Week One, Term 2 in Te Kinga

 Our ANZAC experience...

On the first day back to school this term, the students in Te Kinga spent some time learning about the experiences of our troops who were sent to Gallipoli. This is how the day unfolded...

The students were promised an awesome adventure at the 'recruitment office'. Once they signed on, 'Commander Courage' took them outside for some basic training (marching). It took a while to learn to march in time and listen carefully to the commands. 

 Once the 'soldiers' were prepared, Captain Nic told them about their assignment and they marched all the way to the railway bridge by the lake! They had to stay down and move silently along the beach front until they got to the 'cove' where they would make their way up the Velenski Track to set up camp. BUT the enemy knew they were there and attacked them from the hill above the beach! A lot of soldiers were injured at this time...

The medics used basic resources to help these soldiers. Everyone helped to get them safely up to the base - it was hard work carrying them up-hill over muddy and slippery ground!

The soldiers then split into 2 groups - girls vs boys. Each group had to built a trench in the bush and try to gain possession of the enemy's 'secret weapon' (a tennis ball) from the enemy trench. The soldiers wore rippa rugby bands and rips - if you were 'ripped' you had to stand still until your medic put your rip back on. The girls were victorious! 

After the battles were over, the soldiers were asked to camouflage themselves and hide in their trenches...

Out of sight

In sight

Some camouflage techniques...

After a bite to eat, we headed back to school (where the soldiers turned into students again). We had some discussions about the actual events of Gallipoli using photographs...

We were then full of ideas and feelings for writing poems about the events at Gallipoli ... watch this space!