Week 6 Writing Samples

 Swimming through the great depths of the unknown, my mind engulfs in worry.  The ocean is a trap and I feel as if I am going to set it off.  Light guides my way, but I still fear the ocean.  - Ella 

The stalactites roofing in the ceiling of the cave, majestic stalagmites protruding from underneath me.  Undisturbed for eons, it should stay this way. - Jonas

I swim, lurking around the mysterious cave.  This jail of coral bars surround me.  I feel there is no way out. - Max Co. 

I float through the murky water, glow worms illuminating my way.  They are the stars that guide me through the narrow passages.  - Bogdan

The navy blue water closes in, gloom consumes the dark, bars stab and prick me, trying to rule the sea. The water laps around the cave, in out, in out, there is no escape.

Leila

Drifting along in a sea of blue blood. Locked in a cell. Deserted.  A single moonbeam illuminating the sky like a glow worm. Paris T

 

Oblivion awaits me below... I feel powerless in the respect that one wobble and I'm history - a sacrifice to the gods.  Ominous darkness awaits below.  Knowing I could fall to my doom within seconds.  - Sam D.

I can feel myself slipping, adrenalin pumping round my body.  A lone drip of sweat travels down my face.  This is another world.  I can feel the clouds getting thicker, as I try to hold on.  But I can't anymore.  I slip and that is it - I know it.  I fall through the air.  I can feel my blood running to my head.  I hit the ground and this is the end.  - Lily P. 

Swiftly, I leap up onto my seat and peer out of the cracked window.   Freezing with fear, I sit back on my seat again.  Knowing the train could fall off the cliff any minute makes my situation worse.  "I thought this was a holiday trip," I mutter under my breath.  My mother sighs.  - Madoka

Passing by lakes and rivers, I see them come to life.  Fish pirouette on top of the crystal clear water.  Birds sign their favourite tunes.  Frogs leap from rock to rock.  The forest has come to life.  - Molly

Slowly it chugs along the track around the cliff.  The salty smell of the sea wafts under my nose.  Trees stand tall and proud.  A gasp from the driver stops me in my daydream.  We fall down into the sea with a crash... Paris D

Sticks make a ladder across the river, the rickety bridge doesn't support me.  As I sink down to my knees the path in front of me is blocked.  Rosa

 Flying over the valley, I look down at the narrow roads strangling each other with cars the size of ants. - Sebastian

The winding road spread out below like a giant snail being strangled and gone mad, leaving a long trail of slime to form the narrow roads slithering down the hill side. - Lachlan

Curving roads confuse my path, etched into the hillside.  I feel strangled within these narrow, blinding paths. Consequences leading to the unknown.  Sun gimmers through the valley making the pine trees glow.

- Holly R.

Week 3 and 4 event photos

School Cross Country @ Hansen Park

Our senior House Captains

Passing the time before the race

The Year 7 girls taking off from the start line

Congratulations to all who participated.  A special good luck to the following students from the Pateman Pod who will be competing at Zone Cross Country next Wednesday:

Year 7 girls: Leila, Chloe, Molly, Nina & Paige
Year 7 boys: Dominic
Year 8 girls: Lauren, Holly R., Rosie, Holly C., Amelia & Evelyn
Year 8 boys: Quincy, Baxter, Max Co. & Jake

Year 7/8 Syndicate CantaMath Competition

Congratulations to the winning team of Max Cr., Amelia & Baxter who completed all 20 questions with 15 minutes to spare.  

Room 23, however, were the overall class winners.  The Class Eagle has left its comfy nest in Room 19 and headed to Room 23 for a while.  The Class Eagle trophy is yet to rest in Room 18 or 22 this year.  

NEXT TIME...?!?!?!  

Thursday of next week is our Syndicate Spelling Quiz.  Go Room 18!  Watch this space :)     

Vote for Sam!

I have entered a competition to be an onfield mascot for one of the games at the FIFA U-20 world cup that is taking place here in June. If you could please vote for me to ensure that I am inside the top 52 that would be greatly appreciated. I am currently about 30th and would like to stay there.

To vote for me please search the link http://www.kia.co.nz/fifau20/leaderboard search on there for Sam Coughlan. Click on my profile and then click on vote. You can do it once a day until the 15th of May and can vote each day on different devices such as computers, iPhones, Smartphones etc.

Thanks,

Sam

MAGGI Kitchen Showdown

Now in its 6th year, the popular MAGGI Kitchen Showdown is back again to encourage kids to get into the kitchen and create!  Partnering with The 4.30 Show, kids aged 11-15 are challenged with cooking a nutritious and balanced main course meal that will feed a family of four.  The meal must be created for no more than $20 and use a MAGGI product, selected from a from list of participating products.  Entries are open now, with $5000 up for grabs for the winning team’s school, as well as prizes for members of selected teams featured during the competition.

Applications to participate open on Monday 13 April 2015 and close at 11.59pm on Friday 19 June 2015.

Each week for 8 weeks, commencing Monday 25 May 2015 a Team will be chosen to have their recipe featured on the 4:30 TV Show.  Each Team Member whose recipe is featured on the TV show will be awarded a $50 Rebel Sport Gift Voucher. 

If you are interested in entering a team of 2-4, please speak to Mrs P.  St Martins School has made it through to the South Island finals for the past 2 consecutive years... let's make it 3!

To find out more, visit: http://www.maggi.co.nz/kitchen-showdown/about?utm_source=Maggi&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Maggi-Showdown-2015-eCRM

It feels pretty good to be a learner!

 Today I completed my first Te Reo Māori module through Core Education.  YAY!

It feels awesome to have started this learning journey and I look forward to continuing to learn alongside students in the class.  One of the Home Learning challenges for Term 2 is to learn an opening karakia (and as an extra challenge, a closing karakia).  

As a group, we have recently been practising the opening karakia each morning.  Holly R. has done a fabulous job memorising the opening karakia already.  Hōtō (choice)!  Keep practising at home koutou!

Koutou mā, kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui - be strong, be confident, be persistent.

Karakia

Opening Karakia


Closing Karakia

Vanuatu Book Drive

Friends of Ms McGowan are traveling to Vanuatu in 3 weeks and are wanting to take some children's books with them to donate to a school.

If you have any new or good condition books that would suit whole class reading to 5-9 year olds, please bring them in by Wednesday of next week.  If you stick a photo or name of who the book is from in front of the book, they will respond to you.

The travellers have allocated 3kg of their luggage to books, so please don't send along boxes full! :)