There's Something in the Water by Jose

"Are we swimming today Mrs Dines?" This had to be the most frequently asked question at Saint Patrick's School during the third term. Having a portable pool definitely raised the enthusiasm of students and teachers. Not only were we learning to swim, but also water survival techniques. We found out too how important it was for the pool water to be tested to ensure that it was safe to swim in.

We discussed and wrote about the importance of learning to swim and presented these as persuasive writing on our blogs. We created Wordles to emphasise and give more detail to our blog posts and had fun creating animation movies for the first time on our netbooks.

Wordle

Correcting the water and chlorine balance took over a week. "Are we swimming today?" "Are we swimming today?" "Are we swimming today?" These questions haunted our teacher until finally it was all go!

Our movie for the film festival was inspired by our learning about the chemicals and daily testing that was carried out on the pool water. Sometime up to three times a day!

We wondered...could children shrink only to grow back to size all as a result of chemical imbalance in the water? Thanks to the support of Mr Major and Tamaki College, we were also able to include a realistic scene in the science lab to create our entertaining movie. Also a big thanks to Mrs Bullot for her support in production. The movie making team included Clarade, Angela B, Angel, Aaron, Kit, Jose, Ben, Reitz, Maxine, Vitor and Christopher.


Water from St Patrick's School on Vimeo.

Saint Patrick's students have also been reviewing film festival movies on their blogs. Do you agree with their recommendations?

• Room 7 Manaiakalani Film Festival Reviews
• Room 8 Manaiakalani Film Festival Reviews 

Learn to Swim! by Aaron

We are learning to use the features of explanation writing to inform and persuade our audience.

Learn to Swim

Swimming is essential in many ways not just for exercise but it will also help our New Zealand citizens and tourists to be safe in the water. I believe this because the rate of children drowning is increasing.One reason for this is because of the lack of the swimming that many children do.  This reduces the opportunity for these essential skills to develop. This also means that children and in some cases adults too, do not learn how to keep safe in the water. People underestimate what water can do to them at a beach or at a pool, while many think it is all about splashing and diving and having fun, water can be dangerous if you don’t know how to swim or what to do it you get into trouble. Swimming is a very good exercise for your lungs.  Learning to  swim and water safety skills can help you survive and if one day you fell into the water.  Would you know what would to do? If you were at the beach and got into trouble, would you know how to signal for help to alert the lifeguards.

In conclusion swimming is an important and fun thing you do in life not just for physical benefits but also to help you keep safe in water’ because once you lose your life you can’t take it back so Learn to Swim.  It will not only help save your life, but the skills you learn could also save the life of another person.  Learn to Swim!

Next by Maxine

 
 Heart thumping, chest pounding, anxiety growing. “Next”. My heart stopped, I showed her my Rainbow’s End wrist band and the teller welcomed me into the Fear Fall entrance. Before my turn I had read the Notice Board of DO NOT stuff and if you have the following conditions please exit this ride

Suddenly I felt as if I had all of those things. I walked to the yellow seat and pulled down a black Styrofoam belt with a metal handle bar. Beside me were people I did not know which made my fear grow larger like a tumour growing inside me and ate all of my bravery cells. As the woman who had welcomed me in left and the ride started.

At once I was taken up 18 stories high. Opening my eyes and closing them rapidly at the same time I had suddenly noticed that the ride had froze and took the time to stare at the blurred motorway and the many vehicles that had travelled upon it. Three seconds later, gravity betrayed me and I was invited into the pressure zone, so pressured that my bottom could not even sit down.

Finally it was over but when I stood up to leave I was so light headed that I fell onto the concrete and I needed my dad to pick me up and carry me across the ride exit and the last thing I remember saying was, “ Again!”

Change a Child’s Life by Reitz

Have you imagined innocent kids drowning in that big piece of water? That’s why kids in New Zealand need to learn how to swim.

The most special thing that can help us how to swim is a pool,a pool can help us how to be confident in the water. Swimming Pools can help New Zealand kids know what to do if there was a real wave heading our way, kids can be taught where and when to swim. A pool is similar to an ocean but only shallow, so New Zealand kids can be cured of drowning if the New Zealand Government change their mind and let each school have a turn with a swimming pool.
A swimming instructor can change a child’s life too, a swimming instructor encourages kids to learn how to swim in different and helpful styles. There’s lots of swimming styles that helps us how to save ourselves from the unpredictable waves that can kill us in a second but the problem is that we don’t know all the swimming styles needed, that’s why we need a swimming pool and a swimming instructor.

Swim for Life by Maxine

Why swim? I believe that you should swim because Water Safety N.Z. says that during the past 5 years the average number of New Zealanders dying because of drowning is 105, mostly 15 to 24 year old. Sadly N.Z. has the worst drowning rate in the developed world. What is surprising to find out is that 0 to 4 year olds die of drowning in bathtubs and in bathrooms. 

Teaching your children to swim is essential for one important reason: CHILDREN LOVE THE WATER, in my opinion. Another reason why children in N.Z. should learn how to swim is that our country has hundreds of natural beaches and a lot of swimming pools. To help save your children and save their own you should equip them with the necessary skills to be an independent swimmer or else they will be at risk when they grow older.

So in conclusion Swim to Survive. 

Wordle of my swimming is essential 

Swimming is Essential by Angela O

.

Swimming is essential because if no one knew how to swim and someone went for a dip in the sea there are 7 out of 10 chances that that person is going to drown. But if people knew how to swim there would be at least 1 out of 7 chances of drowning. If people knew how to swim they could possibly survive a rip and use the signal for help. It is important for people to know how to swim  swimming can be a lot of  fun but it can also be dangerous if you're not careful. swimming will also help you keep your energy up if you continue to swim a lot.  And swimming is good physical exercise!

Swimming...not just a great sport! by Angela B

Made on http://www.wordle.net/
Learning Intention: To use the features of explanation writing to inform our audience.   

Swimming isn’t just a great sport, it’s also an important skill to know. The number of children drowning in New Zealand has increased over in years. One reason why kids like us, drown is because they don’t know how to swim.

If you know how to swim you have a higher chance of surviving if you get caught in a rip or a dangerous disaster that includes water like floods. You would have a higher chance of surviving because with your ability to swim and your water safe knowledge you would know what to do in a situation like this.

Swimming is also a great way to keep fit because you’re working out your whole body. Maybe in a few generations we’ll be living in an underwater world. If you don’t know how to swim, you should learn now because you’re not only saving yourself you could be saving the life of someone else.