ChangeMakers- moments that define history and who we are

Our Term 3 Inquiry topic is 'Change Makers- If not me, then who?

An inspirational leader and speaker, Martin Luther King Jr altered forever the hopes and dreams of a nation,

In New Zealand, we have had our own Change Makers, from the historically very well-known such as
Kate Sheppard, Sir Ernest Rutherford, and Sir Edmund Hillary to our civil rights leaders such as Dame Whina Cooper.  Click here for a short commentary from Witi Ihimaera.

Student examples of Persuasive Writing.

We are learning how to introduce a point of view and structure an argument around it to persuade others. These are some examples, on a variety of topics.

Imagine that you wake up in the morning and you have to go to school. You put on the same uniform that you were wearing yesterday. You open the door to your class  and you see  people all around you all wearing the same exact outfit as you. That is what everyday is in a school that has uniforms.

Many kids in public schools are against having uniforms in school. I also agree because I think that uniforms, don’t allow you to express yourself as freely as you want, and it is boring wearing them over and over again.

Normally when you go home from school you sit down and do your homework. Not for kids that have uniforms! They have to go home, get changed, hand there dirty uniform to their parents, so that they can wash it and then do their homework. This takes time away from your homework.

One reason why we shouldn’t have uniforms is because they are annoying for both the children that have to wear them and their parents. Everyday when you get home your parents have to wash them so that you can wear a clean uniform the next day. Your mum or dad might have better things to do than wash your clothes every afternoon. Also your parents have to purchase your uniforms. Usually  the uniforms aren’t cheap, but your parents  have to buy them anyway  even if you are going to leave the school in one year.  On top of that  you have other clothes that you could wear. When you are wearing the same dirty clothes over and over again you have nice clean clothes in your closet that you can’t wear to school. All of those clothes that you just got for christmas and your  birthday you can not wear to school because your school has  uniforms.

This is why we should not have uniform. First of all they cost so much, when you can spend that money on more useful things.

So that is why I think we should not have uniforms. Uniforms don’t allow students to express themselves and they are boring. All of these are reasons why I strongly believe that school shouldn’t require students to wear uniforms. I really think that uniforms will just cause more problems for student and their parents. So would you want your school to have uniforms or not?  

Your Sincerely,

Manreet Kaur
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We should be allowed to bring scooters to school.

I think the rule telling us not to bring scooters to school is unnecessary because for many people that is their only form of transport other than walking. Most parents have to go to work fairly early, leaving their children to find their own way to school whether it be by walking, bus, bike or by a random stranger in a car offering candy, but because of this ‘no scooters’ rule for some people the choices are limited. Most kids at the age of 7-10 will only get a scooter to show it off at school, so when they find out you can’t bring scooters to school how do you think they feel?

Without scooters many kids are left having to walk a great distance to school that they could cover in less than half the time it would have taken to walk. If the teacher hates it so much because kids keep turning up late then why not let them scooter to school so that they might get there earlier? 

Also scootering can be great exercise for kids as it works the leg muscles for every second you are standing on the scooter and every time you push.

Many Parents concern themselves that their child is going to have a major injury that could cost them their life.  This is not the case should the Parent or School Principal make the rule that you must wear protective gear in order to keep safe. The reason most children get injured is because they do not feel that they need to wear any protective gear.

I hope that you can see where i’m getting at with this as I believe that this rule is completely unnecessary. Thank you for listening.

Zac.D

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    It starts with beards and do you know where it will  end? We will have all our precious freedoms stripped from  us. We can’t do one damn thing without someone reporting us to someone else.

     Beards are a remnant of a better time when you went to school and you knew you were in for a good time.We don’t have to take it.We CAN say enough ,enough injustice. When you are old and grey you can look back on this day and say we grew a  beard. A beard for New Zealand, the best country there ever was and ever will be.ٞ

     But we can’t be the best we can be without beards. In this day and age we are in a changing environment where individualism is everything and yet schools are holding us back from expressing ourselves, they are trying to merge us to all be the same clones of what they want not who WE are. I remember in kindergarten they told us we could be whatever we wanted, be different, be unique and whoever you really are.

    But not according to  schools. Schools are holding us back. So I say let it grow, let that big bad beard hang from your  chin.

Mitchell

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Dear Mr Ellis
We would like to have healthy food in the canteen for lunches

Over the past 6 terms, I have noticed that the food we are being sold in the canteen at lunchtimes are not very healthy.

I have given this matter a lot of thought and have spoken to several classmates and even Mr Ward. We would like to advise you of the following points:-

1. There would be less people that would be fat at school

2. The queue in the lunchtime area would be less as people would not have to eat as 
much

3. There would be less fat/oil/greasy food in the children

4. Children would be healthier, the sports teams would be better and the school would   do well in Super 6 competitions

5. If we ate healthy, one day we may (very slightly may) be able to beat Mr Ward at  
some sort of sport

6. There would be less people going to the dentist as there would be less sugar in 
what we eat

7. Children would not get sick very often as the healthy food would keep them from  
getting sick

In summary, I have thought of an alternative diet plan that the children of our school should be served and would like to advise you of what I have currently thought of for food that could be served at lunchtimes and that are healthy.

Cold foods:- Sandwiches made with granary or brown bread with lettuce, tomatoes with ham, various fruits, corn, carrot sticks, bean salads

Hot foods :- Poached egg on toast, oven chips cooked without fat, jacket potatoes with cheese.

Please may I come and speak with you to see if any of my ideas could be followed through and make us healthier.

From Dylan

Room 10 at Music during term 2

Liam T's research into tsunami's

Tsunami waves do not resemble normal sea waves, because their wavelength is far longer. Rather than appearing as a breaking wave, a tsunami may instead initially resemble a rapidly rising tide, and for this reason they are often referred to as tidal waves.

Watch The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami video here.

An example of Persuasive Writing, a focus for the last three weeks.

Dear Mr Ellis (Principal)

Over the last two terms and last year, many of my classmates and friends have complained about the compulsory Havelock North Intermediate footwear. After experience with both types of footwear worn over the year I can show you that this rule must be changed.

Roman Sandals are uncomfortable and scratchy, and allow sweat to build up beneath your feet, leading to shoe damage and other injuries. Every pair falls apart within two to three months. This means you have to buy at least three new pairs a year. After constant use the sole of the sandal also begins to wear, leaving crumbs of the sole stuck between your toes. I can assure you that everyone in my class agrees that Roman Sandals are a waste of money and need to be replaced by a more sturdy but light shoe. Sneakers would be a good change because they release sweat and do not need a replacement until you grow out of them.

Winter shoes are a pain. The thick sole is heavy and makes it uncomfortable to walk. After being used the leather rips and they no longer have the smart look they had when you bought them. I think that kids walking around with damaged footwear really reflects poorly on the school. This rule must be changed. During assemblies the edges of the shoes dig into your leg, forcing you to either hold up your legs or come out with red painful marks on your legs. Your fingers feel extremely sore when you are tying up your laces on a freezing morning or a cold day.

Doctors, students and parents all say that our compulsory footwear is bad. From having super thick heavy soles to having your foot resting on a flat piece of leather with a blade in it I am sure this rule needs to be changed. The sandals are flat encouraging you to walk flat footed and can give you achilles tendon damage.  

I hope you understand that making a change to the footwear will really improve the smart look of the school and help reduce rashes and blisters. Think about how parents react when their child comes home with marks over their legs. Every student I have asked has told me that changing the compulsory footwear is for the best.

Kind Regards,

James Heffernan Room 10  

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