Day 1: White Picket Fences (The 1950s)
In the 1950s, things settled down in New Zealand. There were no international wars or intense, national conflicts. Many kiwis were able to settle down, get married, buy a home and start a family.
Activity 1: Meat and Three Veg
It was common for women in the 1950s to stay home with their children and raise their family. They were called ‘housewives.’ Many housewives followed a simple rule when they prepared the evening meal: the ‘meat and three veg’ rule. This meant that they prepared dinners that included three different vegetables and a type of meat (eg. beef, lamb, or chicken).
On your blog tell us if you think that the ‘meat and three veg’ rule is a good one. Do you like the rule? Would you enjoy eating a typical 1950s dinner? Why or why not?
I do like the rule because vegetable's a very healthy and because I like meat.
I would enjoy eating a typical 1950s dinner.
Activity 2: What’s in a Name?
During the 1950s the population of New Zealand grew by 400,000 people. That is huge! In fact, so many people were having babies that many people refer to this period in our history as the ‘baby boom.’ Popular baby names in 1950s New Zealand were:
GIRLS BOYS
Christine John
Susan David
Margaret Peter
Judith Michael
Jennifer Robert
Read through the lists. Are these popular names in your school? On your blog, tell us which names are currently popular in your school. Please provide, at least, three girls’ names and three boys’ names that are popular.
When I was going to school, the name ‘Jennifer’ was the most popular girl’s name and the name ‘Matthew’ was the most popular boy’s name.
Since I still go school I think the famous girl name is Christine and for the boys is David
Bonus Activity: Snail Mail
In the 1950s, most people communicated with one another by writing letters. According to the NZ history website, New Zealanders sent over 200 million letters and postcards between 1950 and 1960. That is an average of 87 letters per person!
For this activity, imagine that you are living in New Zealand in the 1950s. Use Google Draw* to design the front of a postcard that you could send to a friend. Try to include elements of Kiwiana in your design (e.g. Pohutukawa trees, Hokey Pokey ice cream, etc). Post a copy of your postcard picture to your blog. Be sure to describe what you have drawn on your blog beneath the picture.
*You will need to make a copy of the Google Draw template to create your postcard.
The Pohutukawa tree is there because It the beach in the background suited with the tree and also the sun on the right top corner also suited it so I put them in together. the bus on the top left corner was going on a trip to New Zealand and they saw the beach so the people went for a swim even in there shoes.
BONUS POINTS: 16
Hey there Lily, thanks for completing another set of activities. I am glad to read that you would be interested in the meat and three veg rule. I certainly wouldn't mind having it. I think it is healthy and well balanced. Do you think you would get sick of having the same sort of food each night?
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting how David and Christine are really popular names at your school. At the school I teach at, I don't know any children named David and Christine. When I was younger there were a lot of children named Jessica, Georgia, Thomas, James etc. Do you have a favourite name? If you could pick your name, what would it be? Lily is a cool name though!
I love your postcard that you have created. It's really cool the way you have inserted images on top of the Pohutakawa beach scene. I love how you've written a few sentences to explain the decisions you've made when creating this postcard. Have you ever sent or received a postcard?
Thanks, Billy