity one), I created and wrote my own text graphic chorus for a song.

The purpose of this activity is to be able to use your imagination to write about a topic or subject and think about how well those lyrics would go with a rhythm.

A chorus is the part of a song where the lyrics repeat. For example, in the song 'Rise Up' (which is the song we used as an example for this activity), the chorus is 'And we will rise (strong minds, strong heart), and we will rise (we all play a part), and we will rise, we'll never stop.

I created and wrote a chorus which is about 2020 and it's major events. There might have been other major events that happened in 2020, but I chose these specific events because of some kind of connection or relation they had to me.

In the chorus, I tried to maintain rhythm and rhyme. I repeated the first and last line because I thought it would go well with the rest of the chorus.

To make a chorus, a person should have ideas on what the topic will be for their song. They should also have ideas about the order of the lyrics and keeping it on topic. If they are making a rhyming chorus, they should think about the amount of syllables each word or sentence has so that it goes with the rhythm.

I really enjoyed taking the opportunity to create my own chorus for a unique topic. I could try challenging myself by creating a chorus on a certain topic chosen by a different person. I'd like you to try and make your own chorus!

LI: to create a chorus.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 3 | Activity 3 | Optical Illusions: Step It Up!

Today, I tried the Summer Learning Journey day three, activity three optical illusions activity. I tried to complete the step it up task.

I created my own optical illusion using only the thick, black outline of circles. Originally, I was going to make an illusion with black and white stripes. I observed the shapes I had available and began messing around with the placement of those shapes.

My optical illusion turned out to look like a tunnel. I made this tunnel by putting the thick, black outlines of circles close together and on an angle. Because of how they were placed, they formed the shape of a tunnel. I decided to call this illusion 'Tunnel Vision'.

To make your own optical illusion on paper, you can mess around with lines or shapes and change the angle, curve or form of those shapes. Shading can also help with how the optical illusion is seen by a person, and it can change that person's point of view.

I really enjoyed taking the opportunity to create my own optical illusion and experiment with shapes. I could improve my ability to be creative and original, and challenging myself with more complex and advanced shapes.

LI: to experiment with shapes.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 3 | Activity 3 | Optical Illusions

For this activity (day three, activity three of the Summer Learning Journey programme), we learnt about a certain optical illusion of our choice.

The first thing that we did was think of a certain optical illusion that we wanted to find out about. The optical illusion I chose was called the Hermann Grid Illusion.

After that, we explained how this illusion works and what it does. The Hermann Grid Illusion has many white dots on a black background. Whenever a person looks at a dot, the dots on the opposite side of the black background will turn grey or black.

This is because our brain can't compare the colors from a distance, so it automatically sees the other dots as black or grey.

I enjoyed this activity the most out of the Summer Learning Journey activities I have done so far. I think I could choose a more complicated and complex optical illusion to research and learn about.

LI: to learn about an optical illusion.

Summer Learning Journey | Day 3 | Activity 2 | Tānerore

For the day 3 activity 2 Summer Learning Journey Activity, I created a Maori kowhaiwhai pattern using the koru shape.

The first thing that we did was watch a video about Tānerore. Tānerore is the son of Tama-nui te-ra. He performs the haka for his mother, Hine-raumati. A Maori myth states that when the weather is hot and sunny, you can see Tānerore performing the haka in the sun.

The koru in the kowhaiwhai pattern that I made represents the ocean's waves in summer. Because the weather is so hot, people visit beaches to cool down. The colors I used for my kowhaiwhai pattern are blue (representing the water) and yellow (representing the sand and the sun).

The koru on the blue side of the draw represents the waves that are far out in the ocean. The koru on the yellow side of the draw represents the small waves that drift across the sand.

I really enjoyed taking the opportunity to create my own kowhaiwhai pattern. I liked listening to the story of Tānerore because I can expand my understanding of Maori history and culture.

LI: to investigate Maori history and create a kowhaiwhai patterns.