Genius Hour: Passion Project

During the last several weeks of Term 3, we have started 'Genius Hour', within that `Passion Projects`. A past blog post was published several weeks past, giving an overview of the process.  He has completed the project that we were working on--life-sized sculptures. The idea of the character that we made into the sculpture came from a Japanese Theater-- Kabuki--the character 'The Beast King' was one of great designs, and so, of great interest. The costume included an extravagant display and great visuals. The project was finished in the duration of the first week of the current term.  A slide was also created to detail our experience and intricacies of the project. It was an immense experience and effort for the team, though it was exuberance. 

Courtesy: MartyGrossFilms : Lion Dance

Slide:

Genius Hour: Passion Projects

The postponed 'Passion Projects' was started in the previous week. The 'Genius Hour'  as called was on the way. The previous week was the time where we started to plan, we got into a group containing 7 individuals and began to think of the project. The discussion that we had concluded into creating a sculpture, a Japanese inspired sculpture. We have decided to add additional limitations to the sculpture such as it needing to be in majority, sustainable. The sculpture that we are currently making is life-sized around an average height. The materials are mostly junk, cardboard, newspaper and other junk materials are being used to create the sculpture. 

The idea from the sculpture originated from a Kabuki play a form of theatre, a Japanese play, that I recently watched. The character titled "King of the Beasts" is what the sculpture is. In addition to the character originating from Japanese origins; the style in which we are building the sculpture also is in the style of Japan. Specifically "Miyadaiku" is a style of carpentry in which works by making joints in the woods and putting them together. It doesn't use any glue, adhesives or nails. However, there are minor pieces where we can't use this technique. 

"Driving Question" How can we use sustainable materials(recycle), such as newspaper and cardboard to create art--life-size sculpture?

The activity from the past week has been detailed in the following text:

 

Term 3 - 4	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday  (optional)	Sunday (optional)
Week 8	Brainstorm ideas, we chose to create a lifesize sculpture using sustainable materials.	We created a plan and the measurement of the sculpture, we also thought about the materials we needed.	We began to measure the cardboard around the torso including arms and hands.	We cut out the pieces that we measured around the torso including arms and hands.	Measuring and cutting the body, head and put together some of the pieces cut.

 

Week 9

Reading

Reflection Section

We have been working on creating the Hair/ Wig. Using newspaper in strips we have been glueing on a base that is detachable. The base could be attached to the head when needed. The upper body began including the shoulders and arms.

We continue to create and attach hair to the wig. The wig is beginning to the longer. For the second structure The upper body is reinforced. The lower body is being planned.

Hair/ Wig is still in continuation for both the first and second structure. The upper body is finished for both of the structures and the head is placed. The lower body is being prepared and in process.

Reflection: Memoir of the God of War

Memoir of the God of War is a book that I've started this week. similar to the previous books that I read, it is yet again a manwha. It was only last week that I've discovered this and read it, though it's still weekly updating. One of the best factors that make up the manwha is its ability to make its action sequence rewarding, there several foreshadowing in the plot which I have found to be interesting. The art of the Memoir of the God of War is a type that I like as well--in fact very much so--one of the factors that I loved about it was its character design in which the strokes that make up the drawing is aggressive in the fighting parts which further accentuates its violence.

Matariki

In the recent celebration of Matariki--we come to review some of our previous knowledge of this topic. This year the celebration of Matariki lies between the 19th of June/late June and the 11th of July/early July. Matariki-- a cluster of stars [9 stars] that from the eyes of a god.

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MATARIKI- The-eyes-of-Tawhirimatea -- courtesy: Twinkl

In the beginning of time there was nothing, no earth, sea or sky just, Te pō,  darkness. In this Te Kore, nothingness, Ranginui the sky father and Papatūānuku the earth mother came to be. They lay together in a tight embrace. Together, they had many children who were all male. The sons lived between them in the darkness. As the children grew up, they wondered what it would be like to live in the light. Tūmatauenga, the fiercest of all the sons, shouted to his brothers, “Let’s kill them!”  The brothers disagreed. Tānemahuta, the god of the forests and birds, had a solution to the problem, “We will push them apart, Ranginui will be in the sky above us and Papatūānuku will stay below us so she remains close.”Rongomātāne, the god of cultivated food, tried to push his parents apart. He pushed and pushed with no success. Then Tangaroa, the god of the sea, and Haumia-tiketike, the god of wild food joined him. Together they pushed and pushed but still their parents would not let go of each other. Eventually, Tāne tried. He placed his shoulders on his mother and his feet on his father and pushed hard for a very long time. Rangi and Papa called out in distress, “Why are you doing this?” 

“Please don’t separate us.”  Tāne continued to push with his strong legs, until finally Rangi and Papa were prised apart.

The children were excited to finally have light and space to move. Tāwhirimātea, the god of the wind, was angry about the separation. He could not stand to hear his parents in pain, or to see the tears coming from Ranginui.Tāwhirimātea was so angry that in a rage he threw his eyes up into the sky. 

His eyes are now known as the stars of Matariki. 

The story above is what we've read and a factor which we have used as a way to understand Matariki-- as well as its origins. Whilst doing so we would also learn such in the form of learning the clusters themselves and what they mean--at least in the beliefs.

-Matariki--people’s health and wellbeing.

-Tupu-ā-rangi--things that grow up in trees, including fruits, berries and birds.

-Waipuna-ā-rangi--rainfall.

-Waitī--freshwater bodies and foods from these waters.

-Ururangi--the winds.

-Tupu-ā-nuku--food that is gathered/harvested from the soil.

-Waitā--the ocean and foods that come from it.

-Pōhutukawa--those who have passed on.

-Hiwa-i-te-rangi--attainment of goals or wishing star.

Wellbeing

 For the past 3 weeks, we have been looking at improving our wellbeing-- as a part of an assessment for credits. We have looked at what makes our well-being, parts of our well-being and what exactly is our well being. Choosing factors such as physical, mental and social- by means of time management-- the three factors which I chose. A plan was to improve the part of our well-being that we have chosen. As such, I have set goals for the factors; with losing weight for physical well-being, optimism for mental well-being, and time management specifically for school--social. This plan was to carried and done for 3 weeks--ending on the 9th of June. 

The goals that I have set upon myself were achieved. I have given the evidence via recording and writing down my process. Only time will tell if I have completed the task to the standard of passing.

Reflection: Tower Of God

Recently, an event that I've been waiting for around a year has occurred. Last year, was the peak of the pandemic in New Zealand in which a lockdown was implemented to reprehend this disease. During the lockdown, there were not many things to do, with much time in our hands. In such a time I have discovered a love for Manwhas, especially the one that includes fantasy as its genre. One of the first manwhas that I've read was "Tower of God". instantly during only a few moments after the initial reading, I have fallen in love. It became one of my most loved "book"--story--to read, with a premise quite different from many of the same genre. It became a story that I read for hours at a time only occasionally stopping for breaks. The manwha updated weekly and it became a part of my routine to read the new chapters. However, disaster came on the 29th of June in which an unexpected hiatus came.

It caused me great distress when this had happened, not only was I worried about the story itself, but for the author as well. It became a monthly task for me to check in with news about the stated story. Finally on the 17th of May--almost a year after-- the hiatus was broken. It has affected me in a way that I've never thought of. I was extremely happy, stories and books should be taken in more regard. We need to try things that we've never tried before, it may change ourlives. It certainly did mine...

Summary:" The series follows a young boy named Twenty-Fifth Bam, who has spent his life beneath a gigantic tower. The only other person in his life is a girl named Rachel, who finds her way into the mysterious tower. Determined to be reunited with his friend, Bam also enters the tower. "

-cbr.com

Poem Week

I have been a long fan of poetry, several years, I love to rhyme and plan out how each poem could connect rhythm-wise.  With that as well I have a long love for horror with such mixture I've come to the conclusion of loving Edgar Allan Poe's work. One of my most favourite as done by him is "The Raven", signifying memories. On how the raven repeated and repeated reminiscence of a never-ending remembrance of the perfect maiden Lenore. How his lonesomeness and solitude proceeds him to talk to the raven. How seemingly the raven responds, with such the conversation deepens. Playing upon our memories of our past in which we cannot choose but to remember. I admire how the poem was written and its symbolism for remembrance and unmotivation. How nothing can burn his fire once more. 

Why is the text written in the way it is?

The text is written in a way that suggests its repetitive nature. The way in which feels a long for someone; with such on how none can spark a light within us. As such we are then to feel the emotions of Poe whilst writing this poem. Inspired by horror as well a dwindling feeling of melancholy can be felt.

The Raven

Reflection: The world of One Piece

 In this weeks reflection I will be reflecting about what I have read--re-read-- during the silent reading time in wananga. One Piece, one of the greatest in my and many others opinion. It is the Manga in publication which have had the most sales through the years of its existence, 23 years and still going. Having one of the best built worlds in its genre. I have kept up with One Piece for many years now, with both the manga and the anime. During the reading time, I thought about re-reading some recent chapters which were a few weeks old.  I felt as if I have not given enough time to fully appreciate reading so. That is the reason why I have re-read it. 

 The text is about the adventure of the main character [Monkey D. Luffy] in his dream in being "The Pirate King". This is constantly said by him over the course of the story, when fighting enemies, proudly stating that he will overcome them. Though indeed it is quite a long story that still continues, I still do encourage to start reading it, the length is worth the effort. Simply to say, it is the only story that can make you feel disheartened and even to tears by the sinking of a ship.

Identity and Passion

For the past week we have been looking at our own identities and passions. We look at how each of our personalities change through adolescence, how we have changed as a person and the changes we have on our routine. By then we also began to look at some essence of identity and what experiences can make a person. We watch a person named Pat Ho which narrative some parts in his life and the parts of his personalities, strengths, weaknesses passions and learnings. In that activity we also write down our own looking at how our selves. 

What views of the world is the text presenting? 

This is representing how people view themselves. This is backed up the interview how each of the questions were answered,  as it relates onto his personal life. Reasons into why it may be so is that so we can learn  the experiences of a person how each and every one of us are different and how we can succeed even with the differences that we have.

The following is the video of Pat Ho.

The Horror of Junji Ito

Horror is a joy, though it frightens us and makes unnerved, however we still find ourselves to laugh by the end of fright don't we? Some time ago there was an author (Junji Ito) that I found quite intriguing, by personality and works. Recently I have been reading some works[books/stories] specifically, 'Earthbound' has taken my interest. The images that can be seen for reading 'Earthbound' can be described as unsettling, gory and truly scary. This can be seen visually seen and felt as the hopelessness of the situation arises. With the techniques that has been used by Junji Ito it can be seen as an entertainment with a deeper meaning, a metaphor for life occurrence. It is to instill fear and makes us see light in a different way.

Courtesy: Link

Assertiveness

In our wananga time, we have have been begininng to learn more about people, morality and sociallity.  For this we have begun to accomplish activities that would realte into this topic. In which now, is about what and how we can control our emotions. For this we look back at the times where we did something that we regretted as it was aggressive or was out of anger. The memories flooded in and I chose an instance in which I could've "performed" better if wit was used. A line I thought about after the event was "Not if I see you first!"; pretty much the story can be summarized with that phrase.  We then further discussed after the activity about the other things that can be done when in situations where a person is being unpeasant to us.  Deeds such as smiling, walking away, ignoring, deep breaths, stopping and thinking would make it in a better situation. However, personally I would much rather come up with a witty comeback, sarcasm and or smilling rather than ignoring.

Word Art (Lockdown)

This time in Wananga we are looking at what we have done in the lockdown. There are many reasons for this, as most if not all of the people did something that they usually didn't do, which could be said as a part of our Taha Wairua, Spiritual health. This is finding what is important to us, this word art supports as a visual diary or a visual memory on what happened. What I learnt, what I found important at that time and the time after. What I have done that increased my well being, a reminder of the time that is now embedded in history. There were many that I have done, getting back into what I loved to do, spending more time reading, more time bonding with my family, and took the time to learn new things.

Wananaga Activity: Emails

In this subject[wananga], we are learning more about sending emails, the characteristic of an email. We have been informed that emails that have come from us, students, have not been the best in terms of being proper. That is why in this task we have been required in sending an email, properly to our teacher [advisor], as well as our parent/s. It is then explained the several characteristics of an email, the; greeting, check-in, body as well as the salutation. I have completed task though there are some minor error, I think I did average;  for know, I believe that I should continue practising sending and writing better emails for the days, weeks, months and years to come.