Literacy Update

2023 Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee

For the first time, St Kilda Park is entering the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee. The competition is open to all our students in Year 3/4/5 & 6. It is free to enter the online competition which I will run with students over the next 3 Tuesdays (August 1,8 & 15). Entrants will be required to answer 30 random spelling words per round. Students are required to be signed up by a teacher, so please let me know by close of business this Friday (July 28),  if your child/children would like to participate. 

Here is the link if you would like to read up a little more about the competition and I have attached the consent form here as well.

Thank you to those that have already reached out and expressed interest

I hope you have been enjoying reading the entries that SKiPPS students made into the 2023 Short Story Writing Competition. This week, I am sharing 4 more stories. All participants will be acknowledged at assembly next Friday.

Quincy, Felix and the Butterfly by Quincy F, Foundation M

On a cold wet night a little boy and girl lay in their beds thinking about all the wonderful fun that they could get up to the next day. Before long the sound of the rain hitting the roof above sent them off to sleep with heads full of amazing adventures.

The next morning they awoke and walked downstairs to have breakfast, toast with raspberry jam and a glass of milk. Then they cleaned up the kitchen and packed a snack or three into their favourite green backpack before setting off out the back door, down the steps, across the stones and down the narrow path.

Halfway down the path the little girl spotted a butterfly with beautiful rainbow-coloured spots but the butterfly’s wings were wet from the rain. She gently picked it up and placed it on a big rock in the sunlight to dry off.

They continued past the old shed and down the hill towards the creek. The grass was long, wet and had pretty purple flowers, the sky was blue and full of fluffy white clouds with tiny sparrows zipping about in the sun.

All of a sudden the children came to the edge of a small cliff. The rain must have caused a land slip and worn away the dirt alongside the creek. “We’ll have to walk along the edge to see if we can get over the creek further downstream,” said the little girl.

The two adventurers set off. Not long into their journey the grass began to get longer and longer when all of a sudden the boy and the girl both slipped on the wet grass and fell down the side of the cliff and straight into the mud below.

Now they were stuck! “Oh no,” sighed the little boy. “I’m stuck too,” said his sister. “What can we do now?” asked the little boy. “And I’m getting hungry,” replied the girl. Luckily they remembered their snacks and with mud up to their knees they had a picnic, biscuits, half an apple and a marshmallow each for dessert.

After finishing their snacks they wondered how they would ever get out of this gooey mess. Then the little girl noticed a familiar butterfly hovering at the top of the cliff with those unforgettable rainbow-coloured spots. After a short time it disappeared again and the children starting thinking they would never make it out.

Then all of a sudden the little boy spotted another butterfly ...and then another, and another, and another. Within no time the sky was filled with hundreds of colourful butterflies. The children couldn’t believe their eyes.

Slowly the butterflies started to get closer until one by one they gently landed on the children, first on their shoulders and then their arms, back, tummy and even on top of their heads. Stunned, the children stood there frozen, covered in hundreds of beautiful butterflies and unsure about what was going on. Suddenly all the butterflies began to carefully flap their tiny wings faster and faster.

Bit by bit the children felt themselves get lighter and lighter until they realised the butterflies were trying to help them out of the mud. The butterflies flapped harder and

harder as slowly the children could feel their feet coming free and just like that they were pulled right out of the mud and were flying higher and higher.

“We’re freeeeeee,” they both yelled, as the butterflies flew them right up the hill, over the old shed, gently putting them back down on the same big rock where the girl had placed the wet butterfly that morning.

The children thanked the butterflies as one by one they flew off. They were nearly all gone when one familiar rainbow-coloured spotty butterfly landed on the little girl’s nose, flapped its wings once as if to say thank-you before flying away with the rest of the butterflies.

Just then the children heard their dad call out that dinner was ready so they ran across the stones, up the steps and in the back door.

“You’ll never believe what happened today dad,” said the children together. “I’d love to hear all about it, tell me over dinner,” replied the dad. So the children sat down at the dinner table and excitedly told him about their day’s amazing adventures.

After dinner and tired from their big day the two walked upstairs, and jumped into their beds, thinking about all the wonderful fun that they could get up to the next day.

A story from the Daintree Rainforest   by Elia M, Yr 3

Characters

Witch Horgan 

Wizard Lisal 

Gerald the fish                                                                                       

Black crabs

Doom crab

Fish of water power             

Intro

Deep in the Daintree Rainforest lived a black crab called Doom Crab. Doom Crab was part of a large community of black crabs living on the forest floor near a muddy riverbank. One day the Black crabs went to see the witch Horgan because they wanted the power of roots to take over the Daintree. You might ask what is the power of roots? Here I’ll explain it to you.  The power of roots is when roots curl around an object and gain control of it. So, the black crabs wanted this power to take over the forest.

Gerald, the fish, found out about the crab’s plan. Gerald was the leader of the river’s fishes. He swam to the wizard Lisal seeking help. Lisal was an old Lizard, who lived in the forest for nearly hundreds of years. He was a respected Wizard that protected the forest from evil creatures and safeguard the life of all species. Lisal gave Gerald and the other fishes the power of water, which allows to move control and move the flow of the water wherever they wanted. They could also create waves that can wash away enemies like the Crabs.

After receiving the power of water from Lisal, Gerald and the other fish made a plan to stop the Crabs from taking over the Daintree. Gerald would take a group of fish on the northern side of the river and sneak up on the crabs, while the other fish would defend the south side of the river. 

The Battle

The next day, well before dawn at 1.34 AM while Gerald and a group of fish swam north, the other fish prepared the line of defence on the south side of the river. The fish lined up in front of the riverbank. They waited for the crabs to attack. When the crabs arrived the fish launched enormous waves using the Power of Water that Lisal gave them. The crabs were washed away back to the muddy riverbank.

Meanwhile Gerald with a crew of mudskippers, headed to a forest of Mangroves in between the mazy roots. When Gerald found the Doom Crab’s hiding place he sent the mudskipper but suddenly the crabs noticed them and started attacking them with the Power of Roots. The Mangroves roots started to curl around the mudskippers that’s when Gerald created a wave of the size of four metres and washed away the crabs. The mangrove roots stayed in position and they still held the mudskippers as they are known to resist waves. After a while, the roots started to tremble as the Power of Roots was weak because the crabs were washed away. The mudskippers were freed. 

Conclusion

Both sides of the river were crab free. The fish had won and the Daintree forest was free. Gerald along with the other fish and Lisal celebrated but then a crocodile shode up… but that’s another story.

The Purplish Pink Pebble by Avi T, Yr 3

On one sunny day, Jeremy and Sophia were walking their dogs in the park. Jeremy saw a purplish pink pebble and started fidgeting with it. The pebble started getting bigger and bigger and turned into a portal. Jeremy and Sophia were scared, however the dogs seemed excited to enter the portal, so they followed the dogs.

When they entered, it looked like a mystical land with surprises to be unleashed. They wandered around looking at the beautiful rainbow river, purplish pink fluffy clouds, and colorful birds. Then suddenly when they were not looking, the portal disappeared. When they realized they had walked for long, they looked back, and they didn’t see the portal and got scared. They started running back and saw a beautiful woman on the side of the rainbow river. They approached the woman, thinking she could help them get back home.

She said she had magical powers which could help them on their journey to find their way back home. Sophia asked where they were. She said “It’s a secret. You will only get to know once you have finished all the challenges”.

The first challenge was going through the jungle of doom. They had to stay on the peach-colored track and if they got off-track, they would be lost forever. They started walking on the peach track. The trees were taller than they had ever seen. The dogs kept pulling and pulling and soon the dogs started dragging them. And when they were not looking the dogs took them off-track. But just when they were about to get lost forever, they saw a lion and stopped. The lion could speak. He was very wise. He said, “Follow this compass and it will lead you to the next challenge. They quickly went back to their peach track and followed the compass onto their next challenge.

The second challenge was to go through a pool full of Piranhas. They found a boat and started paddling through the waters. They were tired, so they thought of sleeping. When they were just about to fall asleep, the first piranha jumped in the air. Suddenly the boat started to jiggle as the piranhas kept chomping onto the boat. The boat started to get holes and the water came flushing in. They were so scared that they started paddling faster and the dogs kept on barking to shoo the piranhas away. They managed to get to the shore in time. 

They were tired and sweaty, and the dogs were so thirsty with all the barking that they started drinking the pool water and started coughing. Then suddenly the dogs started talking! The kids were surprised. The dogs asked them to follow them to the last challenge. On their way, the dogs entertained the kids and the kids loved listening to their dogs. They were like the best friend they always wanted. They were thrilled beyond joy!

The dogs stopped and told them, “This is your last challenge darlings. You will have to decide whether you want us to keep the voices or go home” The dogs led them to the Mystical Fairy Queen’s castle, where the dogs had to give their answer to the Mystical Fairy Queen. After a lot of brainstorming, they told the dogs their answer.

They told the dogs that they would really miss their conversations, however they will still be their best friend. So, they chose to go home. 

The Mystical Fairy Queen was very happy with their decision, and she revealed the name of the mystical land was, “Animalia”, where all animals can talk. She then opened the portal for them to go home and told the kids, if they keep the purplish pink pebble safe and are always good to all the animals, they can return to the portal once a year.

When they reached home it was nearly time for bed. The parents asked them how their day was, they grinned at each other and said it was Animalistic. They had their dinner and fell asleep with their dogs in their laps.

Taken by Lily L in Yr 5

Chapter 1

The visitors 

A deep but quiet knocking woke me. Shaking, I slowly got up and twisted the old, rickety door handle. Standing there were two women, one short and round and the other tall and willowy. “What… are you doing here,” I stammered nervously, taking a step back from these strange women. “We are taking you” said the round looking lady, in a gravelly voice. 

Why are they taking me and where. “I can’t go, I won’t go” I said firmly. I couldn’t let these strange ladies take me away from the only memories I have left of my parents. Sharply, I turned around, trying to slam the door behind me.  The round lady caught the door with her foot, “you’re coming, were not leaving without you”. I tried to dislodge her foot but failed. Moving towards me, she grabbed my arms and dragged me towards a rusty, old van. I kicked and wailed. It was no use. The van was coming closer by the second. They shoved me in the back and drove off. I looked back and saw my house getting smaller and smaller.

Chapter 2

Straight from a nightmare

What felt like forever, a building surrounded by fog was coming into view. As we drove closer, my eyes started filling with tears. By now I could just see pass the fog, it looked like a building right out of a nightmare. With tall twisty turrets and cracked dusty windows. 

A drawbridge progressively came down as we drove into the living nightmare. The car doors opened letting me see inside this unknown prison. Kids were wearing dark black shaggy shawls and faces were covered in dirt. Right at the back was a little boy no younger than the age of 6, scared, sad and confused. No one to love him, no friends and now no family. Just like me. As I went to go introduce myself the round lady grabbed me and pulled me away, with her iron like grip, into the dark, dampened building…

Chapter 3

The dorms

THUMP! The short round lady was carelessly dragging me up the stairs of one of the turrets, banging my now black and purple knees. After about 30 minutes of endless bumping we finally made it to the top, where a rotted wooden door awaited me. Before she made her way down, she turned around and snapped “dinner at 6:45 don’t be late.” 

I cautiously turned the handle and stepped inside to find two neatly folded frayed black dresses and an old, ragged book. I slowly walked along the creaking floorboards, towards the black bed. Carefully I extended my arm forward, reaching out towards the book made of black leather. As I sat down to open the book, I thought of why everything was black. I gently flipped the crinkled old pages of schedules after schedules after schedules. Bored, I slowly turned my attention to the background of the quiet ticking of the ancient stone clock. It was just like the one we had at home. There was something about that clock, something I needed to do, but it was too late, I was already in a world of my own, a happy place. I could smell the delicious dinner my mum used to make for me, I could… wait that was it, dinner! I had to get to dinner on time because God knows who what would happen to me if I was late!  I snapped back to reality, snatched a dress off the bed and hurriedly put it on. I yanked on the door handle and slammed behind me making the fragile wall shake. Still putting on the dress, I raced downstairs not looking back.

Chapter 4

Worst meal ever

I entered the food hall. Nothing could have prepared me for what was on the other side of the door. Rows and rows of children stood in an endless line that snaked around the dinner hall. They are emotionless and pale, all scared to make the first move.

I joined the end of the line, not wanting to make it to the front. As I was getting closer, the smell wafted up my nose. I bent over, wanting to throw up, but just holding it in, I did not want to be the laughingstock of the orphanage. I looked up and a very large lady loomed over me. She spooned what looked like leftovers from twenty or so years ago mixed in with gruel. My stomach couldn’t hold it in any more. I leaned forwarded and vomited all over the kitchen lady! The whole room gasped, staring in fright of what the lady would do next. For a second she just stared at me, intimidating me, making me shrink back in fear. She was like a lion, waiting for the right moment to pounce on her prey. Now that was this moment. Her legs wobbled as she climbed over the serving trough. With every step she took, got her closer to me.  She extended her hand forward, inches away from my body. Instantly, my mind went to the thought of my parents, trapped and helpless like I am now. With out thinking why and where I run, I run past the line of zombified children and out the door. Behind, I can hear the loud steps of the crazed lady, she was closing in. I turned a sharp corner. Three doors suddenly came into view, each labelled with a big white rectangle. The first one was labelled “headmistress”. I had no time. I had to go into the next room. As I closed the door I could see it read “deceased”… 

Chapter 6

Secret and Hope

I scanned the room, looking for a place to sit and gather my thoughts. A name caught my eye.  MARIA SMITH AND GEORGE SMITH. My instincts took over. I crept towards the folder reaching out till my hand scraped across. My hands shook as I cradled it, my brain beckoning it to open. I slowly turned the first page, all my nerves and excitement crept up, hovering over my shoulder like a black rain cloud. My eyes shot down to find nothing, but a blank piece of paper. Then I heard a quiet but serious voice. It was the little boy from before when I first came to this hell. He emerged from the shadows and whispered,  “They are still alive”…. “all our parents are still alive.”