Character Description
We have been working on descriptive writing for our narrative. This was an example of a class effort. See individual blogs for children's own writing.
Dan the gardener is a moody man. He grumps about with a frown on his furrowed, sun-burnt face like a bear with a sore head. His manner is gruff and sullen to all who approach him, just barking and growling at inquiring visitors like a cantankerous old dog. I would never dare go near him if I was in the garden for fear of him shouting at me or throwing a clod of mud at my back as I ran.
To outsiders he looked grim and shabby, his clothes soil stained from months of gardening without ever being washed. He always had a pocket size trowel jutting out of his ragged worn, belt. His nails were ingrained with dirt and he had a permanent five o’clock shadow of greying, bristly hair. The hair on his head was black and silver and tufts stuck out from beneath his cap like a badger lived there. His bulbous nose glowed red in the sun and his only redeeming features was his bright, pale, blue eyes that sparkled like the clearest water.
Dan kept himself private. No-one knew if he was married, had children, had lived anywhere but Waikanae or even how old he was. He had been around for ever and even my Grandma remembers him gardening when she was young.
I think gardening is his life. He doesn’t like people or animals but despite his grouchy outlook, he tends the garden with delicacy and care, almost stroking the vegetables he grows. He doesn’t like flowers. A waste of space he says.
He is as strong as a thousand men, especially when he lifts pumpkins that grow as big as elephants. He enters the pumpkins into vegetable competitions in the local town. He always wins too. He says they grow so big because he talks to them. They’re the only things he talks to really. I often wonder why. Was it because he was in the war? He doesn’t seem to have any friends but people do stay away from his grumpiness and avoid him in the street. But then yesterday, I saw him over the fence at our school. He was giving some veggies to an old lady who lives next to school. She looks really poor and sad normally but her eyes lit up when she saw him with a box of produce. Maybe he’s not so bad after all.
Here is our class shape poem as we begin to study ANZAC day.
Watch out for your children's own poems on their blog.
Cool Websites
These are some of the websites we use during Literacy time.Kiwi Kids News
Kids News - Dogonews Current Events, Book and movie reviews
Kids Conservation Club
10fast fingers
Typing practice
Youtube Interactive spelling bee
reading.ecb
Reading strategies
Story starters to help you write
Pobble 365 Photos and prompts to inspire you to write.
Vocabulary and grammar questions - Free rice
Word definitions, opposites, rhymes, another word for, words starting with… Also works in French and Spanish
Writing inspired by Pobble 365 picture by Jessie
In the inky blackness of the shadows, her dark smoky gray tabby pelt and keen sight were her greatest allies. What she had glimpsed at other side of the shadowy garden was troubling, and arching her back, she prepared in an instant. A huge dog faced her, it’s mean eyes glittering with excitement.
Hissing and spitting, she lashed out and scratched it’s nose with her sharp claws. The dog whined in pain, slinking back into the shadows. The cat fled, her paws flying over the soft grass, she slowed. The bright light of dawn shone above her head, it looked like a neon orange flame shining as it battled the raven-coloured sky.
She found herself in a forest with lime green ferns and pale tree trunks with bright leaves. She walked slowly over to a small pond with circular green things resting on the dark water. She lapped at the pond for a while.
The crunch of a dead leaf told her something was watching her, she whipped around the dark fur on her shoulders bristling. A female silver-gray tabby cat was facing her, it’s light fur sticking out like a patch of snow against the green ferns surrounding the two cats. The silver cat crouched down like a frightened kitten.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Stammered the silver tabby.
The dark-pelted cat let the fur on it’s shoulder lie flat.
“You shouldn’t be here.” She growled.
If the silver cat heard she didn’t show it.
“What’s your name?” Asked the silver cat, leaping on a leaf that had fluttered to the ground.
“My name’s Holly, now would you please go home!” Meowed the dark pelted cat.
“Holly,” Echoed the silver cat. “My name’s Misty.”
“That’s nice.” Meowed Holly trying hard not to lose her temper.
Misty fluffed out her silver pelt as a cold breeze ruffled her fur.
“I have to go now.” Meowed Holly.
“Oh, great I’ll come with you!” Meowed Misty.
Holly groaned inwardly.
Holly stifled a purr of amusement as Misty tripped and fell into a murky puddle turning her pretty silver tabby fur into a muddy gray-brown mess.
“My fur!” Misty meowed indignantly, turning her head to clean her pelt.
Misty looked up at her with a gleam of mischief in her bright blue eyes.
“Wha-”
Before Holly knew what was happening Misty splashed the muddy water onto her.
“Hey,” She meowed. “I’ll get you for that!”
Holly splashed into the puddle, sending a wave of murky water flying onto Misty’s fur.
“Hey,” Squealed Misty. “I just got my fur clean!”
Without warning, Misty darted in and gently whacked Holly’s head with her paw then raced into the bushes. Holly sprinted after her, as she caught up with the silver tabby cat and bowled her over, Only then did she realize that she had just sent them rolling down a steep slope that ended in a cliff.
Misty let out a terrified shriek and clung to Holly’s pelt like a burr. Holly however was scanning the ferns around her, looking for something to support two falling cats. Up ahead, to the left, there was a sturdy-looking ivy tendril, Holly drew her hind legs in. When they were close to the ivy she kicked the ground hard. She felt a bone snap, but kept her mouth closed, as she had predicted they were driven straight toward the ivy tendril. She grabbed the ivy in her jaws and they instantly stopped falling. The ivy was hanging onto a rock, Holly saw that it wasn’t going to hold for long.
“Climb.” She meowed to Misty, who was still clinging to her pelt.
Misty nodded determinedly, and started to climb up to the rock. As the ivy tendrils shook Misty let out a high-pitched wail. Holly realized the ivy would snap and they would fall if they didn't hurry up.
“Just a little faster.” She meowed encouragingly to her shrieking companion.
To her relief Misty managed to scramble onto the rock. As she started to climb the ivy lurched sickeningly from side to side. Quietly she let out a whimper.
“Holly hurry!” Screeched Misty.
Holly felt the ivy snap and she started to plunge down the slope. Shrieking in terror she wailed:
“Misty help me!”
Holly stared as Misty launched herself off the rock and grasp the ivy tendril in her forepaws.
“If one of us goes down, both of us go down.” She meowed.
Holly saw fear but determination in the silver cat’s pretty blue eyes and that gave her hope. As they rolled off the cliff Holly began scanning the forest below, she spotted a lake almost directly below them. There! Holly turned to her wailing friend.
“Misty try to land in that lake.” She called over the fast winds.
Misty nodded.
As the two cats drew nearer to the ground Holly meowed:
“Misty, even though I've only known you for a day you've been a good friend.”
“You have too.” Meowed Misty.
Misty opened her mouth to say more, but then they hit the water of the lake. Holly felt a terrible pain on her limbs and stomach. As the water slowly pulled her down she felt a weird calmness. So this is drowning? I thought it would be a little more frightening. She saw the silver-gray fur of Misty just above her. Misty! Isn't this just great? I've never felt more peaceful. Misty sank her teeth into Holly’s scruff and began to heave her out of the water. Wait! I want to stay here! Holly wanted to screech the words at the silver tabby, but she knew that Misty wouldn’t hear a word while they underwater. But as her head broke the surface she gulped in as much air as she could. She let Misty gently push her to the pebbly shore.
“Misty, you saved my life!” She gasped when her breath returned.
She blinked the water out of her eyes so she could look at the silver tabby.
“Where did you learn to swim?” She asked.
“My mother taught me how when I was a kitten, that was before she…” Misty dropped off her sentence.
Her blue eyes shining with memories Misty looked away. Holly stared at her friend, there was something about Misty’s past that the silver tabby wasn’t telling her.
“I’ll find something to eat.” She meowed walking into the trees beside the pebbles. A sparrow basically flew into her claws after a few moments. Misty looked happy to have something to eat but Holly knew that her friend was still troubled by whatever had happened her mother all that time ago.
The next morning Holly awoke to find Misty splashing about in the river.
“Misty what on earth are you doing?” She called.
Misty turned to look at her.
“Um… I saw a fish.” Meowed Misty.
Holly shook her head amusedly, her friend could be strange sometimes.
Misty waded out of the river and shook the water out of her fur. She walked over to her friend.
“You
NZ tiki tour
Here is a photo of a map of NZ created by a group of girls in our class.
The Instagram pages show messages from places people visited over the summer holidays.
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