Creative Expression From Lockdown

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Family “Family” A word that opens my bottle of emotions, Flashes memories before my eyes, Warms my heart And waters my growing gratitude.&nbsp; Yet, it pains me, how we are far apart,&nbsp; But I know that our hearts will always be connected. One hug, Strongly connected through widely opened, hugging arms. Three people, Three beaming smiles, Their happiness reaches miles, They are children again, Glowing gold among green. Matching clothes and genes, It’s a timeline by all means. Of innocence, learning and experience, Of the past, present and future. Story beginnings and endings, Yet one SHARED story, Of a baby, a teen, a mom, All three are empowered women, Indulged in love and life.

Poetry by Lina, Year 10 Westlake Girls High School

Together. She is one bright star, Which her star embroidered dress cannot outshine, A pair of dark glimmering mysterious eyes, Full of thoughts locked up inside, Enormous round, chubby cheeks, A lovable small nose and meaty pouted lips, 5 tiny curled fingers and hair that a clumsy pink bow can not contain, Is what my doll full of life looks like. A live show,&nbsp; of confidence, vulnerability, resilience,&nbsp; Appreciation, perseverance and diligence, Competing for gold medals. Under the blistering sun, Each of the 40 degrees Celsius is scorching my skin. Thousands of bodies peripherally seated, talkative, bemused and proud. It's the Special Olympics,&nbsp; Special people, Disabilities, Yet achieving and excelling, Beyond roaring crowds and their anticipation.

Year 6 Milford School

Social Distancing Hat Creations Year 5 Forrest Hill School

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Students from Sunnynook Primary School describe bubble time through poetry.

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Messages About Kindness by Yeonjun, Year 2 Forrest Hill School

Photography: Shuyan, Year 10 at Westlake Girls reminds us to pause and take notice of the beauty around us.

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Katie, Year 2 Forrest Hill School

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-21 March 2020 A four-tiered alert level system is introduced&nbsp;to try and manage Covid-19 in New Zealand.

-23 March 2020 Schools begin to close

- 25 March 2020 The community adjusts to the new situation, living in Lockdown at Alert Level 4.

-Teachers and learners move to remote learning.

A Window into the World of Lockdown has been designed to reflect on a time that changed our normal by capturing the written and artistic expression of members of our community.

-28 April 2020 Schools reopen

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Ivy, Year 3 Sunnybrae Normal School

Asher, Year 3 Sunnybrae Normal School

Thursday 16 April 2020 Dear Denise&nbsp; I am good thank you. In my&nbsp;holidays I went biking a lot and played board games with my dad. I also&nbsp;made cakes with my dad and I did art with my mum. I also Played a lot with my brother Luca. I found it challenging not hugging my Baka and Deda (grandparents) and not seeing my friends.&nbsp;Also I missed swimming in the swimming pool and the beach. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and hugging my Baka and Deda.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From Luna

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Westlake Boys High School

by Caleb, Year 12 I have seen the crowds of people swarming the supermarket snatching everything in sight; stacks of canned food, water, toilet paper while lines extended more than halfway across the store. I have seen this usually busy beach bustling with life, so still and silent. The small cove, usually a popular place for families enjoying each other's company, completely empty now, as though the world had been placed on pause. by Lachlan, Year 12 I have felt relief, excitement, sadness, and fear as I watched the world stop and a universal sense of loneliness smothered the globe, all in the year I started drinking Coronas...

Ashley Bloomfield - Acrylic on river stone by Gaye Hall, mother of teacher, Anita Knight at Sunnybrae School

Hayden, Year 4 Milford School

Willow's Name Art and Nature Art Year 3/4 Takapuna Primary School

Staying safe at home prompted members of our community to take some extra time to express their creativity about all sorts of topics. Amazing home learning was occurring too.

"Creativity&nbsp;doesn't wait for that perfect moment. ...

Lots of Learning during Lockdown by Yeonyun, Year 2 Forrest Hill School

by Cameron Takapuna Normal Intermediate School

Lockdown can be something a lot of people despise but you have to look at the bright side of things. You can't go to a typical school so everyone has to go to an online school, which is great. Doing schoolwork at home has so many advantages. Let’s look at some of them. A significant problem in class is getting distracted. Online school has no people to distract you. It has been so easy to do all my work. I get up, have breakfast, go to my room, and work by myself. There are no distractions and you can peacefully focus.&nbsp;&nbsp; Uniforms can be uncomfortable but during online school, you can wear anything suitable you want. Online schools are&nbsp; like a mufti that you have every day. You can work lying down or sitting up, without shoes or wearing shoes. Anything that makes you comfortable and lets you focus. When lunch comes I go downstairs and have a healthy bowl of hot soup or a salad, you can make yourself any healthy food that you want. So far I have had eggs, salads, soups, fresh sandwiches and more. Unlike at school, at home, you can have fresh healthy food. Online school can be very confusing at first but when you get the hang of it there are so many benefits to look at the bright side and enjoy what you can enjoy.

Alice, Year 4 Milford School

As an entry for their level 3 creative writing portfolio, extension students at WBHS were tasked with writing a creative piece in the vignette style of Ernest Hemingway’s Paris, 1922, with the purpose of capturing significant and memorable moments or experiences from their lives. Hemingway said of these vignettes that he intended for them to have the the impact of a “forceful right to the jaw” and “detonate[s] like small grenades inside the reader’s head”. Completed during the lockdown period, several students chose to incorporate their own observations of the lockdown within their wider pieces. Here is a selection of these pieces.

by Rohan I have seen the aftermath of the global microscopic war; the invisible walls no-one dares to break, civilisation ground to a halt, wide-eyed friends fearful of interaction, murmurings of “kia kaha” through teddy-bear clad streets, all while I gazed upon the tranquil stillness of nature’s renewal, trapped within the confines of my bubble... by Nate I have seen the blue-suited doctor, the red-dressed politician, and the mute translator amongst flashes of light on the 1 o’clock news, waves of masked jesters in February and the empty world stage in March...

Lockdown prompted a change in our thinking and our actions. During and after bubble time, our community expressed their thoughts and ideas about this unprecedented situation in different ways.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Lina, Year 10 Westlake Girls High School

Takapuna Normal Intermediate School

Inspired by the artwork of Gregg Segal, Year 5 students surrounded themselves with the things that have been important to them during lockdown. Forrest Hill School

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Teddy Bears! From Year 2/3 Sunnybrae Normal School

In Year 1 we talked about 2 stars and a wish from Lockdown and combined home/school bubbles. Our main activity was based on creating a book of dreams for the class teddy who lost his book on the last day of school (adapted from the cloth of dreams activity).&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Haru and Alice are both 5 years old. Forrest Hill School

During lockdown, Maggie McNaughton took one photo each day as a visual reflection of the experiences of her bubble and local neighbourhood. This montage represents a selection of these images. Maggie is the partner of WBHS teacher and Pupuke ASL, Dave Smale.

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“In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we’re made of.” Howard Schultz

Proudly collated by the Across School Lead Team. Thank you to all learners and teachers who contributed to this special book.

Dear World, It has been quite a time, sealed away- hidden from view. During this time of havoc and fear, millions around the globe of different races, beliefs, and cultures have been given time to reassess their values. We were given time to backtrack and look at things from a different perspective. To reevaluate the things that we hold dear. We have had time to reflect on how man has impacted the environment. The earth has been thriving and beginning to breathe once more since we abandoned the streets. This reflection time we have been given has opened the eyes of many to realize the disastrous influence we have had on the environment. Most of us during this time of isolation, have recognized the value of a healthy wellbeing. Locked away, we felt the need to contact loved ones and go for walks- or simply to gaze at the night sky. This time of solitude has opened the doors to looking after one’s well being. We found what we lost long ago, a robust planet, and a craving for a healthier wellbeing. We can’t lose these precious moments of redemption. We need to stick together and keep what we have found. Where we hid, the answers lay. We need everyone's help to keep this treasure that we have found.

by Caitlin Takapuna Normal Intermediate School

Year One Sunnynook Primary School

Year One Milford School

Nature Art Year 3/4 Takapuna Primary School

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by Liam, one day before his 7th birthday! Forrest Hill School

Orla used Pic Collage to capture two weeks of her Lockdown experience. Year 4 Milford School

by Jessica TNIS

Doing my school work at home during lockdown has many benefits. Lots of people are wanting to go back to school because they believe they are able to learn more, but after reading this passage, you may think differently.&nbsp; Doing schoolwork at home is beneficial because it lets us organise our time ourselves. As long as we get all of our tasks done in a certain period of time we can do our work at whatever time we want. It enables us to have more freedom and be able to do our work after school without bringing all of our heavy books home. As we can have “longer” time to do our work, it lets us put more thought in it. The quality of our work is better because we can’t be distracted by friends. The quality becomes better because we are given a quiet environment to work without our friends. But of course, this doesn’t mean we can’t see our friends because we can talk to them on sites such as Google Meet.&nbsp; Attending “school” at home is practically the same as actually going to school but better. Life becomes a lot more relaxed working at home. Completing schoolwork at home is advantageous because it is much more convenient. This is because we don’t have to travel back and forth to school. We can also get our work done faster. If we don’t travel back and forth to school we save a lot of time. If people started to work straight after talking to the teacher for 15 minutes on Google Meet, we could probably complete all our work by 2. Finishing our work faster gives us more time to do what we want to do but it also lets us learn quicker. Learning at home not only lets you learn easier, but it also helps you learn quicker. The only difference between learning at home and at school is that learning at home is more convenient and that you can’t see your friends face to face. Learning at home is much more beneficial than learning at school.

Living in a bubble has so many benefits! Since I have so much time on my hands, there have been plenty of opportunities to clean up my house. Also, I have never had to use my creativity so much! I always have to think up new things for my brothers and me to do. But best of all, we have company! Here is why living in a bubble has so many benefits. I don't know about you, but my house is rather messy. I don't normally have time to tidy it up, but since I have a heap of time on my hands, I have plenty of time to do it. Also, cleaning the house with others is so much more fun because you can chat with those around you and you can see them tidying up as well, so you don't feel as bad because you can see them tidying. I don't know about you, but if I am working with someone else, I'm less likely to steer off task and do something else because I am around people who are also doing the same thing or are working I will feel more motivated to work. You might even find things you didn't know you had before! We have so much time on our hands, so why not tidy up the house with your family? During lockdown, you can't just go down to the local park or the movies when you are bored. As much as I would love to go shopping at the mall right now, I can't! As I can't do these things whenever I please, I have found out that I have had to use my imagination more than usual. I have even had to think outside the box. I found that I have learnt some skills. One which, I made my favourite dinner! As we have so much time on our hands, it means that we use our creativity more often, you may even find you do something you would never have done before! Being in a bubble in lockdown means that you have company! If you are in a bubble, you have people around you to keep you company, so you are not lonely. Some people in lockdown don't have company as they live alone, but if you are in a bubble you are with other people, so you are not lonely. Living in a bubble gives you the benefit of having company around you.&nbsp; Who wouldn't want to live in a bubble? You can tidy your house with others, so you have a tidy house, as well as the fact that you feel motivated. Plus you can let your creativity go wild while planning fun activities. Then, you and the people in your bubble can do them together. Best of all, you have company! Living in a bubble has so many benefits.

Willow Year 6

Michael Year 6

Erin Year 6

Smrithi Year 6

Amelia Year 13 Westlake Girls High School

Letter writing between Denise McConnachie and Year 3/4 students Takapuna Primary School

Friday 17th April&nbsp; Dear Denise&nbsp; I am good thanks for asking. During the holidays I did some baking. I made cupcakes (I made them by myself) lemon cake, pistachio cake and cinnamon rolls. I also watched lots of movies. I had a great Easter because I had lots of chocolate and I got to share it with my family. Then I painted the garage with my dad . What I found challenging was keeping a distance for example, I went for a walk on the beach and people were going on a run. They don’t see me (because I’m too small). Also not seeing my friends because I'm used to seeing them every day and having play dates with them. I also found keeping in my bubble a challenge. I do lots of activities like making my mini house and painting it. Building the furniture and gluing lots of little stuff. Also playing with my Sylvanians. I am looking forward to seeing my friends so I can play with them. Doing stuff normally, not in my bubble, playing outside, going out on the weekend, getting ice creams on the beach and school. From Sienna.&nbsp;

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by the Pupuke Kāhui Ako

thoughts from my room. Angela, Year 10 Westlake Girls High School

the brightest room of the house is mine three windows where sunlight would poke through the gaps of weave pounding the fabric begging let me in the most wonderful view is from my room three windows where dusk desperate for attention would stroke the cotton-polyester painting blinds golden clementine the coolest breeze flows through my room three windows where moonbeams would guide zephyrs carrying the whispers of the night turned away by the pallid sentinels of tapestry.&nbsp;

skillful hands old and worn and warm split silk halves/quarters eighths/sixteenths watch it bloom the beauty unravel two-thousand years culminating as the silver splinter swims thread ends carefully concealed annatto millettia rose do they pour heart and soul into every piece, or have they grown apathetic; mechanical, as the years went by? their work; snatched up by hungry tourists; taken far and wide - do they ever wonder where it ends up? do they know i’m thinking about them?

stickers on the shelf veterans that served me well they’re tired swipe and like autumn leaves they will fall. animated faces bought to life unfeeling machinery packaged and processed mass-produced post-haste three-fifty a pop yet something is felt yet second chances are given&nbsp;

by Chloe Takapuna Normal Intermediate School

I'm living in a bubble trapped, compressed with nowhere to go. How would you like to wake up and drag yourself&nbsp;from your bed to desk and it only takes 5 seconds? That's my life right now. I could wear my pyjamas all day, get tons and tons of work done and then have extra time to spend with family. I believe that living in a bubble during lockdown has many benefits. My favourite thing about lockdown is wearing my pyjamas all day and nobody can see me other than my family. I find that I learn better in my pyjamas because they are warm, cozy and comfortable. Wearing my pyjamas is also good for the environment, it saves on washing and conserves water especially during this water shortage. By not getting dressed it saves about 5 to 10 minutes and you can get working earlier. Having this extra time in the morning means that you can spend more time with family in the afternoon. Living in lockdown has most definitely allowed me to spend more time with family. My sister and parents are all home working. We can do board games and puzzles and watch movies etc. Having more family time has made our family unit stronger.&nbsp;&nbsp; During this lockdown I'm getting more work done in less time. I can finish my school work a lot quicker. The average time a week spent at school is thirty hours. We have about four and a half hours of work a day, when I am at home I can do three and a half and still get all my work done. At home, I can&nbsp;have longer breaks. I can finish quicker because I am not distracted and I have my mum who was a teacher to help me. It's like having my own personal teacher. Being at home is more productive work-wise than being at school. Living at home twenty four seven can be challenging but we all get through it. My bubble life has been very different to what I am used to. It has kept us all safe and sound. I have learnt how many people can be impacted by the Covid virus . I'm just glad that my family has been here with me.

Further creative expression from Shuyan, Year 10

Westlake Girls High School

by Oliver, Year 12 WBHS I have seen the world desaturate. The ebbing flow and crude push of society halting to a snail's pace around me, as the abstract piece of a million clashing colours cleared from the palette. A fresh new canvas was laid out through disconnection from tangible reality, connecting to a once intangible world. I was lost in the symphony of Jazz, each note leaving a vivid taste, unique and unlike the rest. It was a combination of a thousand instruments and sounds, layered to create concision, harmonizing to create a buffet of musical flair and flavour. A greyscale world was given life as the colours danced... I have seen my breath igniting a million drops of condensation, frozen in the moment. Ephemeral images and short-lived intimacy can never last forever. A horological tick winds the mechanism of the world to advance, leaving the condensation to dissipate into the winter air and, as the last leaves fall off the Autumn branch and the traffic bustles and bursts to begin again, I watch as a new piece is painted before my being and the cyan blue hues of the sky fade to a pastel-pink painting of days past.

Ma te huruhuru, ka rere te manu… When you look at feathers, each one is unique and yet when we put them together it’s the feathers that allow the bird to fly.

Sunnybrae Normal School teacher, Melanie Hanson, creatively dressed up Cookie Bear each day to bring joy to families out walking.

An excerpt from an article by Smrithi, Year 6 Sunnybrae Normal School

Have you ever had the flu? Maybe a cold? There are many sicknesses in the world, but none are quite like Covid. Covid-19 is a world pandemic virus sweeping the globe through human transmission. Bad hygiene, being in close contact with an infected person, and sneezing and coughing without covering are all ways you can get Covid. Expert doctors are studying the ways you can protect yourself, and many of them recommend hand washing. Washing hands and sanitising often is key to not getting Covid. The situation here in NZ is actually quite nice. People are recovering while everyone is staying optimistic. But, some people are having a hard time due to a drop in the economy and financial loss. Other countries though, have very different situations. 

by Aaron, Year 3/4 class Takapuna Primary School

Lola, Year 3/4 class Takapuna Primary School

Siena Year 4

Lindsay Year 5

by Cameron, Year 12 The city is quieter than usual, the air is cleaner, like a fresh rural morning. The smooth breeze brushes past his jacket and pulls it behind him. The chill of it commands him to shiver in response. The golden sun, masking the purple-filtered azure sky, permeates the atmosphere like the warmth of love. Staring out at it gives a fond sensation. All of this is overwhelming. Blindly staring at a laptop for what feels like days, he drifts into another state. His mind wanders off into the distance, leaving his body behind. It travels through his past. His memories. The cries of laughter. The scent of mushy cat food. The taste of sugar-injected treats. The feel of comfort from someone else. The sight of ... nothing. The world has become bleak. His mind trips and falls. His body jolts and shudders. His sight awakes with a jolt of energy. The burst forces his knee into the bottom of the desk. The nerves clench the smashed knee. ‘At least there wasn’t a surge’, he thinks.

Taking Time To Be Grateful Year 3/4 Takapuna Primary School

Lockdown Poetry Milford School

by Georgia Playing Roblox with my friends,&nbsp; The fun really never ends, This is how we stay in touch, Now that we can’t get out much, So much time stuck indoors, It really brings out all your bores, The bright side is cuddles with my cat, But so much chocolate, opps Mum’s fat, I’m lucky to have my bubble of four, But I can’t wait to bust open that door!

by Seth Level 4 Overseas travel banned Covid-19 Kiwis stuck abroad Daily update Dr Ashley Bloomfield Optimistic people Worldwide crisis New confirmed cases

by Daniel Lots of stuff to do Of course it’s super boring Captive in a prison, Keep your distance, Do not come closer you or I might get it, Overwhelming urge to have a non-virtual playdate, Well I just want to get out of lockdown now, Now this is a boring life.

by Esther Having a walk as we talk Look! Teddys they look steady Come along let's have some fun! Lets eat a delicious chocolate bun! Fun time with sisters They are the bestest Sleeping in bed&nbsp; Mum said I’m a sleepyhead Lockdown is cool But i still miss school&nbsp; I hope we all meet soon I say while looking at the moon!

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Memoirs by Eden and Lev at Milford School

Year 6, Sunnybrae Normal School

Westlake Girls High School

Unforgettable Feeling by Ayla Year 11

I don't know if you’ll ever experience this feeling, so I’ll try to describe it as best as possible. The streets are empty of people, there are only lifeless cars parked alongside the road. I don't care that there might be a lone car travelling through our street at any time, because I can’t shake this feeling, so I walk down the middle of our road in the pouring rain. My feet feel so cold and numb walking on the concrete street, but I don’t mind, I like to feel like I am one with the rain, cold and transparent. The rain is so calming, so relaxing. I can taste it on my tongue and feel it travel down my cheek and neck, soaking the fabric of my clothing. I tilt my head to the sky savouring this feeling, like I am the only person alive right now, like I’m living in my own world where people aren’t giving me weird looks from behind their slightly open curtains, where there aren’t any sick people or dying people, where my parents aren’t worried that some random creepy person is going to attack me at any moment. My own world. I stayed like that for a while, slowly swaying down then up my street in the pouring rain. It truly was an unforgettable feeling.&nbsp;

Students from Sunnynook Primary School designed images to represent their Lockdown experiences.

Evie, Year 3 Sunnybrae Normal School

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