Homework Week Three

Congratulations creative writers. Some beautiful work is published on our class blog below. Share it with your nearest and dearest.

Now, write a poem (which may or may not rhyme), or a prose paragraph, about the endless movement of the sea, about it ‘turning its dark pages, turning its dark pages.’
I would like you to write so that readers will feel the sensation of the sea’s movement when they read it. The readers may feel giddy, or sea sick, or invigorated by the tidal shifts.
Excellent snippets will be published on the blog.

Timestable focus 9x.

Science challenge for the week. How can you prevent ice from melting?
Back up your guess (hypothesis) with research.
Carry out experiments if you want. Record what occurs.

List as many words as you can about the sea. Define at least five of them.

Watery Writing by Room One

Lucy
The Sea
As I stroll along the shore I feel the warm inviting touch of the sea lapping at my feet. The scorching sun burns down on the sparkling sea. The sun's reflection bounces off the depths of the sea making the ocean beam with light. As the clouds block out the sun it becomes dark and windy. The waves start to show their white froths as the breaker hits the black jagged rocks showering salty spray. The ocean has a bitter sour taste of salt. The sea reminds me of a road never ending, sometimes a break but always endless.

Georgia
Sea
The brilliant blue sea
shimmers in the sunlight.

Its tumultuous waves
crash around you and
the weight of the water
thrusts you towards the beach.

Taste the horrible
salty sea water
and its gritty sand.

Rebecca
One summer's day I was at the beach when suddenly I heard the waves crashing on the soft sand and shells cluttering. As I got closer the sand got wetter, at that moment I felt the white foam come around my legs. Just then it splashed in my face. I could taste that salty sea.

Adam
The Sea
It looks rough with waves.
The sea tastes salty and is cold and wet.
It makes a roaring sound as it rolls in and hits the beach.

Ben
When the sea is shining and the water is glistening the sea resembles a water's jewel. Sea water has a harsh salty taste. Running your fingers through sea water feels like silky goodness and makes me feel relaxed.
On a calm day the sea is peaceful and quiet and on a stormy day it can sound like a fearsome sea monster. with waves crashing and roaring against the shore.

Natasha

Plish, plash,plosh. That sounds like the sea.

It's pretty, but it tastes no good at all!

I want to go to the waves, but it's much too cold for me.

A blue colour of the sea is the same as the shiny sky.

Luke
The treacherous sea swirls beneath my feet. The cold dark water is daunting with it's sharp icy feeling. While it thrashes and crashes against the rocks fountains of water are sent into the air.
I can taste the salt of the sea upon my lips.

Sally
Because the North Island is surrounded by water and has wonderful beaches, New Zealand has to be one of the best non polluted countries in the world. Water can sometimes be lots of fun but some waters can be deadly! Like the Wahine disaster and the tragedy at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre where seven people were swept away by a river and drowned.
Its shades of blue give it the Kiwi touch and beauty.
The salty air makes my mouth dry and thirsty.

When being knocked over by a monstrous wave you fall slowly to the bottom of the sea floor. Kicking and constantly blowing bubbles and mindlessly trying to get up, eventually you stand up on your feet gasping for air and stumbling onto the sand dunes in the scorching sun.

Shannon
Sea
The fluffy ripple texture of the waves breaking over my tingling toes made me shiver with excitement. The moderate salty taste quickly rushed up over my face. And like always the taste leaves behind the unexpected thirstiness in your throat. And then look up and you will see a beautiful horizon and the sun setting behind the clouds. The sound of the waves crashing is an unbeatable experience like nothing before. When you get a chance to go to the beach treasure it very well and make it last.

Jay
The sea churns, curls and falls to its sandy grave.
The colour is a crisp darkened blue or sometimes a sickly green.
The taste of sea salt and sand flavours the water.
When I'm playing in the water I hear the loud rushing sound crashing into its icy hands.

Nicola
The sea sounds like thunder clapping as it crashes on to the sand.
It looks like a wonderful sparkly swimming pool.
When you walk into the water your legs tingle.
It tastes all salty and yuck.

Athletics Day

Athletics Day is fast approaching. We will be practising every day to improve our techniques, discus strategies and have fun doing something different. The video below shows our gold medalist Valerie Vili in slow motion. Check out her technique and the angle that the shot leaves her on, it is quite a steep angle but it works. She also makes the most of the throwing circle. How is your shot put style developing?

Shot put training video

OUCH!!! Wear a life jacket!

My three sons loved the video below. I must admit that it did make me cringe and want to know if everyone was ok. Those water sports sure look dodgy.

Homework Week One

Water

Because New Zealand is an island home the sea is always at our doorsteps. We are never far from its heaving sighs and touch. It is like a rocking cradle eternally moving backwards and forwards around us. We gain food from it, enjoy its beauty; we play in and around its rippling tides.
The poet Denise Levertov wrote of the sea:
“ _ and as you read
the sea is turning its dark pages
turning
its dark pages.”

I would like you to write a line or two about your feelings about the sea.
How does it look?
What is its taste?
What is its texture/ how does it feel?
What sound does it make?

Write these lines a s a writer, which means to write them in excellent English, vividly and poetically. Create beautiful written statements about the sea when you answer those questions.

The pick of the crop will be published on our blog.

Timestable focus 4x

Reading every night is vital to becoming an excellent writer. Record the titles of books you have read and your opinion of the books.

Remember to check your mandatory checklist at the beginning of your folder.

Also, collect as many fascinating ‘water’ words as you can this week.

Japan

Two of my brothers and my little sister are showing you how low the ceilings are in Japan. Just like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I can't belive I was there just last week!

My biggest little brother and his beautiful wife Hiromi.

The bride and groom got changed half way through the day. What a beautiful pair!!!!!

This is my littlest brother Damien with his new wife Hiromi and her mum and dad after their amazing wedding ceremony in a Japanese temple. Hiromi's dad is a PE teacher and her mum is a school principal, unfortunately we couldn't talk about school because they don't speak English and I can only say 'thank you' and 'excuse me' in Japanese.
It was well worth going to even though we had to travel so far.

Check out a real Japanese wedding!

This is my new sister-in-law Hiromi. Her wedding kimono was intricately embroidered but very heavy and hot. The wedding car needed a special door in the roof for her hair, like the Bat Mobile.

I can't believe it, I am in Japan adding to our class blog. Please add a comment about how your holiday has been.
My little brother Damien is getting married in the morning, he is very nervous. He is so proud to share some of the cool things in Japan with my family. The food has been fabulous, the trains amazingly fast (Scott, you would be impressed with that!) and the people are very gracious. It is surprisingly hot.
I am saying a speech at the wedding so I am nervous too. I will practise it tonight in front of my daughter Sophie and my brother Nick and sister Caele. Now I know how you guys feel about giving speeches to a crowd. YUCK!
Hopefully I can add some photos tomorrow.
Until then `sayunara` from Japan.

Groovy Spelling Idea

Let's impress our college teachers by being the most amazing spellers when we arrive at their schools.
Here is a spelling activity recommended by a college English teacher. Give it a go and let me know what you think of it.
http://www.spellingcity.com/index.php