Tips and Tricks from Google

This is one of the Youtube videos that we watched to help us find out the top ten Google Tips and Tricks to enable us to use Google more effectively.

We used VideoNot.es  to record our note taking while we watched the videos.

The other video we watched was How to use the Google Search Engine more Effectively.

Have a watch to find out more!

 

Our Research into the Amount of Sugar Found in Foods We Ingest

 As part of our Incredible Body research, we investigated the amount of sugar that was found in foods that we eat.

It was astounding to find out that nearly EVERYTHING we ate, had sugar as an ingredient.

We found out that one teaspoon equalled 4.2 grams of sugar but we rounded it to 4 grams for easier calculating.  (A couple of groups had to use the 4.2 grams though.)

Each group had to check ten food or drink items and set up a display to show the amount of sugar per item.  That amount of sugar was displayed in plastic bags for all to see. 

There was a wide range of comments from the students when tallies began to appear.  

Breakfast cereals were one of the products that contained the highest concentration of sugars, along with  fruit juices. As breakfast is the most important meal of the day, having a high concentration of sugar at the beginning of the day, is not a good idea at all.

As a result of this work, Room 17 students are now far more aware of foodstuffs that need careful consideration when grocery shopping.

One of the juices Rebecca and Rani added to their display, contained  a whopping 7 teaspoons of sugar in a 250ml serving.

The Mustelid Mob!!!

Two reading groups recently read an article based on mustelids and the effect that they have had on New Zealand native birds and animals.  Mustelids were imported to New Zealand to catch rabbits, who had already overrun farmlands throughout the country.  The mustelids, which are ferrets, stoats and weasels, found easier prey to catch which resulted in a lowered numbers of native creatures.

Because of their short metabolism timing, some mustelids need to eat every 24 hours so they can eat quite a few young  birds, eggs or animals.  This puts even more, pressure on endangered creatures.

There are now steps in progress to catch the mustelids throughout the country.  Room 17's reading groups have realised the impact of these creatures and the incredible need to get them under control  

Some of the class wanted to have their photo taken with the hunters.  Included also, is an opossum which in itself is a very successful immigrant to New Zealand, It is now, a very much an unwanted visitor to our shores.

The animals with the group are, as in order:  weasel, opossum, stoat and weasel.

The stuffed animals were on loan from DoC as part of Room 17's Elective, Pest Trackers.

Unwanted Visitors to New Zealand

Close up of the stoat, weasel, and two ferrets. They are perfectly created to fit down rabbit burrows, keep in undergrowth and move through small gaps to find their food.

Another view including the possum, who, unfortunately, had an accident with its tail, in that it dropped off when the animal was first lifted out of its box!
You can see the difference in sizes more clearly within this shot.

Sugar Quantities in Food Students Like

We were amazed and surprised at some of the quantities of sugar found in the food that we eat nearly every day.  Snack biscuits, although they are generally salty, still had a small amount of sugar in, 1/8 of a teaspoon.

We found that jelly, which is generally a treat, has four servings per pack, but contains nearly five teaspoons of sugar per serving.  In total,  one packet of jelly was nearly 20 teaspoons of sugar. This, as a class, we found really astounding. 

Yoghurt is a regular in school lunches and it can contain nearly 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. This surprised a lot of class members. 

We based our findings on the ratio of 1 teaspoon of sugar =  4 grams.  (It is actually 4.2 grams).

Hauora

Part of our Incredible Human Machines unit involves Hauora, the concept that we need to keep all four concepts of health and well being in balance.

They are:

Taha Tinana - physical well being

Taha Waiarua - spiritual wellbeing

Taha Hinengaro - emotional wellbeing

Taha Whanau - social well being 

These are based on Mason Durie's formula for good health and wellbeing.

 There is another that needs to be considered as well, which is environmental wellbeing.

The task the class had to carry out was to interpret the emotions shown on these faces and write a sentence in both Maori and English, explaining then.

Their next task is to korero in pairs to be able to interpret what has been said.

Using a Compass to Map Our Way Around School

As part of our maths looking at Position and Orientation, we learnt how to use compasses to map our way around school. Some of us learnt to apply bearings to read the compass and map while others used the compass to find the directions we were walking.

It was a fun away of applying maths to our every day world.

Leah and Hannah in action.

Lachlan is helping Adam and Kayla to read their compass.

Our Thoughts as to Where our Organs are Sited in The Human Body

As part of an Inquiry task, the students had to choose ten organs or parts of the human body.  They had to find out the size, shape, colour and role of the organ.

They next had to put them in the position that they were found in the body.

Have a look at some of the interesting bodies and organ placement found in Room 17.

After this task was completed, they worked on an interactive game where they found the correct placings for their organs.

Maths: How to read a 6 figure grid reference

As part of studying Position and Orientation in maths, one group watched this video in order to assist their understanding and application when reading topographical maps.

Instagrams from Camp Experiences.

As a form of written literacy, the class was asked to create an Instagram page where they selected a photo that reflected something they really enjoyed from a camp experience.  They then had to write, using Show not Tell, to create a comment that  balanced the photo.  
Along with that, they had to create a hashtag that reflected them or the event that they had participated in. 
The students also had to insert their photo or an image into the photo square. 
These steps involved finding their way around the format of the Instagram page and how to work through each of these steps.
Many thanks to all the students who assisted in teaching the class and teacher to make this activity happen.

The Pou in Process... From last term

Four students spent a week designing, outlining, painting and reprinting, to bring our class Pou to life. The end result is was proof of that.

A Brief View of Camp