From Plastic Bottles to Clothing

We have been learning to write an explanation and create links between our paragraphs. We learnt about the process of plastic bottles being turned into polyester and wrote about it. I found it hard to write my conclusion and sum everything up. I think next time I could create a more detailed diagram.

Planning

How are Plastic Bottles are Recycled into Polyester?

Did you know that plastic bottles are made into some of the clothing you are wearing? Plastic bottles are made into polyester and with New Zealand throwing away millions of plastic bottles every year we have plenty to work with.

Firstly the bottles are shredded to get rid of any unwanted liquid in them so it doesn’t affect the quality of the plastic. The plastic is then wrapped in cellophane and sent on a journey to the textiles factory in China. The plastic is useless to us but is very valuable to the industry in China.

In China the shredded plastic is sorted into coloured and clear plastic. The clear plastic is more valuable because it can be made into white fabric and it can be dyed any colour. Normally there is coloured lids or labels on clear bottles so they head for the baths to be strained off.

Once at the baths workers tip all the plastic into the baths. Their jobs are made easier because the lids are made of a different plastic that floats so it is easy for the workers to remove off all lids with a sieve. There is a separate bath for the stickers in chorsive caustic soda. The soda may be good for removing labels but is bad for the skin so the workers must be careful when working around it. The result is damp clear plastic.

The damp plastic is mixed with light coloured material put into spinning ovens for ten hours. The light coloured material is needed to make the fabric white. The employees must walk back and forth catching all the dried plastic that falls out of the spinning ovens in large containers.

With the now dry plastic it is put through a rotating screw and heated to 270° celsius which melts it. The liquid is pushed through a sieve and made into threads and collected in containers at the bottom. The threads are heated, stretched and combined together. Resulting in cloth which is teared apart, wrapped up and sent to another factory.

At the factory the fluff is carded which makes all the fabric lie in the same direction, this makes the fabric stronger. After the carding the fabric is then teased and spun onto bobbins. A giant loom then draws in all the threads off the bobbins and weaves them into a cloth. The cloth goes through a machine which delicately creates loops onto the fabric. The loops which were made are ripped giving the fabric a more soft furry feel.

This difficult process that travels all around the world eventually comes right back to us as clothing and other items. So all the millions of plastic we carelessly throw away is put to a good use.

Commotion

W.A.L.T.. use descriptive and interesting vocabulary in your work and create inks between paragraphs. We had to describe an image of a cyclist in detail and write what he would think, hear see. Next time I think I could focus more on what he was thinking in the race.

The sun’s scorching rays shine down on the crowd on the hot Christchurch day. The barriers contain the enthusiastic crowd as they shout encouraging words at me and giving me strength to pass the man in front of me. I look ahead and see the two other competitors cycling in front of me, everyone whips out their phones and cameras to capture the moment as I pass the French Cyclist. With muscles aching I gather my last bit of energy and accelerate forward the crowd going ballistic that New Zealand might win the race.

I glance over to the side and see the people cheering me on, they give me hope so I ignore my aching muscles and race on ahead. It all happens in a second my pedal clips the wheel of the German cyclist and my bike flips over with me in tow. The rest of the competitors break rapidly to stop in time, but they fail and they all fall down one by one. Commotion starts as the mob of people start to panic and the already overwhelming  noise grows louder. Athletes are slowly beginning to get up as the paramedics rush over to help the helpless cyclists when everything goes black.

Narrative Writing

Starter: Write a folktale about an annoying wildebeest who is always getting into trouble with her parents.

Me and Zoe quietly open the door and tiptoe inside. It’s midnight and Zoe and I were meant to be home by ten. We dread what will happen next. We look in the lounge and the lights flick on. Two pairs of angry eyes glare at me. “Why weren’t you home!” My dad screams. “I’m sorry we lost track of time.” I reply. I’m pretty used to it now they are always yelling at me for something. After they give us a half an hour lecture and we all go to bed.

Zoe went home and my parents announced I was grounded for a fortnight. Of course I don’t listen though. I text Zoe but she’s ‘sick’, that puzzles me because she was fine this morning. I decide to go wander out by myself because my parents especially hate that. It has been about an hour and see someone in the distance, I stop. I think it’s a lion, mums warned me about them. Apparently they hate us but I don’t believe her. I walk up to it and say “Hello”. He responds with “Hi”. He seems nice enough. We talk for a while and I learn he is a lonely, loving lion who is misjudged by everyone.  At lunch time I start to feel hungry so I decide to go home. We arrange to meet tomorrow at ten. My parent were at work so they didn’t know what I had done. I make myself a sandwich then head up to my room where I remain for the day. I hear my parents come home but I ignore them. I call Zoe up but she’s going somewhere or something. She was sick this morning so where’s she going. I go to sleep thinking of the next day.

I wake up and have breakfast. It’s is nine already so I head off to meet Calum. I finally see him and I tell him about Zoe. He says he saw her at Pizza Hut the other night with some other wildebeest. I’m the only wildebeest in her life I think to myself. Why would she lie to me I’m a great friend. Calum suddenly announces we should run away. I was taken aback I didn’t know what to say. “I mean we don’t have to.” He stutters. I quickly reply with “Yes I do wanna go!”. We discuss how we will go to the city and become famous. He talks about the city like an excited puppy. When I leave he will get supplies for the trip. At dinner time I run home.

I arrive home and burst through the door as loud as a trumpet. Hey mum, hey dad I’m running with Calum. “WHAT WHO IS HE!” Mum yells. “A lovely lion Calum.” I respond. Mum goes berserk “A lion!” Mum and dad beg me not to go but I don’t listen. I have nothing now Zoe left me, my only chance is Calum. I go upstairs and pack my bags. I go into a doze off and fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning I wake up, excited I grab my bags and run down the stairs. I hear a knock on the door, it must be Calum. I open the door and he comes in. “Sophie!” He shouts. We greet each other and we have a coffee. Mum and dad are as scared as mice so they don’t come down. After about fifteen minutes we set off on our journey to the city.

Persuasive Writing

Does music help people learn or does it distract them?

Does it depend on the music or the person?

In my opinion I think that it depends on the person if they work better with music or not. I personally think it helps me to learn because it puts people in a good mood, helps them to focus and achieve their goals.

First of all music helps people to feel more relaxed and happy. If the students are happy they will be more inspired to put their best effort into all their work. Children will also work faster with music on and will therefore get more work done. With pupils working efficiently and to the best standard they will be achieving their goals and progressing with their work.

Secondly people will be paying attention to the music and their work so they will be blocking out others around them. There will then be less talking around the classroom and we will have a quieter learning environment. For students it will then be easier to work in groups with the teachers if people are focusing on the music and working.

Lastly it may help inspire students with their work by giving them ideas. Especially in writing some students struggle with coming up with ideas for their work. With music children might also come up with ideas faster so they can move quickly into the publishing stage.

In conclusion I think that music does help people with their work because it puts them in a good mood and helps them to block others out. It may depend on the student’s preference but you should give pupils who want music the chance to have it.