YEAR 5 - Gib Gate School

Transcription

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GIB GATE GATEWAY 2008
YEAR 5
A letter from a Japanese Student – written from Australia to Japan
Inspired by ‘Japan Diary’ ◆ Adelaide Bailey
Fathers’ Day Poetry ◆ Olivia Battcock
Dear Mum and Dad,
I have had an amazing time in Australia. I am staying with a very kind family. The
mother is called Lisa, but unfortunately she is divorced. There are two children,
Rosie and Sam.
Daddy,
A lecturer of law in Canberra,
A whiz at mathematics,
A master of puzzles and riddles,
I think my dad’s fantastic.
I have felt very spoilt in the last seven months because they live on a massive farm,
plus I get a whole room to myself! On my first day when I awoke, I tried to fold my
bed up. I was struggling a lot. Then I heard giggling. I turned around and my host
family was laughing at me! Then I remembered that, you don’t fold your bed up in
Australia and we couldn’t stop laughing all day.
Another thing I had to get used to was sitting on chairs at dinner. Oh, I almost
forgot to tell you how wonderful and different the meals are. We have fruit and
vegies grown right there on the farm, roast lamb that melts in your mouth, BBQs
and many more delicious and exotic meals.
Oh I have to go to school now……..
Ok, I’m back. School’s great! And I have made millions of friends. The school I go
to is called Gib Gate. It’s a perfect school. It’s large so there is a massive place to
play in at lunch time, plus the teachers are extra kind and they always help me
with my work.
I am finding it very hard to communicate and sometimes I get very frustrated. One
morning I tried this food called vegemite, but afterwards I felt extremely sick so I
had a day off school, but I was very proud of myself for trying it.
I also went to my first beach. It was called Bondi. I had a very scary experience
at Bondi. I was dumped and I was knocked out. Then a man with huge muscles,
dressed in Red and yellow carried me back to shore. People call them life guards,
but trust I am ok so don’t go ringing up and panicking. Miss you both heaps!
Lots of love Sara
PS love you xoxo
A SPARKLING STAR
Daddy,
Clever, creative and very funny,
Dad likes to build stone walls,
A fabulous cook,
Who makes meals so yummy.
Daddy is a gentle Giant,
A sprinkle of rain watering the flowers
A helpful bird gliding through the clouds
A fizzling glass of brown beer
Fixing every problem with cheer.
Daddy
One of the smartest people I know
A sparkling star bright aglow
An outstanding father in every way
I love my father more each day.
I am so proud- you can see,
Thankyou dad for loving me.
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YEAR 5
During Term Four, Year Five were given the project of writing a picture book.
Author Study on Richard Tulloch ◆ Caitlyn Bellis
My personal favourite book by Richard Tulloch is Danny-in-the Toy Box. Scholastic
first published Danny-in-the Toy Box in 1990. This book is about a little boy who
became extremely cross one day so he decided to throw all of his toys out of his
toy box and shut himself in! Everyone in Danny’s family tried to tell him to get
him out but all he would say was ‘No!’ They even called the firemen to help but
Danny said ‘No!’ So they all left Danny in the toy box until he forgot what he was
angry about!
Writing Picture Books
Overall, Richard Tulloch is an imaginative, humorous and creative novelist! I
cannot wait to read another one of his engaging novels!
Response Text: Born To Run – By Cathy Freeman ◆ Cirwun Brittain
Born to run is an autobiography, written by Cathy Freeman. It is a very powerful
book about Cathy’s life. It is about a girl called Cathy who wants to compete in
the Olympics. It is set in Queensland and it begins in a small town called Mackay.
Cathy enjoyed her life until she had to move.
The book is about a girl who has a dream and it comes true. But it all turns upside down when…..Cathy’s sister has an Asthma Attack. This exciting is a very sad,
moving and powerful book. Anne-Marie, Cathy’s elder sister, was a very strong,
brave and funny person. Cathy is always thinking of Anne-Marie and always looking up to her.
Cathy didn’t know her parents were divorced until years later. She then had a step
dad and got used to it. She is happy with her step dad but one day her real dad
died.
The part I enjoyed most in this book was when Cathy went to the Olympics and
held the touch.
I would recommend this book to children of eight years and up.
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YEAR 5
Father’s Day Poetry ◆ Georgina Campbell
Narrative Writing: Picture Book Project ◆ Julia Cavanagh
BETTER THAN EVER
Plot and characters
My picture book is called Jenny. Jenny is the writer’s best friend. But Jenny
starts copying and the writer does not like this!
This is resolved when the writer realises that it’s just because she likes her ideas.
Daddy you’re as strong as a boxer!
You run as fast as Cathy Freeman!
But the thing that is best about you daddy
Is your kind heart that loves me
And keeps me warm!
Daddy you’re the best cook!
Your pizzas are the tastiest in the world!
Your strong hands help mummy pull out
Strong weeds in the garden
That are deep down in the ground!
Your neat checked shirt sits upon your
Shoulders perfectly!
You ride like you’ve come from the Wild West
Jumping over anything you see!
You dance like a professional
Dancing the tango or the waltz!
You swim as fast as Ian Thorpe
Racing through the water,
Like a rocket up in space!
You carry me up on your shoulders and throw me into the sea!
You make me feel so happy and free!
I am so glad you care for me!
Challenges I experienced
After deciding on the complication for my picture book, I had trouble deciding
how I was going to resolve it.
Joys I experienced
I enjoyed deciding on whether my characters would be animals or humans.
My final decision was for them to be caterpillars.
Which part of the book did I like the most?
My most effective part of the book is when I say: I DO NOT LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE
COPY ME!
What do I think the preschool children learnt from my picture book?
There is no need to get angry at something that is really meant well.
What would I change about my picture book?
I would make my picture book longer because some of the preschoolers
thought it was too short.
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YEAR 5
Mother’s Day Poem ◆ Jonathan Chambers
SMILE
Mother, a soft cloud floating in the sky.
A bright star shining in the night.
Like a colourful flower blooming.
Mother, the ultimate one for packing lunches.
A comedian, always funny and happy.
Helpful and encouraging me.
Strong and supportive.
Mother, like a robot,
Never stops her hard work.
She is always there for me.
I love you Mum.
Mother’s Day Poem
◆ Alexandra Condon
I’M PROUD TOO
She’s a pink lavender blowing in the wind,
Or a smooth Latté on a frosty autumn morning.
Like a happy border collie galloping across the garden,
Her number is 21 for she is always bright and young,
She’s a lovely warm fire or a soft midday sun,
She’s a tracksuit or a riding boot or a deep brown table,
Her eyes are as glistening as the deep blue sea,
She’s also a grape fruit,
And proud to be.
And now I say,
For this is true,
She’s my mum,
And I’m proud too.
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YEAR 5
Biography: Sigrid Merrington’s Migration Story ◆ Billie Coupland
Sigrid migrated from Germany to Australia in 1996. She is my grandma and she is
in her sixties. Sigrid lives in Sydney. She first travelled to England and then to Australia. Sigrid misses family, friends and the beautiful wood in Germany. She moved
to Australia because she was visiting an Australian friend but loved the country so
much that she decided to stay. She lived in Saint Huckelhoven and her favourite
German food was black forest cake, schnitzel and sauerkraut. Sigrid’s first job in
Australia was working as an Orthodontist and she has worked in this capacity ever
since. Sigrid was born during WWII. Supplies were scarce and times were tough,
so Sigrid and her family preserved fruit but that still took a while too. So WWII was
a very difficult time during Sigrid’s life.
Literacy Luminary: A brief response to ‘Boy’ by Roald Dahl ◆ Ben England
I really enjoyed the events which happened in Chapter 4. Roald and his friends
went to a lolly shop every afternoon after school to buy gobstoppers and liquorice
laces. The bad thing about the shop was the owner. She was old, mean, dirty and
grumpy. Her name was Mrs Pratchett. When you asked for something, she would
reach into the jar with her dirty little hands with no gloves on. All of the boys
hated Mrs Pratchett. So one day, Roald thought of a plan to get her back. The
next day Roald found a dead rat in his hidey hole. He told all of his friends about
his plan.
The following day, the boys walked into the sweet shop and one of them asked
for a liquorice lace which was on the shelf behind her. When she turned around
and had her back to the boys, Roald dropped the rat into the gob stopper jar. The
next day they walked past the lolly shop and the gob stopper jar was smashed
and there were gob stoppers everywhere…
I
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YEAR 5
Information Report: Eastern Water dragon ◆ Nicholas Crowley
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Physignathus
Species: P.lesueurii
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Phyisgnathus lesuerii
The Eastern Water Dragon is a reptile and has long powerful limbs and claws for
swimming and climbing. It also has spikes which go along the spine of the lizard
and gradually gets smaller when it gets to the base of the tail. A female Eastern
Water Dragon can grow to over two feet long.
DIET
Water Dragons eat a variety of insects, small fish and turtle hatchlings.
HABITAT
As its name suggests, the Australian water dragon likes to live near water. It can
be found near creeks, rivers, lakes and other water bodies that also have basking
sites such as overhanging branches or rocks in open or filtered sun. The species is
so common in the rainforest section of Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mount Coot-tha
in Queensland that a monument has been built to them there.
BREEDING
Australian Eastern Water Dragons hibernate during winter. In spring, usually in
October, the female digs a burrow to an impressive four to six inches deep. The
female lays between eight to sixteen eggs. The nest is either made of sand or soft
soil.
PREDATORS
A lot of snakes like eating the water dragon. Those snakes are the Eastern Brown
Snake, the Green Tree Snake, the Common Death Adder, the Lowlands Copperhead and the Red Belly Black Snake.
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YEAR 5
Biography: Migration Story of Peter Eustace (Father of William Eustace)
◆ William Eustace
My dad, Peter Eustace, migrated from England to Australia via America on the
25th of November 2004 by plane. He now lives in Mittagong NSW; he is about 60
years old and is still extremely fit. He moved to Australia because of his Australian
wife, the sunshine and to live closer to his children’s grandparents. He did not
migrate anywhere else before Australia.
Peter’s greatest difficulty upon arrival in Australia was finding work; this took him
6 months. This was because his experience was in the British military and to get
a job in the Australian defence industry required him to be an Australian citizen.
At that time you had to live in this country for two years before being entitled to
apply for citizenship. Peter is now the property manager at Chevalier College.
When Peter first arrived in Australia, he lived with family and then house-sat for six
weeks. After that, he moved into his new house that he bought via the internet,
from England. There was no furniture for 4 weeks until it arrived by sea.
Peter was happy that the language and the food were similar to England. The
things that he found different were the amount of sun, the bush and trees and
the birds were more colourful and noisy. He says that the animals are different
and more dangerous.
Overall Peter says it is more expensive than he expected, for example, the cost of
medicines. He thinks that Australian beer is fizzy, cold and tasteless, but he thinks
that wine is excellent!
However, Peter doesn’t want to leave too soon!
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YEAR 5
Mother’s Day Poem ◆ Beatrix Faulkner
SHE IS A BLAST
Mother, a fish out of water,
A flush of rainbow in the sky
A shimmering sunset on the horizon
As sweet as a strawberry that never dies.
Mother, a B.M.W cruising down the street
Tapping a beat on the seat
On the way to play tennis
On the court-she is a menace.
Mother, in the snow she cannot last
In the summer she is a blast
In the water splish, splash, splush
She is a sword fish.
Mother, a diamond sparking the night
As cool, calm, casual
Laughing with delight
Mother, as welcoming as red wine
As open and as fresh as a daisy
Love and peace is in her eyes
As hot as a heat wave
As tempting as liquorice
Green as the environment
Playful, having fun,
You can tell, this is my mum.
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YEAR 5
‘Creative Connector’
How do the events in this story connect to my own life?
Boy Overboard – By Morris Gleitzman
◆ Ellie Gaff
When I had my first plane trip I was very nervous, so nervous I wanted to cry. But
on the way back home I felt far more relaxed about flying in commercial planes.
Our family has an aeroplane. It is very small and is uncomfortable although it feels
much safer to travel in except when you are in bad turbulence.
Events in the Story
Jamal and Bibi go on a plane and then find out that they have to travel by boat
the rest of the way to Australia. They then get split up by accident on to different
boats driven by smugglers and they meet a teenage girl called Rashida.
They travel through a storm and the boat starts to flood. Then Andrew comes to
rescue them and they go to a large island, Australia. Jamal then goes to find the
other boat that his parents are in. Andrew comes back and says that Jamal and
Bibi’s parents have drowned on their boat. This is a very sad moment in their lives
and I hope this never happens to me.
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YEAR 5
Literacy Luminary: Journey to the River Sea ◆ Claudia Graves
The most appealing part of ‘Journey to the River Sea’ is when Maia went on her big
boat trip from her home town, London, to the Amazon jungle in Brazil. The boat
Maia went on was called the ‘Cardinal She’. Maia had an old women, called Miss
Minton, accompanying her on her journey.
Once they were both aboard, they found their cabin which they would be sharing
with, two Portuguese ladies who spent their time being sick, groaning, praying to
the Virgin and hoping to die. There was a massive storm and the boat was being
pushed side by side by enormous green waves lashing upon the side of the boat.
Miss Minton and Maia went onto the deck to get some fresh air. Soon after, a little
boy came running up to them and said, ’I am getting a spot on my chin.’ He said
that there was another one growing on his forehead. He lifted his blonde curls
to show Maia but at that moment the boat tipped violently and Maia had to wait
until they were level again.
On Maia’s last day she was very excited but nervous at the same time to meet the
twins, Beatrice and Gwendolyn. Maia hopped off the boat but the Carter’s were
no where to been seen. Maia and Miss Minton found a souvenir shop and went to
buy presents for the Carter family. They found them waiting outside for them.
I like this part because it was very exciting and I could read it all over again.
Response Text: Anne Frank ◆ Annabel Hay
‘Anne Frank’, a picture book biography, is written by Josephine Pool and illustrated
by Angela Barrett. It was published in Great Britain, by Hutchinson, in 2005.
‘Anne Frank’ all started in 1929. Anne Frank was Jewish but she lived in Germany.
At that time, Hitler was in power. Hitler hated the Jews so that made life hard for
the Franks. He accused the Jews of taking jobs.
In 1993, Anne’s Dad found work in Holland and they found a small flat in Amsterdam.
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When Anne went to School, she liked to pull on faces and tell funny jokes but
when Hitler started to rule Germany, Anne was teased a lot by other children
because she was Jewish.
In 1942, a letter came in the mail. It said that the Franks had to move houses.
They followed Miep into a secret annexe and there they couldn’t make a sound.
Soon, Anne found a friend called Peter. Anne felt as though she was in love with
him. But then, a terrible thing happened. I assume that someone made a sound
and the German soldiers came to arrest all the people in the annexe.
I thought that this book was a fabulous, life-changing book.
I rate this book ★★★★★ stars and children aged 9 or older should definitely read
this book!
Father’s Day Poetry ◆ Sebastian Kemsley
MY DAD
My Dad,
A brilliant cartoonist
He worked really hard
Drawing cartoons for
The newspaper.
My Dad,
A passion for cricket,
My Dad, loved the game
He helped establish the Bradman Museum that is one of the greatest cricket
museums in the world.
My Dad,
Loved his family, caring for anything and everything.
This is for you
Love you Dad
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YEAR 5
Response Text: Born To Run – By Cathy Freeman ◆ Isabella Lalak
This book is an autobiography of Cathy Freeman. This book is set in Australia,
Queensland. This book really shows how she loves to run.
Cathy and her step father, Bruce, did not get on very well at first but after a while
they did. When Cathy got to know him she thought he was great.
In this book there are parts that will upset you and parts that will not. Even though
this book was sad at times, I still loved reading this book. I thought her family got
on really well.
I would definitely recommend this book for children ages eight and up.
Especially people that love to run will enjoy this book the most.
Japan Trip 2008 ◆ Sophie Leicester
On the 1st of October 2008, twenty-five Gib Gate students from Year Five & Six
travelled to Japan for nine days. There was a lot of planning and excitement
involved but finally came the day to say goodbye. At four-thirty in morning, all
packed and ready, we were driven to Gib Gate bus stop. Fortunately it was a dry
eyed goodbye for most, with the fact we were half asleep. When we arrived at the
Sydney airport, we were met by Noriko Sensei and we had breakfast with her. We
then set off through customs. When we had boarded the plane we got settled and
then relaxed.
When we landed in Tokyo we all tried to rush off the plane to get our first whiff of
Japanese air. We were transported by bus to the domestic airport and we caught
the plane to Kyoto. This only took around an hour and a half but by this time we
had had enough travelling. When we arrived in Kyoto we caught a bus and had
bento boxes for dinner.
When we arrived at our destination, we had to get our suitcases and walk which
seemed like miles to the hotel. I was in a room with Beatrix Faulkner and Julia
Cavanagh. Julia was first to try out the toilets that sprayed water on you!! Finally
we fell asleep at around eleven. What a big day!!!
On the first day, we went to a shogun’s temple. The shogun lived there many years
ago. There were squeaky floors for the guards so they would know if someone was
coming. On the second day the highlight was going on the pole boat. We went
down lots of rapids and we bought food off another boat which came along the
river. Some people bought octopus but others stuck to chips. The best part of the
third day was going to the hundred yen shop. In the hundred yen shop you could
buy lollies, junk food, pottery, games, hair things and all kinds of pretty things. On
the fourth day, we travelled to Ainokura. We caught the train to Kanazawa and
then we travelled by bus to the small town. We were split in half and took our luggage to our thatched houses, which was our accommodation. We had tea in the
thatched houses and went for a walk. The girls stole the boy’s guns and then the
teachers sent us away. On our girls only walk, we saw two deers, a snakeskin and
colourful berries.
On the second day at Ainokura we made washi paper with leaves in them. We
then made sasara and went for a walk. The day after that we travelled by bus to
Hokuriku Gakuin Elementary School for a home stay. We were all very excited to
see our billets again and when we arrived we were warmly welcomed by Mr Takada, the school’s principal and the Year Sixes. Sadly, my billet was in Year 4 so she
was in class. Finally I saw her through a glass window. We were taken to a room
upstairs and then to the hall. We were seated on a yellow stool on a red carpet in
front of the whole school. We presented, “Are we there yet?” in Japanese and they
presented a presentation on unicycles. They also presented a few orchestra items
with symbols. We were given lunch and then we cleaned the school. We were
escorted to the room we started off in. We waited a while and our billets’ parents
came to pick us up. I waited a while and finally my host mother called my name.
She walked with me down the stairs to where my billet Yurika was. We drove to a
gallery and had a look around. We then went grocery shopping. When I saw their
home I was surprised how big it was. I now know that not all Japanese houses are
small like I thought. My billets Mum spoke good English and I was very happy.
Communicating was extremely hard as I am not a master at Japanese. For dinner,
we had tempura vegetables. I slept on a futon in my billet’s room with my billet.
She really liked Disney characters and she had pictures of them and even a Disney
doona! The next day we were dropped off at a bus stop and we had to wait a long
time. A couple of Japanese students came and waited with us and finally Seb and
Jonathan turned the corner. It was good to speak to somebody in English! That
day we went through an arrangement of activities such as Japanese letter writing,
dancing, drawing on a wooden toy and games in the different classrooms. We had
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lunch in the university dining hall and then we got on a bus with the Hokuriku
Gakuin Year 5 students. We made gold leaf boxes and had a walk in some beautiful gardens. That afternoon we did not go back to our billets home but stayed at
Hokuriku Gakuin until the party.
When it was time for the arrival party we were taken to the Hokuriku Gakuin University. We walked through a hall and then came out two by two as everybody
clapped. It was a very memorable moment. We had dinner and then did some
dancing. It was Alex Roach’s birthday and they gave her a cake and sang happy
birthday. After that, we listened to two students play a duet on the piano and violin. They then gave us another presentation with cultural musical instruments. We
were given special instruments to play along with. The Gib Gate students all had
to stand up and we were given tote bags with little goodies inside. We then drove
home and went to bed. The next day we drove to school with our suit cases. We all
stood in a room to prepare for our departure. Many of us cried and it was very sad
to leave. The whole school waved as we left and we all opened the window and
tried to reach our billets’ hands amongst our tears.
We travelled by bus, then train then bus to the domestic airport. We caught a plane
to Tokyo and we caught a bus to the international airport. We had pizza for dinner
at the airport and then boarded our plane. I was sitting next to the window and
it was sad as we took off to see all the lights of Tokyo beneath us. Everybody slept
apart from me and a few others who were awake nearly the whole time. When we
landed in Sydney we were very happy to see our parents.
The Japanese trip was one of the best things I have ever done and I will treasure
the memories forever.
Response Text: Little Brother ◆ Julia McGrath
Little Brother, written by Allan Ballie, is a classic story of courage and survival.
Little Brother was first published in the United Kingdom, in 1985, by Blakie & Son
Limited. Since then, it has been translated into French and German. It won the
1992 United States children’s book of the year. It also won the 1986 Book Council
of Australia. This fictional drama is based on real life events.
Little brother is about a boy, Vithy, who risks his life to reach his destination,
Thailand from ‘The Big Paddy’ of Kampuchea. Vithy has lost everybody and everything. On the way to the Thai border, he discovers an old, abandoned city.
Vithy had to build a cyclo (bicycle) and ride it to the border. The cyclo was taken
off him 40 kilometres before the Thai border. Vithy saw an older girl, Saro, who
had been shot in the collar bone. It was an extremely life threatening situation for
her. Vithy tried to help Saro, but he soon heard the terrifying sounds of the Khmer
Rouge Soldiers.
Vithy worked at a hospital too with Betty and Nurse Coldstream. They had a lot of
patients including Saro. Vithy lived with Pornay, Sen and several other children.
Vithy is extremely passionate and has dark brown hair. Betty is immensely kind
and giving. Vithy and Betty develop an exceptional friendship.
I encourage anyone from ages ten and up to read this book because it is quite sad
and complicated.
Narrative Text: Fire ◆ Marcus Schmidt
Suddenly, there was an enormous explosion and I was flung to the ground. I could
feel tremendous heat, my arms and legs were merely shredded and blood was
flowing from them like a waterfall. There were embers choking me and people
yelling and screaming frantically as sirens roared past in every direction. I repositioned, trying to escape the heat when I noticed it was only around a minute since
I was thrust to the ground.
Staggering from heat and feeling confused by what had just happened, I cautiously rose to my feet, still trying to avoid the dangers around me. I was mumbling to myself, wondering if I’d ever get out of here alive. I could feel the heat
drawing closer and becoming more intense. The chances of getting out were
certainly narrowing.
I was cursing and scared. There was a safety helicopter above me but it just threw
the heat closer to my face. I was starting to give up all hope, but I didn’t want
them to fail, I didn’t want to fail…
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YEAR 5
Literary Luminary: Mao’s Last Dance ◆ Alexandra Roach
The Biography of Bernard Law Montgomery ◆ Sally Montgomery
The part that has been most appealing to me in this book is when Cunxin was
chosen for the ‘Beijing Dance Academy’. I enjoyed this because he knew it might
get his family out of poverty but he didn’t know what ballet was, let alone the
dancing! I also enjoyed it when Cunxin made a friend nicknamed ‘Bandit’.
This was because he didn’t have many friends in the academy and their friendship
kept growing. The section I disliked was when at the start of the book, Cunxin and
his family were extremely poor. It made me think about the more unfortunate
people in the world and how lucky I really am!
Bernard Law Montgomery is a distant relative of mine. Bernard Montgomery was
born in Kennington, London in 1897. He was the fourth child of nine and the
third boy at that time. Bernard was born in the last generation of the 19th century.
Bernard’s father was an Anglo-Irish Anglican priest. His name was Rev. Henry
Montgomery.
Picture Book Writing: Lamby and Daddy ◆ Atalanta Mitchell
Lamby loves his daddy. They do everything together. They make kites and play
tip. One day, Lamby couldn’t find Daddy.
“Daddy where are you?” cried Lamby. Lamby asked Harry the horse if he had
seen daddy.
“Neigh Neigh,” replied Harry. Lamby asked Posy the pig if she had seen daddy,
“Oink Oink!” replied Posy.
Lamby was so sad that he sat under a tree and fell asleep. The next day, Lamby
immediately woke to hear a familiar voice calling, “Lamby where are you?”
“Here I am Daddy!” called Lamby back. Lamby hugged Daddy and they were
both happy again.
When the family settled down, Bernard’s mother had six more children, one of
which died later on as well. As Bernard grew up, Bernard’s mother, whose name
was Maud Nee Farrar, became a little mad as she still could not get over her first
daughter dying. She insisted on dressing Bernard up as a girl and she draped
him in velvet and silk. She demanded to send him to an all girls school where
absolutely no other boys went but soon Bernard’s father decided he was not
happy with the Australian schools and so he imported two English teachers to tutor Bernard and his siblings. Bernard’s father even decided to build an extension
onto the house that was used only for school and for the children’s chapel sessions. The children’s days were strictly controlled by their mother. In the morning,
they would have breakfast, then they would have to tidy the house and chop fire
wood, feed the animals and then they would go to a prayer session in the school
house. They would spend most of the day in the school house working and only
then, were they allowed to play some games with their tutors. Finally, the children
would eat dinner and go to sleep. The following day, the same routine would be
repeated again!
THE END
A Class Excursion to Parliament House ◆ Robert O’Brien
During Term One, Year Five visited Parliament House and Hyde Park Barracks after
a long journey from Gib Gate. We stopped at a park to have morning tea. Some
of us needed to go to the toilet but you had to pay fifty cents to get in. Then we
had a short play in the park before going to Parliament House.
When we arrived at Parliament House, we put our bags in a trolley and went inside. We had to wait for five minutes for our group leader who took us to the
Lower House which is also called the Green House because of it’s green colour. He
talked to us about the rules of the Lower House. Then he showed us how to have
a little debate and how to make a Bill into a Law. After that, we were shown the
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Upper House. This is where the Queen sits when she comes to New South Wales.
We had a talk about what they do in the Upper House when there’s a debate on.
He then signed us out and we left the building.
Leisure Centre SHOULD be built because it will be a valuable asset to the Southern
Highlands.
We walked down to Hyde Park Barracks to have lunch and afterward a lady took
us in and showed us some of the history of the building and the experiences of
the convicts who occupied the barracks. She then showed us around. I thought
the best part was getting in the hammocks but we only had a short time in them
because we had to get back on the bus to travel back to school.
Narrative Text ◆ Annika Sallie
I had a great day at Parliament House and Hyde Park Barracks!
Discussion Text: Should the Southern Highlands Build a Leisure Centre?
A Jointly Constructed Discussion Text with an independently written conclusion
◆ Ryan Tan
The local Wingecarribee Shire are considering building a Leisure Centre which
would provide a facility in the Southern Highlands. There has been lots of debate
as to whether this facility would be a positive inclusion to the area.
Firstly, the Leisure Centre would provide a great place for people of all ages to
exercise thoughout the year. We currently close our pools in the winter weather
as it is too cold for outdoor swimming.
Secondly, an indoor facility would save time and costs plus encourage more
people to swim locally rather than driving for thirty minutes to Picton. This would
help families save money on petrol.
In the Southern Highlands there are limited employment positions, part time and
full-time. This will provide employment for students and adults.
Another point to be considered is the costs of keeping the pool running. The maintenance costs to filter the pool and to pay salaries is very costly. Presently, people
are experiencing financial stress and would possibly not support this centre.
After considering both sides of this discussion, I believe strongly, that the
DON’T POUNCE TOO FAST
Prowling through the undergrowth watching for sounds of prey, I stop to listen for
any signs of life that might be wandering around. Seeing a mouse nibbling a seed
a couple of metres away, I stalk carefully towards it, being watchful for anything
that might make the mouse scat. As I get within pouncing distance, the mouse
sits up alert, then runs away into the bushes. I sit up and look around to see what
has scared away my prey.
Stiffening, I smell the air and start to shake with anger. There’s a roar and a heavy
brown tom leaps on top of me.
“Back of bird brain!” I snarl, baring my teeth at the mangy old tom that stood in
front of me.
“Same to you squirrel face!” he spat back at me.
As he struck, blow after blow into thin air, I dodge every one of them, dancing
around him. I watch for my chance to leap onto his back and give the killer blow.
I think of all the other cats who had lost their territories, some their lives and all
their glory, dignity and strength.
In that moment, as I think of all those cats who had lost all their joy and freedom,
I know that I am not going to be like those cats! I know that I would win and kill
razor for good. But there is something that is nagging me as I dance and dodge
around him. I wonder what made Razor like this, so ambitious and fierce. I realise
that Razor might not be born the fierce, mean ambitious cat he is now…
YEAR 5
Science & Technology: Design & Make an electrical toy
62
YEAR 5
63
64
YEAR 5
Exposition Text: Rainforests ◆ Madeleine Thomas
Science & Technology: Design & Make an electrical toy ◆ Michael Zawal
Across the world, our beautiful, valuable, and precious rainforests are being exploited and destroyed. We need to stop this careless action if we want to save our
world.
In Term Three, as part of our Electricity Unit in Science & Technology, Year Five was
given a task to make an electrical toy for a Pre- school child to pull around on the
tennis courts. Here is an evaluation of my toy.
Presently, there are many ways that humans are providing serious threats to the
rainforest. Firstly, industrialists are a big problem. The industrialists pump out a
huge amount of pollution which affects the rainforest in a big way. They should
be more careful about the chemicals they release. To stop this, in future we should
build industries much further away from the rainforests.
Functional: My vehicle’s bonnet can open, the interior can fold up, the lights can
turn on and the wheels can turn easily.
Miners are another big problem. They go deep down into the rainforest soil which
affects it. Even if the rainforests have valuable minerals, we should leave them
alone to conserve the beautiful rainforest. Miners cause quite a large amount of
destruction to the rainforest.
Safety: My toy is very safe for a pre-school child because the edges are not sharp
at all.
Developers cause a major threat. They want to subdivide parts of the rainforest
and put fences up. To do this they have to clear out the rainforests. This means
that a lot of rainforest is cleared as so much development goes on.
Sustainable: I think my vehicle is very strong because the materials that I have
used such as the cardboard are strong and durable and I used super glue.
Aesthetic: My toy will look very neat and tidy. It has green, yellow and orange
LEDs.
Environmental: My toy is environmentally friendly. It includes shoe boxes, milk
bottle lids, skewers and pegs.
Farmers cause problems as well. They buy parts of rainforest that have been subdivided by developers. They then clear the rainforest and plant new crops with
different soil which means the rainforest can never grow again in that area.
Tourism has a major effect on the rainforest. First of all, the buses transporting
loads of tourists gives out pollution from the fumes. Also, developers think that
when there are tourists there needs to be hotels right next to the rainforest. This
means clearing a little bit more of the rainforest to make accommodation for the
tourists.
If rainforests are destroyed, the wildlife in the rainforest goes with it. If we want to
save our wildlife, we need to save our rainforest. The fauna and flora of the rainforests is very precious and we need to preserve it.
Overall, I strongly believe that rainforests should not be destroyed for various reasons I have stated. The rainforests should be kept for future generations to enjoy.
Michael Zawal
65
YEAR 6
Profiles
Name: Angus Ashbrook
Date of Birth: 12/05/1996
Ambition: Architect
Memorable Moment: 2008 Senior
Production and OEG Camps
Name: Lauren Chapman
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment: Japanese
Market Day
Name: Georgina Harrington
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: To work with animals
Memorable Moment: Making new
friends in Kindergarten
Name: Livija Berzins
House: Wilson
Ambition: Food Technologist
Memorable Moment: Japan Trip
2008
Name: Isabella Conomos
House: Jamieson
Ambition: To make the world a
better place
Memorable Moment: At lunchtime. A group of us made a huge
leap–frog line and jumped all the
way up to the classroom.
Name: Cosi Hofman
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Mechanical Engineer
Memorable Moment: Bush Dance
Name: Nyssa Bunyan
House: Wilson
Ambition: Something Creative
Memorable Moment: Wearing a
blond wig in Sinbad Sails Again
Name: Sophie Driver
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Veterinarian or
Architect
Memorable Moment: Bobbing my
head throughout the Production,
Rats in the Rafters, when I was in
Transition.
Name: Phoebe Jenkins
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Car Designer
Memorable Moment: Running
downhill with my buddy
66
YEAR 6
Profiles
Name: Lilli Jephcott
House: Wilson
Ambition: Actress or architect
Memorable Moment: The
excursion to Kiama in Year 4 when
we had ice-cream and fish & chips
Name: Emily Little
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Magazine Editor or
Interior Designer
Memorable Moment: Being a
Sultana in Sinbad Sails Again
Name: Jemima Purvis
House: Wilson
Ambition: Nurse, car designer,
animal breeder
Memorable Moment: Going to CIS
Athletics in 2005
Name: Mathew Klumper
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment: OEG Camps
Name: Alice Madden
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment:
Year 6 Farewell Dinner
Name: Cristina Schulz
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Tennis Coach
Memorable Moment: JSHAA
Cross Country, Swimming, Tennis
and Athletics
Name: Joshua Lemon
House: Mc Cutcheon
Ambition: Car designer
Memorable Moment: Meeting new
friends and the Bush Dance
Name: Caitlan Mahony
House: Wilson
Ambition: Designer
Memorable Moment: Hiding in the
cubby house on the Kindergarten/
Year 6 Buddy Day
Name: Georgia Skinner
House: Wilson
Ambition: Actress
Memorable Moment:
Senior Production 2008
67
YEAR 6
Profiles
Name: Olivia Spring
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment: Running in
Cross Country events
Name: Yasmine Taylor
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Olympic rider and own a
horse stud
Memorable Moment: My first Gib
Gate Gymkhana
Name: Lachlan Vild
House: Mc Cutcheon
Ambition: Interior Designer
Memorable Moment: Climbing to
the top of the cave ladder at OEG
Camp twice
Name: Lily Swanson
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Cake Decorator
Memorable Moment: Singing a
solo at the Gib Gate Soiree.
Name: Anthony Uliana
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment: The 2008
Senior Production
Name: Victoria Walker
House: McCutcheon
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment:
Year 5 /6 Social
Name: Alice Tanner
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Speech pathologist or
occupational therapist
Memorable Moment: Making
pottery in Year 2
Name: Charlotte Vidler
Date of Birth:18/07/996
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Zoo veterinarian and
Olympic rider
Memorable Moment: Raising
baby chickens in Year 2
Name: Adelaide Wallace
Date of Birth:09/12/1996
House: Jamieson
Ambition: Undecided
Memorable Moment: Lining up for
iceblocks in the Hall at the canteen
68
YEAR 6
Waterfall of the South
The shimmering curtain of water falls peacefully from the green undergrowth
above. Towering high above the ground, the jade-coloured trees follow the
waterfall from top to bottom as it whispers on its way.
Smooth, moist rocks, worn from years of water rolling over them, sit still as if
they will never move again. Lime green ferns protrude over the waterfall’s edge,
swinging in the breeze.
A faraway call of a bird echoes through the forest, calling to a nearby friend. Frogs
croak, enjoying the cool water and moist rocks, as the trees sway together in the
gentle wind. The mist created at the bottom of the waterfall, floats down the rest
of the running stream, like a mysterious magic, never to be broken.
This place shall never change
Adelaide Wallace as Dr Victor Chan
Jemima Purvis as Charles Sturt
◆ Caitlan Mahony
Belonging ~ Adventure ~ Challenge
Outdoor Education has been some of the greatest memories I have ever had in
my entire life! I have canoed for the first time ever too! Chris, our group leader
for this year, could do the best sounding “Gollum” voice from the lord of the rings
constantly saying “my precious” over and over again on the last night of camp.
My first day camp in Year Three at Mount Alexander was the best fun! I learnt how
to abseil for the first time, I made a cucumber fragrance perfume with 100% natural things, I also went for a long hike all the way up the hill. All the camps have
been GREAT!
◆ Angus Ashbrook
Victoria Walker as Sidney Nolan
Angus Ashbrook as Sir John Monash
69
YEAR 6
MAN OF THE FUTURE
I am a child.
I am all the things of my past.
I am Mum’s strong stamina and her practical nature.
I am all I see.
Zeus my Dog, obeying my orders,
Cable skiers doing jumps.
I am all I hear.
“Made for Loving You” by Kiss.
“You better win this rugby match!!”
Caitlan Mahony and Mr Mahony at Fathers Day
I am all I touch.
The accelerator of my quad bike.
Warm loving hugs from Mum.
I am all I feel.
Happiness when I return from holidays.
Escaping from reality when I read The Hobbit.
I am all I think.
What has roots that nobody sees,
Is taller than trees
Up, up it goes
And yet never grows?
Lily Swanson with Roundabout Model
Anthony Uliana at Bookweek
I am all those things.
I’m like a bird’s egg
And these things are my shell
But one day I’ll hatch out
And be free
Because
I’m the man of the future.
Mothers’ Day 2008 ◆ Mathew Klumper
Cosi Hofman - Trading Day
70
YEAR 6
Belonging and Challenge
As soon as I set foot in Preschool, I was faced with a huge challenge -to face my
fears and not be shy. I never let my Mum leave me so she would sit in a corner
doing her work or reading a book. I made so many friends but I still wanted my
Mum to stay. I would not let her out of my sight. How ever by the end of the first
term I felt I did not need her so much. I also recall having piggy-back rides down
the hill on the field with my buddy and best friend Jemima. I felt that I belonged
at Gib Gate.
While I have worked my way through Gib Gate I have gained friends who have
been very loyal. Most of these people are here still at Gib Gate. My friends are
very special to me and I could not do with out them they make coming to school
fun.
Caitlan Mahony, Olivia Spring, Lauren Chapman, Adelaide Wallace, Victoria Walker at Year 5, 6 Social
All my teachers have been great. It was a challenge in Year Two swapping teachers but both were excellent. Art and Japanese and French, were all fun. I now
know how to speak a bit of French and quite a bit of Japanese.
I would like to thank my Mother and Father for sending me to Gib Gate which has
taught me most of which I know.
◆ Phoebe Jenkins
Challenge ~ Belonging
I have spent some great years at Gib Gate, starting from Reception and continuing
to Year Six. At three years old I was the tall brown- haired girl sucking her thumb,
scared but friendly, and now, I am still the tall girl with brown hair but I don’t suck
my thumb, and I am still friendly.
Emily Little & Cristina Schulz serving at Buddhist Monastery
A great memory of Gib Gate was in Kindergarten. My class mates and I made boats
from recycled materials. I’m not quite sure but I think I made a milk bottle boat
with a square steering wheel. Once we had finished, each class sailed their boats
in the pond. By the next year some had sunk and some had ‘survived’ and some
had ‘docked’ on the bank. Some people say that the boat ‘wrecks’ are still there at
the bottom of the pond.
71
YEAR 6
One of the most important events at Gib Gate is the Winifred West Birthday
Service. I was given the opportunity to cut the cake when I was in Kindergarten.
I was so scared because the whole of Frensham and Gib Gate were watching me
on the stage. I remember walking down the big steps, which seem so small now.
These memories will stay with me forever. These memories wouldn’t be complete
without our teachers, my friends and off course, my family. There are so many
thank yous I would like to give but if I did we would be here forever. So all I am
going to say is a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been part of my Gib Gate
life for the last nine years.
Isabella Conomos, Phoebe Jenkins, Nyssa Bunyan
at Year 5,6 Social
◆ Alice Tanner
Day At Whitehaven Beach
The crystal-clear water is calm and flat and the sand is as white as chalk. The waves
flow in and out with a relaxing rhythm. Families enjoy their vacation in peace and
serenity. Children are laughing and splashing around in the ocean. In the distance a pod of dolphins play around, jumping in and out of the water. All the sea
animals are out to play
Mathew Klumper at Year 5,6 Social
White foamy water trims the Island and softens the rocky edges. The mountains
can be seen from the beach and a river flows into the ocean bringing sand with it.
As the sand is washed down with the river, it forms swirls in the sea. The air smells
and tastes of salt.
Georgina Harrington Trading Day
The sun is slowly setting on the horizon, picture – perfect. The colours of the water change as a streak of orange flashes on the water. As the moon rises, all the
sea creatures settle down for the night. The day at the beach has ended and the
water is now lit up by the moon’s light. The moon is a torch in the night to guide
you home.
◆ Olivia Spring
Alice Tanner at Year 5, 6 Social
Olivia Spring
72
YEAR 6
Belonging ~ Challenge
When I first came to Gib Gate in Year Four, I was very excited but scared at the
same time. I have made many friends over the past three years. Some have asked
me to come to their places to play and to sleep over. My friends and teachers have
done a lot to make me happy here.
I have really enjoyed my class groups because the activities were fun. Also, being part of McCutcheon House has being exciting during all sport carnivals. I
have appreciated the opportunities that Gib Gate provides in sport. In particular,
learning to play tennis has been very important in my life, and I now spend much
of my leisure time playing this sport. I really enjoy playing our school sport and
learning the skills of how to play them, having a fantastic time in PE and sport and
swimming.
In Year Six, the challenge of being a Library Monitor and school leader has been
very rewarding. Also doing our school productions has been an exciting experience. I would like to thank all my classmates and teachers for making my time at
Gib Gate a fantastic journey, and I would like to thank my Mum and Dad for letting
me come to the wonderful school.
◆ Cristina Schulz
Lachlan Vild with rock hauler
Livija Berzins with rock hauler
Bridge Over Troubled Water
The majestic sandstone gateway guards the entrance out into the vast ocean.
The wrinkled sea brushes up against the edge of the rock, creating small crashing
sounds and ripples that spread out and start the cycle again. The burning sun
emits a warm glow, while the creatures of the sea dance beneath the surface.
Cruise ships come and go and each time the passengers are amazed by the natural beauty. Over the centuries this archway has formed from the sand being carried by the wind and placed in just the right spot. The ocean bites into the edges
of the coastline leaving it with a rugged cliff face. The waves, over the millennia,
have crashed and lapped onto the rock formation, causing part of it to give way
and fall into the depths of the ocean, creating an arch. The waves now lap peacefully over the rock and continue this cycle day by day.
73
YEAR 6
For many years this beautiful archway has fascinated many people and will
continue do so for many years to come.
◆ Isabella Conomos
Book Review
The Lost Thing’ Written and illustrated by Shaun Tan
Set in an unnamed city somewhere in the world, a young, nameless man meets
a ‘lost thing’. Sad and lonely, the ‘lost thing’ gets itself into a lost and clueless moment. The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan, captures the message, “everything belongs
somewhere”.
The story is about a young man who finds a ‘lost thing’ on the beach. It looks very
sad and lonely. The young man tries to help the ‘lost thing’ find its way back where
it belongs. The main characters are the young man and the abstract ‘lost thing’
who go on a journey together to find a home for the ‘lost thing’ somewhere in
their city.
The author wants us to think about homelessness and belonging. He believes
everyone and everything has a home somewhere but they may need help to find
it. Finding it can be a hard journey. The things I like in the story were the unusual,
abstract illustrations and the message of the story. The story made me feel sorry
for the poor, lost thing. The moral made me feel happy, for everything does have
a home.
The illustrations were detailed and abstract. They played a huge part in the book.
These pictures don’t need to be colourful since it is a sad book. They can be quite
subdued to go with the story. Aimed at an upper primary and high school audience, readers will feel as though they want to keep reading and don’t want to
stop. This is quite a long book, but it is certainly worth reading.
◆ Victoria Walker
Isabella Conomos with rock hauler
Alice Madden with rock hauler
74
YEAR 6
Robot Diary
‘Men in Black’ Dance Off
Dear Diary,
17/07/2569
Today Mum, Dad, Krystal (my older sister) and I went to Venus! It was so fun
because the main town, Specifl, was having its fair. The fair was great! It had
rides, things to buy, clothes for your robots and a really cute animal farm. The
first ride Krystal and I went on was called The Tornado. It is a large multi-coloured
spinning top with 23 seats, and “Yes” I did count them. The Tornado spins around
and around and around really Fast! When the ride stopped, Krystal and I got off,
feeling really dizzy and walked over to the stalls where Mum was buying jam and
Dad was buying special robot Fix-It equipment ( Our robot had tripped over the
top step of our stairs and fell down in a heap on the carpet). It is my birthday tomorrow so I begged Mum and Dad to get me a robot, but they said “No” and with
a sly smile continued shopping. The robot that I really wanted was pink with a
green head! Her name was “Zoë the amazing robot”. She had little red wheels and
little green hands with three fingers.
◆ Charlotte Vidler
Fraser Island
One by one the salty waves lap up against the shore of the beach, rubbing out the
marks and messages people have written in the soft sand and carrying them out
to sea. The sun shimmers on the surface of the water like a disco ball on the dance
floor. Reeds sway in the water like branches in the wind.
Snakes slither down the hot sand dunes and into their crevices in the rock. Seagulls
dive into the turquoise water while fish scatter trying to get out of the way.
The salty sea breeze whips through the trees getting slowly stronger. Quickly the
clouds cover the sky. Raindrops bucket down creating wells in the sand and on
the water ripples spread. Lightening flashes light up the sky and are soon followed by deafening crashes of thunder.
Tomorrow the storm will pass and it will be a new day.
◆ Georgia Skinner
75
YEAR 6
Thistle Cove Beach
As the small waves break against the soft sand, the clear water gets darker and
darker as the night grows closer. Once night arrives, turtles appear to lay their eggs
in the smooth, cool sands where the baby turtles will appear for the first time.
As day breaks, the ocean water warms up while the small river water rises. Birds
gather around the opened turtle shells. Some birds are lucky because not all the
turtles were able to hatch properly and died but others are already out there in
the ocean, learning, playing and discovering new and improved homes.
While the sun is centred in the middle of the sky, dolphins are out playing with
each other but they spot a school of fish, (its lunch time for them). After they have
eaten, they go back home before night falls once again….
◆ Joshua Lemon
Cliffs ‘Bight’ Australia’s Coast
The ocean assaults the cliffs along The Great Australian Bight. As the water foams,
the salty air rushes past the cliffs making an echoing roar in the caves as it slowly
erodes the cliffs. The kombi moves along the coastal drive but seems silent against
the ocean’s roar. Even the call of the seagulls is blocked out by the noise. The seaeagles dive into the water with a silent splash and resurface with beads of water
running off their backs.
Soft, fluffy clouds drift gently eastward like a guiding bird. Spiky plants claw at
each other, the wind driving each and every leaf and stem. Suddenly the wind
dies down and the ocean calms. The flick of a tail or body of a sea creature can be
seen but is soon lost to the depths.
The cliffs, with their layers and layers of sandstone and rock, stretch as far as the
eye can see. Water lines the cliff base and grass lines the edge.
Will it be the same tomorrow?
◆ Lachlan Vild
Bootscooting practice
76
YEAR 6
Tyger! Tyger! Author: Elizabeth Stanley
Buddhist Monastery
If you love enthralling books, Tyger! Tyger! is for you. Tyger! Tyger! , written and
illustrated by Elizabeth Stanley, is set in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand. One interesting fact is that Tyger! Tyger! is also a poem written by William Blake in 1794.
This picture book, based on a true story, is about the beautiful Ido – Chinese
tiger in Thailand. It is a fable about hope and harmony between humans and
animals. Buddhist monks find many tigers shot by poachers and decide to build a
safe sanctuary for them. These tigers are endangered animals and are constantly
threatened.
The tigers, Monks, (Jungle God) and the poachers are all main characters in this
book. Elizabeth spent time with tigers in Thailand and she loved their beauty.
Tyger! Tyger! has an amazing message and is very beautiful to read. The ending of
the book is very moving as the monks and (Jungle God) give messages in the last
part of the book, about what they have achieved and how this has made a difference.
The illustrations in this story have strong and vibrant colours. They have been
magically done with chalk pastel on canvas which has an interesting effect on
paper. Some of the pictures are very sad so you need to understand he message
in this book for them to have a very touching appeal.
Year 6 at Buddhist Monastery
The story is suited best for readers in Year Five and up but it is a great read for
older children who enjoy fables and books about animals. Tyger! Tyger! is a book
that will leave you with many feelings and thoughts.
◆ Nyssa Bunyan
77
YEAR 6
Book Review
Excerpt from Narrative for Berkelouw Writing Competition
My Hiroshima by Junko Morimoto
Bruised and frightened, the little black-furred creatures were thrown into a barred
cage. They held onto each other confused, terrified and alone. Then more gun
shots, more noises, more yelling. Before they knew it, Cecil and Tor were moving
and bouncing roughly in the back of a car.
The peaceful town of Hiroshima, surrounded by green mountains and rivers was
where a young girl called Junko, lived happily. She was just like a normal child
– playing games, going to school, but she did not expect an atomic bomb to be
dropped on this undisturbed town. 70,000 people died instantly and another
70,000 died by the end of the year.
My Hiroshima is set back in 1945 during World War II. Junko is the youngest of
four children in her family. She enjoys going to school and playing games with
her friends. But terrible things begin to happen. In the winter of her fourth year
at school war breaks out. As Junko grows up, everything changes.
When Junko and her sister are at home one day, a bomb in dropped on Hiroshima
from a plane. Everyone is badly injured and people are dying one after another.
Junko and her family are one of the few survivors. Junko is very thankful for that.
Junko Morimoto has put this book together nicely – including some lovely inkwork paintings and a few photos of Hiroshima. She has cleverly made this story
quite dejecting while still making it an enjoyable read. This book is very captivating but it is mostly aimed for the older, more refined reader who can understand
the concept of this book.
Overall I would give this book 8.5/10.
◆ Jemima Purvis
The cages rattled and banged against the moving vehicle. It must have been
hours before it stopped. The twins clung to memories of Muchaha and Masa and
their forest home. They tried not to think of wise Kibuu’s words or the last vision of
their beloved mother on the forest floor. They hoped Muchaha had escaped with
the rest of their extended family and that they were all safe.
The cage was lifted, carried for a while and then heavily dropped onto a metal
table. The noise hurt their ears and the smells were strange and frightening. They
felt so small and powerless. As they adjusted to their new surroundings they noticed that they were not the only ones there. Other strange animals were also
contained in cages - strange beasts that the boys had never seen before. They
shivered in fear.
Cecil and Tor were taken out of their cages. They desperately grabbed onto each
other not daring to let go. The gorillas were torn apart, ripped from familiar arms.
They were put in separate barred cages, like the one they came in, only these had
water in a small battered container and shredded newspaper on the floor. Cecil
and Tor watched the other nervously, unable to reach or touch each other. Without notice Tor dropped to ground. Clutching his head he searched for the object
of his pain. There, lying in the corner of his cage, was a foreign object - a newspaper ball. He had been hit by a flying newspaper ball! He glanced at the cheeky,
grinning Cecil who was preparing another one. Ready to fight back, he quickly
grabbed a heap of newspaper and threw it with all his might at Cecil. The force of
his throw caused him to overbalance and he fell roughly backwards against the
cage door. The cage shook and threatened to overbalance. As Tor regained his
senses his eyes spied something moving. The lock had unlatched and the door
slowly swung open.
◆ Georgina Harrington
78
YEAR 6
The Sparkling Water At Angel Bay
Iso and the Bushfire By Jamie Shaw, Illustrations by Fusae Ikeda
Peaceful, calming sand in the hot sun.
The only ones lying on the beach.
Hearing nature calling to us.
Diving down and finding shells at the bottom of the ocean.
Iso, a three year old southern brown bandicoot, has lived her entire life amongst
the spiny thickets and green shrubs of the heath land. Situated in the outback
of Australia, young Iso has never seen, heard or experienced a bushfire, until one
came along, quite unexpectedly.
The jungle is like a beautiful rainbow which goes on and on and you never find
the end.
The trees twist and turn in their own special way.
Insects crawl everywhere like people on a very busy day in the city.
The waterfall is like a big, blue blanket blowing in the air.
With immense descriptive language, Jamie Shaw has written a picture book based
on true life facts. Using simple but effective illustrations, Fusae Ikeda creates enticing images that help the reader understand the imagery of the text. With acute
attention to detail, the artwork appears to be influenced by Japanese art form.
Each picture has a limited range of colours.
The sun gives a fiery glow while it is going down.
The water reflects the sun’s rays into the orange sky.
The moon comes up and the sky turns black.
The stars shine with glee when the look below.
Using boundless imagery and symbolism, this picture book tells the story of a
young bandicoot caught in a bushfire. For this reason “Iso and the Bushfire” has
won the Children’s and Young Adults Fiction Award in 2007.
The water goes still and quiet.
Everything on Angel Beach has gone to sleep.
◆ Lauren Chapman
This picture book is aimed at older children and young adults but can also be appreciated by younger children with a higher level of understanding.
◆ Lilli Jephott
Thistle Cove Beach
The water, looking like blue jelly as the sun rises above it, is clear enough to see
the coral twenty metres out and the fish swimming in it.
As the wind crashes against them, the rocks seem to whistle. The sand feels like
velvet. In the distance, dolphins play around to the sounds of children splashing
in the water.
The water has a rhythm, going back and forth. The air smells like salt. The fish frolic
around the children. Nightfall is close and the families are leaving. The day at the
beach is over but yet another day will come.
◆ Alice Madden
Emily Little as Dr Fiona Wood
Nyssa Bunyan as Dr Catherine Hamlin
79
YEAR 6
69 Years in the Life of a Soprano
Dame Nellie Melba
When you think of Australian icons, you think of Vegemite, Gum trees, kangaroos,
QANTAS Airline and Dame Nellie Melba. This is her inspirational story.
Younger Years
Helen Porter Mitchell was welcomed into this world in Richmond, Melbourne, on
the 19th of May in 1861. Nellie grew up in Richmond, in a family home called
‘Doonside.’ Her father – David Mitchell – owned a country cottage in Coldstream.
At eight in the morning, Nellie would set off with her family to ‘Steels Flats,’ the
name of the property.
Education
Nellie Mitchell was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies College, in Melbourne,
and started school in 1875. Nellie graduated from PLC in 1880, which was also
when Melbourne was the largest capital in Australia. Nellie made her first public
appearance in 1867. She sang twice, with the first song being ‘Shells of the Ocean’
and the second, ‘Comin’ thro’ the Rye,’ which was an old Scottish song.
Nellie had organ lessons twice a week, and her father had promised her a gold
watch if she learnt twelve pieces of music off by heart. Sure enough, Nellie learnt
twelve pieces in twelve days. She received her gold watch, but later dropped
it when running home from a music lesson, during the night. Even though she
searched for hours, Nellie couldn’t see it anywhere. Weeks later it was found by a
police detective.
Nellie took her first singing lessons from a trained professional, whilst still having piano and organ lessons twice a week. Nellie and her family were by religion
Scots Presbyterians, and Sundays were always taken up by going to church. Nellie
deliberately fell in the mud to avoid going to church and on one other occasion,
she was asked to play a hymn on the harmonium, but she was bored, so she decided to liven up the session by playing a popular dance tune – but that did not
go down well with her Daddy. Nellie was grounded for a week.
◆ Sophie Driver
WOMAN OF THE FUTURE
I am a child.
I am all the things of my past.
I am my Mum’s love of horses.
I am the blue eyes from my Mum’s face.
I am all I hear.
A horse pawing the ground with its hooves,
Trees swaying in the wind,
Rain coming down from the sky,
My Mum telling me to clean my room.
I am all I feel.
Happy about being with my Mum.
Worried about my family.
I am all I remember.
Mum and me in England.
Me hiding under a table
And Mum trying to find me.
I am all those things.
I’m like a small puppy
And these things are my warmth, food and shelter.
But one day I’ll be a big dog
And be free
Because
I’m the woman of the future.
◆ Yasmine Taylor
80
YEAR 6
Doing
Since my first day at Gib Gate in the second term of Year Five, I have been having
fun and learning. My friends at Gib Gate have been a main part of my experence.
OEG
Camp
Sophie Driver at OEG Camp
One of my best experiences was the OEG camp at Biloela near Belangelo State
Forest. I was split up from some of my best friends but it made me learn more
about my other good friends. On the first day my friend and I were the group
leaders and we had to find the way to our hut. We also had the help of our guide.
When we got there we did group activities using a compass to follow a path. I
learnt how to work well in a group with people other than my friends. The next
day we went canoeing and then walked up to the abseiling site. That night I was
on cooking duty which was fun. When we had to leave I was sad but at least I had
learnt more about my friends.
In science I have enjoyed doing design and make tasks such as building vehicles
and shelters. I have done lots of fun activities in Art and Japanese, and also the
class work. Also enjoyed the sports that I have done - Basketball, Hockey and
Water Polo. I have had lots of fun doing the production in music and it was fun
making the costume that I wore.
Ever since I started, I have felt I belonged at Gib Gate. I would like to thank the
teachers and my friends for my last two years of primary school.
◆ Cosi Hofman
Adelaide Wallace and Victoria Walker at OEG Camp
81
YEAR 6
Lauren Chapman at OEG Camp
c
a
Lilli Jephcott at OEG Camp
Phoebe Jenkins & Cosi Hofman at OEG Camp
m
p
Phoebe Jenkins at OEG Camp
82
YEAR 6
Government Role Play Speech
As Peter Garrett
Mr Speaker, I am certain that people from the age of 15 and up should have the
right to vote. Here are some of my reasons. I think that Brendan over there, should
take back what he said about teenagers only being influenced by a candidate’s
appearance, like not voting for someone because they have funny eyebrows or a
weird moustache or something similar. Teenagers nowadays are mature enough
and informed enough to not do that!
Now I know that nowadays, children have learnt during their school years how to
vote and how the government system works. Does it really matter if their parents
tell them who to vote for the first time? They will see how things turn out and if
things don’t turn out so well, they will vote for another person or party next time.
This gives young people a feeling of involvement and responsibility.
Another reason to have young people voting is that they’re the next generation
and the decisions we make now will effect them in the future. Young people are
also the ones most concerned about issues such as global warming, the environment, education and sport and they should have a say. By the way, Brendan, I
don’t think people are interested in Liberal policies of business tax cuts and deregulation anyway, so I can’t see many young people voting for you. And definitely after what you just said about young people, you know that your party has
lost the plot as far as appealing to the youth of Australia. I’d suggest that at the
next election, you get candidates who are ex-rock stars and maybe then you’ll
start appealing to the young people!
◆ Anthony Uliana
From Light to Dark
As the sun slowly ascends into the sky, the waves lap peacefully against the Island
Archway. The current slips under the arch with ease as it floats out towards the
horizon. In the autumn, the tough wind rushes along the Island thieving from the
trees all of their leaves. The trees along the edge hang their branches threateningly down the cliff face, their roots grasping the soil for survival.
Down at the base of what looks like an enormous bridge to another world, the
swell around the rocks is foaming like fizzy lemonade, but otherwise all is calm.
The luminous sun is shining down on the breathtaking turquoise water. The base
of the Island feels like wet sandpaper against your hands. The wrinkled sea surrounds the Island Archway, as the birds above land to rest at the edge.
Over time the sky blackens and the sea soon raises its voice, now thrashing at
the base. The sound of angry waves fills your ears. Swells foams against the base
and birds scream in the distance. Lightning forks the sky and thunder groans in
the distance. The trees and bushes along the top of the Island bend over like an
archway, their leaves touching the rich soil. The current is a pushing child, trying
to get through first. The sea has lost its Listerine colour and is now a dark pool of
rage and the sun is lost between the mysterious and dark clouds.
As quickly as it started, the argument of nature stops, like a baby who has stopped
crying and has started to laugh. The clouds are pushed away, as if a giant has been
blowing them. The sun glows with radiance and the sea seems composed. A pod
of dolphins circles the archway, the baby splashing the others with glee.
As night falls, the Island Archway can still be seen by the moonlight, a shimmering
torch shining in the darkness. Tomorrow is a wonder that no one can predict.
◆ Adelaide Wallace
83
YEAR 6
Bookweek
The Velveteen Rabbit
Written by Margery Williams , Illustrations by Donna Green
On Christmas morning, a young boy is given a velveteen rabbit. He was as fat and
bunchy as a rabbit should be, with a brown and white spotted coat and ears lined
with pink sateen. The boy loved him for a while but the velveteen rabbit was soon
forgotten with the excitement of new presents. For a long time, he lived in the toy
cupboard, but one evening, the boy’s Nana brought out the forgotten velveteen
rabbit and a beautiful friendship begins between the boy and the rabbit.
Margery Williams has created a heart-warming story about love and friendship
which is supported by soft and tender oil-on-canvas works by Donna Green. This
is a beautiful story allowing readers of every age to enter the world of children, to
experience the world as they do.
◆ Emily Little
A Lazy Afternoon at Dip Falls
Charlotte Vidler at Bookweek
Caitlan Mahony & Phoebe Jenkins at Book Week
Summary of part of Hana’s Suitcase
Hana and George got on the train to go to Theresienstadt fortress. They
approached the entrance to the walled fortress and joined a lineup. The soldier
wrote down their name, age and place of birth on a card. “To the left!” he ordered
George. “To the right!” he ordered Hana. Hana picked up her suitcase and holding
back tears, followed the girls to Kinderheim Children’s Home where she would
stay for the next two years. Hana made friends with an older girl in the next bunk.
Her name was Ella and she was sort, dark and very lively.
◆ Lily Swanson
The narrow curtain of water trickles down the rocky shelf, barely making a splash
when it reaches the running stream. Long tree branches hang low over the surface, bending their boughs as far as they will go. A lone duck dries its feathers on
a rock, blending in with its nearest surroundings, rotting logs damp from all the
years of water flowing over them.
The soothing sound of running water brings happiness to the small pool and the
lengthy branches that dip their leafy fingers in the coolness. Ferns rustle and sway
in the cool breeze as crickets chirrup and hop about in their leafy hideaways.
The smell of damp rocks fill the air. Fresh native berries dangle on thin twigs, adding to the wet scent of the water. Glossy ferns and leaves give out their own aroma, making this comforting scene complete.
This little nook has hidden animals for more than one thousand years. But now, it
is a popular tourist attraction. Can we preserve this scene forever?
◆ Livija Berzins

YEAR 5 - Gib Gate School

Transcription

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