A fight to the end!

A fight to the end! The last caramello chocolate is in the hands of the wrong person!  A delicious never ending chocolate is almost gone. I sprint to the lasting chocolate as the enemy awaits at the golden metal throne. He clashes his sword at me like a knife as I duck under him, as quick as a bullet I swift over him like a super hero! He dives for the chocolate as I rush and snatch it off the table, swinging his sword at me like I’m his victim? A fight to the finish. What will happen after this?

My grandparents are very important because...

My grandparents are very important because they treat me with care and compassion. My grandparents are the best in the world! They take me on vacations out of the country and they also treat me how I'd love to be treated, with sweets, lollies, goodies and much much more! They share stories from their past and tell us about when our parents were kids and how the grew up. Our grandparents will always treasure us with tender love and will love us for life. Grandparents can also be very talented like my grandparents. They are builders and love to build lots of different types of vehicles.

Athletics

On the 8th of November we had athletics. It was an early breezy morning in the cold and cloudy sky. The wind rushed against our faces. The athletics was fantastic at the start. First, every one watched the 800meters for the years five and six, three and four, and seven and eight. After that every teacher gave us a number card for us to pin onto our sport shirts. The cards told us what we would be doing in order until the afternoon. After some of the activities were done we headed over to the big stadium to have a break and eat lunch. The activities were terrific and awesome! I won the high jump and got into the Otago athletics team. The highest I eventually jumped was a meter 10cm. But my highest at school is a meter 12cm. We suddenly all sprinted in our age groups to get back to the three last activities they had planned for us all. The 11 year old girls did long jump. My longest jump was 3.69m. I raced hard at the last jump to see if I could improve on my last one. And eventually it worked! I had tried so hard that I bet my own score by only 3.69! I was so proud of myself when I won long jump. I have improved since last year! It was great fun at the athletics day and I hope to do it next year.

Blogging!

I love blogging because you get to discover heaps of new creative activities and comment on others posts.

Blogging helps me learn to get along with others and to keep up with learning. 

A complicated situation.

On the 30^th of October right before morning tea some of the class rooms walked down to Peter Johnson Park. There were four members of the All Blacks there to meet and greet us outside the fields. We waited for the autographs for either one or two hours. The names of the All Blacks were Ben Smith, Ben Franks,  Andrew Hore, and Tamiti Ellison.

There were at least five schools. Each school got a group photo and autographs on a huge poster! I waited an hour in different lines to get heaps of autographs! Some people got knuckles or hugs.  I had a fantastic time and I hope to go back next year!         

A Marvelous Miracle

A few days ago, and by a few days ago I mean like a week ago I was under pressure to see the fabulous fair! I couldn’t wait to take a peek around the corner to glance at the fantastic fair. Everything was set up perfectly. I helped get ready and set up for the white elephant. My mum was running round everywhere collecting money from all the stalls. Some of the children came in early like at nine or eight in the morning to help get ready before our spectacular fair finally begins.

It is eleven o clock on a Sunday morning. The warm fresh breeze tickles my skin as I hear the laughter of children playing quietly. The fair has started at last! Parents giving out candy floss and lollies. The Fair was out of this world! This will be our last fair for now at our old school until next year!

Looking behind me I saw...

Looking behind me I saw... A fox lurking in the shadows feasting on blood stained birds hanging from the bottem of his jaws. The stained birds blood left a trail through and into the darkness of a cave where it grew longer and longer to see the fox. The shadowy fox figure grew darker and darker to see him and each time you could only here the pit pattering of his feet scampering on the hard solid concrete. My voice echoed through the cave as the moon emerges through the cloudy night. And will this mystery be over yet?

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.

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.

Belarusian Public views on the events...

Nadzeya Ostapuuck was looking worse and worse as the Olympics were drawing close. Many say the stress was getting to her. Nadzeya was seen training way after hours at the local gym. She doesn’t think she has even a shot a winning, Against Valerie Adams. Her family is so proud of her, I can hear them cheering and boasting about how she is sooo going to win and that Valerie Adams has no chance. As if! I may live in Russia, but I still think Valerie will win, I have seen her throw on the T.V. I am getting slightly suspicious because Nadzeya looks like she is hiding something and she looks surprisingly as if she isn’t worried about her throw but about something else… 

After the shot put we saw Nadzeya Ostapuuck standing on the top of the podium! Wow! Her coach must have been training her a lot for the Olympics! Wow! We are so proud of Nadzeya Ostapuuck! We cannot wait until she scores another gold medal for shot put! Our country is very excited to be bringing a gold medal home! What will her family say! They will be very amazed! Our country cannot wait to celebrate what you have been awarded! We have finally beaten New Zealand! Once and for all!      

We were so proud when we won gold. Hearing our national anthem when we throw 21.3m.  Beating NZ was a big achievement for us.  It is good to get gold in the Olympic Games. To be the best this year is very good.  

OH NO our gold medal shot putter cheated. This news is such a disgrace to our country. There are so many disappointing words to describe our cheater I can’t keep count of how many I have; some of the words I have to describe this are ashamed, angry, disappointed, disgraced, annoyed, let down, disgusted, dishonored, stressed and embarrassed. Nadzeya Ostapuuck has disgusted everyone in our country.  How will her coach forgive her? I wish she did not take those drugs because now we have been disqualified from shot put and our athlete is coming home. I hope she is embarrassed because we are. This Nadzeya Ostapuuck does not deserve any respect from anyone after what she has done. If only she won without taking drugs.  

Kapa Haka goes to Fairfield.

On the 8^th of August the Kapa Haka group traveled by bus to Fairfield school. Before school we all got changed into our funky costumes. We were greeted by the more FM crew and listened to the first kapa Haka group perform! When it was our turn to perform we lined up and walked hurriedly onto the stage, our costumes were fantastic! The boys wore black shorts with a puipui  and the girls wore a koru decorated dress with a Puipui over top. Some of us brought each a green stone necklace. The schools that performed were fantastic and very interesting! Each school dressed up in different costumes! And sung all different kinds of songs! We knew most of the songs. There was even a preschool performing, they were so CUTE! Other schools sung some harmonies and talked out their Mihis. One school, Waihola performed a role play for the audience! Their play was awesome! Overall we all had a fantastic time!

Check out the school blog for the first video clip... http://stmaryshighlights.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/kapa-haka-goes-to-fairfield.html

My Life as a Panda - first one hundred word challenge post!

It’s the middle of the night and I’m tucked up in my tree branch. I can’t wait until morning, snoring out loud above the tree top branches!

Time to get up early and have breakfast! Eating plants and leaves from high and above. Monkeys swinging from vine to vine above my head! A blueberry plops on my head. I look up and around, nothing there? Except a tiny blueberry! I scoff it in my mouth and search for more!

Now it is midmorning, I’m off on my greatest adventure of my life, searching for the secret mystery of the blueberries!

Bottle bivy build...

Today we have finally started on our class igloo! It looks fantastic! We have made it out of 366 milk bottles! WOW!

Firstly, we carefully taped together all the scraps of frontrunner we saved from St Clair school when they had their classes redone.

 It was quite an effort to flip it over.  Do you like the pattern?

 Then we all sat on it and declared it ready for the build....

Then we began the build.  We carefully marked out the outside circle using a pencil, string and a piece of chalk.  Teams worked together to glue bottles together in twos, then we began the first layer.  It was really hard to glue the first layer to the carpet.

We watched the video of the build online and checked we were ready!

After that it got faster and easier.  What amazing team work...

We are extremely grateful to Denise, Jacqui, Christine, Lynne and Sandra who all came in and helped out during the day!  We are hoping for lots more help over the next few days.  

We had visits from Room 1, Room 4 and Room 7 throughout the day and we skyped Myross Bush School from Invercargill and Rosmini College in Auckland.  

We are very proud of our efforts today!

Rep Trials

On Saturday four girls from Room 6 went to Rep Trials and tried out for the Otago rep team. We had to be there by 3:00 and it ended a 4:00. It was held at the Edgar Center. Our mums and dads told us to try really hard at everything and be the best we can. Anahera and Ciara both got in the call backs and they decided to let all the girls who got in the call backs be in a rep team. The teams were 6A and 6B and Anahera and Ciara got in to the 6B team. We are the only year six’s from St Mary’s and we also get to go to Balclutha, Alexandra, Winton and Dunedin. 

    

The Transit of Venus

Day 1

On the 6^th of June our class room 6 went outside to see a transit of Venus which means when Venus crosses over the sun. We each got given a safe solar viewer so we could look at the sun without being blinded. It was an amazing sight! The sun was orange and Venus was a little black dot at the bottom of it. When you put on the solar viewer on without looking at the sun all you can see is pitch black! We went outside to see the sun at 10 to 11 o clock. We are going right back before R.E to check how far it has moved in an hour. At 4:44 it will be completely gone!

This only happens in 105 years. We will not see Venus cross over the sun until 2117. We can use the solar viewers at least 2 hours.

This is Venus and the sun.

     

Netball Rep Trials....

On Saturday we had some people watching us. We are Laura, Ciara, Michaela and Anahera and we got into the REP trials 2012. I was really trying hard to get in and I did. I feel like a great netball player now. When the time comes I will try my hardest and if I get into the team I will SCREAM!!!! – Laura

I hope I get into the team because it’s a really hard team to get into. I am so excited to try out and try and get into the team! –Anahera

I can’t wait until we go to the trials. I am nervous but very pleased that I have made it in this far. I feel so excited, and hope I do well enough to play in the REP team. I may not get in because there are some very talented players trialing. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

-Michaela

 When I found out it was really cool and I was excited. I could not wait.  I am really nervous. There was a lady at netball on Saturday that is from Silverstream. I can not wait until trials and I hope to get in. I will try really hard to get into the rep team.- Ciara  

Bean Bags...

Today in room 6 Mrs K had been shopping for new bean bags! There were 4 yellow ones, 1 big blue one, 3 blue ones and 3 red ones.  It was amazing!  Mrs K said that 16 of us could fit on all of the bean bags because there would be 4 people on the big blue one and one person on the other colour bean bags!
I thought it was a great idea because at reading time we could all sit on them and at EEKK time and read to each other! They were very comfy like a fluffy feathery pillow!
I love the bean bags becuase they are great to work with!

RSA

On the 24^th of April our class walked down to the R.S.A and made Anzac biscuits for the elderly. We took photos of people that were in the war and people that had died in the war with their medals. We also took photos of the medals that some of the soldiers were given. We learnt that the men in the war had to wear hard hats that were made out of metal. There was also a poem about the soldiers that had died in Flanders field. The poem that they wrote was for the men that died in the war and now are in Flanders field. They wore metal armor that protected there bodies. I wonder what it would be like to kill somebody. The soldiers slept in trenches night by night and were very uncomfortable. Later on a lady gave some Rosemary to every one in our class. The Rosemary smelt like rose petals. Some people took photos of other people wearing a metal hat. Some of the medals that were up on the wall belonged to some of the old people that were at the R.S.A but they didn’t really like to tell us about them. A man told us how the war started and how it finished it was very interesting. Some of the people found there great grandfathers picture up on the wall. I wonder what it would feel like to be in the war and to kill people. I think it would be horrible! There was also a sign that said “At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them”. The saying reminded me of my grandad. I can’t wait to go again.

Maths promotion from Anahera...

I love tutpup! It is really fun!

You can vs people from all over the world!

I love tutpup because there is times, plus and even minus! its awesome. You should try it. You will have so much fun.  I went on study ladder and it was awesome you get to make your own avatar and play games that earn you points for your reward room! Also you get to play games like mathematics, music, literacy and some spelling and lots more! It is so fun.  It also helps you learn more and it will help you learn more about maths for example, if you're not good at maths and you don't know your 6 times tables it will help you know them and remember them in your mind and head!

Tut pup and study ladder are awesome!

Join now!

Our Assembly

I thought the assembly was awesome. I really wanted to do the Muppet song at the end of our assembly but I guess we didn't have enough time.  Our classes assembly was great. I really enjoyed talking about the records and showing my art and my Caterpillar life cycle .I loved the art that people showed and the records that they also showed to every body. They were fantastic! I was so nervous about talking in front of all those people but I got used to it after a while! I cant wait to see the other classes assembly and our next one if we even get time this year for another one! I cant wait!