Athletics' Day

On Friday the 16th we all went to Athletics' Day. At first we thought it was off because it was raining. We rang and asked the principal and he said it was on, just that Seddon had pulled out. We drove to Ward School, where we received a very warm welcome. Kerry, the principal, showed us round the school and we were given a chocolate biscuit each. We waited till the other kids finished their classes and then we played with them on the playground. It was very flash with lots of things to do. I liked sliding down the parallel bars. When the sports started we got into our year groups. We did sprints first.

I got a two in discus, shotput, high jump and long jump, a three and first place in the 200 and 400 metre run, and threes in the sprints.

For lunch we had a sausage sizzle. It was free for us!!!

At the end we had relay races. I am glad my dad ran in it. He started early; it was probably just as well he did because otherwise his team would have got smoked by the year eights. This is my dad running!

On Saturday morning I was as stiff as a week old dead rabbit and as sore as a cow with a broken leg. I had lots of fun at sports day and I think I did well because I wasn't feeling well. Still I think I can improve in shotput and discus.

I like the Sports day because we were welcomed very well and was hosted very well compared than being at Seddon. By Alice

Dad went in the relay and got first. He pulled his hamstring. He's 55, so he did pretty well. I had lots of fun. I came first in all the sprints. We had a sausage and bread for lunch. I had lots of fun at the athletics. Ben

This is me doing long jump (before I got a mouthful of sand!). I only got a 1 in this event and a1 is the worst score. I got a 3 in my high jump though so am real happy about that - 3 is the best score. I got a 3 in the shotput and a couple of 2s. Simon

We went to athletics' day at Ward on Friday. It was going to include Woodbank School, our school, Seddon School and of course Ward students. But it was raining in the morning so Seddon pulled out, and Woodbank didn’t come. I found that the Ward children, teachers and parents were so welcoming. When we arrived and met the principal he took us into the staff room and gave us each a chocolate biscuit and then showed us the whole school. The day was really different to Seddon; the teachers gave us lots of chances apart from just one, and all the kids cheered and cheered. Annah

We went to Ward School for athletics day. Because it was raining we thought it would be called off, but it wasn’t. When we arrived it had stopped raining and by the end of morning tea the grass had dried out. We had a very nice welcome from the whole school. The children were friendly and they wanted to play with us. After morning tea we started the events. I started with sprints and enjoyed doing all the other events. I really enjoyed being at Ward School and playing with everybody. Lucy

On Friday we went to Ward School to do athletics. I was in Year 4 with some other girls. The year 4 and 3 were together, so I was with Ben, my friend. I had so, so, so much fun. I liked high jump best, and sprints. I met new people to talk to. For lunch we had a sausage sizzle. Skye

Woodbank trip

On Wednesday we headed down to Woodbank school in Kaikoura. We arrived there at lunch time and played on the playground. Then we did a mural of sea animals. I did mine with Zoe. Ours was of a dolphin in the sea with crabs and shellfish and sand. Then we went for a swim. It was a bit cold but not as cold as the Middlehurst pool. Then I helped set up the tents. We had tea, were read a storyand and went to bed. I slept in a compartment with Lucy, Annah and Skye.

On Thursday we made our way down to South Bay where we went kayaking. We went all the way out to Sharks Tooth Point where we saw seals on the rocks. Where the seals were there were lots of rocks that the swell was pushing us into that I did not like. After we went kayaking we went for a ride on the Coast Guard boat. It was really fun going fast against the wake of another boat. At one stage we went airborne and the whole boat was out of the water. It was really fun and bumpy. We left after taking some photos on the boat and thanking the people who took us. Then we had lunch (I was really hungry). The parents went home and we went to a limestone cave with lots of stalactites ad stalagmites. It was really interesting. There was the tooth fairy's hole where the tooth fairy lived. When they found the cave they found some fossilised penguins and sea urchins. One of the urchins was 20 million years old!!! The cave was made by the sea many years ago. Alice.......

We went visiting to a little school called Woodbank. We did athletics practice and some swimming. It was really interesting going to the caves and learning about stalactites and stalagmites, but my favourite thing while we were on the trip was the kayaking. I really liked going into the cave, but if we had the choice of caving or kayaking, I would have chosen kayaking. Although I must say that it was a lot of strain on my neck and a bit of pain in my arms, but I lived. Annah


This is us on the Coast Guard boat at Kaikoura. Just before this photo was taken we went for a ride on their boat. We saw a seal eating an octopus. We also went kayaking. Just when we were about to get in I got a bee sting. It really hurt, but I still got to go kayaking. I enjoyed it because there was a swell and we went up and down. By Lucy


This is Ben and I talking to one of the Coast Guard drivers (I'm in the orange Tui hat). They were very nice because they went out of their way to take us for a ride. It was the highlight of my trip. They were on the water when we went kayacking just in case something happened. I didn't have much fun kayaking because my partner was scared, so I didn't see any seals. I was pretty disappointed because we got towed almost all the way out, so didn't do much actual Kayacking. But I loved the Goast Guard boat ride. It went REALLY fast and got airborne on big swells. When it went tightly round turns it was best. Skye, Ben and I sat on the left side, so if it turned right we could nearly see under the boat. When it turned left the sea came right up to you. We turned left side on to a big swell and it came over the side and I got wet. We also went caving and saw a lot of stalagmites and stalactites.

On the way back home along the coast we stopped off and saw a seal colony. There were three baby seals swimming around in a rock pool, and when a swell came it picked them up and washed them out. So at the end of the day I did get to see some seals. Simon.


We went to look at a sea cave. The man who took us into the cave told us that a fairy lived there. The cave was big and it had stalagmites and stalactites. Stalactites hag from the roof and stalamites are on the floor. In the photo, you can also see some straws hanging from the roof. They are hollow in the middle and they are very weak. The man said that if you blow on them they would break. There were also some fossils in there. By Ben.


On Thursday we went to the Leap Cave at Kaikoura. The guide said that there was a tooth fairy there because there were some boots that Santa gave her. But I didn't believe that. Skye.

Pets' Day

This is my Kiwiana. It was very simple compared to the others, but was the Kiwiest I guess because I got first prize. It was a Redband wellie with tussock and matagouri in it.
Simon :)

This is me and Jeffery Bob at Pets' Day. He got two firsts and a second. This year was his third time going to Pets' Day. What I liked best was when he came to me when I had to call him. When I say, "Maaah" he comes straight away. Skye

This is Lenny and I at Pets' Day. Lenny got first prize for calling, but he didn't like being led. He started to buck, so I had to pick him up. He was very hot and thirsty and tired. I got a prize for my gingerbread man and muffins. I had a good day. What I liked most about the day was when I got first prize for Lenny. By Ben

This is me, (in the blue shirt and green and white Canterbury shorts) with my foxy pup Quin, (she is on the blue lead). She got second for best kept dog. I am very proud of her. She did very well on the obstacle course also. Simon. :)

This is me and my sheep E.J at pets day.

On Friday we went to Pets' Day and I took E.J my pet sheep. I won 3 prizes: two seconds and one third. I had heaps of FUN! Lucy

My lamb Donna and I.

When we went to Pets' Day I got a third for my Play Station plate, which was a plate for when you were playing on a play station. I also made a flower vegtable (flower made out of vegtables), and a monster biscuit (a biscuit that looks like a monster).

For my lamb I got highly recommended for 'all round': calling, care and attention, and leading. I like Pets' Day because I get to spend time with my pet and there are lots of fun activities to do!!! I like to eat all the things I made on the way home, too. They were yummy.

By Alice :) ^_^

Road Block

On Thursday, 25th of October, there was a block on the way to school. Willie (one of the parents) was at the tree getting ready to pull it off the road. My mum, Mary, was there too. We got to school late. Yaaaaa!!!!!!! It was really cool. Alice

Trip to Blenheim

Last Friday we went to Blenheim to go to the library and the pools. For lunch we went to Pollard Park. We played on a big red thing that was made out of strong rope and we climbed up to the top and back down. It was fun. Skye
While we were in Blenheim on Friday 19 October we went to our favourite park in Blenheim, Pollard Park, for lunch. Where the climbing thing is, there used to be slides and monkey bars. We played for a wee while then went to the river and saw two ducklings, 1 black and 1 brown and an eel. He went in his hole so Simon got a stick and the eel chased it out and tried to bite it (below). Annah.

Ben, Simon and Alice looking at the eel

On Friday we went to Blenheim and went to Pollard park to have lunch. We went down to the river and saw an eel and two ducklings. One was brown, the other was white. The eel ate the other four ducklings. We went to the art gallery and saw grape posts made into picnic tables. We went to the pool. It was fun. Ben

When we went to Blenheim we went to a park called Seymore Square to have morning tea. In this photo we are playing on the hand railing by the bell tower. Lucy (:

Rugby

We have been playing rugby lately at lunch time. It has been Annah, Lucy and I playing against Simon, Ben and Skye. We won the recent game by 2 points.


We played rugby today.

Lucy



Ben, Skye and I are a pretty good team, we're called Canterbury. We've won all games but the one. We lost the last one because we missed 2 conversions. Today we won a game 45-15. The other day we hammered them huge, but lost count of the score. They are a very strong, hard to bet team when they want to be though.

From, the Canterbury team, Simon Ward, Skye Macdonald and Ben Satterthwaite.

Snow Again!

On Wednesday we had some snow and I decided to make a snow man. Lucy :)

This is me with my snowman. His name is 'the thing from SNOWEY valley'. He wasn't the straightest standing of blokes, but he stayed up for the longest. They were a lot better than the ones we made last time. He looked pretty cool with my hat on. Simon

Ben's Snowman

The Rain, the River and our Haiku Poetry

We have had a lot of rain recently, so the Awatere River is flooded and huge. We went for a walk down to see the river and take some photos. On the way Juliet said we had to write some poetry about the river. Here are two poems I wrote. Alice

River Flood
Today the river is brown and roaring.
Raging, destroying
Anything in its path

Dangerous River
The river rips you off your feet.
Your friends run to save you.
But the river can run faster, goodbye.

Flood Alarm
A river sleeping in its rock bed
Suddenly woken with torrential rain
Now roars and charges with anger.
Simon

The raging river rushing down the hillside
Making a hollow in the rock.
Ben

Flood
The storming river pilfering
Shingle piles down its rocky, coffee path
Roaring with anger.
Annah

Storm
Thunder, lighning
Clouds cover up the blue sky
The river turns to a chocolate milk shake.
Skye

Wash Out!

On Tuseday the 9th we heard that the Castle River bridge had been wiped out. So we asked Juliet if we could go down and see the damage, and the river. When we got there a car pulled up and it needed to cross the bridge. It crossed on boards going over the hole. So that's the photo.

Lucy

Having Fun in the Rain

On Monday the 8th our first day back at school, we all went for a walk towards the Middlehurst bridge to see the flood waters. We found a really big deep pond on the way there. First I took off my boots and then walked into the pond where it was really deep. Annah came with me. Soon after everybody was in the pond. When we walked back we kicked water over each other. We got a bit wet but we really enjoyed it!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby Bunnies!

My well planned day suddenly unravelled when four children clambered aboard our little school bus this morning carrying boxes and a basket. Goodies for Middlehurst I thought, until...

Upon arriving at school, four baby bunnies were produced - complete with milk and syringes for feeding. What could I do but turn it into a creative day of poetry writing! Juliet

Alice, Lucy, Ben, Skye, and Annah with four bunnies

I found my bunny when we were at Old Middlehurst, when Lucy and I went out looking for some bunnies. We found a hole with bunny fluff outside it and had turns at feeling down it. Lucy touched it first and said she felt something. Next I put my hand down and felt a bunny. I pulled out all four of them and we took them back to the hut. We gave one to Skye and one to Ben. Alice.

This is my cinquain poem about my bunny, Cheddar...

Bunny
Soft, cuddly
Clawing, bouncing, sniffing
Hopping around the room
Inquisitive

Lucy's cinquain poem, Rolly Poly...

Bunny
Sweet, soft
Sleeping, eating, hopping
Irresistable to be touched
Silky

Skye's anacrostic poem, Fidget

Friendly is my bunny
Isn't he so soft?
Doesn't he look so delicious to a cat?
Getting fatter as I feed him milk!
Eating grass when he is bigger!
Tail is so little.

Ben with his bunny

Ben's anacrostic poem, Henry

His head is like a soft pillow
Easily he climbs my arm
Naturally his wiggling nostril is so cute
Rests on my lap, snuggling and warm
Yesterday he was safe in his burrow

Sometimes I have to close my eyes!

"Come quickly and see Simon and me on the bike," was Ben's urgent request at lunch time. In my day we weren't allowed to ride bikes in the school ground, but up the Awatere Valley things are a little different with only six children...

........ Ben and I, (Simon) thought we would cowboy up and invent something that is injury friendly, so here it is! Ben got on my shoulders and off we went. Amazingly, there were no big smashes. Note the bike is a bit small.

Simon and Ben

Art

We are currently doing some paintings for art. Mine is a circle with a smiley face in it and other geometric shapes. I like to paint; it beats working in your maths book!!!!! Mine is called Anything. Alice :) ^_^

Simon and Ben: Simon and I, (Ben) are painting our pictures of mandala type things. Simon's painting is called "Something" mine is called "By Ben" We like our weird names.

Skye

Lucy and Annah painting on canvases in the afternoon. Annah was doing a VERY light water paint to see what colours she wanted and Lucy was doing her background, which, the next time we did painting she got rid of.

Playing with Patterns

Skye: I drew a picture of a house that repeated itself as a pattern.

Simon: This is my drawing, I didn't really know what I was doing, I just wipped it up. A heap of triangles.

Lucy

Annah

Ben: I got my idea from a pattern in a book and I drew lots of lines.

Snow Men

On Monday the 13th we got some snow up the Awatere Valley. At lunch some of us decided to make a big snow ball each, but then decided to make snow men. Mine wore my gloves, had rocks for eyes and some tussock for eye brows and hair. I had lots of fun.

Lucy ^_^

And Alice stayed warm inside with the cat, reading a Michael Morpurgo book...

Cross Country Run

Simon's sprint to the line

On Friday the tenth of August, we all participated in the loacal cross country in Seddon. Everyone ran against their own year group, separated in girls and boys. For some people it was the last year of cross country they will do - such as Simon, Lucy and Alice who will be off to boarding school next year. All the people that are going away to boarding school placed!!! I got 2nd place in the year six girls and ran 2.5 km. I was really pleased with myself, because this is the first ever time I placed in a cross country run. I am sure everyone enjoyed the run and did better than last year.


Alice ^_^

Iroquois Helicopter Visit - August 9th

On Thursday an Iroquois Helicopter visted us. We were allowed to climb all over the helicopter and even sit in the pilot's seat!!!! Five Airforce men came in the helicopter: a pilot, co-pilot, a person that fixed the chopper, and two others. We asked them lots of questions, e.g. Where did it come from originally? US. I found out that the name comes from an American Indian tribe.

Alice :)

While the Iroquois was here we kids started a game which wasn't so good, so one of the guys named Mouse, showed some word commands that they used to get out of the helicopter while under gun fire. I had so much fun; it was so interesting. We had to ask open ended questions to test them out. While they were leaving they left one of the men behind. The pilots flew away then turned back to pick him up. But they just winched him instead.

Annah ^_^