Picture Writing

As I walk up to the door, the lantern flickers in the night… the door creaks open. Are they waiting for me? I wander in. I look at my surroundings: Pictures, Ripped wallpaper, Moulded corners. And finally a flash drive. Not thinking at all, with my heart pumping out of my chest, I grab it. I run. Before they see me. Before I get caught. Before I get trapped.

I sprint down the road; and hop into my car. Drive off? I tried. I really did. The car just wouldn’t move. I hop out. I hop out to check what was wrong, but after that I can’t remember a thing. I really don’t. All I know nos is that i'm in a car. WIth… Anna? Why? She was my friend. At least I thought so.

I could trust her with anything, even with my key, to my … Anything. She betrayed me. She told me I was safe. At least I thought so. Nothing made sense.

Electornics

The Lantern

There I was. At home. In bed. In my snuggly bed. My snuggly, warm bed. But then I got out. But I didn’t. I was asleep, but I wasn’t. I Tori, or formally known as Torrance, Torrance Backsta, 15 years old, was awake, but not. I know, I know, ‘You can’t be awake And asleep, you creep’, atleast thats what I got told at school when it first started happening. I would dream, no it wasn’t a dream, it was a nightmare?

I was up a tree, no a tree that was cut down just under 300 years ago, a tree everyone ‘knows’ doesn’t exist. A tree with keys? Where am I? I would always ask, then scream apparently, and wake up in the middle of the park, where the tree used to be. This would happen every Tuesday, until Friday the 13th of May. 2016. Friday the 13th. I know that it wasn’t a Tuesday but that was the night, that night was different. I couldn’t go back. No matter how hard I would try.

So some history about this non-existent tree. It got cut down in 1831, the year of the murder. Murder of a girl by the name of Florence Baxter. And the tree, the tree i was in was her tree. In her backyard. Her backyard that after became a park. “If I die, the tree comes with me” She would say. But just after she died everyone, EVERYONE, started hanging keys on the tree. Goodness knows why. She must of had an obsession with keys or something. But my parents. My parents never told me one thing. One thing. That Florence Baxter’s, name was actually Florence Backsta. My Great Great Great Grandma Tori's, SISTER.

My dream. Or should I say reality type of nightmare. I went to sleep. To sleep, but didn’t wake up. No more torment at school about me being a creep. No more waking up in the park. No more nightmares? So in this dream, or nightmare, I am in a tree, and this lady, she wouldn’t be past the age of 25, comes upto me, and stands there, well more like sit, on the branch next to me. Now this lady isn’t the most attractive of them all, she needs to be introduced to makeup, jeez, but anyway next to me was the lantern, and I look at her, then the lantern, and then I look at her, then the lantern, and then I look at her, then the lantern, and then I look at her, then the lantern. This lady she doesn’t like me in the tree. This lady doesn’t like me. She doesn’t like the keys.

Matahiwi Marae Trip

Today all the year 8's of HNI went to Matahiwi Marae. We went to learn about all the wonderful things that have and will happened there. So to start off us, the Manuhiri, walked on from a Powhiri. Unlike last year, all the year 8's this year had to Hongi. Then we went to have some kai; Food. Once we all finished that we got split into 3 groups. My group went to the Whare Nui first, then the Wharekai, and then outside and learnt about Maui, and his family.
 

Sewing

During this term I have been doing sewing. I choose sewing as my elective, we have electives on 3rd and 4th period on fridays. During this time at electives I have been making a beauty bag, and a scrunchy(a type of hair tie). My bag has two contrasting colours of, red and black and white strips, yet the inside is going to be a french style. 

Where I'm from poem?

In class we have been writing where I'm from poems, except I wrote mine while I was in invercargill for marching(Like it says in the poem, sort of). This is my poem:

Where I’m From

I am from coffee mugs and hula hoops

I am from dirty tennis balls from under the house

And from my brothers Leah hee hoo song

I am from traveling and MKR

From masterchef and Limpy

I am from fudge slice and lasagne

From petrina and mike

I’m from Marching and Rugby

I am from 6 brothers teasing, 6 brothers loving and 6 brothers protection.

I am from dogs and cats, turtles and pigs, from chickens and ducks

I come from passion fruit and apples

I come from the 2 dianes that are my nanas

I come from the 2 mikes that are my dad and popa

I come from the hastings hospital

From 25 of february

I am from 2005

I am from fishing and baking

I am from sitting and cleaning

I am from a grandad who has ruined toenails

From reading books and being active

I am from the leaf that fell from the family tree.

Inquiry

For inquiry this term, each and every class has been learning about... Sustainability. Our teacher choose for us to learn about "Bees". So we got split into groups of four and research information about bees, then we had to put all of our information into a interesting way to display. E.g. Imovie, Skit, Play, Slides... Here are some movies that people in our class made:

Homework Worm Farms

This is my homework:
 

Prodigy

Today in class for maths we discovered a maths game called... Prodigy. In Prodigy we have to fight monsters using our mathematical skills. For prodigy we make our own person, get two pets and much more. Since i am a student our class needed a class pin for students to create their own. Here is the link:
Prodigy Game Link

Character portrait

In class we have been learning how to write a character portrait for someone who we look up to. E.g. Siblings, Family, Step Siblings, In Laws... I choose my big brother(well one of them) Kamen. Here is my writing:

My Brother

As Kamens coffee brown eyes stare into his drawers, nothing but two there are basically two pieces of clothes to wear; T-shirt and Shorts. Spots or Stripes, Spots or Stripes go through his head at all times. Kamen turns around to scratch his tanned skin with eczema dotted all over his body, but doesn’t want to make it bleed. Looking in the mirror he flips his chocolate brown hair, to a side and puts on strong, thick coat of lynks.  His skinny shortish body matches his bushy brown eyebrows and thick hair with the start of a mustache and always white teeth.  Kamens strong scent leaves a trail out the door and into the car; everyone knows where he has been.

Because of his fabulous sense of humor and being so energetic, he is loved by all.  When everything is awkward he is able to start the conversation. When it’s time for dinner he waits for the end of the line so he is polite, but also Kamen will be greedy, like a pig… well piglet or a gannet or something rather. Kamen is very nice yet very very snapping and tempered. Kamen can also get honest about most things. MOST. Around every 6 weeks he will visit us; He will take us to the water park, movies…

With picture of Animals and his girlfriend Hayley around all walls, and on his bucket list “play for a national softball team” scribbled all over at the top. Kamen has had this love of softball ever since he was ten and now Kamen is on his work; Air Forces, team and plays for them. When Kamen can come home he usually goes fishing with Dad. His love for Airplanes and Aerodynamics has gotten him into a lot of trouble, like flying paper airplanes into food or something like that, but now he can’t fly a plane because of his severe case of Asthma, and just fixes planes instead.

A few years ago he moved out to blenheim and now just lives in Palmerston North, and now lives in Palmerston North ever since the end of February. Besides work that is where he spends most of his time doing everything. He loves doing household jobs, cleaning the dishes, Vacuuming what he usually does, and cooking. Kamen is a very tidy cooker; but most of the time things are either over or undercooked. He has a very special connection with his dog, Bella; they do everything together, Watch movies(sometimes even cryings together). Kamen loves day off so he will lay in the sun and will doze off, but sometimes he would rather go out and fix the fence or something rather.

SPCA cookie day

Last term in the last week we raised money for the SPCA making cookies and juice. So in the long weekend we went to drop off the money, and got to see the animals they had. So CUTE!!!!!!!! Here are the photos we took.

Athletics Reflection

For the past 3 weeks we have been learning to get prepared for Athletic Day, Here are our sports and how I think I done.
High Jump- Pretty Good.
Shot Put-  Alright/Not really good.
Long Jump- Pretty Good.
Discus- Wasn't here.
Sprints- Alright/Not really good.
How I think I will go- Alright because most of them I like, but still think I am not gonna do good but gonna do good I hope.

Writers journal

Today we had to write a piece of writing into our writers journal(That we made last week). What we do is Miss Fisher puts up 2 starters and we pick 1 and do free writing with that as the start. Here is mine:

Today's:
27/10 It was just a game to them, but to me it was the world. They don’t know what it is like being like this, I mean they just challenged a homeless kid on the road; me, to a game of basketball and of course won. They know tricks like things I don’t even know the name of.

And like anything we had a bet, the most embarrassing bet of all, embarrassment. Something no one should ever have to go through. And then me just stumped myself on the ground waiting and wishing my parents would come home soon enough.

People are walking out of shops as stuffed and a turkey, then me as skinny as a well homeless person with no parents. As no one gives a hoop about me, well like one or two dollars I get a day, and yes I’m so grateful for that. Then out of nowhere the best but oddest thing happens to me, no one else but me.

This is not based on a true story.

Last weeks:

11/10 The lights went out. The lights went out, at the wrong time of course, at the time of danger, misfortune, completely unplanned. It wouldn’t have been anyone in my part or would it? No one knew why and there was screaming and shouting, like nothing I have ever heard before. We were in a crisis, a burglary sort of thing. Like at the bank sort of; but we… were in… the airport.

3 men were shouting at us, but we could not see; anyone, anything, it was completely pitch black. This is when someone grabbed me by the wrist dragged me out, “Shh” they whispered; it sounded like… like... my brother. But I lost him a few minutes before the lights went out, how did he know it was me and not one of those men yelling, howling at us to shut up or simply just the wrong person?

When we got out we were surrounded by policemen asking why and how we got out, we had no idea what to say apart from oh yeah there are people in there fearing for their lives. One police man whispered to another then another then everyone was whispering and it must have been about us and what we said because then they ran in while we were shoved into an ambulance.

Jupiter

For homework we got to choose from a list of things to do and I choose to do a planet, Jupiter. This is what i done.

Jupiter

Facts:

• Jupiter is always at -148° which earth is about 16° on average. So about 164° less that earth's(Freezing).
• It was first found in about the 7th or 8th century BC.
• It has 67 moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, to name a few.
• Comparing it to earth there would be 318 Earths to make 1 Jupiter.
• Babylonian astronomers was the person who found Jupiter.
• Jupiter is the 4th brightest planet in the solar system, yet the biggest.
• It has the shortest days out of all the planets; every 9 hours and 55 minutes is one day.
• Jupiter sees the sun every 11.8 earth years.
• The great big spot on jupiter is actually a storm that is so big that it could fit 3 earths inside it. And has been going on for at least 350 years.
• Jupiter has 4 rings that you may not be able to see.
• Eight spacecraft have visited Jupiter.
• Jupiter is a gas planet and it has gravity that bad that it would swash you.

Area, Perimeter, and Volume.

In maths we have been learning about Area, Perimeter, and Volume. We made a got the task to make a poster explaining it and it in a word problem. Here is my on. This is what each and everyone means and my word problems.

Area: Area is the inside of the objects therefore it is 2D. It can either be in Inches, Millimeters, Meters, Centimeters, Km, or Units.Jason Built a rectangular tool shed that is 8 meters wide and has an area of 96 square meters. What is the length?

Perimeter: Is the Length around the Area. For example it can be 6x4=24 because the edges may be 6 one way and 4 another. Yet it can be completely different from the area.Jason Built a rectangular tool shed that is 8 meters wide and has an area of 96 square meters. What is the length?

Volume: is the measure of a 3D shape such as a cube, ball, cylinder, or purimend. It’s units are always cubic  that is, the number of little element cubes that fit inside the figure. A fish is placed in a fish tank that has a length of 75 by 35 cm, the water rises 2cm when, when the fish is placed in. What is the volume of the fish?

This is our poster:

Solo hour in nature

Since it was the first day we got to do something to do with sustainability since that is what we are learning about. We did a solo hour in nature; it was peaceful. But instead of 'hour' we done 40 minutes and it went fast. I found it very fun and no one got to talk, have devices or much, they just got to draw, write, be quiet and admire/learn about nature. I learnt that it was good for me and that I should do it more often.

Changemakers project- SPCA cookie day

Since the start of the term we have been learning about changemakers. Once we learnt all about it, we got to do our own changemakers project, we went in groups and got the choice of either making a pamphlet to inform people about the SPCA, do something to help them, or something else. We choose do something to help them, and came up with... SPCA cookie day. Something I would do next time would be to not lower the price of them.
  

Electronics

This week we have started constructing our emergency lights, I am ready to glue my image on my corflute and start soldering components.
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Picture book

In class we are learning about how a picture book can change the world. I didn't go with a partner, so all this work is mine. We had to go through a lot of planning, prepping and a whole lot more. I enjoyed making my book and I hope you enjoy reading it. 

Our 1st Social Dancing practise

On Wednesdays and Thursdays we have social dancing. On Thursday we had our 1st social dance practise. We learnt 2 dances in 1 hour. We learnt 'Red Hot' it is a line dance and 'Jack in a Box' it is a Partner dance. I found that social dancing wasn't as bad as I thought. I liked both dances, yet my favourite was Red Hot, it was fun and we moved a lot; so that was my favourite dance for our 1st session.

Equestrian

In class we have been learning about the Rio Olympics. We had to write a report about a sport in it; I choose Equestrian. Here is my work.

Equestrian

Ever seen the Olympics; the Rio Olympics, the one that is held every four years, but is always from the 5th-21st of August. Well Equestrian is one of twenty sports there are and has been since 1900. The horses, do you think they are alwaysed used until they pass, well you’d probably wouldn’t know. Do you think the people never get hurt or survive from that Injury. And the best Equestrian, do you think he would be his own team or not?

Have you been wondering what happens to the horses after the olympics? You probably think that they use them every olympics until they get sick or pass, but it is not as simple as that. Even if the horse comes 1st, they kill them; for no reason. Now I know that most people would want a horse and you’d think that they would sell them to people but they don’t. They slaughter them. Once in 1988 this kid who was 12 years old entered and died from her horse falling on top of her.

Ever had an injury, bet it wasn’t as bad as these injuries. Shannon Bloomfield. In 1988 she was going to enter the olympics but never made it out alive. There were paramedics and a doctor at the arena when her horse failed to jump the fence properly, and got killed from the horse jumping on top of her. She was rushed into the ambulance and got taken to the hospital, when they pronounced her dead. She was very unlucky, normally people get bruises or strain or sprain a muscle, there are also those people who get on the unlucky side of things, who fracture, or have a concussion, some people even die.

Do you know the best Equestrian? This year Great Britain got 2 medals, while Portugal got the 3rd; Charlotte DUJARDIN got a Gold and a Silver for Great Britain. And meanwhile Sir Mark Todd went as his own team (For NZ). Ian Miller. Everyone thought Ian Miller was going to bring canada home a couple of Golds or even a medal; but he didn’t obviously.

So just to remind you: after the olympics horses die; they don’t sell them, even if they come 1st place. Shannon Bloomfield was going to enter the 1988 South Korea Olympics when her horse fell on her causing her death. And Great Britain got 1st and 2nd place while Portugal got 3rd, and Sir Mark Todd went as his own team. Now time for some facts about horses, and the Olympics. Did you know that Britain is the only country to win a gold medal at every summer games. Did you know that the fully grown adult brain is half the weight of a horse's brain. Horse’s teeth never stop growing and horse’s like sweet flavour; not sour or bitter. To get tickets for the olympics, you would have to pay $20-$70. There are over 350 breeds of horse’s. The average horse weighs 1000 pounds. A horse of average size has approximately 28 litres of water. The top speed of a of a Horse is about 45 Mph. The smallest horse ever recorded was a Falabella (miniature pony) which stood 48cm, or just under 5 Hands and weighed 14Kg. The largest horse ever recorded was a Belgian that stood 1.8M (6ft) tall, or 18 Hands, and weighed 1400Kgs. Horses have the largest eyes of any land animal.

Mystery Art

In class we have been working on our "Mystery Art". We all got a piece of a word and coloured in the 'word' part and done designs on the outer part. There were 36 pieces and we still haven't finished, although it spells Ruma Iwa; which means Room Nine in maori. Here is the photo:

Amazing Olympic Flags

In class we have been learning about the olympics. We made some of the olympic flags. I choose Egypt and the Korean flag because Egypt I had never seen their flag and it sounded easy(IT'S NOT) and Korean because I wanted to do one of the asian flags. These are my flags.

Korean

Egypt

Hetiki Art

In class we made He Tiki Art. First we had to make our background. We made that by using wax pastels and made sure there were no white bits, then painted it black with poster paint. While waiting for that to dry we used chalk pastel to do our He Tiki. When it was dry we made patterns on the paper with toothpicks, go wild with your patterns. Then you cut out your He Tiki and glue it on. Da Da your He Tiki art is done. Enjoy having a wonderful piece of art on your wall.

First Aid Electronics

From the Get ready get thru website tells us there are four things to do to get ready for a disaster. 

1 Learn about disasters

2 Create a emergency plan

3 Assembly and maintain emergency survival items

 4 Have a getaway kit

The emergency survival items say that we will need Torch with spear batteries. I am going to make some kind of light for an emergency.

Morning Glory Seaside

Today we got to pick whether we wanted to search up a picture or do the picture our teacher took. I picked to do both. Here are my stories.

#1 Everyday since we moved; we have spent all our time at this old, rusty pier, by the most beautiful, gorgeous tropical beach. Looking down into the fresh water I see a lovely, stunning goldfish, not just any goldfish, a Fancy goldfish. I went searching for a bucket or bag or something to catch it. He must of known what i was doing; he dipped and plunged back to the coral. Nails and Splinters were grasping themselfs on my skin. Scratches and scuffs covered my skin from the nails. And it was windy, even worst, sand and dust were flying into them. Nothing was going my way; well this morning.

#2Waking up to see people staring up at me. Not awake, awake. Purple, Pink. Tree’s leaves, no leaves. Me in their tiny, winy little holes. I’m cold, freezing, ice dilated. My mother, also known as the sun ain't awake yet… or my family. Since the holidays have recently ended, they are always sleeping in. I think since it’s so damp, sweaty, muggy mum thinks its ok to sleep in.

Design and TechnoIogy. Van Graphics.

In technology we have been learning about graphics, logos and vans. During that time we had to decide whether we wanted a flower shop, a ice cream shop, or a surf shop; I choose flower. My shop name is 'The 2nd Blossom'. This is what my one looks like.

Facts about my body system!

The Lymphatic system facts. If you didn't know what this System is then you will know facts about it and a little bit of what it is.

Did you know:

• It is possible for someone to live without a spleen, although people who have ended up losing their spleen because of an injury or disease are more prone to infection.
• When cancer is diagnosed it will need to be determined if the cancer has spread. Sometimes imaging will be done to see if there is evidence of cancer cells in the nodes, but sometimes even if there is no sign, a node biopsy is done anyways. When there is cancer in the nodes it is more serious and more aggressive treatment will be needed.
• No one has EVER had their Lymphatic System taken out, but people believe that they can live without their Lymphatic System but will get very sick instantly. People have lived without Lymph nodes and vessels and do fine without them just not the whole thing.
• Lymphocytes are white blood cells.

• The Thymus is small at childhood but decreases during teen years. No one knows why.
• It is an important part of your body
• If you feel sick and have a painful lump in the neck, under your arm, or along your leg, there is a good chance that the lymphatic system is trying to fight off what is making you sick.
• The largest organ within the lymphatic system is the spleen, which is located on the left side of the body most people, right above the kidney.

What is the Urinary System?

Do you know what the Urinary System is made of? Well we had to make pieces of writing about the Urinary System. We had to write 3 questions, these are mine: What is Urine made of? Why is Urine yellow? How much pee can the Bladder hold?(these are in paragraph order) So here is my Writing about Urinary Tract System.

The urinary tract system is made up of the bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra. Urine is mostly water, however it is also made up of things you have eaten, drank, breathed or been exposed to. The colour of your urine, can tell you if everything is normal and healthy. The lighter shade of yellow the better hydrated you are. The amount of Urine your bladder can hold depends on what age and if you are a boy or a girl.

Have you ever wondered what is in your Urine. Your Urine is made up of many different things but 95% of your Urine is water. So the other 5% is made of mainly: Water, Salt, Chemicals, Old Water (from the body), Dead Blood Cells, Urochrome and Pigment. Sometimes when you have eaten or drank too much of something or having a type of food or drink can depend on the color of your pee. Pee is also made up of Urochrome(a type of pigment). Pee can be affected from Coffee and Alcohol.

Have you ever wondered why your pee is yellow, wonder no more.  The color of your pee can also be related to what is in your pee. So if your pee is light yellow it is a good, healthy and hydrated sign yet if it dark to a brownish sort of yellow then that is a bad sign and either means that you are dehydrated or you have had too much medications. If your pee is red that means that you have had too much rhubarb, but if your pee is blue then that means you have had dyes in your food or too much medications. Some foods and illnesses can also affect how your pee turns out. The color of your pee also depends on how much Urochrome is in your pee, also dead blood cells and old water.

Do you know what your bladder is and how much Urine it can hold. Your bladder is basicly the inflatable, hollow, flexible bag that holds pee(inside your body ofcourse). You bladder can hold for every 2-5h can hold minimum  ½ liter but the maximum is 2 liters or 800-2000 mills. So for every 30mins your bladder should be able to hold 2 cups (300-400 mills) for every hour your bladder can hold 4 cups(600-800 mills). So each and every day a healthy bladder should go to the toilet 5-6 times a day.

Conclusion/Summary.

In this paragraph i will be telling you some facts i have not told you through out. Did you know that sometimes when you don’t go toilet your bladder can burst, and that with all the waste in your body before it gets made into Urine the body makes it into energy. Did you know that the Kidneys make you red blood cells, and your kidneys keep your bones strong.