Pictures In The Mind

I have been practising using words that give readers pictures in their minds.

On Tuesday, the whole school competed in Athletics Day. Everyone was ready to give it their best shot that day.

The first event we did was high jump. I was as nervous as a fly trapped in a spider’s web when we walked to high jump. I was the second to last one in line.

First of all, we all had a practice jump. I scissor-kicked over the bar onto the warm plastic high jump mat that was on the other side. Everyone else also made it over. The mat looked like our blue mattress, except it was a bit harder. It was the real thing now.

We all made the first jump, but, on the next jump, Jahnyva knocked down the pole with her leg, but that did not really matter because she got another go and she made it over.

On the third jump, Paige, Emily W and I made it  over but Jahnyva knocked down the pole again. She was the first one out of the competition.

The next person to get out of the competition was Emily. It was just Paige and me left. Who was going to win? Paige and I jumped over and over the bar as neatly as ballerinas. At last, Paige knocked the pole down.

I meditated to calm myself down. It was now my turn again. I ran at top speed up to the pole and jumped right over it. Paige tried again and made it over, then Karla put it a bit higher. Paige did not make it over on the next jump and she did not make it over again. I had won. YAY! I got to jump over and over again. I can jump 97 cm, Paige can jump 83cm, Emily can jump 75cm and I do not know how high Jahnyva can jump.

Well done, Emily. You have used words which give me lots of pictures in my mind - Feeling like a fly trapped in a spider's web let me know how nervous you were. I can see you running at top speed to the pole, and I can see the pole being lifted higher and higher. I can feel your joy at winning. I can't see the mat though. You need to describe it for me, instead of telling me it was like our blue one. We don't all know what the blue one looks like.

Tau Ke Night

On Thursday night, the whole school came to school for Tau Ke night.

First, we did our Haere Mai song. When we first went up on stage, I was as nervous as a fly trapped in a spider's web but, when we started singing, I was lost in the music. I enjoyed that song and it was fun singing in front of all of the people but the next thing I am going to tell you about is my favourite thing we did.

We did E Papa Waiari. This was my favourite performance because we got to throw our sticks to each other. My partner was Madeline.  She and I had been practising very hard together. On the night of the concert, we only made one mistake because I dropped one of my sticks by accident but that was the only mistake we made.
Finally, the Kapa Haka group did their act. They were all in lines. The boys were at the back and the girls started in the front. I could not wait until they began because my best friend, Paige, was in it. After the girls had done three of their acts, the boys, who were in the back lines, came out to do the haka. The boys were as loud as thunder. They had no tops on but they all wore a sash and some shorts under their piupiu. The girls wore black skirts and tops with a white Maori design at the front. They also had black lipstick on. The girls were very pretty.
When the boys had done the haka, the girls came forward again and sang Ka Waiata, then they all went out and it was the end of Tau Ke Night.
I felt very happy and proud of what the class and I did that night and I was happy that Madeline and I made only one mistake in our E Papa Waiari.
You can see our performances at this link.

Athletics Day

On Tuesday, the whole school competed in athletics. We moved around in different age groups doing a variety of activities on the school field. I was shaking because I was nervous about where I would come in all of the activities.
First of all, the school went onto the courts. While we were on the court, we took turns yelling our chants, Saint Anthony House did their chant first. Next, Saint Francis did their chant then Saint Joseph and, last of all, Saint Anne. I thought Saint Anthony’s chant was the best . After we finished our chants, we had to march around the field like soldiers. While we were marching, I had the butterflies in my stomach because I was nervous.
Next, the 9 year olds went to high jump. First, we had to write our names down on a piece of paper so, at the end, we could know who the winner was. I was third in line to write my name down so I was the third person to jump. All of us got a practice jump then it was the real thing. We all made the first and second heights but then Jahnyva knocked down the pole. She had another go and knocked it down again, then again. She was then out of the competition.Emily W ran up to the pole, tried to jump over and  knocked it down. Paige ran up and jumped over, then it was my turn. I sprinted up to the pole and landed on the other side, then Emily had another go. This time, she made it over so they put it a bit higher. Emily  ran up to the pole and failed, then Paige ran up to the pole. She knocked it down but that did not matter because she could have another try. I ran up to the pole and jumped over. Paige and Emily  had another go. Paige made it but Emily did not make it. Emily was out of the competition then.

It was then Paige and me. Who was going to win? Paige ran up to the pole and jumped over, then I ran up to the pole and jumped over. It went on and on. At last, Paige did not make it and knocked the pole down. I was the winner!  I kept jumping as neatly as a ballerina. I  could jump 97 cm, Paige jumped 83 and Emily jumped 75, then the siren roared. I happily changed the event.

After that, we did long jump. The boys went first. Paige, Emily, Jahnyva and I had to help. I helped to measure and Paige and Emily raked. Finally, it was the girls' turn. I was second in line. On my first jump, I got 3 metres exactly. On my next go, I did 3.06 metres and, on my last go, I did not get marked because my toe went off the mat. After all the girls had three turns each, the boys had one last turn. I won for the girls, then the siren sounded, like a fire alarm.

Finally, we did sprints. First, we did the 80 metres. The lanes were as wide as straps of licorice. When we were all in a lane, Mr Emms said, “On your marks, get set," and then  the gun shot. We were off, Emily and I, head to head, darting to the finish line. She was only an inch in front of me and won. The gun was as loud as thunder. We started the 100 metre race. I won that race by an inch YAY!. Emily won all of the other races but I was so happy that I had won one of the races.

I thought that I would win high jump but not anything else. I was glad that I had won one of the races against Emily because I have never beaten her. I was very happy and tired when I went home.