An Inspiring New Author

I am thrilled to announce that three copies of Orlando’s Garden by local author and friend Stephanie Paulson have been added to our library.

This beautifully illustrated picture book demonstrates how Steph has created a magnificent balcony garden with her son Orlando, young baby Leonardo and a new arrival on the way.

The reader embarks on an adventure with Orlando in learning the beauty of nature, the joy of planting and growing and the importance of sustainability.

The final pages of the book provide detailed gardening activities for kids and some questions for research and reflection.

We are reminded that a successful garden can be created in the smallest of spaces and the adventure continues with Steph’s small space gardening inspiration on Instagram.

Term Four in Our Library

 

It was with great excitement that we welcomed the Scholastic Book Fair into our school for the first time in three years. The quality of books on offer did not disappoint and I know that our grandparents enjoyed purchasing books for their grandchildren on their special day. The book fair is always a wonderful opportunity to expose our students to a wide range of quality literature.

 

Kindergarten

The students will study a range of picture books from our collection. Picture books are not only fun and delightful to read, but they are also a crucial tool for developing a child’s literacy and language skills in the early years and beyond.

 

Stage One

The students are undertaking an author study of the work of Colin Thompson.

They are enjoying identifying the following elements which are features of the work of the author:

Happy endings

Everyone winning

Nonviolent resolution

Imaginative and creative

Challenging stereotypes

Faith and hope

Peace with the environment

 

Stage Two

A unit of work has been designed to support the geography studies being undertaken in the classroom. We are addressing the question:

How do people's perceptions about places influence their views about the protection of places?

The question will be answered by investigating landmarks, national parks and sacred sites in Australia.

All work will be completed in Stile.

 

Stage Three

The first weeks of term have been dedicated to completing the study of the novel How to be prime Minister and Survive Grade 5 by Carla Fitzgerald.

In subsequent weeks the students will study episodes of the ACTF series Double Trouble.

This is s a story of different cultures, white and Aboriginal Australians and life in the city and in the bush.

Traditional ways of life and modern-day thinking are compared and examined. The story is an opportunity to explore Aboriginal culture without it being a tourist oddity. The major theme explores being exposed to a new and very different culture and having to cope.

Other themes to be studied in this course include Identity, relationships, family, twins, belonging, ancestry, stereotype, adolescence, growth and development, genre, humour and satire, expectations and decision making.

During this unit the students will undertake a visual literacy study of cinematic techniques used to create mood and tell a story while also analysing the underlying themes mentioned above.

Read, Grow, Inspire in Term Three

 The Presentation from Dr Cameron Stelzer

The presentation from Dr Cameron really ignited a spark in the students at Cromer. We enjoyed learning about what inspired him to write his books, how a book is produced and drawing techniques that he uses. The pictures of the Dr Cameron book stands below show how popular the books are. This is what we love to see, empty shelves because books are so popular.  

The Stands Before Dr Cameron's Visit

The Stands After Dr Cameron's Visit

Book Week

Every year schools and public libraries across Australia celebrate Book Week.  At this time, we celebrate Australian books and their authors and illustrators. In our library we participate in activities relating to the theme to highlight the importance of reading. The theme this year is Read, Grow, Inspire. In our library in Term 3 we will grow and be inspired as we study the books that have been placed on the Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable List and Shortlist.

The CBCA Awards were first established in 1946 and they are the longest running book awards in Australia. The books on the Notable list this year showcase the huge talent of our authors and illustrators and contain a wide range of themes, characters and stories. It is stated on the CBCA website that the awards aim to:

•  Promote quality literature for young Australians;
•  Support and encourage a wide range of Australian writers and illustrators of children’s books and;
•  Celebrate contributions to Australian children’s literature.

We have a large collection from this year’s notable list in our library and term three will see all of the students at Cromer embarking on some exciting reading adventures.

 

Visiting Author

This year we are excited about the impending visit of Dr Cameron Stelzer to our school. He is a performer, presenter and award-winning author/illustrator. We have a large collection of his books in our library, and they have been enthusiastically borrowed. Note the pictures of our book stand below.

     Sights at the 2023 Book parade

The Lbrary is a Busy Place in Term Two

 

Term two has begun with much interest and excitement in the new books, learning programs and activities in the library. We have enthusiastic students enjoying the library during first half lunch on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We also have a large number of volunteers to be library monitors.

National Simultaneous Storytime

We are all looking forward to National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday May 24^th. The book that we will enjoy this year is Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie.

 

                        

ALIA explains the event as follows:

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 23nd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

Event Information

NSS receives positive media coverage and generates a great deal of community interest. 2022 was our biggest and most successful NSS to date with over 2.18 million participants at over 59, 000 locations! (Australian Library and Information Association 2023).

 The Term Two Library Program

Kindergarten

The students will undertake an author study of the work of Nick Bland. Author studies allow students to dive deeply into an author’s body of work. The students can critically evaluate the author’s themes and characters.

Nick Bland is one of our foremost Australian authors for children. His work which is loaded with engaging rhythm and rhyme and colourful illustrations which support the texts results in a sense of adventure and enjoyment for all readers. This term the students in early stage one will study ten books by Nick Bland. It is expected that, as the students are exposed to such language features as rhyme, repetition, alliteration and personification supported by high quality illustrations they will be entertained and inspired to write creatively.

 

Stage One

The students in Stage One will be introduced to chapter books in this course of study. The books will be presented on the interactive whiteboard for group reading. Discussion sessions will take place after the reading of each chapter and the students will then respond to the text with a related activity.

The students will be encouraged to investigate the many chapter books in the library collection and borrow texts at their individual reading levels.

 

Information Fluency

Information fluency is the ability to critically think while engaging with, creating and utilising information and technology, regardless of the information platform or medium. 

Texts provide the means for communication. Students need to access, understand, analyse and evaluate information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school. Success in any learning endeavour depends on being able to make meaning from information.  (Information Fluency Framework. NSW Det)

 

Stage Two

The students will participate in research tasks using programs of study created in Stile. They will begin with a research project on the topic of ANZAC Day. Subsequent research projects will be in line with classroom learning.

 

Stage Three

The students will undertake a research project about World War 2 which is designed to build upon their background knowledge directly related to the novel Sydney Under Attack   by Sophie Masson which they studied in Term One.

It's Great to be Back in Term One 2023

 

This year we welcome Mrs Pip Fitzgerald to the library. She will be taking classes every Wednesday and Thursday.

 I am pleased to announce that students can, again, come to the library at lunch time. The library will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday at first half lunch.

From week eight until the end of this term, Mrs Fitzgerald will be ably assisted by Miss Remmington who will be taking my place while I am on leave.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge opens on February 27^th and closes on Friday August 18^th. The students in years K-2 have already embarked on their reading journey. We are hoping that many students in years 3-6 also take up the challenge.

The Library Program in Term One

Kindergarten

We begin the year in kindergarten by studying the difference between fiction and nonfiction books. The pictures, words and elements of both genres and the reason for reading them will be examined.

Teaching the difference between fiction and nonfiction requires students to understand the difference between real and make-believe. Large-group and small-group activities will give the students practice in identifying the different types of books.

Each week examples of both genres will be presented dealing with a particular theme. Interactive digital activities related to the theme will also be included in the program.

This unit will serve as an introduction to the library. The students will study a range of books by various authors and illustrators. The parts of a book will be examined in detail.  The students will understand the components of the collection and where books are housed in the library. They will understand the role of the author and illustrator and will share books for enjoyment.

Stages One and Two

The NSW English Curriculum defines visual literacy as:

The ability to decode, interpret, create, question, challenge and evaluate texts that communicate with visual images as well as, or rather than, words. Visually literate people can read the intended meaning in a visual text such as an advertisement or a film shot, interpret the purpose and intended meaning, and evaluate the form, structure and features of the text. They can also use images in a creative and appropriate way to express meaning.

In these units, students will develop their understanding of how stories can be communicated using images- both still images and moving images.

Through an in-depth study of wordless picture books and picture books with text, they will explore how visual narratives are constructed. They will engage in interpretation of the settings, events, characters and themes expressed in these texts. They will also learn some of the visual codes and conventions used by illustrators to communicate their stories and engage with their audience.

Stage Three

The students in stage three will study the book Sydney Under Attack by Sophie Masson.

The text will immerse the readers in an action-packed story in a background of historical events. Historical fiction teaches us more than just facts. It takes us into the lives of people at a certain time and provides a more human and in-depth look at their experiences.

The text follows the adventures of a twelve-year-old boy as he deals with the aftermath of the 1942 attacks on Sydney during World War II.

2022 marked the 80th anniversary of the attacks and, through the experiences of a few characters in the text, we are reminded of the way everyone, both at home and overseas were affected by the events at this time.

It is a well-crafted novel, taking a real-life event, and putting fictional figures into what would have been a scary and uncertain time for many people. It makes the history and story accessible for younger readers and has a reassurance in it that lets them know that by the end of the novel, everything will be okay, and that there is always hope, and always a sense that people can get through trying times and be reunited with their family. It doesn’t go into the end of the war but allows the reader to imagine a time where everyone is united and coming together and shows that good things can come out of tragedy. (The Book Muse: Australian Literature Lover’s Blog 2022)

 

 

 

Dreaming With Our eyes Open in Terms Three and Four

 

In term three we celebrate Book Week. It is one of the biggest events in our school library calendar.

The Book Week program provides the theme, resources, ideas and texts to motivate students to focus on books and reading. It highlights the value of reading, school libraries, children’s literature and Australian literature. We, at Cromer, celebrate that and more in our term three literature program which is so rich that it will extend into term four so that we can delve deeply into the amazing texts and enjoy responding to them in a variety of ways.

The Children's Book Council of Australia, Book Week, has been celebrated since 1945. The slogan for this year is Dreaming with Eyes Open. This beautiful theme affords us the opportunity to reflect on our indigenous culture and also open our eyes to the world around us and have the bravery to dream.

A Local Author

An exciting edition to our library collection is the work of first time author, local resident and friend Janice Wilson. Below is my review of the book which many of our students in upper primary have borrowed and enjoyed.

This time-slip adventure will lead the teenage reader into a dystopian world where nothing in nature is as it should be. The reader embarks on a rollicking adventure with Lewis and Corky where they encounter terrifying creatures and nail-biting adventures at every turn of the page. Showcased is Mrs Wilson’s passion for the planet which leads us all to question our own environmental behaviour and commitment to preserving our world as we know it. Vortex 184 leaves the reader wanting more and, judging by the revelations of the final chapter, we have not seen the last of Lewis and Corky.

Author Visits

On Tuesday August 2^nd the students in years 3-6 enjoyed a presentation from Oliver Phommavahn.

 Oliver loves to make people laugh, whether it’s on the page writing humour for kids or on stage as a stand-up comedian. He also shares his passion for writing with kids, using his experience as a primary school teacher. Oliver has performed at various comedy and writers festivals around Australia and Asia. (Oliver Phommavahn biography 2022)

 

On Tuesday August 23^rd Lucas Proudfoot presented to the students in Kindergarten, years one and two.

Lucas Proudfoot is a member of the Tweed Coast Aboriginal and Islander community. He has a background in professional surfing, cultural dance and is an award-winning songwriter and musician. Lucas has been an Australian Indigenous Education Ambassador and is currently a role model for Books in Homes Australia. (The Proud Foots 2017)

 

Sights at The Book Parade

Our annual book parade took place on Thursday August 25^th.  A diverse range of characters were represented!

Reading and Learning in the Library in Term Two

 

National Simultaneous Storytime

On May 25^th our school participated in National Simultaneous Storytime. This event is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).  Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.

In promoting this event ALIA aim to:

·        promote the value of reading and literacy,

·        promote the value and fun of books,

·        promote an Australian writer and publisher,

·        promote storytime activities in libraries and communities around the country,

·        provide opportunities to involve parents, grandparents, the media and others to participate in and enjoy the occasion. (ALIA)

This year we all enjoyed the book Family Tree by Josh Pyke and Ronojoy Ghosh.

The Library Program

Kindergarten:

Bruce Whately is an internationally recognised award-winning author/illustrator. He has written and /or illustrated over 80 picture books for children.

His aim is to entertain and surprise the reader with illustration styles that vary considerably depending on the text and the age group of his audience.

The students in Kindergarten have been engaged with and responsive to the texts that they have been studying this term.

Stage One:

The students have been studying the work of John Burningham in library lessons with Mrs Farr.

He was an English multi award winning author and illustrator of picture books for young children. His obituary in 2011 stated that:

The evolution of the art of picture book-making, of composing a graphic sequence of pictures and words in interdependent harmony, owes much to Burningham, who along with Maurice Sendak was one of the greatest masters of the medium.

Information Fluency

Information fluency is the ability to critically think while engaging with, creating and utilising information and technology, regardless of the information platform or medium. 

Texts provide the means for communication. Students need to access, understand, analyse and evaluate information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school. Success in any learning endeavour depends on being able to make meaning from information.  (Information Fluency Framework. NSW Det)

The students in stage two and three have been participating in information fluency programs this term.

 

Stage Two

The students have been learning about the importance of the fundamental skill of breaking down a question into key words to research information. They have also learnt to analyse websites using the following framework:

·        Currency: Is the information up to date?

·        Relevance: Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?

·        Authority: Who is the author and are they qualified to write about the topic?

·        Accuracy: Is the information reliable (trustworthy) and supported by evidence (well researched using scientific methods)?

·        Purpose: Why does the information exist and is there any bias (is it trying to persuade you to believe something)?

Stage Three

The students have been undertaking webquests using World Book Online.

Participating in webquests has the following benefits

1. They pose clear, open-ended questions that require them to apply the skills of skimming and scanning that they have been learning in class.
2. Tasks are explained in a step by step process so that the students understand what is required.
3. The students are responsible for their own learning and construct a deeper understanding of the content.
4. The learning is self-paced and engaging.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge

Many of our students are participating in the challenge which closes on August 19^th.

 

Happy reading!