Callaghan's Ridge

On the 11th of April 2019 Rooms 1 and 8, Mrs Truman, Ms Kemp and 9 other adults walked Callaghan's Ridge. It took us four and a half hours. On the track we budded up and did a scavenger hunt. I did the scavenger hunt with Dakota and Rebekah. We found everything in the end. We also found a kea but it wasn't on the list. Some of the things we found were: A sand fly, a blue mushroom, a cute tomtit and bracket fungi. 
little 
When we started the track it rained for a few minutes then started to rain lightly for a bit. When we got to the lunch spot we got into our afternoon groups (I was with Lily and Eamon) and built a bivouac to eat our lunch under. To make our bivouac we hung the tarp of a leaning  tree then tied our rope to four small flaking trees. When everyone had finished lunch we packed up our bivouacs and kept walking. The track was muddy in most places and where it was muddy it was really slippery. We had to watch our step otherwise we would trip over.Quite a few people fell over.  

 One thing I liked about walking Callaghan's Ridge was that we got a day off school doing something I enjoy. i also liked that it didn't rain the whole time. Next time we could try build our shelter with what was around us. I thought Callaghan Ridge was fun and I can't wait to do our next activity. 

Beach Cookout

Today Room One and Eight went to Karoro Beach by the Tasman sea to do a beach
cookout. Some parents, Mrs Mclean and our teachers. In my group was Lily, Eamon,
My Dad (who was our supervisor) and me. We went on the third of April 2019 in Autumn.
We left school around 11am and got back about 1pm.

We had to build a pyramid shaped fire like shown on the New Zealand mountain website.  
To start of we cleared a space and put rocks in a circle around it. After we had done that we
collected collected lots man's beard, gorse, kindling and lots of bits of dry wood and sticks.  
To make our pyramid shaped fire we put the man's beard on the space where we had cleared
then put kindling on top. After we had done that we put some bigger bits of wood on.

Who needs a barbecue 

We had to come up with a two course meal (main and dessert).
My group made cheese and beef burgers and for dessert we made smores.
We had to keep to a budget to five dollars per person. My group only had $15 to spend.
Each person brought utensils, equipment and food from home.

To start the fire we set the man's beard alight.  After it was set alight we prepared out food.
When the fire had turned to embers and there were a few small flames we put on the hot plate
that I had bought from home.

Best Burgers 

First we put oil on our patties and cooked them. When they were almost cooked Lily char
grilled our burger buns. When the buns had finished we made an assembly line to build
our burgers. The burgers had cheese, two patties and beetroot. I think they tasted the best.

After everyone had finished their burgers we took the hot plate off and roasted our
marshmallows on the embers. This worked well because they didn't catch on fire and didn't
burn. When we thought our marshmallows were cooked we put it in between two chocolate
biscuits. These were yum but I liked the burgers better.

                                                                                                     

After we had packed up we put out the fire by putting on lots of water from Watson creek

then covering it with sand. When everyone's fire was out we gathered for a photo of
everyone. This was a very fun day.  

Noho Marae

NOHO MARAE

On Tuesday the 5th of March Room One and Room Eight  went to Arahura Marae for an overnight
trip. When we got to the marae we had the powhiri. The powhiri process is when you are welcomed
onto a marae or a sacred area. I had been to the marae before. After the powhiri process we went
to the wharekai to have morning tea. A wharekai is a place where you eat. For morning tea we had
red velvet cake and savouries.

After everyone had eaten we all went back into the wharenui. In the wharenui everyone stood up and
shared their mihi.  When everyone had shared their mihi we budded up and did our activity books.
In our activity books it asked us to do things like draw a birds eye view of the marae and  sketch
some carvings outside. Later in the day everyone went down to the river to look for pounamu. A
few people found some but not many. After about 45 minutes of searching we all went down to the
beach to do a sculpture building contest. The sculpture had to do something with the legend of
Poutini and Waitaiki.  My group made a waka out of sand and stones.

After the sculptures were done we walked back to the marae and went into the wharekai and had a
snack. Then we went into the wharenui to listen to the stories about the pou. We split into three
groups and each group got to choose a pou and listen to its story. When we had finished listening
to the stories of the pou we had dinner in the wharekai. After dinner we had evening activities.
First I did weaving then Ki-O Rahi (Ki-O-Rahi is a maori game they used to play to train warriors).
It was dark when we played Ki-O-Rahi so it was hard to see the ball.

When everything was packed up we went to bed. It was about 10pm. It was hard to get to sleep
because everyone was talking but I eventually got sleep.  When we got up we packed up the
mattresses and then had breakfast. When breakfast was done and everything had been cleaned
we got in cars and drove to Lake Mahinapua to do a walk and talk about the war that had happened
there years ago.

We walked from the start to the edge of Lake Mahinapua. It was a bit misty and there were some
sandflies. When we got the the lake it was covered in mist. On the way back to the cars we had
some morning tea. After everyone had eaten we walked back to the cars and drove back to school.

I thought that the marae trip was fun and exciting.

Mahatma Gandhi

                   Mahatma Gandhi

In class we have recently been learning about Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi
was from India and born in a city called Porbandar . Mahatma Gandhi did a historic
salt walk that caught the world's attention. Gandhi wanted India to be one country and
wanted people of all religions mainly the two religions Hindu and Muslim to live peacefully.

Mahatma Gandhi was born in India on the second of October 1869. At school Gandhi was
often teased. He also struggled with with his time tables. In 1887 Mahatma Gandhi just
passed his exams and after that he went to college. When he was just 13 he married
Kasturba. His marriage lasted 62 years. Mahatma Gandhi went to England for four years
and then came back to Bombay to become a lawyer.

In 1993 Mahatma Gandhi went to South Africa to fight against racism for the first time,
Gandhi saw that thousands and thousands Indians in South Africa doing the worst jobs
and were living in poor homes. Gandhi wanted to change that so he started working on the
rights for Indians. 14 years after the black act was registering indians to have their fingerprints
taken, Gandhi didn’t want to get his finger print done same with others. Many people followed
Mahatma Gandhi’s lead and keeped on refusing to have their fingerprints done so Gandhi
was sentenced to prison for 6 years same with many others.

In 1930 Mahatma Gandhi did a salt walk that caught the world's attention. He did this
because the government had put a tax on salt and said that Indians couldn’t collect their
own natural salt.  Mahatma Gandhi ignored this and collected his own salt. Lots of people
followed him and hundreds were put in prison. After more protesting the British allowed
self rule in India. 18 years after his historic salt walk Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by
a hindu.

Mahatma Gandhi was a true leader. He was born in India in 1869. Mahatma Gandhi did
a historic salt walk that caught the world’s attention. Gandhi wanted India to be one
country and wanted people of all religions mainly the two religions Hindu and Muslim to l
ive peacefully. I think that Mahatma Gandhi was a man who never gave up. I think that
Mahatma Gandhi was a brave man because he spoke out against racism and kept fighting
even in prison.  

Onomatopoeia Poem- Bush Walking

Bush Walking

Thump, Thump

My feet go along the mud covered track

My pack is squeaking an my back.

I stop and look at the fantail

Who is dancing like a whale.

I look around and smell the leaves

Of pohutakawa trees

I must keep walking

But my stomach keeps talking

I stop and sit

Take out my sandwich that I’ve already bit.

I am in my happy place.

Turangawaewae

At school we have been doing artwork around or Turangawaewae (turangwaewae means the place where I stand). My artwork is of Lake Brunner swing bridge.  We had to put in two key images that were special to us.  I choose a tube because when we are on the lake we always go tubing. I also choose people because I always go to Lake Brunner with my family and friends. I painted my artwork with acrylic paint and edged it with a sharpie.

Nelson Mandela Writing

Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela is a man from South Africa and he is one of the reasons why we have Race
Relations Day.  Nelson Mandela went to Prison for 27 years. He was against Apartheid and
Segregation.

International Race Relations Day is held every year on 21st March. It is held to remember the
Sharpeville massacre. The Sharpeville massacre was in 1960 and it is when 300 police shot 69
people that were protesting peacefully outside the police station.

Nelson Mandela went to prison on Robben island for 5 years for being caught re-entering South
Africa and then went for another 27 years for fighting against discrimination because he wanted equal
rights for all. He was also in prison and for boycotts (a boycott is when you ban yourself from using
something) and for challenging the government. He was freed after 27 years. When Nelson Mandela
was in prison he still fought for equal rights.

Nelson Mandela was against apartheid and segregation. Apartheid and segregation is where people
of different race are split up into different areas of the country. Nelson Mandela thought that apartheid
and segregation was not fair and not right. The U.S.A stopped trading with Africa because of this.
 Nelson Mandela fought against this even in prison. I personally think that apartheid and segregation
are really unfair.

Nelson Mandela was born in a small village called Mvezo in Africa. He was born on the 18th
of July 1918 into a royal family. His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa was was a chief. Nelson
Mandela's mother, Naqaqhi Nosekeni was Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa’s third wife and she had 4
children (Nelson and his 3 full sisters). Nelson Mandela had 3 full sisters, 6 half sisters and 3 half
brothers. Nelson Mandela went to a mission school and then went to the university of Fort hare
(in South Africa).

Nelson Mandela is a very amazing person who never gave up. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in
prison. He was born in South Africa in a small village called Mvezo. Nelson Mandela was against
apartheid and segregation.  I personally think Nelson Mandela was an amazing man. What he did
affects us today because everyone has equal rights.