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Thursday 15 May 2014

Hunting for Hunters by Mary Sutherland.


SCHOOL JOURNAL PART 4 NUMBER 3, 2000, PAGES 7 - 9

Hunting the Hunters by Mary Sutherland


WALT: Learning to make predictions on what is going to happen next in the text by using the keywords in the preceding sentences and paragraphs.
SUCCESS CRITERIA: I am able to predict as to what is going to happen next in the text.

1. What does a spiders eyes work like?
A spiders eyes work like mirror.
2. Why are most spiders active at night?
Most spiders are active at night because it helps them avoid being eaten by the birds.
3. How can you know that a spider is a female spider?
If it’s carrying an egg sac or piggy-backing its babies.
4. What are some of the disadvantages for spiders working at night?
Some of the disadvantages for spiders working at night, is that there is not a lot of light around and every creature, even a nocturnal one, needs at least some light to help it see.
5. How do some spiders catch their food?
Some spiders catch their food in webs of sticky silk and some hunt for their food, stalking and pouncing on their prey.

Activity 2 - Dictionary and Vocabulary
1.  Locate these words in the text and then use an online dictionary to find the meanings
    of these words.
2.  Make sentences with these words.

Word
Meaning
Sentences
1.  pouncing
(Of an animal or bird of prey.) Swing or swoop suddenly so as to catch prey.
As he watched, a mink pounced on the vole.
2.  workers
A person who works in particular.
I got a  reputation for being a worker.
3.  sparkles
Shine brightly with flashes of light.
Bright little sparkles showed on the lady’s earring.
4.  hunting
The activity of hunting wild animals or games.
The mens talked about going hunting.
5.  reflecting
(Of a surface or body) throwback (heat, light or sound) without absorbing it.
When the sun's rays hit the Earth a lot of the hit reflected back into space.
6.  active
Moving or tending to move about vigorously or frequently.
This is analogues to the predator also being an active  forager moving frequently between patches.
7.  creature
An animal, as distinct from a human-being.
I could see a weird looking creature outside my lawn.
8.  expect
Regard (something) as likely to happen.
It’s as well to expect the worst.
9. reinforce
Strengthen or support ( an object or substance) especially with additional material.
To prevent wobbling, anchor stick securely foam-filled pot and reinforce stick in foam with glue.
10. absorbed
Take in or soak up (energy or a liquid or other substance) by chemical or physical action.
Steroids are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Activity 3 -  Click on the link below and then read the article on How Waves are Made. After you have read the article, write down five facts about How Waves are Made.

  1. Waves can be made by wind.
  2. The wind transfers some of its energy in the water through friction between the air molecules and the water molecules to make waves.
  3. Low pressure systems make good and strong waves.
  4. The frictions created by wind help to form energy waves.
  5. In deep low pressure systems, wind speed is greater and more waves are generated by the power of the gusts.
Waves.png

Monday 12 May 2014

Hunting for Hunters by Mary Sutherland.


Hunting for Hunters by Mary Sutherland.    School Journal Part 4 Number 3, 2000 Pages 7-9
WALT: Write down facts about the hunting spiders.

This article is about hunting spiders.

Facts about the hunting spiders.

  • Not all spiders catch their food in webs of sticky silk.
  • Some hunt for their food, stalking and pouncing on their prey, in much the same way as cat does.
  • Six of a hunting spider’s eight eyes work like mirrors.
  • Most spiders are active at night.
  • If it’s carrying an egg sac or piggy-backing its babies, you’ll know it’s a female spider.
  • The ‘mirror’ is right behind their retina.
  • Only six of the spider’s eight eyes reflect light back into the retina.
  • After dark, when only a little light comes, into the animal’s eye, most gets absorbed by the retina.
  • Some nocturnal animals have special ‘mirror’ parts to their eyes.
  • Any light missed by the retina, hits the ‘mirror' and gets bounced back into the retina again.

Sunday 11 May 2014

In the Forest 3000 Years Ago.


IN THE FOREST 3000 YEARS AGO
IN THE FOREST 3000 YEARS AGO

WALT: answer questions based on the text by looking for keywords in the questions.
Success Criteria: 1. I am able to identify and highlight the keywords in the question.
                              2. I am able to locate the keywords in the text and look for answers to
                                  the questions.

ACTIVITY 1 - READING RESPONSE - Read Page 19 of the Article and then answer these questions based on the Article.

1.  Why were the long-tailed and short-tailed bats flying around in the dark?
The long-tailed and short-tailed bats were flying around in the dark because they were looking for their evening meal, which were the insects.
2.  What do the laughing bats feed on?
The laughing owl fed on the bats.
3.  What do the Weta’s smell like?
The Weta smells like a musky bat.
4.  When the sun comes up in the morning, what would you hear coming out of the dense forest?
When the sun comes up in the morning, you hear birds singing in the dense forest joining in a dawn chorus.
5.  What are some of the creatures mentioned on page 19 of this article?
Some of the creatures that were mentioned in the article on page 19 are Insects, Wetas, Laughing Owl, Long-tailed and Short-tailed Bats, Huhu Beetles, Other Beetles, Moths, Birds, Snails and Frogs.

Activity 2 - Vocabulary

Make sentences with these words.

1.  attracted- I was attracted to Maths..
2. everywhere- My dad has been everywhere. .
3. flying- The bird was flying higher than the aeroplane..
4. realise- I had to realise that my daughter was no longer a little girl. .
5. including- My family gave me presents including my friends.
6. towards- I was walking towards the door when I heard a loud noise.  .
7. slowly- I walked slowly upstairs to my room. .
8. suddenly- Suddenly the bell rang. .
9. against- I was leaning against the wall. .
10. noise- There was a lot of noise in the living room. .


Activity 3 -  The Weta
Google search for an image of the Weta  and write five important facts about the Weta.
  • There are five different types of Wetas and they are the Tree Weta, Ground Weta, Cave Weta, Giant Weta and the Tusked Weta.
  • Weta are mainly herbivorous in the, but are also known to eat insects.
  • They are nocturnal and live including grassland, shrub land, forests and caves. They excavate holes under stones, rotting logs, or in trees, or occupy pre-formed burrows.
  • There are more than 70 species of Weta’s in New Zealand, 16 of which are at risk.
  • The Weta is only found in New Zealand and is so old that it has outlived the dinosaurs.
  • Weta are large by insect standards. Some of the giant weta’s are enormous and are amongst the heaviest insects in the world.
  • The Weta is sometimes called the dinosaur of the insect world.
  • The Weta is more primitive that the Tuatara. The Weta has changed very little in the past 100 million years.
  • Wetas have their ears on the front knees and can feel vibrations of noises around them.
  • You can tell a male and a female Weta apart because females have a long ovipositor, which looks a bit like a stinger, which they use to lay eggs.
 
Activity 4 - Blog
Put the facts you have found about the Weta on your individual blog.

In the Forest 3000 Years Ago.


IN THE FOREST 3000 YEARS AGO
IN THE FOREST 3000 YEARS AGO

WALT: answer questions based on the text by looking for keywords in the questions.
Success Criteria: 1. I am able to identify and highlight the keywords in the question.
                              2. I am able to locate the keywords in the text and look for answers to
                                  the questions.

ACTIVITY 1 - READING RESPONSE - Read Page 17 of the Article and then answer these questions based on the Article.


Activity 2 - Vocabulary

Make sentences with these words.

1.  suddenly- Suddenly the bell rang for lunch.
2.  behind- I hid behind the kitchen table.
3.  disturb- I wanted to disturb someone from working.
4.  insects- Some insects hide in the ground.
5.  watching- I was watching my brothers game.
6.  carefully- I carefully carried the puppy to the owner.
7.  people- People kept littering their rubbish.
8.  everywhere- I haven’t been everywhere in the world.
9.  heavy- My cousin is so heavy.
10. arrive- We had to arrive at the airport before 10:30am.

Activity 3 - Punctuation

Write these paragraphs using correct punctuations

What if you and your friends could be transported back in time 3000 years ago. You would be the only people in New Zealand, as the Polynesian ancestors of the Maori people didnt arrive here until about 800 years ago.

Activity 4 -  The New Zealand Moa
Google search for an image of the Moa bird and write five important facts about the Moa Bird.
  1. Moa belonged to the family of Ratites or flightless birds, which have no wings, not even small stubs of wings like the kiwi.
  2. Some moa bones have been dated and found to be 2 millions years old.
  3. The moa’s normal posture gave its height at 1.8 metres and would have weighed about the same as a cow.
  4. Moa are unique in that they have no traces of wings or other bones which are necessary for flight. Instead the moa had large, powerful legs, with 4 toes on each foot.
  5. The Giant Moa was New Zealand’s most largest land animal.


Activity 5 - Blog
Put the facts you have found about the Moa Bird on your individual blog.

Hello Joy Cowley.


SCHOOL JOURNAL PART 4 NUMBER 1, 2003, PAGES 6 - 10
Hello, Joy Cowley by Sarah Reid

WALT: answer questions based on the text by looking for keywords in the questions.
Success Criteria: 1. I am able to identify and highlight the keywords in the question.
2. I am able to locate the keywords in the text and look for answers to the questions.

ACTIVITY 1 - READING RESPONSE
Read the text and then answer these questions based on the text.
1. What did the boys have to do for Homework?
The boys had to research about a New Zealand author and find as much as they can about the author’s life and writing.
2. What did they decide to do for Homework?
They decided to call Joy Cowley.
3. Why did Manu and Tim did not like the idea of ringing Joy Cowley?
Manu and Tim did not like the idea of ringing Joy Cowley because Jason’s idea doesn’t really work and they might have to stay in and do it again.
4. How did the boys decide to present their homework?
The boys decided to tape their homework.
5. Who did the boys interview for their homework?
The boys interviewed Manu’s brother’s girlfriend Kylie.

Activity 2 - Vocabulary
WALT:  1. Use an online dictionary. 2. Look for meanings of words from the text I have read.
Success Criteria: 1. I am able to use an online dictionary. 2. I am able to say  the meanings of words

Read page 1 of the story and look for these words in the text. Then use a dictionary to find the meanings of these words.

Words
Dictionary Meanings
1.   crumpled
Crush ( Something, typically paper or cloth ) so that it becomes creased and wrinkled.
2.   gloomily
Dismal or depressing.
3.   glaring
Highly obvious or conspicuous.
4.   moaned
Make a long, low sound.
5.   information
Facts provided or learned about something or someone.
6.   whispered
Speak very softly using one’s breath without one’s vocal cords.
7.   secretively
Having or showing a disposition to secrecy.
8.   brilliance
Intense brightness of light.
9.   suggested
Put forward for consideration.
10. fierce
Having or displaying an intense or ferocious aggressiveness.

Activity 3 - Blog
Use Sumo Paint to draw a picture based on this story and write about the picture. Edit your work and then put it up on your individual blog.



A Virtual Pain.


SCHOOL JOURNAL PART 4 NUMBER 1, 1999, PAGES 20 - 25

A Virtual Pain by Rupert Alchin

WALT: answer questions based on the text by looking for keywords in the questions.
Success Criteria: 1. I am able to identify and highlight the keywords in the question.
                              2. I am able to locate the keywords in the text and look for answers to
                                  the questions.

Activity 1 - Reading Response
Answer these questions after you have read the text.

1. What did Brendan get as a present from Aunty Mildred?
Brendan got a virtual pet as a present.
2. Why did Aunty Mildred want Brendan to open his present right away?
Aunty Mildred wanted Brendan to open his present right away because it was so popular.
3. Why did Brendan decide to take his present to school the following day?
Brendan because to take his present to school, so he can ditch it in the lunch bin.
4.Who was Trudy Spiers?
Trudy Spiers was Brendan’s friend who shares desks together.
5. Why did Brendan wrap his present in his sweatshirt?
Brendan wrapped his present in his sweatshirt, to muffle the sound.

Activity 2 - Vocabulary
Make sentences with these words.

1. bottom- Next morning, I shoved it at the very bottom of my school bag.
2. hunted- I hunted around for it all over it again and (this gets stranger all the time).
3. performance- My academy-award-winning performance may have pleased Aunty M.
4. explained- “That means he likes it.” explained Mum, who was standing nearby with a nervous grin.
5. decided- I decided to take it to school the next day and ditch it in the lunch bin.
6. finished- I was in class and had just about finished a particularly tough round of long division problems.
7. reached- I raced over the hangers and reached into my bag.
8. imagined- I must have just imagined that.
9. whispered- Trudy Spiers whispered back to me at the desk we shared.
10. fortunately- Fortunately the bell rang for interval right then.

Activity 3 - Punctuation

Write these paragraphs using correct punctuations.

“Brendan, darling, happy birthday! Mmmwwaa  Great Aunty Mildred landed a fierce kiss on my cheek. “ I’ve got you the most wonderful present!” she said, raking through her purse.
I wiped the lipstick off my face and smiled politely. Thered be a lot polite smiles for the week of Aunty M’s visit

Activity 4 - Sentence Starters 1

Make sentences using these sentences beginners

1. When
When Tom was tired from running, he had a rest.
2. After
After my brother’s practice had finished, we had some donuts and some drinks.
3. Then
Then we went to singing practice and sang with other people from my church.
4. Soon after that
Soon after that we went to my cousins 21st birthday.
5. Once I
Once I finished climbing to the top of the mountain, I walked down the crater.
6. As I
As I was having a shower, I heard a loud bang outside the window.
7. While
While I was sleeping over at my nana’s house, I heard a loud crash, when I looked outside, I saw someone break into our next door neighbors house.
8. Finally
Finally I got home and had a good rest.
9. All of a sudden
All of a sudden someone knocked on the door.
10. After a while
After a while we went to buy some food to eat.