The Incredible Human Machine Grid challenge!

We had some fun doing these tasks over the term. Check out individual blogs to see how we got on! 

WALT: recognise and describe the systems that work together in the human body WALT: explain how the human body responds to a specific challenge (physical & psychological responses) WALT: describe mechanisms that help humans cope with challenge (stressors)

Compose a rap/music lyrics: About a challenge to the human machine- viruses, smoking, alcohol, diseases, immunity to penicillin...	Timeline/flow chart: Investigate and record evolutionary changes to the human machine over time- record predictions regarding changes into the future.	Design a menu: Make a healthy, balanced meal plan for your family for a day.  Remember to consider the food groups and their specific role in health. Include costing and a list of ingredients.	Exercise Plan: Design a 5-10min dance/exercise routine to music that would encourage others to ‘be active’. Consider what parts of the body you are exercising. Be prepared to instruct the class.
Complete a personal food and activity log. (2 day period) When completed: Categorise the food groups. Create graphs to illustrate the information you gather. Make generalisations about your diet and exercise. Could you make any recommendations to yourself?		You must aim to complete 5 activities. We finish at the end of week 8. As you complete an activity and have it marked, highlight the square on your grid.	Design a piece of equipment: to support a person with a disability. It must include an illustration, written description and be related to a real need.
Profile an Athlete you admire. Remember top athletes are talented, but really they are just like everybody else- they did not start out as champions. Some sample questions you may wish to answer; Why did they choose the sport they have?, What was an example of a low point and how did they deal with it? Greatest achievement?	Presentation: Select one human body system. Become an expert by creating a presentation that informs. The challenge is to create something that is entertaining/  interesting. Body systems are: Respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Digestive, Endocrine, Immune.	Create a TV commercial. (1 min) Select a specific product eg; soft drink, make-up, sports shoe, hair product. The goal is to reflect/ parody how real commercials often rely on manipulating a viewer’s self image to make them desire a product. Write a script, identifying a product, audience, brand name. This is the only group activity task.	Write an exposition: Should the NZ government impose a “fat tax” on unhealthy foods? Take a stand on the above issue and compose an argument to support your opinion. (You have a strong opinion on another issue?- if it fits with our inquiry focus go ahead!)

Wonderful writers

This term one of our writing focuses has been on creating effective explanations. We came up with a topic of particular interest to us before forming three questions that we wished to answer. After extensive researching,we began forming our explanation texts...aiming to demonstrate our strong writing voices, structure appropriately and make precise vocabulary choices.
Here is Emma's effort. Check out our individual blogs!

Arthritis

Have you ever had trouble grasping a jar or opening a lid? This is something people with arthritis have to deal with on a day to day basis.  There are over 140 types of arthritis, but about 5 types are common in NZ. Arthritis is a disease that causes tightening of the muscles, inflammation of joints, weakening of the fingers, hips and many other joints.  Some of the effects that you can see are: nobly joints, crooked fingers or inflamed knees. Many medications are in place to help fix the symptoms that arthritis brings.

There are many different types and versions of Arthritis. In New Zealand the most common type is OA (Osteoarthritis). Almost half of people aged over 60 and virtually all over 80 have OA. On the other hand Reactive Arthritis is more common for people aged 20 - 40 but it can also affect young women and children. As you can see arthritis affects anyone no matter what age you are there is a possibility of getting arthritis.

Arthritis makes people weak and sore in the particular area that they get it in. Everyone with arthritis has to deal with the pains and injuries on a daily basis. Some of the effects that you can see from arthritis are: inflamed knees, nobly joints, crooked fingers. Sharp pains and aching joints affect the way people work and move.  For example, OA can feel like broken glass in your joints. Imagine that cracking, smashing sound when you are simply trying to bend your knee or leg.

Unfortunately there is no real cure for arthritis but there are, fortunately many ways to control the symptoms with medications. There is a list of medications that you can take  to help Arthritis like NSAIDs and DMARDs. You have to take these before you try any of the self injected medications; Humira, Enbrel.  Humira is a fortnightly self injected medication that is for Rheumatoid arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis amongst other diseases and things. Enbrel is a weekly self injection. This is for RA, Psoriatic arthritis, JIA and AS.

Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints and muscles and  causes pain in the particular area. Although it has no cure, you can take medication to help the symptoms.

Links/Bibilorgraphy:

Arthritis NZ:  http://www.arthritis.org.nz/

Humira:  http://www.humira.co.nz/

Enbrel:   http://www.enbrel.co.nz/

Blossuming artists!

This week Room 15 have been busy working on our sculptures...wire, then tinfoil, then paper mâché, finally a paint job! We'll post reflections and pictures of our completed work over the next week...keep watching!