Composition

Composition is writing music with an original array of notes and sounds. The composition style I'm doing, film music composition, is a composition style meant to fit the theme of a scene and has no lyrics. I'm doing film music since I'm not good at writing lyrics, but I tend to find very good combinations of chords to fit the occasion.

So far, I've worked out a combination of sadder chords for a piece. I need to work on making them sound more harmonious with harmony chords.

Creative Writing - Two Wire

Having to face your fear in a compulsory activity sounds pretty scary, right? Well, that happened to me on the Year 10 Camp. My group and I were hiking through the forest along wet, muddy trails. The mud squelched under my shoes, which were getting dirtier by the second. The rush of river water got louder and louder as we approached an activity I thought I was prepared for; well, I was wrong.

A big phobia of mine is potamophobia - the fear of bodies of running water. Y’know, like rivers. You could easily get swept away, then who knows what’ll happen to you. At the activity we’d arrived at, we had to cross a large river. Using only a wire for our hands to grip and a wire under our feet. While sure, we were harnessed, it still felt dangerous.

As you can probably guess, I was shaking like a frightened puppy, though a few of my friends reassured me I would be fine. A wave of anxiety crashed over me as I offered to put on one of the first harnesses. Why I thought this was a good idea, I don’t know. I stood upon the wooden platform as the leader clipped my harness to the upper wire.

Don’t look down, I repeated to myself as I started to walk on the wire, don’t look down. The crash of the water against the rocks was overwhelming, as was the smell of fresh water mixed with the forest aroma. Despite my own thoughts, I looked down to see where my feet were - and man was that a long drop. Even though I knew otherwise, I felt like if I fell, the harness would snap clean off and I’d plummet into the water. Well, until I actually fell, that is. I sat there dangling for a moment as I processed what just happened, before doing what the instructors had told me to do if I fell. I sat back upon the cold, rough surface of the lower wire and put up one of my feet. The only problem is that sometimes my feet have a habit of literally dislocating themselves if I put them in the wrong position. Pain like a knife stabbing through my foot hit, and I quickly put my foot down and rose the other one back up to the wire. That one, thankfully, didn’t decide to dislocate on me and I managed to pull myself back up to a standing position.

After what seemed like an hour - in reality, it was only around a minute or two - I finally made it to the other side of the river. An instructor unclipped me, and I waited patiently for my bag to be sent across on the pulley. My gloves were in there, and my hands were icicles at that point from holding onto the cold metal wire for so long. I watched the others come across until a few of my friends had made it, then we began to talk while my hands warmed up. After everyone had made it across, we began on our next trek through the forest.

I handled this situation much better than I thought I would - maybe I’m not so scared of rivers after all. Even so, it felt nice to know that it is possible to conquer fears, no matter the irrationality.

Creative Writing: Risk or Challenge

WALT: Identify and organise ideas for our 'Risk or Challenge' creative writing task, as well as the physical sensations associated with it.

R/C
Camp - 2 Wire, Solo, Swamp, Nightline
Sports - Competitions, tournaments, trials
Project K
Abandoned house

Physical Sensations
Sweaty - Palms, feet, back, forehead, backside, armpits, nose, upper lip, back of knees
Weak knees
Shaky
Heavy breathing
Looking around
Pacing back and forth
Need to use the bathroom
Leg bouncing
Pins and needles
Dry mouth
Pounding heart
Butterflies in stomach/blood drop/fluttering

Halloween in Drama!

For Halloween, 10Drama had planned to make a scary backstage area for the Junior Social (which, unfortunately, got cancelled). It was a winding path leading from the entrance of the auditorium, through the backstage area and out behind the auditorium stage. We'd all planned to do different Halloween looks - Joey being a scary tour guide, myself being a zombie, Kaiden being a stalker, you get the point. We used the layout of the backstage area to our advantage - using things like the doorways and rafters to do different effects. The path went past Kaiden (who was in a box) and Meagan (who was in a cupboard), then around a corner and past Sam (by the lockers) while going up a set of stairs onto the platform Miji sat on. It went down again by the piano, where someone would be playing, then around another corner to the far exit into the auditorium. I started slumped against the closer entrance to the auditorium, playing dead, then standing up and following them slowly. There were lots of smaller details, like small lights and a hanging skeleton. We used things like screens and wooden walls to direct the path.

40 Minute Writing Challenge - Are Movies Better Than Books?

Visual media and textual media are often regarded as similar things. When they cross paths, things can get confusing. When a book is turned into a movie or television series, there are often debates on how good the movie is compared to the book/s. My take is that movies are seldom as good as the books. This is because movies tend to leave things out, they don't feed the imagination as much, and you can take as much time as you need to finish a book.

The main downside I can see to a book being made into a movie is that movies can't leave in all the details. For example, in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, quite a few details about the time between Bilbo's birthday party and Frodo's leaving are left out in the movie, such as Frodo selling Bilbo's house. This is because it's very difficult to fit the content of an entire book into between 90 minutes and 2 hours, meaning a lot of minor plot points and scenes must be removed to fit in the time frame. This can cause a few plotholes in the movies that aren't present in the books.

These plotholes can stop the watcher from getting fully immersed in the story. Books let the reader's imagination run wild and let them picture for themselves how characters would look, scenes would play out, and areas would look. It creates an entire movie-like sequence in the reader's head that matches their tastes. An example of this is when I was reading Divergent. Though I haven't watched the movie yet, one part of the book - I won't disclose which, for spoilers - made me stop reading in anxiety for a few moments, something that is very difficult to pull off. I could feel the same feelings as the main character herself, making the entire scene much more engaging.

Sometimes being too engaged in a book can be exhausting, which is why taking a break can be very helpful. Unlike while watching a movie, where it's difficult to bring yourself to pause the movie to do something else, you can read a book for as long as you need, then put it down while keeping your page. No one can sit down and read an entire 150-page novel in one go, right? Unless your mind is completely set to finishing it all at once, which can break the immersion, having a break is crucial to the reading of a book, but a disadvantage to watching a movie.

In conclusion, I believe that books are far better than movies. This is because they're more contentful, immersing, and pausable. So next time you go to watch a movie that was made from a book, read the book afterwards and try to see how much better it is.

Volcanoes

I will be studying a volcano.

I chose Mount Fuji in Honshu, Japan. It's an active composite volcano, meaning it's a cone-shaped volcano with sills and pikes branching from the main conduit. Some of the rocks found include andesite and basalt.


I didn't do the experiment involved in this research, however, many groups chose to use a chemical reaction known as elephant's toothpaste - a reaction involving hydrogen peroxide and potassium (most people use potassium iodide, but we used potassium permanganate) - to erupt the model volcanoes they had built. Most of the volcanoes built were cinder cones, similar to composites but without the sills and pikes. One group tried to use the coke and mentos reaction (a physical reaction caused by mentos creating nucleation sites for the bubbles of carbon), but the coke turned flat before the experiment could take place.

40 Minute Writing Challenge: Are Team Sports Better Than Individual Sports?

PLANNING
Argue for both sides
1. Less worry about others' skill levels (Individual)
2. Teamwork makes things easier (Team)
3. Both have similar properties

Sports aren't everyone's cup of tea. However, individual sports and team sports are highly debated over, mainly about which is better. But is one truly better than the other? I don't believe that's the case. Individual sports don't harbor any worry for other team members' skill levels, team sports can be easier due to use of teamwork, and both kinds of sports can have very similar properties when analyzed.

In individual sports, you don't have to worry about lack of skill bringing your 'team' down. In games like golf, you are the only one playing for your side, meaning you only have to think about your skill level and your opponent's. Not having to think about things like that can make individual sports much less mentally taxing, meaning you can just focus on the game. This makes playing solo much more enjoyable.

Although individual sports don't require teamwork, team sports do, which can make playing the game easier. Team sports require everyone to help to get to the objective, whether it be kicking a ball from one side of the field to the other or hitting a ball as hard as you can with a bat. In games like rugby, passing the ball from one player to the next can help to avoid the other team, making a try much easier to get. A range of different skills in one team can help too. For example, evening out a person who's amazing at passing but horrible at shooting with someone who's terrible at passing but a magnificent shooter can bring balance to a team.

So we've covered both kinds of sports, but they are wildly different. Or are they? Both sports have similar properties. Games that are normally team sports, like soccer/football or basketball, can be played as individual sports by themselves, and vice versa for games like tennis or wrestling. Even without that, they can have very similar properties. Tennis and cricket both require hitting a ball with an object, both with similar objectives - don't let the other person or team get the ball. This makes comparing the two seem more pointless.

Conclusively, there is no better type out of team sports and individual sports. They are both easier in different ways - individual sports being less mentally taxing and team sports having more members to make things easier - but either way they're very similar.

40 Minute Persuasive Writing

Is the South Island better than the North Island?
Opinion: Disagree
Points:
Tourist attractions (North)
Danger risk (South)
Nature (Both)

Aotearoa is a country consisting of many islands. However, the two main islands, North and South, have stark differences that can be difficult to recognize from an outsider. While some believe that the South Island is better than the North Island, I can't help but disagree. I have this opinion due to the North Island having a few more tourist attractions and risk of danger in the South Island, but both of these islands have interesting natural views. These all make me believe that the North Island is better off.

The North Island has many tourist attractions that make people want to visit. Even people born and raised in New Zealand, like myself, must admit that there are many attractions in the North Island they've wanted to visit, especially if they've never been to the North Island. There are buildings like Te Papa and the Auckland Skytower, as well as natural occurrences like Lake Taupo and Aoraki/Mount Cook. This, plus the relatively safe environment, make many people come to this small country.

The South Island has many dangerous factors for visitors. From devastating earthquakes that have brought down buildings and cast large pieces of land into the ocean, to the more recent mosque shootings that have still left everyone in shock, the South Island is a cause for concern worldwide. These occurrences have damaged the South Island's reputation, making tourists less likely to come here and more people that lived here to move elsewhere. But even then, there are things that people do come here to see.

The local nature in both islands is breathtakingly beautiful. From vast ocean views, to thick forests, to tall mountains, this little country has it all. The large array of native plants and animals make coming into the New Zealand bush a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, prompting people that even have already seen these sights to go out one more time and get a closer look. It really goes to show how beautiful the wildlife in this part of the world is.

In conclusion, while both islands have their flaws, the North is objectively better. Its higher amount of tourist attractions and lower rate for danger, combined with the already breathtaking natural beauty of the country, really make the North Island the ideal place for a visit. And while the South Island has its fair share of appealing aspects too, it doesn't quite compare to the North Island.

40 Minute Essay Challenge - Should Zoos Be Shut Down?

All zoos should be shut down and release animals back into their natural habitat

DISAGREE

Points:

• Breeding endangered animals
• Keeping animals safe
• Educational

Zoos are magical spaces where animals are displayed freely. However, some believe that animals are abused in these places, and these zoos should be shut down. I believe this isn't the case. I hold this belief due to zoos breeding endangered animals back to a healthy population, keeping animals that are in danger due to their natural habitat safe, and providing education about wildlife to children. 

The breeding of endangered animals is a very important aspect of zoos, as otherwise these animals would go extinct. Golden lion tamarins, for example, are a species in danger and have been bred in captivity to ensure they can go up to a safer population before going back to the wild; without this procedure, it's likely that these animals would go extinct due to hunting or predators. Until their habitat is safer to live in and they will be protected, these animals will continue to be bred and trained for the wild in the safety of zoos.

The habitats of some animals are extremely dangerous in their current state, so they are captured and kept safe until the coast is clear. In a similar vein to captive breeding, these species are kept safe in zoos to prevent other animals from being able to hunt them. Many bird species undergo this treatment, as the amount of egg-eating predators on the prowl means their young can never be safe. Unless they are held in captivity safely, they will surely go extinct.

Education about the effects of humans on wildlife is extremely important, and zoos help to provide this. Many zoos have explanations about the reason a certain animal is held there - though sometimes it's not for a too serious reason - and these blurbs have the effects of humans on their habitat if applicable. Orana Wildlife Park is an example of this, having short paragraphs about the habitat of an animal and what can be done to improve their living situations to have a safer future. Children and adults alike can learn a lot from visiting zoos, further providing assistance to a range of different animals.

In conclusion, I believe zoos are beneficial to the diverse range of wildlife on this planet, due to the breeding of endangered animals, the safety of animals in similar situations, and the education they provide. Though people can have their beliefs, sometimes they can be misguided and manipulated into being wrong. This text was to prove that zoos do provide good.

Persuasive Writing: Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons should be compulsory for all students: YES

Points:

• Dangers of not knowing how to swim
• Career opportunities
• Entertainment

The beach is a very popular place to go on a hot day. But if you want to go in the water, what's the point if you don't know how to swim? I think that swimming lessons should be compulsory for every student from Year 3 to Year 7. It can be a very dangerous thing if you don't know how to swim. Knowing how to swim can open up job or sports career opportunities, and it's just plain fun to go swimming with your mates in summer.

Not knowing how to swim can be dangerous in many situations. Swimming is a vital skill to many species, including humans, due to the dangers that lurk in the waters. Going to the beach, for example, and getting out farther than you expected can be deadly if you don't know how to swim. That applies for any body of water you can swim in, although it's not as bad for places like swimming pools as there are typically people that can help you. Not only that, but if you're in danger of getting attacked by an underwater animal and you can't swim, how can you escape without help? This is why swimming is such a vital skill and should be compulsory at schools.

Underwater career opportunities are more abundant than it seems. Professional swimmers for the Commonwealth and Olympic Games are always on hand, and the right skill level for swimming in these events can start at school. There are also normal paying jobs, like underwater conservation or aquatic center jobs. The training for these kinds of jobs and careers starting at school is crucial, as the right level of skill is required by the time they leave, as with any job. Swimming can not only be used to get jobs, but fun ones.

What's better than going swimming with your friends on a hot day? It's always a fun experience to splash around in the cold water during the hot summer. Though it's just as refreshing to sit with your feet dangling in the water, it's nowhere near as fun as swimming around. Beaches, lakes, and swimming centers are all open in the summer, and they're for people to have fun and cool off. What's the point if swimming isn't an option? If swimming is taught in schools, it will help children have more fun later on in life.

In conclusion, every student should undergo compulsory swimming lessons paid for by the school. With these lessons, they will be out of danger, can find more jobs, and will have fun later on. Every child has a right to learn basic life skills, and swimming is one of these skills.

Write That Essay

WALT: Identify Write That Essay (WTE) sentences to improve our writing.

1. The Simple Sentence (Start with your subject)
Swimming is a vital survival skill.

2. Very Short Sentence (Five or fewer words)
Movement means change.

3. The Power Sentence (Twelve or fewer words)
Many dangers lurk under dark waters.

4. Red, White, and Blue (Group of three)
Many high-action sports have risks like this, such as rugby, hockey, and basketball.

5. The Adverb Start (Start sentence with an adverb)
Unsurprisingly, students are excited to enter the new nga kahui.

6. Begin With a Preposition (Start with a preposition)
After the success of the Learning Commons, staff are confident that these new buildings will excite students just as much.

7. The -ing Start (Start with an -ing verb)
Seeing the effect of current classrooms on the students, the new buildings will be a refreshing change.

8. The -ed Start (Start with an -ed verb)
Committed to seeing students happy, Hornby High School staff are putting as much effort as possible into the nga kahui.

9. The Semi-Colon (Replace a conjunction with a semi-colon)
The staff are happy with the progress of the new buildings; the students seem to be as well.

10. The Em-Dash (Phrase in a sentence that is at odds with the rest of the sentence)
Some students - definitely the minority - aren't all that excited about the new buildings.

11. The W-Start Sentence (Start the sentence with a W word)
While the buildings are in their final stages, the students anticipate moving in late term three.

12. Explore the Subject (Explain the subject mid-sentence)
The nga kahui, new classrooms where students will feel more at home, should be ready to move into by the end of term three.

Group Performance

I'm doing a group performance with Paige and Jemima. We're singing the Havana Sing-Off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQDdbMJYMQc
The song is a mashup of a bunch of different songs over the instrumental to 'Havana' by Camila Cabello. It's probably best to figure out which songs come where first.

Persuasive Writing - Boxing (Completed)

"Boxing should not be classified as a sport"
Argue against

• Boxing is a physical action sport
• Not all sports have teams
• Require years of training to get pro

There are a wide range of sports for people to choose from while they are still young. One of these is boxing, and while some believe that boxing should not be classified as such, I disagree. Boxing requires years of training, is high-action and can keep a participant fit, and just because there isn't a team on at once doesn't mean it's not a sport.

Years of training is required for any professional sport, including boxing. This is important to remember because while some believe boxing simply requires fighting skills, this isn't the case. Boxing has a certain technique to it to keep the participants safe. For example, there are some parts of the body that boxers are forbidden to hit on another person for their safety, such as the back of the head. The safety precautions on the fighters, boxing gloves, mouth guards, and even padded helmets, are all there so the fighters are not injured if they hit too hard or are hit in the face. They continue training between matches as well, so they're always aware of what not to do in the heat of a match, just like any other sport. Without the right training, boxers can be seriously injured.

Boxing is a high-action sport that can very easily hurt someone. Approximately 8,700 boxing-related injuries happen a year - over a quarter of those being to children and adolescents - yet it is also an effective way to keep someone in a good physique. Many high-action sports have risks like this, such as rugby, hockey, and basketball, but that doesn't deter people from playing it. Physical activity is what makes a physical sport what it is.

Do recreational sports need large teams like in rugby or soccer/football? Unsurprisingly, not all of them require large teams of people in-game at once. Indie wrestling - which is very much like boxing in some ways - only requires teams in tag matches; even then it's only ever three people on a team at once. Chess, which is also counted as a recreational sport in some places, is only two people versing over a table. This matters to the argument because being a team doesn't qualify the sport, what qualifies something as a recreational sport is that the players are having fun competing. That's why we play them.

This text proved that there are many reasons for boxing to be considered a sport. Years of training is required, and it's a very high action sport, just like any other. It is also recreational despite the lack of a proper team. However, this text may change in time as the world changes, and boxing may be taken off the list of recreational sports even though there are reasons to keep it on. Every day, new people are being introduced to this incredible sport.

Pathos, Ethos and Logos

Pathos is a Greek word meaning 'suffering'. The words 'empathy' and 'pathetic' are derived from it. In persuasive writing, Pathos is used to appeal to the reader's emotions using stories, language and tone. Eg, saying that your friends would be disappointed if you couldn't use the car.

Ethos is the origin for the word 'Ethical', and is the Greek word for 'character'. Ethos is used in persuasive writing to make the author sound like an expert, stating their title and accomplishments, among other things, to make them sound professional. Eg, saying that you're the moral compass or impulse control for your friends and need to be there in case they do something dumb.

Logos is the Greek word that created the word 'logic', and it means the same thing in Greek. Logos is used to provide facts and logic to strengthen one's argument and use historical and literal analogies as well as theoretical language to make their argument even more effective. Eg, stating facts about why you should be allowed to use the car and convince them.

What are we doing?
We are studying persuasive writing.
Why are we doing it?
To help us with our school work and even real life situations where we may need to argue our point across.
What questions do I have?
None at the moment.

Critical Literacy - Salvation Army Pamphlet

Missing text on the right: 'A survey last year showed that almost
20% of of Kiwis confessed to skipping meals on occasion due
to not having enough money.'

What does the author of the text want us to know?
They want us to know the consequences of living in poverty and how the reader can help.

What kinds of social realities does the text portray?
It shows how some New Zealanders don't even make enough money to live on, leading to poverty.

Who is real in the text?
The girl in the middle, as well as all the people included in the statistics.

Skellig - David Almond

How is the reader positioned in relation to the author of this text?
Assuming Michael, the protagonist, is the author, we see everything he sees. The story is written in a first-person perspective, so we know exactly what Michael sees and feels, but not so much everyone else.

Who is real in the text?
Michael, Mina, Leakey, Coots, Michael's parents, his little sister (the sick baby), and even Skellig are all real.

How do contextual factors influence how the text is interpreted?
David Almond often writes the story based on 'show don't tell', where we have to assume from hints in the text what something means. Without these factors, it would be difficult to tell what's going on.

Tama Tu

How does the crow help the mood of the film?

The crow amplifies the themes of death.

What does the ammo exchange help show?

The ammo exchange shows how close they are.

What does the handheld camera shot help show?

The handheld camera shot helps depict what the soldiers are going through and makes us sympathize with them.

What does the black cat symbolize?

The black cat symbolizes the bad luck for the soldier being shot and his death.

Wow do the filters help show meaning?

The filters help to represent the tones of the film, and also set the time frame.

What and how do the film aspects help with the suspense with the shooting of the German soldier?

The filter changed to black and white after the soldier died to symbolise the sadness of the soldier’s death.

What does the use of the shadow help show?

The shadow helps to literally show the time of day and symbolically show the tones of death.

What film shots are used to 'bookend' the film?

It uses closeups and bird's eye views at both the start and the end, as well as panning shots

Jikoshokai

This is my Jikoshokai/Japanese self introduction. It says my name, my age, where I live, and my (fake) phone number.

Critical Literacy - Adverts

We were asked to answer three questions for two adverts - six in total.

Coca-Cola advert

What is the text about? How do we know?
It is about people coming together over a coke. We can tell due to the implications of the text, and the image of two people clinking their bottles together.

Why is the text written in the way it is?
It's written to attract people to buy their product.

What knowledge does the reader need to bring to this text in order to understand it?
Probably knowing what a 'coke' refers to would help.

Kingdom Hearts III - Final Battle Trailer

Which positions, voices and interests are at play in this text?
The interest falls on people who enjoy fantasy RPG games. The voices and positions of the characters play a core role in the second half of the trailer.

What view of the world and values does the author assume the reader holds? How do we know?
The creator of the trailer assumes that we know about the Kingdom Hearts world. We can tell because the trailer doesn't show any scenes from the previous games.

What is the text about? How do we know?
The text is about an upcoming video game. We can tell from the cutscenes and the clips of gameplay.

Essay Writing in English

1. What have I been learning?
   I've learned how to use enabling words and phrases in an essay. (E.g. This is demonstrated by...)
   I've learned different ways to use em-dashes. (E.g. determination - for power - is...)
   I've learned how to use descriptive words. (E.g. strong and formidable female characters...)
2. How have I been learning it?
   We wrote an essay using all three of these methods.
3. Why have I been learning it?
   To improve our essay writing and answer a question using an essay.

5 Questions About Macbeth

Which factor is most influential: (a) Witches & their prophecy? (b) Vaulting ambition? (c) Lady Macbeth?
The witches. It's because of the witches' prophecies that Macbeth decided to kill King Duncan and Banquo, as well as attempt to murder Fleance.

Why is he obsessed with killing Banquo? (oh yeah, and Fleance too)
He knows from the prophecy that Banquo's children are going to become kings. If he kills Banquo and his only child(Fleance), that can't happen.

He visits the Witches for a second time. Why? How does he react?
He visits them to see whether Banquo's children will become kings like the witches prophecised. When the row of kings shows up lead by Banquo, he starts yelling at the witches. Maybe he feels betrayed?

Has he completely lost it in the Banquet scene? (do you think the Ghost is real or imaginary?)
He's definitely lost it, but not completely. The ghost is imaginary, it's a hallucination.

Explain his decision to murder Lady Macduff & children (increasingly erratic & illogical behaviour)
After Macduff's betrayl, he said he wouldn't think before he acts anymore. He immediately says to kill his family as revenge, despite Lady Macbeth's opposition.

Migration

Migration Slideshow!

In Social Studies, we learned about migration. We were required to make a slideshow about push factors - things causing people to emigrate (move away) - and pull factors - things attracting people to immigrate (move there). For example, a push factor could be that laws forbid you to be yourself, and the corresponding pull factor could be that the laws allow you to do whatever you like with your identity. This is just the short version of what I've learned.

Critical Literacy Matrix Questions - The Outsiders (Movie)

I will be doing three critical literacy questions on the movie The Outsiders.

What kinds of social realities does the text portray?
It portrays the reality of discrimination - rich vs poor. It also paints us a view of the inside lives of gangs that their enemies don't bother to see.

What view of the world and values does the author assume the reader holds? How do we know?
If Ponyboy - the protagonist of the movie - is the author, he assumes that the reader/viewer holds equal value to people. He assumes that they know that everyone sees the same sunset and everyone is the same deep down.

What is the text about? How do we know?
The text follows the adventure of Ponyboy Curtis, a young Greaser boy who's in a gang with his two older brothers, Darrel 'Darry' Curtis and Sodapop Curtis, and their friends, such as Johnny Cade, Dallas 'Dally' Winston, and Keith 'Two-Bit' Matthews. The text shows Ponyboy's relationship with his brothers, his gang members, and his opposing gang, the Socs.

(Left to right) Darrel 'Darry' Curtis, Sodapop Curtis, Ponyboy Curtis

(Left to right) Ponyboy, Johnny Cade,
Dallas 'Dally' Winston

Focused Listening

Adele - Hello
Original

• What instruments can you hear?
  Piano, drums, two vocal lines, bass guitar, keyboard
  
• How would you describe the singer's voice?
  Soft and emotional, powerful, depth
  
• What kind of feel does this song have?
  Sad, lonely, emotional, regretful
  

Cover

• What instruments can you hear?
  Keyboard, 2 vocal lines, autotune backing vocals, drums, synthesizers, bass,
  
• How would you describe the singer's voice?
  Calm, male more raspy
  
• What kind of feel does this song have?
  Quite upbeat, more positive

Chemistry: Cobalt

If I were a metal element I’d like to be Cobalt and my symbol is Co.
My atomic number is 27 which means I have 27 protons in my nucleus and 27 electrons around my nucleus.
At room temperature (20 °C) I will be a solid

My melting point (the temperature when I turn from solid to liquid) is 1495 °C.
My boiling point (the temperature when I change from liquid to gas) is 2927 °C
I was first discovered by Swedish chemist Georg Brandit in 1735, in Sweden.
I am found in nature as a metal.
My uses to humans are:

• Colouring things such as glass and china, blue.
• Helping make Alnico, an alloy used in jet engines and gas turbine engines.
• Use in magnets and stainless steel.
• Being part of vitamin B12.

Some interesting things about me are:

• Despite being blue, my chloride counterpart (Cobalt Chloride - CoCl2) is actually pink.
• When put in Sodium Hydroxide, CoCl2 starts as blue and floats, before turning pink and sinking.
• Even though I'm in a vitamin, I can be very toxic!

Cobaltite

Cobalt metal

Cobalt powder

Cobalt Chloride

A vase dyed using cobalt.

The Human Heart

Performing Arts

We were asked to answer these questions about our assessment.

1. Who are you working with?
No one. I prefer working alone, and besides, the song I want to do is mostly solo apart from a few backing lines that don't really need to be there.

2. Which type of performing arts are you doing?
Singing.

3. What song/theme are you going with and why?
I'm doing the English version of Ghost Rule by Rachie. I'm going with this song because I love DECO*27, the creators of this song, but I'm not as confident at singing in Japanese as I once was.

4. What are you starting on first?
I already know the lyrics off by heart, so I'll probably be starting with some movement with the song.

Macbeth: Critical Literacy

I will be answering three Critical Literacy questions about Macbeth.

1. What genre does this text belong to?
Debatably, tragedy. Although some would say it's historical fiction.

2. Who is the most likely audience of this text and why?

I would say teens and young adults. It would appeal to them due to the themes of death and betrayal, as well as the depiction of witches and sorcery.

3. Why are you reading this text?

It will raise our understanding of Shakespeare, and improve our reading comprehension. Not only that, but it contains themes and subjects that are still relevant in the present day.

Illusionists

A definition of 'illusionist': a person who performs tricks that deceive the eye; a magician.

Dynamo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXWdtFZVjZo
David Blaine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCsMXYgLXqs
Houdini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r8qr-p9z5g
Penn & Teller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh7QSvs3Eug

Performing Arts

Dance

Part 1 - Parris Goebel?

1. Who is Parris Goebel? Parris Goebel is a New Zealand choreographer. She is well known for doing work on the video of Sorry by Justin Beiber.
2. Where did she grow up? She grew up in Manurewa, Auckland,
3. How/when did she study dance? She studied hip-hop since she was 10, and went to the Monsters of Hip Hop convention in the US. She started ReQuest with four of her friends, and quit school to focus on dance.
4. Add pictures of Paris

Part 2 - The Royal Family

1. Who are the Royal Family? ( hint, hint, this has nothing to do with the queen of England!) The Royal Family is a dance group alongside ReQuest that was started by Paris Goebel.
2. What competitions have they been involved in/won?
   The Royal Family have won three gold medals and one silver medal one at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in the Megacrew division.
   
3. Which famous singers have they danced for? They have danced for Ciara, Little Mix, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Big Bang, 2NE1, CL, iKon, G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Black Pink.
4. Add some pictures and some links to their performances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjBXLCjvE0Q

Musical Theatre

Definition: a genre of drama in which singing and dancing play an essential part.

Comedy

Three different forms of comedy:

1. Slapstick

2. Standup

3. Satire

I find standup comedy really funny. I think its the way the jokes are portrayed and that you can easily make fun of yourself without offending too many people.