Learning about ANZAC Day with Ms Gain

Today there were lots of people wearing red poppies and the whole school had a special ANZAC day assembly. In class we talked about why people wear red poppies and what ANZAC day was about. We brainstormed what we knew about ANZAC day and decided we knew a little bit about it but we wanted to find out more.

What we knew:

-There is a type of biscuit called an ANZAC biscuit.

-On ANZAC day you wear red poppies

-On ANZAC day you remember and thank the people who fought in the war (only a couple of us knew this).

We read a story called ‘My Grandad Marches on ANZAC Day’, which was about a little girl who gets up very early, at dawn, on ANZAC day to watch her Grandad march in a parade. We then came up with some questions.

Our questions and some answers that we found:

1. What is memorial? (some of us thought it was a shop or a church)

A place where you remember something important that has happened. It might be a statue, a tree, a building, or a special sign.

2. What is a bugle? (mentioned in the story we read)

It is a musical instrument like a trumpet.

3. What do you do on ANZAC day?

You can go to a dawn ceremony and parade where soldiers who have fought in wars and their families march to remember everyone who fought and helped in the war. You can buy and wear a red poppy to remember also and the money you use to buy the poppy helps the army and people who have fought in wars.

4. Why do we wear red poppies?

Red poppies grew on the fields where soldiers in the first world war fought.

5. What does ANZAC stand for?

Australia and New Zealand Army Corps

6. How do people marching in the parade feel?

Happy because the war is finished. Sad when they remember the war and how hard it was and how many people died. Proud to have fought in the war and kept their country safe.

7. Who was in the war?/ Were girls allowed in the war?

There were soldiers who fought and people who looked after the soldiers, like medical people.Girls were not allowed in the first world war but helped more in the second world war, but not as soldiers. There were also animals who helped in the war and even some who won medals! We were really surprised that there were animals in the war so we looked at some animals that helped in the war.

We learnt about donkeys who helped carry water to soldiers who needed it on the field after fighting and also helped carry soldiers that had been badly hurt back to their home bases so they could be helped by doctors.

We also learnt about carrier pigeons that helped soldiers who needed help in the fields to get emergency messages to their home bases. Here is what we learnt:

Pigeons can fly home without any person pointing out the way.

Rufus.

Pigeons carried notes to help people in the war.

Noah.

Pigeons can save people.

Holly.

There was a pigeon called Cher Ami. She won a medal for flying bravely even though she got wounded.

Bridie.

The notes are tied onto the pigeon’s leg.

Sam.

Notes were put in small inch sized containers.

Bridie.

Pigeons take messages to the men at home base.

Georgi.

Pigeons can fly to your home without out pointing to your house.

Henry.

In the photo you can see our pigeons we drew. We tried writing small notes to our own homes, imagining that we had our own carrier pigeon in class with us who we could release and would then fly home with a message. We rolled up our small notes and attached them to our pigeons’ legs. We also visited Room 3 to show them our pigeons and told them about what we had learnt. Some of the messages we tied onto our pigeons:

Mum, come back for another hug

Georgi

I forgot my lunch, please bring it.

Alana

Don’t forget I’m having Muritai Munchies on Friday.

Leon

I love you all

Daniel

Mum, how about I watch TV tonight, Jetro

Oscar

To mum, I will see you at school when school ends

love from Bridie.

Hi Mum. Thank you for doing my spelling this morning.

Jack.

Hi Tabbie and Suzi

Knock knock

Who’s there

Don’t

Don’t who?

Don’t forget to pick me up.

Kahu.

Mum, how about we have pizza for tea.

Edward.

Mum, please can I go home at lunch tomorrow?

Noah.

Sam, Mum, and Dad.

I love you mad! With lots of love,

Olivia.