Christmas In the Rain

Every kiwi knows what a true Christmas is. Christmas on the beach camping in the hot summer sun. My Christmas's are never usally by the beach but I would appreciate when we stay at home for it to be sunny. I can only remember two Christmas's if being boiling sunny. Others have been sunnyish or like this Christmas, miserabley cold and wet. So I guess I should have said goodbye to hot sun burning Christmas's a while a go. This really is bid down side to living in Matawai. But I love having Christmas at home with my family and pets. So I guess that made up for another Christmas in the rain.

Homemade Flower Pots

I was trying to find a gift for family and friends that would be something they could use all the time, that they could use more than once. After scrolling through pinterest for a while, I came across this idea. This reuses cans, that you would usally chuck away that ends up in the landfill. I think that theses are great gifts, to add flowers or plants, or you can even make a wax mixture and add it to the can to create a beautiful candle. You can even use a plastic bottle, which will totally change the height and shape of it. But if you are reusing plastic don't make a candle, because flame and plastic doesn't go well together. But I love to add flowers to create a sustainable vase. This is such a simple elegant gift for someone. Here how to make them...

What you need
A tin can ( This can be a spagetti, baked beans ect )
Teatowel
Decoration paper ( cheap at a two dollar shop, or create your own patterns on white paper. )
Scissors
Glue

How to make
1. Fill your tin up with hot water making sure to get the lables wet. Peel off the lables as good as you can. Leave up side down for ten minutes with a teatowel inside.

2. Grab your decoration paper and measure and cut it to fit around the can nicely.

3.Add glue to the paper and stick to the can.

Christmas Cake Recipe

Today I was learning how to add an image attribution to my profile page of Lorde.

I enjoyed finding out interesting facts about her as I didn't know much around her life.

I found it challenging to choose a colour for the background.

My digital learning object shows that I can add an image attribution to an image.

Next Time I would change the layout of my information.

An image attribution is a link underneath the image, that is labled for reuse, when you click it, you will go to site the image is off.

Surfing With Sarah

Before my surfing encounter before camp, I had never gone before. I cant believe how fun it was. We practised on sand drawn boards, then straight to the water. The first ten minutes we were getting used to the water, getting used to the surf boards, ect. I thought it would be much harder getting up, but it turned out reasonably easy. I found it challenging to find a good wave, because there was quite a strong current moving sideways. I just loved surfing and now, I to have a surf board for Christmas.

Tolaga Bay Wharf

Recently, Room 4 went on camp. We went to Anaura Bay campsite for the week. I have only been on two senior camps, now. This was probably my favourite. One of the activities we did was jump of the Tolaga Bay Wharf. The wharf has some incredible history behind it. Did you know that 39 years after being built, it was closed to shipping, due to war and better roads? I was so proud of myself. The majority of the class jumped of. I wasn't to fussed over the height as I have jumped of something higher. I was more worried about the ladder, it looked rusty and dodgy. But I jumped offrom 3 or 4 times and had a great time.

Highlights 2019

Today I was learning how to create a wevideo reflecting highlights of year 2019. We started with a story board to plan an order and for easy access of the media.

I enjoyed adding transitions and adding music because it made my video just that much better.

I found it challenging to only add a few photos, because there were so many photos that I wanted to add.

My digital learning object shows that i can create a video including photos, transitions, music and text.

Next time I would change the length of my video and make it longer, and add my voice instead of text.

Ag Day 2019

Pets Day 2019

Last week we had Pets Day at Matawai school. We had a great time. For tech I am currently in cooking, so that means that I got to bake for the cake stall fundraiser. In the morning after I had made my sandsaucer, which I placed first out of the year sevens in, I helped bag up some of the delicious slices that we had baked up. When my pets arrived I ran over an unloaded them off the ute. My father entered his cake for the ' fathers bake off ', which he sadly didn't place in. I lined up at the pet ring, in the big lamb section with my beautiful lamb Zoe. Zoe got 1st in best cared for, then my awsome dog Rosie, to my dads surprise got 2nd in best cared for in the dog section. 1st and 2nd in a catogrey means that you go to the final, which you can win champion lamb, dog or other pet. Their was champion calf, but because of microplasmabovis, we couldnt have calves. This meant that both of my pets had a chance at champion dog and lamb. In the end my lamb Zoe got champion lamb. I am so proud of Zoe, now she will go on to be my pet sheep and hopefully breed lambs of her own. 

Kawakawa Cough Syrup

This term 5 people from room 4 got to go up one of our local maunga ' Titirangi ' to do a workshop. This workshop that included, visiting the harbour to see the new plastic vacum cleaner invention that Eastland Port has bought. It was fascinating to see how much plastic there is in the small harbour. We also did a workshop near the end, we got to take our own kumara plants home to plant. I really enjoyed my day and would go back again.

Taking An EAgle To School

Today I was learning how to identifiy what is false ( photo shopped ) and what is real ( oringinal ). We were also givin the challenge to create a fake image of something impossible that would never happen at school.

I enjoyed using my creativity and imagination.

I found it challenging to think of something to do and an eagle image that was a png.

My digital learning object shows that I can remove the background on an image, moving images to look realistic.

Next time I would change the pose I did, to look more realistic and action packed.

- Sophia

I see… Lambs refusing to continue through the yards, as they endlessly bleat for their mothers. Dogs snaking towards protective ewes, impatiently stamping their feet while been evil eyed. The cold morning dew, thawing out, with help from the warm Spring sun.

I hear… The familiar whistle of my father, restlessly waiting for his dogs to do their job. Hells bells, with their ringing tones, forcing sheep and their young into the yards, only to be separated, again.

I Smell… I smell fiery fumes as the iron heats up, ready to face its first victim. The distinctive smell of sheep, kicking up dust and hastily, dashing to reunite with their family.

I feel… The warm panting bodies of lambs, pushed against my legs, squashed in holding pens. Sweat dripping down my forehead.

I Taste… Hot drips of blood splashing at my mouth, from dry, crispy, lamb ears. I seal my mouth tight, in case it happens again.


Where Am I?

Docking on the farm!
15.10.2019

Rugby World Cup 2019 Mascot Animation

Today I was learning how to create an animation with my Rugby World Cup 2019 mascot for Italy.
 I enjoyed creating a background to base my slides on.
 I found it challenging to My digital learning object shows that I can make an animation, and embed it to my blog.
I found it challenging to find a flag for Italy and a cartoon pizza.
 Next time I would change my creation and think out side of the box to come up with something original.

Rugby World Cup Mascot Italy

Today I was learning how to polyline images of Italy's national animal ( grey wolf ), flower and flag, to create a new mascot.

I enjoyed adding colours to our images, mashing everything together to make one thing.

I found it challenging to polyline the shapes, especially the wolf, as I kept double clicking and it kept finishing and you can't continue a line.

My digital learning object shows that I can polyline images, to create a mascot for another country.

Next time I would change the shades of colours and not over crouding everything.

Eel Encounters

Room 4 has recently been studying endangered animals, we studied Longfin Eels as a class. Down the road from school is where the Hustlers live, in their river live some long fin eels, so we decided to visit them. 

We knew from our learning the the eels love smelly meat so we fed them some stenchy venison. It took a while at first and we thought the water was too murky and fast flowing.

 But then a huge one appeared and we knew that they were lurking beneath the river bed. Some of us fed them out of our hands, on sticks, we even made lines out of harakeke. Soon we were pulling eels up, studying them and even patting them. The eels were huge. When we got back to school, we created poems based on the Eel encounter. Here is one of my poems... 

He Waits 

Beneath the brisk, murky, waters, he waits. 

A dark shadow, glides across the river bed.

Stenchy venison drops.

He waits.

Suddenly, a dorsal fin breaks the tranquil waters.

The blood covered bait vanishes, 

so does he. 

Marvellous Maths Quiz

Today I was learning how to link slides to make a maths quiz. The slides link so when you click in a certain place it will move to the slide linked to it. The code is command shift k.
I enjoyed using gifs and images ( labeled for reuse) to create eye catching slides.
I found it challenging to remember to duplicate slides and choose a maths topic use in my questions.
My digital learning object shows that I can embed slides in my blog, add gifs and images and link slides together.
Next time I would change the layout of my slides.

Matawai Action Selfies

Today I was learning how to create an action selfie of my own. I used a removing background app, which made a clean cut and pick up all of the details, hair, clothes ect. I enjoyed chosing a background, then adding a photo of a horse that I could move around to my liking. I found it challenging to get into a position within ten seconds of my camera timer, to take a photo.
My digital learning object shows that I can use my camera, remove the background of an image, and embed slides to my blog. Next time I would change where I took my photo, as the lighting wasn't that great.

Marvellous Masterchef

Maara Kai Challenge 

- Winners of Best Use of Produce -

Congratulations Kaleyn and Sophia… 

Matawai School is a part of Enviro schools, so with that, we took part in the Maara Kai challenge. Three teams of two cooked their dishes at school but only one team would be picked and take part in the actual event. The first few steps were listing the produce that we had in our gardens to work with, creating a menu using five of the ingredients out of the gardens. Many of our menus were based on dishes that we were familiar with from the cooking room. 

Amy Spence came up to judge and picked Kaleyn and I to head off to Gisborne Intermediate to cook our dish ( pesto pasta with crunchy kale chips and apple, feijoa and rhubarb crumble) against other schools. 

As soon as we arrived we were welcomed with a special Waiata and greeting from some of the teachers and students. Then it was off for a safety briefing in the cooking room. Before we knew it, the time had started and we were cooking. We had ninety minutes to create our dishes, clean up and present nicely. It sounds like a lot of time, but in the last 15 minutes, everything was quite a rush. While the dishes were been judged, we went outside to visit Gisborne Intermediate’s gardens. They had a huge paddock full of produce. After the judges were making their final decisions, we tasted each other's meal. There was everything, from homemade breads to orange and kale crumble. One team had even made a delicious goat curry. The judges thought that our use of produce was very creative, so we were given the title of ‘ best use of produce ‘. It was such a fun experience and we would love to give it a go again.  

Sophia Carmiachael

Matariki Animations Using Brush Ninja

Today I was learning how to create an animation related to Matariki, using Brush Ninja is an app allowing you to create animations, using shapes and paint brushes to create backgrounds.
I enjoyed adding stars of different sizes and colours to make an eye catching background.
I found it challenging to remember to duplicate the slides.
My digital learning object shows that I can can make an animation representing Matariki in a short amount of time. 
Next time I would change the layout of how I placed things, just to make it unique.
Have you ever created an animation on Brush Ninja? If you haven't, I recommend it.
This blog shows that I am a stepping up blogger.

Creative Animations With Mindlab

On Monday, the Mindlab visited Matawai School. We worked collaboratively to think of problems in our oceans. We came up with heaps of problems, such as... Animals dieing due to plastic, oil drilling and much more. Next we had to think of solutions to solve the problems. We came up with some very out there ideas, like... Giant fish that suck up all of the rubbish and filter out the sea creatures. Voting for the greens, fining litterers and plenty more. 

The Mindlab staff gave us an app, which we could create a character that ended up looking very much like us. The twist was our buddy made the character for you. It was great fun. Liana and I's characters looked very similar. We had to get the message out there about how bad our oceans are and how to help them and animals, so we made a video using the characters. The goal was to not say ' don't ' do things and suggest other to 'try' things. First step was to make an introduction by starting a conversation by greeting each other. Then to talk about problems and how to solve the problems. My partner and I added some humour to keep people entertained. Overall this was a fun experience. 

I will upload the animation very soon...

                           

Respect - What Does It Mean To Me?

Earlier this week we were set the task to create a poster about 'what Respect means to me?' It needed to be bright and bold, something that would be attractive to draw someone in to read them. The aim of this task, was for someone to read this so they would understand the meaning of Respect at Matawai School.  We could create them digitally, or fully hand drawn or a mixture of both. I choose to go old school and hand draw the whole thing.

Our poster had to include what respect sounds like, feels like, looks like and the golden rule to respect. To me respect means accepting that we as humans have different opinions. Respect can be a simple thing, just using manners or saying good morning to someone. Respect can be a strong thing if you use the right words. However if you do not use the right words that could make someone very unhappy. Even if you aren't best buddies with someone, still respect them by listening when speaking. It is the same at home, so respect parents by not back chatting. We should show respect to our parents all the time, if we think about it how dinner is on the table every night and how we have money to spend in town? It should be the same with staff and teachers, I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for my amazing staff and teachers at Matawai School.

So my final message is to use manners, be grateful for what you have and think about what vibe you are setting to everyone around you. Remember the 'Golden Rule' treat others the way you want to be treated.

Here is my work...
I will add my picture soon

My Profile

Hi my name is Sophia, I am year 7 and go to matawai school. I live on a sheep and beef farm with my two parents and my brother. I enjoy outside activities, such as, playing hockey, riding horses and hunting.  In hockey I play a half  or striker.

My favourite subject at school is mathematics, because it is fun and challenging. My goal in maths is to become Sufficient at long division. my goal this year is to Improve on paragraphing in my writing.  I play the ukulele, this term Matawai ukulele group will be performing on the War Memorial Theatre in Gisborne.

I love living on a farm. I have tons of pets. 3 horses, Sambo, Spice and  Gingernut, a flock of sheep, two cats, Poppy and mittens, a dog called Timmy and lots more. My favourite part of living on a farm is lambing and docking time. I love animals.