TERM TWO WEEK ONE Gallipoli Exhibition

Gallipoli exhibition extended for 3 years

April 30, 2019

Te Papa’s Gallipoli exhibition: The Scale of our War is going to be extended for at least another three years.

Since opening in 2015 the exhibition has had over 2.5 million visitors. This makes it the most popular exhibition the country has ever seen.

It opened in time to mark 100 years since the beginning of World War I, and was scheduled to close this year.

However, the museum decided to extend the exhibition based on the feedback from visitors, visitor numbers, and the impact it has had on people.

Te Papa board member Evan Williams said the extension would give as many New Zealanders as possible a chance to experience it for themselves.

WHO visitors to Te Papa and people who fought in the war

WHERE Te Papa

WHEN exhibition opened in 2015

WHY to teach people about what it was like in World War 1, in Gallopoli

WHAT HAPPENED:

Xmas Trees

People using pineapples instead of Christmas trees!

November 12, 2017

This year, pineapples are making a comeback – as a replacement of Christmas trees.

People are saying goodbye to the traditional bauble embellished branches for large pineapples, decorated in fairy lights and ornaments.

Baubles are being hung from the head of the pineapple to create a Christmas tree effect – and we’ve got to admit, we’re in love with the idea.

Not only is it a super cheap alternative to
Christmas trees, it’s more interesting than a tiny tree and both smells and tastes better. People have been taking to Instagram to debut their pineapple trees, and we’ve rounded up a few of our favourites.

I think that they are easier to take down.

I think it's weird because the pineapple might go rotten.

I think it's weird because you can't fit your presents under the tree.

I think it's cool because you could eat it after it has been a xmas tree.

I think it's cool they can make a pineapple look like a xmas tree.

I think it looks beautiful with all the lights.

I think you could use other vegs and fruit for decorations.

I think it's good because it won't be so expensive.

I wonder where they got the idea from.

I wonder they got all the decorations to stay on.

I wonder how they got it to stand up.

I wonder how many people will use that crazy idea.



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Balloon Ride

Man does 100-balloon camping chair flight

October 26, 2017

A British adventurer has flown 25km across South Africa suspended from 100 helium balloons.

Tom Morgan, from Bristol, reached heights of 2,438m while strapped to a camping chair.

The 38-year-old spent two days inflating balloons ahead of the flight, which he described as “magical”.

The challenge moved to South Africa on Friday after several failed attempts in Botswana.
“The problem was finding a good weather window and it was difficult to protect the balloons as they kept bursting,” Mr Morgan said.

With just enough helium left for one more attempt, the adventurer and his team moved their base to just north of Johannesburg.

Describing the experience as “unbelievably cool”, Mr Morgan also admitted feeling “somewhere between terrified and elated” as he rose in the air.

Mr Morgan runs an adventure company, wants to eventually set up a competitive helium balloon race in Africa.
“We will have to avoid areas with lots of spiky bushes though,” Mr Morgan said.

1. Who is the main person or group of people in this news article?

2. What was the key event from the news article?

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Bee Beard Record

Man sets bee beard record

September 4, 2017

Juan Carlos Noguez Ortiz has no fear of bees, and on Wednesday in Toronto he proved it.

Ortiz set a new Guinness world record for wearing a bee beard.

He wore the bee beard for 61 minutes in front of a crowd at Yonge-Dundas Square, beating the previous record of 53 minutes, 34 seconds.

Ortiz said he practised the stunt only twice before the official attempt.

“I wanted to show people that they don’t have to be scared of the bees,” said Ortiz.

Peter Dickey, the master beekeeper at Dickey Bee Honey Farm, provided the bees for the stunt.

“We brought 100,000 bees with us, so there are more bees with us today than ever.

I think

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I wonder

Spider named after NZ biologist

August 14, 2017

A  native species of spider has been named after New Zealand biologist Professor Simon Pollard .

The new species is a Trite pollardi is a small, flat jumping spider about 5mm long and commonly found on buildings and in gardens in both the North and the South Island.

The spider was previously called Holoplatys sp. as it didn’t have a species name.

However, Polish taxonomist Marek Zabka, who spent three months in New Zealand studying native jumping spiders, revised its status.

It was placed in the genus Trite and renamed in honour of Prof Pollard.

An award-winning author, Prof Pollard spent much of 2016 advising Te Papa and Weta Workshop on the $5 million Bug Lab science exhibition, which is touring internationally.

He was also the advisor for a spider sequence on the BBC’s David Attenborough series The Hunt.

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I wonder

Hot air balloons break record

August 2, 2017

Hundreds of hot air balloons took to the skies in pursuit of two world records at a biannual festival in France.

A total of 456 balloons simultaneously floated in a line during the Mondial Air Balloons festival at an airbase in Chambley-Bussieres on Friday.

Poor weather in the area postponed the record attempt twice throughout the week until the colorful balloons representing pilots from 45 different nations successfully launched at about 9 a.m., the Local reported.

It took about 45 minutes for all of the balloons to rise into the formation as they attempted to set records for number of balloons aligned and number of Cloudhoppers, or one-person hot air balloons.

The team successfully broke the record they set at the festival two years ago, when they launched 433 balloons.

1. Who is the main person or group of people in this news article?

2. What was the key event from the news article?

3. Where did this event take place?

4. When did this event take place?

I think

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I wonder

Ape that went to college dies

August 9, 2017

Chantek, one of the world’s most famous apes, had passed away.

The male orangutan was among the first apes to learn sign language, could clean his room and even went to college to study. However, he died on Monday at age 39, at Atlanta Zoo.

Chantek, who was taught by a trainer who raised him like her own child, was being treated for heart disease.

He is one of the oldest male orangutans in North American zoos and was born at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center in Atlanta.

He was among a handful of primates who could communicate using American Sign Language.