The Connected Film Festival

On Thursday many of us were lucky enough to go to the first ever Connected Film Festival at Southwell School. We watched movies made by students from schools all around the Waikato. Hamilton East School had four movies in the festival. 

We hope you enjoy this movie of our Film Festival journey! 

Clay

This week we have been working with clay. 

On Wednesday we had a practise session trying to make pinch pots. 

On Friday we tried to make taonga pots. First we rolled the clay into six long even worms and then made the extra long worm that we then turned into a spiral for the base (bottom) of our pot. 

The other clay worms were then put one on top of each other and any cracks or holes were filled in. 

It was hard work and sometimes the clay didn't do what we wanted it to! But we all had fun and enjoyed the experience. 

Meet our Buddy CJ

We are taking part in Buddy Day this year. This week we have been talking through ways to decide on who our buddy is. We decided on a secret vote to determine if Buddy would be a boy or girl but the results were equal. So Ella suggested we put all the votes back in and pick one and that would be the decider. Everyone agreed it was fair and that is how our buddy became a boy. 

On the back of the piece of paper students had put the name they wanted our buddy to be. Out of the boy votes there were four options; Nick, CJ, Roxy and (tbc - Whaea Eve has forgotten and needs to ask the class!). We named each corner of the room one of those names and showed our preferred name by standing in that corner. CJ won hands down!

To decide on CJ's story, who he is and what he likes doing, we all wrote the answers to the following questions:
Who does CJ live with?
What does CJ like to do at school?
What does CJ not like to do at school?
What does CJ like to do at home?
What does CJ not like to do at home?

Whaea Eve then pulled our names from our lolly pop name jar and that person's writing became CJ's story.

CJ lives with his mum and dad.

At school CJ likes to play soccer with his friends.

At school CJ does not like doing handwriting.

At home CJ likes to play in the garden.

At home CJ does not like making his bed.

We all designed CJ's look; t-shirt, pants (trousers), shoes and hair / face. To decide on what our real CJ's look would be, we put our named lolly pop stick on the design we liked best for each part of CJ.

Zahaad designed the most popular t-shirt.

Anika H designed the most popular pants / trousers.

Elias designed the most popular shoes.

Nirmal designed the most popular hair / face. 

Next week we will be making our buddy following these designs and showing CJ around our school. 

Brave - Room 16's music video

In Room 16 we love dancing to the song Brave by Sara Bareilles. We also think it has a really great message - to be who you are and be brave. 

We when heard about the Connected Film Festival we decided to make our own Hamilton East School music video - although the original music video is pretty good too! 

After brainstorming all the things that can be scary at school, we looked at what someone could do in that situation to be brave. We picked three of the ideas and made it into three seperate storylines, mixed in with words that hurt us slowing turning into words that make us strong. 

We hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to be brave!

Operetta Diary

We loved performing in the Operetta last week. Everyday we spent 10minutes writing a diary entry on our Operetta experience. Everyone in Room 16 picked their best day to share on the blog. We hope you enjoy them.

As soon as I heard the chainsaw music I stepped onto the stage excitedly. I cut the flower bit by bit and the tress I cut in half as soon as I walked off the stage. I walked back on the stage. I played a guitar with my chainsaw. 

Darryl

I was waiting in Room 13 eating McDonalds. I had a drink and a cheeseburger and chips. It was yum. We had cookies and popcorn with icing sugar. It was so delicious. I got in my costume. I was a Fat Cat.

Elias

We had our last Operetta. Whaea Eve was a chainsaw. Ms Jones and Miss M were in the Operetta. I think that they were amazing singing in the Operetta. It was funny too.

Anika H

It was funny when Ms Jones pretended to be the Queen of England. She had a funny little yellow  dog. Queen Jones didn’t look like the real queen but she still was pretty.

Mia

Haka Hiva girls

Once I went on the stage there were lights at the back of me. Then the giants came on the stage and made the musicians go off the stage. Then we sang the Billionaire song.

David

For our last Operetta Whaea Eve was a chainsaw and Ms Jones was the Queen. Miss M was a car but Ms Jones crashed into Miss M.

Kayden

When I stepped on the stage I was so scared then I started to be okay. The lights were green and blue like water. The lights were so bright in my eyes. At the end you have to dance off the stage with music.

Ryan

I wanted to be a giant because they have a big long voice and they sing loud.

Xzavier 

Chainsaw Gang

When we do the Operetta tonight it is going to be the coolest day in my whole world because we will be having some popcorn as well. We will be going to Room 13’s class so we can get changed into our clothes altogether. When we get into the chainsaw we have to wait. 

Juvil

The Operetta was fun. We had to wait a long time. The glow in the dark people were cool. Then the pacific Haka Hiva people went on the stage to dance. It was interesting. I liked the Haka.

Tyler

Before I got on the stage I was scared, nervous. But I kept on saying I had to go on, I had to go on, so I proudly danced on to the music. So once I was on stage I sat down and played my instrument. When I got off the stage I heard that we had to do the finale but I hated the finale. But I had to do it so I raced up the hill. When I got up the Room 13 I put down my instrument then I ran back down and did the finale.

Jack

At the Operetta it was fun. My favourite was when Ms Jones was on the stage. It was so funny that I couldn’t stop laughing and all the audience were laughing. I loved the Operetta.

Subair

Cars

At the Operetta the lights were shining. I wanted to do it cool. Whaea Eve was wearing blue when the lights were on. When Whaea Eve dashed on the stage the giants were screaming on the stage. We were in danger. The magical garden got chopped down. Then we put our chainsaws away.

Deysharn

The Operetta was good. When I heard the Operetta singing one bit was funny. I liked the funny bit. The funny bit was when Ayman and Hussain did Kapa Haka.

Ahmed

When it was the last Operetta, my mum was there and she watched us on the stage. It was Haka Hiva’s turn and I was in the Haka Hive group. My mum’s friend was videoing us. When we shook our hips everyone clapped even my mum. Then it was the end and I went to Room 16.

Caylee

I drove the car on the stage. I felt nervous. We sang the songs.

Zahaad

Fat Cats and Musicians

I was a little bit scared. I heard the music. I got a shock. I was dancing to the music. I was flapping my arms when I saw the giants. We were singing, “We want to be Billionaires”.  

Anika C

Last night we had popcorn and a biscuit too. There were lots of people. I watched my mum taking pictures.

Quartez

When I stomped on stage I felt scared. I could see a big crowd of people. In the crowd I could see my baby sister, my brother, my dad and my step-mum. I could hear my brother call out my name. I felt excited inside but scared outside. My heart was beating really fast like a rocket.

Kaya

Last night it was our last Operetta. There was a big crowd. Ms Jones was the Queen! When she came on the stage everyone laughed. When the cars came on Miss M and Ms Jones were cars, ha! Ms Jones told Miss M off because she bumped into her, ha ha and Whaea Eve was a chainsaw.

Katelyn

Garden

The Operetta was really cool. There was a really bright spotlight on the actors. When I was on stage I felt nervous. I thought I was gonna make a mistake but luckily I didn’t. Some of the actors forgot what they had to say. The best part I liked was the Kapa Haka group. The girls singing were fantastic. It was my best part. But my best best part was Room 16 and Room 13’s performance.

Xuan

It was funny when Ms Jones was pretending to be the queen. Everyone was laughing. It was funny when Whaea Eve was a chainsaw too. It was funny too when Miss M was a car.

Cruz

We danced in the hall. It was fun. I like dancing. I felt happy. I felt nervous and scared. Going into the dark was scary.

Nirmal

I heard the music so I danced onto the stage. I felt nervous then I felt happy. Then the giants stomped onto the stage. I was scared. I could feel the stage shaking. Then the chainsaws cut the garden. Then the cars came on then I giants came back on the stage. The giants were hot and thirsty. Then the garden came back to life. Then we danced down the stage and then it was done.

Tulasi