INQUIRY - THE ARTS

This term, we have been studying The Arts. Team B, 4 classes in my school have been split into groups. Each class has a drama group, a music group and a dance group. We have all been practicing hard. This afternoon, we invited our parents to watch our performances in the hall.
I was in the drama group, but there was no time to do our play, so sometime we will perform it again. Our play was about a New Zealander and his dog, who travel around the North Island, picking up people along the way who tell some information about that place before they get on the ute. I was a Maori warrior from Rotorua, where Maori culture is celebrated. It's a pretty cool play. Here is the script:

NEW ZEALAND

(Scene: Cape Reinga lighthouse in the background. New Zealander in ute.)

Trent: G'day mate! Just setting off for my trip around the North Island! All I've got for company is my good old mate, Mutton.
Mutton: Woof woof!
Trent: OK old pal! Ready for our trip? Let's go!
Robert: And so this is where my story begins of a very interesting holiday that I just happened to be included in and about all the interesting people that joined us along the way.
It started with me walking down 90 Mile Beach when I experienced my first near death experience. I was almost run over by a crazy guy driving his ute down the beach!
"Kia ora mate! Going on a trip?"
Trent: Yeah, I'm traveling around the North Island.
Robert: Have you been to this region before? Let me tell you about the region... (tells some information about 90 Mile Beach)
... I asked him where he was heading next, and he wasn't sure, so I suggested that he go to Paihia. He thought that was a great idea and he asked me if I wanted to come along. I thought- Why not? And so my holiday began.
We talked about fishing and boating all the way to Paihia. When we got there we were bombarded by people wanting to take us on boat trips.
Aaron: Howdy! How can I help you today? Would you like to book a charter?
Trent: No thanks, we've got a long journey to Whangarei.
Aaron: Wait! Before you go, let me tell you about Paihia -
Trent: Hey! Why don't you join us - hop on the back, and tell us about Paihia on the way?
Aaron: Great! (hops in and tells some information about Paihia)
Robert: We listened to what Aaron had to say and we decided that we would definitely come back and visit Paihia again.But we were on the road again and our destination was Whangarei. We had heard about the Zion Wildlife Gardens and we wanted to find out about this place. Have YOU heard about it?
"I can see the sign!"
Ellen: Hi guys! Do you need any help?
Robert: No thanks, we're just here for a quick stop.
Ellen: Where are you heading?
Robert: Not sure yet, maybe Auckland to see the sky tower.
Ellen: Yeah! I've always wanted to go there! Would you like to know some information about Zion Wildlife Gardens?
Trent: Sure. Why don't you hop on the back and tell us on the way to Auckland?
Ellen: OK, sounds cool. (hops on and starts talking)
Robert: Have you been up the sky tower and walked around at the top? There's that piece of thick glass that you stand on and you always feel as though you might just fall through? Have any of you been up there and had that experience? You know, you can also...
Quinn: G'day, would you like a tour up the sky tower? It's only $125 per person!
Robert: We just saw a person bungy jumping!
Quinn: Yeah. It's cool eh? Do you want to know about the sky tower? (shares information)
Robert: OK. Want to come with us on our holiday?
Quinn: Where are you going?
Robert: Not sure, somewhere in Hamilton?
Quinn: Well, if we're going to Hamilton, let's got to the Hamilton Gardens!
Trent: Why don't you hop on the back?
Everyone: Let's go!

(Everyone sings Summer Holiday...
We're all going on a summer holiday
No more working for a week or two
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday...)

Robert: Look! The Hamilton Gardens!
(Everyone points)
Wow! It's so pretty!
Sam: Hello. Have you come to see the Hamilton Gardens?
Robert: Yes, they're amazing. I'm sure you've got something to tell us about this place.
Sam: Sure mate. This here... (shares some information)
Robert: I told Sam about our crazy holiday so far and Trent asked him if he wanted to join us. We now had 6 people in the ute and we were off to Paeroa.
I love L&P - it has a very distinctive taste and when I drink it I really feel like a New Zealander.
Kevin: Hi guys. How's it going?
Everyone: Hi - do you drink L&P?
Kevin: Would you like to know some more about Paeroa?
Robert: Yeah sure.
Kevin: OK then... (tells them)
Trent: Would you like to come with us on our trip? Hop on the back!
Robert: We were all, becoming quite friendly by this stage and we were getting a little cramped in the ute. Trent is a seriously friendly guy and anyone and everyone is his friend! After some general discussion we all decided that we wanted to see the boiling mud pools that we had all heard about in Rotorua.
Nicola: Kia ora. Have you come to see the mud pools?
Everyone: Kia ora! Yes we have!
Nicola: Let me tell you about Rotorua... (shares information)
Robert: Trent thought that Nicola would be a great person to have along on this trip and so he invited her along for the ride. I wonder if he thinks about the space in the back. Where are we going to fit all these people?
And so we were off again. Quinn said that we should go and see the little glow worms in the Waitomo Caves. Everyone agreed that this was a good idea.
Nicole: Hey, you need any help?
Robert: Oh my goodness - a glow worm!!! This was turning out to be a very interesting holiday.
Nicole: (says her bit)
Robert: And so we all heard about the Waitomo Caves.
Trent: Do you want to come along with us? Why don't you hop on the back?
Robert: Next we traveled to an enormous lake called Lake Taupo. It was huge. You can fish, boat and swim in this lake. It is a great place for a holiday... What's this we have here? A bungy jumper. He asked us if we wanted to try it. We all said NO WAY! Anyway, he wanted to tell us about Lake Taupo and so we listened.
Mathew: (tells them about Lake Taupo)
Trent: Why don't you join us? Hop on the back!
Robert: So we all squashed in and we headed away from the sun to experience some of the Winter chills and thrills that New Zealand has to offer. We headed off to Mt Ruapehu!

(Everyone sings Winter Wonderland...
Sleigh bells ring
Are you listening?
In the lane
Snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight,
Walking in a Winter Wonderland...)

Robert: Sam had gardening gloves, but that was all. We really needed to get the right gear for this part of the trip.Someone in the ute asked if it was cold there. They were about to find out.
We headed into Ohakune and stopped at the information centre.
"Could you tell us a bit about Mt Ruapehu?"
Andrew: Of course... (tells them)
Trent: What are you up to at the moment? Do you want to join us? Why don't you hop on the back?
Robert: To get the right gear for all of us would have been very expensive and so we decided that we would come back to this place as well, another time. We had heard on the radio that the All Blacks were playing against the Springboks at the Cake Tin in Wellington, so we went there for the game.
Ellen wanted to know what rugby was? Duh! I can't believe that she didn't know that it was our national sport - that we New Zealanders bleed black blood.
Hennie: Hi! Do you want tickets?
Robert: Yes please. 11 and one for the dog.
Hennie: About the Cake Tin... (tells a little bit) - and here they go!!!
Everyone: Go New Zealand!
Robert: This is where our holiday ended. We all said goodbye. (Everyone acts this out and leaves stage)
We will be good mates forever after such an amazing trip and we sure do know more about New Zealand - our beautiful country.
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Our homework for a few weeks was to research a New Zealand artist, as we we were studying the visual arts. Here is a photo of my presentation. I researched Diana Adams.


VISUAL ART - SPECIALIST

My Musical Painting Self Reflection:

Drawing of instruments - 4
Use of space - 4
Composition - 4
Painting techniques - 3
Colour Choice - 4

How do you feel about your work? Overall, I'm proud of it but I could have improved it if I had had a bit more time, for example, the paintbrush strokes can be seen.