Swimming Sports.

On Thursday I got my swimming certificates. I got 2 firsts 1 second and 2 thirds. I was year 7 boys champion. I think I did very well and I am very happy with my results. All of the races were very close and I am surprised to come fist.

Week 7 Term1

Bonjour, Je suis Josh. On Monday we started a brain inquiry. What is the effect of left brain right brain on how people learn?Can it be changed?How? Luckily we have Te Wehi in our group and she does lots of work at home. The topic is very interesting and I find it quite fascinating. On Tuesday we had our last tech arts and I finished of my bag. It has Josh on the front with the word "football" inside a football. Also I made a strap with Velcro and a pocket inside. I am very proud of myself for making that as I think it looks great. I am looking forward to our first hard materials lesson because we did not have it on Friday. I also football trials on Tuesday as I am trialing for the intermediate team. We also had trials on Friday. On Wednesday we had French and learn't how to introduce ourselves and start counting to ten. The same day we also had jump jam with rooms 2,15 and 16. We won it jointly with room 16. On Thursday I started of the day with band from(9-10:40), and I really enjoyed it although we don't play all of the time you can still listen and do the notes without playing, it is really good because you also hear different instruments. Friday. I was really looking forward to Friday I had tech arts, football trials and basketball practice. Unfortunately tech arts wasn't happening but I loved football trials although it was raining.

My Waitangi Treaty Explanation

What is the Treaty of Waitangi ?

Learning Intention: To use the structure and language of explanation to write about The Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi is a Treaty between New Zealand and the English in which New Zealand would benefit from because they would get protection and supplies but England would own most of the land which the Maori didn’t understand. There was lots of disagreement between Chiefs and Tribes which on Waitangi day nowadays still happens. Waitangi day was first known officially as New Zealand day in 1960, later changed back to Waitangi Day. In 1963 it became a public holiday in the North Island and became a national holiday in 1974.

When was the Treaty of Waitangi ? The Treaty was signed by most chiefs on February 6th 1840, But the soon to be governor sent by Queen Victoria,  William Hobson arrived on January 29th and had six days to write a treaty and get it translated to Maori by Henry Williams to actually get the Maori to agree before they got bored and left. Only forty Chiefs signed that day but others left therefore Missionaries had to travel around the country gathering more signatures, some even from chiefly women. Soon after the Treaty of Waitangi New Zealand had access to many valuable foreign supplies.

After New Zealand signed the treaty, in 1857, people brought in the first dairy cows in because the trading market in New Zealand opened up to most of the world, even though lots of people were still quite reluctant to trade. New Zealand then had a lot more supplies but also a lot more Europeans that were quickly multiplying the population. In the 1870’s the Maori were outnumbered ten to one by settlers as most of them did not know the Treaty rules.

Hone Heke ( a significant chief), cut down the English flagpole three times because he was angry at them, he offered them half of his land and they took that offer but they were greedy and kept on taking more and more of his land. He got angry and wanted to show them he was annoyed and valiant. He chopped it down twice but then the governor placed guards around it. Hone Heke gathered his men and took his men there at nightfall, they quickly scared them off and cut down the flagpole for the third and final time.

Why is there a Treaty? A treaty between England and New Zealand was created to benefit for both countries. Better trade and supplies for New Zealand and the English even said they would give them guns and other valuable resources. But New Zealand would then be part of the English colonies which not everyone agreed with. The English wanted New Zealand to join forces with them so they could take most of their land and then put European settlers on all of the land that they would gain. The Natives wanted to be independent and have freedom. But some Maori like chief Hone Heke thought it would be great because they got tobacco, blankets and can still keep their land, but the thing is they could only keep some, because Henry Williams (the translator) and his son Edward tried to make the Maori translation easier to understand, but he actually accidently changed the meaning.

As the Treaty had brought advantages and disadvantages into New Zealand most people were happy. It had stopped fights between the Maori, although it did bring a couple of fights between the Natives and the settlers. Hone Heke was definitely happy when he signed the Treaty, he even got to put his name at the top and become famous in New Zealand. But he would have changed his mind a bit, especially with the hundred of thousands of settlers flocking into the country quickly taking his land. New Zealand had changed forever and for most people it was great. In the end New Zealand got a very limited amount of protection and they didn’t really stick to the Treaty either.

By Josh

Week 6 Term 1

It has been another "Super" week. I had French on Thursday and we learn't how to spell our name and introduce ourselves. I am really enjoying it and I think everyone else is too. My favorite part that lesson was when we spelled out the  alphabet. Most of the letters sound quite similar but some sound very unique. We also had Softball on Tuesday and we won again 18-2, I was in the team and got two home runs. Softball was probably my highlight of the week because you have to run fast to get home if you don't want to get out and when you are fielding you can catch people out. I was a "short stop", that means I was one of the three people inside the diamond. The pitcher and another short stop.

Tech Arts is another thing I look forward too every Tuesday and Friday. At the moment we are making bags with handles, a inside pocket, a design on the outside and Velcro to hold things in on the top of the bag. On Tuesday we did a water safety activity in our school pool with three swim waipa instructors. It was fun when I was in the boat and also when we suba dived off. We learn't to wear life jackets when we are on boats, paddle boards, jet skis and on rocks. We also learn't to huddle together so you do not get cold.                                  

I had Football trials at school yesterday and I am going back on Tuesday for more. On Wednesday I finished my Waitangi Treaty explanation and I think mine was very good and I described it very well. We have Student Led Conferences coming up and we have been writing a report about ourselves and then explain how we are going at school. On Friday lunchtimes now I have an extra Alto Saxophone lesson because we are still learning how to play it. I think that I enjoy that more than my lesson on Tuesday's because I have actually learn't things that help me.   

Week 5 Term 1

Another great week. This week I had WIMS Swimming and also school swimming sports. I didn't do that well in the Inter schools Swimming but in school swimming sports from six races I got three wins and three thirds, which I am very happy with. I also went to WIMS Cricket in Hamilton as a reporter, I now have to write a report for the magazine. In class we have started to do maths and I am really enjoying it. I am happy with my test results even though a couple are not that good, now I now what I need to work and improve on. On Tuesday we had Inter-Class Softball, I was in the team again and we won 18-1 but it wasn't that easy. I really enjoy softball even though I am still learning it because I have never played it before and it challenges me when we come up against other classes because we don't know how good they are so I go hard even though I always do on everything. Every week something new challenges me and that is what I love because then I don't get bored. I am looking forward for another great week.