Kapahaka at Polyfest

Kapa Haka Polyfest

On the 29^th of August St Marys Kapa Haka group participated in the Otago Early childhood and schools Maori & Pacific island festival. It was held in the Edgar Sports Centre in Dunedin, so we traveled to and from by bus. First up was Richard Hudson Kindergarten and there were only six pre schools and schools ahead of us. In total there were 79 schools during the three days and over 3,500 children! My favorite performance was the Montessori daycare because they were so cute and adorable!

–Anahera.

I loved our performance, especially the Haka which the boys preformed awesomely and very loud! –Michaela

We first arrived at the Edgar sports Center Dunedin at approximately 9:20am and left back for school at 12:20.  Before we left we all got changed into our costumes, the boys wore Mokos on their faces and the girls had black lips, Mokos on their chins and eyeliner on their eyes. All the performances were terrific! Especially our great and fantastic performance. Before we walked on stage at first I was frightened but then when we all began to sing I felt like that I wasn’t left out of the group. Overall we had a fantastic time and hope that more of our classmates will consider joining the Kapa Haka group.

St Mary's Kapa Haka Group in the ODT today!

Check out page 6 of the ODT today or read about it here online!  CONGRATULATIONS to all who took part in this incredible celebration....

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/223761/diversity-celebrated-biggest-polyfest-yet

Dear Farmer Brown

27-8-12

Dear Farmer Brown

You are already the best farmer in the world. But to keep that spot on the podium you need to class up your act.

I’ve been hearing rumors that your neighbor farmer blue has a dining room in the cow’s barn. Since I care for you so much and I want you to stay the best in the business I think you should put a TV in the milk station. I have many reasons why you should do this but Im only going to share a few. Reason number one is it boring when we have nothing to do when being milked. Reason number two, if we had a TV in the milk station we would be much happier which means better milk and more of it.    

Sincerely

Cows

P.S. We give you four days to complete this task or the cows and I will give you no milk for eight months.

Farmer Brown

27/08/12

Dear Farmer Brown,

Lovely, handsome, smart, charming Farmer Brown.
As you obviously know you are by far the best ever farmer there is. But us ducks hear things.
And those ducks from next door have been boasting like crazy about there new 'Fun Park'.
That farmer Abel will be making for them. They're also talking about a pond upgrade!
Since this is such a wonderful idea Farmer Abel might now be the best farmer.
Us ducks need a fun park too you know. You ask why? We have a diving board and filter what else would we need?
Well yes, the filter has done us good and we're always squeaky clean and healthy.
But the diving board is getting far too crowded as it's not just us that seem to use it. Farmer McDonald's ducks come over and use it too. So the line goes forever on. Say that you agree with our idea.
When you start building we will probably need a pond upgrade, triple to fit the fun park in!
Hopefully you agree because if you don't we will annoy you all day and night.
In the day getting under your feet and quacking loudly, and in the night making the most
horrible din you'll ever hear. You will not be able to go to sleep at night!
So consider these reasons and then consider the consequences. I t's your choice.

Yours truly
The Ducks.

Dear Ducks.
I have considered your reasons and I am going to give in as I remember what happened with the cows.
I have called the company management and they will start building in 2 weeks time.

Yours sincerely

Farmer Brown

Otago Early Childhood and Schools' Maori & Pacific Island Festival 2012

Soooooo proud of AMAZING performance by our school kapahaka group!

Off to Polyfest

First ever for St Mary's Mosgiel... Off to the festival... More photos real soon...

To dearest Farmer Brown,

To dearest Farmer Brown,

You are the best owner a dog could ask for and I repay you with my loyalty and respect.

The other day I happened to notice your fancy new Hunting and Fishing Waterproof Gumboots.

They don't happen to come in a smaller size do they? It's just that since you don't allow us to ride on the Motorcycle anymore us helpless dogs put up with the hard long trudging along through the icky sticky mud that you just zoom through. I'm just suggesting that your poor old hard working dogs deserve a single pair of gumboots. I hope this doesn't ruin the deal but, I have noted the other dogs of my thoughts and they agree, so I guess that will be 13 pairs of boots, or no rounding sheep this weekend........

Yours Sincerely,

Paw Paw,

P.S.

Marcy, Doris and Kath want a pink pair of boots (high heeled) each, and

Bobo, Marty and Travis want a Jet ski.

By the way if you were wondering,

the pig stole your old pair....

Dear Farmer Brown

Dear Farmer Brown

You are already an amazing farmer but to make you better you should buy a filter and a heater for my pond. We need a filter because there is a heap of leaves floating around the pond and Shelly the duck swallowed one the other day and she choked. We would like a heater because the pond is freezing in the winter. So please give us these things or else we will go on strike. If there are no ducklings anytime soon you will know why.

P.S You have 1 week time limit.

Sincerely,

The Ducks

Collaboration across New Zealand

Check out this wonderful blog post about our writing being read and edited by Room 5 at Melville Intermediate.  

Here we are on Maia Walczak's website...

Check this out fabulous writers from Room 6!  Here we are linked on Maia's own website.  She said your work is incredible and you are all so talented!

Stray

Right now I am starving for food. I am scampering the city dump. I live on the top of the dumping ground and cuddle up on an old ragged and torn blanket! A seagull circling me for the only piece of food left that hangs from my jaws. I am unwanted and terrified of all those who scare me and who come closer to my thick and dirty fur. I am damp and drenched with the smell of rotten food and old clothing with stains left on them. I can hear the laughter of children and the smell of fresh meat from the butchers, the pitter patter of feet stomping toward me like a stampede of elephants. I am homeless to other dogs that have toys food and a basket! Right now I am covered in fleas that itch real bad and my fur is all tattered and smells of rotten fish and more! The sound of ships and boats give me headaches. I wish I wasn’t abandoned or lost or with out a home. Suddenly I see a speck of light coming from the busy road where there’s non stop traffic all day and all night! I quickly sprint as fast as I can to the light above. It had seemed to be another stray dog on the loose! But this time it had been run over by a tank truck! I try to comfort her but she was frozen like an ice cube. After I try to get attention I drag her off the road and bring her to the city dump where she will be able to feel better! The blood stains are still to be left on the road and never to been known again. We scamper off and try to act cute to be adopted! And it worked! A man with a black coat and a fancy hat brought me home where I will be safe and sound tucked away still in my ragged and torn old blanket! Mended and patched for the rest of my years.

Stray

I’m all alone in the rain. I’m freezing cold and I have no owner. They all left me at an abandoned house. People were trying to take it down so I had to leave. I tried to find shelter but there was no luck. I’m alone and I have not eaten anything in days. I’m drinking water from puddles and eating out of the garbage bin. I’m howling in the night hoping someone will find me. No one wants me because people only want puppies and I’m an adult dog. Wait, I see people. I’m running as fast as I can, they know that I’m an abandoned so they are letting me stay with them.  

All alone...

I’m all alone in this dirty old dump and all I want is someone to care for me once more but everyone loves their greedy non-stray cats. It’s frightening all day and night thinking that someone might run us over on the road and someone might kill or hurt us. I’m all abandoned in a dirty dump because I’m unwanted. I used to have owners and a cozy warm house until they got a greedy cat. When the cat moved in I was kicked out and now I’m a stranded, homeless, stray dog. It’s a dark and lonely life. It’s freezing all night and all I want is food and a warm cozy bed. When it comes to a time for food it is a mission because there is nothing to eat, so I am very skinny and all I am doing is begging for food. Of course no one gives me any because I am a dirty unwanted stray dog. All I can find to eat is a dirty half eaten sandwich in a garbage bag. Oh well, I’ll eat it anyway because it’s all I’m going to get for another month or so. It’s a problem trying to keep myself warm because I live in an abandoned dirty rubbish dump. To keep myself warm I have to go deep into the garbage. I have decided that it is time for me to go to my old owners and see if they still have that nasty cat. If they don’t they will want me. I have arrived at the house but there is a for sale sign up. Oh no, now how will I get a nice warm cozy bed to sleep in and how will I get some lovely owners to care for me. On my way home to that yucky dirty rubbish dump I get hit by a big truck. My paw is broken. Lucky for me my old friend pawsy saved me. Pawsy cared for me and my broken paw. 

Stray

I am alone and frightened, my owner has abandoned me at a rubbish disposal site. I hear just flowing traffic, horns beeping. I have no food. How am I supposed to live around here? I am starving. I am going to look for some food.  I am walking across the road not caring what will happen to me because I am unwanted. My fur is scruffy. I’m so dirty. Who knows what is roaming around on my skin right now? I am hoping that someone will see me and will recognize that I am trembling in the cold and freezing weather.

Finally there is something ahead, I see lights flashing. They are kids. They come over to me. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared; they run off and come back with a box. They try to get me in the box, so I get in. I hear lots of voices saying “what’s in the box?’’

A few days later…

I am in some sort of car.  We pull up and I get out. I see a yard with lots of dogs. I don’t think is going to end well… Some of the dogs have jackets on. It’s kind of like they’re training. I look down and I have a collar and it says “Jude’’. All of that work of being a stray was worth it. Now I have a loving family. I can also help other dogs that are a stray.

Stray...

It is a dark and quiet and lonely in a stray dog’s life. No one is out because it is night time and no one is letting me in. I live where there is a dump. I am afraid of the dark. At night I am far, far away of a house. The persons house that I did live at must of not of loved me. I wish someone would just come for a walk and find me because I am hungry and thirsty, because no one has fed me. So that might mean that if no one feeds me I will die because I am starving and thirsty. Maybe I should go for a walk and see if someone will feed me. If no one does then I will try and find some food. If I can not then I will try and find some water that I can drink. Okay, I am off for a walk to see if I can find some food or some water to drink or I will go back and find some one that can feed me and that can give me a drink because now I am very, very thirsty. Oh no, now I am very thirsty and very lost.  Oh, look, there is an old woman and an old man. Maybe they might look after me and feed me. I will go and ask if they can look after me and love me and keep me nice and warm and away from the dark and keep me a way from the cold and give me lots of water and feed me. I am going to go and ask them if they can. If they cannot then I will be dead and I would hate that because I am starving and very thirsty. Oh look, they have lifted me up and they are taking me home and laying me on the chair and doing all the stuff I wanted them to do.     

         

Stray Dog

I live in the dump all alone in this big cold world. I was abandoned when I was a pup, when my mum got taken away. I have been alone all my life, just eating the scraps from the rubbish, roaming around the streets trying to find some food. I try to find some food.  There is a bin over there, maybe there is some food in it, but there is one problem the road has too much traffic.  I decide to go for it. I dart across the road dodging cars but then suddenly I get hit by a truck. I get up, very afraid. I walk over to the bin and lucky a hamburger is there. I get even more luck, a very nice family takes me in and I am never alone again.   

Stray

I am unloved. I live in an abandoned factory. I used to be a house pet. My family died right in front of me. Now I eat cookie dough and live with a friend.  We like to go to the ruins of the city. Few people still live there after we got invaded and bombed. There’s artillery everywhere. Sometimes we find meat which is like a treat to us. There’s a waterfall which is the only supply of water we have to go when no one is there, or we could get killed so we go back home. Soon it becomes night time. We rush outside and go to the water fall.   We get a drink and then we here an argument over something.  My friend saves me. He pulls me out of the way, back to the factory. It was some war folk. He said that’s bad news. In the morning we’re going back down south to the place where we came from.      

Unloved until now

I'm so hungry, so cold I would even eat a piece of broccoli if I had to. You may think I've been unloved forever but you’re wrong. I once had a Great Dane puppy loving family. They were rich, loving all the nicest things on earth combined and that time was two weeks ago. But that time is over. I'm Spike ( I bet you already know my breed though) Oh no, hmm, just stumble across the p...p...pound! I've heard a lot about the S.P.C.A? A flame of braveness was lit in my heart so I went for it. I scratched at the door until a nice looking man came out, picked me up and put me down in a gigantic fenced off court yard. I realized I was not alone in this toy filled doggy playground. After a month an even richer and friendlier family adopted me and kept asking me names until I nodded to my original name and ended up living like a king.  

Stray

I am so frightened. There is nothing to eat. I feel so unwanted. It’s like the days go and on. It’s freezing outside. I wish I was in someone’s warm and cozy house. There is no food to eat; all I can find are some leftovers in a rubbish bin. All I want is an owner and some food. Is that too much to ask for? There is absolutely no light on the street, only the moonlight shines down on me. I’m trying to go to sleep but its so hard to, knowing that tomorrow is not going  to be any better than today. I had such a bad sleep last night. I was having nightmares. I’m so tired. I don’t know if I will be able to last the rest of the day. I’m stranded here. I have go nowhere to go. Even though I am so tired and cold I know that I will pull through. I’m going to the supermarket dumpster to see if there is any food that I can eat. I am so dirty now but it was all worth it for this one little piece of meat. Oh no, a stray dog is also looking for food. He’s looking at the meat in my mouth licking his lips. I sprint away as fast as I can. I look behind me and he is still chasing me.   

Stray

As the soaking wet rain came down and the cold rain went everywhere, it was a may rain that took all the strength out of me, the rain was all around me. I can feel the ground come up to meet me. I had been left out on the street to starve.  Nobody wanted to come and get me in. One night I had been run over by a truck, shot in the head, put in a body bag and just to top it off, I got put in a freezer… And so my story started on a cold day.  It was raining and the wind was everywhere. Something moved out of the corner of my eye and then a horn and then the black came in all at once. I had been hit. A man came into the picture and to put me out of my pain by shooting me with a gun, and then a vet came and put me into a body bag and took me to the vet. He put me in a cold place and then two hours later he went into the cold place and saw me looking at him. He was so sad.  They took me to the x-ray room. I had two broken legs, a big mark above my face, a broken rib and had broken teeth.

Stray

Hi, I’m Jack the German pointer. I live a very lonely life because I’m a stray. I have to scavenge around for food. Now its night I’ve been searching in every skip and garbage can for food. It has been an unsuccessful night. I’m drenched. It feels like I’m carrying a kilogram of stone on my back. It feels so depressing to have no home, no food and no owner.  What can be worse than that? I decide to make a life changing journey to the country. When I get further and further to the country there is more road kill. At night I silently sneak onto the road and snatch all the meat off the skeleton. I see one big light. Then I find out that it’s two lights. I feel so freaked I run into a wire fence. I think I have broken my nose into a thousand minuscule pieces. I have one big deep cut too. One good thing is I’ve found shelter. I feel like I’m losing lots of blood. I suddenly have a blackout. Two minutes later I feel a whole lot of pain. I then die.

Stray

The streets are silenced, abandoned, like me. All I can hear is the soft pitter patter of my damp paws plodding along. My ribs show through my scruffy ruffed up fur, I’m a stray. As the moon emerges through the dark cloudy night, I decide to head for shelter before the storm reaches me. After about a short but long five minute walk I come to an abandoned burnt down Bungalow. I enter through a small opening just as the rain is about to start. The wood is rotting away and bugs swarm through roaming in the wood. Some sixth sense tells me that I’m not alone in this place; I’m not the only one here. Somebody or something is behind me lurking behind in my shadows. But it doesn’t bother me, I’m resting and that’s that! As I head out to explore (find somewhere to collapse) I come to a sudden short sharp halt. There, inches from the tip of my wet nose stands a dark figure my size and not much higher. It mirrors my every move. I stare into its cold dark eyes and my frown fades into a small friendly smile. Something tells me this dog has been through some hard times like me. After escaping a house fire and saving my owner I went home to find that they had a new dog, to replace me, she was all fluff and no bark. So I ended up here, in this place, alone. There’s something about the scars on the face of this dog or his hunched over back, I don’t feel comfortable. He is a dog though, a stray like me, yet totally different. I sigh deeply then decide to rest down on a rattered, ripped rug; at least it’s dry unlike me. The other stranger dog follows my actions. We lie down on the mat and bark to each other. I get used to his scent and he knows mine. Then we doze peacefully to rest under the shelter of the little old abandoned Bungalow. Over the days I always tell myself “At least I’ve got a friend”. The next three months pass and my friend falls ill. I don’t understand, but everyday he seems to be weaker and weaker. Then one morning he fell asleep never to awake again. I nudged him continually but it made no difference, I don’t understand. For days I just spend my time lying down beside him weeping, thanking him. But that’s life you can’t live forever, but I know one thing, he made a friend and so did I.

MAGIC moments with our writing...

Check out the amazing work Room 5 at Melville Intermediate have been doing with our writing... AMAZING

Stray

I am so frightened there is nothing to eat. I feel so unwanted it’s like the days go and on. It’s freezing outside I wish I was in someone’s warm and cozy house. There is no food to eat; all I can find are some leftovers in a rubbish bin. All I want is an owner and some food. Is that to much to ask for? There is absolutely no light on the street only the moonlight shines down on me. I’m trying to go to sleep but its so hard to knowing that tomorrow is not going  to be any better than today. I had such a bad sleep last night. I was having nightmares. I’m so tired I don’t know if I will be able to last the rest of the day. I’m stranded here I have go nowhere to go. Even though I am so tired and cold I know that I will pull through. I’m going to the supermarket dumpster to see if there is any food that I can eat. I am so dirty now but it was all worth it for this one little piece of meat. Oh no a stray dog is also looking for food. He’s looking at the meat in my mouth licking his lips. I sprint away as fast as I can. I look behind me and he is still chasing me.   

Stray Dog

I’m sound asleep when suddenly I’m thrust into a cardboard box, lifted away and carried threw to the sound of rushing water. A flying sensation fills my body. Next moment I’m sailing away. My ears pound as I listen to the cackles of laughter as I slowly drift away. My head spins in circles…

I awake with a jolt. The box is half dead. Sodden pieces floating around me. I’m desperate to get out of this torture. I’m freezing bitterly as my fur is drenched. I haven’t had anything to eat in the past few hours. What makes it worst you ask? I am just a pup of 10 weeks. My mother got taken away form me at the minuscule age of 2 weeks. The box reaches land at last. The horns of lumber trucks and police cars fill my ears. I sigh, reality it’s life.

Some dogs get pampered at posh salons and then go out for a bite at a fancy club. I wish. My life is far from that and the scariest part? There is still a few decades to struggle threw.  I crawl cautiously out of the box. I slither like a snake around this unusual city. The lights flare in my eyes. A big city a small dog. Where to sleep I ask myself. I marauder around place to place.  I’m officially homeless. Lost, scared, afraid. Unwanted by people in this cruel world. Abandoned. Fright is starting to creep up on me like a ghost on Halloween night. I think to myself. Why am I panicking? Why? I need to stay calm and cool.  But I’m not. I’m obviously freaking out on the scene. Some nice ladies are walking threw the city. I bark and act all adorable. I feel like dying. Right now! This instant. One of the ladies gives me her ham sandwich. I sniff at it tentatively. I like the smell and gobble it all up. For a few minutes the ladies converse. Finally they pick me up and put me into a box. Bu this time with care love and compassion. They take me home and I’m all set for a spectacular end to life. 

Stray dog

I am searching for food. I find an old abandoned rubbish dump. I search the entire dump and there’s no food at all. I decide to sleep there. I find a nice comfy bed and I go to sleep.  In the morning I wake up and I go for a walk. I walk past houses with dogs asleep by the fire. I carry on walking and out of the alleyway came a dog with no collar. She walks up to me and barks. I keep walking and she barks again. I keep walking and then I cross the road. I hear a car. I freeze and bang, I fall to the ground.  The car carries on and the other dog sprints over to me. I try to get up but my leg is broken. I can hardly see because there is blood in my eyes. I felt something dragging me along. It is the other dog. She drags me all the way to the vet.  The vet lady picks me up and takes me to the back room where she laid me down.  She brought the other dog and laid it down beside me.

STRAY

 It’s lonely and dark in a stray dog’s life. How do you think I know that? You guessed it, I’m a stray dog. Being stray makes me feel unwanted and abandoned. Its night and I live in a dump. I’m always frightened and afraid. At night I of me living in a big house and I have a family that loves me. Of course that will never happen. I’m a golden retriever, so I should be out there retrieving things like ducks. It’s daytime in my homeless live. Today I’m going to go round the dump and look for food scraps. That’s all I ever eat. Some other dogs live in mansions and wear posh clothes. That’s not me. I have to search for my food and get my fur coat dirty. I really have to find food because I haven’t eaten in five days. Yippee, I found a half eaten apple in a garbage bag. It’s a bit yuck but I will eat it any way. I have finished looking around the dump and I found lots of things. I found some vegetables, fruit and a mince pie. That’s a big feed for me. Since I have a full belly I’m going to have a walk around the town. If I don’t go for a walk, I will be stray and fat. I’m up the street and heaps of people are patting me. I love it when they do that. One man that works at the butchers gave me some raw meat. I think that was nice of him. I used to have a collar with my address on it but it fall of one day. I really have forgotten where I used to live. Before I smelt a familiar smell. It was my old owner. He was up the street. When he left I followed him. Guess where I am now. I’m at my old home. This is so great. I found out my owners still love me. They have given me a nice warm bath. They also gave me lots of food. Dreams really do come true. 

Stray

I’m looking for some food in an old rusty house. I would like to be nice and hot like a fire but it is the wind that is making me cold.  A little wind is not going to stop me looking for food. I cannot give up now.  My family does not love me.  They have dumped me out on the street and abandoned me. I walk to the park.  I am unwanted and homeless. Not the best day for me.  Life is not fair. I am hungry and need some water.  I cross the road and a car comes and hits me and I stay there.

The unwanted dog...

Skinnier than a pencil. Wondering round the lonely roads of an abandon town. Its dark, wet and I’m dripping like a broken tap and I’m drenched. I’m rummaging for food. Looking in every nook and cranny. Hiding from the people that take you to the pound. I’ve got quite a sad life to be honest. Just dumped on the side of the street just as a new born. It’s just a continuous road to no where. Sleeping in the moon light beside a deep dark forest and you wake up hungrier than ever but that doesn’t. I’m just a dog unwanted by everyone, lost and unwanted that’s all I am. Nothing much to my life it’s the same each day. Guess what I eat rubbish or I don’t eat anything. That’s why I’m skinny; you can see my ribs quite clearly. Now you can how boring, sad and lonely it would be for you to be a stray.

STRAY

I am living in an abandoned house and Im freezing to death.  I have bats surrounding me.  I am so scared I am crying.   I have my friend there but she scares me. I am trying to get to sleep but I can’t because she keeps on scaring me.  Finally she is gone to sleep.  I am getting colder so quickly. The freezer door is open.  It makes me so cold. I don’t like it at all. I am so hungry.  I am four kilometers away from the shop.  He gives me bones every four days. Not that often he gives me water and a treat.  It takes me two to four minutes to get to the shop.  Yes, I am there and there is a sign saying no dogs allowed.  No, no, my bones and drink too.  I am starving and thirsty.  I don’t like you anymore because he has a no dog’s sign up.  I know a way to get it open.  I went around to the back of the shop.  Yes the door is open. 

STRAY

I wake up one morning and I see no people. I know I have been abandoned. I look around the house and I see no one. I`m so devistated. I`m so hungry and I feel lost. I set out to find some food and a new home. I try to cross a road and a car comes. I just jump out of the way into the middle of the road. I am so scared. I can't move. I lie down on the spot, petrified. I spend at least half an hour lying down. I finally stand up and cars start to beep at me and drivers are yelling, "get off the road". I bark at one of the drivers and he pulls over at the side of the road. I take every chance I get to run over the road but I can not run very fast because I am so hungry. I run down the middle of the road . The man is chasing me and then I see a small gap in the cars. I run as fast as I can. Half way there I step on a very sharp stone and I am in so much pain but I keep on going. I made it over the road. I can hear the man cursing at me. Suddenly a man picks me up and takes me home. He keeps me. He feeds me and sets up a bed for me. I know He loves me to bits.

Puzzling...

Can you see who is really focusing on their written language today?

provided by flash-gear.com

Reflecting on our written language...

Late last term we started narrative writing.  Following on from our animal inquiries we chose animals to 'be', to write from their perspective, to write as if we were the animal!  We discussed language use, problems and resolutions and painted pictures with our words.  We also talked about showing the reader as opposed to telling the reader.  We started tentatively and shared some of our stories on our blog.  Gradually we became more confident with writing from the perspective of the animal and we loved the choice over animal to be.  We have written from the perspective of a cat, a dog, giraffe, panda, caterpillar, and a fox.  Today we used the Literacy Shed and shared the AMAZING story Stray by Maia Walczak Shed  to write from the perspective of a stray dog.  
After an amazing session writing and editing we reflected on the HUGE improvement in our written language over the term.  We came up with the following reasons for our improvement:

• We have practised lots;
• We know we can write our best writing;
• We love the motivation of watching a clip;
• We challenge ourselves;
• We believe in ourselves;
• We like writing for the 100WC;
• We like feedback on our writing and we are getting that through our blog posts;
• We are always improving.

Mrs K is very impressed with our work. We are very impressed with our work.  We have been very excited to have people comment about how much our writing has improved since the start of the year.  

We plan to publish our stray stories here over the next few days so please keep checking back and let us know what you think of our written language.  

Check out the photos of us so engaged in our writing today!

Stray

Sometimes I feel more abandoned, hungry and alone, more than other days. On those rare occasions when I feel less lost I almost feel more dog like as if I have something to live for. I don’t have a home or food or a family that hasn’t left me stranded. My family left me to face the world by myself ever since I was a little puppy. Now I have to fend for myself eating scraps and living in dumps. Who knows why they left me, I probably wasn’t good enough for them. Heck even the pound doesn’t want a pathetic little dog like me. This was all before Emily found me.  She was like my guardian angel. This is how she found me. There I was in a new found dump, I had just discovered. It was a typical night as a stranded dog when Emily walked my way… She picked me up, gave me half of her McDonald’s cheese burger and took me to her house. It took me a while to trust her after all I have been through but I soon did because she bathed me, fed me right and kept me warm at night. Over the next few weeks I grew fatter and could be recognized as a dog. Emily called me Stray! What a perfect name for a dog whose neglected and stray. So there you have it a story of how a homeless little dog found her happy ending after all. 

Fox

I’m slinking smoothly though the forest, pad by pad hitting the dense forest. My bushy tail flicking round. Beady green eyes wide and alert. I move like a shadow, without a sound walk and slink. I move though the night.  That’s the safest way, because I’m not the prey. No time to stop. I’m in a rush. Suddenly two beaming yellow eyes pop out of nowhere. Adrenalin kicks in. I now know what it is. Hunters looking for my kind, you know a fox of course. Its either run or die, I know which one I want now lets put it into action. Its not hard.  I've done it all my life. Quiet running, easy as. Yellow eyes getting closer now better make a move. It turns out I was beside a road and a car was what I saw.

Court time with Mrs F

On Friday Mrs K had some time with her word whizz group. We had prayers and then we marked our maths mate. After we did that we got to act out Valerie Adams in court with the Russian cheat. There were two lawyers and the trainers and the witnesses. It was really fun and of course Ospachuck was not able to play in the next Olympic Games but in 8 years time and she was guiltily. I would like to do something like that again.

In Court with Valerie Adams and Nadzeya Ostupchuck

This morning we had Mrs Farquhar and after we did marking math mate we set up a judge court trialling Nadzeya Ostupchuck and Valerie Adams. We were talking about if Nadzeya should compete in the next Olympic Games after taking drugs. I was the Judge and we had trainers and Valerie and Nadzeya and witness, Jury and lawyers.  Being the Judge, I got to use a case for hammering at my Judge table. In the end we decided to let Ostupchuck compete in 8 years. Do you think that’s fair?

Joe the rabbit

My name is Joe the rabbit. I love to roam round in the tussock where I camouflage and eat the insects and bugs. I have a friend called Rocky the cheetah, who likes to try and eat me. Lots of hunters try to kill rabbit, but we have our own weapons, big ears, a big nose and very good eyes. Those are our weapons. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t and we get out smarted. We can also run like the wind. We dig borrows to live in. I made a very nice one that was so deep it took me a couple of days to dig. Then I put some stay in it for comfort. I have a family of four. I love them dearly. I hunt food for them to eat and we play family games like rabbit of cards. After we finish the games I send the bunnies off to bed. Then my wife stays back while I look for a new place for a hole. One night I was out and I heard a truck that had a bright light moving round and they spotted me. I stopped because I was startled. Then someone one got out and took a shot at me but fortunately it missed. I ran straight back to my hole. It was a rough adventure up the rocky hill to get to my hole. The bunnies were hungry and screaming for food. I had two options, one was stay there and listen to them scream or go find food. I chose to go find food, now it is pitch black. I’m scared but I know I’m doing the right thing. I found a few beetles and six ants. When I came back my bunnies were still screaming, but when I gave them some food they went quiet.        

The fox in the forest

I’m in the forest just about to catch a bird.  Yes, I got it.  Yum, good breakfast but I’m thirsty too.  I went to the pond.  Oh no, my worst nightmare is there.   She hasn’t seen me yet. Nos she has and I’m running for my life and I’m in a good place.  Noooo, she’s got me.  I could die, but she let me free.  There’s a snowstorm coming. She was walking home and I was too.  It was getting colder and colder.  She started to go to sleep.  I felt sorry for her so I gave her a cuddle. 

Fox

I’m running around the woods with my paws in the snow. All of the sudden I hear a chirping bird. I quickly race to the sound as fast as my little paws will carry me. I look up and see a bird. I get out my claws and dig them into the bark of the tree. With all my might I try and climb the tree. My paws are aching. Phew! I made it to the top of the tree. I’m getting ready to prance. I have pranced. That was delicious. I just love birds, they just make me go crazy. I'm a frosty white fox. I just heard a branch crack. I know it's a human trying to get my frosty fur. If I don't eat soon I will starve. Please help.

Fox

I am in the snow and I am a cub. My mum said I am silly but my friends say I am funny and awesome. It is winter now and it is freezing. Just the other day I got stuck in the snow. I had to howl as loud as I could and no one could see as the snow was on my back, but luckily my dad was on his way back from getting food and he tugged and pulled me out. And that is why I love my dad because he saves me when I am in trouble..

100 word challenge As a fox

A nice frosty evening. Suddenly I hear something advancing towards me holding a long pointy knife. It looks dangerous. It comes closer. My first instinct, RUN!!! I bound around it and flee through the forest. There’s panting behind me. I’m huffing too... That thing’s got me pinned down. What now? It looks me in the eyes and incredibly lets me go.
Later...


I sniff the air. A small figure shivers on the ground. I’m unsure, but I still wrap myself around her. My bushy tail covers her face. The sun rises. A bell rings, I run off. Her relatives rejoice.

I could hear someone coming...

I could hear someone coming creeping up behind me. I think it was the girl whose birds I killed. Don't get me wrong I’m not a murderer; I'm just hungry; starving in fact. I had to be slinky and speedy to get away from the girl but I was so scared I could barley move a muscle. Suddenly a wave of courage swept over me like a Tsunami and I ran like lightning. But the girl wasn't going to give up that easy. She followed me deep into the woods. I was still running when she finally caught me. She pinned me down to the ground with her dagger at the ready. She was going to kill me for killing her birds; when her expression changed into regret maybe even forgiveness or sorrow. She loosened her grip on the dagger and on me and I finally had a chance to escape. Just as I escaped snow started to fall thick and deep, quickly covering the ground. Of course being a fox I was used to the snow and having to sleep outside during bad weather, but the girl wasn't. I was very worried about her so I changed my path. It wasn’t hard finding her and I soon caught up. I lead her away from the snow and into the forest where the trees are thicker. We soon came to an okay shelter. The girl settled down and was almost instantly asleep and I soon followed her actions. 

My ears pricked up and I awoke with a start because I could hear footsteps. I quickly hid in the bushes my bushy tail just behind me leaving the girl asleep. It was an oldish man and woman coming. They seemed to know the girl picking her up and carrying her away. I followed some distance behind my moves like shadows. The girl woke up and smiled at me. I knew it wouldn’t be long till I saw her again.

A Day in the Life of a Fox.

As I slyly prowl through the woods, my ears prick up and a cheeky rabbit bobs past, I can see it in the corner of my eye. I swish my tail and my whiskers twitch in the cold winters air. My eyes practically glow, like balls of fire in the beam of the moonlit night. I stride on through the dark cold night, When suddenly a peculiar noise forces me to turn. I can sense danger in the air. Behind the shadows a stranger lurks waiting for the right moment. As I turn a forceful sharp pain strikes the back of my head. I hunch over and yelp in pain. But when I turn to see what had caused it nothing is revealed but the quiet, dark woods, covered in a thick blanket of snow. Not a creature stirs, not a bird chirps, there is an eerie silence. I am very tense now, I feel like I'm enclosed in my predator's hands, no escape. Then in a high speed flash of light a big net weaved together with wire is clenched around my shaken body. I can feel the wire digging deeper and deeper into my soft wavy white fur by the second. My whole body stiffens. It was no use fighting my captor, and I would be easily overtaken if I were to run. I am roughly picked up and thrown carelessly into some caged area I do not know of. We start to move and it is not a pleasant ride, its rough and bumpy. After one hour the vehicle comes to a sudden stop. I hear a door open and then slam. And I hear a series of footsteps clunking around. Then the deep voices of two men. "Right Denis, how much do you want for that ol' thing?" Asked Rodger. There is a moment of silence then the other voice replies "You name your price mate, and hurry on up with it too or that ball of fluff in the back o' me truck ain't gonna live much longer " Denis stormed impatiently, showing his rifle. Then the decision was made "Do ya want, uh, say 80 bucks for her?" This seemed to impress Denis and I was heaved out of the truck.

Can You spot the Fox outline?

Fox

I am sprinting through the Alaskan forest and my tummy started to rumble. So I stop sprinting and start sniffing around for food. I look up and I see smoke. So now I know that someone has got food.  I creep deep into the forest. I keep walking and then out of the bushes came a hunter and then I hear a loud gun shot and that is all I remember. Yawn, I just woke up and my leg is aching.  Then I notice I have a gunshot in my leg. I feel dizzy and then my heart stops...

Giraffe

I have just woken up so I go to the water hole. I hear something. I look back and a lion jumps on me. I kick with all my might. The lion flies onto its back. I have enough time to get up and run away. I look back and the lion’s chasing me. I keep running and all of a sudden I hear a loud yelp. I look back. The lion’s not there but then a jeep full of hunters suddenly appear.  They rush over then I hear a gun shot, then laughs.  I sprint into the trees…