Summer Learning Journey Day 3, Week 1

DAY 3: Team Players

Activity 1: Rugby Superstars [4 points]

Jonah Lomu was a rugby superstar. He was the youngest ever All Black, selected at just 19 years of age. He went on to have an amazing career that included 63 caps (international games) and 37 tries. Jonah was Tongan, but spent most of his childhood in Mangere, South Auckland. He started out playing touch rugby and rugby league but changed over to rugby union and quickly made a name for himself. He was very tall, strong and fast.

Richie McCaw is another example of a famous rugby player. He was the captain of the All Blacks between 2004 and 2015. Like Jonah Lomu, he had an outstanding international career in rugby union and had many achievements. In fact, he was the most capped All Black captain, most capped test rugby player and World Rugby Player of the Year in 2006, 2009, and 2010. He has been given a Halberg Award and made a member of the Order of New Zealand. As well as being an outstanding player, Richie McCaw was also a strong leader and captain.

For many people, players like Jonah Lomu and Richie McCaw are superheroes with extra special
‘superpowers.’

For this activity, let’s imagine that you could be a superhero for a day. What three superpowers would you most like to have? Please list the three superpowers, tell us why you have chosen each one, and tell us what you are going to do with them. Post your work on your blog.

The Three super-powers I would have would be...

1. SuperSpeed! The reason why I would pick super speed is that I'm always late to school, but if I have Super Speed, I would never be late to anything anymore.
2. Telekinesis! Telekinesis would be a perfect power for me to have because I'm a lazy person and can't be bothered getting up and turning off the lights. But if I have the power of Telekinesis, I wouldn't have to get up most of the time
3. Super Strength! The reason why I would pick Super Strength is just incased if anyone gets stuck under anything and needs some muscles.

Activity 2: Defying the Odds [4 points]

LeBron James is one of the most famous professional basketball players in the world. He currently plays in the NBA (National Basketball Association) for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has won numerous awards over the years, helping his teams win many important games.

Steven Adams also plays in the NBA, but unlike LeBron, Steven comes from Rotorua, New Zealand and is the half-brother of Olympic gold medalist Valerie Adams. That’s a pretty cool family connection,

isn’t it?! Steven Adams currently lives in the United States and plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team.

Despite being born in different countries, these two incredible basketballers have a number of similarities. Both men came from humble beginnings. Neither of their families had a lot of money, and neither man grew up with a father at home.

Even though they faced challenges, they were able to overcome them. Both men are examples of what is possible when you work hard and believe in yourself.

For this activity, we would like you to imagine that you had the chance to interview LeBron James, Steven Adams or another basketball player of your choice. Please tell us who you would interview and then provide a list of five questions that you would like to ask your chosen player.
Post your work on your blog.

The basketball player I would choose to interview would be Shaquille O'Neal. The reason why I would choose Shaquille O'Neal is that he is a very skilled and humble basketball player. The five-question I would ask him would be....

1.  Do you get pressured performing in front of the crowd?
2. What advice would you give to someone who wants to play basketball?
3. How do you feel when you lose a game?
4. How old are you when you started playing basketball?
5. Have you ever had any basketball injury?
6. (Bonus) Who do you look up to when you play basketball?

Activity 3: Achieving our Dreams [6 points]

The Silver Ferns are New Zealand’s professional netball team. They are based in Auckland and play against teams from all over the world. Next year they are due to compete in the first-ever Netball Nations cup competition in England.

In order to earn a place on the team, each of the players had to prove that they were one of the best netball players in the country. They have all had to work very hard, sacrifice many things, and show dedication and determination throughout their careers. In many cases, they have also had a lot of support from others - their family, friends, teachers, coaches. This support has allowed them to pursue their dreams and to, ultimately, do a job that they love.

For this activity, choose a friend or family member and ask them what their dream job would be. Then, brainstorm six ways in which you could support them in achieving their dreams. Please present your ideas as a poster or infographic. Post your work on your blog.

For this activity, I chose my brother, and he wants to be a professional Rugby player.