Books Light Up OUr World In Term Three

Term Three is always our most exciting term as we study the books that have been short listed by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and vote for the texts that we think should be the winners. We also prepare for the major event of the year, the annual book parade. This is always a wonderful celebration of books and reading.

All children are encouraged to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge and the MS Readathon. We have been learning about Multiple Sclerosis in our library lessons and have heard the stories of some people who suffer from the disease and have been helped by the MS Society.

As we have a number of teachers and students who have relatives who suffer from MS, we encourage the Cromer community to support this worthy cause.

Our book fair will not take place during book week this year. We look forward to having a wonderful book fair in the hall from the 27^th of October during grandparents’ week.

The Short List

The students study books that have been short listed in a number of categories. The studies involve researching the authors and illustrators, studying the texts, participating in visual literacy activities and participating in online activities that enrich our understanding of themes and issues presented in the books.

The short listed books are:

Book of the Year for Early Childhood

These books will be studied by the students in  K/6B  and Kindergarten

Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey

Scary Night by Lesley Gibbes and Stephen Michael King

Go to Sleep Jessie by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood

A House of Her Own by Jenny Hughes and Jonathan Bentley

Snail and Turtle are Friends by Stephen Michael King

Noni the Pony by Alison Lester

Picture Book of the Year

These books will be studied by Year Four

Rivertime by Trace Bella

My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood

One Minute’s Silence by David Metzenthen and Michael Camilleri

The Stone Lion by Margaret Wild and Ritva Voutila

Fire by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

The Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

These books will be studied by Year Three

The A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen’s Land by Simon Barnard

Mary’s Australia by Pamela Freeman

Emu by Claire Saxby and Graham Byrne

Tea and Sugar Christmas by Jane Jolly and Robert Ingpen

The Crighton Award for New Illustrators

A selection of these books will also be studied by Year Three

Rivertime by Trace Bella

Kick With My Left Foot by Paul Seden and Karen Briggs

One Minute’s Silence by David Metzenthen and Michael Camilleri

Little Dog and the Christmas Wish by Corinne Fenton  Robin Cowcher

Meet Douglas Mawson by Mike Dumbleton and Snip Green

The Lost Girl by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Leanne Tobin

Book of the Year for Younger Readers

These books will be studied by Years Five and Six

Two Wolves by Tristan Banks

The Simple Things by Bill Condon

Figgy in the World by Tamsin Janu

Bleak Boy and Hunter Stand Out in the Rain by Stephen Herrick

Withering-By-Sea: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue by Judith Rossell

Years One and Two and 3/4/5M will study a selection of texts from the above categories.

Start planning those costumes for the book parade and keep reading!

 

 

Fun In The Library In Term Two

The Term Two library program is well underway with many varied literary and research activities for all grades.

Kindergarten

 The library program has been designed to link  with the course of study on weather that is being undertaken in class. We will be looking at eBooks using World Book Online, researching information in factual texts and film clips and learning a range of songs and poems.

K/6B

Sunshine Books Online underpins the course of study designed for K/6B. The students will read texts together, engage in related digital activities and complete worksheets related to the texts studied.

Year One

The students in Year One will undertake a Colin McNaughton author study. They will use their visual literacy skills to analyse the story behind the text in his entertaining books.

Year Two

The students in Year Two will be undertaking a study of fractured fairy tales. In each lesson we will read the original tale and then a fractured version written through the eyes of one of the characters in the story. We will watch film clips of the fairy tales analysing similarities and differences and the elements that make them humorous. The students will plan their own fractured fairy tales to share with the class.

Year Three

Year Three will be journeying into the Dreaming to explore a number of traditional stories both online and in texts.

 

3/4/5 M

 The students in 3/4/5 M will be studying the conversion of story to film based on the work of Paul Jennings and the Round the Twist series. They will analyse such elements as:

• Plot structure and changes that are made due to production demands
• The use of montage
• Point of view
• Satire
• Fantasy and Realism
• Irony and Parody
• Stereotyping
• Conflict and Resoultion

Year Four

The work of Roald Dahl is the focus of the Year Four unit of study. Many of the students have enjoyed his work which is a popular choice for borrowing. Our unit of study will explore the influences on Dahl’s work, his childhood experiences and his journey as an author. We will focus on what we can learn as writers from our research into the life and work of this great author.

Year Five

The unit of study for Year Five is designed to link with their studies of electricity in the classroom. With the use of film clips, e-books and information facts will be gathered and presented in a Smart Notebook using multimedia tools.

Year Six

In Year Six we will be studying classics in graphic novel form. We will use our skills of visual literacy to analyse the graphic presentations and film clips. Books to be studied are:

·         Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

·         The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

·         War of the Worlds by H G Wells

·         20 000 Leagues Under the Sea  by Jules Vernehe Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

National Simultaneous Storytime

The students of Cromer School will again participate in National Simultaneous Storytime on Wednesday May 27^th.  This event aims to encourage more young Australians to read and enjoy books. The Australian Library and Information Association tells us that:

 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.

By facilitating National Simultaneous Storytime we 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 public libraries and communities around the country;

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

Premier’s Reading Challenge

All students are encouraged to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. There are many books on

 

Welcome To 2015

Life in the library is very busy and the students are enjoying the many activities that are available on Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings before school and at lunch time on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The term one program is well underway. All units of study have a strong focus on quality literature.

Kindergarten

The students in Kindergarten will study ten picture books that have been shortlisted or won the title of notable books in previous years. One book will be studied each week and many varied activities both digital and creative have been designed to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of these texts.

Year One

Ten notable and shortlisted books have also been chosen for the course of study for Year One.

Year Two

The Year Two students will be introduced to a number of the junior chapter books that are in the library collection. By focusing on quality examples each week it is hoped that the students will be inspired to read more challenging texts. Of course some quality picture books have also been included in the course.

Year Three

The students in Year Three will study the book Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr. We will read chapters from the text  and undertake written tasks related to themes and issues encountered in our reading.

Year Four

A number of texts have been chosen for the development of visual literacy and research skills in the Year Four. All of the books studied are linked to online activities.

Year Three, Four, Five M

The Year Three and Four students will study the Wacky Families series by Jackie French. The Year Five students will choose a Jackie French book to read and will be required to research themes and issues in the text. They will present an advertisement for the book to the class.

Stage Three

Over the years many quality novels have been shortlisted and studied by previous Stage Three students.  I have purchased multiple copies of many of the very popular texts. It is my aim, in this unit of study, to introduce the current generation of Stage Three students to the wonderful novels that are available for loan. Ten books will be presented during the course of the term.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge

The challenge opens on March 2^nd.

The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely.

The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is available for all NSW students in Kindergarten-Year 9, in government, independent, Catholic and home schools.

 

Happy reading in Term One.