The Sheppard Team: We will remember them.

Lest we forget

Room 9 have spent the first week of term learning about ANZAC Day and life during WW1.

We began by discussing why ANZAC Day is important and how it is recognized throughout the country on April 25th. We listened to a beautiful story book called My Grandad Marches on ANZAC Day by Catriona Hoy, where the character in the story talks about attending a dawn service where they read poems and play a lonely song. After this Room 9 spent time discussing the symbols and the special parts of the service.

We then began thinking about what life would have been like for the soldiers in the trenches. We watched a documentary that explained some of the conditions the soldiers were faced with. Which tied into our writing, where we imagined that we were a person affected by the war and wrote a diary/letter from their viewpoint. We were even lucky enough to have a class member bring in a beautiful ANZAC picture book called Jim's Letters by Glyn Harper. The story was a great model for us on how to structure our own writing.

Here are some examples of what we have created...

(Please pop into Room 9 in a week or two, we should have them all finished and up on display by then)

Dear Rose,

I got your letter. Mum is so sad, she is staying with Grandma. At school we are playing soldiers and I am pretending to be you. When the guns are roaring we have to go into the shed. Dads thinking about sending us to Uncle's house. I'm so sad I might not see you again, be careful.We are learning about the war. Don't go on to the trenches you could poison your leg. It's almost Christmas, all I want is you back. I hope my wish comes true. At school a window got shot. Little brother Edward thinks your me, its so sad.

I hope you come back.From your loving sister Ella.

Dear Mum,

I am not having a good time in the trenches. One of the soldiers got the plague. Another got shot. I hear the cracking of machine guns. I clutch my sniper tighter when the shells start raining from the skies. I want to take off my helmet because it is very uncomfortable. So far the enemy has the higher ground. I hear sploshing sounds every time I move my feet. I am about to shoot at the enemy.