Convict research, by Daniel.

MARY WADE

Mary Wade was born on the 5^th of October 1777 at Southwark, London to Mary English and George Wade of Westminster, Middlesex and then christened on the 21^st of October, 1777 at Saint Olave, Southwark, and Surrey, England. Nearly all her life she was begging money and food on the streets of London until she was convicted of stealing cloths from a child, Mary Phillips (8 years old).  For this she was arrested and imprisoned at Bridewell Prison and later sentenced to death by hanging but instead was transported to Australia in exchange for her natural life.  She was transported to Australia at the age of 10 on the Lady Juliana which was the first convict ship to hold cargo made up of entirely women and children.  The entire 11 month voyage came to a halt on the 3^rd of June, 1790 and was later sent to Norfolk Island on the Surprize and arrived on the 7^th August, 1790.  She had 2 children, Sarah and Edward.  Sarah later came to have 21 children, 7 in which to have their own children.  She finally received her Certificate of freedom on the 1^st of September, 1812.  During her dying days she had 300 living descendants and some are well known.  From this day forward her descendant, Kevin Rudd is a powerful and famous young man. Her name is Mary Wade, the youngest ever convict. 

Why we have coconut trees, by Lomekina.

WHY WE HAVE COCONUT TREES….Once upon a time,  there was a chief who had a daughter named alisa. Alisa had longed to meet a friend.

One day, she was washing herself in a lake near by when a eel came by. Alisa and the eel talked for a long time, when it was time for her to go home, she wanted her father to meet the eel. So Alisa brought her father to the lake where the eel was waiting. After her father talked with the eel, he found the eel very disturbing so he ordered his daughter to stay away from the eel.

After she stopped talking to the eel, she found out she was pregnant. So the chief ordered his men to kill the eel.

The men killed the eel and chopped of his head and gave it to Alisa. So Alisa then buried his head next to her garden. So everyday she would water it until it grew to a coconut tree. That’s why a coconut have 3 hole. the 2 holes are the eel’s eyes and the 1 hole is the mouth.

So that’s how coconut trees were created.

Why stars appear at night, by Siksha.

Long ago, when the skies were clear and the night sky was just a blanket of blue. In a small valley were the flowers blossomed, a baby girl cried for the warmth of her mother’s love. Sadly the little girl’s mother was no more and the little girl remained alone. As for the girl’s father, the man knew nothing about the girl nor how to care for her. So he left her in the cold, dark night with a little Nightingale.

Growing up Star, which became her name, lived in the wild among the other birds and her friend the Nightingale. Star always wondered where her true family lived but never showed this desperation of being with her family to her little friends; she always kept it to herself. One evening Star went to the beautiful valley and was filled with happiness just by looking at the ripples in the water. Soon she decided to take a swim “SPLASH”.

“Oh! My leg” Star screamed. A sharp rock had gone halfway through Star leg. The poor, injured girl sat there sobbing until it became night and a mellifluous sound began to brighten Star’s heart. It was her Nightingale singing “ la,la,la…la,la,la…di,di…da,da…da,da,da…da…da,da,da” it sang. Its voice was beautiful and enchanting. “Oh! Nightingale my friend, your voice is you talent, I wish I could be as one” Star said.

The Nightingale stopped singing at once. “Your beauty is your talented and I will show it to the world. I have seen your tears of longing to be with your dear mother, I will make it come true.” “With the guidance of the sky spirits I grant you the highest of highest throne and the shine of the moon… Maybe the spirits grant you to be known as your name and everyone to admire your beauty.” The Nightingale said.

At that very moment a spectacular thing happened. Star began to float higher and higher, she even began to shrink. There was a sparkle of white shine around Star then she changed into a butterfly of shine and went higher to join her mother’s spirit in the sky. To this day forth the sky is never clear; it is filled with pure spirits of who were separated. Somewhere in the sky Star and her mother float side by side watching the Nightingales sing. That Is Why Stars Appear At Night!

Siksha Nair.

How the trees lost their leaves, by Raymond.

A long time ago during the dreamtime, the land was quickly turning from a dull, grey flat land to a flourishing land and crowds of lively creatures. In the dreamtime trees weren’t like the trees we see today. Trees never lost tier leaves; they flourished with beautiful flowers and ripe fruit. This is the story of how trees lose their leaves.

In the dreamtime there were very few trees but these trees were huge. As the dreamtime grew, so did the animals. The animals grew in numbers and with very few trees the animals ate the ripe fruit from the trees. The trees could support the animals for some time.

The dreamtime grew, it constantly expanded and with very few trees bearing fruit, the trees worked hard to create food for the animals. Soon enough the trees were so tried they stop making food entirely. So the trees go to sleep their leaves fell off and the winter begins.

Animals were desperate for food, fights began over food, and fights began over food. Animals began to split some going south, some north, some stayed.

The ones that went north, travelled a long way but with success. The north still had ripe fruit. This is why some animals travel from one place to another.

The ones that went south travelled a short distance but with success as well. The south ate from the sea where the supply in never short of food.

The ones that stayed nested on the trees or slept in caves burrow down into the ground and slept for a very long time. They awaken by the smell of fruit and now the cycle goes again. Now the trees we see today lose their leaves. Some don’t because they don’t bare food.

How colours came to our world, by Daniel.

Once upon a time the world was filled with beautiful colours and creatures.  It was peaceful, calm and every being alive was proud with the world and its beauty except one.  An evil wizard named Doctor. Pale, he hated beauty and every colour.  So he devised a cunning plan to cease the world’s peace and beauty.  He set a spell upon the world and all beauty was lost.  But a prophet made a final prophecy which would return the world’s beauty.  A colour hero will arise to save the world’s beauty but will fade away because of the one he loves.

Many years later in a land called Greenland lived a man named Roy G. Biv.  Roy was determined to fulfil the prophecy and the world’s beauty so he set off in the uninhabited area of Greenland.  On his journey he met another weary traveller seeking for the long lost beauty of the world.  Her name was Colourina Hue and she was set also to fulfil the prophecy.

After a long day of walking in the sun the weather pattern started to change and rain started to fall on their heads.  So they found a cave to sleep for the night, and there they fell in love.  Awoken by a big bang and crumpling sounds Roy and Colourina went to see the cause of the loud noise.  Suddenly Roy saw a glowing staff on the ground lying there; not knowing it was glowing due to the lack of colour.  But curiously he picked it up and the hidden animals started appearing around them.  He then knew he was the prophesied colour hero.  Knowing now his destiny he hit the River of Forgotten Beauty and a strong gale swept him to his feet and on the ground.  Colourina woke him up and told him what happened, he smiled but the smile started to fade because he knew the end of the prophecy.  As he took a final glimpse at the world it was beautiful then he held his love Colourina’s hand and they faded away in the afterlife.  Although he would not live to see the world’s full beauty he would die a hero.  And from this day forward Roy G. Biv is remembered as the colours of the rainbow and he will forever be remembered as “THE COLOUR HERO” the one who brought the colours to our world.

How humans were made, by Adouk.

Years ago, there was a light up in the sky.  And in the light there was a face, a person who named himself Ken. He had created everything he wanted, but no living things. So he decided to create a planet with animals to keep him company. He made a planet by one click of his fingers, but he was missing something important that he needed about. Then he joined other planets then he finally knew what was missing and created the first human beings named Hoper and Quinn. 

Hoper and Quinn started learning about the environment they were living in. But, they forgot one thing, that Ken had told them to not touch a tree. But, Quinn decided to touch the tree so Ken cursed Quinn and Hoper to hell and made other humans.

That is how humans were made.

How rain was made, by Ali.

Once a upon time in a faraway land Sam and Bob were in a small village. Sam and Bob went fishing they had their own spear and other things.

  They got onto the canoe and paddled along. After 5 hours they stopped. Sam shouted a land they hopped out of the canoe. When they were walking on the water they saw different kinds of fishes. Sam quickly got his spear and Bob spear. Sam and Bob got heaps of fishes. They went to the land they saw before. Sam and Bob got their things on their back and carried it.

 They walked, walked and they walked. They made a fire and they roasted their fishes. While the eating their food then suddenly the sea’s water shot up the sky and the smoke that was out of the fire. It made clouds and after few minutes it started raining the first time they saw water falling from sky.      

  That how they think how rain is made.

How lightning was formed, by Jahdey

How lightning was formed!

Once upon a time there was a man named Zeus, he was the ruler of Greece and made man to worship him while he was in charge. Whenever the people disobeyed him it would make him angry. Zeus was a very angry man, when people disobeyed him, he would call the kraken to eat or kill them or eat them. One day a group of tourists decided to visit Greece, when ever people visited Greece he would scare them with the kraken and that would scare them out of Greece. But because the visitors were from another part of Greece, he wanted to be kind to them. He didn’t know that they were against him , so Zeus invited them over one night for dinner , they were discussing on what needs to be changed in Greece and he suddenly  had to go to the toilet , so the visitors trashed the house and left and when Zeus returned back to the dinner he saw that it was trashed and he started to yell and suddenly lightning appeared , the lightning was big and it flashed without the whole of Greece and people knew that something was wrong with Zeus , so they all hid so they didn’t get shocked from the lightning , but the visitors didn’t know about Zeus  having anger problems so they ended up getting shocked by lightning . The servants always worshiped him and never ever mislead him after that.

THE END

How the sun was created in India, by Arishna.

A long, long time ago in India there lived 7 brothers Aman, Vikram, Karan, shamal, Ashneel, Raju and kartik. One day they had a big conflict between them, they all separated. Their family went looking after them, but unfortunately they couldn’t find them. They all went back home.

12 months later Vikram and raju mat together at Ganga River [Holy River] and they started crying, they were sad and they missed each other. So they were looking for their other brothers. As they were walking forward they saw a village and they went there to get some help. Then they saw Shamal and Ashneel, and began to look for their other brothers.

So the 4 brothers started to look for the 3 brothers and they looked everywhere but they couldn’t find them. Slowly, slowly they all reached towards a village and Shamal asked everyone if they saw the other brothers. Everyone’s answer was” no”. So they all went and sat down and Aman came and asked “do you want any think?” Then all the brothers asked for water and when  Ashneel  took a glass of water he saw Aman and was very proud to find him and went around the village looking for Karan and they saw Karan feeding the horses and they all ran up to him and hugged him. So they all went looking for Kartik.

Suddenly the day they all went out to find Kartik, the day went bad, and the sun didn’t come out. 10 weeks later they were all turning back to go home and just then they saw Kartik walking along the desert. So they all ran up to him hugged him and walked all the way home. 20 weeks later they all reach home; when they went inside to look for their parents they weren’t able to find them anywhere. So they all asked the God “don’t ever let us separate ever again and always be together forever”. So the God decided to make them the sun of India. So that’s how there was a sun in India.

Why Mangere Mountain is named Mangere Mountian, By Heremaia.

Once, a long, long time ago, there were three brothers named Vagita, who was the eldest, Kratous, who was the second oldest, and Pisyden, who was the laziest and the youngest. The three brothers were Gods, Vagita was the God of Earth, Kratous was the God of Air, and Pisyden was the God of all living things. Vagita and Kratous would always go out and collect their food, but Pisyden wouldn't go with them. Vagita and Kratous would always tidy up after themselves, but Pisyden wouldn't. Until, one day Vagita and Kratous were arguing about collecting extra food for Pisyden, because he wouldn't get his own. He always relied on his older brothers. Vagita and Kratous were sick of Pisyden, and decided to set him up. They led him into an unknown place, and turned him into a mountain.

They decided to name the mountain Mangere, because Mangere means lazy.

http://auahatanga.blogspot.com/p/dreamtime.html

How trees were made, by Grevel.

A long, long time ago there was a blank world, with Aborigines all around the place. There lived a lady named Akala and a man named Adoni, they were married. They went to a mountain, to have a good look at the view. They held hands while looking at the view, holding their hands high in the air. Unfortunately, they became stuck like this, and couldn't move any more! As they became older and older they grew more and more hairy. Their hairs were green and long, and slowly turned into leaves. The leaves became darker and darker as they aged. They grew taller as their hairy leaves were darker. After this, branches shot out of them, also covered with their hairy leaves.
This is how trees were formed.

http://auahatanga.blogspot.com/p/dreamtime.html

Pimp My Waka

For the second half of term one, the year nines at Otahuhu College have been studying Maori migration to New Zealand in social studies. We have learnt about 7 waka that brought Maori people to New Zealand, and the interesting and different stories surrounding each departure and arrival.  A waka is a Maori word for canoe. The waka we have studied include: Takitimu, Kurahaupo, Te Arawa, Aotea, Tainui and Maatauta. Each of these waka left Hawaiki for different reasons, and Maori today can trace their ancestors back to one of these canoes.

For their end of unit assessment, learners had to create either a diary entry, cartoon or talk show depicting the journey of a waka of their choice. Below is a slideshow of some of the diaries and cartoons. Hopefully next term we will be able to film some talk shows and show you those too!

Pmw assessment

Let us know what you think!

Getting Started at Otahuhu College

In 2011 this blog is going to show the work of both 9UN and 9BR. We are taught by Miss Burt for social studies.

In social studies in the first part of term one we have been studying a topic called 'Getting Started at Otahuhu College'.

In this topic we have learnt about the story behind our school motto and emblem, why our houses are named Seddon, Massey, Hobson and Grey, and about the people in our class.

As a part of learning about our classmates, we have created family trees and shields to represent ourselves. The shield has the school motto on it, and we had to decorate it with images that represent us.

People put pictures of things about their culture, religion, school, hobbies, families and sports they like. The following slideshow has pictures from our shields and family trees that are on the wall of our class.

Y9 walls

Let us know what you think of our work so far!