Focus on Learning 

STAR Words Awards 

Students have been very busy this term, working on their STAR Words and reading skills! Last Friday, Mrs Hofman and Mrs Long were honoured to present the following students with their STAR Words awards for their achievements: 

Rising Star Award (50 words): Callum, Violet, Avi and Hayley

Shooting Star Award (100 words): Macie, Lottie, and Riley

Shining Star Award (150 words): Tayla

Super Star Award (mastering all 200 words): Zack, Andy, Addison, Harold and Lily

Congratulations to these students. Keep working hard over the holidays to continue mastering your STAR Words! 

Stage 3 - English

This term Stage 3 students have been completing a novel study of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Students have had opportunities to create a range of imaginative texts. They have learnt how to apply complex language features to enhance imaginative texts and select information and ideas from personal and literary resources and adapt imaginative ideas and situations from literature. The main themes in the text explore how friendship is the most important part of children's lives, and is key to developing imagination.

Students have learnt to identify and understand how character feelings, points of view and motivation are developed in texts. They had to write a character description of Leslie (a main character from the text). They needed to focus on the characters personality traits as well as physical appearance to paint a picture in the minds of their audience. Students have demonstrated an ability to use high level language devices such as imagery and similes and have thought careful about sentences choices in order to make their writing more engaging. Below are some examples of our character descriptions. 

Leslie Burke - By Ayden Coward

According to all known stereotypical opinions on hair, 

a girl should have long and/or luscious hair. 

But Leslie, she does not.

A masculine pair of pants lower to her 

ankles and deter beady eyes away to skirts and dresses.

Leslie’s shirt is decent enough for the ‘popular girls’ not 

to spread rumours of Leslie being a “tomboy*.

Her personality is immaculate compared to others 

at Lark Creek and they should take down some notes because 

it’s only going to get better. Intelligent, imaginative, loyal…those

 are words to describe Leslie Burke at her fullest.

In conclusion, Leslie Burke is a quirky character and 

should have been accepted for who she was and treated better 

in her life.

Leslie Burke - By Abbie Coghill

Leslie Burke is a young year 5 girl student at Lark Creek Elementary School. Leslie used to live in the big city but her parents wanted to “reassess their value structure”, so they moved to Lark Creek and renovated the house they bought.

Leslie is very different from all the other girls at Lark Creek. She wears shorts and T-shirts instead of dresses. Leslie has really short brown hair, “shorter than boys” (in Jesse's opinion) that she always has out instead of having it in a braid. She wears joggers instead of sandals. But most of all she doesn’t care about what everyone else thinks so she wears whatever she wants.

Leslie is a very loyal, determined and self-assured person. She’s helpful, understanding and always a good friend if someone needs her. Leslie doesn’t care what everyone else thinks. If the boys don’t want her playing with them she’ll do it anyway. She is considerate but also secretive of what she’s thinking (and knows). Leslie is especially very forgiving of her best best friend Jess Aarons.

Overall Leslie is a fun, active, fearless and most of all Queen of Terabithia! But most of all Leslie is a Phenomenal girl and anybody would be happy to have a Leslie in their life.

Leslie Burke - by Archie McNamee

Leslie is an unpredictable year 5 girl who thrives when running a race. She loves sport and scuba diving. She is an admirable runner and is extremely determined.  She has one best companion, Jesse. They are most definitely best friends. However Leslie is not just amazing at running and scuba diving she is also phenomenal at writing and loves to write stories, which all the teachers admire.  She has a wonderful imagination. Leslie stands out by being different; she wears different clothes; she wears faded cutoffs and a sky blue colored undershirt.

Interestingly Leslie Burke has lots of sides to her personality, she is considerably wealthy and a bit odd at times. Determination goes a long way for Leslie that is why she is good at sports scuba diving and writing.

Leslie goes about her day nonchalantly which means that she rather focuses on the important stuff like writing school work and sport but since she plays sports with the boys, people tend to target her. But she doesn’t pay any attention. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Did l tell you that she is as fast as a cheetah?  It would have to be raining cats and dogs for you to catch her. I think she is one of a kind. She is extraordinary.