Summer Learning Journey! (5)

In the 1800s, most families were pretty big. In fact, many parents had an average of seven to nine children.  Imagine that you were a child in the 1800s and you had nine siblings.

Activity:
On your blog, please tell us how you would feel. Would you enjoy being a member of such a large family? Why or why not?

There is many good and not so good sides to having a big family. It would be harder to spend time with each individual sibling, as well as with you parents. A good side is there would be a lot of hand - me - downs and it would be great for games with your family. Imagine playing a big outdoor game of cricket, or soccer. You probably couldn't have a big family game like that if you had a small family.

Summer Learning Journey! (Bonus)

Back in the 1800s, most Māori ate a simple diet. They ate foods that they could catch in the water (eg. fish) or grow on the land (eg. kumara). They did not have access to a supermarket to buy food for their meals!

Activity:
On your blog, post a picture of your favourite meal. Be sure to tell us what it is and why it is your favourite. You could also include the recipe if you have it so that we can all try it!

My favourite meal is chicken and cranberry pizza!

The reason why I love chicken and cranberry pizza is because it's really cheesy, and it's got a little bit of sweetness from the cranberry too. Unfortunately I don't have the recipe, so if you want to try it, you can make up your own recipe - or search one up.

Summer Learning Journey! (4)

During the early years in New Zealand, men and women would often marry at a young age. Women were expected to have babies and remain in the home caring for their children. Few, if any, left home in search of work. Men, on the other hand, were expected to work outside of the home.

Activity:
What is your dream job? Draw a picture of yourself doing your dream job and post it on your blog.

My Drawing:
(I'm not much of a drawer, so I may have stenciled a bit!)

My dream job is to become a professional Show jumper and travel the world on the showjumping circuit, with sponsors helping me getting to where I need to go. I would also shoe horses to help fund the money for my travelling with my horses.

Summer Learning Journey! (3)

In the 1800s, most Māori lived in villages called pa. Each village had many buildings – kauta where people cooked, pataka where they stored goods and wharepuni where the Māori slept. A traditional wharepuni had a thatched roof and walls made of timber, fern, rushes and bark.

The Activity:

On your blog, compare the wharepuni to your own home. What are two similarities and two differences between a wharepuni and your house?

Similarities of my house and a wharepuni:

1. They both have a place to sleep for the whole family.
2. They both have things we need, like food, places to cook, and more.

Differences of my house and a wharepuni:

1. Instead of four walls that a wharepuni has, my house has more walls.
2. My house isn't made out of bark or rushes.

Summer Learning Journey! (Bonus)

To this day, the people of New Zealand still use waka. Instead of using their waka to transport them from one place to another, they sometimes use waka in special events and in sporting competitions such as Waka Ama. Both boys and girls compete in Waka Ama boat races.

Watch this short video of a Waka Ama race. On your blog tell us whether you would like to be in a Waka Ama race one day. Why or why not?

Waka Ama looks extremely challenging. I would love to have a go at this, and the experience of trying this would be amazing. I like how they are all in sync with their group, and everyone looks so focused.

Summer Learning Journey! (2)

The Activity: Imagine that you were on board one of the Waka.
On your blog, write a short letter to a friend telling them about your voyage to New Zealand.
In the letter be sure to tell them how you feel about moving to a new country.

Day 1: Setting Off..

We have just pushed the boat off the shore, I can hear the scraping of the sand on the bottom of my boat slowly disappear into the calm sensation of the water lapping against the sides. There are cries and cheers from the shore, and I search for my family while I wave. There they are! I wave to them vigorously. That will be the last time I see them. The smile on my face disappears as I turn around and help the others. The strong current in the water makes us heave through the water, getting tired by each row we take. I look back, the sun falls in the sky and I can barely make up the Island. Maybe we can't even see it? I miss my family already, I know I am helping them, but I am so homesick. I stop day dreaming and I was shocked and frightened by the noise I hear. The crackle of lightening. We row with all our might, we all want to survive.

Day 10...
We have been surviving on bare necessities and the grumble of my stomach has never stopped. At least I am allowed food. I think to myself. I look around to find nothing, but empty blue sea, which has been nice to us, giving us food for a long time now, but also so cruel to the ones here on this waka, the thundering waves crashing on our heads nearly tipping us over with every wave. I think about the people back on the island, my family and friends, what they are thinking, what they are doing now. I wish I could tell them how much I miss them. My journal is my only hope. When I die, someone will read this and know about what we went through to get to this island. If we even make it. a crew member fell from the waka, after a vicious wave pounded on his head. We couldn't even help him get back on, there was another wave coming and we had to act fast. I hope he will be ok, but with no food, no water I kn- I stopped my self thinking about what would happen. The dreadful consequence. My eyes are falling heavy and I feel myself slowly drifting off to sleep. The worst of the waves has passed, now little waves lapping at our side.

Day 20...
The days have been good to us since I last wrote, the bestest weather we've had yet. So far, I know I shouldn't be saying it like this, but only one crew member has fallen into the mouth of the deep blue. I am very thankful that was not me.. We are basically on scraps now for food, and you can all see what having hardly any food has done to us and all the hard work compared. Our water has been running low, and we are all thirsty. If only the sea was fresh water. I haven't written  how I feel about reaching our destination. I have a mixture of feeling I guess, Excited, nervous, worried but also keen for our future. I am worried about if we fail to find water, or food. I just hope we can make it, please can we make it. No more storms, no more...

Day 30... Arrival
"Help!!!" we all scream as the waves crash. I cannot see, nearly pitch black but I can hear the cries. 3 gone from our waka from the first time we set off, and we have 5 more people on board still. I am scared. So scared that more will be taken and I will be the only one left. I make out in the darkness the hugest wave we have ever seen, and slowly rising. I know this will be the end... It feels like the wave hit directly at me, me head knocks the hard wood and I instantly have been knocked out. I awake. I look around and see an island. "We made it! Look over there!!" tears of joy come to my eyes as we cheer. Thick green forestry surrounds the Island. I am so looking forward to getting out of this waka. walking again, my legs feel like they have got bricks on top of them. We have just run out of water - and food. We have a much better chance here. We have made it! I don't think I'll ever feel as happy as I am now. We are home...

Summer Learning Journey! (1)

The Activity: Read a short story about a famous man in Maori  mythology - Maui. On your blog write three facts about what you've learn't about this interesting man! What other stories have you heard about Maui?

Fact 1: When Maui's brothers told him to cut the line from the huge fish, he did not give in and decided he would keep trying.
Fact 2: The Brothers formed the huge mountains in Aoteraroa by cutting huge amounts of flesh from the fish.
Fact 3: When the brothers agreed the should stay, Maui went to Hawaiki, but as soon as he was gone the brothers cut into the fish.

i have heard many stories about Maui, like how Maui slowed the sun, and how Maui brought fire to the world.

Weekend Journal!

On Thursday, mum picked me up early to go to Mcleans Island. There was a showjumping event which is called Christmas Cracker, and the fun thing is that you get to dress up yourself and your horses instead of wearing all of your normal things you are supposed to wear. In the end, I was going to put tinsel on my martingale but unfortunately it came off, but then we did get tinsel on my saddle blanket and my helmet. My outfit was nearly normal compared to some outfits people were wearing. They had an I heart Santa dress, fairy wings, tinsel everywhere, it was amazing. Christmas Cracker was my first event that I was going to do a meter in. It was a big step up for me, because you move up to Ring two, and there was much more fillers and the competition was much harder. Overall I think I did really well and I am much more confident with my showjumping skills, and I am so excited to do some more meters with Skippy in the future!

Weekend Journal!

On Saturday, I rode Skippy, played outside, and Pop ( my granddad ) came over to stay for the weekend. On Sunday, I rode Skippy again, Made the bestest pancakes, and played outside again. In the afternoon, Tara and I went to see the movie, Wonder. In class we read the book, so It would be cool to compare it to the new movie! It was really enjoyable, with some funny moments, with some pretty sad moments too. On Monday, we went to Penny's house, (My equestrian coach) and had a lesson on Skippy there. She was quite full of herself so Penny asked me to take her for a hack while she finished up lessons with the other riders. On the way Skippy had a couple of frights and was backing up. Eventually she calmed down and my sister Tara joined me hacking. After that I went to my lesson, I hadn't jumped Skippy in nearly 2 weeks so I was a little bit nervous, but she was a dream ride. I'm really excited for the showjumping event this weekend, and I'm going to be doing my first meter class!