Grade 10 Addo Outing

Grade 10 Biology Outing to Addo National Elephant Park.

In our grade 10 biology class, we have been learning about the different biomes and so we decided (thanks to Mrs Goodall) to go on an excursion to Addo Elephant Park to learn about the thicket biome.

Only one word can describe this adventure of ours. HOT. It reached a scorching 46°C and many of us got sunburnt (even on our toes!!!) and heat stroke was an excuse that came up a few times… some even sought ice to keep them cool!
We went on a game drive accompanied by Mrs Goodall and Patric Cairns (a professional hunter, park ranger and teacher amongst other things) .
We saw a lot of elephant and something that interested us was seeing the social structure that these animals had. They were in families and it was amazing to see them together in the watering hole and to understand the way in which they interacted with each other.  We were also lucky to see lions. We went to the lion boma where there were three lions, although we only saw two in the enclosure.

We got time to ask Mr Cairns questions which was very interesting and we all learnt a lot from him. I think this outing taught us about the natural environment and how we can all do our part to conserve and protect the place in which we live.

A big thank you goes to Mrs Janine Kahn for organising and transporting us all the way to Addo.

Rachel Bernstein




From Darkness - Jubilee Edwards

I’m attracted to this darkness, where I am out of sight
No one sees my shame, no one knows the pain
No one sees the guilt, no one knows my name

I feel like dirt, there is no worth
To this guilty life of mine
Because no one cares and no one bears
This weight, this pressure, this pain

This    Great    Emptiness

My great emptiness

My chest burns, my heart yearns
To get out of this place
But I can’t leave, I can’t be seen
Oh please, help me out of this!

Fear grips me

I don’t know what’s become of me
I only know this nightmare
I drop my head so filled with regret
The Darkness is killing me

Who is this man of glory?
His light shines all around, his sword pierces the darkness
His voice the sweetest sound
He calls to me, he knows my name
He stretches out his hand

Walking up to me, looking me in the eye
He said he came to save me, he said he heard my cry
He wiped away the tears
He took away my fears
He washed me clean, he gave me dreams
He is my hope, he is my savior
Now I’ve come to love the Light

Loud Inside

Loud Inside -Jubilee Edwards
 
You cry for oneYou cry for two
You’re sad for those you knew
There’s a mask outside
You cry inside
Sadness deep in you

Some people see
Only few can read Your face with a fake smile
You cry out in pain
Though in there you stay
In a loud emptiness
They speak sadness
They speak madness
They speak the death of you
There are those that see

Please believe me
They silently reach out to you

Pause
Listen

The fear is too loud
You’re ignoring it But it never goes away
Remember
Know
The silent are waiting
They are waiting to rescue you

Open Door -

Open Door - Jubilee Edwards
 
This door of life has opened up
To a whimsical reality
We are running in this rain
And the sun has cast a silhouette
Of our beautiful love and friendship
I have satisfaction in this dream
Somehow I know it is reality
Because I feel free
This peace washes over me

Strong Words - 2010

Strong words - Maryke Van Zyl
 
We are confidant and willing to fight.
To fight for our rights.
We will no longer stand back and watch
as you rip us to pieces with your
helpless but strong words.
 
You train the most innocent words
to lash out at us with their arrow-
sharp teeth.
 
We can’t fight back because we
know our words are much
stronger, so strong that we can’t
even control them…
 
So we forget about our plan and
stand back. We let your words
rip us to pieces, because there’s nothing
we can do. Our words are too strong…

Unbreakable - 2010

Umbreable - Maryke Van Zyl

Your heart is like a diamond:

Cold, hard and full of flaws.

Unbreakable.

You go around cutting and

Breaking everything that

Stands in front of you.

Good and bad.

Even my heart you slashed

Again and again until there

Was nothing left except for

A tiny diamond that’s cold,

Hard and full of flaws… 

Read more...