This week all our hard work with writing our speeches and memorising our poems has paid off.  Our year 3's spent all of last week writing their speeches and making changes.  They felt very relieved to have them finished.  Once they had finished they practising presenting them to others. Finally Thursday had come to present our speeches and poems.  The year 2's went to Mt Algidus and the year 3's went to Mt Taylor/Hutt.  Everyone was feeling a bit nervous but everybody show determination and managed to present them.  The year 3's scored the other speeches which was hard to do, as they had to be quick at adding the score up beofre another speech began.  Some of us got so interested in listening to the speeches that they forget to record scores - ooops.  
Everyone had to sit for a long time to get all the speeches and poems completed. When it was over, everyone felt very proud of themselves and eagily waited to see who had made it through to the school finals.  
We have Livi, Charlie Q, Charlie H, Willow and Angus are going to be representing Mt Somers in the School finals for their poem presentation.  Our speech finalists are Toby M, Meg and Soffiyah.  We are looking forward to hearing all of the presentations next Tuesday.  We wish our Mt Somers people the very best of luck.  

The mayor of Ashburton, Donna Favel also popped into read us her favourite story.  Freddy got to try on her Livery Collar.

Grandparents Day
​Next up was Grandparents day.  We had lots of our Grandparents come in, some of us were even lucky enough to have both set of Grandparents and some travelled a long way to join us for book week. We really appreciated them all coming in as we know many of our Grandparents still work.  Many were at school for a yummy morning tea in the library. 

Dress Up Day
We ended our book week with a dress up as your favourite book character. Hoops from the radio station came and selected the winners from each class.  It was great to see everyone put a huge amount of thought and effort into their costumes.  We all had a fantastic week and look forward to dressing up again done day soon.  

This week we have been learning about Matariki which is the Maori New Year.  We found out that it is a cluster of stars which we can see in the early morning sky - at dawn.  It is celebrated between late May and early June. 
Nan has also been teaching us about importance of Matariki in the Maori culture and explained how her whanau celebrates Matariki.  We learnt that there is 500 starts in the whole cluster but we can only see 7 of them.  The seven stars are daughters of Matariki. Matariki is the brightest star.The stars go away in April and come back in late May or earl June.  
We made lanterns because we read about kamokamo laterns which help to light up the evening skys so the stars could be seen.  

Dear Family.
I have been shooting the Turks. I haven’t shot any Turks yet but I might get a chance. I am at Gallipoli shooting the Turks. I smelt dry blood and smoke from gunfire and animal poop. I felt the water under my feet in the water logged trenches. I felt mice crawling across my body as I tried to sleep.
Toby Lemon
 
Bang, boom, bang the war has started. I am on a hospital ship. I see the boats taking the wounded soldiers to the hospital.  One of my brothers is in the war. I feel the blood running down my hands from the wounded soldiers. One of my brothers was shot two times. Once was in his book and the other bullet went through my brother’s jacket. My brother’s friend got shot one time in his back pocket. Luckily they both lived. I smelt dry blood too and I smelt smoke when I went to pick up the wounded soldiers. The wounded soldiers are always glad to see me. I am glad for the people who fought for our country.
Nyah
 
Dear Mum.
I’m not having a good time at war. I had a bad landing day at Gallipoli. I found a mate called Angus. He has a horse, it is called Hamilton. It’s been hard to see where the Turks are shooting because it’s been happening so quickly. I’ve been hearing the Turks shooting at us ANZACs. It’s been quite loud at war, it hurts my ears. The bullets are loud and make loud bangs. It’s scary. I can smell the sewage from the hole from the men who go to the toilet. It smells bad. I’m feeling homesick and I am missing you. I keep feeling really scared when the Turks start firing at us ANZACs. I can smell gunpowder from the guns and bullets from the Turks. Mum, the next letter will be from France. Please can you send some more Anzac biscuits? Some mates from the battalion have died. The trenches keep getting water logged. I’m seriously missing your yummy dinners. I’m looking forward to seeing Jess. I’m looking forward to seeing you.
From your son
Toby (Maw)
 
Dear Archie.
Me and Levi are now fighting in Gallipoli. We both have a horse. It is not nice fighting, some of my friends lost their lives. Some of them didn’t even get to the beach. Levi got shot and died. I saw the Turks trying to shoot me. I heard a plane crashing to the ground. I smelt gunpowder. I also smelt cigarettes. I am missing my family. I am feeling homesick too. 26 men got killed and I am the only ANZAC in Gallipoli now. Please, please send me more biscuits and more socks. There was deafening explosions and I shot a sniper. I will be home in 5 weeks. I am missing you brother.
Ollie
 
Bang, boom, bang the war has started. Me and my friends are shooting everywhere with our guns. I saw the soldiers get wounded. I heard the planes rumble. I smelt the animal poo. Everywhere the animals go I can smell it. I feel upset because my friends have died. Now we are on a boat. It isn’t fun here. It is so loud. I hope I will come back to you soon.
Mae
 
 We are on the way to Gallipoli in a big, big ship to attack. I smelt the salty sea water.  Bang, boom, bang, the Turks have started shooting. Another long day in the trenches. The place smells terrible because of the war. It smells like dirt dried up, mud and it also smells like bullet shells. I feel sore, exhausted and sick and I feel like I’m going to die. I miss Ziggy and Brodie. I hope the war stops so I can come home.
Frank
 
Bang, bang, bang, the Turks have started to shoot at the ANZACs. I could see blue and red flames growing and shells firing at the ANZAC’s trenches. I heard yelling and shouting. I heard bombs crashing down exploding and making holes on the ground. I also saw medics or other soldiers rowing to the hospital ship where nurses could care for the injured soldiers. The soldiers wanted to go back to their trenches and fight the Turks as soon as they were better so they could claim more land. I saw soldiers lying on the ground groaning and moaning and in lots of excruciating pain. Quickly hurry, we must help them. I’m extremely worried about all of the hard working soldiers who are fighting and battling for our country. They must be very frightened. I can smell filthy, dirty and muddy clothes when the ambulance drivers bring the soldiers to the hospital, where the nurses and I can care for them because they are in excruciating pain. I smelt some more things.  I could smell the poor soldiers, a yucky smell because flies have been buzzing everywhere an all around the soldiers.  I could also smell fresh blood because the soldiers had been shot.  I feel like some of the soldiers are not going to make it through the night.  I don’t say it out loud though because I don’t want to scare the soldiers. 
The scary war is over.  I am extremely proud of the soldiers who fought for our country, risking their lives.  I am looking forward to starting my wonderful farm life again and seeing my friends and family.  I can’t wait to have Mum’s delicious baking especially her home made pizza and seeing my animals again.
Jessica
 
Dear Mum and Dad,
I am in the trenches.  It is hard here.  I got shot and wounded.  An ambulance took me to the hospital.  A doctor called Ruby fixed me.  I jumped on my horse and cantered off to fight.  I heard the pounding sound of my horse’s hooves.  My feet have rotted a little.  I saw a ship coming to take the injured people home to New Zealand.  I felt wind in my long blonde hair.  When I walked to the trenches and I smelt the sewage I was flustered to see the sewage everywhere.
Please understand Meg got shot.  I am sorry I can’t save her this time.  She was riding a donkey and bang!  The last words she said in a weak, weak voice were,
“Thanks for everything.  Thanks for helping me.  Tell Mum and Dad I didn’t make it and I love them.”
Meg
 
I think it would be very cramped in the trenches. It was horrible for the soldiers in WW1. Me and my friends help look after wounded soldiers. I heard some nurses singing songs to the wounded soldiers. I saw lots of soldiers crying. I heard some soldiers coming in to the hospital. I saw lots of soldiers in the beds that are badly wounded by the Turks. I smelt the salty sea water in the sea. I loved having a bath rather than being dirty. It smelt much nicer. I liked the smell of it, I felt clean. I felt seasick. I hated it, it was horrible for me and then my friends caught it from me. I felt seasick on the way to pick up some more supplies. We got all sorts of supplies. They were very useful. I was looking for something special at the warehouse. Then I found it. It was an abandoned pet. It was all crunchy when I bought it out of the box. I had to give it a bath and then I saw what it was, it was a puppy. I loved it so much I bought it in the car with me. I am hoping that no more soldiers get badly wounded. I am missing Mum’s beautiful cooking because it tastes better than any army food. She makes the best cakes on Earth.
See you very soon, Isobel.
 
Dear Mum.
I am now fighting in the battlefield with my friend called Toby. He has a horse like I do. We killed a couple of Turks today. I got hit 3 times, one through my drink, one through my hat and another went through my book. I have seen lots of Turkish guns and a couple of Battalions moving to secure higher ground. I heard lots of moaning soldiers that were wounded and loads of gun fire. I lost one friend called Sam. It’s horrible at war. It certainly is not how I thought it would be. I am feeling very homesick and very sad because I don’t see you at all anymore. I am looking forward to escaping or the war ending.
The next day we had important orders to leave to another battlefield. When we were fighting again I smelt smoke from angry gunfire and silvery blood. I also smelt the stench from stinking rotten food.
I got the care package from you. The ANZAC biscuits are delicious, I shared them with my friend Toby. I made a new friend yesterday called Charlie. I shared the biscuits with him too. Please send some more warm coats for my horse and some socks for me.
I feel good that we’re leaving to another battlefield. It’s called Flanders Field. It sounds nice but I’m not sure my friends are looking forward to leaving. I am doing very well so far and I hope we all come home from war. In fact the whole Battalion hopes they come home.
I forgot to tell you my horses name is Hamilton the horse. Toby’s horse’s name is Kody because he likes the name Kody. I called mine Hamilton for two reasons. 1. Hamilton and horse starts with the same letter. 2. My last name is Hamilton. So that’s the reasons why we named our horses Kody and Hamilton.
The next letter will be from Quinn’s post. I’ve heard it’s a horrible place but I think most of the Battalion will survive but I don’t know. Don’t worry until you get the next letter.
Maybe send 2 horse blankets because it’s getting very, very cold now. Most of the soldiers have the flu.
Bye until the next letter.
From Angus
 
Dear Mum and Dad.
I have just arrived at Gallipoli. It is horrible here. I have had a miss-shot through my jacket. The trenches are turning into rivers. Many soldiers have been killed or wounded. I miss the food you make. I hear bombs dropping from the sky and planes crashing to the ground. It is hard to stay alive at war. I smell the gunpowder when I shoot my gun. It stinks everywhere. I miss you. I would like to have a nice warm bath.
Love from Freddy
 
Dear Mum.
I am now going on the ship to Egypt to practice fighting. After that I will be going to war. When I arrived I smelt blood. I felt water under my feet in the trenches. I saw water in the trenches. I heard gunfire. It went bang.
Sam Palmer
 
My friend’s and I are arriving at Gallipoli. We are rescuing people who are wounded. I can hear the other nurses singing softly to the soldiers that are wounded to comfort them. They are safer on the hospital ship. I smelt the sea water while I was on the hospital ship. I felt scared because of the bombs. I smelt the blood from the soldiers when I was bringing them to the ship. The blood smelt like mouldy lettuce. I didn’t like the smell but I had to deal with it. The next day when I went to pick up wounded soldiers, I saw that my one brother was dead and my husband was dead. I was very, very, very sad. I was very glad because the war was now starting to end. I am looking forward to coming home to see you guys.
Ruby
 
I felt very homesick. I am very tired and hungry.
I hear guns going off.
I see a lot of animal poo.
I can see a lot of blood.
Levi Robinson
 
Dear Mum and Dad.
It is not good at war in the trenches. I have a friend called Toby in the war. It is brutal because some of the ANZACs got wounded. There were bombs that were thrown at us which killed some men. I made another friend called Kody and we killed heaps of Turks together. I heard gunfire and I saw the war planes going overhead. I got shot one time on my arm, it felt like getting run over by a trucks wheel. It hurt lots. I smelt gunpowder out of my gun when I am shooting. It’s terrible here. I’m looking forward to coming back home. It’s fun at war but when you get shot you feel like going back home.
From Viliami
 
Dear family.
I have been shooting the Turks with my friend. Bang, bang, bang in the trenches. We have been here for two years so far. I hear the gins firing. I smell the gunpowder and smoke from guns firing. I feel homesick and sad because Viliami got killed by a bomb. I hope we get another mate. I hope the war will end soon because I miss farming.
From Roy
 
Dear Mum and Dad.
We are in Gallipoli. We are having a big bomb fight. I have lost a lot of friends and I have shot a lot of Germans. I heard a lot of bombs. I saw a lot of dead people lying there.
I feel homesick. I am missing feeding the animals and my cosy bed. I hope I will see you soon Mum and Dad.
From Charlie
 
My friends and I are on our way to Gallipoli to rescue wounded people from war. I heard lots of gunshots coming from the trenches. I saw lots of wounded people going on the boats to the hospital ship. We sometimes sing songs to the soldiers to keep them calm. I felt nervous when I went to pick up wounded soldiers because I didn’t was the Turks to think that I was a soldier and try and shoot at me. I smelt the blood from the soldiers when I was taking them to the hospital ship. It smelt like mouldy lettuce. I didn’t like the smell but I had to deal with it. The next day I got a telegram and it said that my husband was dead. I am very, very sad. After a few days I know I will be fine. I am happy because the war is almost over. I am glad to be coming home and seeing my dog Callie again.
From Cartia.
 
Dear Mum and Dad.
I am fighting the Turks today. My friend has killed some of the Turks. It is horrible here because there are rats, lots of rats. I wish I could come home but we have landed at Gallipoli now. It is lonely here. I hear the bombs go off when we got to Gallipoli. There is a problem. It’s far from home.
I smelt the animals when I was fighting. I felt sad, I wanted to come home when my friend got shot, it was sad. There was only 30 people there and only 30 Turks. Then I was not sad because my best friend Mae was still alive. Tomorrow I am coming home, yeah! I can’t wait for tomorrow. When that day comes it is going to be my favourite day. Can’t wait. Boom, a bomb went off when we were going home. This is my favourite day. I am glad the war is over.
Love from Livi.
 
Dear Angus.
It is a good day to go and see Sam get off the ship, but it is too late to go. The Turkish have already starting firing. Freddy is already wounded. It’s only Viliami and I are the only soldiers here. But Sam’s group has finally arrived. Now we have to evacuate to the ship, but Sam and I stay because the Turks have already killed 25 men. Soldiers ended up in the Turks main trench, including Viliami, and they are in prison.
Two days later Roy got killed in action. Turks have bombed twice. The deafening explosions were terrifying. I saw dirty smoke slowly drifting across the beautiful evening sunset.
Finally there is two weeks of war before I leave the front line. Suddenly Charlie was killed in action. I am having to go now, the Turks are being silly and trying to get in my trench.
I am feeling extremely sad, 2000 of my friends died. I smelt slimy red blood.
I am coming home in two days. I extremely liked the cake, can you send me some more? Your baking is perfect. Having a birthday in war is horrible. I hope you bought that Golden Retriever for me and the gun. By the way, I am coming home today.
From Kody.

For the past 2 weeks we have been focusing on our Mother’s Day clocks.  They have been very successful. 
Frist we drew 2 patterns in 2 sections and a picture of our family in another section and lastly was a free choice picture.
We have to colour them in carefully and finish the outlines off with sharpie. 
We needed to make sure the border and background were coloured in nearly with no white spaces.
After that we stuck our numbers on around the outside of the border.
Finally Gemma cut our clocks out very carefully and laminated them.  We appreciated the time she spent helping us.
Mrs E glued all the clocks onto old records. Once they were all finished Mrs Wright attached the hands mechanism in the centre. 
Finally the battery was put in and they work.  We think they are amazing and we are all really proud of our work.  We are looking forward to giving them to our Mums on their special day.