Saturday, August 11, 2012

Cross Country

Wow Room 4 - on Thursday at the Cross Country up Gabriel's Gully you guys ALL made Mrs May and Mrs O super proud!!!!  We saw every single one of you 'gutsing' it out with determination, showing courage and striving for excellence.  Fantastic effort by all of you!!!

Pre-race photos in house colours


Jenaya - 1st place in 7 year olds plus Y3-4 girls race

Emma - 3rd place







Mac - 1st place, 7 years plus Year 3-4 boys race






Jenaya leads the girls into the finish line




Blake - 2nd place




James Hargest High School band performs

Lawrence Area School was treated to an amazing performance by the visiting James Hargest High School band on Friday.  Room 4 students were amazed and inspired by these students who showed great musical talents.  We were especially interested to find out what each of the instruments was called and how they sounded when played on their own.  Can you find the following instruments....
bassoon, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, flute, tuba, saxophone, tenor horn, euphonium, drums, glockenspiel, timpani, bass drum, bass guitar, electric guitar, mirimba...
We hope they visit and play for us again in the future.


“That was something!” – Alex
“It’s amazing how they can use so many instruments to make one piece of music”- Rylee
“I wish I was still there” – George
“I’m really inspired by the man who played the drums.  I’d like to play the drums like him” – Mac
“I was inspired by the youngest band member” – Paris
“I liked the flutes.  They were nice and soft” – Connie
“I like the tune of the saxophone and flutes” – Lucy W
“It blew my eardrums out!” –Regen
“I liked how they combined lots of tunes together like in the Lion King” – Jenaya
“It was so loud I almost exploded” –Jay
“I really like the four big drums.  They were really loud.  I’d like to learn to play them so I could annoy my brother” – William

“I like how they started quietly and then it went really loud” – Lucy S
“The electric guitars had a nice tune” – Abby
“I liked the electric guitars” – Max
“The Simpsons tune on the xylophone was cool” – Emma
“I wish that I could play flute” – Jessica
“I liked how they could change their volume from loud to soft” – Hamish
“They persuaded me that I would like to play the flute rather than the recorder” – Rubie
“I like how they had determination on their faces when they were playing” – Lucie
“It was great when they stood up individually and introduced their instruments” – Connie
“It was cool how we could visualise and get a picture in our heads when they were playing” – George

Monday, August 6, 2012

Photo finish Quick Write


I’m watching the NZ cyclist.  He’s ahead.  “YES!  NEW ZEALAND HAS JUST WON A GOLD MEDAL!!! YES!”  Now the after party is going to be awesome.  There’s going to be champagne, dinner and a show.  All the New Zealanders will be there.  – Alex
Vroom!! The Italian sped forward as the New Zealander catches up.  The line is 400m ahead of both of them.  The two cyclists get closer and closer and closer to the line...  “BOO!” everyone shouts as the Italian passes the line just before the New Zealander.  My heart pounded in anger.  – Mac
I am at the Olympics.  “3, 2, 1, go!”  I’m riding my bike in the final.  I am so close to winning.  CRASH!  BANG!  We cross the finish line.  But we don’t know who won.  The winner is NZ number 59.  Yes, I won the gold medal!  - Jay
As me, my owner, the bike and it’s owner battle the last few millimetres, crowds cheer and scream.  I decide to go faster.  Woosh -  I zoom ahead.  Too bad I have to be in the transition area when my owner is on the podium with a gold medal around his neck and flowers in his hand while the national anthem plays.  Wait, they’re saying the other bike came first.  – Rylee
“That has to be a tie.  Let’s watch the replay.  Will New Zealand win or will Canada win?  Who knows.  New Zealand wins a gold medal.”  - Hamish
“Go, go, go” screamed my mother.  ‘I can do this’ I breathed silently to myself.  Someone on the other team is coming up...fast!  I pedal as fast as I can.  We both pedal our hearts out until we cross the finish line at the same time.  I get the gold medal.  The other man got silver.  “Yah, I won.” – Abby
Bang! The time has started.  My heart is pounding and my legs are doing their job.  I’m wobbling left and a bit to the right but I don’t fall off. I’m nervous.  I’m nearly at the finish line.  My tyre’s on the line.  Yay, I got the golden medal.  – Jessica
My heart pounds as my friend and I are at the finish line.  His bike is starting to wobble.  Great, now is my chance.  Can I do it? I’m blimmin sure I can do this.  Guess what medal I got?  - Blake

Olympics Quick Write


Heart  pumping, bones crunching, breath leaves me as fast as a rocket.  I put my arm around my partner and say “Go do it. You can run faster than anyone else.  You can get that gold medal.” – George
My heart beats fast as I look at the scoreboard as the teams get changed around.  My eyes are stuck on the top of the scoreboard to see who comes first.  New Zealand comes first.  We have come from 3rd to first and the NZ flag raises up high.  – Kate
Yes, yes, yes!  We have won all of our games Sis.  NZ look up at the scoreboard.  My heart is pounding.  500 points.  Yes!!  We have made it.  – Regen
Run, run, puff, puff!  “And here they go, 1000 metres.  Oh no, one of the Great Britain runners has done something to her foot.  Hang on, another Great Britain runner has stopped and helped.  I wonder if they get a medal even though they are hurt?”  - Lucie
I fly across the finish line.  Both are from Great Britain.  I think the woman on the left came 1st.  The woman on the right came 2nd...  – Max
As I watch our flag go up, the British national anthem fills the whole stadium.  People cheer encouragement.  My heart is pumping very fast like a jet boat. – Connie
So here we are.  We stare at the scoreboard, then the time.  “Wait, look at the world record time.  It’s 12 seconds.  Look at our time.  9 seconds.  Yes we’ve beaten the world record and the Olympic record.” – William

Friday, August 3, 2012

Student of the Week - Jay

Congratulations to Jay, our Student of the Week.  Jay has only been at Lawrence Area School for one week, but you wouldn't know it.  He has settled in extremely quickly, always working hard and setting a good role model for other students.  Ka pai Jay.  We are so pleased to have you in Room 4.

Welcome to Kurt

Welcome to Kurt, who has just joined us in Room 4.  It's great to have another boy to help even up the numbers in our class.  We look forward to getting to know you Kurt.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Should EVERY family own a pet?

Last week we began learning about how to write to persuade others to agree with our point of view.  We learnt about structuring our arguments with an introduction, stating our point of view, main reasons backed up with supporting details and concluding with what we think should happen.  Check out some very persuasive pieces written about pets.  Who do you agree with?

Pets.  Lots of people have them but some people hate pets.  They should not be forced to keep them.

First of all, don’t you think it would be cruel to keep an animal if you don’t have time for it.  Let’s say you had to work and you didn’t get time to care for an animal.  You would either be late for work or your animal would die.

Second of all, some people hate animals.  I’m not saying you can’t have a pet but you shouldn’t be forced to keep pets.  Pets need a loving home, so if you don’t love a pet the pet would be upset and ill and you would be angry.

Thirdly, if you didn’t have enough money to keep an animal and feed it as well as yourself it would starve to death.  At least it gets fed well at the pet store.  Money is important when it comes to animals.

Not it’s time for my fourth reason.  Don’t you think an animal (pet) would get lonely with a human.  I mean we don’t understand dog, cat, fish, horse or bunny do we?  An animal would be terribly lonely and sad if you couldn’t afford another pet.

Finally my last reason.  If you worked for the SPCA or an animal shelter or a pet store, there would be no pets for you to sell and you would earn no money whatsoever.

I’m not saying don’t have a pet if you want one, but don’t get a pet if you don’t want one.  People should have a choice.
Rylee


Do you think every family needs a pet?  I do not.  Now I am going to tell you why.

Some people might be allergic to some pets because some might carry disease or when you touch one you might not know if you are allergic to them and you might sneeze.

Many people don’t have pets because they might live in the city where they might not have a backyard where as in the country you can have any pet you want.  If you live in a city and have a dog you might have to sell it.  You could keep a bird or a mouse and a cat but for a horse you need a paddock and a dog needs a kennel.  Some people don’t have enough room like people who live in a city and live in a big apartment.

Most people don’t have enough money because some people don’t work or some people don’t save their money.  If you have a farm your dad might not want to waste his money.  And also you need money to buy food and toys.

Now just remember, everyone does not need a pet.
Rubie

Should every family need a pet?  Yes and here’s why.

Pets can entertain you with tricks and run around chasing stuff.

Pets can keep you company, because an old man or lady with a pet won’t be lonely because they have some company.

Pets protect your house.  Some can protect you, like dogs.  Watchdogs are probably the best dogs for protecting you.

Pets can give you stuff.  Pigs can give you meat, chickens can give you eggs.  Pets can give you heaps of stuff

Pets are loving, caring creatures.  Everybody should have a pet!
Toby

I think every family should have a pet.  Do you think you should have a pet.  Here’s why.

Pets give people company, even people by themselves.  Pets like to play with you.  It’s good because you won’t be alone.

The pet store and SPCA will be full if families do not have a pet.  What would happen with the pets in the SPCA and the pet store?

Pets make people feel happy.  They jump around and run on the beach with you.  They can play fetch.

Come on people, you need a pet.
Paris

Cats, dogs, goldfish, rats... so much.  So I think that everybody should have a pet.  And I’m going to tell you why.

Pets make people feel good by snuggling up by you, wagging their tails and wanting to play games with you.

Old people need company.  That’s why they should have a pet.  They shouldn’t have a goldfish or mouse.  They should just have a quiet little animal like a cat or a dog because they only need to take them for a pat and feed them.  If they are all by themselves they have something to love and care for.

Pets can entertain you by doing tricks, jumping and putting their paw on your hand.  Pets have talent so that’s why you should teach them tricks.

I think families should have pets because then if you have children you don’t have to buy toys for them because you have a pet to play with.

That’s why I think all families should have a pet.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Massive wave five minute 'Quick Write'


Oh no!  A massive wave lumbers over a surfer.  I can not see him. Where has he gone?  As I scribble down on my piece of paper I see a head pop out of the water like a stalk.  “Thank goodness” I say to myself.  What am I going to report on now?  -
Abby


Ahhhh! My heart beats really fast.  I say to myself, ‘Can I make it to the sand before the wave hits me?’  I get closer and closer to the sand.  My heart beats faster and faster.  Phew, I make it!  I was two kilometres away from the other surfers.  I win the first ever gold medal in the Olympics .  - Kate

Oh no, a massive wave is coming.  What can we do?  CRASH!  He’s gone.  I can’t see the surfer, he’s disappeared.  “Get the BP boats and search for him.”  10 minutes later they come back but they can not find the surfer.  “Wow,” they all scream, “he’s on the beach.” - Jay



The pale dark wave rolled up like a burrito.  The dark sky blended into the wave so I didn’t know where or when the wave would hit me.  Everything was going through my head so I couldn’t think where to run.  Then I heard a loud splash.... - Lucy W

Oh no!  A big wave is going to land on my friend.  What do I do?  My friend finally got out of the water and he said.... “Never make me go out in the water again.” - Emma
A wave pops out of nowhere and crashes along the rocks.  I will not give up.  I have always wanted to be someone and now I can.  I go up to the wave, down to the ground.  That wasn’t too hard I think as I walk to shore.  – George

“Wow, that is a massive wave!  That guy is going to be soaked and so am I.  Oh no, that poor person.  He is going to drown.”
“No he isn’t going to drown you idiot.”  - Hamish

I see a big massive wave looming over my friend.  Oh no, his paddle has gone and his board.  Now he has gone. Phew!  His head pops out of the water.  Then he swims to get his paddle and board.  “Gosh, you alright?”  
“No, I’m not.  A rock cut me really bad.”
“I’ll take you to the doctor.”  - Rubie


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Student of the week - Emma

Super well-done and congratulations to Emma, our student of the week.  This award was no surprise to the other children in Room 4.  Emma has been working extremely hard in writing and mathematics and has amazed us with her top efforts in cross country training.  Keep up the superb effort, 'Striving to Excel', Emma.

Using initiative


Congratulations to five wonderful Room 4 girls who used their initiative, noticing that the sports shed was in a huge mess, and took it upon themselves to spend their lunchtime cleaning it up.  The were awarded a special chocolate treat from Kate at today's assembly.  We are very proud of you Lucie, Rylee, Alex, Lucy and Rubie.