How does the creator use settings to help you understand an important idea in our world?

In the text, The hero of Hacksaw Ridge written by Booton Hurndon which is set during ww2. The character Desmond Doss has been facing challenges at the training camp in USA. I think the author used this setting to help the audience understand the idea that, Desmond stayed true to his beliefs Because I think the author wants us to realise that in life we should all stay true to our beliefs and never bow down to social pressure.

A key setting which helped me to understand the message of staying true to your beliefs was. In the barracks he had boots thrown at him for praying this setting was described in the text as volatile and abusive for example when he went to say his prayer he was bullied and got boots thrown at him because they thought he was weird. Desmonds experience of this setting was horrible and scary, This was evident when he was beaten and bullied (because he was failing everyone else) and had to keep it to him self. The way he reacted to the setting helps the audience to realise that Desmond is A man of true heart and won’t let anyone break it.

Desmond found this setting challenging because his comrades were trying to hurt him enough to make him leave but he was so determined  to stay so he didn’t bow down to social pressure. I think his struggles in this setting helped the audience to understand. No one believes in him except for himself and God so he had to get rid of everyone else’s beliefs so he could stay true to his. (How mean people can be and how much they didn’t want to understand him)            I believe that the author wants us, the audience to know that human behaviour can be destructive and abusive, and resilient to overcome it all.

In our world today this idea is important/relevant because Palestine is experiencing genocide and people protesting, our president not seeing them as a proper country anymore. not letting people give them food so they starve. And getting bombed killing innocent people and children. As a teenager I think this is not good, people should not have to deal with this and war should never be an option to resolve conflict between countries.

In most fires, smoke and panic cause more deaths than direct exposure to  flames, making them more dangerous killers than the fire itself.

For example, the majority of fire fatalities are caused by inhalation of toxic smoke, which can quickly render people unconscious or dead due to the presence of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide.

Inhaling smoke interrupts normal breathing and reduces oxygen supply, often leading to disorientation, unconsciousness, or death in minutes. At the same time, panic during a fire event can prompt people to act irrationally, such as stampeding, making poor escape decisions, or hiding in unsafe places, further increasing the risk of fatalities.

Therefore, when considering fire safety, it is crucial to address both smoke control and effective emergency planning, as these two factors are frequently the principal threats to life during a fire

On Wednesday Our VOC class made banana bread and vegetarian Tacos. I made the tacos and the banana bread and my friends made the filling, coleslaw, dough and salsa.

The recipes.

Coleslaw

In a medium sized bowl. 

Finely shred ¼ cabbage

Grate 1 large carrot

Salt 

Add 3 tablespoons of Mayo

The juice of half a lemon

Salsa

Finely dice 2 tomatoes

Finely dice ½ an onion

Finely chop parsley and coriander

Add juice of ½ a lemon or lime

Salt and pepper to taste.

Soft Taco’s

1 and a 1/2 cups of luke warm water

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of yeast

Let it bloom then…

Add 2 cups of plain flour

Mix into soft dough until smooth and then rest

Divide into small saucer size circles

Fry with a little oil in a pan, flipping when slightly browned.

Banana Bread

3x large bananas mashed

1x egg

¾ cup of sugar

1x large egg

⅔ cup of butter or oil

⅔ cup of milk

1 and ½ cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Mix together

Pour mixture into a greased baking tray or pan.

Bake at 160 degrees for 40 mins.

Filling

Peel and dice one kumara

Boil until soft

Chop and fry 8 mushrooms

Fry until soft

Add ½ can of chilli beans and mix all ingredients together.

Salt and pepper to taste.

In the novel Hero of Hacksaw ridge, By Bouton Hurdon. The main character is Desmond Doss he is a religious man who grew up in a a home with an abusive depressed  father but a loving mother. he grew up with his brother and he almost killed his brother by hitting him with a brick.When he grew up he saved a man who’s leg was crushed under a car and took him to hospital where he met Dorthy his wife. He left for the war where he was greeted but at the end of the day they despised him and beat him when he left expecting it then he went to court with the court marshal    because he refused to pick up a weapon and it was an order from his Sargent major. his father came in and gave the marshal a letter saying why he couldn’t carry a weapon. he became a medic to save people instead of harming them on their walk up to their first checkpoint all the dead bodies were coming back and all the traumatised people.  Desmond met the other medic Joseph they discussed their religions. they went up the rope into the war and got smoked but then put the pressure on and killed heaps of them and heaps of them got injured. At night he stayed up the ridge and saved 75 human lives by himself even when he was getting shot at.

Desmond Doss saved about 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa, a feat that has become iconic in both military and humanitarian circles. This astonishing number highlights the remarkable impact one individual can have even in the most hostile environments. In recognition of his valour, Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in the United States, presented by President Harry S. Truman in 1945. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Doss received two Bronze Star Medals for valour in earlier campaigns in Guam and the Philippines. These awards illustrate not only the magnitude of his sacrifice but also the respect and admiration he earned from both his comrades and the nation. Doss’s story convincingly proves that true heroism is measured by courage, compassion, and the willingness to risk everything for others

Desmond Doss overcame tremendous challenges both on and off the battlefield. Initially, Doss was ostracised and bullied by fellow soldiers for his refusal to carry a weapon and his deeply held religious beliefs, enduring verbal and physical harassment in training. Despite these hardships, and the pressure to abandon his convictions, he chose to persist in his role as a medic, determined to serve others without compromising his principles. On the front lines, Doss faced the constant threat of enemy fire, horrific injuries, exhaustion, and fear—yet he pressed on to treat the wounded, often venturing alone into heavily contested areas. His unwavering sense of duty required not only extraordinary bravery but also emotional and moral fortitude. Doss’s ability to remain compassionate and resolute in the face of adversity exemplifies why his story holds such enduring power and relevance

Our class from Bay of Islands College recently took part in a community service project at the Kawakawa tennis courts, an experience that not only benefited the local area but also brought our group together for a meaningful cause. We worked hard cleaning, repairing fences, and repainting lines, which improved the courts’ safety and appearance. This hands-on involvement taught us valuable teamwork skills and the importance of giving back to our community, leaving us all with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment.

From the start,the grass was very overgrown and the whole thing looked like a big green carpet. We worked together on a variety of tasks, including shoveling all the grass, sweeping it into piles, then shoveling the piles of grass into the wheel barrows then taking them to the trailer to be loaded up and ready to take to school

The tennis courts had not been used for over 10 years and had gotten really bad these last 2,3 years and someone was living inside of the resting area. But now it’s really clean and anyone can come play tennis.

Community service is voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area. The area we helped was near the hospital in Kawakawa. Participants do not receive payment for their efforts, although occasional small gifts or meals may be provided 

One of my teachers, Wheae Ruth, was the old president of the tennis club and has a wonderful history with the sport. Around fifteen years ago, she could often be seen playing matches on the courts, displaying both her skill and passion for tennis. Her dedication not only inspired many young players but also helped build a sense of community within the club. Wheae Ruth’s leadership and love for the game left a lasting legacy, making her a respected figure among members. Even now, people speak fondly of her contributions and the positive spirit she brought to the tennis courts. 

We are learning  about writing an essay about the story of Hacksaw ridge and why he became a hero. yesterday I worked with Peyton and Vahn they helped me catch up from the day before and I got heaps of work done about writing different bodies. I got 3 bodies done with about 100 words each. I wrought about how the only weapon he had to carry was his bible and why he never wanted to kill or harm human lives.

In the novel The hero of hacksaw ridge, Written by Booton Herndon An important choice the protagonist Desmond Doss makes is to not carry a weapon. His decision helps the audience understand that he was a deeply religious man whose actions were guided by his beliefs. His decision showed the audience  he was determined, confident and willing to stand up for what he believed.

The important decision Desmond Doss chose to make was not to carry a weapon. He chose that decision because he believed in the 10 commandments and the sixth rule was to never commit murder. So that is why he never carries a weapon because he doesn’t want to hurt or harm anyone because he values the lives of others.   His other associates didn’t like the fact that he wouldn’t carry a weapon. They felt that if they took him into the battle ground he would be no use.

Desmond’s decision to not carry a weapon helps the audience understand. He values human life  and he won’t bow down to social pressure. For example when his commanding officer tried to give him a gun and say it was non lethal he still wouldn’t take it because he believed that the only weapon he needed was his bible.  This teaches the audience that he will never resort to violence regardless of if he got in trouble with his superiors or bullied by the platoon.  For example when the platoon goes on a hike during the training period they would harass him, call him names and throw their boots at him.

VOLLEYBALL TEAM TRAINING

Team training really made a difference for my tinana (physical well being) because we always started with a good warm up. The warm up got our bodies moving and helped us loosen up our muscles before we started. This was important because it made sure we wouldn’t hurt ourselves when we started playing harder. After the warm up, we did lots of drills, like passing and serving. These drills helped us get used to the ball and improved our skills, so we felt more ready for our game. By practicing these drills, I could feel myself getting stronger and more confident with the ball.

 Team training also had a big impact on my hinengaro (mental and emotional well being). My team and I got our minds ready to play by focusing and switching on during training. We made sure we knew where to move and when to move, especially to get under the ball. Communication was really important—we called out to each other and said who we were setting the ball to. This helped everyone be ready and know what to do next. By working together and talking, we built trust and made our team stronger. I felt good knowing that my team was there to support me, and this made me feel more positive and confident during training.

English novel study

The person I have chosen is Martin Luther King Jr.

He was born on January 15, 1929

He lived in Auburn Avenue community of Atlanta

Martin Luther King Jr. significantly changed the world through his leadership of the American civil rights movement. He advocated for nonviolent resistance and led marches, protests, and boycotts to fight for racial equality and justice, ultimately leading to landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. 

Kia ora

For our social studies class we gave been looking at the topic of managing the environment. As we are all kaitiaki of our taiao it is important that we understand how we can ensure our taiao is left in a better state and that it is thriving for generations to come.  more specifically we have been exploring the marine environment which has developed a ”killer algae” formally known as culerpa.

How does it spread? Boats and fish. What does it look like? it looks like astro turf. How far will it spread?1 square meter to 10,000 in 2 months. What impacts does it have? Effects growth of other sea life. What kills it? smoking it with tarp and chlorine A suction vacuum.

What was Caulerpa first used for?For aquarium. Where in the Moana was it first found, and how did they think it got there? from an a aquarium in monako It is considered likely it arrived on a vessel travelling from Australia or the Pacific. Where in the world was Caulerpa found in the moana as a result of dumping Aquarium water down the drain? It was in an aquarium in Monaco. How did they try and stop it in the Bay near San Diego? They used chlorine.Why did the Caulerpa strand spread in Australia and where was it found first?  New Zealand probably originated from the eastern coast of Australia.What was the key message for us as Katiaki of te taiao to remember? the natural world that contains and surrounds us.

they have a boat with a vacuum on it and put it over the caulerpa.

In social studies we have been learning about lake Omapere.

In social studies we have been doing the topic “managing the environment” here we understood about recourse renewable and non-renewable. A vital resource is water and we decided to focus on the documentary within Ngapuhi called “restoring the mauri of the lake Omapere, following is what I captured of the documentary.   Back in the day Maori people used to own 66 million acres of land and 34 million acres were taken off them. Nowadays, Maori people only own 4 million acres. Back when the lake was healthy and average the average eels were 30ib now less eel and they are way smaller because the lake has potassium cyanide and the water levels are only 2.5 meters but in summer it gets shallow as 1 meter. There used to be over 2500 people that lived around the lake; now there are only 80 people that reside there.They used to take dead bodies and put them on the rocks to deteriorate and then they would take the bones and bury them in the crater of Maunga Putahi.  Mass harvest of wood >kauri totara kahikatea> close to water edge> soil deteriorating>farming industry >80 people deteriorating> industry w>hakikat>through burning> sailing happening in russell.Sealing (killing) occurred in Russell w 1000s of dead floating in water. Killed  Maori spirituality from the sight as well as polluted water.  The pakeha used to harvest heaps of wood and float it down the stream. The wood was kauri, totara and kahikatea. They floated the wood from the Hokianga harbor into the stream because it was close to the water edge.From the removal of trees/ Burnet scrub. Which meant soil deterioration/  Killing flora and fauna. They burnt the scrub and all the erosion went down it to the stream.The eels were rolling down the river then they diverted the eels in the banks they let some of the eels carry on down the river. They did it all night long till they stopped running. They would clean the eels, pawhara them, smoke them and more.than they used to go on their horses then take the eels to people who needed them.When they went to spear the eels there were lots of places that they were quite afraid of. If you trampled on the end of the swampy area the other  end would rise up. By then the eels would be gone. The spears were very long and they would disappear into the depth  of the swamp. Some areas were sponge like and when the maori went eeling, It would be dangerous because they could sink and maybe die in the mud.100s of maori digging 1400 acres of gum field then used to be called the omapere maori block.Austrian settlers went out  and blasted the rocks around the area as if they were gum diggers, searching for stuff to sell. The result of that was soil erosion, and made the lake larger.MAF rejected the proposal of commercial eeling, The maoris believed that the eels cleaned  the lake.   Teh they dropped carp into the lake to clan the aleae and tidy up the water edge The documentary on restoring lake Omapere relates to our topic “managing the environment” Because Its teaches us about the history of the lake and how much it meant to the local maori and how they wanted there lake to not to be dirty because it was there drinking, cleaning and swimming water but know its only about a meter in depth and polluted.NIWA (National institute of water and atmosphere research)  were the ones that introduced the Carp to the lake to eat the algae and eliminate the pollution in the swamp. The council made a man-made outlet into the Utakura river, but had rocks to stop the carp from getting in the river and out into the Hokianga Harbour.   Maori never used to say something is a  pest – so we need to get rid of this mentality and “humans are the biggest pests”if that is the case. Fish have a large concentration of heavy metals.Several dates in part 5. Where Ngawha Mercury mining occured, hydro power, and the prison was created etc.The prison was built over a swamp and is slowly sinking and back in the day it was a Pa many years ago. I think it is also where people used to go and take their lives. At Lake Ōmāpere they also planted about 136 kms of harakeke to help filter the water. They were planted 3 meters apart and in rows. In conclusion I learnt the importance of  looking after our water ways and how quickly it can get polluted and destroyed. I enjoyed learning about something in my local area and more mindful about keeping our waterways clean and how water is a sacred resource.