International Asteroid Day

Asteroids passing Earth
Photo: ESA/Pierre Carril
Credit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/asteroid-day

Asteroid Day is a global event which is held on the anniversary of the Siberian Tunguska event that took place on 30 June 1908, the most harmful asteroid-related event on Earth in recent history.

Credit: https://jurnalspiritual.eu/

In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly announced that it is going to be celebrated annually on 30 June every year. Asteroid Day aims to raise awareness about asteroids and what can be done to protect the Earth. 

Asteroid Day returns with Asteroid Day LIVE Digital from Luxembourg. This year, the event is a fully digital celebration of asteroid science and exploration. There is going to be broadcast on 30 June 2020, starting at 10:00 pm (10:00 am UTC). The program will repeat multiple times per day from 30 June - 4 July. 

Asteroid Day Live is streaming on Asteroid Day TV, ad the detailed program can be found on the Asteroid Day website. After Asteroid Dat, the different panels will be available on that website, as well as on YouTube.

There are over one million asteroids in space that could possibly strike the earth, but modern scientists have only identified about one percent of them. To fight this, Asteroid Day’s founders, as well as a host of skilful scientists, created the 100X Asteroid Declaration. The declaration aims for scientists to work to increase the rate of asteroid discovery to 100,000 per year within a decade. International Asteroid Day aims at giving the word of declaration and helping fellow Earthlings prepare for a potential asteroid impact.

References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_Day
• https://www.un.org/en/observances/asteroid-day
• https://nationaltoday.com/international-asteroid-day/

The Production Line | Business Studies

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished a research task in Business Studies. It was about 'The Production Line'. In this research task, we had to include some questions that we were given. I had completed this research with two friends. I hope you like it.

The Ford assembly line in 1913. (Wikimedia Commons/public domain)

Rap on with History Timeline | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. After completing independent tasks in Chemicals and Chaos, we move on to the new topic, 'Black Death'. I got a textbook about 'Epidemics Though Time', where we had to do each chapter and each activity. The first chapter was 'Rap on with History', we had to read a timeline which had all main events including the 'Black Death'.

After, we had to choose ten events from the timeline, including the Black Death, and we had to make our own mini timeline, and colour code the events;

• Red - exploration and travel
• Blue - loss of life
• Green - religion
• Yellow - fighting
• Orange - political

Here is my timeline.

Mount Vesuvius | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. In today's post, I am sharing another independent activity that I completed in Chemicals and Chaos. This activity that I had chosen was about the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 AD. The disaster in Pompeii had killed more than two thousand and left the city abandoned for many years. We had to create a newspaper article about the eruption.

Newspaper Article, click here

The Eruption of Mt Vesuvius
Credit: https://storyworks.scholastic.com/issues/2019-20/120119/the-eruption-of-mt-vesuvius.html

Matariki | Wānanga

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today in Wānanga, we learnt about Matariki. I had written something about Matariki that I had to share, I hope you like it.

Matariki
Creator: Fraser Gunn
Credit: https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/

Matariki is one of the most important Māori celebrations - it is a celebration of people, culture, language, spirituality and history. Matariki is the Māori New Year. Matariki can be translated as: Mata Riki - Tiny Eyes or Mata Ariki - the Eyes of God. 

Matariki is the Māori name for a cluster of stars. It is known in other parts of the world as Pleiades, Subaru, Seven Sisters and Messier 45. Matariki is the shoulder of Taurus the bull, a constellation of stars. 

Before Māori had calendars, they tracked time by using events that happened in the natural world like the flowering of plants or the movement of stars in the sky. Matariki reappears in the northeastern pre-dawn sky in late May or early June. This is the Māori New Year and it is a sign of a change in season to winter. 

Māori believed that if stars in the cluster were clear and bright, then it would be a warm season with a lot of food. If Matariki looked hazy or shimmering, then it would be a cold and difficult season.

There are different names for each of the Matariki stars and these vary between tribes. These are the names commonly used: the brightest star is also known as Matariki (Alcyone); the other six stars are: Tapu—ā—rangi (Electra), Waipuna—ā—rangi (Taygeta), Waitī (Maia), Uru—ā—rangi (Pleione), Tupu—ā—nupu (Atlas) and Waitā (Merope)

Matariki was celebrated at the end of the harvest season. It was a time when the pātaka kai (storage house) was full of food. There was kūmara, kererū and fish such as moki and korokoro. During the celebration, there was a big Hākari (feasts). People came together to remember the past, their ancestors and to learn about their whakapapa (ancestry). Māori would plan for the future and prepare the whenua (land) for planting. Whānau (family) would share songs, traditions and stories.

There are many myths and legends that relate to Matariki. One tells of Tāwhitimātea, the God of Wind, getting so angry that he threw his eyes into the sky. Another explains the story of a mean fisherman that captures 7 fish and Tane, the God of Light, rescues them, throwing them into the sky where they become stars. Some believe Matariki is a mother star surrounded by her six daughters.

Now, Matariki is a time to celebrate Aotearoa and everything Māori. We can learn about our land and our whakapapa (ancestry). Matariki is celebrated through education, remembrance and the planting of new trees and crops. It is a sign of new beginnings. Lots of celebrations focus on music, songs, dance, food and family. You can celebrate in traditional Māori ways or choose your own way to celebrate.

Tsunami | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished a class task for Chemicals and Chaos. The class task was about Tsunamis. We first watched a movie about Tsunami's and then was given an activity to do.

World’s tallest tsunami was chaotic. It was in Alaska in 1958. It was 530 meters high.

Task: Create a picto (picture) graph that shows how tall this Tsunami was compared to famous landmarks. 

Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi | Chemicals and Chaos

Parihaka Invasion
Credit: https://teara.govt.nz/

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished another independent task for Chemicals and Chaos. The task was about Parihaka, a war which occurred on 5 November 1881. I had to create a poster on Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi.

Te Whiti and Tohu Kākahi by Khush

#SolarEclipse2020

Alamata, Ethopia #SolarEclipse2020
Credit: https://twitter.com/Landoforigins/status/1274567772471730176/photo/1

An annular solar eclipse occurred on, June 21, 2020. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon crosses the Earth and the Sun; thereby, partly or totally covering the image of the Sun for an observer on Earth. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's, blocking most of the Sun's light and making the Sun look like an annulus (ring). An annular eclipse looks like a particle eclipse over a region of the Earth thousands of kilometres wide.

The eclipse went through central and northeast Africa, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, northern India, and southern China including Taiwan. But rather than totally blocking the sun, it would leave a "ring of fire" from the sun at the maximum point.

There was an event live stream for people who don't have the eclipse in their country. The eclipse started at 5:45 pm (NZDT).

The eclipse was seen in the northeast of the Republic of Congo at 5:56 am (local time), 4:56 am (GMT), just a few minutes after sunrise.

That was the point of maximum duration, with the blackout lasting 1 minute and 22 seconds.

Going more east across Asia and Africa will reach it's "maximum eclipse", which a perfect solar halo around the Moon, over Uttarakhand, India near the Sino-Indian border at 12:10 local time (6:40 GMT). The alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun was visible only for 38 seconds. 

For Oman and India, it was the second annular eclipse 6 months after the 26 December 2019 eclipse.

Florent Delefie, an astronomer and the Paris Observatory told AFP, "The annular eclipse is visible from about two percent of Earth surface"

He added, "It's a bit like switching from a 500-watt to a 30-watt light bulb. It's a cold light, and you don't see as well."

Animation of the solar eclipse
Attribution: NASA / Public Domain
Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SE2020Jun21A.gif

Astrophysicist Fred Espenak, an expert on eclipse prediction, commented on the NASA Eclipse website. "Good weather is the key to successful eclipse viewing. Better to see a shorter eclipse from a clear sky than a longer eclipse under clouds."

A solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse, when the Moon moves into Earth's shadow. Lunar eclipses are visible from about half of Earth's surface.

There's a second solar eclipse on December 14, 2020, over South America. Because the Moon will be closer to Earth, it will block on the Sun's light entirely.


Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_June_21,_2020
• https://www.space.com/ring-of-fire-solar-eclipse-2020-explained.html
• https://www.dailysabah.com/life/environment/ring-of-fire-rare-solar-eclipse-to-dim-skies-over-africa-asia

Parihaka - Day of Plunder | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished another independent task for Chemicals and Chaos. The task was about Parihaka, a war which occurred on 5 November 1881. I created a presentation showing things that happened in Parihaka.

Badminton | Physical Education

Welcome to another post on my blog. In PE today, we played Badminton.

So firstly, we did a few warm-up activities that would charge us up. There were several activities that were given that we had to do such as, burpees - 10, push-ups - 5, planks - 5, reverse planks - 5, skipping ropes - 60, running on the spot - 30s and more. 

Next, we set up to play Badminton. First, we got the poles and nets ready, then the rackets and the shuttlecock, then we started playing for half an hour. 

Badminton
Credit: https://www.cobham.school.nz/

The Moon Vanished 900 Years Ago, Why?

When the Sun goes down, the Moon appears up. At least it regularly does. But what it stays like that for days?

Something quite so strange transpired one night in May 1110, the moon appeared to disappear. The Anglo-Saxon Peterborough Chronicle recorded, 

“On the fifth night in the month of May appeared the moon shining bright in the evening, and afterwards by little and little its light diminished, so that, as soon as night came, it was so completely extinguished withal, that neither light, nor orb, nor anything at all of it was seen”. 

Even with the moon’s disappearance, the stars blazed brightly, so the skies were certainly clear of clouds that night.

Clouds weren't the problem; if they were, the scribe wouldn’t go in detail to how bright and twinkling the stars seemed while the moon faded from view. Nor was the moon being eclipsed by Earth's shadow; if it was, the skywatcher would have seen the orb become a coppery "blood moon," not an eerie blank spot in the sky.

When the sun goes down, the Moon appears up. At least it regularly does. Until science unveiled the Earth’s rotation, many ancient mythologies often described this rare occurrence as some kind of solar chariot crossing the sky from dawn to twilight, with a lunar chariot taking off when it went into darkness. Something that is just this expected regularly goes by secret until it doesn’t happen. The scarcity of the moon that night was terrifying, and apparently triggered everything from unfortunate weather to starvation across the planet. Now scientists reasonably understand why, volcanoes.

This remarkably exceptional phenomenon has occurred in severe teamwork from scientists in an effort to find a purpose. The team went through historical archives, counted tree rings and more.

A new study by researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland believes it's a combination of volcanic ash and sulfur as well as colder weather that led to the Moon disappearing from sight.

Their findings were published in Nature Scientific Reports.

The researchers imply that a “‘forgotten’ cluster of volcanic eruptions” from 1108 to 1110, probably from Japan’s destructive Mount Asama, dumped a “dust veil” over Europe, which created the shadowy eclipse.

The crew searched over 130 sources from the 12th century for reports of the event, from England to France all the way to Japan. One of the longest and most detailed records comes from the Anglo-Saxon Peterborough Chronicle. It recalls,

“the moon shining bright in the evening, and afterwards by little and little its light diminished, so that, as soon as night came, it was so completely extinguished withal, that neither light, nor orb, nor anything at all of it was seen. And so it continued nearly until day, and then appeared shining full and bright.”

Now, here’s what’s really clever, and makes this report even more fascinating. The rings of the trees in England symbolised that the year 1109 was cold and rainy, (the year before the moon’s disappearance). This rain and coolness can be an outcome effect of global volcanos releasing dust and ash into the sky. If volcano eruptions cause lunar eclipses, and the ring trees suggested a recent eruption in 1109, it might just be case closed for that puzzling night in English, 1110.

Sources:

• https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/volcanic-eruptions-that-made-the-moon-disappear-bhq7cl9b6
• https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-moon-suddenly-vanished-900-years-ago
• https://www.livescience.com/disappearing-moon-caused-by-forgotten-volcano.html
• https://happymag.tv/900-years-ago-the-moon-vanished-now-we-know-why/
• https://interestingengineering.com/the-moon-vanished-in-1110-scientists-may-now-know-why
• https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xg88yw/the-moon-mysteriously-disappeared-900-years-ago-and-scientists-think-they-know-why

Distillation | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, in Science, we had done a Distillation experiment. Distillation is a scientific experiment used to show the process of condensation. In this experiment, we are using different types of coke, normal and zero.

Aim: To separate a solute from a solvent in a solution using distillation.

Hypothesis:

Coca-Cola - Will stay the same

Zero - Will change a bit

Equipment

1. Element
2. Conical Flask
3. Heatproof Mat
4. Delivery tube and bung
5. Retort stand
6. Boss Head and Clamp
7. Boiling Tube
8. Normal Coke
9. Coke Zero
10. Ice

Method:

1. Set up the equipment as shown in the diagram.
2. Add approximately 50ml of coke to your conical flask.
3. Start the element.
4. Heat the solution until most of the solvent has been evaporated. Turn off the element.

Solute - Clear

Results:

Coke Zero After Experiment

Our group had given the Zero Coke to experiment. The test tube was solvent and it was crystal clear. The conical flask had some darkness, which meant that it had some sugar in it. When we saw the normal coke after the experiment, it was mostly dark, which meant that it had lots of sugar in it. 

Discussion:

Coke boiling

We started with the solution of coke and conical flask. Start the element, pour the coke in the conical flask. Next, put the delivery tube on the conical flask. Put the boiling tube on the boss head and clamp. Put ice in the beaker. Place the beaker on the retort stand. 

When the water was boiling because it had heat underneath, steam was coming up, which meant that it was evaporating. 

Conclusion:

I think that the experiment worked. My hypothesis for Coke was correct, it stayed the same. My hypothesis for Coke Zero was incorrect because I said that it will change a bit, but it didn't. 

The Coronavirus Pandemic

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

by NIAID is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-COV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). This deadly virus was first identified in Wuhan (China's Hubei province capital), China and has spread globally, resulting in an ongoing pandemic. As of 19 June 2020, more than 8.56 million cases have been reported across 213 countries and territories, rising more than 455,000 deaths. More than 4.5 million people have recovered.

For more information about the dangerous virus, please look at the slide.

References:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 | Wikipedia
• Coronavirus | Worldometers
• Which countries have confirmed cases? | Al Jazeera

Happy World Environment Day!

Welcome to another post on my blog. At the start of this month (June), in the global pandemic, the world celebrated 'World Environment Day'. It is a day encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. 

Credit: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/world-environment-day-at-the-zoo/wellington

World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June every year in more than 100 countries and is one of the most popular days on the United Nations calendar. It is observed to raised awareness and promotes on environment issues.

World Environment Day 2020 Logo

World Environment Day was hosted by Colombia (in partnership with Germany) this year and the theme was ‘Biodiversity’. Biodiversity gives the basic foundation of preserving life on Earth and human development. Biodiversity explains the quality of life on Earth. It contains the 8 million species on the planet; from plants and animals to fungi and bacteria - the ecosystems that house them; and the genetic diversity between them.

Since 1974, this has been celebrated every year on 5 June: attracting governments, businesses, celebrities and citizens to concentrate their efforts on an important environmental issue.

World Environment Day was founded by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, rising from discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment. Two years later, in 1974, the first World Environment Day was held in Stockholm, Sweden with the theme “Only One Earth”.

If you want to know more about World Environment Day, here is the official website.

References:

• https://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/community-and-public/world-environment-day
• https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Environment_Day
• https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/
• https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/about/biodiversity

Opportunity Cost | Business Studies

Opportunity Cost
Credit: https://www.marketplace.org/2013/06/13/opportunity-cost-simple-whiteboard-explainer/

Welcome to another post on my blog. This week in Business Studies, we learnt about opportunity costs. Opportunity costs mean, "It is what a person sacrifices when they choose one option over another." After learning about opportunity costs, we were given a scenario and then create a presentation to show the scenario. I created my video presentation on Canva.

Table Tennis and Juggling | Physical Education

Welcome to another post on my blog. A few weeks ago in PE, we spent some time on table tennis and on coordination like juggling. There were a few tasks for each of them.

Table Tennis
Credit: https://wallpaperaccess.com/

For table tennis, we had to do a rally against a partner of 10 and 20. Then, do 10, then 20 rebounds of table tennis on the wall; means hitting the ball back to back against the wall 20 times. I got that through pretty quickly, so I went on to rally against a partner as long as we could; my partner and I went a rally for 25 hits.

3 Juggling Scarfs
Credit: https://www.megaform.com/

After table tennis, we go to our second rotation which is juggling. We had to do juggling with scarfs and then hacky-sacks. First, we were given instructions on how to do the juggling. We were given two scarfs to juggle with one hand; then 3 scarfs with two hands and lastly 4 scarfs with two hands. After completing that, we had to do that same rotation with hacky-sacks instead of scarfs. I got up to 3 scarfs with two hands but could not complete that.

There were a few lessons including table tennis and juggling. As more lessons followed, the teacher challenged to do how much we can do a rally without getting them out, we got 30!


From this experience, this has thought me to try something new, because I haven't tried table tennis and juggling; also to be resilient and never give up in a new topic.

September 11 Attacks | Chemicals and Chaos

9/11 Attacks
Credit: https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/9-11-timeline

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished another independent task in Chaos (Chemicals and Chaos). I was given a video timeline of events on 9/11 and the full timeline of the chaotic events on 9/11. This took a week to complete due to a long timeline.

The task was to: Create a timeline using Visme or use A2 paper and draw one. Use the information from the video and the timeline link to help you complete activity.

Made by Khush

Serial Dilution Experiment | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. On Monday, in Science, we had done a 'Serial Dilution experiment'. First, we learnt what is dilution - Making something less concentrated. There will be fewer particles in the liquid. Next, we learnt the difference between dilute and concentration. Dilute contains a small amount of solute. If you were to make a 'weak' coffee, in scientific terms, you will be making a dilute coffee. A concentrated solution contains a large amount of solute. If you were to make a 'strong' coffee, in scientific terms, you will be making a concentrated coffee. After that, the class had done an experiment which we had to make a dilution series to investigate concentration.

 

Conclusion:

I could see the colour (from the start), transparent and light, as we see going to the second and third test tube, it gets darker and gets more concentrated. The last test tube looked very dark and concentrated.

Why did you see and why?

I think, from my knowledge, the test tubes get darker because we add a single crystal of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) to the test tube and some from the last test tube. In short, we add from the last test tube and a single crystal of KMnO₄, so it gets more concentrated.


I hope you like my post. Have a nice day!! Bye!!

What's my Digital Footprint? | Wānanga & Cybersmart

Digital Footprint
Credit: https://excellence-it.co.uk/tag/digital-footprint/

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, in Wānanga I finished my Cybersmart activity about Digital Footprint. The last lesson was about "Who Are You?" about Private and Personal Information and why we like sharing so much.

This lesson mostly included reading text and answering questions. The work that we had done was on a document. There was a text that we had to read about Digital Footprint. Before reading, we need to answer what we know and what are some things that the text might tell us?

After answering, we need to read the text, 'What is a Digital Footprint?' and check meaning on words, and phrases used. Next, we need to again answer questions relating to the text such as; Why do you think the author made this text? What did they want their audience to think about and/or know? We need to repeat that process for two sources - Be Deadly Online and Online Reputations. After reading three texts, we need to complete the digital footprints quiz.

Our last activity was: Create a blog post to share something that you have read or learnt about digital footprints. You could even create your own quiz in Google Forms.

So, I made a Google Form quiz to share my learning and what I've learnt. 

I hope you like my quiz and like my post. Have a nice day!! Bye!!

What information is okay to share online? | Wānanga & Cybersmart

Private and Personal Information
Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjPpG2e71Ec

Welcome to another post on my blog. In today's post, I am sharing my work for cybersmart that I had done today. This is the first lesson of cybersmart of the year, and the main topic is 'Smart Footprint', it is about 'Who Are You?'

The aim of this blog post is to teach others some information via some questions, here we go.


Why People Share?

To let other people know about us and/or what we are doing.


How to Turn Private Information Into Personal Information

Before explaining, let me tell you what is 'Private Information' and what is 'Personal Information'.


Private Information

Private information is about you that can be used to identify you because it's unique to you, like your full name, date of birth or address.


Personal Information

It's information about you that cannot be used to identify you because it is also true for many other people, like the city you live in or your hair colour.



Now, we know what is 'Private Information' and 'Personal Information', let's know how to turn private information into personal information in sentences.

Private Information	Personal Information
My name is John Smith	My name is John.
My birthday is on the 30th of May 1998	My birthday is at the end of May. I was born in the '90s.
I live at 600 Waterloo Road, Christchurch	I live in Christchurch.
I am going to Orana Park on Saturday at 2pm.	I am going to Orana Park.

By now, you must know what is 'Private Information' and 'Personal Information', what is the difference between both of them and how to turn information to personal information. I hope you like my post. Have a nice day!! Bye!!

Earthquake!! | Chemicals and Chaos

Welcome to another post on my blog. Today, I finished an independent task in Chaos (Chemicals and Chaos). I had to choose an activity, complete it and then post it on my blog. Then instructions were given to us on the task. I had chosen an activity about 'Earthquakes'. I had to do some research and mapping in this activity.

First task: I was given the 10 biggest earthquakes ever. Then, using FACKTS, I had to locate those on a map which was provided.

Second Task: I had to choose one of the earthquakes on the list of earthquakes, then create a poster about the earthquakes making sure each criterion was checked off that was given to us. I had to use either Canva, Google Drawing, Piktochart or paper to present my work. 

Third Task: After showing the teacher my work, I had to share my work on my blog and include my map and poster.