Tech

This week at Tech I made a dustpan. We made it out of a sheet of metal. We traced the template onto our sheet and then cut the pieces we didn't need with tin-snips. Then we folded the sides together and pop-riveted the folds. Then I cut a handle and pop-riveted it onto the dustpan. I am proud of making this, next time I would make sure the bottom of the dustpan was even because one part was higher than the other. This is a photo of it. 

Book Review

Hayden Paddon: Driven
Genre: Autobiography
Author: Hayden Paddon
Published: August 2019
About: Hayden's childhood and his rallying success
I recommend for: Ages 11 and over

Hayden's has committed all his life to rallying. His idols were Colin McRae and Possum Bourne. He is a good rally driver and he has been rallying his whole life. 

Participating and contributing

This week for Whanau Time we had to make a poster about participating and contributing. This is my poster.

Touch

This summer on a Thursday we play touch rugby. Our team name is the "Easy Beats". We don't know how we came up with the name, it's a little cringe but oh well. I play touch to keep me fit over summer, it also makes my rugby skills better.

Toki Pounamu film festival

Yesterday we went to the Regent Theatre and saw the Toki Pounamu film festival. We made a review. This is my review.

How to make a can sausage cooker

At tech we have been making a sausage cooker from recycled cans. These are the instructions.

• Find a can and a metal rod
• Use the sander to sand the top of the can off
• Use a hole punch to make a hole in the bottom of the can. Make sure it is the size of the rod
• Use the vise to bend the rod into a U shape.
• Then make short pieces of rod for the stands for the cooker
• Then spot weld the short pieces to the bottom of the U shaped stand 
• Now use the gas torch to bend the front piece into a U
• Now put the can through the rod and there you have it, a sausage cooker. 

It should look like this.

Country Studies 2.0

Last year we did a country study, this year we are doing the same! This year I'm not doing Albania, I'm doing the Czech Republic as I have been there before. I am in the stage of finding the facts. Once I am done I will have the all the things you need to know about the Czech Republic. 

Japan

This week in Japanese we made a Google Drawing on things about Japan. I did basic Japanese words. This is my Drawing.

Things about Japan: Rui Hachamura

Rui Hachamura is the best basketball player in Japan. He was born in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. He is 2 metres tall. He plays Power Forward for the Washington Wizards. He plays number 8. He has played only 2 or 3 games in the NBA. He played for Japan at the Basketball World Cup.

West Coast vs South Canterbury Lochore Cup Final

South Canterbury with the Lochore Cup

Last Sunday West Coast played South Canterbury for the Lochore cup. Unfortunately West Coast lost. We lost 23-19. West Coast has never won the Lochore cup. We played for it 2 years ago vs Mid Canterbury and West Coast lost. The last time South Canterbury had the cup was 2013. The rain kept away in the first half and then it absolutely poured down in second half. I got soaked because I was one of the Ball Boy's, we collect all the balls that go out. We had an extra responsibility as we could not get in the way of the Sky Sport's camera's. We also held up the orange board you can see in the picture. Overall it was disappointing but there is always next year.

Should Las Vegas have an NBA team

Since the start of the term we have been writing our own arguments. I did should Las Vegas have an NBA team. This is my writing.


I strongly believe that Las Vegas should NOT have an NBA team because;

As a result of low population, there would be no point in Las Vegas having an NBA franchise.

The Utah Jazz are housed under Nevada so you can have an NBA star from Las Vegas and play in a Tier 1 team.

The league would need to draft another 15 players which is another unnecessary fuss.

Las Vegas has a population of 640,000. Most places with decent NBA teams have populations of 4 million or more. If Las Vegas wants to make more money they will need fans to go to games and buy merchandise. This means lots of people need to be employed to manage the franchise; eg: Cleaners, organisers etc.

The Utah Jazz are neighbours to Nevada which is where Las Vegas is. Players from Wyoming get put into the Jazz because they border each other and because Wyoming doesn't have an NBA team. Utah is a decent team and Las Vegas don’t have any prospects.

Las Vegas would need 15 players to start a franchise, thats without staff! Las Vegas has 11 players who were born there, most have retired or have left the USA and played in China, Australia, europe etc. It will be hard to find prospects as they have interests from other teams.


In conclusion, I strongly believe that Las Vegas should not have an NBA team because;



Las Vegas is too small to house an NBA team so people won’t want to watch them play..

The Utah Jazz are neighbours to Nevada so Las Vegas NBA players can play for the Jazz.

It will be hard to have another 15 franchise players to start a team.

RWC 2019

This year is the Rugby World Cup. It is being held in Japan. I think that it shouldn't have held in Japan because they could have detected the bad weather, one minute its 40 degrees, next minute people are dying from storms! I will be interested in how the All Blacks go! I don't know who I'll go for in the semi's cause obviously I like the All Blacks, but I like England too. 

Smoothie instructions

This week we have been writing instructions for our favourite smoothie. My favourite is a mixed berry smoothie. These are my instructions.

Workbook Wk 7

This workbook is from Week 7. 
We have to complete the tasks. Mine isn't finished yet.

West Coast under 13 basketball

On the free-throw line

This year I was selected into the West Coast Under 13 basketball team. We did a trial and all of us got in because we had enough players to have a squad. There is a A team and a development team. We went to Blenheim a few weeks ago, we played 5 games, 2 against each Marlborough and one against Buller. We beat Marlborough Development twice. In one game I scored 32 points. We only just lost to Buller because we were tired. We have a tournament in Greymouth on Sunday then in about 6 weeks we go to Ashburton for South Islands. I am really looking forward to this opportunity.

Balanced equations

This week we have been learning Algebra and whether equations are balanced or not. We had to make a DLO about balanced equations. This is my DLO.

Netball

We had 2 trials. My friends and I decided to give netball a go. Franklin, Oli, Callum and I made the 14 person squad. 4 would get cut on the Thursday before the tournament on Monday. So Callum and I got cut but we still get to go and do the scores sitting in a heated room while the others freeze in the cold.  

West Coast Under 12 rugby

My Under 52kg rugby team this year. It is a different group of people

This weekend my West Coast under 12 rugby team travel to Westport to play Buller. I am the oldest in the team. I play lock and it really hurts my ears when I am in the scrum. I have been in this team twice as you may have found out on my all about me section on my blog. 

Term Reflection

Last years tournament, one I wasn't part of

This term was so great
 We had year 7 & 8 rugby, rugby sevens , speeches and camp. 
The number 1 thing I'm looking forward to this holidays is going to Blenheim for Under 52 kg Seddon Shield Tournament. 
We travel up on Sunday and the weigh in is at 3 pm. I'm not nervous for the weigh in because I will easily pass. 
Next term I am looking forward to Prep as it's my last prep! 

Argument No.2

This week we did another argument. This time it was on whether we should allow phones at school. This is mine.



I strongly believe that we should have phones at school. Firstly because they can be used as a second tool of research. Secondly if something happens, eg; fire or an earthquake you can get in touch with parents. Lastly you can store a lot on your phone, like your work.


Phones are an amazing secondary research tool. If you have a piece of writing you need to research about you can use your phone to bring up your facts and copy them onto your writing. Also if you haven't finished some of your learning and don’t take your chromebook home you can do it on your phone.

Your phone could save you from a fire at your school. The US government has stated that in the USA there are 4000 school building fires and around 75 people get injured every year. If you had a phone you could be saved and save a lot of other people. You could call 111 to help.

A phone can store a lot of documents. You can save your MathsBuddy PDFs and all of your Google Drive. What about all your blog posts and comments. Your phone can do a lot! And if you need to download a book to read or info you can do that with a click of a button.


I strongly believe that kids should be allowed phones at school because it can be used for research. It can save lives and lastly has loads of storage for books and information.