room 9 rulz

usted es una gran clase. realmente estoy satisfecho ser su profesor.

PM Amal bans smoking

It is 2025 - Our glorious prime minister, Amal, has changed the law to make smoking illegal - she claims it is evil and deadly and has no place in civilised society.

What do you think? should it be banned or is it an infrinegment of individual rights to ban it?
Please state your reasons to back up your argument.

Consider this also - might she decide to ban motorvehicles and sunbathing for the same reason?

Think about it.....

apologies for inattentiveness

sorry kidlets - have been away from the feverish excitement of being lost on tuhua - i shall reappear triumphantly after camp - at this stage i am busy suporting sasha and her dad who has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. it is tough, but there is an upside as with all things... i guess.
anyway - don't smoke.
see you at school on monday bright an early for a bus ride to camp!
8>)
take care - mr woody

Te reo

Learn Te Reo - quickly! Without a basic knowledge of maori customs and langauge, you will face great danger from your fellow island inhabitants - you have until Friday this week - be quick or you may be murdered, eaten or taken prisoner and used as a slave. If you're properly educated and lucky, you will know what to say, how to act and be taken in as an honoured guest.
Also, it would be wise to find out all you can about taniwha....

As well as indigenous threats, there is a Spanish galleon looming on the horizon. There is no historical record of such a visitation, but perhaps we now understand why - remember the mysterious cloud that got us into this mess?? It must have struck again! Be sure you know how to converse in simple Spanish or you may face a nasty keel haul!

Research for rewards

From now on, you need to show evidence of real research - [not just stuff printed off that you haven't even read, and from more than one source] - to prove that you are taking this seriously - if you do, you will be rewarded....
good topics to research:

maori protocal for approaching a marae.

basic maori greetings, etc.

ways to start fires, find water without streams or lakes, make shelters, etc.

how obsidian is formed.

why Tuhua/mayor island is shaped like a bowl.

How to make a flammable torch for seeing in the dark in a tunnel or cave

special powers

being zapped through a time vortex seems to have had a strange effect on some of the class members.
[please excuse my lack of capitals.]
one class member has had a mysterious vision, leaving her with knowledge of a hidden 'treasure' of sorts. but beware, the treasure is fraught with peril as well!
another member, a secretive person, with special abilities seems to have developed the power to have visions of areas and events around the island. this person has inside information about your island co-inhabitants... beware - there is potential danger and advantage lurking around every corner. consider your choices carefully....see if you can find out who the special people are and what they have to share...
mwooohoohoohohhoaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!! [evil laughter]

Trapped on Tuhua! - daily diary task

right - you now know where you are on the - or will do by tomorrow - what are you going to do next? move, make a base, look for food and water?
think it through. justify your decisions. think of the consequences of your choices and imagine writing daily diary entries with deliciously rich sentences full of emotions, vivid descriptions and capturing the drama of the events. but write sparingly - let each sentence drip with chilling realism...

Interwrite pads

interactive whiteboards, interwrite pads, data projectors, laptops, etc. has anyone been in a class where these tools were used effectively? tell me your opinions please.
all ideas welcome.
i'm looking forward to the freedom of being able to share internet content easily with a whole class instead of relying upon limited computer time and tiny screens.
we have ourt first hardware...
yay!

Trapped on Tuhua

Crikey! You are trapped in time AND space - back in the 18th century just prior to the arrival of Cook's Endeavour. What is NZ/Aotearoa like? What are you going to do? How will you survive?
This is the basis of your partly self-directed study. For the research component, what will you investigate? What new knowledge can you bring to your group to help you survive?
Stone age tool making? Traditional fishing techniques? An understanding of the flora and fauna of the time? Familiarity with traditional Maori etiquette or language? How to find drinking water? How to navigate using the stars?
Come up with your own ideas and I will help you construct your own research projects.
Have a go.

wikipedia

remember to search wikipedia for new zealand related topics that don't have much content - we can then develop our own content to add to the wiki.
did you know wiki stands for "what i know is"?
very cool.
who knows what "wysiwyg" stands for? [i think i spelt it right]
hasta luego!