Migration library display

In Term 3, Year 6 are working on an Inquiry unit of work related to aspects from the Stage 3 History curriculum:

  • Who were the people who came to Australia? Why did they come?
  • What contribution have significant individuals and groups made to the development of Australian society?

This library display acts as a stimulation for ideas related to migration and immigration. Resources featured within the display include:

The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Hedy’s Journey: the true story of a Hungarian girl fleeing the Holocaust by Michelle Bisson

Books inside the suitcase: The Sound of Freedom by Kathy Kacer; Cry Little Girl by Alyza Barak-Ressler; Hana’s Suitcase: a true story by Karen Levine.

Images from the following books: Gittel’s journey: an Ellis Island story by Lesléa Newman; Waves: for those who came across the sea by Donna Rawlins; Ten Pound Pom by Carole Wilkinson; Migrations: open hearts, open borders edited by the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society.

Photos: Migrants arrive in Sydney – National Archives of Australia: A12111; English class at Bathurst Reception Centre 1951, National Archives of Australia: A12111.

Sourcing resources for learning is one of my favourite tasks as a TL. One resource that I found in my searches is this highly engaging, emotional and thought provoking video Waves of Migration lightshow (2016) by the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Book Week 2019 – Reading is my Secret Power

The theme for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Children’s Book Week 2019 is Reading is my Secret Power. Term 3 is always a busy term with a huge focus on the CBCA Short List books, visiting authors and special art/craft activities at lunchtime. This year we will be celebrating Book Week with a K-3 Book Week Assembly and Book Character Dress-Up Parade which will feature the school choir singing Imagination from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and years K-3 singing the Oompa Loompa song. We will also view a book on Story Box Library.

Reading is My Super Power – Book Week Display 2019

Upcoming author visits:

Years K-2 Lesley Gibbes
Years 3-4 Deborah Abela
Years 5-6 Lian Tanner

This year I will be following lesson sequences for K-2 as Posted in 2018, details can be found via a previous Post – Book Week Lesson Ideas 2018

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Books featured in the Reading is My Secret Power display include:

A child of Books by Oliver Jeffers (2016)

Cocoon by Aura Parker (2019)

Bee & Me: A Story about Friendship by Alison Jay (2017)

Eliot, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer (2013)

National Reconciliation Week Library Displays

The 2019 National Reconciliation Week theme is Grounded in Truth Walk Together with Courage. The library displays feature a selection of our nonfiction and picture book collection.

Books featured: Welcome to country – welcome words by Aunty Joy Murphy with illustrations by Lisa Kennedy; Custodians of the Land by Ellen Rykers; Indigenous Australians Before and After British Settlement by Melanie Gulie; Albert Namatjira: Gordon and Marilyn Darling’s gift to the nation artwork; and Postcards by Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr featuring illustrations from Little Bird’s Day written by Sally Morgan.

Bronwyn Bancroft picture book selection and Aboriginal artwork.

Books featured: Why I love Australia; Patterns of Australia; Kangaroo and Crocodile; and 1 2 3 of Australian Animals.

Book Week 2018 – Find Your Treasure!

Our school library display cases are ready for Book Week 2018 – Find Your Treasure! The first case features children’s literature maps from the books in the suitcase. The picture book A child of books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston is opened on the page “and upon my imagination I float.” Handmade mini treasure books, CBCA Find Your Treasure bookmarks and badge are also presented.

Find Your Treasure – display featuring story maps.

The following display is based on the theme of treasure you find in books. Year 1 and 2 students responded with superb ideas reflecting on the theme including – reading is special, a treasure in a book is a character you meet, books are so good you want to keep reading, find your special book. The display features Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates; Otto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson, Lucy’s Book by Natalie Jane Prior and illustrated by Cheryl Orsini; and The Everywhere Bear by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb. There are also handmade mini treasure books, and sections of the Find Your Treasure Book Week 2018 poster designed by Anna Walker.

Find Your Treasure – display featuring stories, imagination & reading.

National Reconciliation Week

During the week we set up our library displays for National Reconciliation Week, 27 May – 3 June 2018. This year we also created a display for the school reception. Sourcing the information and artworks for the displays is always a stimulating experience. Our workbench was covered in texts and illustrations until we linked the pieces together to create a theme and exhibit an outstanding range of resources.

For information about National Reconciliation Week, a visit to the official website is a must.

National Reconciliation Week

Peter Rabbit library display

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published in 1901, Beatrix Potter self-published and printed 250 copies. Over the years Peter Rabbit has been read, shared and loved by so many children, parents and grandparents alike. In 2016 a first edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit sold at auction for £43,000!

The Peter Rabbit library display features my son’s Peter Rabbit soft toy (now 18 years old), a Bunnykins sculpture that was given to me by a wonderful teacher I previously worked with, author profile books, and newly released Beatrix Potter books. It is always a pleasure to see children enter the library, stand close taking time to admire the displays.

For more information on Beatrix Potter and The Tale of Peter Rabbit visit https://www.peterrabbit.com/

References

Armitstead, C. (2013). How Beatrix Potter self-published Peter Rabbit. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/dec/17/beatrix-potter-peter-rabbit-self-publishing

BBC News. (2016). First edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit sells for £43k at auction. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-36865074

Frederick Warne & Co. (2016). Beatrix Potter. Retrieved from https://www.peterrabbit.com/

Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2018, March 17). Peter Rabbit – official trailer. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/cfAaGhvRmmg 

National Reconciliation Week

It was wonderful to create the new library displays to commemorate National Reconciliation Week. This year we have two displays – one focusing on animals and the beautiful colourful artworks in a selection of children’s picture books, a wooden lizard from Uluru and a turtle painted on stone. The other display represents family highlighting children and traditional artworks on bark from my personal collection.

Australian animals

Children, family and culture

To commemorate Reconciliation Week all classes will be involved in activities and there are special visitors to share stories and knowledge with the children. In addition to the outstanding collection of picture books featuring Australian Indigenous peoples and culture some of the resources that class teachers have been particularly interested in for teaching and learning include:

Say Yes: A story of friendship, fairness and a vote for hope by Jennifer Castles, and illustrations by Paul Seden. This picture book sensitively captures the 1967 Referendum in way that enables historical issues and perspectives to be shared with children. The Allen & Unwin site provide teaching notes and Reading Time has a superb review, the suggested reading age is 7-12.

Stories for Simon by Lisa Sarzin and Lauren Briggs, a moving and beautifully illustrated picture book that helps explain the Stolen Generations to younger students. The Stories for Simon website provides background material about the story and links to Teachers’ Resource notes. The illustrator Lauren Briggs has visited our school on sharing the story with primary students and art workshops with high school students.

Welcome to Country written by Joy Murphy and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy is an outstanding picture book portraying personal traditions of Aboriginal people allowing for teaching and learning of understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture. Walker Books have provided extensive Teacher Notes for this book and a reference to a wide range of resources including picture books with Aboriginal themes, nonfiction books for younger and older readers, websites and video links.

The Message Stick book series published by Nelson Cengage are a wonderful series of books offering Dreaming stories with short plays such as How the Murray River was made and informative books on fishing, hunting and gathering, and bush tucker. The illustrations and photos are highly appealing and informative and text at a level suitable for lower grades. The series also includes a Teacher Resource book.

A special book I enjoy reading to Kindergarten classes is No Way Yirrikipayi! by the children from Milikapiti School, Merville Island and Alison Lester. This is a story of a hungry crocodile that wonders through the natural environment seeking food. Written in English and Tiwi it offers a rich resource to read aloud and encourages children to join in with the repeated phrase “No way Yirrikipayi your not eating me today.”

Books featured in the displays:

Kangaroo and crocodile : my big book of Australian animals by Bronwyn Bancroft

Where is Galah by Sally Morgan

ABC Dreaming by Warren Brim

Children of the Lake by Percy Trezise

Going for Oysters by Jeanie Adams

Welcome to Country by Joy Murphy (two images)

Torres Strait Islander girl and Aboriginal boy from Scholastic School Essentials 

Lizard, stone and bark artworks from my personal collection.