Diwali

Diwali

Story behind Diwali

Video about Diwali

Diwali Video in written form

Diwali is the festival of lights, usually lasting 5 days and celebrated by

millions of people around the world for New Years. It is also a festival

of a new beginning and the triumph of good over evil and light over

darkness. Diwali originated in India and is strongly linked to the Hindu

religion.

Day 1: Card games, gambling and purchasing gold and metals are common

for the first day.

Day 2: Known as Naraka Chaturdasi or Chhoti Diwali/ demon effigies are

burned in Goa.

Day 3: New Moon day; the most significant day of the festival in North

and West India.

Day 4: Meaning varies across India including the start of a new year

victory over Demon King Bali.

Day 5: Known as Bhai Duj; celebrates Sisterhood.

The festival is mainly about the renewal of life, and bringing light to replace

darkness. Like the Chinese new year and Diwali there are similarities. In the

Chinese New Year they exchange gifts, light candles and use firecrackers

and fireworks. This also happens in the Diwali festival. Diwali cultures also

celebrate by making Rangoli patterns out of coloured sand.

There are some people who make fun of other cultures.  They mock the

clothes, accents, foods, jobs, festivals and achievements of those cultures.

We think mocking people's accents could be offensive to some people

because they can't help sounding like that .People who mock are probably not

used to it and it is something new to them. 

The Story of Diwali

Cycle Trail Recount

 Wilderness Trail

On Tuesday September 22, my classroom went on a bike trip from Milltown to Kapitea Reservoir. I was woken up by some loud purring from my cat. I got up feeling excited. I got dressed and headed downstairs. Mum made me grilled cheese on toast. I ate that and brushed my teeth. I packed my bags the night before, except for my lunch which mum packed while I was eating. I put on the bag, said goodbye to my parents and my brother. Then I headed downstairs. I had left my bike at school, so I didn’t have too drag it down the street/stairs to get to school.

I had to get my bike out of the classroom and onto the court. Ms Kemp told us to come back inside so she could sort out car groups. I was in a group with Indi. We then got into the van and drove to the Hokitika turnoff. I think we drove past Lake Kaniere and we eventually got to Milltown. We then unloaded our bikes and started the trail. It was very hard for my bike and it required a lot of effort to push myself up the hill. My bike is not suited for the hills like a mountain bike but I managed to get to the top and I celebrated by drinking some water. The weather conditions were strange. It drizzled a lot during the trip, and after some time it stopped drizzling and then it would start again. 

I hated the uphill after the swingbridge. I had to pedal so hard that I felt my legs would snap off at the knees.  It didn’t help that a tandem with an annoying horn was following all of us girls.The horn was honking over and over again. It drove me insane. Bille shouted at the tandem, “ DO YOU MIND?!?! I AM TRYING TO CONCENTRATE!” but the horn kept honking. 

We then made it to Cowboy’s Paradise. Everyone was telling anyone who’d just arrived not to skid. From what I heard, somebody skidded on the track and some man came out and threatened them. We sounded off and then continued to Kawhaka Dam.

We reached a stop point and I was happy because I could eat. I started by eating my hotdog and then some walnuts. Lily handed out some pineapple lumps which made me very very happy. 

Ms Kemp showed up and said we were going to reach the fords very soon. I was happy about going through the ford. There was a huge downhill which was so fun. I nearly fell off my bike because I slammed on the brakes and turned too sharply on a corner. We then made it to Cowboy’s Paradise. Everyone was telling anyone who’d just arrived not to skid. From what I heard, somebody skidded on the track and some man came out and threatened them. We sounded off and then continued to Kawhaka Dam. 

At Kawhaka dam, we had the choice whether to pull out or not. I kept biking to the cattle bridge. Ms Kemp suggested I retire my bike. I thought I wanted to keep going so I said no. I continued riding with the class and soon wished I had pulled out. But I kept going because Olive had pulled out and I wanted to keep going where she couldn’t. My legs were aching and soon I was left behind. I made it to the end and I was so proud of myself. 

I had a lot of support along the way. The people who found this easier showed great leadership skills by supporting those who were not equipped for the challenge ( in strength ). That just left the ride back too school. I nearly fell asleep in the van.

When we got back to school, everyone was pouring out of the classrooms and going home. I grabbed my brother and made him help take my bike home.

Mauria Te Pono

Maui's Journey around NZ

An important part of learning about a language and 

culture is to get to know the stories that belong to 

that culture. This week listen to the story, ‘How Mauī 

Came to Maitahi - Bruce Bay.’ 

Click here to watch this video.

WALT: understand some of the important stories to Māori culture and to
our local areas.

Success Criteria: watch the story of ‘Māui’s arrival in Maitahi/Mahitahi’
and discuss as a class what we learnt in this story.

SSR Reading log. Weeks 1-2

The Floods 1

By Colin Thompson

My Favourite part was when Betty Flood is trying to scare her neighbour out of her house.
She is a witch and she turns him into a fridge by mistake. She was telling him to be very afraid
but she accidentally said be very afridge.

Mysteries of the Unexplained: Beyond the walls of time

By Readers Digest


My favourite part of the section was when the Oracle of Delphi
says to a man to beware the tortoise.
The man was Aeschylus the man

who invented the play and he was killed by an eagle
that saw his bald head shining in the sun.
The eagle thought it was a rock and dropped it on
his head. 

Balloon Bottle Car Racing

Lavonia The Failed Balloon Bottle Car

               2020-2020 

                   Rest in peace 

This is the bottle car prototype. She was going to
look better but we had  no time to accessorize and
this is why she looks like a piece of  recycling.

Things that went well: We got a bottle, and
managed to prepare something in the limited time
frame we had. She participated in the two races.

Things that didn’t go well: Laviona’s wheels
didn’t move. She moved three inches away from
the ramp where we let her go. Gravity pulled her
down the ramp and air resistance forced her to
stop. The force of the air resistance combined
with the  non working wheels and stopped her
three inches from the ramp. Her balloon failed to
push her even a millimetre. The wheels were not
aligned and were working against each other. 

Matariki Stars

Our Teacher made us weave Matariki Stars. First we drew a circle with a compass. Then we made marks around the outside and cut them.  Ms Kemp gave us some wool to weave into the star shapes and VOILA.

A Matariki Star