Lake Ruataniwha

View seen at Lake Ruataniwha earlier this month.
(Thank you to the person who supplied this.)

I was very sad to read of the death of one of my favourite authors

Margaret Mahy.

She wrote many wonderful stories for children.

Her first book, 

"A Lion in the Meadow"

was published in 1969.

This was the first book I ever bought 

to use at school.

5.0 out of 5 stars Mahy: Lion in the Meadow - the book I would grab if the house were on fire 11 Aug 2009

By Mrs. Gillian Gabel

Format:Paperback

Early '70's, long out of print. I'm told the originals of the unique gently mind-swirly illustrations are lost so it can never be brought back to life yet the story text is simple while the pictures are the child's life view. The 4 yr old's fantasy world and his mother's real world one, meet and mix seamlessly, beautifully, joyfully giving the message: it's fine and fun to create/believe. The ending - "the mother never made up a story again" as the lion reads an alphabet book open at L, at the feet of the boy and mother - it is the simplest and most satisfying ending, multi-level, of any story, ever, anywhere.

(I love the above reviewt about this book and hope you don't mind me including it, because it is so appropriate.)

The cover design and illustrations changed.
This version was published in 1986.

Jenny Williams illustrated both.

***
http://www.idealog.co.nz/magazine/5/margaret-mahys-marvellous-mind

Finn's Trophy

Congratulations Finn!
You won this trophy and medal
for Player of the day at Ripper Rugby.

Twirl

Twirl Kitty, twirl.

Happy Birthday, Grace.

Welcome to Room 7.

Nexis is Star of the Week

Nexis is very pleased to be
Star of the Week.
He took his certificate outside at lunchtime
to show people.
Well done, Nexis!

Room 7 Children Beginning of Term 3

We will have 15 children in our class next week.
Here they all are.

Our Computer Is Not Going!

Alas.

Our computer wouldn't start up.

We tried everything, but the screen stayed black.

We called Maria.

We drew pictures and dictated stories about the problem.

Please go, computer.

Max wanted a red battery.

Thank goodness Maria had a flashlight.

Maria likes flowers.

Aha! So that's how the battery comes off.

Oh no!
There are a lot of data projectors to turn on.
What a nightmare.

"Where did all of those prickles come from?"

said Miss Douglas.
"How did they get on the ceiling?"

Mr Allerston got the computer to go.
Thank you Mr Allerston.

Nexis likes computers.
***

Some children chose to write about something else.

Luke wrote about a new type of cat that is yellow
with only one green stripe.
Maybe one day.....

Nexis wrote about Batman.

Fancy! 
Potatoes in cages in jail.
Two enormous potatoes, and one little one.

Jessie said her tiger wasn't the tiger trying to eat potatoes.

This is a lovely design, Danielle.
***

Chai's farewell.

We had a Blog party to say

farewell to Chai.  

Rosie, Joshua and Jack came

back to Room 7 for our party.

We ate ice cream slices.
They were messy
Icecream oozed out of the side.
Yummy!

Today is Chai's last day at our school. She is shifting to another town. We will miss you very much Chai.
We will miss your sister Kalani, and your Mum.
Chai's mum teaches the Kapa Haka group at school.

Just as well they were on a plate.

We drank lemonade in fancy glasses.
Ms Douglas put a grape in each glass.
The grape floated and bobbed about.
The lemonade was sparkly.

Wonder what's happening here???

There are new backboards and hoops
for basketball.
Thank you to the Home and School.

Grace visits school.

Hi Grace.

We hope you are enjoying your visit to school.

Maori Language Week 23-29 July

Māori Language Week

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2012, Māori Language Week is 

Monday, 23 July to Sunday, 29th July.

"Arohatia te Reo is the theme for Māori Language Week, which means to cherish the language. We encourage you, no matter who you are, where you come from, or what you do, to find a way to express how you can use, honour, speak and show your love for the language of our country. 

• http://www.korero.maori.nz/forlearners for learners; "

Copied from the following site:

http://www.korero.maori.nz/news/mlw/

Jo's sisters

Angela

Jo's Mum and sisters Sue (Sumireko) and Angela, 
came to pick him up after school.
Angela is 6 weeks old now.

Matthews first day

Matthew began school today.

Welcome to Room 7, Matthew.

What's Happening?

What's happening this term?
*

Olympics in London.

We will be basing some of our work around the Olympics, 

studying some of the countries involved,

and studying some of the sports.
The Summer Olympics begins
Friday 27 July 2012 and ends Sunday,12 August, 2012.
***

Ice Skating.

Room 7 and Room 9 will visit the Iceskating Rink at Tekapo

"Tekapo Springs"

for a day on the ice.

Date to be advised.
http://www.tekaposprings.co.nz/

***

Cross Country.

Towards the end of the term 

we will have our annual visit to Omarama 

to participate in Cross Country.

21st September is the date for this.

with 25th September being the postponement date.

Portfolios

Friendly reminder that if you still have your Portfolio at home 

it needs to be returned to school on Monday.

Enjoy the last days of the holidays!

Hoar Frost Day 2

The Hoar frost lasted all day yesterday and looked even better this morning. (Minus 8 degrees.)

It lasted until just after two o'clock. 

Then the fog rolled away, the ice particles dropped,

tinkling and pinging onto the ground,

and just like that,

it was over.

Twizel Area School

***

Clothes peg on the line.

***

Entrance to Twizel

I wonder,

"Is this what Narnia is like?"

If the hoar frost lasts,

the frost completely covers the diamonds.

Ice Curtains

This reminds me of a ballerina's tutu.

The long grasses under the tree
have seized onto the frost.

Twin Lakes

Loch Cameron.
Thick enough ice to skate on?

Lake Ruataniwha

The sun beamed onto this tree.

Lake Ruataniwha

Two sides of two trees.

The green sides.

The white sides.

A galaxy of starry looking trees.

The fog lifting.

***

The frost all dropped onto the ground.

The sky was blue.

Then.....

The fog silently and coldly slithered back,

Wonder what tomorrow will bring?