Summer Learning Journey (Teaser week) Day 3, activity 2

Activity 2: When the Rubber Hits the Road

The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is located in South America and is home to an incredibly special and unique environment. Unfortunately, the long-term health of the forest is at risk with hundreds of people entering the rainforest and cutting down trees without permission. Activists, like Marina Silva, are fighting back against this illegal logging and, in some cases, they are winning.

Marina actually spent her childhood working in the Amazon rainforest as a rubber tapper. She did not attend a school or learn how to read or write until the age of sixteen. In fact, she was the first person in her family to ever go to school and the first one to earn a university degree. Her family must have been so proud of her accomplishments.

For this activity, please interview three friends and ask them what they are most proud of. It could be something that they, or someone in their family, have accomplished.

On your blog, please share who these people were (first names only) and what they were proud of.

• My friend AJ is proud of his family for working hard to pay the bills, putting food on the table and for providing everything he needs to attend school

• My friend Ezekiel is also proud of his parents for providing everything he needed and wanted in life.

Summer Learning Journey (Teaser week) Day 3, activity 1

DAY3: ENVIRONMENT&EXPLORATION

Activity 1: The Rainman of Rajasthan

Arguably, the most important resource that we have on this planet is water. Without water, we simply would not survive. Here in New Zealand, almost everyone has access to free, clean drinking water but this is not the case in other parts of the world (e.g. Rajasthan, India; sub-Saharan Africa, etc.).

In fact, almost 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. People like Peter Chasse have set up organizations like The Water Project to help address this issue and bring drinkable water to communities that do not currently have access to it.

For this activity, please watch this short introductory video from The Water Project.

On your blog, share what you have learned about The Water Project with us. What is the goal of the organization? Where do they work? What have they achieved?

I have learned that The Water Project is a charity that is helping Africa by providing water for those in need. The goal of the organization is to help African children by providing water for them. They work all around Africa. The Water Project is currently working in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Summer Learning Journey (Teaser week) Day 2, activity 1

DAY 2: SPORT & LEISURE

Activity 1: Faster than a speeding bullet

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a world-famous athlete (sprinter). She currently holds the record for the 100m sprint and has been crowned “world’s fastest woman” a record four times!

Shelly-Ann was born and educated in Jamaica, a small country in the Caribbean that has produced many successful athletes and sportspeople. During her college years, she did well in athletics, winning the Jamaican Schools Championships at the age of 16. She subsequently went on to win many races at both the Olympics and the World Championships. Over the years people have compared her running speed and that of other elite sprinters, like Usain Bolt, too many things, including animals!

When people make these comparisons, they often say things like: “Shelly-Ann is as fast as a cheetah” or “Shelly-Ann is fast like a fighter jet”. These comparisons are examples of similes. In many cases, similes are not exactly true

For this activity, please create four new similes. You can use the starters below or you can make up your own.

(eg: The brand new Ferrari is as fast as a lightning bolt)

The new bike is as fast as a cheetah  

The tall giraffe is as tall as a tower!

The tiny puppy is as small as an ant

Beautiful Mother is beautiful like my Garlic bread

On your blog, share the similes that you have created with your readers.