Ti Kouka QR Code Project Completed

Finally! My QR code project is done. I had an idea to create a QR code to link information about the cabbage trees at Burnside High School. I was really excited to get the help from three students from the Kapahaka group who recorded the voice over. The information is from the City Council website. The older photo is from the last harvest on the farmland before the school was built circa 1960.

The QR codes are laminated and attached to the seats by the cabbage trees. Feel free to wander past and scan them or perhaps try this one below.  If this link is broken and it doesn't connect to the video
here is the VIMEO LINK

Remembering Nelson Mandela - A Great Totara has fallen in the forest.

There are many inspirational quotes that are attributed to Nelson Mandela. There are two of these below. For many people he has always been known as an old man. He was 72 when he was released from prison on February 11th, 1990. But many others remember him as a younger man, and he was when he was imprisoned for 27 years. President Obama said today "he makes me want to be a better man". Because of him, we are all inspired to be better people.

Images from Huffington Post

Year 9 Top Team Competiton

Last week all the Year 9 students took part in a Top Team events day. South Division colour is red which is why the boys below are dressed in red.

Shaun, Emerson and friend.

Making the world an Awesome place by 9SBd

Today Mr Stokes and myself had the exciting job of teaching 9SBd, because their usual fabulous teacher,Ms McColl, was away. We watched two clips from blogs and then wrote our own suggestions for ways to make the world an awesome place.
  Ways to make the World/Christchurch/Burnside High School
                                   AWESOME
Some suggestions for school 
 Any hair colour we want/teachers have a treasure box with things in it we can get when we are good/free wifi/no uniform/ Free food/able to choose some of our classes so we met different people/later start to school or early finish/you can eat in class/a period of free time so you can do something you really like(20%Google time)/order lunch/listen to music when you work/stop bullying/more sporting opportunities for kids with disabilities
 Some suggestions for Christchurch
 More stuff for people our age to do/theme park/more ice cream shops/more youth centres/amusement parks/something better than going to the mall every weekend 
Some awesome inventions for the future 
 teleporter/time travel/cancer cure/cars that run on water/pet robots/portable airbag - so if you are in an accident you don’t get injured/clothes printer/robot miners/anti bullying software/a machine to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen to weaken the effects of global warming/a lawnmower powered by lawnclippings/a cellphone which projects a keypad and screen

 (we watched kidpresident http://msheenglish.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/a-pep-talk-from-kid-president-to-you.html from the Ti Kouka blog and Cyborg kid http://theshedbhs.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Technology from The Shed blog)

Thanks 9SBd - You all were AWESOME!
Ms H and Mr Stokes

A Pep Talk from Kid President to You

Felix Baumgartner's supersonic freefall from 128k' - Mission Highlights

Is presenting your speech in class as scary as this??

Dinovember - Creative parents bring kids’ dinosaurs to life each night

Two Creative parents in Kansas City have created Dinovember where they create Dinosaur adventures for their children to discover in the morning.Keeping children's imagination alive-Fantastic!

Polar Bear Cam - Researchers use Crowdsourcing

http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/polar-bear-tundra-buggy-cam Researchers studying the effects of climate change on polar bears are experimenting with the idea of crowdsourcing data as improving technology allows anybody with an internet connection to monitor the animals' annual migration in Canada. Polar bears gather at this time of year on the Hudson Bay's southwestern shore to wait for the water to freeze so they can wander the ice and hunt for seals. The migration to the Wapusk National Park in Manitoba is far enough south to make the Western Hudson Bay polar bears one of the most accessible and studied populations of the species. This is the third season that reserachers are running live webcam feeds of the annual migration. The webcams were set up to improve the education of people who know little about Polar Bears. They allow anybody online to watch and photograph male bears sparring and mothers walking with their young across the tundra. Researchers will look to add the best of those photos to their collection, and compare them with photo archives going back decades to better understand changes to the bear's conditions. Here is the link to the webcam explore.org http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/polar-bear-tundra-buggy-cam

Shigeru Ban -Japanese Architect

This a TED talk by Shigeru Ban who built the Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch and also many structures around the world where countries have suffered disasters. Ted Blog Link http://blog.ted.com/2013/08/13/buildings-made-from-cardboard-tubes-a-gallery-of-shigeru-ban-architecture/

Fifa Posts

Hello my name is Olly and I am a student in Miss Henderson's class. I am the creator of Fifa Posts and blog all about the football world. My self and fellow author Adriel update the blog every week with EPL results and other football related things. Please take some time to have a look at my blog.
http://fifapost.blogspot.co.nz/

Wet animals shake in slow motion - Slo Mo #6 - Earth Unplugged

Piano stairs - TheFunTheory.com - Rolighetsteorin.se

BORED? Get to the library!

It is only Thursday, week one of the holidays- you can't be bored yet? However, you might like to
head down to the Bishopdale or Riccarton Libraries. I am currently in the RED cafe at the Riccarton Library. A place that combines two of my favourite things as you all know - books and coffee. I have had a quick look at the Library blog. There are some interesting books in the New and Recently Released list.
Check out these below.

New and Recently Released!

A moment comes - Jennifer Bradbury

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781416978763ISBN-10: 1416978763

In this atmospheric novel, the tension and turbulence of the 1947 partition of Pakistan and India springs to "bloody, poignant life" (Kirkus Reviews) through the first-person stories of three teens: Tariq, an ambitious Muslim desperate for a university education in England; Margaret, a spoiled British girl with a scandalous past; and Anupreet, a Sikh maid just hoping to survive during uncertain times. Readers will be caught up in the lives of all three characters as they're confronted with tough decisions about their relationships and their futures. For another look at social and political change in India, check outKeeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth.

The bitter kingdom - Rae Carson

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9780062026545ISBN-10: 0062026542

The Godstone embedded in her navel marked her at birth as a heroine, and now Queen Elisa must live up to her long-foretold destiny. In the final book of the Fire and Thorns trilogy, Elisa is determined to rescue her beloved Hector from the fiery Inviernos, as well as protect her kingdom from invasion and treachery. Though she's gained strength, courage, and magical ability, Elisa realises that to meet the challenges of leadership, she needs her "only lasting power": her intelligence. For more high-stakes action, powerful female characters, and intricate world-building, check out Kristin Cashore's Seven Kingdoms trilogy, starting with Graceling.

The Lord of Opium - Nancy Farmer

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781442482548ISBN-10: 1442482540

El Patrón is dead, which makes his 14-year-old clone Matteo the new Lord of the country of Opium. Matt has been reclassified as human, but he still has to cure the other clones (mind-controlled "eejits" who provide Opium's slave labour), as well as dismantle Opium's drug trade and plant new crops to revitalise Earth's ravaged environment. Fans of sophisticated science fiction will be captivated by the "electric blend of horrors and beauty" (Publishers Weekly) in this wildly imaginative, morally complex vision of the future. As this sequel (10 years in the making!) builds on events from the first book, readers should start with The House of the Scorpion.

OCD love story - Corey Ann Haydu

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781442457324ISBN-10: 1442457325

In an instant, Bea felt almost normal with Beck, and as if she could fall in love again, but things change when the psychotherapist who has been helping her deal with past romantic relationships puts her in a group with Beck - a group for teens with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The rose bride: a retelling of "The white bride and the black bride" - Nancy Holder

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781416935353ISBN-10: 1416935355

After Rose's father's new wife, Ombrine, moves in with her evil daughter, the two will stop at nothing to ruin her life, so when they attempt to destroy the relationship between Rose and King Jean-Marc and tear out her late mother's beautiful garden, Rose's only inspiration for living lies in the beauty of a single blossom that survived the attack.

The infinite moment of us - Lauren Myracle

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781419707933ISBN-10: 1419707930

As high school graduation nears, Wren Gray is surprised to connect with gentle Charlie Parker, a boy with a troubled past who has loved her for years, while she considers displeasing her parents for the first time and changing the plans for her future.

Close Encounters

If you can't wait for the sequel to Rick Yancey's bestselling The 5th Wave, or you're excited about the Ender's Game movie coming out at the end of the year, these books about aliens will make you laugh, make you think, and maybe even keep you up at night.

The assault - Brian Falkner

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9780375969461ISBN-10: 0375969462

Recon Team Angel is ready to take back the Earth from the Bzadians. The aliens might control most of the planet, but the six teens on the elite military squad have been expertly trained and surgically modified (forked tongues and all) to pass as Bzadians and infiltrate the alien base in Australia. Each team member has their own particular strengths - but only one of them is a traitor. If you like fast-paced adventures or Call of Duty-style military games, you'll enjoy the sharp dialogue, explosive action, and shocking twists of Assault. Follow this series debut with its sequel, Task Force.

First Chapter  

Earth Star - Janet Edwards

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781616148973ISBN-10: 1616148977

The highly anticipated follow-up to Janet Edwards' sensational YA sci-fi debut,Earth Girl. 18-year-old Jarra has a lot to prove. After being awarded one of the military's highest honours for her role in a daring rescue attempt, Jarra finds herself - and her Ape status - in the spotlight. Jarra is one of the unlucky few born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Derided as an 'ape' - a 'throwback' - by the rest of the universe, Jarra is on a mission to prove that Earth Girls are just as good as everyone else. Except now the planet she loves is under threat by what could be humanity's first ever alien contact. Jarra's bravery - and specialist knowledge - will once again be at the centre of the maelstrom, but will the rest of the universe consider Earth worth fighting for?

Adaptation - Malinda Lo

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9780316197960ISBN-10: 0316197963

In the chaos following a series of plane crashes caused by flocks of kamikaze birds, 17-year-old Reese and her debate team partner, David, are in a serious car accident and receive medical treatment at a military hospital in Arizona. No one will tell them the details of what happened or how they've been healed... but after they get back home to San Francisco, both of them suspect that they've undergone something more than standard medical procedures. With bizarre happenings, clandestine government agents, X-Files-esque intrigue, and even a bit of romance, Adaptation will fascinate conspiracy theorists and thriller fans alike.

First Chapter  

Half lives - Sara Grant

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9780316194938ISBN-10: 031619493X

Ordered by her parents to flee to a top-secret bunker when they receive news of an imminent viral attack capable of decimating the human race, 17-year-old Icie endures months in hiding with three other teens without any news from the outside world, an existence that is hailed generations in the future by a mysterious cult.

Monsters of men - Patrick Ness

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9780763647513ISBN-10: 0763647519

In most stories about humans and aliens, the aliens are the invaders. But in theChaos Walking trilogy, it's humans who have invaded the home planet of the alien Spackle. This final volume of the trilogy looks at the horrors of war not just through the eyes of humans Todd and Viola, but also from the perspective of a reluctant Spackle leader called 1017. Readers willing to tackle this epic read will be riveted by a powerful, thought-provoking tale of agonising choices, shattering violence, and hard-won redemption. Newcomers to the series, however, should begin with the 1st book, The Knife of Never Letting Go.

First Chapter  

Starglass - Phoebe North

Check Library CatalogueISBN-13: 9781442459533ISBN-10: 1442459530

For all of her 16 years, Terra has lived in a city within a spaceship that left Earth 500 years before seeking refuge, but as they finally approach the chosen planet, she is drawn into a secret rebellion that could change the fate of her people.

The Cardboard Cathedral- On my Holiday List

A visit to the Cardboard Cathedral is on my holiday list. If you want to know more about the
Japanese Architect there is a link below to an article about him, as well as a clip from a TED talk.

http://blog.ted.com/2013/08/13/buildings-made-from-cardboard-tubes-a-gallery-of-shigeru-ban-architecture/

A visitor shares his knowledge

  

Terry Ryan with Chloe, Emerson and Paige

Last week Dr Terry Ryan came to visit Burnside and spend time with some of our junior Maori
student and talk about their Whakapapa with them. He also spent time with some of 9Skn and talked to us about the school cabbage trees which are a significant group of trees in this area. They are called
Te Herenga Ora and below is a link to some of the history associated with them.

http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/tikoukawhenua/herengaora/

This link below gives more information bout cabbage trees - Ti Kouka

http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Maori/Plants/Ti-Kouka/ 

Two Quotes to think about

“Everybody is a genius. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it’ll spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein

Dear Parents- We need your comments

Dear Parents and Friends of 9SKn,
We are inviting you to make some comments on our blog. Getting comments is a great way to get feedback on a blog post and it also encourages students to continue their writing on the blog. It is a little scary
but sometimes in life we need to be challenged to enable us to grow. My first goal for this blog was 1000 page views, 100 visitors and for every student to have contributed to the blog. To celebrate this we had
cake- you will see the photos! All comments are sent to me via email to allow me to moderate them. If I don't know the person or they are not appropriate I delete them. I have put a link to my own blog on the blog roll so feel free to comment on that. There are also links to other class blogs with comments.

Here is a link to a How to comment doc.
https://docs.google.com/a/burnside.school.nz/document/d/1mHtNrBo8LiRZwbsGccLmhxkW0Cef0E2DHeRMq_RzoYw/edit


And here is a link to some great "How to" videos from a fantastic teacher in 
the United States whose class are super bloggers

http://yollisclassblog.blogspot.co.nz/p/video-how-to-comment.html 

http://educational-blogging.wikispaces.com/

Victorian Writers

A loose definition of Victorian literature is anything published during the time of Queen Victoria and her reign (1837-1901). Actual Victorians include the British writers who were living in  Britain during her reign, but the term has also been placed on writers from America and elsewhere in Europe. Victorian literature also creates a bridge between the Romantic and Dark-Romantic writings of the early 19th century, to the Progressive/Modern eras in America and the Edwardian eras of literature at the turn of the 20th century. 
(Image and information sourced from Information via this blog)

http://aliteraryodyssey.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/list-of-victorian-writers-victorian.html

Who wrote these books?
a)Oliver Twist and Great Expectations
b)Jane Eyre
c)Treasure Island
d)The Jungle Book
e)Alice in Wonderland 
f)Sherlock Holmes

There is probably a prize for these answers 9SKn students.

Let them eat Cake!

These words were supposedly said by Marie Antoinette,about the starving French peasants. However at long last 9SKn were able to celebrate, 1000 page views, over 100 visitors and everyone posting on the class
blog.

We all enjoyed the cake!

Myth Busted
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/dubiousquotes/a/antoinette.htm

Victorian Life and Society

We have been watching The Secret Garden, a movie based on a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, originally published in 1911, right at the end of the Victorian Era. We have been looking at Victorian Society and Literature, as well as comparing our lives to children who lived at that time.

Here are some interesting facts about this time. Click on the link below. ( link delayed for now)