We LOVE Writing

"Stop work!" Mrs Andrews announced to Team Koru."Find a friend in another room and share your best writing."

What a great time we had sharing our stories, poems, and writing on the computer. Take a look at these photos to see the children of Team Koru enjoying being together and celebrating their learning. 

"Can we do this again Mrs Andrews?" 

NZ Writing Project

Room 15 recently took part in a NZ wide writing project where classes were buddied up across the country to write about themselves, their school and their local area.
We were buddied up with Room 1 from Sandspit Road School in Auckland. Here are a few photos of the children reading their postcards and then placing them altogether to create one message for us all - thanks Mrs McDougall and the children of Room 1 for all your awesome writing and interesting facts.
How cool that the sand on the beach is magnetic!

Remember the Holidays?

We got off to a great start with writing poetry using our senses to remember our summer holiday experiences. We thought about what we saw, heard and felt. We have some fantastic writers in "The Quarry" this year so have a read and let us know what you think.

Josiah

I heard…the popcorn crunch as the movie started playing

I saw…a ginormous movie screen with a silly pig, gorilla, tiny mouse, a spiky porcupine and the shy elephant. They rocked out!

I felt…like my ears were bleeding!

I wondered…if my cat Christian was going to learn to dance at home?

Joshua

I heard…the happy voices of the children splashing in the ocean

I saw…the sparkling greenish blue waves breaking endlessly on the sand

I felt…the freezing water of the rock pool I’d found hidden away between rocks

I wondered…when I would go home to a delicious barbeque full of friends

Lachlan

I heard…birds singing in the thick trees as I walked through the bush

I saw…gigantic trees and medium bushes as I wander on

I felt…free and adventurous

Luke

I heard… the wind speeding past me

I heard…the deafening music

I saw…the ice cracking underneath my skates

I felt…the wind speeding past me

I wondered…when the session would finish

(I went ice skating!)

Ryley

I heard…people talking in Assassin's Creed

I saw…a kind running on roofs

I felt…happy

I wondered…why is he running on roofs

Zachariah

I heard…the branched clashing together

I heard…the birds chirping in their nests

I saw…the lizards and the geckos

I felt…small under the trees

I wondered…if you could see more birds at night

Lukah

I heard…the trampoline mat being bounced on

I saw…lots of happy children bouncing on the trampolines

I felt…the soft trampoline mat under my feet

I wondered…if the jump guards had a go on the trampolines

Eadie

I saw…the gigantic blue sky above me

I felt…the crumbly soft sand underneath me

I heard…the sounds of the waves crashing onto the beach and I heard the children play with the sand

I wondered…what I would've done if I didn’t go on holiday

Aidan

I saw the propellers whizzing round and round

Down below I saw the ocean with rivers leading from it

I felt super excited as I talked to some other kids on the plane

Samantha

I heard go karts screeching on the race tracks

I saw a high speed taxi zooming on the track

I felt mud spattering on my clothes

I wonder if the same stuff would be there next time

I felt amazed when I saw a dashing taxi going past

Hannah

I heard..the rain drip drop on the wet concrete

I heard..the pukekos quickly and quietly scram across the creek

I saw..a weka come right through the door into the house!

I wondered..if when I go back, it will be changed

I wondered..if we would ever go back to Greymouth in the bach

Natalie

I heard the excitement of the people strolling across the Antarctic Centre and I heard the noisy barking of the huskies that I could carefully pat

I saw the trucks that are used to go across the soft thick snow in Antarctica.

I got to ride on the trucks and they wouldn’t tip over as they went over the lumpy steep hills and across filthy waters.

I tasted the freshness of the cold air whizzing through my mouth as I was in the frosty stormy snow...but it was just a try...it wasn’t real!

Grace

I heard..the rippling water in the river

I saw..a green rock in the river

I felt..cold when I put my foot in the freezing water

I wondered..how that green rock got there?

Jack

I heard..people screaming loudly

I heard..ka-boom!

I saw..black smoke

I felt..really worried

I wondered..if another bush was going to light on fire

Elsie

I heard..the TV

I heard..my Mum on her phone

I saw.. Moana

I left at 6.30 at night

I wondered..if my Dad and brother was there

I wondered..if I got Lego friend. Yes I did!

Ali

I heard..people in the movie talking

I heard..people in the movie tittering at bits

I saw..babies in the movie

I felt..scared because I thought Moana was going to get eaten

I wondered..if it would end good

Abi

I heard..people talking when I was trying to get to sleep

I saw..the lake when I went down the s.. into the lake

I felt..the waves circling on my back

I wondered..if we would come here again

Mya

I heard..Maddie’s little brother crying

I heard..the cat purring

I saw..the TV in Maddi’s room

I felt..annoyed because Georgia was rolling over me and Maddi

I wondered..if the cat would get stuck under the house again

Flynn

On Christmas Day I woke up. I was super excited

I got for Christmas a Lego airport. It was outstanding

SJ

I heard..happy kids play in the ocean

I saw..an otter as I swam in the sea

I felt..happy in the ice cold water

I wondered..when we were going home

Jay

I heard…a humpback whale

I felt…a spider on my shoulder

I wondered…what would come up next?

I wondered....if a dolphin would come past

Lily

I heard…the huge, loud, shimmering fireworks

Booming in the dark

I saw…our massive blue and white house

Looking from above

I felt…the bumpy hard waves splashing

as I cannon-balled from the pontoon

I wondered…if I could swim the whole way

With my Aunty to the pontoon

I wondered....if I would fall off the soft

donut but I didn’t my brother Max did

That was part of my holiday

Keegan

I heard…waves splashing

I heard…screaming

I saw…bluebells

I felt…waves pulling me

I wondered…if I would see a shark

Tom

I heard people splashing in the water

I heard the waves sucking the water

I saw some people surfing on the waves

I fell down in the water

I felt cold and happy

Olie

I heard…a  loud noise of the chair lift

I saw…the grey chair lift

I felt…excited because it was my first time

I wondered…if I would see any carnage

Landscape Art

We have been creating some landscapes based on the work of Diana Adams. We especially thought about perspective - making sure what was in the foreground was bigger and more detailed, and what was in the background was smaller. We think the bold and deep colours in our pastel and dye designs are great! We wrote a description of our landscape.

                                     

“When I sat by the sea I saw the sparkling blue sea and the lovely shiny sky. After that we went to see the beautiful flowers.”

Bella S

“As I climb up the mountain I can see the really big shadow of the mountains and the multi coloured ferns. I can see the wavy water, the wavy sky and the huge mountains.”

Toby

“My landscape has pure white snowy clouds and the sky is calm and like a sapphire.

The sun is shining bright.

The hills had dusty grassy peaks.

The sea was calm, sparkling, flowing turquoise.

The beach is golden and sandy.

With a few silver,sparkling,speckled pebbles.

In my foreground there are sandy flax bushes and grass.

As I walk down the beach I see the beautiful crystal blue pool of salty sea.”

Eliza  

“As I sit next to the lake I can see the snowy mountains. In the reflection of me in the lake it feels like I am seeing another me in the water. I am seeing the shadow of the mountains on me. I was sitting by big rocks with huge ferns beside it.”

Nathan

“In my foreground there is a beautiful sandy speckled rocky beach alongside the wavy turquoise salty sea. In the background I have some grassy peaks with whirly clouds floating above them.”

Charli

“As the dead hills lay empty with the swirly clouds in the great blue sky. I sat watching the calm crystal blue lagoon. The golden sand runs through my fingers and the mint green leaves rustle.”

Amelia

“As I sat in front of the grass I looked at the  shimmering blue sea.  As I sat on the shimmering sand the water was swirling around me.”

Ella

“In Spain I sat on the golden sand with crushed up pieces of shell sticking into my towel. As I lay down I imagined that I was swimming in clear blue fresh water in Hawaii and Fiji I am drinking cocktails all day long. I looked up into the blue sparkling sky it was gorgeous.”

Emma C-L

“I see the snowy mountains in the sky and I see the trees in beside me. The rocks beside the water and the tall trees.The water is so cold. The water splashes on the rocks. I sit beside the diamond blue water.”

Sergi

“As I climb up the mountains I feel cold. The river is swollen.”

Maddison

“I am feeling like I’m swimming in the cool crystal blue lake which shimmers and shines like diamonds in a cave. I feel the sand so bright and orange - it’s very very soft. It slides through my fingers and the seashells oh so shiny swirly ones and pointy ones with colours everywhere. Climbing the hills and mountains with snow at the peak it’s nearly night.  It’s getting late. It’s almost time for bed.”

Shyla

“In my background I can feel the golden sand in between my toes. As I look at the sparkling water, I can feel the freezing cold water, I can see the lovely green bushes. I like the pretty yellow sea shells. I like the water because it is nice and blue, like the sky. I love my landscape it looks very real. I like my hills they look very green and very big and they also look so, so real. The sea looks so cold and it is quite cold.”

Bella H

"In the foreground you can see the clear baby blue pond with aqua leaves in front and around I lay on the soft golden sand.In the background you can see the dry hills.The hills remind me of looking out the window."

Brooke C

“The sand reminds me of when I went down to Motueka. As I sit beside the colourful  bright flowers I felt so relaxed. As I sit beside the sparkling lagoon I can see the beautiful sandy soft sand.”

Emma H

“In my landscape I had big and small hills and some flowers. The other flowers have blue and yellow and green. Some are big and small trees and water and some the of sky are small and big and the grass is small.”

Harrold

“The water is very rough and the hills are very big and tall. The rocks are very different. Some are big and some are small.The trees are very brown and have light green leaves.”

George

“As I am walking up the mountain I look down and I see the sparkling diamond blue sea and the multi coloured ferns. When I got to the top of the mountain I saw snow and mist. Then I walked down to the golden sand. When I walked across it burnt my feet then I looked up at the sky and I saw big clouds and the enormous blue sky and the deep salty water.”

Callum

“As I walk along the hot sandy beach I see the dry yellowy hills and the big snowy pointy mountains. The road beside the flax and ferns is golden and I see the bluey green lake. The swirling clouds up in the sky are as white as snow.”

Cadell

“I can see Mount Cook. l can see the cave. l can see a tornado on Mount Cook. I can see a hat.”

Paddy

“As I sat near the river and I can see silver ferns behind the bush. I can see two beautiful palm trees and the amazing hills.The sky is amazing and beautiful. The sparkling river is like a diamond lagoon. As I look from the sparkling river to the hills I can also see the sun set.”

Hannah

“When I was sitting on the beach I saw the lake of turquoise water. The mountains of rock among the sky of blue under the horizon. The sand is as gold as glitter. The plants as green as a green sour apple.”

Cairo

“When I got  down to the sandy beach I could see the diamond clear water and the big bulging mountains. The rocks were tiny and scattered across the beach. Some got stuck in my jandal. They hurt!  Soon the tide was coming in so I went back over the bushy mountains into town."

Izack

                                          

“My picture is about a little beach. It has a little pond and shells and trees and flowers and a hill.”

Brooke W

Which NZ artists do you like, and why? Leave a comment to let us know what you think about our work.