Explanation Writing (Cross Country)

Walt: Use cause and effect language in our explanation writing (if, so, then, as a consequence)

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How to be prepared for Cross Country

By Amelia 

Have you ever participated in a school Cross Country run before? Most people dread Cross Country runs because of the lack of preparation or they just don't put enough effort into it. Luckily I am here to help! Here a few ways that can help you prepare for cross country.

One way that you can prepare for cross country is by having a healthy diet. When preparing for a cross-country you always need to be aware of what you are eating. Having simple things like fruits and drinking lots of water is really helpful. For example, eating a banana helps boosts your energy level before you run. It also gives you a healthy dose of potassium which is important for long-distance runs like cross country. Whereas, if you eat a lot from fast food restaurants you won’t have a lot of strength to run the course. That’s why I personally think that having a healthy diet can help you prepare for the cross country and enhance your running performance.

You can also prepare for cross country by getting familiar with the course. You need to realize that cross country is way longer than you think. Most people prepare for cross country by running a shorter distance than the actual track. However, when it comes to the day you get halfway through the track you start to feel insecure about the way that you are running. This is why it's good to get familiar with the track. Even by walking the course can help you get a good taste of how it’s going to be. I believe that by doing this it can help you feel comfortable and ready to go. 

Preparing for cross country involves a lot of physical preparation. This means that you could start by doing some good training to help strengthen things like your muscles and also to get your heart pumping. Believe it or not, you can do some training anywhere you want whenever you want! You could probably jog up and down your pathway or you can relax your muscles by doing some stretches or yoga. Did you know that doing simple things like walking or even running around your house until you get tired can help reduce a positive effect on your running performance?

Physically preparing for cross country is good but we also have to mentally prepare for cross country. Mentally preparing means giving it the best you got and saying positive things like “I can do it” or “This will be awesome!”. If you can’t take cross country at all and you just want to give just fake it till you make. This means if your planning to give up or your just too lazy to try just put a smile on your face and try it anyways! I guarantee if you keep doing this it can help you transition from the bad side of it to the positive side. 

These are my 4 effective tips on how to prepare for cross country. Always remember to stay healthy, be positive and train hard. I hope that this will help you out if you are aiming to place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the cross country. Who knows? You might come first!

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Task Description: Last term the whole school participated in a School Cross Country. Some placed and some didn't. Our task was to write to a year 4 student on how to be well prepared for cross country. We did a lot of research on different ways that we could prepare and some of us used our own advice from our own experience. I hope you enjoyed this piece of writing and that you find it very helpful!

Alcohol Satire

Walt: Use Satire to express meaning.

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WARNING: I'm sorry if you're offended by this piece of writing I have written and please don't believe any of this because half of it is not even true. 

Don’t adults just love drinking these days! I mean it’s like a nectar from of the gods. Isn’t it mouth drooling just looking at alcohol? Did you know that alcohol is the world’s best solution to all of your problems? Remember just sitting there consuming a whole bottle of alcohol straight after you’ve just lost your job. Ahhhh great memories!

Tons of people around the world are doing this thing where you drink and get drunk then go for a drive. I know right that’s so cool! *cough cough*. But wait there’s more as you drive you can’t see anything it completely blurry. It’s so fascinating! If you keep doing that the cops will drag you to the best place in the world….jail. I mean it’s like staying in a hotel for the rest of the night. Anyways as I said before alcohol is the world’s best solution to all of your problems. It actually works (no it doesn’t. Like if you lost your job? Alcohol, Got in a fight? Alcohol, Had to find another place to stay because you didn’t pay your rent? Alcohol! I heard that it’s getting more cheaper. Spending more than $30 on a beer is so affordable. I mean who would rather go buy milk and bread for like $5 when you can buy alcohol for $35.

I think that reading this piece makes us all realize that alcohol plays a good part in our lives. Alcohol is basically a best-friend! It’s so cheap, very helpful and delicious. Now we know not to worry about anything because we are in alcohol’s good hands!

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Task Description: Last week Room 1 literacy wrote a Satire piece of writing. Satire is kind of like sarcasm but in a nice way. We looked up examples of Satire so we can get an idea of what we were going to be talking about. Some people decided to write about School and even the old man himself Donald Trump! I decided to write a satire about Alcohol so I gathered lots of information about alcohol and began writing. This is my finish piece enjoy!

"Being famous and/or rich would make me happy"

Walt: Consider both sides of an argument.

"Being famous and/or rich would make me happy"

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I partly agree with this statement because if I was famous/rich it could help me travel the world to help others who don’t live in safe places, give to the people who need clean and fresh water or just lend a helping to those who need good shelter and homes. Being famous/rich could also help me to inspire others to work hard and reach for their dreams especially those who suffer from severe conditions and can’t do what most people can. I could also live an easier life because if I was famous and/or rich I could  earn heaps of money. I would be living in a pleasing house that is maintained by housekeepers, gardeners, cooks and other servants to help me. This goes to show that being famous and/or rich can make me feel happy because I’m basically rich, I can give to the homeless and have a happy life!

Yet there are still a few things that would make me feel miserable about being famous and or rich. I have to worry about my safety because I have to go through threatening messages saying that someone wants to kill me. But it’s not only my safety that I have to worry about it’s also my family’s safety. Speaking of family I can have a hard time because I would have to be away from them so much because of things like meetings and tv interviews. Online gossip is also one thing that would bother me while being famous/rich. There are alot of untruthful things that go around on the internet which could also ruin my career just because of haters.

Overall I think that I would be famous and/or rich because of the benefit of helping others in need and also to support my family with what they need help with but only for a period of time.

Task Description: For this task Room 1 Literacy talked about a statement and we debated about the statement. The statement was "Being famous and/or rich would make me happy". We looked at both sides of the argument and then looked at it from our own perspective. We all discussed our opinions whether we agree or disagree in little groups then formed our own statement. This is my final opinion.

How The Mammoth Got It's Tusks!

WALT: Think outside the box with writing.
Many years ago when the overgrown green jungle was filled with tons of animals there lived the giant hairy mammoth. But in those times the mammoth was not the powerful one. It was the mighty lion. The lion was the best because they were strong and he had powerful legs. Lion also had very sharp, ferocious teeth and jaws that he used to defeat other animals. 

Even though lion ruled the jungle he was not on his best behavior most of the time. He would pick on the other animals because of how they looked, especially the mammoth. One day Lion saw mammoth with the other animals chatting and laughing away. Lion got jealous so he marched down to the group of animals on the muddy patches of grass. 

“What are you guys doing”, says the lion in an angry voice. His eyes were staring directly at the mammoth. “Were just having a chat”, Mammoth replies. The Lion stared mammoth down. Everyone was silent. Lion then turned around and walked back as if nothing happened. The other animals were suspicious but they kept their mouths solid shut! The animals all waited till Lion was out of there site then they carried on there conversation as if nothing ever happens but mammoth was still wondering why Lion acted so mysterious. Then the grasshopper ropes mammoth into the conversation so mammoth just carried on but still held that thought.

Ever since that day, the lion would see mammoth getting all the attention. The other animals would always play fun games together but Lion would be left out. One time Lion saw all the other animals cheering for mammoth because he saved a little panda who was stuck up the tree. All Lion wanted to do was to pick on other animals and always say that he was the highest of them all. Lions jealousy towards mammoth grew bigger and bigger. Until Lion told himself “Enough is enough”, Lion says with a deep voice. So he began to make a plan.

The lion was thinking hard until “Ting” a light bulb clicked! The Lion laid out his plan on a large piece of wood as if Lion was story boarding a movie. Lion’s goal was to give mammoth an ugly potion so all the other animals can make fun of him so mammoth will never shine as bright as the sunlight. “Ugly mammoth 101”, Lion said with an evil voice. First, he had to make his potion so he gathered everything he could and started mixing up different ingredients. When the potion was finally done he gathered a bundle of grass in a little box and just before he was going to pour in ugly potion he hears a knock on the door.

Who could that be Lion thought to himself! He took 2 tiny steps towards the door then 2 large steps back. Lion took a deep breath and walked confidently to the door Lion took a little peep through his little glass hole and gasped! “It’s Mammoth”, Lion quickly hid the potion and the bundle of grass. Then tiptoed to the door and opened it. “What do you want”, Lion says. “Hi there Lion”, Mammoth says in a happy voice. “Why are you here?!”, Lion replies. “Oh I just came to check up on you because it’s a beautiful day”, Mammoth says. The lion looked at him and cringed. “I don’t need to be checked up by someone like you!”, Cried the Lion. Then he slammed the door shut.

Lion went back to making his disgusting potion. Lion poured the ugly potion on to the bundle of bright green grass. Now all the lion had to do was give the grass and he will finally make his dream come true! Lion walked over to Mammoths house and knocked on the door. “Hello...anyone there”, said the Lion. Mammoth opened the door to see Lion with a box of grass. “I’m sorry Mammoth for being so mean when you came to my house,” Lion said. “Could you forgive me”, Lion says handing the box of grass to mammoth. “Of course I do”, mammoth says as he receives the box of grass. “Well I gotta get going”, Lion says as if he’s in a rush. “Well I can’t wait to eat this”, says mammoth with excitement. They said their goodbyes and mammoth closed the door but Lion left with a smirk on his face.

The next day mammoth woke up and felt like there has been a lot of weight put onto him. He thought that it was normal so he got up and got ready for another day. Mammoth walked up the group of animals and they all gasped. “What are those two things hanging from you”, One animal says in shock. Mammoth runs to the water to see his reflection and was blown away. All the animals asked what happened but mammoth didn’t know what to say. One baby panda walks up to mammoth and says, “I like it” and give mammoth a hug. All of a sudden the herd of animals starts complimenting mammoth. Lion saw the group of animals and they revealed mammoths new look. “What have I done!”, Lion says in distraught. “It was you”, one animal says confused. All the animals then chased the Lion so he would never be seen by anyone. All the animals were happy and so they celebrated and the mammoth was named the King Of The Jungle!


The End!'

Task Description: Last week Room 1 Literacy wrote our own porquoi tales. What are porquoi tales? Well Porquoi is french for "why". Porquoi tales is a make-believe narrative that explains why something is the way it is and it usually describes something in nature such as animals. In this case we had to pick something like a animal, tree or even a human then write a pourquoi tale. I chose to write about a mammoth and how it got it's tusk. I chose the mammoth because it would sound interesting and mysterious if I wrote a story about. We also had to work on using double adjectives to help make our stories engaging. This is the story of How the mammoth got it's tusks!

Benefits Of Exercise Song

WALT: Use technical vocabulary in our writing

Task Description: Last week Room 1 Literacy had to write a song about about the benefits of physical activity. We basically had to pick a song or one we liked and change then change the lyrics. The song was based on physical activity because this term we are focusing on the Benefits of physical activity. I have not finished my piece of writing but this is what I have done! Enjoy.

                          Original Song: All About That Bass                            

Because you know I'm all about that bass

'Bout that bass, no treble

I'm all about that bass

'Bout that bass, no treble

I'm all about that bass

'Bout that bass, no treble

I'm all about that bass

'Bout that bass... bass... bass... bass

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two

But I can shake it, shake it, like I'm supposed to do

'Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase

And all the right junk in all the right places.

Remake My Song: All about my brain and my weight!

Because you know I'm all about the brain and my weight, No Trouble I’m all about the brain and my weight No Trouble I’m all about the brain and my weight No Trouble I’m all about the brain and my weight… Yeah it’s pretty clear that you gotta exercise you want to live longer and have a healthy life. Cause you got to move more to get your heart pumping to fight off diseases and so get up and get grooving.

Benefits Of Physical Activity

Benefits Of Physical Activity
There are lots of Benefits why you should exercise. It helps things in your body like your heart and lungs and more important body parts! Keep reading this piece of writing because I am going to be explaining what the benefits of physical activity.

Exercise is one of the best things that can help your health and body. Most people dislike exercising because it’s boring unlike other people who enjoy it. But why should we exercise? Exercise is like a life changing experience! For most people that think exercise is boring they that you have to go to the gym everyday or go for a jog around the block is making you fit. Did you that every time you carry a bag of groceries, walk back from school or well your intense floor mopping your health levels are improving. That is called aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise that makes you sweat or “huff and puff”.

Another Benefit of Exercise is that is strengthens your heart. Your heart is the most important thing in your body. The heart is a muscle. Just like other muscles its performance improves when challenged by exercise. When your heart responds to the exercise it becomes more stronger and stronger. When it strengthens the heart it can help fight off diseases and other viruses that can lead to death.

Exercise also plays a very big part to the brain. When you exercise you increase your heart rate and then it pumps more oxygen to the brain which is really helpful to the brain. Other types of exercise such as aerobic exercise can help your brain. It also does more like you can have good memory function and it can also help you with information processing.

There you have those are three benefits on why exercising is important! Remember you don’t need to walk around the block or go to the gym to be fit. You can just help out with the groceries or other simple things that will keep you moving!

Year 7 Team Building! (Recount)

Water Slide Disaster!

Every year during term 2 the year 7’s can finally get a break from the year 8’s as they are gone to a camping trip. While the year 8’s are away the year 7’s get of three days of fun indoor or outdoor activities and challenging games. Hearing this made me jump up happily! While they were gone we also had the chance of stepping up the leaders of the school.

From my perspective I thought that team building was a time where the year 7’s can step up as leaders for the school. However we had a whole lot of fun activities that includes working as a team like how we played human chain. But I did not expect this activity to be one it was the… Water Slide!! It has been a hard week so I was so excited for this one. I was also excited because I haven’t been on a water slide in ages!

When it was finally time for our fun water slide activity I had a big smile on my face. We were first instructed to put our spare clothes on then go and line up outside. As I stepped outside I could see dishwashing liquid everywhere and a lot of water spreading onto the court. While we were outside I was a nervous wreck because I had no idea we were going to be sliding on the court, even though there was a platform for us to slide on I was still scared I was going to scrape myself.

We sat down on the court and out teacher (Whaea Kelly) gave us the instructions. “OK! Blue Dogs and Red Rebels we are going to be doing a relay!”,Whaea kelly says with excitement. Both teams have huge smiles on their faces. Whaea kelly told us to line up in our team lines. For the relay we had to the first cone and do 5 push ups yes 5 pushups. Then we had to run to the next cone and do 10 star jumps and finally when we get to the last cone we do 4 sit ups.

“Are you ready!”, Whaea Kelly as she turns on the hose. “Yes”, Everyone replies. Except for me I was just standing the feeling shy! “GO”, Shouts Whaea Kelly. The first person goes and Whaea Kelly has a big grin on her face. I could tell that she was excited to torture us! BUt what was way worse was that the water was Cold!

A lot of people have already went by and I stood there feeling very nervous! I asked myself lots of questions like what if water goes up my nose? What if I fall and scrape myself? I was so not prepared. I was so caught up in my emotions that I didn't even know that it was already my turn! I ran and did my 5 pushups and I was so weak! The teacher did not feel sorry for us it was crazy!

I finally finished my turn and iI was so cold my hair was everywhere and I felt like I was frozen. When Whaea Kelly said If we want to go again then line up but I went back to change because I was done! I couldn’t take anymore of the coldness because the weather was kinda off. I think next time I should be more prepared for what's coming because at first I was so excited but it wasn’t what I expected!

Current Events and Activites 2

Walt: Monitor ourselves to complete all our work 


Task Description: Today for literacy we are working on our second current events activities. Current Events and Activities is a task that helps us keep up to date with the things that are going on around the world. In Current Events and Activities we go on sites like the New Zealand Herald or Kiwi Kids news. This article I found was from the New Zealand Herald. The article I chose was about a Hawaiian man who got hot lava splatted onto his shin down. This event was caused by an volcanic eruption that occurred 3 weeks ago in Hawaii. This is the first known incident from the volcanic eruption. Check our the presentation for more information to the story.

Current Events and Activities!

Walt: Reflect on our reading scores to help us create reading goals.
Task Description: Today Room 1 literacy has on two more normal days until the year 8's head off to camp...YASS! Today we are going to be finishing off our work from the past weeks. This is a activity called current events and activities. In current events and activities we go on sites like NZ herald or Kiwi Kids news and other sites then we pick an article and we write about the article we chose. This is one article I chose and it was about a security guard who was assaulted by a teen boy.

#MyGoals

Walt: Write measurable goals to help us achieve more

Task Description: For this task Room 1 Literacy were instructed to write down our Goals towards our work. Before we did that we talked about the different stages that there are when it comes to learning. Hot Camp - Workers who try hard every day and get there work done.

Warm Camp - Kids who try very hard sometimes but then become slack.

Cold Camp - Kids who don't really listen and are late on there work.

Those were the three stages we talked about. We then had to think about which camp that we belong to right now (I was in the warm camp) and take that information and put it into our goals, and this is what I have made.