Science Fair Projects

In Term 3 all the Intermediates completed a Science Fair project.

Below are photos of all the projects.

Each team had to pose a question; formulate a hypothesis and then devise an experiment to test their hypothesis. The finished project had to show all this information and include background research and a purpose for their experiment i.e. how could their information be used or who could use their findings.

The Science projects were judged by Science teachers from Alfriston College, who were impressed with the overall standard of our teams' work- especially the way variables (dependent, independent and controlled) were identified in each experiment.

"Banana Breakdown" Kumiko (and Gulnoza from Kea 1) EXCELLENCE award

"Metallic" Nickhil (and Nishanth from Kea 1) EXCELLENCE award

"Eating Electricity" Mighael, Richard, Anton MERIT award

"Absorbency H20" Ben, Hemant and Roneel MERIT award

"Captive Candles" by Rebekah (and Tracey from Kea 1) MERIT award

"Extreme Yeast" Sambit and Aminder MERIT award

"Grow to Grow" Hunter, Brittany and Nikeeta MERIT award

"Balance" So Yeon (and Caitlin from Kea 1) MERIT award

"Raisin Invasion" Juliana (and Darci from Kea 1) MERIT award

"Flower Power" Madison (and Katelyn from Kea 1) MERIT award

"Liquid for Life" Erica (and Pooja from Kea 1) CREDIT award

"Fizzeology" Bailey and (Gargan and Calen from Kea 1)CREDIT award

"Rocket Fizz" by Garrick, Mark (and Stanley from Kea 1) CREDIT award

"Coke with Baking Soda" by Chris, Nathan and Donny CREDIT award


"Finger to Finger" by Sarah Rosie and Ricki-Jean CREDIT award

Spanish Sentence of the Week (Español Oración de la Semana)

Each week Señora Lee will add a new sentence (or more) for us to learn. You may get the chance to use it at school, at home or with your friends.

Last week's sentences:

Hay terremotos en Nueve Zelanda. ¡No me gustan los terremotos!
[Eye terreh-motos en nwevay zay-larnda. Noh may goos-tarn loss terreh-motos.]

This means:
There are earthquakes in New Zealand. I do not like earthquakes.

Variations:
Hay terremotos en Chile. Hay terremotos en Haiti. No hay terremotos en Australia.


This week's sentences:
Me gustan las vacaciones. [May goos-tarn larss var-car-see-o-ness.]
Mis padres no les gustan las vacaciones. [Meece pardrays no lays goos-tarn larss
var-car-see-o-ness.]
Mis profesores les encantan las vacaciones.
[Meece proffeh-sore -ess lays en-carn-tarn larss var-car-see-o-ness.]

This means:
I like the holidays.
My parents do not like the holidays.
My teachers love the holidays.

Reflecting on the Ball

Students were asked to write what they had learned since starting dancing lessons to prepare for the Intermediate ball. Here are some comments written by Huia 1 class members the morning after the night before:

- The one thing I learned was never wear high heels, but I am much better at the Circle Waltz. (Hunter)

- Last night was a ball! I had so much fun with my mates dancing to Saturday Night Fever, which I enjoyed. I also had fun dancing to Scotland the Brave. I had eye contact* and just got along with it. I loved my hair and I also liked Mr Yates' wacky dance. This afternoon, Brittany, Hunter, Kumiko, So Yeon, Richard, Bailey, Anton, Mark, Mighael and I performed, in front of the junior assembly, the ball dances. They were Cotton-eye Joe, Saturday Night Fever and Scotland the Brave (the Gay Gordons music). When Cotton-eye Joe was finished, I announced that there is a special surprise which was Mark shuffling. He was really good at it and I am really proud of myself and my mates. (Nikeeta)
* Note from Mrs Vincent: students were told they must have eye contact when they are asking or being asked to dance.

- The ball was really, really fun. I was half confident for dancing. (Chris).

- My dancing got better and I am confident to ask someone to dance. (Sarah)

- This week was awesome. I learned to control my nervousness. It was really fun but I had to leave early. (Erica)

- I was OK to dance with boys. It was a lot of fun. The funny thing was I came fashionably late. (Juliana)

- This week we learned the Snowball Waltz. It starts with one couple dancing, then they both choose new partners until everyone is dancing. I wasn't nervous about asking someone to dance. (Rebekah)

- (This week) I haven't improved on much but I did improve on my dancing...I did really well in my waltz. I have been following the formation left, right, left, right, and that's pretty much how it goes. (Bailey)

- I like dancing. I wished the ball was ever-lasting because I had a great time. I was very thirsty so I got a cup of water and drank it all within 10 seconds. But then I got a brain freeze which was bad. (Donny)

- Last night was the ball and it was awesome. I won as "Amazon" gift voucher for having the greatest time. I am really confident in asking a person to dance and I have really improved in my waltzing and I learned to dance to a new song called "Scotland the Brave" by Jay Jay. It is more like a techno song than a Scottish one. Another reason why I enjoyed last night was because it is my last year at this school and I really decided to enjoy myself. (Mighael)

- ...It was really cool. I learned lots of skills. It was fun and I can ask boys to dance. Learning to dance has helped me a lot. (Kumiko)

- This week at the ball I got a $20 gift card fot the best waltzing. (Garrick)

- This week I have improved in dancing. I am confident asking people to dance. (Mark)

-This week I have improved in persuasive writing and convinced Mrs Vincent to let us practise dancing. I am really good at dancing now. (Ricki-Jean)

More ball photos

Here's s0me more photos from the ball.

Having a Ball!

Here are some of the photos from the ball. Well done everyone for a great evening.

Be Careful What You Teach the Class - in case they use it against you...

Last week Huia 1 were invited to one of Mr Yates' class debates. The topic was "Bull Fighting Should be Banned" and students were so influenced by the persuasive skills of the speakers that the majority of the audience ended up voting that Bull Fighting should not be banned!

Motivated by the speaking and writing skills of students in Mr Yates' class, we started our own persuasive writing this week.

In short, expository (or persuasive) writing has: - a title - an introduction outlining the issue and the writer's viewpoint. - a series of paragraphs, each outlining a specific point to support the viewpoint, including further evidence or reasons to expand the idea. - a summarising conclusion which restates the issue and viewpoint. - emotive or controlling language

So, when we ran out of time to finish dancing practice for the upcoming Intermediate ball, Huia 1 students asked me, (before lunch) if they could do dancing again in the afternoon instead of topic work.

I said, "Hmmmm, I would have to be persuaded..."

One hour later......

Dear Mrs Vincent,

Dancing is an amazing art and many people around the world enjoy it, including our intermediate team. It amazes me how much we have improved since the beginning but we are still lacking in some areas.

If we do dancing this block, we can polish off what we have learned so far, therefore we won't make fools of ourselves on the dance floor. After all, many of us not been to a dance or social before and are not accustomed to dancing with girls/boys. If we practise more there will be less of a chance that all the time you took off to teach us would be wasted.

If any of us mess up this incredible chance to dance a proper social, it will mess it up for everyone. People all over the Intermediate team are relying on this letter to persuade you to let us practise our dancing. Everyone in the Intermediate team really wants this to happen. You should let us do dancing in the afternoon block.


Yours sincerely, Ricki-Jean

P.S. ¡Feliz cumpleaños!



Dear Mrs Vincent,

In two days, the Intermediate social is being held and some of us still haven't grasped the concept of dancing. We do not have any more chances to practise dancing as the hall is full during the rest of the time.

Many of us would like to dance after lunch because we would like to express ourselves in dance and we feel that we haven't done enough dancing for this special occasion (social). We don't feel absolutely confident to dance (for us girls) in high heels and fancy clothes.

We really hope you take this into consideration when you make your decision on whether or not we are to do dancing and we are prepared to do anything you wish for us to do. Excludes cleaning toilets.

Yours sincerely,

Rosie

PS Happy birthday!
You don't look a day over 21!


Dear Mrs Vincent,

I think we should do dancing instead of topic work.

Today is your birthday and we Huia 1 want you to have fun. So, if you let us do dancing not only will we have fun, but you will have fun too.

We are still not sure about some parts of some dances. We want to be perfect for the ball night. We all love dancing and I'm sure you do too. So, have fun and please let us all (including you, Mrs V) do dancing.

Kumiko.



And here's what happened next.....

The Gay Gordons dance - a very old dance to a very modern version of the original Gay Gordons music (Scotland the Brave)

Other music we are dancing to is:

The Potter Waltz - (from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) for our circle waltz

Neville's Waltz (from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)

Tayor Swift Waltz

The Batman Waltz (Kiss from a Rose - Seal)

Cotton Eye Joe

Saturday Night Fever




...I had been persuaded!