Term 3 and 4 Self Report

Athletics Rubric

End of Year Comments

This is a page of comments my class and some others wrote about me.

My C.V

                                                             PROFILE

My strengths and qualities lie not only academically, but personally as well. I excel in, and enjoy, writing, english and maths; I have been awarded a number of prizes for each of them. Also, I am quick to pick up languages, and am fluent in Spanish and partially fluent in French. I love reading books of every genre. I love learning new things and excelling at school.

I am self-motivated and set myself achievable goals. I strive for excellence in everything I do. As well as this, I retain a high level of creativity and am able to problem solve effectively. I aim to show respect for myself, others, and my surroundings. I try to be as kind and helpful as I can to others.

                                                         EDUCATION

Days Bay Playcentre 2003-2005

San Antonio School 2005-2007

Muritai School 2007-2012

                                       

                                                     ACHIEVEMENTS

High Distinction in ICAS Writing (2011, 2012)                          

High Distinction in ICAS Spelling (2011, 2012)

High Distinction in ICAS English (2012)

Distinction in ICAS English (2011)

Winner of the RSA essay competition (2012)

Excellence in the Otago Problem Solving Challenge (2012)

Highly Commended in the NIWA Science Fair (2012)

Passed Grade 5 Exam in Piano (2012)

Player of the Year in soccer (2011, 2012)

Muritai Art Ambassador (2012)

Stanine 9 in Writing, English and Maths (2011, 2012)

                                                         INTERESTS

In my spare time I like to play the piano or guitar, climb trees, write stories, read books, do art or play football. I love spending time with my family and friends, and traveling to places.  I love being outside, especially the beach and walking in the bush.

                                                           GOALS

My goals in life are: 

• To get good marks at school and get a good job as a lawyer.
• To travel around the world to all my favourite places.
• To be an author in my spare time.
• To help and be kind to others and the environment throughout my life.

End of Year Asstle Writing

This is my end-of-year Asstle writing test in the genre of persuasive; on why bicycle paths should be compulsary.

Otago Problem Solving

       This is my certificate of Excellence from the Otago Problem Solving challenge this year.

Corporal Punishment Argument

Picture yourself in a classroom. Desks are polished and in straight rows. The teacher has eyes to which his smile never quite reaches and a voice like the edge of a knife. And the children...the children are sitting impossibly straight, petrified; living in fear. A boy gets a question wrong in maths. Trembling, shaking, knowing what is coming, he is frogmarched to the teacher’s desk and whipped cruelly with a leather strap, until welts form on his skin. Disbelief shrouds your mind. Is this really the best way to discipline children? Surely there must be a better way!

It is my firm belief that corporal punishment in schools should be banned. Although it has been abolished in most state schools in 1998, corporal punishment is still legal in some countries. I am writing to persuade you that corporal punishment is wrong, and should be completely abolished. Below are some reasons why. 

My first reason is that children working in schools with corporal punishment work in fear of getting the strap. In a study carried out by experts from the University of New South Wales, it is proven that children’s cannot learn properly when they are immersed in a dangerous and uncomfortable position. Surely you agree that all children deserve to work and play in a happy, fun and safe environment. They should not have to live in fear of being beaten. Abolishing corporal punishment would ensure that children learn the maximum amount possible, while having fun and feeling comfortable at school.

My second reason is that corporal punishment is cruel and inhumane. The Oxford dictionary definition of corporal punishment is: noun- physical punishment of people, especially by hitting or beating. Even the dictionary definition makes it sound menacing, and the actual carrying out of corporal punishment is just that. Research has shown that children living with corporal punishment have an increased risk of decreased physical and mental health. Bruised and battered bodies cannot perform to their peak; whipping and beating could lead to depression. 

My final reason is that there are more ways to control the behaviour of children than physical punishment. Researchers Alistar Lamont and Prue Holzer found, in a report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies, that there was limited evidence that there were any positive outcomes associated with corporal punishment. Says Professor Holzer: “I do not see why corporal punishment is still being used; there are more preferable and more effective techniques for disciplining children.” 

Preferable techniques to discipline children include the following: Community Service, or extra chores of some kind- as well as helping others, it is a milder version of physical punishment. Also, writing letters of apology, writing lines, and copying from the dictionary are all a significant and effective punishment. As well as that, leading education expert, Professor Ramon Lewis, suggested that teachers should simply remind children that they do not have the right to interfere with another child’s learning. “This has proved to be more successful than the strap” he says. It might be argued that, in a case severe enough, the strap should be used as a last resort. However, most of the techniques above, owing to the amount of time and effort, can be adjusted to a severe case. Overall, corporal punishment is unneccessary and violent; there are many more effective ways to discipline children.

In conclusion, corporal punishment is unnacceptable because it deprives children of the safe and fun school environment they deserve; whipping and beating is violent and has many ill effects on the health of children; and finally, there are more preferable ways to control the behaviour of children. I believe that corporal punishment should be abolished in all schools in all countries, and after reading this, I hope that you will agree with my opinion.

Constable Julie smoking!

This is a movie of Julie smoking! Although...not real smoking. She is conducting an experiment to see what smoking does to your lungs. The 'lung' is a plastic drink bottle. The 'windpipe' is a narrow tube, with a cotton bud at one end and a cigarette at the other. When the cigarette was lit, Julie squeezes the bottle to imitate breathing. It is amazing how much smoke enters the lungs just from one cigarette; after just a few breaths, we couldn't see through the bottle! Worst of all, when the tube was removed from the bottle, the cotton bud was a disgusting yellow colour. Watch this video to find out more...

Favourite quotes from 'Words of Wisdom'

My favourite quotes from the ‘Words of Wisdom’ are:

1. 'Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that’s why they call it ‘The Present’.

I like this quote because it is basically saying that we should treasure each day as it comes, and I think this has great meaning.

        2.  'Success is a journey, not a destination'

I think this quote is awesome because it is true, and I try to work towards it. It is saying that no matter how good you get at something, there is always more to work towards; in other words, success is not an ultimate achievement, rather the road you take to achieve it.

       

        3. ' No-one can ruin your day without your permission'

I really like this quote. It is putting forward that not one person can make you upset without your consent; you have control over your own emotions.

Constable Julie showed us not only these quotes but lots of other ones- I learnt a lot just from reading them!

Summary of the DARE Programme

The DARE course has been an educational and fun learning experience for me. I started off knowing a little about drugs and alcohol, and ended the course with a heap of knowledge about everything related to drugs and determined to make the right choices in life.

I was moved and saddened by the stories Constable Julie told; however I think it convinced me even more to be careful and safe in later life. I was informed of all the brutal facts of adult life- but also how to avoid and survive them. I learnt how to say no, and choose the right friends. I also learnt about all the drugs, legal and illegal, and the effects they have on your body.

I loved, though, how Constable Julie mixed the sad and factual with the fun and creative. The games we played- such as the Walkway of Whispers, the Evolution Game and the 'Minefield' game were all fun and we all enjoyed it. Also, the dances- the Banana Dance and the dance at the very end were awesome and fun. Of course, we all loved the day at H2O Extreme!

Overall, the DARE programme was fun and I learnt a lot. I loved it!

Favourite DARE Pages

I like these two pages because they are nicely coloured and decorated. Also, they have lots of information and words; I spent quite a reasonable amount of time doing them.

The first one is my 'Cool 2 B Me' page, in which we wrote things about ourselves, our favourite things, etc. The second one is the 'Great Things About Being Our Age' sheet. This was where we had to think of as many positive aspects of being a teenager as possible. It got us thinking!

DARE- My Thoughts

This is a mind map of all that I have learned during the awesome DARE programme.

DARE: Day 2

Day 2 of the DARE programme was fun and educational. First we talked about strategies in life and making the right choices when it comes to friends. Also we talked about the different groups of drugs, both legal and illegal, and the different side effects and dangers. We all learned a lot! Here are some pictures.

Two-point Perspective Drawing

As a warm up to our art this term we did an activity based on a tutorial on how to do a two-point perspective drawing by Karl Gude, an American artist. I think I did well in the exercise but could have spent more time enhancing the shadows. This is my picture.

NIWA Science Fair

This year my science fair was 'Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited?'. I came 3rd in the school competition and went on to the NIWA fair. I achieved a Highly Commended award. This is my certificate of participation.

DARE Programme

Today was our first lesson of the DARE programme with Constable Julie. In our lesson today we talked about what we already know and what we want to know about drugs. We also discussed things that are not usually known as drugs, but are just as addictive, such as caffiene, alcohol and, strangely enough, chocolate!
As well as that, we completed several worksheets on our personality, goals, and other personality based activities. It was fun!

The Uno Effect- Production 2012

Our school Production this year was The Uno Effect - based on the book (Uno's Garden) by Graeme Base.  Mrs.Berry wrote a very clever script, each class did an amazing dance and, being a Year 7, I got a part as a narrator. I really enjoyed it!

This is the reflection I did on the Production.

Asttle Writing Test

At the start of Term 3 our class did an Asttle writing test. Our task was to write a character description of either Romeo or Juliet, and I chose Juliet. This was my writing.

Olympic Values Homework

This was our homework from Weeks 7&8 to do with the Olympic Values.

Olympic Mind Map

This is all I have learnt during our Olympic inquiry.

Calendar Art

This is my calendar art based on the works of Roy Lichtenstein.

Romeo and Juliet Assessment

This is the assessment we did on our study on Romeo and Juliet.

My Love Letter Video!

Love Letters

In our writing this term we wrote love letters to do with Romeo and Juliet.

Dear Abby Letter

This term we wrote a 'Dear Abby' letter to do with Romeo and Juliet.

Dear Abby,

I’m sitting here, drowning in my everlasting tears; my hair disheveled,and I feel as if surely  my eyes are grey with the constant passing of clouds over my suffering heart. My throat is hoarse with yelling and crying, and I feel as if the weight of the world is on my shoulders. My life, I know now, is not worth living. 

I fell in love with Romeo Montague at my father’s party two days ago. The thing is, he is a Montague. A Montague! We Capulets, my family, are born into an immense hatred for all Montagues, and any meeting of the two families usually results in bloodshed or death. And now I am besotted with one of the most important men in his family! 

Yet that is not the main problem. Just after our secret marriage, poor Romeo got caught in a horrendous fight with my cousin, Tybolt. Hot-tempered Tybolt killed Romeo’s best friend, Mercutio, and in his rage of grief Romeo killed Tybolt, and got banished to Mantua forever! As if that wasn’t enough, I am now to be married again, this time to an arrogant toe-rag. At least, that is my view of him. Supposedly ‘handsome’, Count Paris has eyes of which his smile never reaches, and his voice is dripping with sickly sweet caramel, causing me to be nauseous every time I glimpse him. 

Once I heard of the arrangement, I fled, hysterical, to the Friar of the village. When I finally managed to explain my problem, he gave me a potion which, according to him, will feign death. Romeo will then collect me from my tomb and will carry me off to Mantua with him forever. I love the idea; it is the best thing I could possibly imagine; but this means abandoning my family and friends! As well as that, I am terribly afraid that the friar, to avoid  being blamed for marrying Romeo and I, has given me real poison to kill me. This is the only way to avoid Paris and be with my Romeo- should I drink the potion? Oh, please tell me!

- Girl in Shock

Dear Girl in Shock,

Wow! This is a major problem... it got me worried for a while, but I do know what you should do. As a mother myself, I know just how precious my daughter is to me- I am completely certain that you are just as precious to your own mother. Honesty is always the best answer to anything, and you will be saved a lot of pain and trouble if you went and talked to your parents about this preposterous problem of yours. Sit down, explain; explain everything from falling for Romeo until now. They will understand, if not at first, your predicament and try to help. However, if, by chance they do not sympathize with your needs then you should simply run away to Mantua to Romeo- mind you, this is only a last resort. I would not sacrifice your family without them understanding your problem. I see no need whatsoever for you to drink the potion.

- Abby

Romeo Character Description

Romeo is everything a boy should be. At least, that is what I think, as his cousin and friend. However, he, on the other hand, pays no attention whatsoever to his bronzed body like that of a Greek god, his hazel locks of hair with snatches of sunlight embedded in it. Or his perfectly chiseled features; his sea green eyes that trap you, ensnare you in their sparkling depths, a kind of mist you fall into. Now, whenever you look into them, you see Juliet’s face reflected like a jewel-encrusted treasure. Mercutio and I know that, even though he is an amazingly loyal friend and takes care to spend as much time with us as possible, his mind is filled completely, to the very brim, with thoughts of his Juliet.

The only child of Lord and Lady Montague, Romeo is an enemy of all Capulets, except, of course, Juliet... I can see his dilemma. He disagrees completely with the ongoing feud between his and Juliet’s family. Similar to myself, the only thing he wants is peace. Romeo hates fighting and will do almost anything to break up a duel. Such is his non-violent nature, it tears him apart to see his friends fight.

Sensitive, kind and caring, Romeo is obsessed with love for Juliet and will do anything for her, or, for that matter, his friends. In his spare time he dreams, talks to himself and writes romantic poetry which shows just how different him and I are. He declared it was love at first sight with Juliet, and a number of times took the risk of confiding a lot in both the Friar and myself, Romeo is willing to give up a lot to be with Juliet; including sacrificing his family. Furthermore Juliet is just as willing, and told Romeo so: “ O, Romeo, Romeo! Where fore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet!”

A sweet-tempered peacekeeper, Romeo rates love far above hate, fighting or revenge. For him, love is a serious and deep matter and you can see the passionate fire burning fiercely in his eyes when he talks of Juliet. 

By Benvolio

Mini Olympic Planning

Our task was to come up with two events for the upcoming Muritai Mini Olympics. This is the plan for our events- Trampoline Long Jump and Wheelbarrow Race.

Prior Knowledge of the Olympics

This is a mind map of some of the things we already know about the Olympics.

Take Action For Air Mindmap

This is a mind map of everything I have learned during the Take Action For Air inquiry.

Science Fair Evaluation

Finally, after all these weeks of working on our Science Fair projects, here is the final evaluation!

Term 2 Handwriting Sample

This is my handwriting sample for Term 2.

Book Review- Thursday's Child

Book Review

Thursday’s Child, by Sonya Hartnett 

Thursday’s Child, by Sonya Hartnett,  is the moving story of a family struggling for life in the Great Depression of Australia. It really makes you think about what living in that time must have been like.

The narrator and main character of the book is Harper Flute, who records the struggle of her family- her elder siblings, Devon and Audrey, searching for jobs; her father, steadily becoming an alcoholic; her mother, stuggling to keep the family together; and her younger brother Tin, who compulsively digs a maze of subterranean tunnels, searching for something no one knows anything about...

The book becomes more and more exciting as it goes on, and there is a spectacular finish.  I would recommend this book to advanced readers 11 and above, and I, personally, would rate it 9/10.

Overall, this book is an exciting read which really makes you think.

Basic Facts

One of the things we do on a Monday morning in Maths is we take a 4-minute Basic- Facts test. This term we have been focusing on Division. Here is a graph of my progress so far.

Cross Country

The school Cross-Country took place at the beginning of Term 2- after much training, of course!
I don't usually particularly like long-distance running, but this year I noticed a considerable improvment in my endurance and stamina. It was actually quite enjoyable!

And here is an assessment I completed on how well I believed I did.

Comedy Masks Term 2

In Term 2 for art we have been studying and creating masks inspired by the Ancient Greek comedy and tragedy masks. First, we made a mould out of scrunched-up newspaper. Next, we moulded a clay mask on top of the newspaper, making lots of wrinkles and expression. We then covered the clay mask with first glad wrap and then a thick coating of PVA glue. After that we did papier-mache over the top- a few layers. Once it was dried we painted it and removed the mask from the clay. Here's my finished product!!

Buddies

Every Friday we all go to visit our little buddies in Room 5. My buddy is Florence Landar, or 'Florrie'. She is very friendly, talkative and smart. She learns from me and I learn from her too. it's a really nice break from schoolwork and a fun experience for us both.  Here is a picture of myself reading a picture book to her.

Technicraft

One of the main activities we did in the past 2 terms is Technicraft. The various Technicraft activities include Sewing, Cooking, and Woodwork (for which we have to go on the bus to Wainui Intermediate)  and at school we do French and Music (Ukulele). These past two terms I have done French, Sewing and Ukulele. Here is my reflection on what I did, and also a photo of me playing the ukulele!

Self-Reports

At the end of Term 2 we all did our own Self-Reports. This was to assess what progress we made over the past two terms. This is mine.

The Carbon Cycle Explanation

What is the Carbon Cycle?

Did you know that right now you are breathing out Carbon? Carbon is a natural element which is continuously on the move, and you are a crucial part of the process of moving it. Carbon can be found anywhere on Earth, in all living matter: Humans, animals and plants.The atmosphere also contains Carbon in the form of Carbon Dioxide, or CO2. It is also found dissolved in water, fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, and in rocks. there are many stages of the Carbon cycle. Here are some examples.

Respiration

Respiration is the process of breathing. All living matter breathes in some way. Humans, for example, inhale oxygen and exhale Carbon Dioxide, which then rises back into the atmosphere. When sea animals breathe out, the Carbon Dioxide they release dissolves back into the water. However, plants take in Carbon Dioxide and revert it back to oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

Plants use the Carbon Dioxide we breathe out from the atmosphere and store it as they grow. They then release fresh oxygen for animals and humans to take down. In this way both plants and animals benefit from the fresh clean air they produce for each other. Ocean plants use the dissolved Carbon in the water for photosynthesis and after fish and other marine life eat the plants, they respirate the Carbon back into the water.

Decomposition

When an animal or plant dies and begins to break down and rot, it releases the Carbon it has been storing back into the atmosphere. Similarly, when ocean plants and marine life die, they break down and become part of the sediment. This is called sedimentation. Shellfish use Carbon to make their shells; when the shells rot they release it back into the water. When land plants die, rot or burn, they become part of the soil. After they rot for long enough they compact.

Compaction

Compaction is when living matter dies, break down and compact together. Over an extremely long period of time - millions of years - it transforms into fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. These are released back into the atmosphere when we use them.

Human Impact

All this Carbon is plenty on it’s own, but we are adding a lot to it. For example, we take out and burn fossil fuels to create fuels for cars and other means of transport. Also, we burn it for electric power. This is called combustion. As you can imagine, this causes a major change in Carbon Dioxide levels. However, that is not all. We also cause a lot of damage by way of deforestation. Deforestation is when we cut down trees to make wood to fuel fires, build houses, make paper, or burnt to make room for farms. As well as impacting the lives of creatures living in the trees, this releases lots of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. We also don’t get as much fresh oxygen from the trees. Burning fossil fuels, deforestation and hunting to many animals are all letting drastic amounts of excess Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to global warming, changing the world’s climate and melts the polar ice caps.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Carbon cycle is an essential part of the way the world works. We are letting out to much excess Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Therefore, if we reduce the amount of energy we use, we can help reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere and help the environment we’re in.

By Margarita

What Makes Teachers Grumpy? Explanation

What makes teachers grumpy?

Every single one of us, at some point in our lives, will have encountered a grumpy teacher.  They are very common in most schools and almost every day one will be in your midst, guaranteed.

Teachers get grumpy for various reasons and mostly they are apparently because of you. For example, teachers might get grumpy if they hear too much chat about bands, cute boys and the mall. However, if you talk instead about Einstein and his theory of relativity they are most likely to let you off. Another common reason is the classroom left in a mess after school. This is understandable as they have to pick it up themselves. Homework books left in for too late will also set them off and in this case you might be tempted to hide underneath the tables. Telling children to do something a hundred times in a row is also a big one. Sometimes, though, they get angry for no apparent reason and this is probably because they forgot their coffee in the morning, stayed up too late the night before or the sweets hidden at the back of their draw have run out.

If any of this occurs at any time during your class time, you are advised to keep well out of their way. Tell others to stop if they are provoking the teacher too much. On the occasion were it gets to the point were he or she is getting a bit too angry you should place your head between your legs and breathe deeply. You should then warn people in your class not to do whatever you think the teacher thought they did ever again.

Teachers get grumpy in different ways and some are worse than others. There is the common type of simply shouting and turning red in the face. Another type is the killing-with-their-eyes and speaking in an icy-calm tone. This is slightly more dangerous. The last one is the sad, crying, you’ve-let-me-down type which is possibly the worst as it makes you feel bad.

The next time your teacher gets grumpy, calmly observe the stages of anger. Firstly, the teacher’s face gets flushed. This is were the phrase ‘ steam poured out of their ears’ originates from. Next, they start speaking in a carefully controlled voice which soon begins to shake. Lastly comes the typical stage which will be either of the ones listed above.

Hopefully, you will now understand the reason behind your teacher’s outbursts and try to avoid doing anything which might inflame the temper. Teacher’s reasons for getting angry are perfectly understandable and you will not get harmed unless you intervene in a rude manner. We must look after our teachers, as without them we would not learn as well as we do.

So, in conclusion, teachers are important and we should not anger them on purpose as this annoys them greatly. Also an important thing to know is: If in doubt, be quiet!

By Margarita

The Water Cycle Explanation

What is the Water Cycle?

Have you ever wondered why it rains? How it occurs? Where it comes from? Then this is your chance to find out. The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, is the continuous process of water rising as gas into the air, and then falling as rain or snow.

The source of rain, or the accumulation of water, is in the oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers. It evaporates as water vapour, which we can’t see,and rises off the surface of the water. Water vapour can also rise off the leaves of trees ( Transpiration ). Think of evaporated water as very thin steam which is invisible to the naked eye.

Next, the vapour goes through condensation. This is when the gas turns to tiny water droplets; forming a cloud. As the cloud meets the cool air above the ground more and more droplets gather in the cloud until the cloud can hold out no longer and the droplets fall as rain.

There are many versions of a cloud, and depending on the amount of droplets inside, it can become either a Cirrus (light, fluffy spread out clouds) or a Cumulus, which is the typical rain cloud. You might also  encounter the Cumulonimbus cloud, which is the bringer of thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Precipitation, or the releasing of water to the ground, can come in many forms: rain, hail or snow. It then forms part of glaciers, soaks into the ground as groundwater, or, of course, falls back into seas, lakes or rivers. Then the whole cycle begins again.

In conclusion, the water or hydrological cycle is the never-ending spiral of water turning from liquid to gas to liquid again. Without water, without the cleansing rain, our water would be dirty and not good enough to drink, therefore the water cycle is an essential part of the way Earth works.

By Margarita and Kees

My Science Fair Hypothesis and Method

MY HYPOTHESIS

My hypothesis is that the different fingerprint patterns (Loop, Whorl,Arch) will be inherited. I believe this to be true because the majority of physical characteristics are passed down through generations. I think that around 20 of the pairs of siblings will be a match, and around 10 of the pairs of non-related people will be a match.

PLANNING MY FAIR TEST

My Science Fair project is slightly different from the rest in the respect that instead of doing an experiment I am taking samples. This is what I plan to do. I plan to take the print of the right hand thumb from 30 pairs of young siblings between the age of 5 to 13 (preferably from Eastbourne) and 30 pairs of non-related children from the age of 5 to 13. After that I will identify the patterns from each pair and find out if they match. I will then draw my conclusions based on that information. For my project to be a fair test I need to ensure that the labeling on the prints are clear, that there are exactly the same amount of pairs in each group, and that no one’s print is repeated (e.g.. One in a sibling pair, and also in a non-related pair.) I am also going to find out which is the most common fingerprint pattern among the samples and compare that with the statistics I encountered during my researching.

MY EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Equipment Needed

Black Ink Pad
30 squares of white paper, 5cm x 5cm
Damp cloth
Magnifying glass
Highlighters in pink and yellow
30 pairs of siblings (preferably from Eastbourne)
30 pairs of non-related children (preferably from Eastbourne)
Glue stick
30 strips of red paper, 15cm across and 7cm up
30 strips of blue paper, 15cm across and 7cm up


Method

How to take fingerprints:

Clean thumb thoroughly with damp cloth.
Press thumb firmly into the ink pad so that the surface is completely covered.
Roll thumb from left to right in the centre of the piece of paper, then press hard. Do not move the thumb.
Lift carefully off the paper.
Leave to dry.

How I will conduct my experiment:

1. Take the fingerprints (see above) of 30 pairs of siblings and 30 non-related pairs. Store and dry them carefully so they do not mix with each other.

2. Stick each pair on it’s own strip of paper- blue for siblings, red for non-related pairs, and write the names of the people underneath

3. Identify the pattern of each fingerprint and record it under the print.

4. Invent a unique ID for each pair.e.g. 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, etc.

5. Highlight the matching pairs on the sibling’s side with a yellow highlighter and, on the non-related side, with a pink one. Count up the matches.
Record the results.

6. Additionally, I will count up the numbers of the different types of patterns and find out the  most and least common. I will then compare these with the statistics from my research.



I can only do this experiment once. However, I can practice taking fingerprints as many times as needed beforehand.

Science Fair Reseach Report

RESEARCH REPORT

Question: Are fingerprint patterns inherited?


Why did I choose this topic?

 I chose this topic because both fingerprints and genetics have intrigued me for a long time and this would be a great opportunity to look further into it. In this project I am going to examine the fingerprints from pairs of siblings and unrelated pairs to find out if the fingerprint patterns are genetic or random.

Sub-questions / answers:

What are fingerprints?

Fingerprints are impressions made by the ridges on the surfaces of the fingers and thumb. These patterns are unique to every human being, even identical twins. The ridges do not change with growth or age. They provide friction when we hold objects so that the object doesn’t slip through our fingers, and also, scientists believe, enhance our sense of touch.They are also known to generate the vibrations and signals when we touch things to our sensory nerves.

What are the different fingerprint patterns?

Fingerprint patterns are divided into three main groups of Arches, Loops and Whorls. About 5% of all fingerprints are Arches, 30% are whorls and 65% are Loops. Whorl patterns consist of a spiral in the center of the finger, a Loop pattern curves from the outer finger inward and back again, and an Arch pattern typically forms a sign rather like that of an Omega symbol.

How are fingerprints formed?

After the first few weeks of gestation, or when babies form in their mother’s wombs, the ridges that make up fingerprints are formed on the epidermus (outer layer if skin) are formed on the fingertips. It is the slight change in the womb environment that causes twins to be born with similar, but not identical, fingerprints.

How do we leave fingerprint marks?

Fingers are covered in tiny skin pores which produce lots of oils and sweat, which are detected by fingerprint powder. Police and other detectives use fingerprints to track down criminals. Since each person has a unique print that doesn’t change overtime, they can be used by means of investigation.

What are genes?

Genes are subunits of DNA, which is a huge chemical database that sends all the essential protiens to the cells. Each human body contains 25,000 to 35,000 genes,which carry information determining your traits. We can tell when people are siblings because they have similar physical traits. This is because children get half their DNA from each parent. All siblings are a mixture of their parent’s DNA, which results in more matching traits between siblings than in non-related pairs.


Who invented the rules of genetics?

Genetics was invented by Gregor Johann Mendel, a German monk. He conducted his experiments, more out of curiosity than anything, on the simple pea plant. Mendel’s work suggested that heredity was particulate not acquired, and that the inheritance patterns of many traits could be explained through simple rules and ratios. His work was forgotten for many years before it was rediscovered after his death.




Definitions


Heredity: Heredity is the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.

Siblings: Siblings are people who were born of the same parents, and often share traits.

Gestation: Gestation is the time spent developing in the womb.

Epidermus: The outermost layer of skin, after the dermus.

Fingerprint: A fingerprint is the ridges formed on the epidermus that helps us to grasp objects.

Inheritance: The passing on of characteristics or traits between generations.

In utero: In the uterus, or womb.

Gregor Mendel: The German monk who invented the rules of modern genetics.


DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material which is a part of all living creatures. It is a carrier of genetic information.

Chorosomes: Chorosomes carry the codes for traits and are inherited from both
parents.Girls inherit two X chorosomes and boys inherit an X and a Y chorosome.







BY MARGARITA

Awesome job Margo! 1st prize in the R.S.A ANZAC Essay Competition! You can read her outstanding essay on the Dambusters here.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/hutt-news/6833823/Pupils-pay-tribute-to-wartime-airmen

Parihaka Poem

In the last weeks of Term 1, our task was to write a poem on Parihaka, and to present it in the most innovative and imaginative way possible. I chose to weave a mat of flax and then glue my poem on top. The aim of my poem was to put forward to people the terror felt in the time of the raid on Parihaka. I am pleased with the outcome of my poem but next time I will try to manage my time more wisely.

By Margarita