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Mood-o-Metre

For reading, my partner and I made a “Mood-O-Meter” for Chapters 19 and 20 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. We tracked how the story’s feeling changed by connecting emotions like hope, nervousness, sadness, and anger to important events. As the story got more intense, we talked about how Bruno and Shmuel’s feelings changed, adding clear explanations and pictures to show the mood.

This activity helped me understand how authors build tension and emotion in a book. It also made me think more deeply about the characters’ feelings and the big changes that happen at the end of the story.

Nano Banana C16


LI: to use AI to create an image that shows the contrast between events or characters

For today’s reading activity, we used Banana Nano to visually explore the contrast between Bruno and Shmuel, the main characters in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. By definition, a contrast highlights the differences between two elements. Our project specifically focuses on how Bruno and Shmuel represent completely opposite worlds.

Square Roots

LI: How to calculate square roots of numbers.

In Group 4B we are on a new topic called Square Roots, we can identify and find a square root of a number by adding some of its factors then getting the last one to find it, or we can find it by using our multiplication tables we can use it by the second skip counting methods, which can be 7×7 which is 49 which means 7 is the square root of 49. While doing this we all had some different answers but in the end we all get how we can find the square root. It was also very fun at the end because we all got the right answers which helped us learn together.

 

Tech at Tamaki College

Today was our very first day of technology class, where our focus for this term is sewing. Our new teacher, Miss Roy, is incredibly kind. She started the day by taking the roll and introducing us to the health and safety rules. For our first lesson, we learned about different sewing tools, including the crucial rule that fabric scissors should never be used on paper because it blunts the blades.

Next, we learned how to operate a sewing machine. Miss Roy showed us important parts like the needle, the presser foot, and the balance wheel, which controls the needle’s movement. Because there were many Year 7 students and a limited number of machines, I partnered up with Micaela. For our first practice run, we had to stitch over straight lines printed on paper. Micaela went first, and it looked like so much fun! We both had a good laugh because our lines started off a bit crooked before we managed to get them straight. Finally, it was time to head back to school. We packed away our gear, made sure the room was completely tidy, and lined up to say goodbye to Miss Roy.

Panmure Basin Drawing

For our basin walk, my group created digital artwork of the Panmure Bridge. I had a fantastic time working on this because it allowed us to use our creative skills for a fun activity. We decided to recreate the modern bridge that currently connects both sides of the road to the basin. The walk itself was also a highlight, especially when we learned about the legendary taniwha that used to live under the old bridge. The entire area was bright and colorful, filled with amazing scenery that really caught your eye. Overall, I loved learning about the basin’s rich history and the story of the taniwha.

Pacific Nothwest Tree Octopus

LI: To carry out a guided research process

For this task, our objective was to research the elusive Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. Throughout the process, we investigated intriguing questions like, “How do they show their emotions?” and uncovered some fascinating details about this unique creature.

However, our investigation took an unexpected turn! We discovered that the tree octopus is actually completely fake. It turns out the creature is a famous internet hoax created in 1998 by humor writer Lyle Zapato.

The Big Lesson

This research taught us a vital lesson about digital literacy:

  • Verify your sources: Always use trustworthy, credible websites.

  • Cross-examine information: Double-check facts across multiple independent sites if you are confused.

  • Stay skeptical: Never believe everything you read on the internet!

Check out our Digital Learning Object (DLO) below to see our full research journey!

Why these changes help:

  • “Founded out” corrected: Changed to “found out” (or “discovered”) to fix the tense.

  • Better flow: Breaking the “Big Lesson” into bullet points makes it much easier and punchier for an audience to read.

  • Stronger vocabulary: Words like objective, investigated, and digital literacy sound a bit more academic while keeping your voice.

The boy in the striped pyjamas C15

Bruno stared at Shmuel in disbelief. “What are you doing here?” Bruno felt surprised and was filled with joy that he finally got to speak with his friend again. Although Shmuel looked dull and weak, Bruno secretly handed Shmuel a piece of chicken. feeling guilty eating in front of Shmuel.

“See, now that wasn’-” Bruno began. The door busted open, and lieutenant Kotler suddenly burst into the room. 

 “Did you give this boy food!?” Kotler demanded sharply. How could Bruno protect Shmuel without putting them both in danger? Bruno panicked, stepped back and falsely claimed that he had never seen Shmuel before. The painful lie forcefully left his mouth, Guilt twisted into deadly spires inside him. Bruno realised that protecting himself meant betraying his only best friend.

The boy in the striped pyjamas C14

The secret slipped. Gretel narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Bruno felt his face grow hot with dread and despair, so he quickly invented a desperate lie.

 Although he knew it was incredibly wrong to deny his new best friend, he claimed that Shmuel was just an imaginary companion. The suffocating weight of his own betrayal settled deep down into his stomach. Pure agonizing guilt. “Is he a real boy or not?” Gretel demanded. The heavy tension in the bedroom offered him no comfort. How could he have    been so stupidly careless with Shmuel’s safety? He swallowed his fear, forced a nervous laugh, and insisted it was all an act. 

He realized that protecting his new best friend meant denying his existence. 

The boy in striped pyjamas C13

Day after day Bruno wondered.  He realized that he would never get the chance to get back to Berlin. Bruno started to forget sliding down the banisters in his old home. Even starting to forget his own friends.

Every afternoon, he would talk to Shmuel. His new best friend that he always brings food for, now and then. One afternoon he went down to the kitchen to get food. But later on Maria caught him and asked him what he was doing. Bruno kept it casual and said “I’m going for a walk I might feel peckish” in a smile. Maria just shrugged her shoulders then wandered to the pot then boiled some carrots and potatoes. For then Pavel came in to cook in the afternoon.

 

The boy in the striped pyjamas C10

Bruno kept walking. Feeling both inquisitive and a little timid as he stared in the distance. Later on, a tiny speck in the distance grew larger and larger. As he approached the little speck, he could start to see a little more clearer, it became bigger and bigger until it became a figure.

The cold phased through him as the figure became bigger and bigger until it became a boy sitting quietly behind the fence. Bruno looked at the boy in surprise. Why was a little           boy around my age sitting alone in a strange place? “Hello” Bruno had said. A “Hello” back replied the boy in the striped pajamas quietly. Surprise seized Bruno’s mind. As they talked and talked, elation filled both of their hearts. 

How had this boy ended up here? He thought up a question, and found the words to say it. “Who are those people behind the fence?”