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Relief Activity – Music Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog.

Today in music, we had a relief teacher, so we were given some relief work. First, we played a music game where you have to guess different treble clef notes. If you want to try this game, click here. Next, we completed relief tasks. There was a set of slides, and I had to pick a task to finish before the period ended. First, I explored Music Lab, a fun and creative platform to make music. Then, I completed a task called Reggae. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my reggae task. I hope you enjoy it, and I would appreciate your feedback.

Task

Music Activity

 

That’s all for my blog

Goodbye👋

Shreeya❀

 

 

Melting and Freezing || Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog.

Today in science class, we explored the concept of melting and freezing. In this blog post, I’ll share what we learned and help you learn more deeply into this topic. I hope you find it informative and engaging.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

– Understanding Melting and Freezing
– Particle Changes During the Processes
– An Exciting Experiment
– Melting and Freezing Points Explained
– Everyday Examples of Melting and Freezing
– And much more, so stay tuned,

Enjoy

Melting and freezing

Melting

  • A solid changes to a liquid when heat is added. Particles gain energy and move more.

 

Freezing

  • Liquid changes to a solid when heat is removed. Particles lose energy and slow down.

 

Particle changes – Melting

Solid Heats Up

  • Particles in a solid start to vibrate faster as heat is added.

Breaking Free

  • Particles gain enough energy to break from their fixed positions

Becoming liquid

  • The substance turns into a liquid, with particles moving past each other.

Particles changes – Freezing

Liquid Cools Down

  • Particles in a liquid lose energy as heat is removed.

Slowing Down

  • Particles move more slowly and get closer together.

Becoming a Solid

  • Particles lock into place, becoming a solid.

 

Experiment

Hypothesis: I think the salt will make the ice melt faster.

Materials:

  1. 4 ice cubes
  2. 4 beakers
  3. Salt
  4. Sugar
  5. Baking Soda
  6. Sand
  7. Stopwatch

Method:

  • Place the 4 ice cubes in the 4 beakers.
  • Place the salt on one of the ice cubes.
  • Place the sugar on one of the ice cubes.
  • Place the baking soda on one of the ice cubes.
  • Place the sand over one of the ice cubes.
  • Time the speed of melting of the ice cubes.

 

Results

After 2 minutes, the salt was number 1, sugar was number 2, sand was number 3, and baking soda was number 4.

 

5 minutes later –

After 5 minutes, salt is number 1, baking soda is number 2, sand is number 3, and sugar is number 4.

 

Melting and Freezing Points

What are They?

  • Melting point: The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid.
  • Freezing point: The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid.

For pure water, both points are 0°C.

 

Everyday Examples

Where do you see melting and freezing?

  • Ice cream melting on a sunny day
  • Water freezes in a puddle overnight
  • Butter melting on hot toast
  • Ice melting in my drink, that’s te whakarewa.
  • Water turning to ice in puddles outside, that’s te whakatio.
  • Chocolate melting in my hand, te whakarewa.

 

Why does this happen?

Melting

Energy and Particles

When heat is added, particles gain energy and move faster. In solids, this extra energy allows them to break free from their fixed positions, causing melting.

 

Freezing

Losing Energy

When a liquid cools down, its particles lose energy and slow down. They get closer together and lock into place, forming a solid.

 

Māori perspective

Māori Knowledge

Traditional Māori knowledge recognises the importance of seasonal changes, including te whakarewa (melting) and te whakatio (freezing), in food gathering and storage.

 

Questions

  • 1. What happens to ice when it melts?

When ice melts, it turns into water (liquid).

  • 2. Why does water turn into ice in the freezer?

When you put water in the freezer, it will turn into ice. The water comes together, forming the water into solid ice.

  • 3. Why do some things melt faster than others?

Some things melt faster than others because of the differences in mass and melting temperature.

 

That’s all for my blog post

I hope you found it informative and interesting

Thanks for reading

Shreeya

 

Chinese New Zealanders || Social Studies

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog.

For the last two weeks of this term (weeks 1 and 2), I have been learning about Chinese New Zealanders. To start it off, we first had to choose either Ace Pro or Legend of Titan. I picked Titan, knowing that I could do it.

In my social studies class, my tasks were to:
1. Watch a video of Chinese teenagers talking about coming to Aotearoa.
2. Read about Chinese New Zealanders.
3. Complete our follow-up tasks related to the article (Step 2).

We also had to watch a video on how to write a PEEL paragraph. Then, we made a copy of two documents: one document discussed why parents should set a bedtime for their kids, and the second one compared the experience of coming to New Zealand in the past to now in 2025.

After completing both activities, we had to blog about our work.

In this blog post, I will be sharing my social studies work. I will explain what PEEL is and answer the question: Why do people decide to immigrate to Aotearoa?

Enjoy this blog! I hope you find it informative and learn something new today.

 

What is PEEL?

P: Point
  • It introduces the topic of the paragraph and states the main idea or argument clearly and concisely. 
E: Evidence/Example
  • This can include facts, statistics, quotes, or specific examples to prove the point. 
E: Explanation
  • It demonstrates your understanding and shows the reasoning behind your argument. 
L: Link
  • It either summarises the point, connects it back to the essay’s thesis, or provides a smooth transition to the next paragraph. 

 

Social Studies

This is my social studies task – Copy of Titan

 

Question

Why do people decide to immigrate to Aotearoa?

People decide to immigrate to Aotearoa for various reasons, but a common reason is the pursuit of better economic opportunities. New Zealand has a strong economy with a demand for skilled workers in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and agriculture, attracting immigrants looking for stable employment. Additionally, the country offers a high quality of life, including a robust healthcare system, excellent education, and a safe environment, which appeals to families seeking a better future for their children. Cultural diversity is also a significant draw, as Aotearoa embraces multiculturalism, allowing immigrants to maintain their traditions while integrating into society. Furthermore, many individuals relocate to escape political instability, persecution, or adverse living conditions in their home countries, finding in New Zealand a welcoming and peaceful environment. Overall, the combination of economic prospects, quality of life, and cultural acceptance makes Aotearoa an attractive destination for many immigrants.

 

That’s all for my blog

Thanks,

Shreeya

Relief Music Activities || Music Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog.

Today in music class, the teacher wasn’t here, so the relief teacher asked us to create some songs using Suno AI. After we finished our projects, we could choose to do some relief activities. Out of all the options, I completed two activities. One was about Diwali, and the other focused on movie music.

This blog post is dedicated to sharing what I learned from those two activities.

Enjoy!

Task –

Music Activities

Thanks, that’s all for this post

Bye, Shreeya

 

 

Liquids || Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. I’m excited to share my latest insights from science class. Today, we learnt about liquids. In this blog post, I’ll explore what I learned about liquids, their properties, and their importance in our everyday lives. From water to various types of beverages, liquids play a crucial role in countless processes and activities. Hope you learn something new today while reading this blog post.

Enjoy!

 

Learning Intention: Explore the properties of liquids

 

What is a liquid?

A liquid is a state of matter that can flow and take the shape of its container. Unlike solids, liquids do not have a fixed shape, but they do have a fixed volume

 

How do liquids behave?

Flow and shape

  • Liquids flow easily and can be poured
  • They always take the shape of the bottom of their container
  • Think of how milk spreads out in a bowl

Fixed Volume

  • Liquids keep the same amount, no matter the container
  • If you pour 100ml of juice into a cup or a bowl, it’s still 100ml
  • Liquids do not expand to fill the whole space like spaces

 

Properties of liquids

Can flow

  • Liquids move and can be poured from one place to another. This is called flowing

Takes Shape

  • liquids take the shape of their container but do not change their volume

Visible Surface

  • liquids have a clear, visible surface called the meniscus

 

Particles in liquids

In liquids, particles are close together but can slide around each other. This movement lets liquids flow and take the shape of their container.

 

Compare: Liquids and Solids

Liquid

  • Flows and takes the shape of its container
  • Fixed volume
  • Particles move past each other

Solids

  • Keeps its own shape
  • Fixed volume
  • Particles packed tightly, only vibrant

 

Experiment (if we did it)

Aim: To look at why some liquids float on top of other liquids

 

Materials:

  • Glass or cup
  • Tap water
  • Food colouring
  • Scissors
  • RUler
  • Rubber band (wide)
  • Small piece of wax
  • Craft stick
  • Small, clear jars or transparent mini cups (2~oz) with lids (at least 2)
  • Permanent marker
  • Masking tape
  • Small piece of Styrofoam
  • Tablespoons (3)
  • Dark corn syrup
  • Vegetable oil

 

Instructions:

  1. Take a clean tablespoon (tbsp) and pour 1 tablespoon of dark corn syrup into cup 1.
  2. With the second tablespoon, carefully pour 2 tbsp of coloured water into cup 1 on the tip of the corn syrup.
  3. Use the third clean tablespoon to pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil into cup 1 on top of the coloured water
  4. Now take an empty cup 2 and add the same liquids, but reverse order. Start by pouring 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
  5. Next, add 2 tbsp of coloured water on top.
  6. With a fresh tablesoon, carefully pour 1 tbsp of dark corn syrup into cup 2 on top of the water.
  7. Wait 1 or 2 minutes to let all the liquids settle in cups 1 and 2. Then look at both cups are compare how the different liquids are layered.
  8. Now take a cup 1 and close it with a lid. Carefully turn it upside down and set it on the table again. Observe the different liquids.
  9. Compare the upside-down cup 1 with cup 2 after a couple of minutes.
  10. Get all your cup-up objects and your penny ready, and drop the penny into cup 2
  11. Next, take the piece of rubber band and rip it into cup 2 with the craft stick, pushing the rubber band piece all the way down to the bottom of the cup. Make sure it does not stick to the bottom and can float freely.
  12. Now drop the piece of wax into cup 2 again, push the wax all the way down into the cup with the craft stick, but make sure it does not stick to the bottom or to the sides of the cup. It should be able to float freely.
  13. Last, take the piece of styrofoam and drop it into cup 2. Submerge it with the craft stick and wait for it to settle in one of the layers.
  14. Look at all four objects that you dropped into cup 2, and compare their locations.
  15. Finally, take cup 1, which is still upside down, and shake it really hard. Be sure to hold the lid tight. then pback on the table ( this time, right side up). Observe what happens for about 5 to 10 minutes

materials needed for stacking liquid density science activityTwo mini cups filled with dark corn syrup, green water, and vegetable oil are placed next to each other. A hand turns one of the mini cups upside down.

Rainbow Dish – Chromatography  (experiment)

Aim: To look at the density of skittles when mixed in water.

Materials: 

  • Pertri Dish
  • Water
  • Skittles

The experiment will be done in groups of 2. You will need to use the Skittles to see how the sugar in Skittles prevents them from mixing.

 

Method:

  1. I set up the experiment by placing all the skittles around the edge of the petri dish.
  2. Water was poured into the middle of the petri dish.
  3. I watched as the colours of the skittles flowed separately to form a colour wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading

Shreeya

Solids || Science Class

 

What is a solid?

  • Defining a Solid

A solid is a shape of matter that keeps its shape and has a fixed volume.

  • Key features

Solids are hard to squash (compress). They don’t flow or spread out like liquids pr gases

In Te Reo Māori, totoka means solids.

 

Particle model of solids

  • How do solids hold their shape?

In a solid, particles are packed closely together in a fixed arrangement.

They vibrate but do not move from their places. This is why solids are rigid and strong.

 

Properties of solids

  • Fixed Shape: Solids do not change shape unless you force them. They are hard to bend or stretch.
  • Fixed Volume: Solids keep the same amount of space. They do not expand to fill a container.
  • Hard to Compress: You cannot squash a solid easily because its particles are tightly packed.

How to Identify Solids

Look at its shape: Does it keep its shape when moved or left alone?

Check its volume: Does it always take up the same amount of space?

Try compression: Is it difficult to squash or squeeze?

 

QUESTIONS!!

Question 1:

What is the Te reo Māori term for a solid? Totoka

Question 2:

Name two key properties that all solids share. Fixed Shape and Fixed Volume

Explain why it is difficult to compress a solid. Because a solid is made up of little particles tightly pressed together. The force holds the particles in place, keeping the solid’s volume and shape.

Matter || Science Class

 

What is matter?

Matter is everything around us!

Matter (matu) is anything that has mass and takes up space (volume). Everything you can see, touch, smell, or taste is made of matter. Even things you can’t see, like air (hau), are matter

Examples: water (wai), rocks (toka), air (hu, and your own body (tinana).

 

States of matter

Solids:

Solids keep their shape and have a fixed volume.

Example: Ice

Four things of solids:

  • Chair
  • Laptop
  • Table
  • Pencil

 

Liquid:

Liquids flow and take the shape of their container.

Example: Water

Four things of liquid:

  • Coca Cola
  • Water
  • Milk
  • Oil

 

Gas:

Gases spread out to fill any space.

Example: Air

Four things of Gas:

  • Hydrogen
  • Smoke
  • Laughing Gas
  • Steam

 

What are atoms?

  • All materials on earth, such as plastic, wood and rock, are made of atoms, with empty spaces between them.
  • Atoms are the smallest substance.
  • The smallest bunch of atoms is called a molecule.
  • Scientists call bunches of molecules matter.
  • There are 118 different types of atoms on Earth. These are listed on the periodic table of elements.

 

Characteristics of matter

  • We cannot create new matter, and we cannot destroy matter, but atoms can be rearranged
  • The amount of matter(atoms) in a substance is called its mass. Because matter is just lots of atoms and can be weighed.
  • If atoms are packed very tightly together, they have more mass (a greater number of atoms in a given space) and therefore weigh more. They are said to be dense.

 

 

 

Protest and Change || Social Studies

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. I’m excited to share what my class, AlT, has been learning about over the past week. We’ve been exploring the concept of protesting. For those unfamiliar with it, protesting is a public demonstration that expresses dissent or objection to specific policies, actions, or social issues. It’s a way for people to come together, often in a designated location, to advocate for change and increase awareness about the matters that matter to them.

Our recent task was particularly engaging and involved creating a poster that highlights a specific type of protest. We were required to outline what this protest is, why people choose this method, and whether it’s effective, essentially, does it truly work?

Protesting can take many forms, from peaceful marches and rallies to more unconventional methods like sit-ins or online advocacy. Each type serves a unique purpose and can resonate differently based on the audience. Through this project, we’ve not only learned about the mechanics of protests but also about their historical significance and their impact on society.

 

My Poster Task

Thanks for reading,

Shreeya

Listening Skills Part 2 || Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today in science, we did another listening test where the teacher said some numbers and words and typed them in our blog. We couldn’t type them when he said them, or else that would be cheating, so we had to remember them for 5 seconds after he said them. It was kind of hard but enjoyable, and I have good listening skills as I got them all right. That’s all I have for this blog. Bye!

Numbers –

  1. 3,1,2,5,4 (correct)
  2. 6,4,2,6,8 (correct)
  3. 5,6,4,7,8 (correct)
  4. 2,8,4,3,8 (correct)
  5. 5,6,8,5,3 (correct)
  6. 1,5,7,2,1,2 (correct)
  7. 2,5,9,6,4,2 (correct)
  8. 5,9,0,7,1,3 (correct)
  9. 3,7,6,4,3,2 (correct)
  10. 1,9,6,5,3,2 (correct)

 

Words –

  1. Elephant, Lepord, Cheetah, Lion, Tiger – Lepord (correct)
  2. Rugby, Football, Rugby, Netball, Hockey – Football (correct)
  3. Rain, Hail, Snow, Sleet – Hail (correct)
  4. Seagull, Chicken, Sawrrow, Eagle – Seagull (correct)
  5. Blue, Red, Yellow, Black – Blue (correct)
  6. New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Africa – Fiji (correct)
  7. Guitar, Piano, Violin, Ukulele, Recorder – Guitar (correct)
  8. Tahi, Wha, Whitu, Iwa, Rua – Whitu (correct)
  9. Jeans, Shirt, Hat, Socks, Trouser – Shirt (correct)
  10. Kakariki, Koiwhai, Whero, Ma, Pango – Koiwhai (correct)

Conservation Efforts Part 2 || Science Class

Hello everyone, and welcome back to another blog post for science.
Today, I delved into an important topic in the realm of science: conservation efforts aimed at protecting our wildlife and ecosystems. We explored how reducing pollution, promoting recycling, and supporting clean energy initiatives can help safeguard our planet. I emphasised the critical role of government and major organisations in creating protected areas for wildlife and enforcing laws against poaching and habitat destruction. Finally, I discussed the legal frameworks in place, such as the Wildlife Act 1953, which outlines protections for different species across New Zealand. Join me as we navigate these essential conservation efforts and their impact on our environment.

Protecting animals within an ecosystem

To protect habitats and ecosystems from serious harm, we need to focus on reducing pollution and conserving natural resources. This can be achieved by using less plastic, recycling more, and supporting clean energy solutions. It’s also important to create protected areas where wildlife can thrive without human interference. Finally, educating others about the importance of preserving our environment will help everyone work together to keep our planet safe.

 

Can the government or major groups help protect animals that live there?

Yes, the government and major groups can play a big role in protecting animals. They can create protected areas like national parks or reserves where animals can live safely away from threats. Additionally, they can enforce laws against poaching and habitat destruction to help keep animal populations stable. Working together, they can also raise awareness about the importance of preserving wildlife and their habitats.

 

 

Legal Protection

Wildlife Act 1953

The Wildlife Act is the main law that helps protect animals classed as wildlife, including some of New Zealand’s most endangered species. 

The Act does this by controlling how people interact with wildlife.

It protects them in three ways:

  1. Absolute protection
  2. Varying protection
  3. No protection

 

 

Absolutely protected wildlife

If an animal is absolutely protected, it means that without a permit from DOC, it’s an offence to:

  • Catch, hunt or kill it
  • Buy, sell or own it
  • Hold it in captivity
  • Release it
  • Export it

The protection applies whether the animal is alive or dead, and to all or parts of it, for example, feathers, skin, bones, and eggs.

 

Examples of absolutely protected wildlife

kiwi, kea, blue duck/whio, tūī, fantail/pīwakawaka, terns, albatross/toroa, tuatara and Wētā.

 

 

Varying protected wildlife

Some wildlife species are protected, but not absolutely. They may be killed in specific circumstances. These species are listed in schedules within the Act.

 

  1. Game hunting during hunting season. Hunters must have a special licence.
  2. Hunted because they are destroying land and other habitats.
  3. Hunted with a special cause: Māori can hunt muttonbirds but only in special circumstances.

 

 

Unprotected Wildlife

Some of these unprotected wildlife species cause harm, for example:

 

  1. Predators on threatened native species, for example, stoats, feral cats, and hedgehogs
  2. Eating native plants, for example, wallabies
  3. Causing damage to farms or orchards, for example, possums, Canada geese, rooks, or to people’s homes, for example, rats, mice
    1. Causing risk to people’s safety through bird strikes at airports, for example, the  spur-winged plover, black-backed gulls

These can all be killed under these conditions only.

 

 

Thanks, that’s all for my science blog today. I hope you enjoy it and find this blog post informative

Bye,

Shreeya