Matlida – 29 years young!

Matilda by Roald Dahl will turn 30 next year, a fact I accidentally discovered as I was organising the items for the book display in our school library. We had several versions of the book with differing styles of covers and some very well read Matilda editions. I think a celebration next year with tea and cake will be superb to honour the enjoyment this book has provided to readers for many years.

ANZAC Day library display

“Anzac Day, 25 April, is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.”

(Australian War Memorial, 2017)

Information about the Commemoration and Educational resources and activities  are provided by the Australian War Memorial. The Primary English Teaching Association Australia also provides Lest We Forget which comprises six literature-based units of work for PETAA members.

A collection picture books, some with teaching notes are available via my Pinterest collection of ANZAC Day commemoration picture books.

Where’s Wally turns 30!

It was great fun setting up the Where’s Wally display for the books 30 year anniversary. Young children have stood eyes wide closely looking at the items in the display case. It was noted in the ABC News article that drawing each scene takes “months to draw…as I work my way through a picture, I add Wally when I come to what I feel is a good place to hide him” (Martin Handford as cited in ABC News, Where’s Wally fans still search for elusive character 30 years

I Read!

Reading was the focus for Year 2’s first Library lesson. I read Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book 
by Julia Donaldson which inspired great discussion. The students were then invited to write about themselves as readers starting with ‘I read…’ ideas were shared and I was able to get a quick snapshot of what the students were currently reading, where they read, when they read, who they read to or with and other interesting going on’s about reading. It also made for a quick display of readers.

 

New Library Display featuring OLIVIA by Ian Falconer

It was so much fun putting the OLIVIA Library display together! Lucky to have had two OLIVIA dolls so one could rest with ears flat. All the Library OLIVIA books are ready for loan. Looking forward to watching children enjoying the display and listening to their comments. The Olivia the Pig webpage has information about the books, fun activities, and an interview with Ian Falconer.  Additional display ideas can be found in previous Posts Book and Theme Promotion Displays and The BFG Display.

olivia

OLIVIA book display

The BFG book promotion

Looking forward to the start of Term 3, ready to go with the new BFG display. Amazing to find a type writer hidden in a beautiful old box in a Library cupboard. So glad for my book shop visit and finding The BFG soft toy. Good to get out the B, F and G volume of the World Book Encyclopedia that has been sitting in a box for too long. Had fun with glitter and sparkle pom poms! BFG books ready for loan.

BFG Display

 

 

 

Celebrating the International Year of Crystallography

In conjunction with the Senior School Science Department, the Junior School Library hosted an exhibition of crystals to help celebrate the International Year of Crystallography. Students observed live crystal gardens, discovered the crystalline structure of ice, viewed fluorescent minerals and diamond structures. The experience provided an amazing opportunity to discover and learn about the power of crystallography.Learning about Crystallography

To get the exhibition up and running it took a good deal of planning and setting up by Tom the Science Lab Assistant who spent several weeks growing crystal gardens and sourcing crystal related materials and specimens.

To make the exhibition as ‘hands-on’ as possible microscopes were set-up and information relating to each of the exhibits was linked via QR Codes. Students were keen to scan the QR Codes with iPads and find out more via video clips and website links. Students also enjoyed taking photos of the crystals and exhibit items and creating posters using Pic Collage.

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