'Dawn on the Beach' by Nicole Carey

Dawn on the beach

The bright red sky

And the frosty morning breeze

The waves crashing in

And the prints of the sea creatures

Kayakers paddling away

And the footsteps of the early walkers

The washed up sticks

Covered in seaweed

Tick tick tick as the crabs run for cover

Scattering into the ocean

The splashes of the ponies

Running through the shallow water

That’s dawn on the beach

"Dumbo" written by Carys Connors, June 2015

A stork delivers babies while circus animals are being transported, by train. Mrs. Jumbo, one of the elephants, receives her baby who is soon taunted by the other (female) elephants because of his large ears, and they nickname him "Dumbo".

Once the circus is assembled, Mrs. Jumbo loses her temper at a group of boys for bullying of her son, so she is locked up and deemed mad. Dumbo is shunned by the other elephants and with no mother to care for him, he is now alone. Timothy Q. Mouse, who feels sympathy for Dumbo and becomes determined to make him happy again, appoints himself as Dumbo's mentor and protector.

The circus director makes Dumbo the top of an elephant pyramid stunt, but Dumbo trips over his ears and misses his target, injuring the other elephants and bringing down the big top. Dumbo is made a clown as a result, and plays the main role in an act that involves him falling into a vat of pie filling. Despite his newfound popularity and fame, Dumbo dislikes this job and is now more miserable than ever.

To cheer Dumbo up, Timothy takes him to visit his mother. On the way back, Dumbo cries and then starts to hiccup, so Timothy takes him for a drink of water from a bucket which, unknown to them, has accidentally had a bottle of champagne knocked into it. As a result, Dumbo and Timothy both become silly and see huge amount of pink elephants.

The next morning, Dumbo and Timothy wake up in a tree. Timothy wonders how they got up in the tree, and concludes that Dumbo flew up there using his large ears as wings. With the help from a group of crows, Timothy is able to get Dumbo to fly again, using a psychological trick of a "magic feather" to boost his confidence.

Back at the circus, Dumbo must perform his stunt of jumping from a high building, this time, from a much higher platform. On the way down, Dumbo loses the feather; Timothy quickly tells him that the feather was never magical, and that he is still able to fly. Dumbo is able to pull out of the dive and flies around the circus, finally striking back at his tormentors as the stunned audience looks on in amazement.

After this performance, Dumbo becomes a media sensation, Timothy becomes his manager, and Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo are given a private car on the circus train.

Matthew's Imaginative Newspaper Article

THE OCEANS ARE TURNING PINK! 

Thirsty Partner: The ocean is turning pink! Bit by bit sea life by sea life - everything is turning into… strawberry milkshake mixture!!! 

Yesterday we report that some very rich (and handsome) teenagers sent 50 ships full of strawberry milkshake mixture to be dumped in the sea! 

Right now mayhem is being caused as some angry, frustrated fishermen storm the malls destroying anything that has the word milkshake or strawberry. 

Mothers forced to drive to the beach with massive cups and straws to give their kids the dream they always wanted. Kids squeal with glee as they play in the yummy milkshake sea. 

The sea life organisations are furious as everything they ever researched is destroyed by some stupid (handsome) teenagers. They are now starting World War “Sea” against the teenagers. 

Looks like a tough fight, harpoons and fish slappers on the sea life side while on the teenager side there are milk blasters and milkshake grenades. Wish them luck.

 

This has been another Matthew Rodgerson newspaper created by Matthew Rodgerson.

Tom's Fortunately/Unfortunately Story

     F = Fortunately

     U = Unfortunately

    Justin Bieber came to Nelson for a concert.

U. I was sick.

F. my friend Matthew went to see the concert.

U. Matthew slipped into the pool.

F. Justin Bieber came to perform at my house.

U. Matthew was still in the pool.

F. Justin Bieber helped Matthew get out of the pool.

U. Justin Bieber fell into the pool.

F. I helped them out.

U. I fell into the pool.

Matthew's Fortunately/Unfortunately Story

     F = Fortunately

     U = Unfortunately

Santa got stuck as he squeezed down our small chimney

U. the fire was on.

F. we were able to steal his presents.

U. Rudolph slipped into the fire.

F. He tasted like chicken.

U. a graffiti artist painted his sleigh pink.

F. Santa slipped.

U. he didn’t die.

F. we took his sleigh.

U. Santa got arrested for going into people's houses uninvited.

F. we had a great time eating Rudolph.

U. all the presents Santa was delivering were for girls.

F. we were able to sell them on Trade Me.

U. we sold out in a split second.

F. we are rich.

Summer's Limerick

There once was a small girl named Jade,

Who smacked herself with a spade!

She caused a racket,

That woke Mr. Hackett,

And he chased her down the parade.    

Joe's Limerick

There once was an old man called Lucy,

Who had some trouble going poopsy.

Let out a big roar,

Fell to the floor,

After that he went a bit loopsy!

Brodie's Limerick

There once was a young lady named Sally,

Who jumped in a pool of jelly.

But Scott stopped her,

Her cat started to purr,

So she went inside to watch telly.

Casey's Limericks

There once was a jolly old chappy,

Who tried to make his friends happy.

By making a steak,

He made a mistake,

So now they’ll never be happy.

 

 

There once was a kid that was clumsy,

Who really liked to wear a bright onesie.

He tripped and fell,

No one could tell,

Then he called out for his lovely mumsy.

Alex and Sam's Limericks

There Once Was Man From Spain,

Who Liked To Fly His Plane.

He Was Flying Around,

He Crashed To The Ground,

And Never To Be Seen Again!

 

 

There Once Was A Cute Little Turtle,

Who Was Friends With Moaning Myrtle.

She Cried And Wept,

And He Just Slept,

And Ended Up Getting Hurtled.

 

There Once Was A Fat Cat Named Mat,

Who Slept On All The Mats.

He Got Hit By The Door,

Landed On The Floor,

And Never Went Back To That Mat.

 

Isaac and Tom's Limerick

There once was a man called Mr Bun,

And he shot his foot with a big gun.

His holey shoe untied,

And he cried and cried,

So that day he didn’t have much fun.

Matthew's Limerick

There once was a man named Matt,

Who had a very fat cat.

The cat ate a quill,

Which caused a very big spill,

On Matt who was taking a nap.

Tom's thoughts about the missing plane.

The Malaysian plane has been missing for days. Everyone in the world has been helping find it. What I think happened is the co-pilot hijacked everything, like the GPS and other things. And two passengers took stolen passports to go on the plane.

Casey's thoughts about the missing plane

WOW! Who would hijack a plane and set it off course?

I can imagine what the people that were on the plane's families would be thinking: "I hope he’s alright. I hope I see them again." 

In my opinion I reckon that the co-pilot has turned off the G.P.S. and has flown the plane off course. My reasons why I think the co-pilot has hijacked the plane are: Before he left he gave his wedding ring back to his wife and said, “I hope nothing happens to me," and he was acting mysterious getting through the gate and onto the plane. 

At the moment I think the co-pilot has hijacked the plane. In my opinion I am never going to fly on a plane until they find the plane and arrest the HIJACKERS!!!!

Kate's Story: Lost in a Mumbai Slum Rubbish Tip

I howled with frustration. We were lost amid the immense size of the filthy foul slum that we lived in. And worst still grey clouds told me that rain was about to bucket down again soon. The air was moist and humid, and the clouds were covering the sun so there was no telling what time of day. I guessed it was 5:30.

My petite sister was shrinking into a small mouse and she squeaked looking up at me with her big brown eyes like she was pleading me to take her home or out of this rubbish tip we call home.

“Where are we brother? I want to go home!” The last couple of words her voice was trembling and her eyes were glassy and panic stricken. I was cold without a top on to cover my bare body where my ribs poked out the sides. I waded through the water which was up to my knees but it was even worse for my tiny sister, it was up to her chest, so I called to her in a soft but frail voice to hop on my back.

I began to hobble through the water but I felt a sharp metallic pointy tip penetrate my spongy flesh and felt it slide into the cut making the wound expand bigger and bigger. I yelped out in pain and looked down at my foot. I pulled out the piece of metal and inspected the damage. It had left a deep open gash across the sole of my bare foot with blood oozing out of it. The pain was excruciating. “What’s happened?” my sister whispered so quietly I had to strain to hear her anxious voice.

I replied calmly, “Nothing my sister you don’t need to be concerned. We have to get out of here before night takes over the sky or we could be stuck in this labyrinth forever.” “Do you remember which way our home is brother?” she managed to say between sobs.

“Of course I do!” I lied to comfort her. The truth was I had no clue! All the dirty streets looked and smelled the same, I hadn’t realized it before but the smell was unbearable! Rotting meat pollution our own human waste, sucked it up through my nostrils and gagged as it wafted through my nose.

There was a loud rumble and my stomach grunted and told me it was hungry, my sister must have heard it because she cried, “Brother what are we supposed to eat? We can’t scavenge around like dogs begging for food can we?” No we couldn’t I thought, these people will need to satisfy their own bellies that is if they have any food for themselves at all. “I don’t know what we’re going to do this far away from home little sister but I may be able to get some money by doing some small jobs, stay here while I get some money don’t leave my sight or I may never find you again.”

“Yes, I’ll stay put.”

Just as the last words fell out of her mouth, there was a crack of iridescent light gleamed in the inky sky where fumes were as thick as fog, and rain started to plummet and splash onto the already vast bucket of water.

“Get under cover!” I shrieked. And we dove under shelter as the rain started to drench mine and my sister’s already tattered clothes. We then dozed off to the loud rhythm of the rain pitter-pattering above our heads and the wind swirling and moaning around us.

I woke with a shudder and an icy chill ran up my spine. Something didn’t feel right, my eyes were showing me colourful shapes dancing in thin air. I wobbled my way through the water and splashed water on my dirty face to wake my half asleep self. I blinked and looked around. I jumped and a pang slammed into my chest and my heart started thumping so hard I could feel blood pulsing through my body. Where was Lakita? I searched around, my eyes darting left right, left right but I couldn’t see her mousey face anywhere. I started to shake and I felt dizzy until I heard a soft shrill voice say, “I got a loaf of bread!” I sighed with relief and my muscles relaxed and I spun round.

“Where were you? I was looking everywhere for you. We’d better start finding our way home, if we can.”

“I told you I found some bread so are you going to eat it or not?” She passed me the bread in her delicate hands and I sank my teeth into the crusty bland bread and devoured it hungrily like a beast. It didn’t satisfy my gnawing feeling in the pit of my empty stomach but it would keep me going. We trudged along through the dank wet streets, the water had now evaporated that the sun had come out of its hiding place behind the clouds and it was blaring upon the earth. It felt like it was eating away at my flesh on my bare back and drinking every water molecule from my pink skin.

After hours of walking I finally called to my sister, “You can rest now.” No soon as my words reached her ears she slumped to the ground. 

We sat there for what seemed like years, it felt like my life was ending, how long had we been lost? I had no idea but as the minutes ticked by I began to drift off once again. I tried to keep my eyes open but they felt like metal weights and before long my head lolled forwards so my chin rested on my dark skinned chest and I drifted off to the dreams inside my head.

I woke to a squeal and a stench swarmed around my head it was a breath of an animal panting and a slimy tongue licked my grimy face and slobber was dripping down my cheeks. I opened my eyes and a bright light stung them. My eyes adjusted to the light and I began to see a familiar although blurry sight, my dog! I reached for him and clung to his shaggy brown fur as he bounded and barked hysterically. Suddenly I heard a gleeful shriek come from where my sister was dancing about with happiness. “Brother it’s our dog he’s come for us!” I jumped up and I staggered because my legs were like jelly and my head spun with giddiness.

We started to chase our dog all the way through the streets. My feet were still sore from the cut but it had now sealed closed with gluey blood. We ran then through the streets. My knees were stiff and they creaked but finally, my eyes found a familiar sight, home!                                                                                                                                          

Georgia's Memories of our Cable Bay Tramp

Getting on the bus, chatting with friends, walking up the driveway to have a briefing. Pulling out the first chocolate bar to share with my friends. Sitting having morning tea, at the same time taking pictures of the teachers. Crying till lunchtime because I have had a sore ear for a long time. Being scared to go to the toilet because it was a long drop. Zoe and I running to catch up with our friends. Going through a million gates. Getting to the top of Cable Bay Point was exciting but getting to Cable Bay beach was better.

Alexis's Descriptive Writing

The glacier stands tall like a lady wearing a big white gown. The penguins waddle around like wind-up toys shuffling along the snow. The ice is falling as the big male penguins are calling out to their returning partners (with food for their baby penguin to eat when it hatches). In Antarctica there are sometimes snow storms and it’s like a big white snow attack. The sea looks like a vast sheet of glass, with round and lumpy icebergs bobbing up and down within it.

Nathan's Best Writing So Far This Year!

As he tore out the last terminator’s robotic heart and smashed it into a million shards, he was taking over one galaxy at a time. At night you can hear screams, until there is dead silence. As he leaves to go to Earth he looks back at a battle ground and then shoots up in victory, then gets in his ship heading for Earth to see hostages everywhere.    

Kate's Descriptive Poem: The Night Sky

The luminous moon is like a shiny white dinner plate filling up the inky black sky.

Glistening stars are like shiny tinfoil sparkling in the dark like torches.

The eerie dark night is unlit as it cloaks the sleeping sun in the hours of darkness.

Nocturnal animal eyes are like floating glassy ghosts watching the sleeping world.

Creepy trees are like invisible phantoms' arms tapping at a fragile window.

The hushed town is like an unearthly ghost town as it sleeps waiting for the sun to unmask itself.

My Day as a Ring by Summah

This has been the strangest day ever! Ok, I’ll start from the start. It all started this morning when I woke up (like usual!) to see an impressive witch, with pointy ears and a big wart on here nose, and a pointed hat, standing in the middle of my room. She waved her big wand. 

With a puff and lots of smoke I was starting to grow smaller and rounder. Then my arms and legs vanished. My head twisted into a diamond, and my stomach got a large hole in it. I got smaller and smaller until I possibly would  be able to fit onto somebody’s finger. I called out for aid but not one person heard me. The pain was horrifying. Picture getting smaller and losing your arms and legs and your head turning into a diamond!  

Then my dad came in and picked me up. Then he put me into a blue box! Just then there was a knock on the door. It was Dad’s friend who told Dad he was engaged and he needed a ring! OH NO!

He took me to his house and his fiancé was waiting at the door. Then suddenly without warning he tripped over a long blade of grass and dropped me down the drain. Down, down, down I went until plop! I landed in the water. Luckily, my box was floating. I thought that it couldn’t get any worse, but I didn’t know how wrong I was. Something was floating in the water...

I paddled over to the white blob floating in the water. But then I saw something that made my heart stop. This his was no ordinary water it was sewage water!

I tried to scream but I was frozen stiff! EWW! You can’t even imagine what its' like - I was stuck down there forever!

I’m still there to this day but I often say to myself that at least rings don’t eat!