On Monday September 18th Yr 4-8 held a survival island day. We had to trade tokens for any supplies we didn't already have between our team to enable us to ¨survive¨ on the island and create a tepee, a stretcher for an injured friend and a fire to cook food on. I learnt that without teamwork I would not be able to survive on an island. I enjoyed creating the tepee and cooking the food on the fire. I thought that 95% of the time my team (Josh, Elijah, Jazmyn, Hayley, Rowan and I) worked really well to collect enough points to get what we didn't have, get the fire going, put up the tepee and complete all of the other activities. Overall it was a good day even though we all got soaked from the fake tsunami and the rain.    

        

Novel Study

This week I have been working on a novel study. I had to choose a book from home and complete a range of activities base on the book. Some of the activities had to have examples (quotes) from the book and others had to have photos to go on the slide.

Character Desciption

This week we wrote character descriptions. The character could not be someone that lived with us but it could be someone that we have met or another family member that is special to us. We had to specifically write about: skin, hair, face, voice/what they talk about, actions and their personality. We had to include similes and make sure we had Level 4 punctuation.  

Nana

Her white hair with ashy streaks (like gunpowder scattered across snow) is moulded to her head. It may look thick from a distance but it is transparent because of her age. All the attempts to keep her hair perfect fail, due to the frizzy bits that always sneak in. She relies on the car mirror to check her hair is presentable whenever we go somewhere. The laugh and stress lines on her face show her age. The creases between her eyebrows deepen when she is concentrating on her sewing. Whenever I visit her she is always wearing magenta lipstick to hide the purple scar on her bottom lip. She has emerald green eyes that hide behind her thin oblong shaped glasses. The moisturiser that aligns the ledge in the bathroom has given her soft, baby-like skin. You know when she is going somewhere special because she has her face decorated in a range of positions and colors.

Whenever Nana comes across somebody she knows she immediately starts talking. She has an art of finishing stories of what has happened in her life recently or talking about her latest sewing project.  When I go to stay in the holidays, she is always teaching me different sewing skills and asking me what sort of color scheme would be good for my cushion, or whatever object I am making. Her happy, positive voice always cheers me up, much like a glass of lemonade does when I am sick. In her spare time she loves to sew a variety of things such as: cushions, quilts and clothes. At her house Nana has colossal garden.  Whenever the sun shines, she will go out and water the flowers. A social butterfly, Nana loves spending time with friends, family or even strangers who help her find something in a shop. She also loves to cook food such as: pavlova, cakes, pies, salads, etc.

Nana is perceived as very trustful and honest person. She is unique because she tries her hand at so many things like, her favorites are: cooking, gardening, sewing, shopping, traveling and reading. I remember Nana as having such a big personality,  she has been the one who has taught me how to sew and she has attended every birthday I have ever had with such amazing presents. She has always been there for me (ever since I was a baby) and has taught me so much and that to me makes her an extraordinary role model in my life.

It's The Little Things

 I am learning to write a piece of prose-  a sketch with detailed words, about a particular place, that is very important to me

I know I have achieved this when I can describe this sketch of the place,in specific detail. To do this I need to:

- Use specific nouns

- Activate the nouns with strong verbs

The Garden

The aroma of the flowers emerging from the ground filling my, nose with joy. In the back corner of the yard, the golden sun was glistening off the glass house. All around me are fruit trees with their branches careening and bushes trembling in the wind. In the middle of the yard/garden I have a prodigious view of the farm and nature around me. Birds are warbling continuously to each other, bees were embarking on to their next flower, clovers are overpopulating the grass and tomatoes are busily ripening in the glass house.

My dog scampering happily under the close eye of the summer sun - the most beautiful sight of all.   

Memoir Poem #3

I am learning to write a memoir poem. (This recalls a moment in time from my past that links to an emotion I felt at that time) The emotion I have chosen to link my memoir to is wonder.

In my memoir I describe the scene and situation using strong adjective, nouns and verbs.

I hope you enjoy it.

The bedroom was stuffy enough.

My sisters were whispering privately to each other, newly opened presents were sitting in front of me and I could hear laughter down the hall.

The sweltering sun was shining through my dull grey curtains, charming birds were happily singing from the highest trees and the maroon pencil was tapping briskly between my fingers.

Our boisterous dogs were barking loudly, my overjoyed mum was ranting on about something I couldn't quite hear and my over-worked brain was exploring for different present options.

Agitated, Excited, Wondering.

What could possibly be the most perfect present?

Memoir Poem #2

Today I wrote another memoir poem. We had to use a A.N.V(Adjective,Noun,Verb) chart and then add other words to make it a proper sentence. I chose to write my poem in Shmuels (from The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas) point of view. I hope you really enjoy my poem.

The concentration camp was lifeless enough, there was an old pile of wood planks, a couple of aging huts and a barb wire fence surrounding the innocent men and little boys.

A rusty wheelbarrow traveling in my hands, there were underprivileged Jews laboring all around me and evil Nazis surrounding the fence.

Horrible smelling, gloomy smoke drifting above us, an ear-popping whistle signalling us to come back and terrifying guns firing in the distance.

Languid, Depressed, Hopeless,

while doing nothing important but hoping for a brighter future.

I wonder...

Memoir Poem

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Memoir Poem

Today I had to write a memoir poem using adjectives, nouns and verbs. This memoir poem is set when Bruno got to his new house and what he can see. I hope you enjoy this poem.

The new house was horrible enough, there was only three floors, a cramped backyard and a tiny boys room.

An overpaid maid was sorting my clothes, a group of languid Jews were trudging behind a barb wire fence and uniformed soldiers were marching behind the Jews.

Serious Hitler was speaking down stairs, grumpy Gretel was arranging her dolls again and irritated Lieutenant Kotler was stuttering.

Frightened, Upset, Clueless, doing nothing important while hoping to return to Berlin.