Persuasive Writing III

‘Every school student should learn a second language’

Aren’t languages what bond us unitedly no matter where we are going? Without languages, we would possess limited communication with other cultures. Here is my dispute on the subject of whether or not every school student should learn a second language.

I firmly think yes, students should learn a second language that can avail them in their future. Whether they learn fundamental conversations or a whole language, it is going to benefit them later on in their life. Speaking as a student who is bilingual, I think that they should only do one specific other-language so they don’t get confused over the languages. As explained above, learning other languages can really help communicate overseas. Although there are many positive things about learning a different language, there are some negative points to this.

Learning another language could, in reality, be a misuse of time as you may never end up using it or it may just become another old archaic language that no one really speaks. Latin, for example.

Languages can be beneficial for your future, but I think that the learning process of it is really up to the orator to make it work. Learning another language should be done up to their desired level. After all, this can enhance many things, such as job opportunities, memorization and communication.

Persuasive Writing

‘History has no value in present-day society’

History has a very direct impact on who we are and it answers the basic question of why we are the way we are. In all cases, understanding History is the essential knowledge of being human.

People have different opinions about the value of learning history. Some of them feel it is entirely a waste of time, while others think that it is utterly necessary to know about the past events that took place in our world. From my point of view, though it takes a lot of time to learn history it also gives us not only an insight into our culture and tradition but also a sense of identity,

Nowadays, learning history might not look that attractive. It enforces us to remember names, dates and facts which have very little use in our everyday life. Clearly, it makes more sense to focus on science and technology which are more relevant in today’s world. Furthermore, each historical event can be seen from various aspects and interpreted in many different ways. This is also diminishing the significance of history as a subject of learning.     

Contrasting that, learning history casts light on how our own culture and tradition have evolved over the ages. Not only does it highlight our culture but it also gives us a sense of belonging that helps to unite us. History also evokes us of some tragic situations like the Holocaust and Racial Discrimination (Apartheid). It is relevant for people to remember these events in order to acknowledge the memories of the victims and also to guarantee that they never repeat again.

In conclusion, not all parts of history are of use to people on a day-to-day basis.  However, studying history is important to identify how we reached where we are today. History, after all, is the story of humanity and as such, cannot be ignored.

Investigating Leavers

Investigating Leavers

Aim:
To investigate the advantage of using a lever to lift a load

Equipment:
- 30cm Ruler
- A pencil
- 2 plastic cups
- Weights (10g)
- Blue Tak

Method:

1. Tape the two cups to either side of the ruler centred on the 2cm and 38cm mark
2. Place the pencil under the ruler at the 15cm mark. The pencil will act as the pivot point.
3. Add 10 marbles to the cup at the zero end of the ruler.
4. Add marbles one by one to the other cup. (at the 30cm end) until the cups are balanced.
5. Record how many marbles were needed
6. Move the pencil to the 13cm mark and repeat steps 4 and 5. 
7. Move the pencil to the 10cm mark and repeat steps 4 and 5.

Results:

Experiment	Side Length	Marbles In Cup 1	Marbles In Cup 2
1	1:1	10	11
2	2:2	10	7
3	3:3	10	3

Kashaye and Michelle

Popsicle Pop Experiment

Popsicle Pop Experiment

Aim:
To build a long chain that will hopefully stay intact and see it explode:

Materials:
- Popsicle Sticks

Research:
- This is a video that shows how to start (what they call) a "COBRA CHAIN" with steps to guide users through it.
Cobra Weave Chain

Method:
- Watch Video

Bridge Building

Aim:

Is to build a bridge strong enough to hold heavy items.

Equipment:

1.  Paper
2.  Tape
3. Scissors

Research:

Method:

1. Roll the paper up into tubes and seal with tape. {to roll them at the width of a pencil.}
2. Tape together paper tubes to form the platform of the bridge.
3. Tape together paper tubes to form the braces of the bridge. 
4. Tape together multiple tubes for the bracing beam at the top of the struts.

(Tape is only used to seal the paper together)

Result:

(To be continued)

Persuasive Writing I

Fri 17 Aug

‘Old buildings should be knocked down to make room for new ones’

How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?

The subject of whether old buildings should be destroyed and replaced has long been a controversial issue. While some consider that it is important due to their historical value, others believe they should not stand in the way of development, which is resembled by the structure of new foundations.

Firstly, I believe that it is very crucial to preserve old buildings because they have historical and cultural significance. The old buildings may have an important purpose in history and some are even the nation's pride. For instance, the Great Wall of China implies the history of slaves perseverance, building the Great Wall of defence despite severe climate conditions, under the brutal rule of the Emperor and also shows the concerns over safety during that historical period. Not only so, the Great Wall of China is the place that every tourist visit when they go to Beijing. Furthermore, the Great Wall of China introduces a sense of pride in the hearts of the Chinese people, as it resembles their long-lasting history. Hence, maintenance of old buildings is of utmost significance. Significance meaning the architectural technique, style of the structure and the types of equipment they used.

However, others may argue negatively. Although new buildings may not have historical value, they do have their purpose. By replacing old buildings, there will be more space for housing, which is extraordinarily important due to the current dilemma of overcrowding. In doing so, it can ensure basic living standards. There will also be more space for buildings used for educational purposes.

Another argument put forth is that history should not hinder progress. They believe that a nation shouldn’t live in the past, instead, they should actively seek out the future. Whilst I believe this argument is reliable, it is important to note that history doesn’t necessarily prevent progress, but would prevent mistakes from happening again. An example is the Nazi camps; they serve as a token to the country about the hazards of prejudice and injustice.

To conclude, I strongly believe that old buildings should not be replaced, not only due to their importance to the nation but also due to the fact that it doesn’t hinder growth.

Experiment

Wind Racers/ Land Racer:

Team ( Lindley, Michelle, Lahtia)

Aim:
Is to build a design that will travel the longest in distance.

Research:
Video Link

Equipment:
- wooden plank
- cardboard
- tape
- paper
- string

Method:

1. Attach the mast to the trolley.
2. Attach the boom to the mast.
3. Cut out the sail.
4. Attach the sail to the mast and the boom.

Final Design:

Our wind-racer went to a distance of 11 meters in a time of 26 seconds. Using the formula of speed= distance/time I can calculate the speed of my wind racer.

V= d/t
V= 11/26
V= 0.4 m/s

CARR License

CARR License is a new system happening in the English Department. This is made up of four parts. Learners, Restricted, Full and Expert License. It's a system where we earn privileges which I think is a genuinely creative idea.

William Shakespeare

Recently we've started learning about William Shakespeare and all his works and plays that he had made in his life. He has had a huge influence on the English Language even putting some of his words and slangs to use. We are learning this because it is to do with the fundamental history of the English language. We learned this by reading texts on Shakespeare and answering questions about the texts.

Down below are my DLOs (Digital Learning Objectives)

1st DLO
Click Here 

2nd DLO

 

Aerodynamics

Aim: 
Determine whether the distance a paper plane flies is affected by increasing how much drag it experiences.

Research: 
Here is a video example
Paper Plane Clip

Equipment:
- 2x A4 paper
- 1 straws
- 30 cm tape

(I got a negative throw)

Migration

This is a video on Migration. The following will show MY OWN definition of Migration and Push/Pull Factors. There are examples of this too.

Film Music

Film Music Definition:
 -music used in a film to accompany the action and create atmosphere.

The Snowman And the Snow Dog.
Link to the video

Questions:

Do you still understand the story without dialogue?

Yes, I think that having the music in the background really helps set the mood of each individual scene. Not having dialogue also shows the emotion of a character based on the dynamic of the music and their facials.

Things I learned in Film Music:

That you don't always need dialogue to show how a character is feeling, in fact, this can be done through music.