Arizona and Utah

Josephene Falls

innisfail

wildlife

Caribou

More than 30 herds of caribou are spreed across main land Alaska.
Caribou live on the tundra and in the taiga short tree forests.
Caribou are medium sized deer, 3 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder.
Males weigh 275 - 660 pounds, and females weigh 150-300 pounds.


Bears

Bears are curious, intelligent, potentially and dangerous.
Black bears
They eat roots, berry's, grass and small animals.
Polar bears
The males weigh 600-1200 pounds and females weigh 400-700.


Red Foxes

The red fox can be black and silver or red and silver known as cross fox.
They have underground dens for rearing there pups.
The red fox pups are born in early parts of may.

Seals

Seals eat fish and you will see them swimming in the water.
They cant move well on land they are to fishy like.
They are found on icebergs when they give berth in June.

Inuit

Homes
Igloo actually means house not ice house.
To make an igloo you have to use hard packed snow blocks that are cut with a long bone knife.
Each igloo has a sky light made from thin ice .
The Inuit sleep on a low snow platform covered with twigs and caribou furs.


Tools
An Ulu is a knife used to skin animals.
An Umiak is a knife used to clean skins.
An Unack is a harpoon used for hunting whales.
A bow drill is used for carving beads, pendants, combs and needles.


Travel

A kayak is a one person boat used for hunting.
A umiak is a much larger boat it can be 35ft to 40ft long.
A dog sled or Komatik is pulled by six snow dogs.
They also use snowshoes to walk in the snow.


Games
To play blanket toss you use a walrus skin blanket to toss someone in the air.
To play toe jump you hold your toes and jump as far as you can.
To play Iglagunerk you get a partner and laugh as hard as you and your partner can and the group who laughs the longest wins.
To play tug a war you tie the rope to your head instead of hold it in your hand.

Book Reviews: George Washington Carver Chloe and Hellen Keller Gracelyn

George Washington Carver

My favourite book that I read this year was "George Washington Carver". It was a biography written by David Collins.

The book was set from the 1870's to 1950's. It is about the life of George Washington Carver who was born in the Ozark Hills in Missouri. His parents died when he was very young. He was very poor and people treated him cruelly because he was black. He became an artist and a scientist even though it was very hard for him to learn because he was he was told he wasn't aloud to go to Collage. He relied on God and prayed to him all the time. My favourite part was when he discovered all the things peanuts can be used for to help the farmers who had grown to many peanuts and couldn't sell them

I liked this book because it was an amazing story and it was true.
Chloe

Helen Keller

My favourite book this year was "Helen Keller" written by Margaret Davidson. It was set in Tuscumbia from 1880 to 1968. This book is a biography.

This story is about Helen Keller who got Scarlet Fever when she was 18 months old and became blind and deaf. It was very difficult for her to learn what everything was she couldn't read, write or talk.

My favourite part was when Helen put her hand under water from the pump and understood for the first time what it was and what her teacher's sign language traced on her hands meant. She was very clever and wanted to learn everything she could about the world and how to read, write and talk. She became very famous and travelled with her teacher Annie Sullivan and helped others who were blind or deaf and told them that they could learn too. She even visited President Roosevelt as well as blind or deaf soldiers and encouraged them to want to live.

She was an inspiration to me beacause if she could learn to do so many things when she was blind and deaf, then I can do it too when I can see and hear.
Gracelyn

Description Prairie

Prairie

We live in a small , log cabin on a prairie. Prairie is the French word for Meadow. Most of the time it is sunny with clear, blues, skies. Here we grow corn and wheat.

There are lots of plants and wild flowers. There are very few trees, lots of long grasses and flat open land. There are lots of colourful flowers. Their names are; Indian Paintbrush which are red and orange, Bride's Bonnet which is white, Prairie Violets are purple and yellow, Clover is purple with little orange dots. Feverfew is white with yellow in the middle like a daisy, Zinnias are all the colours of the rainbow. They are all beautiful flowers.

There are lots of different types of animals on the prairie. The Buffalo is big, strong and hairy. The Elk and Deer are big and strong with large antlers. The Prairie Dog is small, cute and hairy. Woodchucks have big cheeks and Gophers have big teeth.

In summer it is hot and dusty but in winter it is cold with strong winds. We get huge storms and tornados. The storm clouds are blue, purple, grey, yellow and green. We also get wild fires that are huge and get out of control.

I do not like to live here because of the fires and storms.
Chloe Laing

The Prairie
I live on the prairie which is very beautiful. It has lots of clear, open land. Prairie is a French word that means meadow.

On my prairie there are very few trees but lots of beautiful wild flowers. Brides Bonnet which is white, purple and yellow Prairie Violets, white Feverfew which can be used as a medicine, Zinnias which have many, many, colours and blue Indian Paintbrush. There are also lots of very thick long grasses.

There are also some very cute and furry animals but they can be pests because the eat and destroy my crops. The big cheeked woodchuck, the long toothed gopher and the cute Prairie Dog.

The scariest and most dangerous part of living on the Prairie are the storms and fires. The storms are normally tornadoes or lightening storms which can be very terrifying. The big, wild fires easily get out of control and can burn everything down.

I love my prairie because it is very beautiful and lovely and peaceful.
Gracelyn Laing

Poetry free verse, cinquain and limerick

Free verse has no rules about rhyme or punctuation:

Harriet Tubman
clever
scarred
brave
Maryland, 1820's
underground railway
freedom
strong
amazing woman
slaves set free
Chloe Laing

Harriet Tubman
clever
smart
sneaky
had good leadership
nice
kind
small
short
strong
she had sleeping spells
she had a scar on her forehead
she lived in Maryland in the 1820's
organised the underground railway
saved and freed many slaves
amazing woman
escaped from slavery
brave
believed in God
God used her for good
she didn't talk much
very secretive
silent
and she had a gun!
Gracelyn Laing



A Cinquain has 5 un-rhymed lines with 22 syllables
line 1 is the title with 2 syllables
line 2 has adjectives with 4 syllables
line 3 has verbs with 6 syllables
and line 4 is a phrase describing feelings with 8 syllables
line 5 is a summation with 2 syllables

Freedom
Brave and scarred
Secretive and sneaky
Setting slaves free forever
Tubman
Chloe Laing

Freedom
Brave and sneaky
Sleeping spells but strong
Freed many slaves from slavery
Freer
Gracelyn Laing

A Limerick has 5 lines of funny or nonsense verse
lines 1,2 and 5 rhyme while lines 3 and 4 rhyme

There once was a beach with waves
That lapped against a cave
Inside was treasure of gold
That I wanted to hold
Next to a skeleton named Pirate Dave
Chloe Laing

There once was a tree that did sway
one a very very windy day
I climbed up high
To see the sky
Which looked best in the month of May
Gracelyn Laing

The Great Horn Spoon-Californian Gold Rush Friendly Letter

Sacramento
California


Dear Aunt Arabella,

We have just arrived in Sacramento and have done a lot since we have been here.

We have met a man named Pitch Pine Billy who has been very nice and has taught us dry washing [that's looking for gold without water]. He also showed us how to lay a claim to dig gold, live in a tent, drink coffee and eat sow belly and beans.

The trip on the boat took 4 months and the boat almost sunk but I still liked the trip especially sailing through the Straits of Magellan.

We were robbed by Road Agents while on the stagecoach who took our coats and a secret map that one of our friends had given us but we tracked them down and got it back.

While I was panning for gold I found a nugget in the weeds and it was pretty big! In town at Cheap John's auction they had a whole bushel of neckties and while I was talking to Jimmy From Town I told him I had already ate but Cheap John thought I said eight and sold me the neck ties. About 2 weeks later John's wife came to town. There hadn't been a lady in town for such a long time that everyone had a bath and they all wanted to buy a neck tie and paid us 2 pinches of gold each. We got paid lots that day.

We miss you very much and would love to see you but Hangtown is not a place for ladies.


Love from
Jack and Praiseworthy

colonial housing diarama

short story 'The Big Adventure'

There once lived a family in the Amazon Rainforest. They decided to go on an adventure down the Amazon River so they built themselves a boat and packed supplies of food, clothing and fishing gear. At 12:30 the headed off. The water was clear and blue and it was a hot and sunny day The boat almost tipped over at the first raging rapids they got to. As they went further down the river they found a quiet still lagoon and went for a swim and spotted a water wheel just down the river and could hear a cry for help.

Immediately they hopped back onto the raft and went to investigate and could see a young girl who looked to be about 10 yrs old in the water. As they approached Jake reached their paddle out for her to grab and pulled her onto the raft.
Tom asked " Are you ok?'
"Here's a towel" said Lilly.
'What is your name?' asked Jessie.
Yes I'm ok, my name is Patsy replied the girl.
Jake asked, 'how did end up in the water?'
I tripped over and fell in, I live by myself there, she answered pointing to the old house by the water wheel.
"Do you want to come exploring with us everybody asked. '
I would love to she said'

As it got dark they decided to set up camp by a small lagoon. They built a shelter, went fishing and caught Purana's and a small water snake which tasted delicious. When they awoke the next morning they attempted to paddle upsteam to return home but the current was to strong so they had to walk along the bank and left their raft tied to a tree because they were unable to pull it.

About 2 hours later they came across a family of giant, sleeping Boa Constrictors. Tom whispered "We'll will have to go around them'.
Jake replied "That means we'll have to go deeper into the jungle". Lilly and William hesitated but knew that this was the only safe way they could get back home.

As they pushed their way through the jungle they heard a huge creak and suddenly felt themselves falling into a cave beneath them. "What happened!" Jake yelled.
"Ow!" Groaned Jessie. "We fell into a cave, how do we get out of here?"
"This is no cave, look at the hieroglyphs on the wall! replied Jake.
"This must be one of those ancient underground temples, maybe it's one of those lost cities of gold! said Pastsy.
"Look at the sparkling gold on the hieroglyphs, said Lilly.
"We've got to find a way out of here and then we are rich!', said William.

After searching for what felt like ages, they came to a dead end with a jade mask hanging on the wall. Tom tried to pull off the mask and then the room started to shake. They all started to panic.
"What have you done!," yelled Jake. The wall with the jade mask suddenly lifted and behind it was a room filled with all the riches they could imagine and a passage way leading to stairs which opened at the surface.

The End

Areonautics The Wright Brothers

After reading the Wright Brothers and their fascinating story as inventors from a very young age we looked at some plane designs. We also looked at Lift, Thrust and Drag and made a hang-glider, a helicopter, a stunt plane, a kite, a Frisbee and boomerang.. We also looked at air pressure both low and high and the way that cyclones and tornadoes work.

science light

A tissue

Cotton fibre

An ant

We looked at light and the girls made a kaleidoscope, periscope, telescope, gelatin concave and convex lenses, made white light with blue green and red filters and attempted bending light. They also read a book about the microscopic world filled with amazing pictures of everything from viruses, bacteria and mould to plant and animal matter and nano technology. They also used a microscope hooked up to the computer to take photos of differentt things they found around the house.

Civil War Exploration Oregon Trail Slavery 1800's

Rocky Mountains

We watched excepts from 'Gone with the Wind' and played "Oregon Trail' the Computer Game,we also read about Abraham Lincoln, the Wright Brothers, George Washington Carver and Helen Keller through biographies of their life.'The Great Horn Spoon' was an adventure set during the Gold rush in California and "Moccasin Trail" was about the Oregon trail "Harriet Hubman" and her involvement in the underground railroad"Shades of Grey" an incredible book written from the perspective of a conscientious objector who refused to fight for the south during the Civil War. Incredibly thought provoking and "Across Five Aprils ' set during the five years of the civil war.

We also watched the National Geographic film of "Lewis and Clark"as they explored the north west section of continental united states and read" Naya Nuki" about the childhood friend of Sacajawea who was captured and returned to the Shoshoni tribe. We also watched " The Little House On The Prairie"

colonial life

silloettes

quilling

Recount: Lewis and Clark

The Adventures of Lewis and Clark

Meriweather Lewis (aged 30) and William Clark (aged 34 )

have returned home after a year and a half of adventuring

through the Louisiana territory under the order of Thomas Jefferson.

They set out on 13th May, 1804 from St Louis and paddled up the Missouri

River to its source high in the Rocky Mountains. Then they walked

through the Snowy Peaks until they found the Columbia River and

were able to sail along it until they reached the Pacific Ocean.

Along the way they met a silver tipped bear which continued to chase

them along the river and onto an island despite being shot 5 times.

They saw coyotes, wolves and foxes. Along the Jefferson river they saw so many

rattlesnakes they had to sleep in their boat rather than go ashore.

They saw woolly sheep, deer, elk, moose, Buffalo and caribou.

The salmon in the Columbia river weighed 90 - 100 lbs and the fir trees

were 220 ft high.

They were attacked by Indians and where almost killed on their return.

They have been awarded 1500 acres as a reward for their bravery. They travelled over 4000 miles.

Fortune Teller

We made these chatterboxes, in the 1700's they were called 'Fortune Tellers' and were used by children as a pass time.

Apothecary Store

We looked at all the herbs an Apothecary would have sold along with all the medicinal uses for them.

Summary American Revolution and Colonial Life 1700's

We watched 'Liberty Kids' a children's cartoon series based on life in the mid to late 1700s specifically covering each of the events leading up to the establishment of America as an independent country.We also watched excerpts of 'The Patriot" and 'Amazing Grace"

For Literature we read:"The Matchlock Gun' about the French Indian War.

"Johnny Treaiman" a story of a silversmith living during the time American revolution and recounting firsthand the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party The American Declaration and the War of Independence and describing the Sons of Liberty Paul Revere, John Hancock, John Adams and Dr Warren.

"Then What Happened Paul Revere?" about his famous midnight ride and his role as spy during the American Revolution.

"Can't Make Them Behave King George?" recounts the role of King George during the American revolution.

"Tolivers Secret" tells the story of a young girl who acts as spy during the American revolution."

Phoebe the Spy" tell the story of a young girl who discovers a plot to poison George Washington and saves his life.

'Meet George Washington' and 'Meet Martha Washington', both biographies outlining their lives from childhood."Meet Thomas Jefferson" is the story of Thomas Jefferson's personal life including his triumphs and his loss of his young daughter.

'What's the Big Idea Ben Franklin?" A very interesting read covering his involvement in the American Revolution and all his inventions.

We looked at the clothing, medicine, cooking, pass times and housing during the colonial period making butter, yogurt, cream and sourdough bread, candles and did quilling, made a fortune teller, a diorama of the houses that were commen and the clothing worn. The girls also made an an Apothecaries Shoppe filled with all the herbal medicines commonly used.