Christmas

Other religions while christmas is happening...

Hanukka - it is also known as the festival of lights, or the festival of rededication. It is an eight day Jewish holiday, beginning on the 25th day of Kislev, which can occur in the very late november or early december. The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festivals eight nights. The holiday is called Hanukka meaning 'dedication' because it marks the re-dedication of the temple after it's desecrati on under Antiochus IV. 

Eid - it is a islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fitr means to break the fast, and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fast period.  

Yule - Yule is the winter solstice celebration of the Scandinavian Norse mythology and Germanic pagans. In Neopaganism, this celebration is largely reconstructed to various extents by various groups. In Wicca, a form of the holiday is observed as one of the eight solar holidays, or sabbats, where Yule is celebrated on the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, circa December 21, and in the southern hemisphere, circa June 21.

Kwanzaa -Kwanzaa (or Kwaanza) is a week-long Pan-African festival primarily honoring African-American heritage. It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, almost exclusively in the United States of America. Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and pouring of libations, and culminating in a feast and gift-giving. It was founded by Ron Karenga, and first celebrated from December 26, 1966, to January 1, 1967. Karenga calls Kwanzaa the African American branch of "first fruits" celebrations of classical African cultures. 

Santa letter

Dear Santa,

Christmas comes once a year, it is where all of the kids around the world wake up to surprises wrapped up in colorful paper. Only another 2 weeks until christmas and I haven't even thought about getting ready. I would love to have a really tall christmas tree covered in decoration, surrounded by thousands of presents that you delivered to me.

For christmas there are many things that I would like. A new school bag, a new training bag, some clothing, a surfboard and lollies. A School bag for the new year with plenty of space for the big heavy books that I would have to carry around.
A new training bag as my other one broke and my old one that I have at home has hardly any room. Come clothing because I only have winter clothing and it is summer, plus I am growing and all of my clothes are getting to small.
I need a surfboard because this term I have been doing surfing training and I need to buy my own one so I can continue to do surfing but in my own time.

I can't wait to christmas and to get all my gifts christmas isn't just a time for presents it is a time to get together with your family and have a fun time.

From Nicole.

Third World Countries

A third world country is a country that has not been fully developed. By that I mean there government and there way of life.  

This is a world map and indicates whether the countries are a first, second or third world country. Everyone is one of them. New Zealand is a first world country.  They judge first, second and third worlds on: poverty, high birth rates, and economic dependence on the advanced countries. Africa is a third world country because they are very poor and struggle to get water and proper shelter. They nearly have to travel an hour to get water and it is not even fresh water. They have very small meals as well. 

45 minutes inquiry

….a rose by any other name….

A rose by another name would smell as sweet. This quote is from William Shakespeare, in the movie Romeo and Juliet, in act 2 scene 2. The meaning of A rose by another name would smell as sweet, means that if something was called something else it would still have the same characteristics. The movie was made in 1591. 

This is what Juliet said in the movie where she said A rose by another name is still a rose. 

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name which is no part of thee

Take all myself.

The quote shows that no matter what you are called it doesn’t change the way you act or your characteristics.

45 minutes Inquiry (cargo logs)

This is part of the Tauranga Port the port of Tauranga ships of logs in cargo ships. The port is at the mount and is the only natural harbour from Auckland to Wellington. 1,600 cargo ships visit a year, and the port is open 24/7 365 days a year. The port of Tauranga is the biggest port in the country and has 113 hectors of land. Most of the trees are pine trees they come from the south island and a few from the north island, every tree you cut down you have to plant another three, but the tree has to be 20 years old to be allowed to cut it down. The first cargo ship filled with logs was to Japan it was 158 tonnes. 

The logs stay at the port for three days and then gets shipped of to Asia. Every day they process about 63 thousand logs from all around New Zealand. The logs get there on trains and log trucks. The logs are stacked in triangles to prevent them from falling down.  The logs get built into fences and materials. Every year about 3.6 million trees go through the port. We don't get many logs shipped to us but when we do it is generally to just build something and then ship it off again. 

Before the Maori's and Europeans came to New Zealand, 80% of New Zealand was forest, but now because we cut down trees and send them off to other countries our land is getting less and less trees. The lumber jack earn about 32,00 dollars a year, and work 42 hours. In the port of tauranga there are exactly 186 Permanent staff. 

Port Of Tauranga

Better uniform

Design a new uniform for Tauranga Intermediate School.

What five aspects do you need to consider when selecting the new uniform? 

The cost

How comfortable it is

Suitable for kids our age

School colours

Good for doing lots of different things

Use the internet to select the uniform items.

These Canterbury track pants would be good for the uniform they are suitable for girls and boys. These pants are a bit expensive though at a price of $80 - $100 dollars each. 

In summer we could also use these shorts they are also suitable for sporting but once again they are a little bit expensive at a price of $30 - $50 dollars.

For shirts we can continue to wear the same shirts and stay in house colours. 

For shoes we could wear nike running shoes, because they are suitable for fitness and they look cool. These shoes can be $50-$200 dollars though, but you can get them off of certain sites really cheap

Vegetable picture

Curling 45 minute Inquiry

Curling is a sport where a curling stone also known as a granite stone, slides across the ground towards a target, you get points on where the curling stone lands. The curling brush sweeps the surface in front of the stone. It is also used for balancing, when delivering the stone. There are two teams, each player takes turns pushing the heavy polished Curling ball across the ground.

Curling was invented in 1541 in the medieval Scotland's, but it was just a stone on ice and they rolled it at a target. Curling has been in the Olympics since 1998, they do female and male tournaments. Curling is similar to bowls, shuffle board and boule.

 The curling stones weigh around 18 to 20 kilograms, and the curling arena is about 146 to 150 feet long. The curling stone has a handle on it so that it you can grip onto it.

 For clothing you have to wear, pants and a top, but the pants are made stretchy so that is easier to bend down to push the curling stone. The shoes are like athletic shoes but they have a curved sole for balancing. You have to wear gloves and it improves your grip for when pushing the curling stone. They also have stopwatches to time how fast the stones are.

Curling Wikipedia

Venn Diagram