Catapults

Catapults work by storing tension either in twisted ropes or a flexed piece of wood. When the catapult is released, it quickly transforms from potential energy to kinetic energy. Then the kinetic energy is transformed into gravitational potential energy as the object flies in the air. Once the ball is launched, the only forces acting are gravity and resistance. Gravity accelerates the ball in the negative y direction. Air resistance accelerates the ball in the opposite direction of travel.

Gymnastics - back hip circle

In Gymnastics I learnt how to do a back hip circle. It was really challenging to learn but once I got the hang of it, it was actually really easy. I still fail it sometimes so I want to improve so that I can achieve it every time.

Detailed sentences

1. Beneath the glaring sun the land was brown wisps  of grass, shrivelled by the fierce  rays, clung to the crumbling, scorched soil. Even to move was an effort. The slightest motion was enough to cause a sweat, but even perspiration was seared away almost instantly by the merciless heat.

2. Thunder boomed off the mountains. The weeping of the wind as it blasted through the narrow valleys was almost drowned out by the drumming of huge raindrops on the rocky ground.

3. The tinkle of broken glass woke him. He listened intently and heard the slight screech of a hinge as a door slowly opened. There was the faintest crunch of a shoe on the wooden floor of the hall.

4. She was startled at first by the harsh squawk of a sea gull. The distant murmur of the sea and the howl of the gentle breeze through the palms lulled her.

5. Bright lights glowed mirthfully through the evening darkness. The steady flickering of the larger lights was reinforced by the sparkle of an array of cheerful smaller ones chasing each other in a lively, never-ending race. The whir of conversation, the clink of glasses, and the stench of steaming food all drifted enticingly across the still night air.

6. The face, in the brief instant when the lightning flashed was like some hideous carving. The forehead was topped with a tangle of hair which gleamed in the light. The lower part of the face was masked by a/an wild bush of wiry beard. The eyes, deep-set under thick brows, glittered evilly as they caught the light. Mark’s heart thrashed in fear at the sight. Lightning flickered again.

personification, onomatopoeia, and alliteration

Exercise 1

Complete these sentences with examples of personification to make them interesting for readers. 

1. The waves were crawling onto the sand
2. Clouds can be happy on days, and sad on others.
3. The train sprinted past as if it were in desperation.
4. Fear clenched underneath her skin.
5. The bulldozer was like an angry monster tearing apart the ground beneath my feet.
6. Bells whistled like the voice of an angel.

Exercise 2

Come up with a sound affect word for each of these

eg a racquet hitting a tennis ball = pock

1 an arrow hitting a target = fsh

2 cold water hitting a hot piece of metal = pshr

3 a startled noise made by a bird. = tweet

4 the sound made by an unhappy puppy = mrrrrw

5 a piece of paper being screwed up = shcrp

6 a juicy, ripe tomato hitting the floor after being dropped = plash

7 big waves hitting rocks = crash

8 tyres on a wet road = berr

Exercise 3

Sports reports often use alliteration in their headlines for impact. 

Write five sports headlines for a newspaper. Use alliteration to give impact.

Sport	Headline
Rugby	Hornby overtake ostentatious show offs.
Hockey	Terrance hockey team turn up and take the lead.
Soccer	Shrilanka soccer team shoot and score the world record.
Golf	Charles garrets ball roars and reaches a radical distance.

Persuasive writing 3

Squirrels shouldn't be removed from parks because they destroy the plants and gardens.

Some people may look at squirrels as a nuisance to society, whereas others look at them as cute little rodents. Of course, people sum up the worlds negativity around everything but themselves. Why are we concerned about squirrels messing up a few plants and gardens? Yeah, it can be annoying but what about the things that humans are destroying? We can't just pull an animal out of its home and if we do, what do you think would happen?

While we are focusing on squirrels wrecking a few pretty flowers and plants, us as humans are destroying the planet more than anything. Cutting down forests, ruining animals natural habitat, polluting waters, poaching, increasing global warming, and the list goes on and on. Instead of pointing fingers to nature and their animals, why not look at ourselves. Look at what we are doing instead of what a squirrel is doing to a garden.There are far more important things than that.

Animals. Have. Their. Rights. Squirrels natural habitat is in a tree. Maybe that tree just so happens to be in a park. It is their home. We should not get a say in where natures animals get to live. What if we were to be ripped out of all our homes? Everyone deserves a place to live and no one should decide who gets to live where.

What would actually happen if we removed squirrels from parks? Maybe they just wont come back, it'll be as easy as that. Not quite. They'll either come back, or find somewhere else to stay. So lets imagine the first scenario in action. If the squirrels do come back, they will be in the open, meaning that if a child is there it can frighten them, resulting into a screaming child, concerned bystanders, and an embarrassed parent/caregiver. Now, scenario two in action. They will roam around looking for another place to live. Maybe they'll just crawl into a tree and forget about it right? But then they need to find food. So instead they'll roam around a little more. Possibly, they stumble upon a public road. There could be multiple outcomes of what happens now. 1. They get ran over and die. 2. They run on the road and cause a car to swerve, leading into a crash that could be fatal. 3. They walk away. Anything could happen. Why put all of these possible outcomes at risk when this all could've been avoided right from the start.

We are the nuisance to this planet, not squirrels. If they live in the park, then they should stay in the park. We should be focusing on real issues in this world rather than a harmless rodent.

Season Similes

Spring looks like blossoms blowing in the wind

Spring tastes like fresh strawberries

Spring smells like freshly cut grass

Spring feels like warmth on my skin

Spring sounds like birds singing

Summer looks like the sun glistening through my window

Summer tastes like fresh glass of lemonade

Summer smells like fish n chips

Summer feels like good vibes

Summer sounds like the waves brushing against the sand

Autumn looks like colourful leaves

Autumn tastes like fresh waffles and maple syrup

Autumn smells like bakeries

Autumn feels like a quiet season

Autumn sounds like trees swaying in the wind

Winter looks like naked trees and dark skies

Winter tastes like warm hot chocolates

Winter smells like wet concrete

Winter feels like a cold and damp

Winter sounds like rain splashing onto pavements