Lead yourself into the future!

“Sam you are in the light blue team”. This was how it started…

On the 20th of February all of the grade sixes went into Metcalfe Hall, including Donvale. This was called the year six conference. All of the grade sixes were split into coloured groups to work as a team on many challenges. For instance, who can build the biggest newspaper tower, who can stack five cups without touching them, sword fights with our   fingers, and who can hold a plank the longest as a group (with a minimum of five people).

On the first challenge we had to make a huge paper tower using newspaper and masking tape.  Whoever made the tallest tower won. As the race started our team decided to make these triangular shapes and stack them using the tape. It was a bad idea so we scrunched them and stacked them when there was only one minuet left. In the end the royal blue and green team were tied and both won. Purple was there too, but their tower fell down when the winners were announced and they were disqualified. Otherwise there would’ve be a three way tie!

Next after that was the cup challenge. The aim was to stack five cups that you had using string and rubber bands. And none of your body was allowed to touch the cups. Our original idea was to stretch the rubber band and attach four pieces of string to it. Then stretch the band around one cup and place it down, and then do the same for the other cups.  It did not work, so one of our teammates came up with the idea to put the rubber bands around the cups and hold the rubber bands on the cup. We didn’t win again but that was alright because we had a blast so far.

After recess our Principal made us do a challenge that we had to try and poke each other with our index finger between shoulders to hips. It was really hard but fun. I won one and tied one before it was time to go onto the next challenge. 

The last challenge was the hardest, but since I was allergic to dust mites I couldn’t do it because we had to be on the floor. But from what it looked like it was hard. The rules stated there had to be at least five people holding the plank position. It looked really hard and light blue (our team), was in third place. But then somebody dropped when there was only five people on. We were the only team who said “we are out” and the teachers were very happy with that. Light green team won and for that they got a reward because it was the last event. Light green shared their treat with us, which were icy poles!

The year 6 conference was a lot of fun. We learned to work together in teams, we met new friends from Donvale, and we learned that “leadership is an action not a position”.

Staying still up to one week, waiting patiently for it’s prey to arrive. It must be boring but this reptile can do that with ease. The Green Tree Python is one of the most fascinating pythons in the world.

These are some reasons why it can blend into the environment. It is green with blue scales scatted everywhere. Some descriptions of the environment it lives in is rainy, wet, thick vines and branches. I think that this reptile is the most beautiful creature in the whole world. Some things that this snake eats is tree, rats and mice.

Some behavioural adaptations are that they are able to stay absolutely still for up to a week. This is an adaptation because this snake was a mover. It is trying to bend back into weird shapes just to blend into it’s environment.

Structural adaptations are staying in shapes like backwards S shape without it hurting it’s self. Finally some physiological adaptations are that it can get warm by staying in the sun to get warm then in no matter how cold it is it can stay warm only for 24 hours though. This python is special because it can produce a small type of venom that can paralyse for three minutes tops.

 This term we had a production on Australian history in humour, the name of  the play is called hanging onto the bottom of the world.

This all started when we got some lines to see what roll we were going to get. The lines were part of the main rolls Bruce and Eddie. After all that hard work it was time to find out who we will get for the play. I got  captain Cook and he had some really funny lines like we come in peace but I have to say that really loud and slowly in a funny way.

When we have got our lines we only had around like a couple of weeks  to memorise all the lines. Also, we got pulled out for acting and it was hard we got tolled what to do in the Acting point of view which is a good thing because it made the whole thing a lot better.

Then the final stand the performance of the year five production. When I got to prove to people that I can be a great actor and since that I was hilarious as Captain Cook. Then I returned as a gold miner who dances when the prosecutor has gold!

   Me as gold miner black and white checked shirt

This year we did something called book chat. Book chat is when you get a book and you talk about the book that you have.  It’s sort of like a book club where you have to read a book that you have been given. Also, you have a choice of around about five books that you have to talk about. We have to talk about our favourite book chat for the year and this is mine, Percy Jackson the graphic novel.

I’ve already read the Percy Jackson series but not the graphic novel which are written by Rick Rordan and illustrated by Attila FutakI. Some description of the storyline is, Percy is a teenager and he lives with his mum and step dad who is a jerk he always demands and messes up Percy room. Percy thenRealised that his real father is Poseidon God of water and sea. This story is about how Percy Leans how to use his powers, I would put this as an adventure genre.

I think that this was a good book because it is about gods and that gods don’t have to always have pure god they can have half god and half human. I also like this book because it was packed with funny and on your toes information.

have you read Percy Jackson the graphic novel?

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Can you guess what holiday this is? Well, it’s Christmas! This celebration is when Jesus was born and when families get together and have fun. One of the traditions that my family does is when Mum and Dad put up the Christmas tree while I put up the decorations around the house. Also, when Mum and  Dad have finished the tree I decorate it as well. We always have one huge fish for lunch on Christmas day, and for dessert we have trifle and custard because we all love it. This is a Haiku poem I made about Christmas.

I adore Christmas

It’s when our family unites

When Jesus was born.

This term has been a blast!!

Hi everyone, this term we have been learning about the 1850s Australian gold rush! In 1851 gold was discovered in Australia.Our class spent the whole term learning about what life was like in the gold rush and the Eureka Rebellion. We even went to Sovereign Hill Ballarat where the actual gold rush took place. I learned that life in the 1850s for diggers was unfair because they had to pay for a gold licence and if they were caught without one they would be tied up to a tree until they paid the bill. Also, the whole point of going for the diggers was to make their fortune, but most of them had less than 3 shillings and the licenses cost 15 shillings a month. The biggest surprise to me was that the education was vital for boys and a lot less for girls.

Most of the businesses back then were  incredibly different to the shops we have today. For example, Cobb&Co the saddlery, The Gold Office and the blacksmith are no longer in business anymore. Also, there are no more conjoined buildings anymore like The Ballarat Times newspaper shop and C.Spencer lolly shop. 

The Eureka Stockade (2 of December 1854- 3 of December 1854) was the biggest event to ever happen in the gold rush. It all started when Governor Hotham moved up the licence fee from 15 shillings to 30 shillings and James Bently, the owner of the Eureka hotel, murdered  James Scobie, a Scottish gold digger. In revenge the diggers burned the Eureka Hotel while burning their licences. The diggers were determined to fight for their rights and liberties, said the person who led the Eureka Stockade, Peter Lalor. The diggers built a wooden oval made out of wooden pikes and old fencing plus little bits of rock. Before the diggers built the Stockade, three women made a huge flag that took them three days in secret. The flag was called the Eureka Flag, which the diggers raised up showing a white southern cross. The diggers got shocked, because the troopers attacked them while they were sleeping. This means they were unprepared plus most of their weapons were theatre props. 22 diggers and 8 solders died in the brutal bloody battle, which only lasted 20 minutes.The gold rush lasted until the late 1860s

To learn all about this important part of Australian history we did lots and lots of activities! We made a diorama of ballarat where the gold rush was held. Also, we made the buildings out of shoe boxes and other materials. This was not a solo task, this was a partner task! My partner Claire and I made the cobb & co building and the stables. We had to use volume and angles to make sure it wasn’t too big. I learned how language was used in the gold rush. I also learned two new Irish words, Ga Ra Muh Uget which means ok and Ge Argh Which, which means good morning.We read some news paper articles to help us write our own newspaper front cover that was false but set in the time of the gold rush. Mine was The Catastrophe At The Cobb & Co. Before all that we wrote a letter to our gold rush school teacher about ourselves and how we got to the diggings. Something I never knew was that I could write in copperplate.

While I was at the school we learned our 16 times tables which I still remember! Back at home our class mapped Sovereign Hill, including the diggings, shops/buildings and the main road. Some PLAs I used were curiosity because I wanted to learn about the 1850s. I used refection because I asked myself what I needed to know. But the most PLA I used was resilience because I pushed through times where I did not understand what I was learning, I kept looking at the assignment  not just sitting there. 

The biggest challenge for me was my chapped lips from the cold camp, and learning new knowledge. Lastly, it was a good challenge for me to cooperate with my partner. I loved doing the diorama and working through times that were tough. Next time I will be more confident asking questions in class so I understand the task, but I loved learning how good I could be at acting as a schoolboy from the 1850s. I also learned that I love mapping.

The 1850s gold rush was so long ago and its major event, the Eureka Rebellion, lasted only a short time. Yet, we are still taking about it today.

I wonder what a schoolboy from the 1850s would think of my classroom?

This week at my school we had a hole week we had a books!

This week We learned what a information  book is this is what it needs. A information book needs pictures iff you don’t have the pictures it will not be informative and if you get it off the internet it will be copywriting and that will be bad. You also need clear information iff you don’t have that it will not be a information book iff the information is all over the place also it will be hard for the reader to read. finally the sources of the book iff the information is wrong well the information  won’t match the tile.

What is your favourite book?

sam

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This week at my school we had a hole week we had a books!

This week We learned what a information  book is this is what it needs. A information book needs pictures iff you don’t have the pictures it will not be informative and if you get it off the internet it will be copywriting and that will be bad. You also need clear information iff you don’t have that it will not be a information book iff the information is all over the place also it will be hard for the reader to read. finally the sources of the book iff the information is wrong well the information  won’t match the tile.

What is your favourite book?

sam