Slippery Slide

You can watch our movie at this link.

Rock That Party

This morning, we went into the hall to learn some dances. Our instructor was Kate and she taught us lots of new moves that we didn't know before and the dance was called Rock That Party. It was fun. I had a good time.

You can see our dance on our class blog at stproom4.blogspot.co.nz

Saint Francis

Pictures in the Mind

On the 14th of November, the whole school had Athletics day.

The 9 year olds’ first sporting event was Discus. The discus was as flat and round as a plate and as heavy as three large plates. We all had to line up after we signed up so we could have our turn. When I threw the discus with a strong high throw, it flew through the air like a UFO speeding over the land. When it landed, it started rolling towards the vortex. Nathanael and Josh were throwing it back to the line so the other people could have a turn. I was helping with the measuring. James excitedly with his super high arm throw, sending the discus far away came first, second was Dre jumping up and down, and third was Moses with him saying yes in a proud tone and walking off to Vortex.

Tau Ke Night

Last night, everybody drove to school for the Tau Ke night. The Tau Ke night is a night when all the classes put on a performance to show the parents. 
Room 4’s performance was a welcome song called Haere Mai and a song with rakau sticks, called E Papa Waiari. Our voices were very quiet but the rakau sticks were very loud - it was the action song that was the quiet one.After the Year 1’s and 2’s performed, the Year 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s did our Kapa Haka performance. The first song we did, did not have any actions but it was very loud. The second song did have actions and it was very loud. It was called E Te Ariki. 
Next, the girls sang a song, called E Rere Taku Poi. In their song, they used poi and the boys just stamped their feet and sung the song. After that, the boys did the haka. Some boys didn’t do it right but they fixed it up. Last of all, was a song that all the Kapa Haka group did together - it was called Ka Waiata.
If you want to see our performance, click on this link.

E Papa Waiari

River Flynn E Papa Waiari from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

Athletics Day

The Cat Laser

In the middle of summer, there was a scientist named Hank, a cat named Norman and an ugly dog named Rip Lock.

One day, Hank was in his lab trying to invent the world's first laser beam, while his test subject, Norman, was having a sleep in the sun. 

Hank said to his test subject that he would have to get up so Hank could try out his new laser beam. 

Hank got Norman and brought him outside and placed him on the lawn. “Come on, Norman. Let's test this laser beam,” said Hank, while Norman was sighing, "Haaaa." 

Hank tested the laser beam. "Wow! It works, Norman,” said Hank. Norman moaned.

Suddenly, they heard a dog bark. On it was Riplock. Norman hated Riplock. Riplock chased Norman to the big redwood tree across the road, but Norman opened his sharp claws and ran up the big red wooden tree.

"Oh, no!” said Hank. "Norman's stuck up the tree. I’d better call the fire department. They can get Norman out of the big redwood tree.” 

Suddenly, while Hank was dialing the fire department, someone accidentally wet Hank's phone so he couldn’t call. 

Hank was troubled. He didn’t know how to get Norman out of the tree. 

Just then, he looked down at his pocket and saw the laser beam. It could get Norman out of the tree. 

Hank pulled it out and pointed it at the branch Norman was on. He turned it on. Riplock was terrified. He’d never seen a flying cat before. Hank was amazed about how far his laser beam could reach. Hank was also very happy that Norman was out of the big redwood tree. 

Suddenly, an alien U.F.O swooped down and two white aliens ran out and stole the laser beam. Hank got a big shock when the two white aliens ran out. He was a bit sad because the aliens had stolen his prize possession and he had to make another.   
You have used your imagination well, Flynn. You have begun to use pictures-in-the-mind words in the middle of your story. You could use them in other parts of the story, too. You could describe Norman and Riplock for us. 

Kapa Haka

We are learning to do a Haka.

Athletics Practice

We are learning to throw the discus.

Cross Country

Book Character

My Speech

Flynn from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

My Dad is the Best

Do you want to hear about the best dad in the world?  Well, that dad is tall and really stinky – he’s my dad. 

My dad likes to fish with Regan and me.  My dad is always up for a packet of pink smokers.  My dad is a very good soccer coach.  He likes to buy lollies. 

My Dad is a property manager and that’s why he is the busiest and bestest dad ever!

I Saw It First

MAQ00003 from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

My Hobby Is The Best

My hobby is making movies on my ipod.
My hobby is the best because you can put whatever you want in it. You can put in monsters, animals and giants, or you could put in something different -  anything will do.
In the movie biz, you have to do lots of work and lots of talking.  You make something that will last forever and that everyone can see.

In movies, you can tell the people whatever you want. You can even tell them what to do. If you want, you could be the star actor. If you like to think a lot, then making movies is for you, as you need a lot of thinking.

My Wonderful Mother

My mother is wonderful because she is the best baker. She makes the best plum brownies and her lemon muffins with lemon juice are just so delicious. Her chocolate pudding is just so muddy and her lemon cookies are just good. She makes the best chocolate cake.

My mother is wonderful because, when she plays with me, she mostly wins and says funny statements. We normally play board games like Tumbling Monkeys and Monopoly. Sometimes Mum will come outside with me and make a sandcastle with me. She will sometimes come down the flying fox with me and she also comes on the motorbike.

My mother is wonderful because she takes very good care of me when I’m sick. She gets a glass of water when my tummy hurts. When I’m bored, she gets me my ipod so I can play on it. When I’m hungry, she gets me some toast and, when I feel a bit better, she will get me an ice cream.

Wolves

What Are Wolves?

Wolves are like dogs, but bigger and stronger, and they can get fierce like dogs.

What Wolves Look Like.

Wolves are like Huskies and German Shepherds, but grey and white, and wolves have very fluffy fur and have blue eyes.

Where  do Wolves live?

Wolves live underground in dens until they are at least seven months old. When the wolves are seven months old, they live in meadows in  Canada and Russia and wolves in Antarctica live in snow and ice.

What  Wolves Eat

In the spring and summer, wolves eat rabbits, hares, ducks and ground squirrels. They steal eggs and catch fish in streams and rivers. In Autumn and Winter, they can’t catch the little animals that are hibernating in winter so the wolves have to catch big animals such as caribou and musk oxen.

What Wolves Do

Wolves like to go hunting, they like to go and play and they like fighting to see who is the strongest.

Wolf Babies

Wolf babies are called pups or cubs. The pups are born in underground dens until they are three weeks old. When the pups are three weeks old, they come out of the den to play and to fight. The pups fight each other to see who is the strongest. When the pups are two months old, they move to an open meadow close to water because wolves drink a lot of water when they go hunting.

Wolf Dangers

Wolves are scared of people, and wolves and polar bears have a special bond.

A Good Breakfast

What I learnt about breakfast is that a good breakfast has to have less than 15 grams of sugar, less than 10 grams of fat and more than 5 grams of fibre. The top four best breakfasts you could have are Weet-Bix, porridge, All Bran and Fibre Life. If you put fruit or yogurt with some cereals, you could have them every day, like rice bubbles and fruit. The top five worst breakfasts are a pie, Coke, Coco pops, a Cookie Time and chips.

Subtraction Strategy

Flynn Subtraction Strategy from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

Slaters

Flynn Slaters from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

This is why we have slaters in our classroom.

Matariki

My Brother and I

Flynn is Teaching a Strategy to Use When Adding

Flynn Teaching Addition Strategy 1 from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

Matariki

Swimming Video

Flynn Swimming from Pam Thomson on Vimeo.

Zero Waste

It is important to reuse, recycle, reduce and compost so that we don't keep adding to landfill. Every month, NZ makes a rugby field long and 30 storeys high of rubbish.

The Elgrego Magic Show

Yesterday we went to see Elgrego's magic show in the hall.

When we were ready, Elgrego began his magic, by making the birds appear. Elgrego made a white dove come out of book. Next, he made yellow and white dove out of fire and a dish, then he made a blue and white dove blue tissue and a box. Elgrego turned the three colourful doves into a big fat hairy rabbit.

Next, he performed a magic trick with fizzy raspberry drink. He poured the drink into a little shot glass and put it into his ups and downs box and tipped it upside-down. When he opened the box, the drink hadn't spilt one bit and we were amazed. 

After the ups and downs box, Elgrego talked with Seemore, the baby green dinosaur. Elgrego was being a ventriloquist. A ventriloquist is when someone is talking for a puppet. Elgrego was talking to Seemore about his wits because Seemore was getting bullied at school. Seemore felt sad, so Elgrego told Seemore what to do and Seemore sang The Rainbow Song like Kermet on the Muppet Show. 

Finally, Elgrego did the brick wall trick. The great Houdini was the first great magician to walk through a brick wall. Elgrego was the next. It was astonishing. 

The whole show was funny because he kept on making things appear. My favourite bit was when Elgrego made the big fat rabbit appear.

The Muddy Slide

In the holiday, Dad, Regan and I brought the motorbike up to the Brown's to fix it.
When we got to the Brown's, it was raining and there was lots of mud so we went into it like a swine of pigs. We did lots of skids in the mud and Hunter went through the mud on his tummy and, when he got up, his shirt was all muddy. When it was raining harder, we got some soap and Nathanael got his skimboard so we could slide on it and try not to fall over.

A Fishy Tale

On a hot summer's day, I was fishing, and, on my hook, I had a Sperm Whale that could talk!!  

When I reeled it up, it just popped its head out of the water and broke the motor with its tail. 

It sunk the boat and all I had left was the steering wheel and the whale, so I got on the whale and saw that it had two blow holes.  I put my steering wheel into one of the blow holes and went home on the whale.  It was just like driving a car!

Fishing

The Loch Ness Monster

Holy Week

This is Holy Week.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey that had never been ridden before. The people of Jerusalem lay their cloaks on the ground and shouted, "Hosanna to the Lord!" when the he entered the city.
On Holy Thursday, Jesus had the last supper. When Jesus and his friends had finished eating, he got up and went to a bowl with water in it. He made himself  look like a servant with a towel and started cleaning the disciples' feet.
On Good Friday, Jesus was put to death on the cross. The day he got put to death on the cross, the soldiers got him to carry his cross to the top of the mountain. When they got to the top of the mountain, the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross and stuck the cross in the ground and took his clothes.
On Holy Saturday, we remember that Jesus was put in a tomb.
Easter Sunday was when Jesus was in the tomb and he rose from the dead. An angel
told the followers that he was alive again.            

The New Cousin

On Wednesday, after Swimming Sports, Regan, Mum, Dad and I went to see Coen at the River Ridge birthing centre when he was only six hours old!
When we got there, we snuck into the room that Aunty Zana,  Uncle Jean and Coen were in.
When I went to the toilet, Coen started crying and making funny sounds. Coen had a little frown on his face. While Mum and Dad were talking, Regan and I were looking at Coen.
Coen had a little white hat on, all wrapped up in white blanket.   He always had a little mad frown when he was sleeping.

St Patrick's Day

Swimming Sports

Yesterday, our school went to Ngaruawahia pools for Swimming Sports.
After lunch, we had the Flying Squadron relay. First, Mr Emms put us in front of the other people in the relay. When I was waiting to be tapped, I was worried that I would lose and let my team down. The water looked long and hard. I didn’t want to slow down and stop, like a rock stuck at the bottom of the pool. Finally, I got tapped with a little wet hand and I was off like a rocket to the other side with my arms spinning and my legs kicking to space, to tap the other person's hand, then off they went.
After the Flying Squadron, was the Adult Relay against the seniors. When Mr Emms blew his whistle, the competitors dived in the water as fast as lightning. They were off as fast as penguins. In they went, over and over again, until they all were all done. The adults had never won until that day when they thrashed the seniors. Even though the seniors cheated.

Model House

Life in NZ Compared to Life on Kapo Island

Our donations to Caritas are used to help people on Kapo Island in Papua New Guinea.

Biopoem

Flynn
Is smart, tough, lazy and annoying
Son of Guy and Kerrilee, brother of Regan
Lover of money, monkeys and Ipod
Who feels warm, bored and annoyed
Who needs air, food and water
Who gives money, help and food
Who fears Regan, ___ and sharks
Who would like a jet, a boat and powers
Who lives in Ngaruawahia
Beetham

Shrove Tuesday

Today is Shrove Tuesday when we burnt the palms from last Palm Sunday.
In the old days, on Shrove Tuesday, people used to eat all of the food and make really big pancakes.
When we got back from swimming, four ladies came into our class. The ladies were from Caritas NZ and Olivani was from Caritas Tonga. They thanked us for giving money to Caritas so they could help people in Tonga. In Tonga, people cut a tip of tree called a mulberry tree, skin it, dry it, soak it then beat it flat to make tapa cloth.

Raglan Beach

When Mum, Dad, Regan, Emily, Charlotte, Olivia, Cassandra, Dale and I went to Raglan we found an old army base, but only the top.
 First, we were just talking in the base then, later on, we started climbing on the base. 
While we were playing on the beach, Andy, Doogle, Grace and Bugs turned up. Bugs wanted to see a star fish so Dad told me to go and find one. The star fish was round and spiky.
After that, we packed and went home.          

Waitangi Day

Waitangi Day is a national holiday to celebrate when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and NZ became known as a nation called New Zealand.
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on February 6th, 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. 500 Maori chiefs and representatives of the Queen signed the Treaty of Waitangi. Maori agreed that the British would make the laws and the Government,and the Queen agreed that Maori would own land, forests and rivers. The British bought land off Maori. 
On Waitangi Day, this year, Dad, Regan and I made a big waterslide for when our friends came over. When our friends arrived, we started playing on the waterslide. It was like a non stop train but on water.