Reflection on this term...

This term has been really different. I feel like we didn't do much with the year 7 and 6's expect for Mondays when the skiers were away. Somethings i loved about this term were:

Cross Country
House choirs
Technogly
Inter-schools

I am really excited about next term. We are not apart of the hubs anymore because of high school and other things that year 7 and 6`s cant do yet. Camp is in week 4 and i`m really excited! There is social dancing  and end of year mass as well!

It is my last term at St Josephs and i really sad but i am excited for High school!

The Dangers Of Nuclear Energy...

The Dangers Of Nuclear Energy

By: Laura Mather

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/issues/nuclear/

Why do we have nuclear power, energy and warfare? It is very dangerous and is affecting the earth. The radiation is harming animals and huge populated cities. For example, the Chernobyl disaster was the most dangerous and the most worst nuclear disaster in history. It was 200 times more radioactive than the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined! Over 7 million people were affected and till this day more people are dying as a result. Today i'm going to tell you the dangers of nuclear power, energy and warfare.

Nuclear power is a source of energy and power to provide to people's homes and businesses.

In New Zealand, we have our energy and power run by wind, sun, gas and water. New Zealand became nuclear free in 1987 after the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior which was a boat that got struck by an explosive bomb while trying to stop the French doing nuclear testing in the pacific. I am very glad we don't have nuclear power in New Zealand because i would be anxious all the time.

Some examples of accidents nuclear radiation have caused is the two bombs that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Hiroshima's bomb wiped out 90% of the city and immediately killed 80,000 people. Like the book about Sadako, Sadako died of leukemia because of the radiation. Three days later, the city of Nagasaki was bombed and it killed 40,000 people. But, we can't forget about the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine that interested me the most. 51 people died immediately in that disaster, but that is still a lot of people!

You are probably thinking why people can't live near Chernobyl when people can live in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Now here's why!! The bombs that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima were called Fat Man and Little boy. Fat Man hit Hiroshima and that had about 14 pounds of plutonium (which is a radioactive chemical). Then, Little Boy hit Nagasaki, and it had had about 140 pounds of plutonium. But… the reactor had about 180 tons of nuclear fuel. When one of the reactors blew up all the other ones did too! Therefore, Chernobyl is more dangerous because the explosion was made up of nuclear fuel and it was not a bomb, it was a power plant. Its really sad how a whole city got  wiped out because of a little mistake… That's why i think nuclear power is harming our earth.

Nuclear energy is dangerous, dirty and expensive. Nuclear power (in my opinion) has no future.

There is 30 countries currently using nuclear power, 438 nuclear reactors around the world and there is 67 new nuclear power plants under construction. By this chart i have found out that New Zealand is one of the only countries that are nuclear free. There is a lot of countries that don't use nuclear power, but New Zealand is not going to consider using nuclear power anytime soon.

In an article on http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/should-we-stay-nuclear-free/9480022/NZ-will-need-nuclear-power  

Peoples comments actually sounded like they were leaning towards the idea of nuclear power plants in New Zealand. They compared nuclear plant accidents to car accidents in New Zealand. I am not for it. It's dirty and risky! I was very surprised on how many New Zealanders actually wanted New Zealand to join the other 30 countries that are using nuclear power!

In conclusion, nuclear power is harming our earth. It is a source that won't be on our earth for much longer. Some of the key ideas that come from this article are the examples that nuclear power, energy and warfare have caused because of its many dangers. I feel that nuclear power is harming animals and humans badly; so many accidents have happened with radioactive consequences. I am very grateful that New Zealand is such a peaceful and safe country which isn't ruined by radiation. But, what could happen in the future?

By: Laura Mather.

A nuclear explosion.

A Nuclear power plant in Britain.

A Nuclear bomb.

Book review

Book review

No safe harbour-David Hill

non-fiction book with fictional characters.

Genre- Mystery...

The book No safe harbour is about the sinking of the Wahine. The Wahine sank in 1968 on Barrett reef near Wellington harbour. The wahine sailed from Christchurch to Wellington in horrible weather, it was one of New Zealand's most horrible storms. Fifty One people died when the ferry sank and hundreds were injured.

The characters in the book are twins, Stuart and Sandra. They are both teenagers who were coming home to their dad who was in Wellington after going to their grandads funeral in Christchurch. Their grandmother told them before they went on the boat to stay with each other and look after each other, They didn't at first… Little did they know, they were about to suffer and fight.

The book was amazing! I really loved the plot of the book and i learnt a lot about the Wahine too. I couldn't put the book down and i'm not that kind of person that keeps reading and reading. I would actually read it again!

I would recommend this book to everyone! It was not only entertaining and awesome to read, it was spine chilling and that got my absorbed into the book and it will get you absorbed too! It may be a bit inappropriate for 8-10 year olds just because it gets a bit gruesome and a little bit too descriptive but other than that it's fine.

The message the author probably wanted to put across is not to give up and have hope in yourself, you never know when you will have to put yourself to the test, do things you never thought you could do.

   By: Laura Mather

Basketball finals!

 I had an amazing season! We won the intermediate girls basketball section 32-15 against OIS!

I had so much fun this year and i hope i have fun next year too!

Vikings

In the 1800's, Vikings were the rave; everyone was talking about them, Not in a good way though. Vikings are soldiers that usually are leaded by the king. They killed so many people just to suite their self's. Back then, you needed good land to farm and live; the Vikings didn't have good land so they moved to towns and villages. Of course there were people living in the town so they killed them. They went to farms and villages to raid and kill people. Some Vikings turned on each other suddenly, they started killing each other. Some of there victory's are celebrating by huge feasts. They also went to villages and towns to find silver not gold...why? I don't know... 
Vikings were very dangerous and were not approachable, they were brave but not kind... I would not want to see Vikings in our town!

Character description- No Safe Habour

No Safe Harbour

character description.

Stuart

Stuart was the person who acted like he knew anything and everything,his sister usually catches him out by asking him a question that he doesn't know the answer to.

His sister was Stuart's twin,her name was Sandra.

On the ferry,the Wahine; Stuart stuck to himself. He didn't want anything to with his sister when she was trying to flirt with these university students…

Stuart was very particular about himself. He always thought nothing of a disaster, like the storm that was going to drown the ferry. He thought highly of people; people who smile at him or talk to him. Stuart was a kind-hearted and brave person. He never puts himself before others and he made sure everyone is safe and happy.

Stuart almost drowned when he was chucked off ship by strong winds and a slippery deck. Sandra dived in and got him up on the lifeboat; Sandra saved his life. Sandra acted differently towards Stuart when she was by people she wanted to “impress” but when she wasn't, she was a caring person, always smiling!

Sandra and Stuart were more braver together.

Stuart was that kind of person that you could approach easily,he was a life saver, a hero...

By: Laura Mather.

Cadbury chocolate factory!

I'm In the weekend some of my friends and I went to the Cadbury chocolate factory. I loved it! We went in these big silos and they poared chocolate down these big drains, and of corse we got free chocolate... I have already ate it all, whoops! I really enjoyed my time there and here are some photos of the chocolate factory.