My camp recount

I could feel the fear as I approached the ropes. It’s height already scaring me, I slowly approached. “Ready.” I said as I took hold of the cold metal bars connected to the side of the swinging wooden pole. It moved like a centipede, which was it’s nickname.  

I was sure to hold on for dear life, scared of the consequences if I fell. It seemed as if this climb was the world, I needed to concentrate on it, or suffer the fall. As I made it to the middle, I felt my grip loosen.

The world flashed around me as I held on, only my arms were holding me up as my legs dangled uselessly in the air, I didn’t want to look down, but was more forced to as to make sure that my legs could safely make it back on. I heaved them back onto the metal, and continued my way up.

I looked past the wood and metal, and noticed the trees. Stretching far as the eye could see. Then I noticed how high I was. The fear crept back up on me, I could feel my legs shaking as I forced them to move onwards.

I could glimpse the top within my reach, as I grabbed for it, I felt the disgusting sloppy mess on my shoes. I only realized how lucky I was that it happened, as again I found myself with my legs dangling in the air, and only my tight grip holding onto the crossbar at the top was keeping me from a terrifying plunge to the ground below.

As I reached the top, I jumped off. As I slowly closed my eyes I felt myself slowly being lowered safely down.  I had reached the end. I let out a sigh of relief as it was all finally over. I had beaten the centipede.

Using an Index

Using an index

L.I. -     Library/Research skills

    Using an index to find information quickly

Most non-fiction books have an index.  Like a table of contents, it lists the books contents and relevant page numbers, but in much more detail.  It presents the topics in alphabetical order to help your search.  Below is an example from a health book.

INDEX aerobics                    2-14 breathing                 9-10 carbohydrates      36 co-ordination         20-25 cycling                       32 diet                              30-40 diseases                   45-65 doctor                       40-44 drinking                    63 drugs, harmful      70-75 drugs, medical       60-65 exercise                    11-20 fat                               35 fatigue                      76-79 good health            80-90 happy                       91-92 hospital                    40-44, 48-65 hygiene                    93-94

illness                           45-65 incapacitated           45-65 injuries                         60-65 inoculation                 96-98 lungs                             9-10, 60-64 medicine                      45-65, 96-98 mental illness            99-120 moods                          99-104 pharmacist                 60-65 physical activities     121-150 rest                                 151-155 self-discipline              115-120               smoking                       121-124 sport                             15-20 strength                      12-14 vigour                           140-150 vitamins                       64-65 weight                           30-35

Before you start highlight 4 words you don’t know and look them up in the dictionary.

coordination: The process or state of coordinating or being coordinated

carbohydrates: Any of a large group of compounds (including sugars, starch, and cellulose) which contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and can be broken

incapacitated: Prevent from functioning in a normal way

inoculation: taking a vaccine as a precaution against contracting a disease

Why are there two index entries for drugs?

There are two index entries for drugs because there are drugs that heal you and there are drugs that can kill you.

Which two entries will help you find out about tiredness and how to cope?

Rest

good health

Which pages would you turn to in order to find out about injuries?

60-65

Which two entries would you use to find out more about healthy eating?

Diet

vitamins

Which pages would you turn to in order to find out about the bad effects of smoking? 121-124

On which pages would you find out about hospital life? 40-44, 48 -65

On which pages would you find out more about the healthy effects of sport? 11-20, 30-35

Sub-questions

Sub-questions

L.I.     Thinking about sub-questions when researching

When you are looking for information there is always one main question that you have to answer.  Then, as you think about the main question and start reading other questions will occur to you.  These sub-questions give direction to your reading.  They keep you on track.  It is a strategy good readers use to help them locate information quickly.

Match (cut and paste) the main question with the sub-questions that relate

Question	Sub-questions
Subject: Film What were the main reasons for the success of a movie that you have recently seen?  Write your own review of the movie.	What was it’s nature: was it a particular event that had great impact on the main character?  How did this give excitement and interest to the novel?  How did it affect other characters?
Subject: History What was life like in your town or suburb at the beginning of the 20th century?	What aspects (transport, communication, work) were different in the past?  What aspects have stayed the same?  How has entertainment changed or stayed the same?  What are the most notable buildings from this time?
Subject: Geography Why has the grey nurse shark become the only protected species of shark?	What does this species look like?  Does it deserve a dangerous reputation?  Why was it hunted so freely in the past?  Why is it now on the endangered list?  Why has it become the world’s first protected shark?
Subject: Social studies How do farmers manage the land to prevent soil erosion?	Why is it such a concern?  What are the effects on a farm of soil erosion?  How can erosion from water be controlled?  How can wind-breaks help?  Why is it important to keep plant growth in the soil?  How can farmer protect the soil during dry periods?
Subject: Media Studies What do you think are the qualities of a successful TV series for teenagers?	What do teenagers want from their series?  Why are the relationships between characters so important?  What settings are favoured?  What qualities do the lead actors have?   Why do some local series do well overseas?
Subject: Reading Why is a major complication essential to a novel?  Show how is has affected the plot and the development of major characters in a novel you have read.	What type is it, adventure, crime, comedy, romance?  What was it’s storyline?  What was the complication and the interesting consequences?  Were the actors convincing?  How effective was the cinematography?

Write your own sub-questions for these main questions

Question	Sub-questions
How does a glacier effect the land?	How are glaciers formed? Why do the glaciers form?
What effect have humans had on the volcanoes of Auckland?	What consequences will these effects have on us?
What factors can change the course of a river?	How do these factors change the course? How are these factors created?

Mini-dictionary

Level 49 Mini-dictionary

Word	Word before	Word after	Guide Words
Cobble Alternative Aluminium Aristocrat Barnacle Confidential Cheat Crucify Indian Cyclone	Cobber Alternative Altruistic Aristocracy Barn Confident Cheapskate Cruciform Index finger Cycloid	Cobble Although Always Arithmetic Barny Configuration Check Crud Indian corn Cyclone fence	Cobra, Clove Almighty, Amber Almighty, Amber Arena, Arrive Barmey, Bass Condiment, Confiscate Cheapie, Cheese-paring Crow, Crude Index finger, Indiscernible Cuz, Cyme

He used cobble to pave the stone.

He chose the alternate choice.

Drink cans are made out of aluminium

He was the best, the aristocrat.

The ship was so old, that there were hundreds of barnacles attached to the bottom of it.

Nobody was allowed to view the document, it was confidential.

He looked at the other players card, he was a cheat

To crucify him, his hands and feet were nailed to a cross

Her parents were from India, therefore she was half Indian

The hurricane was so bad, it was becoming a cyclone

I found this activity easy, as I had already done it several times before this.