Science

 Hi,

In Science we are learning about navigation without using any maps but using the sky. So we learned about the southern cross on the sky and use it as a guide so we can know the way to find home. Here is the science writing the we have done.

Early Polynesian

How do you find your way around? The Polynesian people find their way through the pacific ocean

using the sun because when the sun rises that means it is East so they would know the way to the

east. The Polynesian people use the sun set for the West so they know that they are going west and

don’t get lost in the middle of the ocean.

The Polynesian people also use stars so there is a star that they call is Hokupa’a and it is a fixed star

and does know move even when the earth rotates. They use that star as a North so they would know

that that is the way to the north.

The Polynesian people also use clouds to know if there is an Island closed by looking at the clouds

upside down. Because you can see the Islands reflection up in the clouds and also when there is a group

of big clouds bunching up together. They also know when they are very close to the Island by seeing

birds flying up in the sky because the birds can’t fly that far away from land because they would need

to rest.

The Polynesian people look under the sea because they can see the vegetation under the sea and they

would know that there is an Island closed by. They will know when they are close by seeing the

vegetation under the water.

The fish is also a sign that there is an Island close by. It is kind of similar to vegetation because when

you see a bunch of fish there is an Island that you are close to because fish goes close to Islands.

Debris the debris is also a sign that you are close to the Island because you can see the debris

floating over the water. Because the people are throwing some rubbish on the ocean and floating away

from the Island and polluting the ocean.

The water swells is also a way to get to an Island because the water swells pushes the things

that are floating in the middle of the ocean and pushes it to a shore. That is also a way to get away

from the middle of the ocean and get to a shore.

In conclusion, the early Polynesian people did not use maps at that time but they used the Stars,

Water Swells, Debris, Vegetation, Sun and Moon, Clouds and Fish. They use this to guide them to their

way through the pacific ocean without using any maps.