ESOL Reflection

 ESOL Reflection

Today in Esol we played two games related to our grammar. One game was called Hot potato, we were given a piece of paper each and were asked to write one single word on the paper. The game was that we had to pass around our papers to the person beside us and write one word onto the paper to form a story with the correct grammar. Another game we played was called the Alphabet story, we had to make a story using the correct order of the alphabet A, B, C, D, etc). Example: Angrily, Bennett crawled down. It was very challenging to do especially having a short amount of time to do it. 

Two new things I've learned today are that the amount of time we are given to finish/do it affects how our brains think and work. I also learned that working with others sometimes is very challenging. 

DLO Siege Kaiapo Pa

 DLO Siege of Kaiapo Pa

In the early 1670s, Ngai Tahu Maori drifted to the South Island and the North Canterbury area from the North Island. searching for food and land, they fought and eventually defeated the Ngati Mamoe who was recently living in the area. The pa was built in the 1700s by Tu Rakautahi (Ngai Tahu chief), built on a peninsula between modern-day Woodend and Waikaku that was around 5 acres and was extended into a lagoon. The environment made it easily defendable. The neck of the land was very narrow and was surrounded by a deep ditch. 

Before the siege, an incident had occurred three years before the actual main event took place. A Ngati Toa chief had appeared from the north, Te Rauparaha. He fought and killed at Kaikoura and Omni. The Ngati Tahu was suspicious and cautious of Te Rauparaha and his men arrived at Kaiapoi Pa claiming to be greenstone traders. Ngai Tahu took quick action and attacked before Te Rauparaha did, killing eight chiefs which Ngati Toa was forced to travel back north. For two years Te Rauparaha carefully bid time to planning his revenge.

In those two years he he made a bargain with an English captain in a ship. He then attacked the Pa in Akaroa and destroyed it, taking the chief of Kapitit. torturing and killing many others, however he was still not satisfied with his revenge.

By now it was around 1831. On the night the Pa was attacked, most of the men were away at Port Cooper as escorts to the Chief Taiaora from Otago. The people who remained were inside the Pa closed the gates and waited. Te Rauparaha also waited patiently hoping they would starve, the first signal of the siege.

The Otago chief collected the men and returned to the Pa in the night. They creeped quietly through the scrub and then raced hrough the lagoon to the Pa with minimal casualties. The Pa was better equipped once they returned to fight Ngati Toa. The siege lasted for 3 months, despite the food decreasing within the Pa, Ngati Toa gathered scrub from nearby and dried and stacked it around the Pa. It eventually caused a fire.

After a few months of waiting, the Ngati Toa lit the scrub on fire during a Northwest wind hoping to drive off the attackers. creating a gap in the defense, allowing them  to enter the Pa, killing and capturing those who are inside the Pa. About 200 escaped to the lagoon, leaving the great Pa abandoned.

Athletics Day

Athletics Day

Yesterday was Athletics day, the 4th of March. Everyone in our three kahui's had to wear mufti in house colours, Mohua was gold/yellow, Riroriro was blue, and Tieke red. I had to wear something that had either gold or yellow to sport my team/kahui, along with some of my friends.

At the start of the day, we had to meet with our kahui's, Every single year groups, 7/8/9s,10/11s, and 12/13s. Every single building had its own special chant, Mohua went with Mohua! Who are we? Mohua! we would repeat it twice then we would say numbers in Maori then saying We are the warriors of Mohua! repeatedly.

Halfway throughout the day, we were separated into our own year groups, ex) Year 9 Males, Year 9 Females. Luckily I was together with my friends throughout the whole day. 

We were able to participate in High jump, Discus, and Sprints. Unfortunately, we weren't able to participate in Shotput since we somehow got separated from our group. 

I very much enjoyed Athletics day, although we weren't able to win. It was really fun doing athletics with my friends, doing chants, supporting our kahui, and being able to wear mufti.

Athletics P.E

 Athletics P.E

For the past few weeks since school started for P.E we have been training for athletics day, Discus, High Jump, Long jump, Sprints, Shotput. At first, I was terrified of participating in every sport except sprints. I felt insecure doing them but in the end, I managed to include myself on every single one except shotput since I was away for two days. When Athletics day came up I was more confident in myself, I improved a lot more at discus and I gave high jump my best shot. We weren't able to participate in Long Jump and Shotput. We weren't able to get our scores on Athletics day but I did improve a lot more! 

Results before Athletics day:

Long Jump: 2 metres

High Jump: 80 cm

100 Metres: 20.9s

Discus: 5.1 m

For these past weeks, I always have brought my PE gear to school every time we have P.E. A tip I could give for high jump is to spend most of your energy, around 90% on the run-up and takeoff. For Long jump, it's better to fall forward than backwards, Discus it's a lot better to stand on the ground with your feet wide apart. For sprints Focus on Posture and Core. Keep your torso upright, shoulders relaxed and away from your ears, and engage on your core. For shotput, it's best if you come to the top of your movement, push the ball out, keeping your elbow high.

Taha Whanau: About different types of Relationships

Taha Whanau: About different types of Relationships

Today on Hurumanu 5 we got to learn more about the 4 dimensions of well-being, Taha Wairua, and Taha Whanau, For Taha Wairua we made a revision about Taha Wairua, our Values, Beliefs, and Personal Identity. These are the three things that are very important to Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing)

1. Values = Things you find important in life, honesty, trust, modesty etc)

2. Beliefs = Trust, faith, Confidence and Religion.

3. Personal Identity = Who you are, what you think you are, and your freedom.

Taha Whanau (Social Wellbeing)

Half of the period we learnt more about the different types of relationships around the world. Healthy relationships and unhealthy relationships. Parents relationships, sibling relationships, platonic relationships, Friendships and Romantic relationships.