Winner:

Mummies

One day I went on a trip to the British Museum with my class teacher Vallis and my friends. We saw many interesting things but the best of them were the mummies. On the same day, I wanted to find some information about mummies and this is what I found.

Mummies have fascinated people for centuries. In folklore, mummies are portrayed as mysterious, magical and even dangerous. A mummy is a human body preserved for a long period of time. Mummies are found in many places, from Alaska to China but the world’s best known mummies come from ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians began making mummies more than 3,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians made mummies for religious reasons. They believed in life after death.

This is the way ancient Egyptians made mummies. First the brain and internal organs were taken out and put into jars called canopic jars. Then the body is covered with salt to dry it. Later the inside is stuffed with linen, sawdust and sweet smelling spices.

Lastly the body is wrapped in bandages and a mask put over the mummy’s face and a priest dressed as Anubis, god of the dead, prayed over the body.

Pasindu Abeysinghe,
Grade 6,
OKI International School,
Negombo Branch.

Winner:

A day of a busy ant

I am a small ant that lives in a big anthill. Not only me, I have many other friends in it. We all have an ant queen that lives in the anthill. We all protect her.

Every morning, my friends and I go out to find food to store in the anthill for a rainy day. After storing them we have to dig the land with our legs and hands. Not only that I also have to protect the anthill and the queen from enemies.

I have to look after the eggs and the baby ants too. Sometimes, I have to fight with the enemies. I spend a very busy life in the anthill.

W.D. Shanika Rasangi,
Grade 9A (EM),
NCEF Buddhist College,
Mulleriyawa New Town.

Winner:

Nelson Mandela, a great national leader

Nelson Mandela who fought for the rights of black people was born in South Africa. He is known as a freedom fighter and a great leader.

When he was young, he was imprisoned. He wrote his autobiography in the prison.

He tried to eliminate racial discrimination. He was imprisoned for 27 years.

Nelson Mandela was not allowed to attend the funeral of his own mother and his son. He was elected President of South Africa twice after his imprisonment. He passed away at the age of 95.

The services rendered by him to the people are priceless. He bore all his suffering for the sake of the people.

M.N. Safry Najas,
Grade 9A,
Zahira National College,
Puttalam.

An encounter with a fairy

Sometimes people do not believe in fairies or fairy tales. Fairy tales tend to make us believe in fairies. I do not believe in fairies but I like to read fairy tales.

One day a dazzling fairy entered my room. She said her name was Maripasa. She invited me to dance with her and her friends. She filled my room through magic with lovely flowers, pretty fairies, flowing rivers, plants and bright stars.

The plants provided sweet music for the dance and we all danced until we felt hungry. They took me to a table where many types of food were kept. They were very delicious. We danced again till midnight.

Everyone of us was feeling tired. They showed me a bed and I slept in it. It was soft as a feather. After some time I felt as if I was flying. I shouted, “I'm flying, I'm flying”. As I woke from my sleep I realised that it was just a dream. I wish that it would happen in reality.

K.M.T.Maheli Kulathunge,
Grade 9A,
Holy Family Balika,
Kurnegala.

Winner:

Waste management

We buy lots of things from the market. There are certain things that will not decay after use such as empty yoghurt cups, polythene bags and broken plastic toys.

Do not throw them everywhere. When we throw garbage we have to dispose it in a proper place. If not when it rains dengue mosquitoes can breed in these places. We have to be careful not to throw garbage everywhere and we must protect the environment.

Lakshan Lahiru,
Grade 3A,
NCEF Buddhist College,
Mulleriyawa New Town.

Winner:

My pet dog

My pet dog’s name is Roy. He has a young brother called Rocky. Roy barks at Rocky and runs fast. He is very big. He has a companion. Rocky barks at Roy’s companion when he sees her.

Roy is very beautiful and strong. He is two years old and he is brown and black. We take him for walks every morning. He has a lot of energy and he walks very fast. Other dogs are afraid of Roy. Rocky is also afraid of Roy. He has a fierce-looking pair of eyes.

Roy likes to eat meat and fish. He has a collar around his neck. He loves to play in the garden. My younger sister is afraid of the two dogs.

Roy is my pet and I love him very much.

K.A.D.S.S. Manwari
Nanayakkara,
Grade 8,
Ananda Balika Vidyalaya,
Maradana.

The ice cream van

The ice cream van comes down our lane every evening. All the children run to buy ice cream. The van is painted in blue, pink, yellow and red. It has a picture of two children smiling and eating a pink ice cream cone.

Many children come to buy ice cream when the weather is hot. The van does not come on rainy days. They have many types of tasty ice creams such as jelly, chocolate, strawberry, fruit and nut.

Father gives us money to buy ice creams. My sister and I like jelly ice cream a lot. When the ice cream vendor shouts, “ice cream”, “ice cream”, we run to the van and buy two cones.

Babu Pavithra,
Grade 6,
St. Anthony's Girls’ College,
Kandy.

The autobiography of a pen

I was born in a factory with many brothers and sisters. We were put in cases and then into a large box. We were then taken to a stationery shop.

All my siblings were sold quickly so I had to be alone in the shop for three weeks until an old woman came and bought me for Rs.100. I was taken in a bag with other stationery.

I was put in a pencil box with a ruler and a pair of scissors. The box was placed in a school bag and was left there for a week.

One day I felt that the bag was moving. Some time later, the box was taken out of the bag and a girl opened the pencil box. I was taken out and my cap was removed. I was moved about and I felt my ink reducing day by day.

I continued the practice for a long time. When I was placed back in my pencil box, I started talking to the ruler and the pair of scissors for some time.

I soon had a daily routine. Now and then I was used for doing homework. After around five years, I stopped working. I knew I would be thrown away but instead the girl put a new ink tube into me and started using me again.

I am still living with the girl, my friends and my home. I am very happy with my owner.

Shivangi Sritharan,
Grade 4A,
St. Jude's College,
Kurana, Negombo.

Reading

Reading is a good hobby for children and adults. When we read novels and short stories we become happy. When we read we can get rid of our weaknesses.

There are so many books such as Madolduwa, Ambayahaluwo, Gamperaliya and Hathpana for us to read and enjoy. My favourite book is Golu Deriya. I read it several times.

Reading gives us happiness and it teaches us good habits.

Chathma Bisheka Lewandi,
Grade 6D,
Visakha Vidyalaya,
Colombo.

My teacher

My teacher is Lakshmi. She is tall and slim. She is 29 years old. My teacher likes to wear red sarees. She lives in Kaduwela. She comes to school very happily. I love my teacher very much.

Nethara Chamodhi,
Grade 3,
Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya,
Nawala.

Water

Water is a gift of nature. It is our lifeblood. We get water in several ways such as rain, falling snow and melting iceberg. People can live several days without food but not without water.

Water can be divided into two categories such as salt water and fresh water. Salt water is found in seas, oceans, and lagoons. Water consists of sodium and chlorine. Fresh water has no colour, taste or smell.

Let's protect water which is considered our lifeblood.

Harsha Perera,
Grade 9,
Maris Stella College.