Testing week

When I study about the things that I am going to do in the test, I would be really excited and can't wait to do the test. If I didn't study, I would be really nervous and stressed. I have to study really hard this term because we are going to do end of year tests.

Our topic for this term is" TO BE OR NOT TO BE". I want to be an accountant when I grow up. To be an accountant I have to study really hard and do well in tests.

My favourite subject

My favourite subject is Mathematics because I like to deal with numbers, money and solving math problems. I get good grades at maths. That’s why when I grow up I want to be an accountant.

I enjoy adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers. I know all my multiplication table from two times table to twelve times table. Every morning we do maintenance and I mostly get nine out of ten or ten out of ten.

AB shirt design

Rubber Heat Reaction

How does rubber material react when exposed to high levels of heat?
Introduction
Rubber bands originated from the sap of rubber trees which are found mostly near the equator in humid climates. Most of the rubber bands today are made from synthetic materials, combining petroleum by products in a reactor with soapsuds to produce a milky liquid latex.
Hypothesis
Our hypothesis of how a rubber material will react when exposed to high levels of heat is, that the rubber material would melt and then it becomes smaller in size.
Materials
Several large rubber bands
Hair dryer
A small toy or solid item that can be attached to the rubber band and that isn't made of rubber
Doorknob or hook (such as a picture hook... something to hang the rubber band from).
Tape measure
Pen
Journal (to record your results)
Method
1. Hang the rubber band on a doorknob or hook.
2. Attach the toy or small object to the rubber band (make sure it's not made of rubber). It should be attached in a manner that allows the item to "hang" from the band. At this point you should have a dangling object hanging from the middle of the band that's attached to the doorknob or hook.
3. Use the tape measure to measure the distance from the floor to the bottom of the dangling toy or object. Record the result in your journal.
4. Carefully heat the rubber band with your hair dryer, making sure that the heat is focused on the rubber band as much as possible. This step shouldn't take too long, so be careful not to melt the band (or your dangling object).
5. Use your tape measure to once again measure the distance from the floor to the bottom of the dangling object. Record the results in your journal.
6. Compare the results from the first measurement against the results from the second measurement.
Observation
Why do rubber bands shrink instead of expanding?
Rubber bands contract when heated because at the molecular level, they comprise of entangled polymer chains that become more densely intertwined..
Explaining the phenomenon
As the heat of the hair dryer increased and the rubber material was contracting and shrinking but we could not see it shrinking before our eyes
What would happen if you hung the object with a piece of string?
The string will burn and it wouldn’t shrink.
What about if you used a metal wire?
The wire would be really hot but still it wouldn’t shrink.
Can you give some examples of real-life situations where heat can affect rubber objects?
Hot tires on hot pavement in summer
Result
When we measured the distance from the floor to the end of the toy it was 90.2cm. After applying heat we measured it and this time the distance was 90.3 cm so that means that the rubber band shrunk in size by 1mm.
Conclusion
Now we know that when rubber is exposed to high levels of heat, it shrinks. If we applied even more heat the rubber band would have melted.
Vocabulary
Synthetic materials- materials that are made from combined chemicals, especially to imitate a natural product.
Petroleum- an oil that is refined to produce fuels including petrol, paraffin and diesel.
Soapsuds- the froth produced by soaps or detergent.
Sleeve- a tubular piece that is forced or shrunk into a cylindrical bore to reduce the diameter of the bore or to line it with a different material.

Science Fair

What is light?

Light is an energy and it helps us see the things around us. Light comes from different sources such as the Sun or a light bulb. When the Sun rises each day, the sky brightens and we can see the world. If we turn on a light bulb in a dark room, objects become visible to us. Without light, our world would be in darkness.

During a thunder storm, there is lightning. Lightning is a flash of light that streaks across the sky. It gives out a very bright light that only lasts for only a fraction of a second. There are some deep-sea fish that makes their own light. Before we had electric lights, people used fires, candles, flaming torches and oil lamps to light up their world. The strong beam of light from the light house warns ships at sea of rocks and shallow water.

Three most important facts about rugby

A rugby team has 15 players on the field.
Players number 1-8 are in the forwards and the players 9-15 are the backs. The game is played for 80 minutes with 40 minutes for each half.

First T3 Post

I just came back from an amazing two weeks holiday and I am feeling ready to start a new term. I am looking forward to the Science Fair that we are having at school and I can't wait to see the different experiments that the students will create. I am also looking forward to the Rugby World Cup and I hope that the All Blacks win.

Emotions slideshow

Careers Expo 2011.

I was really excited to go to the Careers Expo and find good information about my dream job.

On Friday 10th of June the year 7's and year 8’s, teachers and staff of Tamaki Intermediate went to the Careers Expo at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane. We took off in three big buses. When we arrived at the Showgrounds we entered the building and sat in our class lines near the entrance. After all the classes were in their class lines we went in.

Firstly I went to the hairdresser display. I saw four pretty ladies standing and making different hair styles on false heads. They were really talented. I asked them many interesting questions about the salary range, skills and qualities and what knowledge and entry requirements I had to have to be a hairdresser. They answered quickly with good information and good explanations too.

After that I went to the Arts and Design display. The lady incharge was really busy but I managed to wait patiently. When it was my turn I asked the same questions that I asked the hairdresser ladies. I asked her alot of questions and she told me to sit on the extra chair next to her. She managed to answer some of the questions.

Thirdly I went to the Otago University display. I told them about my dream job and I asked them what skills I have to have to become an accountant. They told me that I have to be good at keeping records of money and have good grades in mathematics.

Then I made my way to the next displayand I bumped into Mrs Wally. She informed me that it was time to go so I went out and sat in our class lines near the entrance. When all the classes were in their class lines we got into the three buses. While I was on the bus I looked over my notes and I shared my information with my friends.

I really enjoyed the Expo and now I have an idea about my future job. I want to be an accountant when I grow up.

LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction is a process that converts a solid soil into liquid.

Liquefaction occurs in cohesion less soils( soils that hold firmly together) which have water in the pore spaces, and are poorly drained.

When the seismic waves from the earthquake pass through the soil, the vibrations cause the individual grains in the soil to move and separate from each other. This cause results in a lesser volume of the soil mass, as the grains pack is moved tightly together.

The pore water in those spaces becomes compressed. Water is relatively incompressible and as such it pushes back against the soil grains. The pore pressure becomes so high, that the soil grains become almost buoyant causing a significant drop in the shear strength of the soil to a very low value.

When this occurs the soil loses its ability to support loads which can cause buildings to fall and sink into the ground.

So liquefaction is a solid soil that mixes with water and becomes liquid.

Homeschooling

What is homeschooling?
Homeschooling is a choice made by some parents to provide elementary, middle or high school education to their children in their own home. Many parents, frustrated by corrupt school boards, lack of religion instruction, underpaid teachers or unsafe conditions, have opted to teach their kids at home. Most parents cite family togetherness, more control over curriculum, and having a say over what their children learn as reasons to home school. Many of the families who home school also do so for religious reasons.

Advantages:
There are many advantages to home schooling. For instance, parents teach their children one-on-one, rather than twenty- or thirty-to-one in a crowded classroom. With more personal attention, children often understand the material more quickly instead of lagging behind because they don't understand. Parents also like being able to enjoy more time together as a family, instead of a few hurried hours in the evening.
Children are safe in a home school situation. They don't have to worry about playground bullies or guns and knives in the rest rooms. They're also less likely to be influenced by peer pressure and partake in drugs and alcohol. In addition, parents get to choose their children's' curriculum and work at each child's own pace. Students also have a better chance of learning the material rather than skating by with mediocre grades. There's no such thing as "social promotion" in a home school.

Disadvantages:
There are disadvantages as well. For instance, home schooling is often lonely because children aren't socializing with other children their own age. They don't get to talk with their peers about things like parents and homework, and they do not get to participate in school sponsored extra curricular activities. Parents are also isolated socially as days are spent teaching children, rather than communicating with other adults in a work environment or neighborhood groups. In addition, students may not get the benefits of many of the services and programs available to those within the school system.

A beautiful thankyou letter.

YOLENDA
TAMAKI INTERMEDIATE
PANMURE

11th FEBUARY 2011

MUM
13A DUNN ROAD
PANMURE AUCKLAND

Dear Mum
Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, like feeding me and clothing me. Thank you for taking good care of me since I was six years old and now I am thirteen . Thank you for bringing me here to New Zealand and thank you also for the other wonderful things you’ve done for me.

I am going to achieve all my goals and do my best in all my tasks in order to make you the happiest mother ever.
Yours lovingly
YOLENDA

Welcome to Yolenda's amazing blog.

Hi! My name is Yolenda . I am thirteen years old and I am a year eight student at Tamaki Intermediate. I am so excited to have my own blog. When I grow up I want to be an accountant. I hope you enjoy all my work in my blog.