This is the narrative Harmony, Anthony and Gerry have worked on this term. It has been entered into the Young Authors Challenge

Taniwha To The Rescue!!!

On a normal Hokianga day, a father John and his two sons, Arama and Hohepa, were  fishing. They were fishing in the Hokianga Harbour. There were two taniwha. On the left there was the  taniwha, Arai-Te Uru in the huge cliff. On the right side there was Niniwa. Niniwa is a big sand-dune. If you look out to the sand-dune you can see that its big, golden colour. According to legend, in the middle of the two heads you will sometimes see choppy waves. That is the mouth of the harbour, and to get across you would have to say a special karakia.

“Dad the water looks delicious don’t you think? It is really really hot .  I’m dying to have a swim. Can we please go for a swim?” asked Arama using his cutest face. “The chances are higher if we all fish at the same time.” John replied So they put some more bait on their lines and kept fishing. After a few minutes dad had caught a fish but…something very strange started happening. As he was tugging at his fishing rod he had spotted the boat going backwards on the sea. Quickly,   he looked at his children and then looked back.  He glanced back and forward as he tried to think but it still didn’t come to his head…

There was one huge killer tsunami coming their way! While Arama and Hohepa  were in the middle of of having fun they heard thunder crashing and saw the big wave. "Hold on boys!!” yelled John. “Hurry, before you die like your mother did in the other tsunami when you boys  were 3” yelled dad with urgency. BRMMM!!! screamed the boat, it was on full steam and they still wouldn’t move “Dad, what is this?!” screamed the boys. “Pray to God, quick!!” rushed John. “Hi there God we would like you to wake up the two taniwha and tell them to bring us to shore and please stop the tsunami and save the lovely life we all have please, please, please.” prayed the two boys.  

Eventually they got closer to shore. With a huge rumble the taniwha coming together! There was a rumble and a crack and the cliff on the left and the sand dune on the right extended and came together. Arama and Hohepa couldn’t believe their eyes when the two taniwha came together. “Whoa, that was cool." They said as they looked in astonishment.

Just then it happened, the huge wave hit the taniwha cliffs. “That was lifesaving” the two boys said in astonishment. As it hit the closed heads the boys noticed they were moved out a bit further. “Can you see that?" said Arama to Hohepa. One big layer of wave still overflowed into the Hokianga harbour.

Then when the tidal wave flowed back out to sea, the two taniwha opened back up and went to where they were before.  Life turned back to normal again, until the next natural disaster...  

These students are so confident! I hope you enjoy the rap they learnt as part of their Literacy learning

Room 5 students were given the task of writing and performing a play that shows what they have learnt in Te Reo Maori. Here are some of the best

Michael wrote this to Room 5 on his last day.

Bye Room 5. I am  leaving tomorrow. I am moving to Auckland. This school is cool in as. Toko and the others this is the coolest school I have ever been to. The class looks cool you all look cool in your learning.  I wish I could still stay here in Tautoro cos it is cool up in Tautoro. From Michael

WALT use descriptive and/or figurative language in our recounts

By TeRangimarie Hulmes Year 5

One Friday in May, a group of policemen and policewomen came to our school. It was Youth Week! The whole school waiting for the games to begin. Room 5 was waiting on the deck. I could see that the policemen were setting up lots of activities on the field.

At last the whole school was split into groups. Room 2 and 4 were one group, Room 6 was one group, Room 3 was another group and Room 5 was one group. Our first activity was a ridiculous race.  Room 5 was split into two teams.  We had to  put on a policeman uniform.  When we put on the policemen gears we had to race the other team to the cone and back. It looked so funny.

When it was my turn I put on the pants.  It felt like my legs got lost in them. Next I put on the jacket . The policeman's jacket swallowed me. After that Konrad helped me, he chucked the hat on my head. The hat covered my eyes, it was like a hard beak. Konrad began cracking up at me, everyone had big smiles on their faces.  Just then I took off. I felt weird and  strange because I was trying to hold up the big, giant pants. I made it to the cone and turned around. Clap! Clap! “Run, TeRangimarie!” my group screamed.  As soon as I got back to my group I quickly took off the policeman uniform and ran to the back of the line and it was the next persons turn.   

That day was the very best day  I have ever had.  I hope we have another Youth Week and get to play fun games again.

Youth Day By TeKaapua Cooper

One Friday a group of policemen and policewomen came to our school. All of room 5 were as quiet as a statue. We were waiting for our turn to find out what we were going to be doing.

Firstly we started on the field. We played the amazing race. You had to dress up in a ridiculous uniform and dash to the cone and back then quickly and tag your teammate.

Suddenly  it was my turn. My heart stopped for a moment, everyone screamed  “hurry hurry hurry” I rushed into the police clothes. Everyone shoved the police clothes on me. I almost fell over in laughter, it was funny. Konrad, Kohuru and Arama helped me to put the huge police clothes  on. Then I dashed as fast as an bullet bursting out of sniper gun” Boom!!! Off I went. it was like I was in a deep dark cave because I was lost inside the police 

  After that it was everyone else turn then it was over. All of room 5 struggled to get the huge police clothes on and everyone laughed and laughed for hours. It was exhausting.

It was an extraordinary  day because we showed tumaia kaha and manaakitanga. We showed this because we worked as a team. I think it was cool because I got to spend time  doing fun things for youth day.

We are learning to read for a sustained period over many days. We are taking our books home for homework and writing and talking about what happens