Science: Rock Candy

 Hi there! 

Today I will be writing about how I made Rock Candy at home during lockdown. 

Aim: Make rock candy at home

Method: 

(Note: make sure you have a 3:1 ratio of sugar and water, I will be using 3 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water.)

1. Combine equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan and heat.

2. Slowly add more and more sugar and mix until it doesn't dissolve any more. The water will start to look a little cloudy, this means no more sugar will dissolve. You can double or triple the recipe if you want, as long as a 3:1 ratio remains. At this point, you can also add flavouring or food colouring if you would like. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Cut skewers to a desired size (which fits in the jar you will use), then dip them in water and then in sugar. Set them aside and allow to dry fully. 

4. Once the sugar-water mix has cooled down enough, pour it into jars (or whatever you are using). Once the sugar dipped sticks are dry place them in the jar. They must be fully dry, if they aren't, when you place them in the jar the sugar will dissolve. Also, make sure the skewers aren't touching the sides or bottom of the jar. 

5. Let it sit for a couple of days or as desired and you can eat the rock candy. Once you take them out, let them dry and enjoy!

Results:

Day of making:

Discussion:

When the water and sugar are heated together, it creates something called a 'supersaturated solution'. This means there are way more particles of dissolved sugar/solute than water/solvent is normally able to dissolve at a regular temperature. By stirring sugar in hot water, the sugar dissolves faster in the heated/fast-moving water molecules.

As the water cools down, the large amount of sugar particles remains in the supersaturated solution, meaning there's now more sugar than can actually stay in the liquid. This leftover sugar falls out of the solution as particles. They connect with other sugar particles and a rock candy crystal will start to grow. 

The sugar-dipped skewer is a key part in actually getting the crystals growing. The dried sugar acts as 'seed' crystals when you place it in the supersaturated solution. As all the sugar particles start to settle, they join together, forming crystals with other molecules of sugar. You can see this crystallisation happen on the sides and bottoms of the jar, and of course on the skewer. Until you take out the skewer, the molecules of sugar will continue to crystallise on the string and other crystals giving you rock candy.  

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this experiment. Unfortunately, for me it didn't work on my first attempt so I tried again and it worked. However, crystals grew everywhere in the jars I used apart from the skewers which I found funny. Even if they didn't end up growing, I liked checking on the skewers everyday in the morning.

Thanks for reading!

English/Film Study: Coraline Notes

Hi there!

This blog is from September 2020.

Today I will be sharing notes I took while watching Coraline.

Opening Scene: 

What happened: A doll flies through a window and gets turned into a Coraline lookalike doll. This is done by the other mother, only her hands are seen making the new doll.

Camera Shots/Angles: 

- close ups: we see the finer details of the doll and how it was made. 

- no wide shots: we don't see everything in the room, we don't find out who is remaking the doll. 

Music: 

the music is eerie, scary and suspenseful, there aren't real words just made up ones which are sung by children. It sounds like music box

Colour: 

green, black, dark, old, aged, muted, old fashioned, looks like it was made a long time ago

Lighting: 

artificial lighting: lamp, natural lighting: from the moon. Gives off a dull/dim look, it feels spooky because of it

The Real World:

What happened:

feels old, run down, abandoned, faded paint, peeling paint, 

dead environment, not looked after, 

cold weather, wet, grey, misty

Camera Shots/Angles:

Wide shot: shows the house in context

Music:

background noise, diegectic noise: sounds that happen naturally

Colour:

muted, dark, faded,cloudy, surrounded by trees, spooky atmosphere, wild feeling

Lighting: natural, sunlight reflecting through the clouds, dim, makes setting feel unpleasant. 

Character Comparsion:

Real World:

Describe: cranky, working, strict, they care but don't show it. Don't look healthy- black bags undereyes, pale skin, washed out.

Costume: worn, faded, baggy, casual, lazy home clothes

Lighting: cold, dull mix of natural/artificial lighting,  makes it feel isolated, dark, lonely.

Colours: pale, bone-dry, only colours which are bright are the cat's eyes and Coraline.

Music: use of diegetic sound, no music. 

Other World: 

Describe: 

Energetic, bright, friendlier, look like they have time for Coraline, Other Father waiting for Coraline, Other Mother cooking. Fit, rosy skin, more alive.

Costume: 

Bright colours, fitted clothing, fashionable, fancy, newer

Lighting: 

bright, artifical, saturated, warm, happy, relaxed, welcome feeling.

Colours: 

Bright, warm, eye-catching, vibrant, warm tones, place where you want to be, Coraline blends in better

Music: 

Happier, dad playing piano, Other Mother always humming, slightly eerie, minor, a little creepy

Real World- Neighbours:

Describe: odd, weird, eccentric, dismissive, nutty, keep calling her by the wrong name even though she corrects them, too wrapped up in themselves, talkative, self-absorbed. 

Costume: 

worn clothing, old, baggy, Mr B.'s clothing is too tight and small, Miss Spink, & Forcible, clothing does fit well, not presentable, 

Lighting:

dull, foggy, cold, mix of artificial and natural lighting. makes it feel like its not a nice place

Colours:

more colours, but still dark and faded, still a lot of whites/grays, 

Music: 

each has their own music, Mr B- ompah, Miss Spink & Forcible salsa/old-fashioned.

Other World- Neighbours:

Describe:  things Coraline didn't like about them in the real world changed it the other world ,call her Coraline, look younger, more appealing, more put together, vibrant, brighter, colour, Wybie can't talk. 

Thanks for reading!

Science: Lemon Power

Hi there! 

This blog is from August 2020.

Today I will be writing about what I did in Science.

Voltage: 

Voltage is the energy that electrons get from a power supply. Voltage is used to make electrical components work, like light bulbs.

Current:

The rate of flow of electrical charge across a point.

Aim: To create voltage out of a lemon.

Method:

• Roll the lemon out so the inside is liquidy
• Stick a piece of zinc and copper into the lemon
• Connect the lemon up to a voltmeter

Results:

Discussion: We rolled it out and released all the acidic charged particles. This allowed them to move around and create a current. The copper and zinc allowed the charged particles to move around, which created a circuit.

Conclusion: This experiment worked. With one lemon, the voltage was 1 volt. With two lemons, the voltage was 2 volts. With 7 lemons the voltage was 2.3 volts, almost the same amount as a triple A battery. 

Thanks for reading!

Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

Hi there! 

This blog is from late July 2020. 

Today I will be talking about Mental & Emotional Wellbeing. 

Questions: 

Q: What is the Te Reo Maori term for Mental & Emotional Wellbeing?

A: The Te Reo Maori term for Mental & Emotional Wellbeing is Taha Hinengaro.

Q: What is your understanding of Mental & Emotional Wellbeing?

A: My understanding of Mental & Emotional Wellbeing is being able to cope with stress even though it may be difficult. I also think of it as being able to express/acknowledge my emotions, whether they are happy or unhappy emotions, also to be able to control them too. It helps you think critically and communicate/share your emotions. 

Little Reminders

The 'Tiny Habits' video from Melon was about starting out small with self-improvement goals, and adding them to existing habits you already have. 

Example: While brushing your teeth, think of three things that you are grateful for. It's as simple as that!

What have I learnt from this picture?

I have learnt that if you focus on negatives instead of positives you will only experience negative things in your life. 

Facing Fears

The 'What we can control' video from Melon was about acknowledging that life can be stressful and that some people can be a bit annoying too. But, knowing that there are things we can control about our life, such as who we are friends with and how we react to these situations. We can also decide how much time we give to them too, how we act and what we say. Keeping our mind focused on what we can change will reduce worry and help us out a lot. 

The 'Belly Breathing' video from Melon was about how we can calm down in potentially stressful situations. It went through a tutorial and it went like this:

1. Go to a quite place.

2. Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest.

3. Breathe in through your nose, slow your breathing down and count your breaths, feel your stomach rise and fall as you breathe, imagine it as a balloon, your slowly filling the balloon up with air and then slowly squeezing the air out of it. 

What have I learnt from this photo? 

I have learnt that worrying is a completely normal emotion. I have also learnt that it is just my body telling me that I need to take a moment for myself and take some deep breaths as well as that my body is telling me that my mind is trying to protect me.

Thanks for reading!

Commitment

Hi there!

This blog post is from late May 2020. 

Today I will be writing about what commitment, one of our school values looks like to me.

So, what does commitment look like to me?

• Commitment to school
• Commitment to sports
• Commitment to family 
• Commitment to trying new things
• Commitment to goals
• Commitment to friends

How do I show commitment to school?

• Learning ready
• sit down
• get device ready
• respectful, quiet inside voice 
• patiently waiting for instructions
•  Positive/growth mindset
• always sit with someone who will keep you focused
• always try your best
• don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes, you can learn from that mistake

How do I show commitment to sports?

• Showing up to training's
• trying my best
• trying my hardest
• showing up on time
•  Practicing at home
• Be a team player
• respect my coach 
• listen to my coach
• respect my team mates

How can I show commitment to family?

• Connect with them
• Help make family meals
• Hang out with them
• watch a movie
• go on a walk

How can I show commitment to trying new things?

• Don't be afraid
• If I have an opportunity to do something, take it because it might be the only chance I get to do it.
• Carry on doing it if I enjoy doing it. 

How can I show commitment to goals?

• Always work towards those goals no matter how small or big they are
• Work on them constantly/as much as I can. 

Thanks for reading!

Home Economics: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hi there! 

This blog post is from late May 2020.

Today I will be writing about how I made Dairy Free Banana Chocolate Muffins.

Ingredients:

• 2 c self raising flour 
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c dairy free chocolate chips
• 100g butter
• 1 c soy milk
• 1 egg 
• 1 c mashed bananas (2-3)
• 1 t vanilla essence
• 100g dairy free spread

Method:

1.  Mix flour, salt, caster sugar & chocolate chips in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl melt butter then add milk, and egg and beat to combine
3. Mash & measure the bananas and add to liquid ingredients
4. Tip liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold carefully. Do not overmix.
5. Carefully spoon muffin batter into prepared muffin tins (line with paper cases.)
6. Optional topping: Mix 1 T sugar & 1/2 t cinnamon and sprinkle over top of muffins. Drop some chocolate bits on each.
7. Bake at 220°C for 12-15 mins, testing to check if muffin is cooked. Cool for 2-3 mins before removing from pan.

SUBSTITUTIONS for Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Make the Muffins as per the recipe adding 1t Vanilla Essence to the milk, egg, butter mixture for added flavour

No Egg is to be used in the recipe. 

Instead use the Egg Replacer provided. Check instructions on the packet

Add 1t Vanilla Essence to the milk, egg, butter mixture

No Butter or Milk (Dairy) is to be used in the recipe. 

Instead substitute the Butter with 100g Olivani (Dairy Free spread)  

Instead substitute the Milk with 1c of Soy Milk

Add 1t Vanilla Essence to the soy milk , egg, Olivani mixture

Reduce the refined Sugar by using ¼ c of Apple Sauce and ¼ c of Caster Sugar

Add 1t Vanilla Essence to the milk, egg, butter mixture

Replace the Self Raising Flour with Plain Flour and Baking Powder

Ratio  =  2t Baking Powder : 1c Plain Flour

Add 1t Vanilla Essence to the milk, egg, butter mixture

Replace the Butter with 75ml Canola Oil

Add 1t Vanilla Essence to the milk, egg, oil mixture

Thanks for reading!

Social Studies: Rats and Mice

Hi there!

This blog post is originally from early 2020. 

Today I will be writing about a rat outbreak in Australia and a temple in India which worships them. 


Where did this happen?

• Australia 

How did this happen?

• Massive rainfall, leading in massive growth spike. 

How many offspring can 2 mice parents make?

• 2,000  in a matter of months, 100 million a year.

How much wheat did they eat?

• 50,0000 tonnes of wheat

How did they kill them? How many dead?

• 1080 poison 
• 100 million dead 

Where is this happening?

• Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke, 30 km from Bikaner, in Rajasthan, India. 

Why is it happening?

• They believe that the rats are a form of the gods and they worship them because of that belief. 

What special treatment do they rats get?

• They are really treated as if they are celebrities. They aren't treated as rodents, and also are feed before others get to eat as well as getting to eat whatever they like. 

Thanks for reading!

Social Studies/English: Political Parties

Hi there!

This blog is from late July 2020. 

Today I will be writing about how we are making political parties in Social Studies/English. I will be adding to this blog post whenever I can.

Today my team and I discussed what our party's' name was going to be, what we were going to be about, our policies, our logo and our slogan. We got through some of the things that we discussed but we aren't finished with all of them yet. We have got a party name, we are called 'Voices United'. Our party is about helping the public, that is where we got the idea for our name. We are still finalizing our slogan but have a couple which we could use. We have come up with some policies but we are still coming up with some more. 

That's all for today!

Today we added more policy ideas to our brainstorm, but we still haven't finalized them. Our policies are about helping the public We have come up with a slogan, it is 'Let's make better future, together'.