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Visit the site

www.oxfam.org.au   and check out the Fairtrade news.

What is Fairtrade?

“Fairtrade provides a labelling system to ensure minimum standards are met and that farmers rights and their families’ welfare is respected. Purchasing fairtrade products has short and long term benefits. importantly, your Fairtrade purchase means:

1. A fair minimum price for farmers - that enables them to have food, shelter, health care and education for them and their families.

2. Coffee farmers receive a Fairtrade premium of 28 cents a kg that is spent on community development projects - such things as improved health services, schools and training.

3. Improvements in sustainable farming practices

4. Access to low-cost credit and technical assistance.”

OxFam Australia - 132 Leicester St. Carlton, Victoria

 Add your thoughts.

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Farmers from all over the world, are being underpaid for their produce. Most of these farmers use traditional methods to grow their products. Fairtrade means that the farmers get a fair price for their products. The extra money covers the cost of production and allows them to develop their farms and update equipment. It also allows the communities to build better roads, pay school fees and generally make their lives more sustainable. The farmers can’t live a good life with unfair prices and they deserve to live a little easier. The farmers want to reinvest their money and be happy like everyone else. So all you companies out there - please pay THE FAIR PRICE!

George (12 years old)

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On Thursday the 8th of May, staff at our school held a Fairtrade morning tea. The staff drank Fairtrade tea and coffee and showed the 4 minute DVD about Fairtrade, to their classes. Some students in our class made posters advertising the Fairtrade brand and these are on display in our canteen. Other students, like George (above) wrote their thoughts about Fairtrade and the great work it does. We enjoyed the smell of the coffee brewing so much, that we now have a permanent couple of plungers in our staff room, so thanks Oxfam - what a great idea it was to run a Fairtrade fortnight!

www.icanw.org

Check out this website and add your thoughts. The motto for the Ican organisation is

I can…you can, we can abolish nuclear weapons.

Dear world leaders,

Nuclear weapons are very dangerous. The uranium can get into the skin and do serious damage to your blood, cells and organs. Even worse it can kill you. \

The detonation of a nuclear weapon would totally wipe out entire countries and hundreds of thousands of people would die, in only a few seconds.

Surprisingly, even though we know all the facts, nine countries still have nuclear weapons. Those countries are France, Pakistan, Israel, Russia, China, USA, North Korea, UK and India.

Today’s Nuclear weapons are 20,000 times stronger then the Hiroshima A bomb. The death toll from the explosion and the fallout of that bomb was 200,000 deaths over a number of weeks and months. The black acid rain killed people weeks after the explosion.

I’m only 11 and I want to live my life to the full. We need to abolish nuclear weapons for us to be able to do that safely. As a beginning point, we need to get the nuclear weapons off high alert. At least then, there is less likelihood of an accidental bombing. After that, the countries need to get together and discuss abolishing these devastating weapons altogether.

If kids can think like this, why can’t world leaders?

If you would like to learn more about this subject, visit the website www.ican.w.org

From Bailey        

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Dear World Leaders

I am twelve years old and when I grow up I don’t want to drink out of disgusting water, get sick from the nuclear fallout, or be killed in the event of a nuclear war.

These Nuclear Weapons have affected many places and countries in the world, and killed many thousands of human beings.

Nine countries including Russia, China, USA, North Korea, France, Pakistan, UK, Israel and India still have nuclear weapons. The weapons are twenty thousand times more powerful than years ago in 1945, when the A Bomb called “the boy” killed around two hundred thousand people in Japan.

It would be a miserable world to live in if any of the countries let the nuclear bombs off. So please, for this generation and for generations to come, get the bombs off high alert. At least then the risk of a nuclear accident is reduced. 

Sincerely

Rachael

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Dear World Leaders, 

I’m 11 years old.

These nuclear weapons have affected land, water, air and human life. Thousands of people have died terrible deaths because of these nuclear bombs. Millions have suffered.   It’s got to stop now!

There are only nine countries still involved or who own nuclear weapons including Russia, France, China, USA, Israel, Pakistan, U.K, Nth. Korea and India.

You owe it to the world to get the weapons off high alert. It would be the start of peace process that will lead to the abolishment of nuclear weapons.

I want my future looking positive. I don’t want to grow up living with the threat of nuclear war: no food and crops, water sources, air pollution and death and disease threatening my future. I don’t want this for my generation or for future generations.

There are only 27000 nuclear weapons left in the world. There should be zero!

Make peace. Stop Nuclear weapons. Everyone can make a difference.

 Sincerely,

Georgia

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I would like world leaders to abolish the nuclear bombs! If we still have the nuclear bombs I see that in a few years, the whole world is in more danger than we are now.  You could just get them off high alert, and then the countries still have a chance to talk about the matter.

While the weapons are on high alert, accidents can happen. Countries can misinterpret each other and accidentally set off a bomb. And why even dare to send one into outer space, putting toxins into the world and its surroundings? What kind of leaders would do that? 

Cody. (11 years old)

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Our Thoughts on ANZAC day

A is for Australians, all brave, young and old,
N is for Nights, spent in the cold.
Z is for Zany young men, happily joining the throng,
A is for All of the wiling ones being proved wrong.
C is for Crying for all the lost souls,

ANZAC will be remembered all over the world.

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April 25th 1915
ANZACS landing in Gallipoli
A terrible mistake by allies alike
As dawn breaks to end the night
Turkish soldiers waiting up top
Letting off  their guns with a defining pop
Anzacs falling by the dozens
And weeks later grieving cousins
     

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I feel the soldiers being brave
As they fight the good and bad,
They fought so well,
They saw the dead right next to them - they looked so sad, 
We feel as happy for the Australia and the New Zealand soldiers as we should.  

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The brave Anzacs went to war at a young age, Fighting for our country’s reputation.
ANZAC day is a time for remembrance for our brave, courageous young men.
Not many survived the war at Gallipoli against the Turkish solders at the top of the cliff.
Some people remember it like it was still happening today.
ANZAC day means to me that I respect the brave young men and women that fought in all wars and conflicts. To me it also means that I thank the men and women that created Australia’s reputation of courage, mateship and larrikanism which has become known as the ANZAC spirit.

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Anzac day  is a day to remember,
The tough, strong solders,
That died a terrible frightening death,
And those worried families,
Waiting for  their young digger, son, brother, husband or father
To open the door,
And say that the war is over.
But only a very few did.

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ANZAC day is a day to remember those brave, courageous, young men who gave our country a great reputation. The war told everyone that the ANZACs were brave, tenacious, courageous and loyal men.
The soldiers had a terrible time when landing in an area with steep cliffs. The second they walked onto land they were under attack.
The ANZAC soldiers fought all those years ago but for some it feels like yesterday.
You might never really understand what the soldiers went through but how would you like to see your friends die in front of you. It’s not a pleasant feeling.
Not many of those came home to their families so let’s remember them who went to war and fought for our country. 

Each week we congratulate students from our class, on various achievements. These achievements may be academic, sporting, musical or some personal achievement. Each student listed on this page, is to be congratulated. We think you rock!

Bailey - for his maturity and leadership

George - for his maturity and helpfulness

Jayden - for helping Ms Murnane with the smartboard

Jayden - for being an excellent chairperson

Chloe - for helping us to reorganise the timetable

Jess - for her brillaint portayal of “The Beast” in her press conference during literacy

Harvey - for his honesty and help this week

Tzigane - for her brilliant creative writing

Chloe - for her excellent use of adjectives and similes

Harvey - for his intuitive answers in science

Rachael - for her initiative and organisation with the Easter Egg Raffle

Hailey - for her growing confidence and increased participation in class

Joshuah - for his excellent journal

Georgia - For her great sense of humour and for being an “all round good egg”

Belinda - for being an excellent grammar gremlin

Cody - for a sensational story - 5 chapters long

Bradley - for a fabulous start to term 2

Kirsten - for her continued focus and great work

George - for his sensational journal on Fiji and his huge improvement in focus and effort

Hailey - for her great work as chairperson this week

Katie - for pushing herself beyond her comfort zone and accepting the role of Chairperson this week

Rachel - for her bubbly outlook and the ability to see things positively

Buddies

 THE BUDDY PROGRAM

Each week for one period, the year 6 students get together with the prep/1 students to do an activity together. So far this year we have made “Getting to Know you” posters, learnt songs and shared our favourite books and stories. The year 6 students had to design a book response for the book and these were created as a joint project.

 Last week, the prep/1’s were invited to bring along their favourite teddy or toy and the year 6 students interviewed the special guests. The results of these interviews were made into a powerpoint presentation, and the answers were recorded onto each slide. The prep/1 students had to answer as the teddy and the results were gorgeous.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The year 6 students brainstormed some questions for the teddies, prior to the interviews. I encouraged the students to ask the questions as though the teddies had real identities. These are the questions the students came up with:

• What is his/her name?
• How old is he/she?
• What is his/her favourite food?
• What is his/her favourite thing to do while you are at school?
• Does he/she like tea parties?
• Has he/she ever been in hospital?
• What is the naughtiest thing he/she has ever done?
• What was his/her favourite holiday destination?
• What does he/she want to be when they grow up?

I intend to post the results of these gorgeous interviews as soon as somebody clever shows me how to post a powerpoint link or the voice recordings. Stay tuned.

“It’s not over till it’s over” - Belinda

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Brought to you by Tzigane - For those of you who think nothing is impossible, try slamming a revolving door.

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“The journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step” Confucious

Our interpretation - You have to work towards something, taking little steps, if you want to achieve it. Short term goals will help you to achieve long term goals.

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“I wondered why nobody did anything, then I realised that I was somebody.”

Our interpretation - you have the capacity to do something about it and bring about change.

From the moment I got up, looked into yesterday’s bowl of Coco Pops and found ants forming the word UNLUCKY, I knew that today was not going to be a good day. The hot water was not working and i had a cold shower. all my undies were grubby and I missed the bus.

 How much worse can this day get?  I thought gloomily as I trudged the muddy route to school via an old cow paddock littered with thistles. I was sure I had it as bad as it comes until ‘Ouch!’ I hadn’t been looking where I was going and had trodden on a particularly large thistle. The spikes made tiny holes in my uniform and lodged their tips in my skin. One had even found its way into my shoe, getting stuck between my big toe and second. Great, I thought miserably, now I have to pull them all out.

 I sat down on a thistle-free patch of grass and started dislodging thistles. Each one felt like a tiny needle determined to bury itself in my flesh and wouldn’t come 1out. I winced as I pulled an enormous thistle spike out of my knee, then another one. The one in my foot hurt a lot. I only just managed to pull them all out, but I had temporarily forgotten my other problems.

I checked my watch. “8:50!” I yelp. “I’ll be late!” I started sprinting to school, not caring about how muddy I got, though I was cautiously avoiding thistles. But even though I ran as fast as I could, it was still 9:15 when I slowed to a walk outside the school gates.

I peered up at the sign as I usually do. ‘Liliac Primary School,’ the sign read, then underneath, ‘The Only and Therefore the Best,’ was the motto engraved in the granite arch looming above me and casting a shadow over the school, making a giant sad face. The buildings were worse, painted lavender purple in a disgusting attempt to make the place more welcome and friendly. They looked like giant purple toes to me, but I walked inside  my grade’s building anyway. Now, I thought, which room is my class in? Do we have Music or Maths? I prayed silently for Music as I listened for the sound of students talking.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted and convinced that I had a curse hanging over me. I don’t even want to think about what happened at school, how much trouble I got into for being late and muddy, and that it was Math Test Day.

It was the worst day of my life, I thought as I slipped into bed a few hours later, but I was partly relieved. At least tomorrow can’t get any worse!

The next morning I woke up, feeling rather happy. When I got into the kitchen I found not my old Coco Pops, but a new Cornflake box, complete with honey and milk. And no ants in there either, just a spoon. I wolfed down the breakfast, grinning, and then returned to my room, elated. In my undies drawer were stacks of clean undies, ready for wearing. I was on the bus early, but when I sat down all the students and driver were staring at me. Why was that? When the bus arrived at school, I stepped off and suddenly felt cold. Then I realised why they were all staring at me and muttering. Oh no! I realise with a horrified jolt or shock running through me. I’ve left my clothes at home!

                                      THE END By Tzigane

From the moment you get up you look into yesterday’s bowl of coco pops and find ants forming the word unlucky you know that your day is not going to be a good day at all. The hot water is not working and I have a cold shower, all your undies are grubby so you have to wear your Dad’s and you miss the bus. I thought my day was doomed.

However, when I got inside, for some strange reason Vikki Morley came and sat next to me. Vikki’s is only the most POPULAR kid in school. Ever since missing the bus my life has turned the right way around.

Oh! No! I think my luck has changed. Dom was charging right at me. My heart was beating like this was the end of my life. He was 2 steps away, 1 step away. He’s standing right in front of me. Then he gave me a little nudge. What? He’s not coming back for more. Kids always go home with broken noses because of Dom Presley. But today he only gave me a little push.

This day is going from weird to weirder. All I want to do is wake up and all this day has been a dream. But it looks like I’m not going to be waking up any time soon.

The bell went for the end of the day. Vikki and Dom were back to their usual self. Vikki is calling me an idiot and I just saw Dom in the principal’s office. I got home and I heard Mum and Dad yelling again. Thank god they are back to normal. Mum, this morning, was acting like I was baby and it was my first day of school. Dad, this morning, gave me a lesson on how to drive a motor bike and how to fix them.

I guess today was one of those mysterious days and no one will know what really happened and why it happened.     

 THE END By Georgia

From the moment you get up, look into yesterday’s bowl of coco pops and find ants forming the word UNLUCKY you know that today is not going to be a good day. The hot water is not working and you have a cold shower, all your undies are grubby and you miss the bus.My day can officially NOT possibly get ANY worse! I am standing out the front watching the bus drive away. Then I hear a loud, dark noise, HONK! HONK! Oh no! Mrs Lut’s car pulls up beside me; she gives me an eager gesture to hop in, like she is the nicest lady in the whole world. But in fact, she is the ugliest, meanest, rudest teacher in the whole world!
 
I jump in and we start driving. She doesn’t say a word. “So anyway, why did you pick me up?” I just had to ask it. She glances at me, and then keeps her eyes on the road.
“Well I couldn’t let you have the day off now, could I? And today is the big day that your year 8 class present your speeches on the Arctic.”She says.
“Oh yeah, the speech…… about that, can I have a bit more time?”
When I ask she licks her lips as though she just had a salty chip.
“You know the rules in my Science class; everyone gets the same amount of time to do their work. It wouldn’t be fair for the others now, would it?”
“Of course not.” I know I’m in for it. A week’s detention is what we get for not doing our homework.
“So I suppose you know what that means? Detention, Friday morning, DON’T BE LATE.”She pulls up in the teachers car park. I jump out and walk over to my friends. “Hey guys,” I say, “Did any of you forget your homework?” I ask. “No, na, nup, nope,” They all have their homework, boring detention, all by myself.”