The Manaiakalani Film Festival by Mavis

In term two we were learning how to make movies that influence our world. We learnt a lot about the movie making process. 

Room 8 also got the opportunity to ask some real movie makers about their experiences and get some tips to take our movies to the next level. Jayden created this presentation sharing movie magic tips. We celebrated our Movie Magic term with our very own Tamaki Primary Academy Awards.

Our class movie, 30 Things, will be played at The Manaiakalani Film Festival today. We wanted our movie to help children find fun activities to do after school. We chose this message because we wanted to help kids stay out of trouble.

We made our movie in a fun way so that kids our age can understand it. Most of the advertisements for staying out of trouble are aimed at teenagers or adults. We also wanted the kids to learn this message at a young age.


30 Things from Tamaki Primary on Vimeo.

Mavis Describes Her Beautiful Place

Far beyond the exhausted sun... a paradise comes alive! The sun hulas across the island to capture the essence of paradise.

Mysterious, rare creatures dart around the island desperately, looking for anything crunchy to munch on. Water trickles down the water fall, like tears collapsing onto a pillow of candy floss. Light winds swoop the leaves off their feet and dance under the banana-shaped sun.

An immense flavour oozes between my teeth tempting me to dream. A mountain of divine raspberry fruit, melts blissfully in my mouth. What a sweet taste! Tears of white chocolate dive down dramatically from the blank blue sky shimmering like diamonds under the oven-like sun . Beautiful blue candy floss bounces in between brazillian butterflies causing them to splutter in surprise.

An exotic, fragrant smell of banana leaves fizz under my nose like fireworks. Sea water pushes small parcels of their strong smell into the weak air. The smell of a Samoan umu flutters across the island. Tongan meals being prepared by gum gum bears are already nearly running out. The smell of a Maori hangi hangs above my head making me lick my lips.

My eyes flutter with excitement as coconuts fall down like crazy.My veins giggle with excitement. Frosty air dances like a bunch of hooligans. Velvet pieces of cake served into my hands by grape-coloured ice creams.

White polar bears sing goodnight. Day throws in night as if controlled by a flick of a switch.Fire cackles aways into the night.

Under the moon light glow, lays my paradise...sound asleep.

Mavis's Pourquoi Story - Why the Fish has Scales

In the depths of the freezing sea, a very emotional fish was swimming. Suddenly, he heard laughter...it was his enemy, Scale-Fish. He said "You don't have any beautiful scales that match with the colours of the sea." "Well, I am sad now because of what you said!" Fishy shouted.

Then he sped across the ocean to find Tangaroa. Fishy asked politely, "Oh Tangaroa, do you have any special scales?" "No I don't, but I can tell Ranginui to make some rain which is very special." Fishy was excited. Then Tangaroa whispered, "You must not swim back to your reef, you must swim under a cloud and wait."

So Fishy swam quickly under a cloud and it began to rain. The rain drops were like shiny droplets of love. The rain fell on Fishy and Fishy shouted, "Oh what beautiful scales! Now I have scales on me!"

That is why the fish has scales.

Mavis tells us how to make butter!

Mavis persuades us to protect our kaimoana!

How would you feel if you went fishing and you fished up nothing? Wouldn't your family be starving? It's because poachers are poaching way too much kaimoana! I believe we should protect our kaimoana!

Firstly, some people try to be sneaky and take the undersized paua because they don't want to give it back to the ocean. This means there will be less of that species in the ocean.

Secondly some poachers take too much paua before they have time to grow and that means they don't grow to be adults and they don't have time to make more baby paua.

Finally you should not take too much kaimoana because they will become extinct.

So I think you should never ever take too much kaimoana.

Mavis's Recount - Jungle Drums

Yesterday afternoon we marched silently to the hall.  As I walked up the stairs, I felt pumped up.  As soon as I heard the outstanding rhythm, I marched with enjoyment. 

I felt enthusiastic.  I heard piles of laughter coming from everyone.  It sounded like elephants stomping loudly and sounded like a stampede was going through the hall!

Johnny used so many signals we finally understood what he wanted done.  At the end I had stinging red hands.

I never wanted to stop drumming because it was so much fun!

Why We Should Celebrate Matariki - By Mavis

Dear Ms Hansell

Would your heart feel traditional if we celebrated Matariki?

The reason why I want to celebrate Matariki is because it is a formal and traditional celebration. This is good because we can learn about the history of Matariki.

My second resaon is that it is the Maori new year and it is important to the Maori culture to have their own new year celebration.

My third reason is that it brings a fresh start to the New Zealand culture. It brings new growth and new light.

I really think we should celebrate Matariki. Don't you?

From Mavis.

Wrybills at Risk - Information Report by Mavis and Jayden

As strange as it may seem the word 'wry' means bent, and the word 'bill' means beak. That is why this bird is know as the Wrybill (bent-beak). Some people may not know that wrybills are the only birds that have a beak that is bent to the right.

Did you know wrybills eat larvae and insect eggs found under stones? They use their bent beaks to find their food and dig it up.

Have you heard wrybills are endangered species? They only live in the south island of New Zealand. There are less than 5000 wrybills left.

As strange as it may seem, the wrybills' predators include ferrets, weasels and wild cats.