He Taonga A holiday task for a student

He Taonga A holiday task for a student going on a long term holiday. Maureen Phillips Archdiocese of Wellington 1 2012

I prepared this task for a very special young lady who was travelling with her family for an extended period. I am sure that Aria will not mind teachers using it for other students who are travelling and away for school for some time. There are ideas that for literacy, visual arts and Religious Education. 2

Greetings If you click on the link below you will hear one of my favourite stories: “Wilfred Gordon Mac. Donald Partridge” Your holiday challenge is based on this story. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=usn. OEn. TXabw 3

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Now that you have read the story, here is the challenge. Just as Wilfred Gordon was able to bring alive some wonderful memories for Miss Nancy by taking a basket of treasures, your task is to gather a collection of treasures that will help you to share special memories (the treasures from your lovely family holiday). Think about your lovely grandparents and other special people as you put together your collection, knowing they will love to share these treasures 5 with you.

As you put together your collection you need to remember that all items need to be able to come home through customs and fit into luggage. Many of your treasures you will create yourself such as a poem, a short story or an artwork. Each page has a different challenge. You will be able to work on each one as you have the time and the inspiration. 6 Have fun!!

Challenge Number One 7

“Show Don’t Tell” – Character Description Often when we are out and about we see an interesting character. It may be the gardener at a hotel or an elderly lady who makes the same little trip each day to the shop to buy her bread. Watch out for one of these people and ‘imagine’ what their life might be like. Create a short story about them. What might they be thinking as they go about their day? Use ‘show don’t tell’ language to bring this personality alive for the people who will read your description. Describe what the person looks like in a way that the reader can clearly picture the person in their mind ‘show don’t tell’ and then add your imaginings to create a little story about the person. e. g. “Every morning Gracie made her journey to the corner shop for a single grocery item. It was her way of keeping in touch with all the neighbours and it filled in one small part of the long lonely day that stretched out between the early morning sunrise and the glorious sunset at the end of the day. Once Gracie’s days had been full of happenings. The business of keeping family life running smoothly, the house and gardens all kept in order and a part time job that gave her a little something to make ends meet. Now her children had all left home and only found time to visit Gracie once a year. Somehow they seemed to have forgotten the hours she had so generously given them…” 8

Here is an example of how Patricia Grace described an Uncle in her story “Drifting”. Patricia uses very good ‘show don’t tell’ language to make sure we can see the uncle in our mind. “He came in making the room small. The skin on his face was mottled with the shock of cold water. His eyelids were rimmed with red as though his eyes had been always shut and forgotten but had now suddenly been slit open with a shape blade to reveal surprised and bulging brown eyes, the whites all yellowed with waiting. His lashes, too, seemed as though they had this minute been put there, standing stiff and straight like glued bristles. Mostly Uncle's face was long and thin, with big folds of skin hanging down, but his cheekbones were round and jutting. His nose was hooked at the tip, with a big bubble of flesh at either side. He wore the top half of a football jersey with the bottom half of a black singlet sewn on to it; and he carried a billy of milk, which he had brought in from the outside safe. The room swung back to its normal size as he sat down”. 9

In your sketch book, create at least three illustrations that you might be able to scan to the computer when you get home. Word process your story onto the computer and then you will have a great story to share when you get home. I have attached a digital story written and illustrated by a boy from St Joseph’s called Daniel. It might inspire your illustrations and character description. Daniel’s story and characters are all ‘make believe’ your character is based on a real person. 10

Challenge Number Two 11

Write a descriptive poem for each of the following: • A busy noisy place • A quiet and beautiful place • A favourite place Descriptive poems use the senses to describe – sight, hearing, touch, smell The next two slides have an example for you. Illustrate each of your poems in your sketch book and publish your poems on the computer. 12

At the Fishhouses Although it is a cold evening, down by one of the fishhouses an old man sits netting, his net, in the gloaming almost invisible, a dark purple-brown, and his shuttle worn and polished. The air smells so strong of codfish it makes one's nose run and one's eyes water. The five fishhouses have steeply peaked roofs and narrow, cleated gangplanks slant up to storerooms in the gables for the wheelbarrows to be pushed up and down on. 13

All is silver: the heavy surface of the sea, swelling slowly as if considering spilling over, is opaque, but the silver of the benches, the lobster pots, and masts, scattered among the wild jagged rocks, is of an apparent translucence like the small old buildings with an emerald moss growing on their shoreward walls. The poet develops the sensory experience of the Nova Scotia coastline. Three of the five senses—sight, smell, and touch—are developed. Sight: "the five fishhouses with steeply peaked roofs" Smell: "The air smells so strong of codfish / it makes one's nose run and one's eyes water. " Touch: "it is a cold evening" 14

Challenge Number Three Letter of Advocacy 15

One of the things we are called to do as people of Christ is to advocate for people who are unable to advocate themselves. It could be an environmental issue and you might be concerned for the generations of the future. (they would be the people unable to advocate for themselves) (Advocate means to speak out for them). As you travel watch out for something that you see as wrong or unjust. Decide who you could write a letter of advocacy to. It could be a minister of parliament or the mayor of the town. There is an example of a letter on the next slide. To the side are the features that help to make a good argument. On the slide after that is a second example. 16

Dear Editor I am a junior at Bishop Kelley High School and have researched sweatshops, which have been around since the 19 th century. Sweatshop owners usually hire women and children. They work long hours, they get low wages, they are treated badly by their employers, yet they continue working for their living. The young children often work as hard as or harder than the adults. People expect them to make all sorts of things such as toys, sweaters and shoes — items that we are wearing now. These people, who are basically being put into slavery, don’t get time to rest and be with their families. Unfortunately, this is the only way they can survive due to the small number of jobs available. Not only that, but they don’t have anyone to protect their rights as employees. Sweatshops should be stopped. Consumers can boycott items that are made in sweatshops and educate people on the conditions of sweatshops. 17

Challenge Number Four 18

“Look Closer” This activity will remind you of one of the most important understandings of our Catholic faith. That is “A sacrament is the visible sign of the invisible”. We are aware that God created our wonderful world and each one of us. It is an amazing gift but sometimes we get so busy that we don’t spend time looking closely at these gifts and we certainly don’t spend enough time viewing these gifts with awe and wonder. As you travel look out for photo opportunities that will help you to share your holiday with your grandparents or friends. These will be little reminders for them of God’s gifts as well. Use the ‘look closer technique’ shown on the next three slides to capture some of the beauty that is not always seen at first glance. Display your photos on a slideshow. 19

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Take a series of photos that have a • Foreground • Mid ground • Back ground Display these and write a creative caption for each photo. 24

Fragrant Star Upon the Beach 25

Challenge Number Five 26

A W. G. M. P. COLLECTION Remember the collection Wilfred Gordon Mac. Donal Partridge put together for Miss Nancy? He had one item from a number of categories that his friends from the retirement home had told him were memories e. g. “Something Warm” What could you collect for your treasure collection that would fit each category. Be Creative 27

Challenge Number Six 28

Reading Task Select a New Zealand novel to read while you are away. Make sure that the novel is set in New Zealand so that you can meet all the task requirements. You might like to ask the librarian for advice and it would be good to choose a novel by an author who you have never read before. You can choose how you display your ideas New Zealand Novel Study You will need to read all the details for this task on the next few slides before you read the novel. That way you can collect the details as you read. 29

Synopsis Write a synopsis of the story that would be suitable for the cover of the book. Make sure you write in a way that would really make the readers want to pick up the book and get reading. 30

Character Study: Choose one character from the book you have read for this assignment. Take note of all the vocabulary the author has used to bring the character alive in your mind. Use a character web to display all these examples for your Nana. Add this to your New Zealand Novel Study presentation Take special note of the ways in which the author develops the emotions of the character. 31

Choose one passage from the book that shows the book is set in New Zealand. Look for words that a specific to New Zealand, could be place names, native plants, birds etc. e. g. “Every summer Rosie’s family walked the Abel Tasman Track. The weight of the heavy packs was soon to be forgotten as the beauty of the rata trees, golden sand cool blue sea captured the trampers in a magical spell…” Add the example you find to your New Zealand Book Study. 32

Show Don’t Tell Choose a passage that you think is a really good example of “show don’t tell” writing. A piece of writing that brings a picture alive in your mind. Record this in your New Zealand Novel study. Create an illustration that could go with the passage. The vocabulary the author has used in the passage will help you to create your scene. 33

Challenge Number Seven 34

Create a memory bracelet. For each bead or trinket you put onto it memorise a little story. “I remember when…” 35

Challenge Number Eight 36

A Treasure Chest Create a treasure box to bring your treasures home in. Decorate it with images and text that capture some of your lovely holiday. Your treasure box will be a work of art that will always remind you of a special holiday. 37

Your classmates would love to see some of your collection when you come home. That way they get to share in your memories. Have fun and enjoy every moment of your holiday. The holiday itself is a gift. A wonderful treasure that you will remember for a life time. Enjoy every moment. 38

Prayer When you wake up in the morning you won’t be at school for prayers so say this little prayer. Thank you God for the gift of this day. Be with me and my family as we journey Keeping us safe and well. Help us to view the wonders of your creation With the awe and wonder they deserve Thank you for being with me in all that I say and do. May my thoughts words and actions Show everyone just how wonderful we are As we work together. Amen 39