Cross Country Canterbury Champs

 Yesterday I got the honor of competing in the cross country Canterbury Champs. The grounds were muddy and the sky was threatening to rain. There were around 180 people in my year 8 girls race, we lined up in shoots with our school name on them, except the shoot I lined up in was for the eastern zone. I had a nice conversation with the people in my shoot, but when the gun went off for the start of the race, we were still talking. The first lab was very crowded, because we hadn't yet spread out. The second and third laps were merged together, and there were multiple muddy hills that lots of people slipped over on. The end of the race was uphill and it was so painful. Our numbers had trackers on them, which beeped when you went over the finish line. I ended up coming out 95th of 190!!

French

In french I have been learning about how to greet people and say lots more things like that.

Hello - Bonjour

goodbye - Au Revoir

 Hello, what is your name - Bonjour, comment tu t'appelles

Hello, my name is Isla - Bonjour, je m'appelle Isla

Thank you very much - merci beaucoup

Man - homme, 

girl - fille, 

boy - garcon, 

woman - femme.

Cat - chat, 

dog - chein

horse - cheval

I learnt lots more things but there are too many things to write down. I really like learning french on duo - lingo ( I suggest it for people who are trying to learn another language.

My French Goal

 My goal for learning french is to be able to respond to simple questions - for example, how old are you, where do you live, who is your friend. I am going to show my learning by making a GIF that shows all the things I have learnt to say. I have learnt how to say thank you very much which is merci beaucoup.

Hero's Journey - Hansel and Gretel

 In literacy we have been learning about the Hero's journey, which is a common structure for Movies and Nursery Rhymes. 

Hansel and Gretel - Hero’s Journey

• Status Quo

Their normal status is at their small cottage on the outskirts of the village

• Call To Adventure

       The Father told the kids that they were to come to the woods with him to get some wood.

• Assistance

They had no assistance.

• Departure

         They left into the woods - Gretel Had a hunk of bread that they tore pieces from and put onto their path behind them so they wouldn’t get lost. 

• Trials

        They Get lost in the forest because the breadcrumbs got eaten. They start to wander off and then they find a house made of candy.

• Approach

The witch who lives inside invites them in. She puts Hansel into a cage and feeds him up so that he can be made into a soup. 

• Crisis

The witch wants to cook the kids in the oven, So When The witch looks into the oven, Gretel pushes her in. The witch is turned into a biscuit. 

• Treasure

       Hansel and Gretel are free and they find lots of money in the witch's house. 

• Result

They can have more food and live better.

• Return

They live happily ever after, the step mom leaves because the children are back. 

• New Life

They don’t have to live in misery and poorness. 

Spencer Park - Walk/ Run .

 Yesterday we were given the opportunity to run or walk from Broad Haven Park to Spencer Park. First we got into cars and we were driven to Broad Haven Park. When we got there, the sky was a foggy grey. Mist was looming in the air. We got a small brief and then we got into our groups. The runners went first and then the run - walkers. We decided that we would run one Kilometre and then walk the next kilometre so that we didn't get too burnt out. I started running with Minttu at the 3 K mark. The forest smelt  like freshly cut grass, it was a nice smell. The ocean was roaring beside us. We made a plan that we would jump each puddle and run down all the hills. Minttu and I found a cute red mushroom on our way there. It looked as if there was a door on it. At the six K mark we could see all of the ocean and the forest. When we got the a clearing in the majestic forest we knew that we were close. It was a big slog, but we made it in the end, even after nearly being lost - the marker was spinning around so we didn't know which way to go! We got helped by a biker who showed us the way. We got photos taken and a sausage sizzle. We were allowed to play on the playground for a while, and then we went home in vans or a car. It was a really fun day and I hope we get another opportunity like that again. 

Cross country zones

On Wednesday I went the the eastern side cross country zones, I competed against 10 different schools that had from one to five year 8 girls. I had to wait until around 1:45 to start my warm up, which was led by a teacher. It involved lots of different stretches and some high knees and slow jogging. When we went to the start line, we got a little bit of a brief. They would usually use a gun to start the race, but they only used some clappers. The first part of the course was reasonably straight and then gradually came to a hill and a U - shaped turn. Then there was a very slippery and muddy part of the run. The hardest was after that which was hill and then a big corner and another hill right after that. We had to do three laps, which was very tiring. I ended up coming third which I am very proud of.

My Goals

 At the start of the year we got given a sheet to write our goals on. These are my goals.

1. leadership roles - I have fulfilled this goal, I ran the junior disco in term two. I have done choice and challenge with the juniors, reading tutors and Jump jam with the juniors. 

2. sporting achievements - I have gone to zones for breaststroke and backstroke. I have gone to zones for Cross country and we haven't done athletics yet. I have also scored a nine point one for the beep test we did with the whole class - which was the highest score - I have done trials for netball and I got into a team. 

3. Improve in schoolwork - I think that I have improved in my literacy and maths because I feel like I have more knowledge in both of the subjects. I also think that I have improved in my spelling because I am learning lots of different spelling rules. 

4. Make more friendships. - I have became friends with lots of other year sevens that have come into my class this year. 

Brainstorm story

In Literacy we wrote a brainstorm for our partner. The partner then had to write a story with all the information that you gave them. This is the story I wrote with the information that Poppy gave me. I really like this story topic so I might add on to this story.

The bars noise is creeping into my brain, I shoot it out, but with the many attempts, it doesn’t happen. I like the feeling of my penknife cold metal pressing against my leg.The flow of people coming in and out of the bar is intense. A man's arm is pressing against my back, I squirm under the awkward pressure. I scan the room, looking for this Richards man. 12 o'clock, the document that Mr Davies gave me said twelve o'clock, Daniel Richards and three of his henchman were coming then. I snap out of my thought as a man sidles up to me, Doing a double take, I nearly throw up. Richards, sitting next to me.

“ Hello lovely, what brings you here at such hours” He says, his voice straining to keep away the harshness of his true killing machine voice away. You I think, but my answer is different.

“ No reason, why” I say sweetly.

“ Just wondering, so, you a local”

“ Nah, I’m just visiting before I have to go for my graduation, whadda bout you”

“ Nothing much, I’m just here for some business”

“ what business”

“ If I told you i would have to kill you” nothing new for you then is it, i try to not say these words. I kind of feel bad for the man, Me, acting all sweet, but really he is my victim.

“ whats your name” he asks me, Think think think. I can’t tell him my real name, who knows what types of sources he has.

“ My name, uh, its um, Emily, Emily Tate” My voice quivers

“ I’m called Danny Rivers” Wow, I think, what a great undercover name.

“ So where are you staying” he asks


don’t want to answer, but his eyes are piercing through my skin, what if I’m his next victim, what if he wants me in the graves, does he do this do everyone he kills, or am i the first one.

“I’m staying at the hotel a couple streets away , you know the one” I hope it is not to obvious, two streets away are where al the hotels are.

“ well, I had better go back to the hotel now, don’t want them to shut me out” I say

“ Do you want me to walk you back to your hotel?” He enquires

“ No thank you, I don’t want to pull you away from your drink” I feel relieved when he turns his back to me, I pick up my satchels, wave a goodbye to him, and start my walk home.


I can’t trust that he isn’t following and my gut instinct takes over me and I peer back, to see a shadow jump into the bushes. I backtrack and peer into the bushes. Daniel Richards pops his head out.

“ Hello danny Rivers” I snarl “ or is it Daniel Richards”

“ Emily, surprise surprise” He glares at me “ or is it Shiloh Winters”

“ SO you knew my real name, but I would prefer if you used the name Emily, It is an insult to hear a killer like you say my name” I shoot my words out to him. I whack my leg out to him, I hit him right in the middle of his guts. He cries out in pain. I grab his hands and cuff him to me.


“ Officer Shiloh, you have done a better job then I expected. You have outdoen yourself, really”

Says my Boss.

“ Thank you, it was nothing.

Te Reo Maori

 In class we have been learning Te reo Maori. I find it good because it means that I don't only have to be communicating in one language.

WHY WE SHOULD LEARN TO SPEAK TE REO 

One of the benefits of learning Te Reo Maori is that it means that you can connect with people that are our ancestors and some of the first people in NZ. It is also means that if you are going to another country and you say you are from New Zealand they will expect that you speak Maori. Te Reo Maori is now being spread around NZ. It is a great language to learn because it is also one of New Zealand's national languages. 

I think that everybody should have to learn Te Reo Maori.