Orangutan Writing Task

This week we were assigned to write a paragraph based on the thoughts of this orangutan pictured below. Our learning objectives were to use an interesting vocabulary and correct puncuation.

Tiny and trembling in the icy rain, the young orangutan sat with his brown furry knees up to his chest, only a thin, battered olive-green leaf he’d found on the jungle floor beneath him to protect him from most of the rain bucketing down. The infantile, helpless creature remained still, silent and alone on the damp log, the pattering of the rain against the leaf above his head arising louder and stronger. His brown fur was completely soaked, his petrified but soft brown eyes were glassy and gazing out upon the rainforest, trying to brave through the wild elements swirling around him.

This was going to be a rough day.

My First Week At HHS As A Year Eight - The Treaty Of Waitangi

These were my first two weeks at Hornby High as a Year Eight student, I am in Mr Mitchell's class and settling in well. This week we learned about Waitangi, as Waitangi Day has just passed and we are in the process of drafting our 'class treaty'. Here's a few things I learned about it.

On February 6th 1840, the treaty of Waitangi was signed by Maori chiefs from all over the country of New Zealand. This treaty was drafted and written by William Hobson, who had sailed to New Zealand just days before, on January 30th. William Hobson created this treaty in hope to stop the disagreements between the Maori and English in New Zealand at the time - over land and rights etc.
The treaty was drafted and written in English by William Hobson and was translated to Maori by a group of missionaries. The translation is where many of today's protests erupt from. The translation was not perfect which led to misunderstandings between the Maori and English. Once the Maori chiefs had signed; some of which were unsure, they were horrified to see the English had taken down the Maori flag, replacing it with the English flag at the time. You see, the Maori and English had different perspectives. For example, when the treaty said the English and Maori would not steal other's treasure, the English thought that meant treasure as in pirate's treasure - gold, diamonds, rubies, etc. However the Maori though "treasure" meant water, land and trees, leading to protests to this day over it.

I have enjoyed my first two weeks at school as a Year Eight and am excited to learn more in the future. I have already finished my first CARR card, volunteered for a job in art class and planning to audition for this year's Shakespeare festival.

:) J