Nephrite is the most common pounamu. It is made when greywacke and dendrite fuse together under extreme heat and pressure.  

  The Maori people have been carving nephrite for hundreds of years. So much so, that it has become an important part of Maori culture. Due to the stone’s hardness and difficulty to obtain, it became one of the most prized materials and possesses much sentimental and spiritual value right down to our day.

The Maori refer to Nephrite Jade as POUNAMU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continental Plates

Continental plates are made of a rocky substance. They move across the mantel of the earth, the mantel is a liquidy rock layer under the earth crust.   The Plates are what cause earthquakes.  On faults the plates grind together untill pressure becomes unbearable for the plates and they suddenly move or they push up and make mountains.  Also they can push down and make valleys.

Plates affect us by the earthquakes they cause. A magnitude 7-9 earthquake, (7 will destroy well built buildings. 9 wide spread destruction) will destroy practically everything.

 

Earthquake Proof Buildings, Jeven

Buildings on normal foundations bend and break up during an earthqake. They break because the tops are moving but the bottoms aren't. Buildings on special rubber springs can move with the earthquake and the top and bottom move together so it doesn't break. Another way is to inject cement into sandy area's where they are building structures, without cement the building can tilt and sink in an earthquake.

 

Mr Andersons Temper Tantrum

"Someone crashed into my car", the teacher yelled. He smashed his cellphone into the top of the whiteboard. He looked enraged! He threw his seat on the floor and said he needed some time by himself and went out the door. On the way he smashed his hand against the frame. All the kids talked and some of them laughed. Some kids went back to doing what they were doing. He come back in still with a pouty look on his face.