Category: Hanga | Create

On Friday the 29th last month, we had Pet day or Show day. That day was when we have a fun day with the animals and learn about farms presented to juniors by us seniors. We started the day with a pet blessing and a prayer for different categories of animals, each from different classrooms. My class had to write a prayer for reptiles, and I wrote most of it. We then had a good look at everyone’s pets before giving some prizes for best pets. We then looked at the other people’s projects and creations, then presented our farm facts to juniors. Room 7, or us, made farm models of the past, present and future. Room 1 made pet habitats. Upstairs, or Room 9 and 10, made a water filter and facts on specific things, like chickens. Then, we had morning tea. After morning tea, we had our rotations. First, we went to Room 5, where we made reptiles and bears. It was fun, but a bit too easy. Next, we went to the station set up in the domain. That was really fun, because in the domain was a firetruck, fancy-fashioned car, an army tank, and a truck. There was also a petting zoo, and two bouncy castles. We got sausage sizzles for lunch. Then we went to Room 1, made butter, and packed up for the day. Overall, the day was probably the funnest yet in the year.

This is my group’s farm, and we did the past.

Would you rather have a farm, or a pet?

On Thursday the 28th last month, we had Beach Ed. Beach Ed is when we have a fun day and learn about the beach. We learnt about the IRB or the Inflatable Rescue Boat, other boards like a competition one and how it is different, we refreshed the doctor’s abc (Danger Response Send for help Airways Breathing CPR Defibrillation), and it was morning tea in no time. After morning tea, we did Beach Ed’s got talent where we create as a group something to act out a quote we were given. My group had “If you see someone in trouble, call 111 police”. Then we reminded how to identify rips and what to do which was the 3 R’s, Relax, Raise your hand, and Ride. After that, we did some beach games, lunch, and it was water time!!!

Would you rather be on the beach like on land, or in the water at the beach?

Yesterday afternoon, the Year 5 and 6 went to a Science Roadshow in our school hall. There were two people there, named Katie and Graham. Katie came from the Art Centre, which a long, long time ago, was actually a university called Canterbury Collage. Graham came from University of Canterbury, and taught us most of the experiments. We started with making a model of a carbon atom, using a prepacked kit. Then we did different experiments that was not on about exploding things, unfortunately. The experiments were using a leaf blower to make the ball be in mid-air, rolling a metal ball slowly which then shot like a gun, earning its name the Magnet gun, Theo (who’s in my class) having to lay on a bed on nails and having someone standing on top of him, a hot air balloon model, and heaps of experiments using liquid nitrogen including a steam engine model, making an inflated balloon deflate in nitrogen then reinflating it by shaking the nitrogen off, and even making and shooting clouds at us! It was fun, and very entertaining although they didn’t pick me to help.

Would you rather watch a movie, or see a science roadshow like this?

This morning, the whole school went to Isaac Theatre Royal to watch a circus show called Children are Stinky, performed by Circus Trick Tease. There were a boy named Sam and a girl Josie, acting as Jason and Kylie. They did awesome things like handstands on 3 to 4 chairs, one standing on another’s head, and obviously, fart. When we were waiting for the show to start, my classmate, Hugh, started a wave which went down to the end of the row. Sometimes, it didn’t reach the end, but it was still fun as we waited. It was very funny as they were really talented, but some parts I found a bit unfair. The part that I found was unfair was when they asked for volunteers, most children put their hands up, but they only picked the juniors from the schools under us. My school was seated on the second level out of 3 levels, so we never got chosen. Some children even got a whoopie cushion, which are those cushions that you sit on and it makes a fart noise. Overall, the show was great fun watching it.

What do you enjoy about a show you like?

During music this term so far, we have been learning about 4 different genres of music, opera, rock, pop, and classical. First, we learn about opera, then rock, then pop, then classical. We learnt that opera is a very high pitched type of song, and is from Italy so it is Italian. I didn’t like opera much. We then learnt how rock has a very hard base. I like rock the best. Then it was pop, which we learnt that it is actually the word popular. Finally, it was classical. Classical usually uses instruments like folk guitar. Then we all did a song exploder where we research about a song. This is my song exploder.

What do you like about music?

Yesterday, a group of children including me went to the New Brighton Olympics for Athletics for the Eastern Zones. We had an athletics day trials earlier on this term, and the people qualified gets to go. I qualified for long distance 800m run, long jump, and relay. I didn’t get to Canterburys for anything, but I think some of my other classmates did. I came either 4th or 5th in the long distance, and my relay team came last. I found that day heaps of fun though. Unfortunately, my classmate injured his foot, and I helped his mum and himself.

Would you rather do work at school or do athletics all day?

Yesterday, we went to Catholic Cathedral College (CCC) to watch a Cultural Festival. There were different schools there, and they were all Catholic schools. The schools that were there were St. James, us New Brighton Catholic, St. Anne’s, St. Mary’s, and CCC. We got to see the other schools’ kapa haka, waiata, and cultures. There was a Tinikling dance which was a really cool Filipino stick dance, a Tongan waiata, a Samoan dance, an Irish dancer, a Highland dance from Scotland, and a Cheerleader dance at the start of the show from USA. My favourite dance of the show was the poi dance where they only used the poi and their bodies. I found the concert too loud so that’s why I liked the poi dance the most as it was the most quiet of all in this concert. I kept blocking my ears and could still hear it, but I didn’t need to for the poi dance.

This is me eating my lunch, and my school’s kapa haka group.

What do you enjoy about different cultures?

Last Friday, we had an Athletics day to trial for Zones. Everyone had to  do it, whether we liked it or not. I like athletics, and I think I got into Zones. I especially like long jump, long distance, sprints, and relay, which I think were the ones I am going to Zones for. I came 2nd or 3rd in long jump, and I think I also tied with Zara. I came 1st without Despina, who was at choir practice for the whole morning. I might of have qualified for high jump as well, but I’m not a fan of high jump. I got grazed and bruised during high jump, so even if I qualified, I might just leave that sport out. The morning was also burning hot from the blazing sun. In the afternoon, we had sprints. In the heats, I came 3rd, behind Leah. In the finals, I came 3rd, just a baby step away from being 2nd. 1st place in the finals was Zara, and behind me was Kiara. I heard that it was top 3 going to Zones, and because all four of us were so close, I also heard we were going to Zones for relay.

What would you enter if you could choose to do any athletic sport?

Today we had book-character day where everyone came to school as a character in some story book. First we had a parade to see everyone’s costumes. I dressed up as Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. I found another junior also dressed up as Belle. At playtime, we joined together as big Belle and small Belle. I called small Belle, ”Belle the II”.

In the parade, each class came out as a group in a line for the judges and audience to see. When it was my class’s turn, I, as Belle, followed Hermione, who was actually my class teacher, Mrs. Hamilton.

At the end  of the parade, the teachers announced the winners of each class. In my class, the winners were Despina and William. The prizes were some Duffy books.

What would you like to be in such a parade?

Today we had non uniform day and we had to donate something for our school Christmas raffle. We sell the raffle, then it goes into a big black bucket for the draw, and there’s great big hampers from our donations. Once I won first prize, and I shared my chocolate with my friends. When I walked into school this morning, there was a big red Clifford, and I figured out it was Mrs. Tyro, a teacher at my school.

What do you think is special about non uniform day?