Y9-13 Smart Alex writing competition with over $2000 in prizes

Worth taking a look and having a go, especially when you can use it for NCEA credits as well. Read this blog to find out more and to get some tips about how to go about the process. Closes 22 July so you have plenty of time.

Fun 140 character writing competition for NCEA students

Oh my goodness I haven't posted here since last year. This is worth posting though. This link

here

will take you to Learncoach (which every NCEA student should know about and use) where you can learn how to make $50 in the briefest piece (Twitter style) of comedy writing you probably have ever done.  Every week for the next 40 weeks, they're giving $50 to a student who writes a funny one-liner about NCEA-life in under 140 characters. 

So what have you to lose? Get to it!

Easily learn calligraphy using AR

In three steps with a mobile device, you can use augmented reality to guide your calligraphic pen to make several interesting designs. First, print the marker so that your phone has a virtual connection to the paper. Secondly, load the web page on the mobile device and hold it over the marker and your drawing paper. The image will appear and you can then ‘trace’ the a.r. image that appears. You might want to devise some sort of holder for the device so things don’t shift around too much.

Try typewriting as it used to be

    

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Hooked on NZ books

Find books to read that have been reviewed and possibly recommended by other NZ secondary students. Learn how to review, get free books and publish your reviews.

 http://www.hookedonbooks.org.nz/

Someone I Know Well

Someone I Know Well

Myself! Jayden

My name is Jayden I am 11 years old and I am Year 6 at Windsor North School.

I have ginger swished to the side hair, with brown mud eyes.

I am a very active child, who sometimes gets into mischief with Mum, Dad and my sister Samara.

I play Waterpolo, Rugby, Softball and not to brag or anything, but I played for Southland in Table Tennis.  I also enjoy doing Kapa Haka and Swimming.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to attend School, play the sports I love or be with all my friends this year, because I had a horrible life threating Brain Tumour, which needed to be treated in Christchurch for removal then intensive Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy over eight months.

I did 31 days of Radiotherapy which did not hit me to hard, so we got to see a lot of Christchurch.

We went Bowling with our cousins, played Mini Golf, went to the movies, played Lazer Tag, visited Orana Park and Willowbank, went for a drive to Sumner, went on a tour on the double deaker bus around Christchurch, went up the Gondalas and visited Mum’s friend who’s house has a pool that we played in and her partner showed us his two Army Tanks, Army Hummer Jeep, Helicopter and took us for a spin in his old Mini.

I had a buddy during Radiotherapy his name is Jarrod, he was into all the stuff I liked especially sports.  We would play Table Tennis, throw a rugby ball and softball around or he would take me over to Hagley Park to fly my helicopters before treatment.  He got me through Radiotherapy.

Chemotherapy was pretty bad, it hit me hard!!!!!!!

My longest stay in hospital was 4 weeks, but it felt like months!!!  Especially being isolated for all the 4 weeks.  It was so, but then my mums work mate came and her husband was having chemo his name was Grant.  He is extremely funny and we made the most hilarious video about our chemo.  He helped me through that last round of chemo, but he left to come back to Invercargill before me and I was ssssssssooooooo devastated (I may have cried when they left).

But we are now finally home (yah celebrations!) and I now need to recover.

Although it has been a tough road, I have meet some pretty special people like my favourite rugby player Malakai Fekatoa and all of the Highlanders Team,  Ed Sheeran, Brendan McCallum, Daniel Vatori, Tom Latham, Kieran Reed and Andy Ellis.

I have also received some awesome presents like a signed Southland Stags rugby top, Highlanders signed training top, All Blacks 2011 signed rugby top, signed Junior Black Soks Softball and plenty more cool stuff.

I am looking forward to having sleep over with my friends, going on holiday, going back to school and starting High School next year.

This me Jayden.

Is your writing too long and flowery?

Test it out on The Writer's Diet website.  Better still read Helen Sword's short book about keeping your writing lean.

Need help writing?

 Essay Punch

I am not sure I should share this ...

The Easy Essay

Just enter your title, what you need to prove or discuss, 3 reasons why this is true, a final clincher statement, 3 reasons for each of your 3 reason statements and you're done!  Take a look at the DEMO

Ideas for your journal writing

Story starters    

then you really might know what it's like

then you really might know what it's like   Teens (13-19 y) tell your story.

Cartoons from Ella

Stories from Juniors

 Ella's dinosaur story     

                                                                                                     Ella & Ruth reading

Charlotte's story

Visual online dictionary

To quote the website, "The Visual Dictionary Online is an interactive dictionary with an innovative approach.

From the image to the word and its definition, the Visual 

Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference. Search the

themes to quickly locate words, or find the meaning 

of a word by viewing the image it represents."

http://visual.merriam-webster.com/

Improve your vocabulary

  

Suitable for all ages.  When you sign up for  Vocabulary.com you will be given an assessment quiz in order to give you suggested lists with which to start your practice. After completing the assessment you can use the practice lists suggested by Vocabulary.com or choose your own lists from the huge gallery of vocabulary lists.

One of the aspects of the Vocabulary.com activities that I like is the instant feedback for every practice question you attempt. It also has an iPad app ($4.19).

Google Hangouts but draw or instruct at the same time with Scoot & Doodle

Scoot & Doodle

Use your journalist skills and win big!

 View in your web browser

Pen Pals

Connect and learn about the world by communicating with a pen pal.  For ages 9 - 20.
 www.facebook.com/studentpenpals

Writers

School for Young Writers

A not-for-profit organisation founded in 1993 and based in Christchurch, New Zealand, they offer tuition to young writers anywhere in the world.  They are running a competition for young writers Year 3 - 11, due 19 April.  Click on the title above to take you to their website and to print their entry form.