Technology - Wood structure

In wood work with Mr Rees we have been making structures that we can hang things from. This project has taken our class a term to complete as we only have Mr Rees one hour a week. The first thing that we had to do was draw out a plan of how long each of the three parts were going to be.The structure was aloud to be 450mm long at the max but I could be smaller if you wanted it to be  My first part was the upright and it was around 150 mm long. My second part was a support that helps keep the joint and the upright together and it was 85mm long. The last part was the joint which was 200mm long. All in total my structure ended up being 335mm long if you put it side by side. The hardest part was probably cutting and attaching the support to the structure because we had to cut it on a angle and when we went to attach it we had to nail it in on a angle. My favourite parts of making the structure was measuring,oiling and planning making it because I really enjoy making all my sizes organised and all my work looking as neat as possible.

Musical Performance - Aotearoa

Yesterday we performed the song Aotearoa by Stan Walker in front of the year 7,8,9s and some year 10 classes. We had been practising for the performance since the start of the term. Everyone had to sing the chorus of Aotearoa but some people who were confident in sing a solo got a part of the verse to sing. The teacher choreographed most of the dance but she did ask for our input on how we are going to perform it and what we are going to wear on the day. We chose to perform it live seeing as it is more of a Maori culture and seeing if the performance was to celebrate the Maori holiday Matariki we though it fit quite well. On the day we chose to wear the old Branston Intermediate Kapa Haka uniforms. I was wearing a light blue skirt with a belt kind of thing because all of the other things we could wear were much to big for me which was a bit of a struggle because I didn't know what I was going to wear until the last day we had of rehearsing. On the day of the performance everyone was nervous either because we thought that we were not going to as well as last term,because there was a whole other coming to watch, We were going to muck up or just because we were nervous about getting up on stage in general or possibly because the only practice we had on the day didn't go as well as it could of. We were up first out of all of the performances so we had to get changed as soon as the bell rang for last period we had to go a quickly get changed while the others were getting seated. When we performed I was a bit embarrassed because I am not really big on performing in front of lots of performing and especially in front of my younger brother and my sister. My favourite part of song was when Kaela and Stacey sung the National anthem because I personally think that they are great singers and they sing really we together. The performance went better than I expected but I think I could have done a better job of acting like I enjoyed doing it because I was to busy worrying about not laughing because of my nerves. I think that we could of been a bit louder and brung more energy to the performance because I think that at times we were a bit quite. Next time I perform I am going to worry about my facial expressions and being a bit louder so it can fix that problem.  Over all I think the performance went quite well but we could of been a little bit better.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yesterday in home economics we made Chocolate chip cookies. The people I worked with were Ava and Jay. The positives of yesterday were that we were really good at our clean up and we were also good at our personal hygiene. The negatives of yesterday were that it was a bit hard to get everyone in our group to listen because we were so keen of getting the food into the oven. Next time I would try and make sure that the butter is exactly the right amount because it was 1 gram off and even though it didn't really impact the final result of the cookies it still annoyed me. One thing that went really well was that we washed the dishes as we went which helped us finish really quickly.

Here is the recipe:

200g butter
1 cup Chelsea White Sugar
1 cup Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
3 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips
• Method

Melt butter, and add both sugars and cream these together. Beat in the eggs and vanilla then mix in the dry ingredients. Roll into medium sized balls, making sure the mixture is not too wet! Put on a well greased baking tray. They shouldn't spread too much so flatten slightly. Bake at 180° for 8-10 minutes.

Tip: you can easily half this recipe. Or roll half into a log, wrap in cling film and freeze. Cut into 15 pieces while still frozen and bake.

Shylock Study #1

Make a list of the insults and names Shylock has been called in the text so far. Dog, Lair and a Villon
Find lines/quotes in the text that show Shylock’s hurt, his rage, his loneliness.

Hurt: My own flesh and blood to rebel

Rage: He hath disgraced me and hindered half a million

Loneliness: I have always just shrugged and put up with it because Jews are good at suffering
Do you think he cares more about losing the ducats or his daughter? Shylock seems to want the money back more than his daughter
Shylock is powerless to get back his daughter or his ducats but Antonio is now in his power. Find the first mention of revenge. Do you think his thoughts of revenge are justified, give reasons. Shylock mentions revenge first when he finds out the Antonios ships have been lost at sea. I think that his thoughts of revenge are justified because of all the bad things Antonio has done to Shylock but I think that if he just stopped thinking about revenge the whole situation might turn out better in the end
A3S1 lines 54-62. What sentiment is Shylock trying to express here, do you find sympathy for him here? Shylock is trying to express that just because he is a Jew does not make him any different and that you should not judge someone for what they believe in because they are still humans.
Choose one ‘Hath not..’ quote and explain it. Hath not a Jews eyes - Doesn't a Jew have eyes

The Merchant of Venice - Act 3

Act Three, Scene One

Why does Shylock assume Solanio and Salerio know of Jessica’s flight? because they are friends
What is the second suggestion of misfortune for Antonio? The rumour is that Antonio ships with all his money and valuable things were in a ship wreak
Who has been looking for Lorenzo and Jessica, how do we know? Shylock because he wants his money back
Where do Shylock and Tubal arrange to meet and with what purpose? they arrange to meet at the synagogue and so they can arrest him

Act Three, Scene Two

Why does Portia want Bassanio to delay his choice? so if he is wrong she would have at least spent some time with him

What makes Bassanio choose lead over the silver and gold caskets? Because he doesn't want to judge a book by its cover

What does Portia’s speech A3S2 L166-174 reveal about the expected roles of a woman in marriage.

What did Gratiano’s and Nerissa’s wish to marry depend on? if Bassanio chose the right casket

How does Portia know that the letter contains bad news? Because it is making Bassanio turn pale

What help does Portia offer straightaway? twice as much money as they owe him

Why do we not expect this help to be successful? Because Jessica (Shylocks daughter) over heard him say that even if he was offered 21 times as many ducats he would still take a pound flesh

Do you think Portia would still be in love with Bassanio if she knew he had lied about his wealth? yes because she likes him better that any of the other men

Act Three, Scene Three:

Antonio is now convinced that he knows the reason for Shylock’s insistence on claiming his bond. What is it? Because money doesn't matter to him anymore as long as he get the pound of flesh
Why can the Duke not ‘deny the course of law’ according to Antonio? because it will be a threat about how people make money
What does Antonio seem resigned to his fate. What two important realisations is this based on? Because Shylock really wants the pound of flesh and money doesn;t seem to matter to him anymore
Do you think Antonio’s feelings towards Bassanio have changed since the beginning, why? No because they still seem to be best friends still
Shylock refuses to consider the idea of Mercy, but demands Justice. Consider the following ideas:

Is mercy the same as forgiveness? No
Is it easier to show mercy or look for revenge? For me it is easier to show mercy as you get a better result out of it
Is justice the same as fairness? no just because their is justice does not mean that it is fair
Is true justice possible in this case? Justice is possible for some people but not to all

Act Three, Scene Four
What is Lorenzo’s opinion of Antonio? he admires him
What does Portia tell Lorenzo she intends to do? Go and be a Nun
What does she ask Lorenzo and Jessica to do for her and why? Look after her house and because she trust them and she wants to go save her husband
Why does Portia think Antonio and Bassanio must be alike? Because she belives since they are best friends they mjust be alright
Why do Portia and Nerissa intend to travel dressed as men? Because woman can't get into court
In A3S4 L 60-78, how does Portia describe the behaviour and attitudes of young men.
Does it seem likely that Portia is going to follow the expected  behaviour of a wife? no

Act Three, Scene Five
In his jokey conversation with Jessica, why is Launcelot against the conversion of Jews to Christianity? he thinks that the prices of pork will go up
What is Jessica’s opinion of Portia? I think that Jessica seem to respect her

Can dos:

Tainted: To contaminate or pollute something

Ecstasy: An overwhelming feeling of happiness or excitement

Converted: change the form or function or something

Vantage: A place or position affording a good view

Oration: A formal speech

Constitution: The composition of something

Envious: A feeling or showing envy (Jealous)

Forfeit: A penalty of wrong doing

Mee Goreng - Home economics

Yesterday in home economics we made an Asian dish called Mee Goreng. The students I worked with were Tanaya and Tana. The positives of yesterday that we finished on time and that we managed to follow the recipe without making any mistakes. The negatives were that we accidentally left a chair out making it a health and safety issue. Next time I would spread the jobs out more evenly so that people are not standing and waiting around not entirely sure what to do.  The Mee Goreng turned out better than I expected considering I do not like noodles very much.

Science - Microscope slides

Equipment: Chemical stain,Tweezers,Cover slip,Slide,Specimen (Transparent and thin) and microscope

Method: Place your specimen in the middle of a clean slide. Ensure that the specimen is laying flat and not folded over itself  

2. add 2-3 drops of the stain solution. Plant cells are usually stained with iodine and animal cells are stained with methylene blue.  Both of theses stain the nucleus of each cell

3. Holding the 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 solution. With your right hand support the top edge of the coverslip with a pair or tweezers

4.Gently lower the coverslip with the tweezers ensuring that no air bubbles are traped under the coverwslip

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

Here are some photos from the experiment:

This was taken through the lens of the microscope 

Wood Work Term 2 Update

In tech with Mr Rozka we have been doing wood work. In stead of doing one big project we have been doing lots of small and quick projects that teach us tons of different skills. Some of the skills we have been learning include how to use a belt sander,drilling,sawing,chiselling,measuring and many more skills useful in wood work. So far this term we have made a puzzle,ball roarer,candle holder, centrifuge, a game called Mu Torere, bottle opener and a few other projects.  It is very important to get everything right because if you do something as simple as getting the wrong measurements it could affect the final product so you have to be careful with everything you do. I found that hard as I did make a few mistakes and it was hard to fix them once I had made them. My favourite project so far has been making the puzzle or making the centrifuge as they were both fun and needed different skills and I was proud with both of the finishing products. My favourite skill to use was sanding because I found it very nice when my hard and messy work turned into a soft a clean end product.  Some of the challenges I have had this term were chiselling as it is very hard to get the hang of and another challenge I had was using the belt sander as the first time I used it I broke it meaning the none of the other classes could use it for a week while the new sand paper was arriving. Next time I do a project I think that I will go a bit slower as I am generally one of the first to finish the project and if I went even a little bit slower the product might come out a bit better.

Here is some of my friends work to show you an example of what I have been doing as I can't show you mine because I have taken it home already:

Tanaya's candle holder

Jason's puzzle 

Tanaya's Bull roarer 

Home economics- Chilli Con Carne

Yesterday in home economics we made chilli con carne. I worked in a pair with Chloe who I have never worked with before. The positives of yesterday were that we both had good personal hygiene and that we still manged to complete making it even though Chloe wasn't having the best day cooking wise. The negatives of yesterday was that the rice burnt and Chloe accidentally spilt garlic everywhere leaving me to be the only one cooking and preparing the meal for a while as she was cleaning up her mess. Next time I think that we would be more careful with what we are doing and not rush as much because since we were rushing to finish before the bell time we made a few mistakes.  I enjoyed working Chloe because it was fun to work with someone who I don't usually work with even if she wasn't as good as a cook as I thought she was going to be. Even thought Chloe made lots of mistakes I didn't make very many mistake which I am proud of. In the end the chilli con carne didn't turn out as bad as I thought it was going to turn out.

Merchant of Venice Scene 2

We have watched racial and religious tensions at work in A1S3. The Prince of Morocco opens A2S1 with another sensitive issue. What is it? Racism and not judging people on the way the look like.

If Antonio loses his gamble, he must forfeit a pound of flesh. What must Portia’s suitors give up if they fail to win her?
Shylock practices ‘usury’. What is this? When you charge interest
Why do Shylock and Antonio hate each other? Because Shylock is a Jew and he is constantly getting
What is Portia’s opinion of the Prince of Morocco- give examples.

Why does Launcelot want to leave Shylock? Give evidence from the text to support your thinking. Because Shylock is a Jew and Launcelot is a Christian
Why is Bassanio worried about taking Gratiano with him to Belmont? Because he might be an embarrassment

In lines 114-142...

Launcelot and his father are very anxious to find Launcelot a new job. They both want to impress Bassanio. This leads to a. frequent interruptions.

      b. contradictions

      c. misuse of words to impress.

      Find examples of each of these in the text.
What does Jessica think of her life at home? Give evidence from the text to support your thinking.
Which of Bassanio’s friends is Jessica planning to marry? Lorenzo
Act Two, Scene Four
How does Jessica get a message to her lover? By giving Launcelot a letter to give to Lorenzo
How will she be disguised for the elopement? She dresses up as a boy
Act Two, Scene Five

Why is Shylock uneasy about going out for the evening? Give evidence from the text to support your thinking. Because things are not going well for him right now and he is getting ill

How does Launcelot manage to tell Jessica that Lorenzo will be there that evening? By sending a letter to him
What does Jessica throw down to Lorenzo? Stolen money
Why is Antonio looking for Gratiano? Because he wants to find him
Which casket does the Prince of Morocco think is worthy to contain Portia’s portrait. Use evidence of the text to justify your answer. The Prince of Morocco thinks that Portia is worthy of the gold casket as it is worth the most
How is Portia feeling in A2S7 -at the beginning, -while the Prince is making his choice, at the end
What was Portia's father trying to achieve by the use of the caskets. Does this seem to be working? So that he is making sure she gets a good husband

Act Two, Scene EightWhat double disaster has struck Shylock?

That Jessica ran away and stole lots of money

Where did Shylock think Lorenzo & Jessica might be? In Belmont with the others

How did Bassanio and Antonio part? They shook each others hands
What is the first suggestion of trouble for Antonio? Find a quote that tells you this.

Act Two, Scene Nine

What is the purpose of the rhymes in the caskets? To tell them why the were wrong (or right) for choosing the casket
Why does the Prince of Arragon discard the golden caskets. What does his interpretation of the inscription tell us about his character? Because if everyone desires her then she would have already been married and the inscription on the casket shows that he thinks that he is worth Portia
What is Portia’s reaction to Bassanio’s arrival? She seem curious and intrigued to go see if it is actually him

• Incision: A cut made in the skin or flesh
• Renowned: Famous
• Casket: A small box for holding special and valued objects.
• Fiend: an evil spirit or a demon
• Impertinent: Being rude
• Tedious: Slow
• Prodigal: Spending money recklessly
• Garnish: To decorate

The properties and uses of Gold, Silver and Lead Lead:
Uses: Lead has been used for pipes,pewter and paint,car batteries,pigments and many more uses
Properties: Lead is a grey sliver metal that is soft and highly malleable. Lead is alos a poor conductor of electricity .

Silver:
Uses: Some of the uses for Silver included jewellery and tableware. Silver is also used for mirrors as it is a very good source of reflection
Properties: Silver is and soft ductile and a pliable transition of metal

Gold:
Uses: Gold can be shaped and sculptured and it is also conduct energy that doesn't tarnish
Properties: Gold is pliable and ductile. Gold is a soft metal but it is also a very heavy metal.

What am I learning? I am learning how take what I have read and use it to answer questions
How does my work show my learning? This shows my learning because I have taken what I read and answers the questions with it.
What am I wondering? I am wondering why Shakespearean words are so different than how we speak

Music - Aotearoa

This term in music we have been learning the song Aotearoa by Stan Walker. As a class we all decided to sing and perform this song by voting out of two options (Wairua and Aotearoa).  I am enjoying learning the lyrics to the song and also learning the choreography because I find learning new things fun and interesting.  The thing I need to work on to help the class be successful is to not play with my hair because if I flick my hair around on the day of our performance it will look weird and it won't fit in. One thing i find challenging is actually enjoying performing as I don't really like to sing as I don't think I am very good at it and also because I have to be at the front for some part of the performance and I don't really feel like doing it. I am going to overcome this is by acting like I want to be there on the day. While practising this song we are learning how to more to the beat as we have to sway side to side for a good portion of the performance. We are also learning how to add our own ideas to this performance as last time the teacher told us everything we were doing but this time we got to chose how we were going to perform it (If we were going to just stand on the stage, music video, etc)  what we are going to do in our performance and what we are going to wear. My performance so far show my learning because I had to learn new choreography and learn the words and I have already got that sorted. Next time we practise our performance I am going to try and make the effort not to play with my hair and actually act like I enjoy it.

Home Economics - Macaroni and Cheese

Yesterday we made macaroni and cheese. The people I worked with were Gary and Tanaya. I found it quite challenging working with them as they both like to do their own thing and no one was reading the instructions very well. The positives of yesterday was that our safety was pretty good and so was our personal hygiene. The negatives of yesterday was that we didn't follow the method correctly and our cheese sauce wasn't a good as it could of been as Tanaya accidentally added the milk to fast. Next time I would make sure everyone I am working with knows what the method says. The main nutrient in mac and cheese is the pasta as the pasta has carbohydrates which gives you slow release energy.

Merchant of Venice Act 1

Act One, Scene One:
Antonio is depressed without knowing why. What are two reasons his friends suggest?  He is worried about his ships and he might be in love
Do you think Gratiano’s contributions help Antonio’s mood?
What are your first impressions of Bassanio? That he seems like a nice guy who needs money
Is he in love? Probably because why would you borrow money to try to get a girl if you didn't love the person?
Why does he need to borrow money again now? Because he spent it all
Act One, Scene Two:
How do Portia’s first words compare with Antonio’s? They are both about being sad and tired
What is the reason for her mood? because she doesnt get a chocie in how she marries and she doesnt like
anyone who is trying to marry her
Do you think Nerissa is a help to her? Yes because she is trying to make her feel better and find someone
that Portia likes
Sum up, in a word or a short phrase, Portia’s attitude to her suitors so far: highly dislikes them

Act One, Scene Three:

Shylock is a moneylender. Does he seem eager to do business with Bassanio? How do you know?

Which does Shylock think is safe, his business or Antonio’s? Why?

Why doesn’t Shylock want to dine with Bassanio and Antonio? Because they have always been mean to him

What strict principal of his is Antonio breaking to help Bassanio? Jacob and the sheep

Shylock tells a bible story to prove that the taking of profit is blessed, as long as thieving is not involved. Does he convince Antonio? Yes because he went ahead with the deal

Give evidence.Shylock accuses Antonio of a whole catalogue of nastiness. How does Antonio answer the charges?How does Bassanio react to the proposed bond? he say that Antonio doesn't have to go through with it

Vocabulary: 

Vessel: A ship or a large boat

Signior: An Italian man mainly of high rank    

Venture a risky or daring journey  

Mortifying: Cause to feel very embarrassed or ashamed 

Profound: Very great or intense 

Exhortation: An address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something
Virtuous: Having or showing high mortal standards
Squandered: Waste in a reckless and foolish manner


What am I learning? I am learning how to read Shakespeare as it is my first time reading it.
How does this show my learning? My work shows my learning because by being able to explain what happened in the story shows that I must have a least  learnt what some things mean.
What am I wondering? So far I am wondering whats going to happen next in the book because it is much more interesting than I thought it was going to be