Jim Wilson

This afternoon we were incredibly lucky to welcome Jim Wilson to our class. He was a friend of Sir Ed Hillary and talked about their times together.

Jim talked fondly about Ed's aid programmes and how inspiring they were, particularly building schools. Jim and Ed drove jet boats together up rivers in India. 

Jim talked about "sauntering" into camps and having all the food prepared for them by sherpas. He talked about playing football with kids at 13,000 feet and struggling with the lack of oxygen in the air. Some children were so keen to get educated that they would walk for four hours to get to school!

Jim talked about how humble Ed was, always wanting the best for others. He would invite young mountaineers to climb with him, "let them loose" on a mountain, and also get them to help out with aid projects.

Ocean to Sky is a movie out featuring Jim, here is a trailer.

Jim tells a great story of when Ed fell ill and was in a coma up high on a mountain. His team dragged him along before Graeme Dingle carried him on his back. Dingle commented "Ed you're a heavy b#%!" and a voice came from his back "12stone 7." It was then that they knew Ed was going to survive!

Jim gave us some lessons - be kind to everyone would be his number 1. Also, to keep calm when you come across difficulties. Be daring - don't be content with being average - try to climb any mountain! Jim said that at heart, Ed was an adventurer.

What great life lessons! Thanks Leroy, for introducing us to Jim.

Origami Stars

This afternoon we were fortunate enough to have two origami experts teaching us how to create stars for Matariki. Tom and Tighe used a youtube video to back up their teaching.

It was very tricky to fold the paper with enough accuracy to create our stars, but the boys were patient and did a super job of helping us all out. Thanks Tom and Tighe!

Georgia thought this stage was like having legs at the bottom!

Samuel, Maddox and Max helped each other out

This was one of the tricky parts

Clem and Charlie are getting close to the end

Rain Poems

This morning our Year 5s were challenged to use personification to describe the rain after our puddle jumping adventures last week.

Quinn
As tears fall
From the sky above
The rain is sad
And no-one knows why.

Souls make a bunker
Out of fear
As they nestle in
For what they think
Will be a long time.

The sun is held down
By the powerful rain
For none will be happy
Until it returns.



Hugh
While my tears cry out
From the grey sky
My fingers tap, tap, tap on your window.

The land is enveloped
In water and wind
Creating a storm.

The dark clouds clear
Revealing the warm sun.

Ecstasy flows through the air
Laughter and creams fill the silence.



Clem
Knocking at the windows
With its bony, tree-like fingers
Engulfing all joy.

Creeping through the sky
Crying over trees
Dragging darkness with it
Like a slave on a rope
Enveloping the light.

Smiles draped on faces
Of happiness and joy
Droplets glide silently
Down to the dirt.



Marshall
As tears of misery travel to the depths of the earth
Puddles of water dampen vegetation
leaving screams of terror from dead fingers.

Clouds of darkness envelope the sky
Creating a barrier between the sun and earth's shell.

Piercing through the barrier shines ecstasy
Sparking life and hope
Roars of happiness and laughter fill the sky
This duel is finished.



Ayana
Tears fill the gaps of silence,
Rain streams down the windows
Beckoning to enter.

A mist fall, awakening darkness,
Fingertips repel off the ground
And chains pin the sun back, hiding her rays.

A faint sound of laughter fills the air
And a warm glow envelopes the darkness
Droplets shatter out of puddles
The sun reaches out.



Joseph
The tears fall,
Dripping on the window,
Begging to be let inside,
We refuse,
But decide to join them.

The tears dance,
Fall,
And crash into the ground,
Forming a reflection,
Another world.

The wind runs,
But from what?
Maybe the screams,
Where are they coming from?

Light is shown
Hoping its voice is heard,
So the tears run,
Dragging their sorrows with them.



Daria
Darkness swirls above the ground
Rain drops quickly fall like bullets in the cold.

Puddles form, the rain's tears continue to fall to the ground,
Down to their resting place.

The sun cries out from behind the clouds,
It longs to return to the sky
And shine once more.

Monday Tech Challenge

Today our challenge was to build the tallest tower out of blue tac and spaghetti.

Congratulations to this team for taking out 1st prize and winning $1100 Banqer dollars. Their tower measured in at 1100mm. 

2nd prize - $1050 Banqer dollars, measuring in at 1050mm.

And 3rd prize goes to this team with 760mm, receiving $760 Banqer dollars each. 

This creation didn't make it to the judging round. Fantastic net of a 3D shape though!