Thirst
- Author By karcharlesb
- Publication date March 5, 2025
- Categories: Ako | Learn, Hanga | Create, Tohatoha | Share
- Categories: Literacy, Reading, Reo Matitini
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Dave Maitland
Learning Outcomes
I will identify the author’s point of view. –
I will locate key ideas and consider these at a deeper level. –
I will answer all questions in full sentences, punctuated accurately.
Newspaper article This article was printed in the Sunday Star Times 02/02/25.
- Collect your copy of the article. Skim and scan the article and highlight any vocabulary that is unfamiliar to you.
- Read through the questions below before you start reading the article closely.
- Read the article closely and with purpose. Consider carefully the choices of language made by the author.
- “Good bugger, tough bastard: Humble hard man lines up for his 30th Coast to Coast”
What do you notice about the language used in the title of this article? Why do you think the author chose to use the language he has selected for the title of this article?
One thing I noticed about the language used in the title of this article was that there were words used to describe him as a man who is tough but also kind and he is someone who won’t brag about his accomplishments. I think that the author chose to use the language that he has selected for the title of this article because those words are descriptive of the type of man Dave is and chooses to be.
How old was Dave Maitland at the time this article was written? Were you surprised that someone of his age was competing in the Coast to Coast? Why? Or Why not?
Dave Maitland was 67 at the time that this article was written and that is really cool how he is still doing this Titan of adventure races. I am not very surprised that Dave is doing this because when he was younger, he competed at the national level for swimming, he did numerous Triathlons, and he did crazy amounts of kayaking so I am not surprised about his commitment to the Coast to Coast.
- Dave Maitland has had many struggles and challenges in his life. When he was a young man he said he “was just a bit lost”. What did he mean by that and what event happened to make him seek a more positive outlet?
One of Dave’s many struggles and challenges came when he was 16 years old. He was heading for the 1974 Commonwealth Games but got distracted with drinking, and other stuff that made him unfit for the Games.
The event that made Dave seek a positive outlet was beating the guy up. When he did that, the aftermath was bad and I think that he was disappointed in himself for resorting to anger. After that troublesome event he started doing Triathlons.
- According to the article, what motivates Dave Maitland?
According to the article Dave Maitland is motivated by his love of the outdoors, his family, and because adventure is in his blood. He shows this by being in the outdoors as much as possible and he loves the outdoors so much that even when he fractured his pelvis in 4 different places, he still did the Coast to Coast 3 months later.
- What evidence from the text explains Dave Maitland’s philosophy about life?
Dave thinks that if people are in need of help and you help them you could be humbled but if they are pretenders then he wouldn’t waste his time with them not even one minute. I believe that this philosophy is very important to his way of living because he helps and gives support to people who have cancer, people who are supporting someone who has cancer, and people who just need support in life.
- What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this article? What life message was he trying to convey?
I think that the author’s purpose for writing this article was to show how inspiring Dave Maitland is with his 30+ years of Triathlons, Kayaking, Tramping, and basically anything outdoors related.
I think that the life message of this article was that you help people up if they are down and you should always keep doing what you love even when you are getting older.
-Chase
November Book Review
The Blunders
“Blunders, Assemble!” Pg 36
Blunder hall will be repossessed by the bank if the family of mixups don’t do something quickly. They have one fortnight to get £10000 or else…
This contemporary comedy is one of many by David Walliams, an award winning author who has made numerous novels that are funny and have made up words in them. This novel includes mixups, fraud marrows, and a whole lot of madness.
Lord Bertie Blunder is an inventor, he has made several inventions that have literally blown up in his face. He started out as an inventor who had never made a successful invention before to someone who had the brilliant idea to turn a Nazi airship into a giant marrow. He asks Butler to blow the airship full with air. This takes Butler a long time and then Old lady Blunder pops the balloon with her Blunderbuss. He then proceeds to have a mental breakdown before blowing it up again. “Blunders, we are going to turn this airship into a GIANT MARROW!” Pg 181
The Blunders are running out of time to get the £10000 pounds. So what is the obvious solution, sell yourself to an antique collector then jump out of the plane that he is shipping you with. Obviously. Or you could pretend to be a band and use a gramophone where the needle is an ostrich’s beak. I’ll tell you the things some people do to get money. These are only a couple blunders that this blundersome family makes.
Set in Blunder Hall during World War 2 this family of turmoil pretends to be the royal family, a set of priceless art, and a band. This author has used made up words and language features to paint a picture in the mind’s eye. This influences us to be on the Blunders side through thick and thin. “But we Blunders have nothing. Nothing. Nothing at all.” “You are quite wrong, dear,” replied Bertie. “We have everything. Because we have each other. Pg 376
For me this tremendously comedic comedy would be a 8-10, this is because it was funny through and through. I dropped it down a couple of points because there wasn’t enough action for my liking but that is just my personal opinion. This is a good book that people young and old alike would and should go for.
This was a good book and David Walliams is still on my wall of all time favorites. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes hilariously amusing stories and is 7+ because there is some potty talk. I think that my eight year old brother Barrett would like this book and all of David Walliams’s other works such as Gangsta Granny, Demon Dentist, or his newest book, Super Sleuth which came out on the 24th October, 2024.
-Chase Bechtel
Self Reflection
The Self Reflection was very hard because I had to determine what level I am at some things. The easiest part was my mathematics, reading and writing because I had my test results. The hardest part was doing everything else. Next time I think that I will be more exact on my self reflection.
SMRF this document into your topic folder.
Self-reflection: Take the time to think about where you are now and where you aim to be at the end of next term. Fill in your information or data to complete the table.
- How will you move towards your goals?
- How will you know when you have met your goals?
- How have you helped others to achieve their goals?
| Date | Learning Focus | Level Of Achievement
& Evidence |
Future Goals/Next Steps | How will I know I have met my goals? |
| Mathematics | Stanine 9, PAT Maths 36/38 | Stanine 9 PAT Maths 38/38 | When the test results come out. | |
| Reading | Stanine 9, PAT Comprehension 34/37 | Stanine 9 PAT comprehension 37/37 | When I get 100% in the upcoming tests. | |
| Writing | I= 3/6 S&L= 3/6 O=5/7 V= 3/6 SS=3/6 P=4/7 SP=5/6 Overall= 3B | 4B overall. | When I get a good mark on that test. | |
| Digital Citizenship | I think I am good at digital citizenship because I am at the right place at the right time. | My future goals for digital citizenship are to always be at the right place at the right time. | Because I will never not know what to do because I will always be in the right place at the right time. | |
| Te Reo | Stage 3 20/30 | 25/30 ( I don’t know what stage that is ). | Because I will have gotten better and that will have shown in the test results. | |
| Karoro School Values:
-Whakaute -Kanohi kitea -Takohanga |
I think I am respectful most of the time. I think I participate in most of the things that happen at school. I am responsible at school, for example; If I hit someone with a ball I say it was me and that I am super sorry. | Always be respectful to everyone including people I don’t like. Participate in things that I don’t like to get better at them. | Because I will never get in trouble. | |
| Ngā Toi/The Arts | I have been doing music and playing the ukulele. I am doing it to the expectation. | Go above and beyond with that work and complete it to a level 5 standard. | When I feel accomplished enough. | |
| Health & P.E. | I am involved in most school events such as Chess, Kidslit, and Basketball. | I want to be involved in everythings. | When I get a bunch of activities on my end of year certificate. | |
| William Pike Challenge
-Service Challenge -Passion Project |
I do a lot of stuff to help with my passion project such as; Legally Blonde. | Put everything down on the William Pike challenge site because currently I keep forgetting. | When I get my William Pike Badge. |
Writing from this year
During the 4th term of this year we learned about different types of poetry including Haiku, Nonsense, etc. My favourite poem was the Memory poem because when I wrote it I remembered how fun my Ski trip was to Porters Pass. My least favourite poem was the Clerihew because it was basically a limerick except it didn’t have a fifth line. The next poem that I am going to do is the Kennings poem.
I used information from the kiwi kids news website to write my notes and then I used copy.ai paragraph generator ( which was very helpful ) to write the paragraph in red. The paragraph in blue is my writing with no Ai help at all.
Daryl Tan Hong is a speedcuber born in Singapore who has recently added to his list of Guinness world records. This world record is Fastest man to solve a 3x3x3 rubik’s cube under water. He did this feat in 9.29 seconds which is insanely fast and something that is basically a superhuman ability. His ability to remain concentrated while solving the puzzle was amazing. His other records include fastest time solving a 4x4x4 upside down, solving two 3x3x3’s simultaneously while upside down, The fastest time solving a rubik’s cube while juggling, and the fastest time to solve a rubik’s cube on a hoverboard. This Singaporean is becoming a landmark for all cubers wanting records of their own. This outstanding feat was achieved on November 12th 2023.
My paragraph
On November 12th, 2023, Singaporean Daryl Tan Hong accomplished an incredible feat – solving a standard 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube in just 9.29 seconds while fully submerged underwater. This lightning-fast solve, verified by officials from Guinness World Records, makes Daryl the fastest person ever to solve the classic puzzle underwater.Daryl pulled off this record-setting solve while underwater in Singapore, demonstrating remarkable skill and dexterity in manipulating the cube despite the resistance and distortions caused by the water. His ability to maintain concentration and execute quick turns of the cube was unmatched. With this astounding accomplishment, Tan proved his world-class cubing skills and etched his name in the annals of Rubik’s Cube history. His solve will provide inspiration and a benchmark for other elite cubers pursuing records of their own.
AI article
The next thing for me to do is to use better and more interesting vocabulary.
Persuasive writing 2023
This year we have been doing persuasive writing about all sorts of subjects. One thing I have enjoyed is writing about children bringing their phones to school. I chose this topic because if you read it you will see that I am 100% against phones being brought to school. WALT: persuade the reader to believe what the writer believes.
Here is a link to all of my persuasive writing over the year:
