Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 5 Activity 2: Living on the Edge

Activity 2: Living on the Edge [4 points]

While it can get quite cold in New Zealand, it rarely drops below freezing (00C). Most of the time the temperature in New Zealand is pretty mild. This is not the case in the tundra. The tundra is an area of land (biome) that is cold, dry and completely treeless. Did you know that the average temperature in the tundra is -280C?

Over the past few years, however, the temperature in the tundra has been rising and the weather has been changing. Let’s imagine that your teacher decides to take you on a class trip to the tundra before the weather changes too much and you aren’t able to go.

Write a letter to your best friend or a family member telling them about your trip to the tundra. To earn full points your letter must have a greeting (eg. Dear…) followed by 5 – 6 sentences of information about what your experience.

Dear, Aunty

How's your day going? Today I went on a school trip to the tundra. I had so much fun but It is very cold, it is about 280C it is also a bit snowy and dry. In my distance, I do not see a tree nor have seen one while walking around here. I have learned about some animals I didn't know existed. They look amazing. a lot of the animals here are hibernating. 

Sincerely, your niece, 

Tyra.

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 5 Activity 1: Towering TImbers

DAY 5: Blink and You’ll Miss It

Activity 1: Towering Timbers [4 points]

There is a long and rich history of logging in New Zealand. Logging involves cutting down trees. The people who cut them down are called loggers. The trees that they cut down are sold and used to build things (eg. houses), to make products (eg. paper), and to generate (create) heat and power. Over the past two centuries, many of the trees in New Zealand have been cut down by loggers.

Some people like logging because it creates jobs for the loggers and generates money for New Zealand while others are against (opposed to) logging. Many of those opposed are worried that logging will damage the environment. It might also force animals who live in trees (eg. owls) to find new homes.

What do you think about logging?

On your blog tell us whether you think logging should be allowed in New Zealand. Be sure to provide at least two reasons to support your argument.

My opinion in logging should not be allowed in New Zealand because we need trees to be able to breathe. There is no use of cutting trees unless we are using them to build houses, furniture and more. The cause of tree logging ruins our environment. When people are logging they are able to place the logs anywhere which means that animals aren't able to make their own homes.

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 4 Activity 3: Salt And Pepper

Activity 3: Salt and Pepper [5 + 5 possible bonus points]

Deep in the heart of Bolivia (a country in South America) lies a natural wonder unlike anything else. It is a massive area of salt, over 10 000 km2 large, that is referred to as the Uyuni Salt Flats.

Tourists who visit the flats often stay in hotels made completely out of salt (salt hotels). This is not the only unique hotel that you will find around the world. In fact, you can stay in hotels made entirely of ice (ice hotels) or glass (glass hotel). Let’s imagine that you were given enough money to build your very own hotel.

Tell us where you would build your hotel and what you would use to build it. For an extra five points, use Google Drawings to design one room in your hotel. You can also use a paper and pencil to draw your room, take a picture of the drawing, and post it on your blog.

I would build my hotel out of strong stone material. My hotel would be 5 stories high and on each story, there would be 45 rooms. My hotel would be located near a city so a lot of people would come since many people go to the city.

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 4 Activity 2: Pancakes And Maple Syrup?

Activity 2: Pancakes and Maple Syrup? [4 points]

Aotearoa New Zealand is home to many spectacular sights and natural wonders. One of these is the Punakaiki Rocks and Blowholes located on the West Coast of the South Island. The Punakaiki rocks attract tourists from all over the world who are keen to see these amazing rock formations. Many people think that they look like pancakes stacked on top of one another. Pancakes are one of my favorite foods! They are delicious and pretty easy to make.

Choose one of your favorite foods. On your blog, write the name of your favorite food and then tell us how to make it. You may need to ask a family member, friend or Google (!) for help if you do not normally make this food for yourself.

Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3cm piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 600g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 20g butter
• 1 brown onion, halved, thickly sliced
• 410g can tomato puree
• 1/2 cup Massel chicken style liquid stock
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• Basmati rice, to serve
• Coriander leaves, to serve
• Method:
• • • Step 1
      Place yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala and chili powder in a glass or ceramic dish. Add chicken. Stir to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours
    • Step 2
      Heat oil and butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add chicken mixture to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chicken just starts to change color. Add tomato puree and stock. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and mixture has thickened slightly.
    • Step 3
      Stir in cream. Simmer for a further 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve with steamed rice and coriander leaves.

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 4 Activity 1: Scaling New Heights

DAY 4: More than Meets the Eye

Activity 1: Scaling New Heights

Aotearoa New Zealand is a country of mountains and valleys, dense forests, and sparkling oceans. At the centre of the South Island sits the tallest mountain in the country, Aoraki Mt Cook. It is the place where Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the top (summit) of Mt Everest, learned how to climb mountains. It was pretty difficult for him, at first, but Sir Edmund Hillary did not give up and, in 1953, he achieved this dream of climbing Mt Everest. His face can now be found on the New Zealand $5 note!

Let’s imagine that you met Sir Edmund Hillary in real life and were able to interview him, post five questions that you would like to ask Sir Edmund Hillary about his life.

1) What was the idea of climbing Mt Everest?

2) Why did you choose to climb mountains?

3) Would you ever go back to climbing Mt Everest?

4) Did anyone inspire you to climb mountains?

5) Do you still climb mountains?

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 3 Activity 3: The WWF: World Wildlife Fund

Activity 3: The WWF: World Wildlife Fund [10 points]

In 1961, a number of people came together to start an organisation called the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The main goal of this organisation was/is to protect life on earth. Hundreds of WWF staff work in countries all over the world trying to protect our planet and the animals who live here. To learn more about their amazing work, click on one of the two video links below.

Clip #1: Freshwater Seals

Clip #2: Tigers

tell us:
1) The name of the animal the WWF is working to save.
2) What the WWF is doing to help the animal.

3) What, if any, success they have had protecting the animal.

The WWF is helping the seals by building snow banks. The seals are about to give birth to cubs (baby seals) in a hole that the mothers dig up called a snowbank. without snow, the existence of the seals would not be existing if there were no snow. 

Summer Learning Journey - Week 1 Day 3 Activity 2: The Secretive Skink

Activity 2: The Secretive Skink [4 points]

We have a number of small lizards (geckos and skinks) living in New Zealand. One of the least common is the Chevron Skink. According to the Department of Conservation, Chevron Skinks live mostly on two islands - Great Barrier Island and Little Barrier Island. These islands are ‘animal reserves.’ Very few people, other than staff working for the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), are allowed to live there. The DOC staff are called ‘Rangers.’ Their job is to protect the wildlife (animals and plants) living on the island.

Would you like to be a DOC ranger and live with the animals on Great Barrier Island?

list three pros (good things) and three cons (bad things) about working as a DOC ranger. At the bottom of your post, tell us whether you would like to be a DOC Ranger or not.

I think that being a DOC wouldn't be so bad. I would love to be a DOC ranger because animals are special to life. Without any DOC rangers, we would not have such beautiful creatures. Animals are talented which makes people happy. Such as birds, monkies and lizards are friendly creatures that can entertain us.