Week 1, Day 5, Activity 1,2,3

DAY 5: Blink and You’ll Miss It

Activity 1: Towering Timbers [4 points]

There is a long and rich history of logging in New Zealand. Logging involves cutting down trees. The people who cut them down are called loggers. The trees that they cut down are sold and used to build things (eg. houses), to make products (eg. paper), and to generate (create) heat and power. Over the past two centuries, many of the trees in New Zealand have been cut down by loggers.

Left: NZ native forest Right: A logged forest

Some people like logging because it creates jobs for the loggers and generates money for New Zealand while others are against (opposed to) logging. Many of those opposed are worried that logging will damage the environment. It might also force animals who live in trees (eg. owls) to find new homes.

What do you think about logging?

On your blog tell us whether you think logging should be allowed in New Zealand. Be sure to provide at least two reasons to support your argument.

I think that logging should be allowed. I think logging should be allowed because we can replace plastic products with wood products, which is better for the enviroment. I also think logging should be allowed because if we keep planting trees, their will still be enough to log and for animals to stay in. This is why I think logging should be allowed.

Activity 2: Living on the Edge [4 points]

While it can get quite cold in New Zealand, it rarely drops below freezing (00C). Most of the time the temperature in New Zealand is pretty mild. This is not the case in the tundra. The tundra is an area of land (biome) that is cold, dry and completely treeless. Did you know that the average temperature in the tundra is -280C?

Over the past few years, however, the temperature in the tundra has been rising and the weather has been changing. Let’s imagine that your teacher decides to take you on a class trip to the tundra before the weather changes too much and you aren’t able to go.

On your blog, write a letter to your best friend or a family member telling them about your trip to the tundra. To earn full points your letter must have a greeting (eg. Dear…) followed by 5 – 6 sentences of information about what your experience.

Kia Ora Zoe,
It's very different here in the tundra. Its weird that there is no trees, since there are trees everywhere we live. It's also very cold here. The average temperature is -28 degrees in the tundra. Its good to be back on the west coast, it a lot warmer here. I also like having the rain back to, it doesn't rain over there. I definitely prefer to live on the west coast, but it was cool to travel to the tundra.

Yours Sincerely
Caitlyn

  

Activity 3: Going, going….gone [10 points]

Over the years, scientists have made some surprising discoveries. One of

these discoveries is that we have entire cities (e.g. Jakarta, Indonesia and Venice, Italy) that are slowly sinking into the ocean. Scientists believe that, one day, the cities will disappear completely under the water. Yikes!

Some of the residents (people living in the cities) have taken pictures of their neighbourhoods and written stories about their lives in order to make a record of what ‘life was like’ in their city before it disappeared.

Let’s imagine that New Zealand was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean next week (Eek!). Before it sinks you are asked to write a blog post telling people what life was like in New Zealand in 2018.

On your blog, post a description of life in New Zealand in 2018. Please remember that the people who read your post will have never been to New Zealand or even seen a picture so it is your job to ‘paint a picture’ of New Zealand using your words. You can also post pictures, if you wish. Be sure to fully attribute the pictures.

The morning mist rises above the mountains, while children get out of bed.
Children getting ready for school, parents getting ready for work.
Heading to the cars, to drive to their destination.
Native bush surrounds around, while cars travel

Children running into school, parents walking into work
While busy tourists wander around town
Busy shops, cooking cafes

Time to go home
Street lights guiding the way
Eating Tea
Snug in beds
While moreporks chirp all night long

Caitlyn