Beach Cookout

 On Friday the 26th of March we went on a beach cookout in our group, Sam, Billie, Emma and Hamish. We cooked sausages with bread and s’mores with chocolate sauce. We had to make a controlled campfire. We had a frying pan and we put the frying pan on top of the fire and cooked the sausages. We also attempted to make a marshmallow slop but that didn’t work. When we roasted the marshmallows Emma burnt them and then pulled off a crispy shell. Someone from another group told Emma that she had to shave because the marshmallow was all over her face. When we had to extinguish the fire we poured sand all over the fire and then water.  

Beach Cleanup

 

Summer Learning Journey

 For the Summer Learning Journey, Ms Kemp decided to make us do two introductory tasks. We had to colour in a famous picture on a website and then find the elements of art inside it.

What Now

 What Now?

I was awoken to my mother shaking me awake.  “ Come on get up Emma ” she said. I groaned as I fell off my bed.  Mum had left the room and was heading downstairs. I put my clothes on and followed her. My aunt was already up and she made me a hot milo and some toast. I had my breakfast and got into the car. 

We drove to Shantytown and there was a huge line waiting to get in. mum drove along the line until she found Donna. She asked her what was going on and Donna said they hadn’t opened the gate. Donna then offered to take me into Shantytown and drop me back home and Mum accepted so I got in Donna's car with Billie, Billie. W, Summer and Wairini. We waited in line for 5 minutes and then the gates opened.

 We drove in and Donna found a park but somebody's car came speeding backwards towards us!! Donna just managed to avoid the crash that could have happened. We then got interrupted by Ms Kemp who stopped us and then let us keep walking too the train station. We then handed in our forms and waited for 10 minutes. 

I went outside and stood near the white fence on the train platform. Then a lady in a purple dress and blue jacket came walking towards us. Jordyn and I waved at her and I let out a squeak of excitement. I think she heard me because she looked at us and waved back. She then introduced herself as Erin, the presenter on What Now. She then introduced Morgan( the director), Matt( the props guy) and Matt the camera man. Morgan told us to get onto the train. Erin got in my cabin and she then said she needed some competitors for “ Say It, Don’t Spray It ”. She then told us to say she sells seashells by the sea shore as loud as we could. I won that and I got a name tag. Before that, we had put all of our gear into the church. The intro was quite simple. We all got off the train and stayed quiet behind the post office. We then went off the air and Erin changed into a buttercup yellow dress. She then asked us what made the West Coast speical to us. Olive said “ because it’s really beautiful” and Indi “ the bike tracks are really cool and fun too do ”. 

Erin was now wearing a pink dress. We then set up for “ Say It Don’t Spray It ” I put on my name tag and headed over to the Fire Station. I then had to say the tongue twister “ Sheila seldom sells shelled shrimps in Shantytown ” I did it but Jordyn, Lucy and Zade failed to do it and got foamed. It was down to me and Mea. This time we had to say it twice.  I said it with a little stumble but Mea stuffed up before she got to the second time round. She got foamed and I was the winner. Erin asked me how it felt to be the Say It Don’t Spray It  champion. I replied with amazing. She then asked me how it felt to be foamed on National TV, which was about to happen to me. I screamed “ No no no thankyou” and ran from the camera. Atawhai pushed me back to the camera. I reluctantly got foamed and I turned into a fish when I did. I then dried off and headed to the gold panning. 

Erin had changed into a checker patterned dress. Me and Breanna were trying to pan for gold and we failed miserably. We kept arguing over who held the pan. Breanna was doing it wrong and it was really bugging me so I kept taking the pan off her and showing her how to do it. But Breanna kept doing it wrong.

Erin then sent us too the theatre to watch a really bad movie. We all stormed out afterwards looking angry. I was especially good at that as that is a face I pull every day at someone. Olive and Indi walked out after me and when we were out of the camera range we cracked up.

Symmetry

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.