During the week Caroline sent me an email on lib serve to to offer me free of charge through the librarian at Avondale College a complete set of fiction alphabet dividers in excellent condition for no charge.
I gladly went and collected them today and on Tuesday will delight in removing our painted wine boxes which have long served the purpose and look it too.
It just brought home to me again how much support I am receiving through this blog and the list serve.
Anyone passing through Pt Chevfeel free to pop in and see our new spruced up fiction area. Have just finished this week recataloguing it all on SCIS and redoing spine labels and cleaning the covers plus weeding a fair few out too!!!
Cathy
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Scholastic Book Bags
Hi Everyone
I must have not listened very well at the course but at one stage I thought someone said that they were able to get plastic bags from Scholastic for children to use as book bags.
I have rung them today but no-one appears to be able to help me.
Do I have the correct information.
Cathy
I must have not listened very well at the course but at one stage I thought someone said that they were able to get plastic bags from Scholastic for children to use as book bags.
I have rung them today but no-one appears to be able to help me.
Do I have the correct information.
Cathy
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
New LInks Added
Morena Everyone,
Have added the E resources power point with the logos slide and 3 examples of Information Literacy Skills Continums that you can all look at. The schools have oked that they be used by others and adapted to suit their schools. I think that was all. Let me know if there is any thing else we promised .'Alice
Have added the E resources power point with the logos slide and 3 examples of Information Literacy Skills Continums that you can all look at. The schools have oked that they be used by others and adapted to suit their schools. I think that was all. Let me know if there is any thing else we promised .'Alice
Friday, October 23, 2009
Stretchy Library Lessons
HI everyone! What a great day yesterday! I said I'd post about the book I was given. It's from a set called "Stretchy Library Lessons" by Pat Miller ISBN 1-57950-083-8. There are 3 in the set : Library Skills ( the one I have ) , Reading Activities ISBN 1-57950-082-X and Research Skills ISBN 1-57950-084-6. It is very American in content, but has given me some excellent ideas. From the back of the book "Stretchy Library Lessons : Library Skills has 10 lessons that focus on basic library skills, including parts of a book, fiction & non-fiction and the Dewey Decimal System. Each lesson has one 20 minute activity and one stretchy activity that you can tailor to fit your time frame. The lessons include: a listing of the library skills covered, grade range, statement of purpose, list of materials, items to prepare in advance, additional materials needed and appropriate resources. " Mine was given to me by an American librarian friend. Good Luck.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
"Once" by Morris Gleitzman
Felix's parents sent him to live in an orphanage in the mountains in Poland for 3 years. He believes his parents are still alive and are coming back to get him, but when he sees the Nazi soldiers burning the nun's books, he senses that his parents may be in danger. Felix escapes from the orphanage in an effort to find his parents, and in doing so befriends another orphan child named Zelda, who joins Felix on his long journey through Nazi occupied Poland. The children are discovered by the Nazis hiding out with a man called Barney, who cares for Jewish children. Barney then makes the ultimate sacrifice for the children.
This is a brilliant book, sensitively written. It is suitable for children 10 years and older.
The sequel to this book is "Then". I can thoroughly recommend both these books.
Picture Book
"Trev and the Kauri Tree" by Chris Gurney
A typically kiwi version of Jack and the Beanstalk - this childrens picture book tells the story of Trev who climbs a huge kauri tree to steal the Taniwha's greenstone, which he sells on Trademe in an effort to help his cash-strapped mother.
This book will appeal to children of all ages at primary level.
Felix's parents sent him to live in an orphanage in the mountains in Poland for 3 years. He believes his parents are still alive and are coming back to get him, but when he sees the Nazi soldiers burning the nun's books, he senses that his parents may be in danger. Felix escapes from the orphanage in an effort to find his parents, and in doing so befriends another orphan child named Zelda, who joins Felix on his long journey through Nazi occupied Poland. The children are discovered by the Nazis hiding out with a man called Barney, who cares for Jewish children. Barney then makes the ultimate sacrifice for the children.
This is a brilliant book, sensitively written. It is suitable for children 10 years and older.
The sequel to this book is "Then". I can thoroughly recommend both these books.
Picture Book
"Trev and the Kauri Tree" by Chris Gurney
A typically kiwi version of Jack and the Beanstalk - this childrens picture book tells the story of Trev who climbs a huge kauri tree to steal the Taniwha's greenstone, which he sells on Trademe in an effort to help his cash-strapped mother.
This book will appeal to children of all ages at primary level.
BOOK REVIEW
The Trenches, Billy stevens, Western Front 1914-1918, by Jim Eldridge.
This is a historical novel in the "My Story" series, which is based on the real events of WWI.
It is the story of two best friends who lied about their age in an endeavour to enlist with the army because they were eager not to appear cowardly and to experience the excitement and adventure of fighting for their country.
One boy specialized in communications, the other was sent to the front line. This was a huge "wake up" call for both boys who had never travelled more than 30ks from their home town. Their almost "glamorized" picture of war was soon dispelled when all too soon they were faced with seeing half their regiment killed in front of them.
I chose to review this book as it had been issued only twice since being accessioned in 2003.
although fiction it gives a realistic account of life in the trenches, the experiences, hardships, disillusionment and the realization of what war means, in an easy-to-read novel.
I really enjoyed it, but I doubt whether the subject would appeal to a primary school child.
When compared with books such as "Harry Potter" etc. I can understand its lack of appeal (unless perhaps it was read to them), or they were doing a specific topic on war. Consequently I think this book would be more suitable to an older age group - 12 yrs and over.
Annette s
This is a historical novel in the "My Story" series, which is based on the real events of WWI.
It is the story of two best friends who lied about their age in an endeavour to enlist with the army because they were eager not to appear cowardly and to experience the excitement and adventure of fighting for their country.
One boy specialized in communications, the other was sent to the front line. This was a huge "wake up" call for both boys who had never travelled more than 30ks from their home town. Their almost "glamorized" picture of war was soon dispelled when all too soon they were faced with seeing half their regiment killed in front of them.
I chose to review this book as it had been issued only twice since being accessioned in 2003.
although fiction it gives a realistic account of life in the trenches, the experiences, hardships, disillusionment and the realization of what war means, in an easy-to-read novel.
I really enjoyed it, but I doubt whether the subject would appeal to a primary school child.
When compared with books such as "Harry Potter" etc. I can understand its lack of appeal (unless perhaps it was read to them), or they were doing a specific topic on war. Consequently I think this book would be more suitable to an older age group - 12 yrs and over.
Annette s
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Book Review
Book Review
Chicken Feathers by Joy Cowley is a 2009 NZ Post Book Award Finalist. It is a story about a boy called Josh and his pet chicken Semolina who talks to him, (and who likes a drop of Grandmas home brew!) Josh's family own a free range chicken farm. His mum is close to having a baby after years of trying and has to spend 3 months in hospital on bed rest so Grandma come to stay. She doesn't approve of chickens in the house and Semolina gets shooed outside. However there is a fox about and Semolina warns Josh that he is stealing the eggs from the number 3 hen house. Josh tells his dad but he doesn't believe him and certainly doesn't believe that Semolina can talk. A simple and warm story about a family and a special friendship. I think it would suit ages 9-10 and up.
Kerri
Chicken Feathers by Joy Cowley is a 2009 NZ Post Book Award Finalist. It is a story about a boy called Josh and his pet chicken Semolina who talks to him, (and who likes a drop of Grandmas home brew!) Josh's family own a free range chicken farm. His mum is close to having a baby after years of trying and has to spend 3 months in hospital on bed rest so Grandma come to stay. She doesn't approve of chickens in the house and Semolina gets shooed outside. However there is a fox about and Semolina warns Josh that he is stealing the eggs from the number 3 hen house. Josh tells his dad but he doesn't believe him and certainly doesn't believe that Semolina can talk. A simple and warm story about a family and a special friendship. I think it would suit ages 9-10 and up.
Kerri
Monday, October 19, 2009
Book Fair
Hi all, our school is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair in 3 weeks. This is the first time I have done this and am feeling a tad "green" about the best way to run it and in particular the best way to enable our parents to see what we are doing and in turn, buy lots of books!!
Scholastic have provided a fair bit of info but not alot about the above and I wondered if there was any good ideas (or things to avoid) from anyone in our group who has run one of these before. They have booked the Clifford the Big Red Dog costume for me so I may have to run amok at assembly on the Friday!
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and see you Thursday.
Cheers, Kerri Hartley-Jones
Hi all, our school is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair in 3 weeks. This is the first time I have done this and am feeling a tad "green" about the best way to run it and in particular the best way to enable our parents to see what we are doing and in turn, buy lots of books!!
Scholastic have provided a fair bit of info but not alot about the above and I wondered if there was any good ideas (or things to avoid) from anyone in our group who has run one of these before. They have booked the Clifford the Big Red Dog costume for me so I may have to run amok at assembly on the Friday!
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and see you Thursday.
Cheers, Kerri Hartley-Jones
Monday, October 12, 2009
Book Review
Hatchet: The Return by Gary Paulsen
This story is a sequel to Gary Paulsen's award winning novel Hatchet. In the story Hatchet, Brian takes a plane trip to Canada and the pilot has a heart attack and the plane crashes. Brian finds himself all alone with only his hatchet to help him find his way out of the wilderness... which he does. In the sequel, which is set one year later. Brian is approached by a psychologist to relive his experience. But this time he is given the luxuries of shelter and sleeping equipment. Brian becomes frustrated and this causes him to make a bad decision which leaves him with nothing but items in his pocket.
Out of nowhere, lightening strikes and hits the psychologist which causes him to become comatose. Brian and the psychologist are taken on a multitude of adventures such as being attacked by thousands of hungry mosquitoes while rafting through the rapid waters. This tests Brian's survival skills.
This story is full of adventure, excitement and survival techniques.
This story is a sequel to Gary Paulsen's award winning novel Hatchet. In the story Hatchet, Brian takes a plane trip to Canada and the pilot has a heart attack and the plane crashes. Brian finds himself all alone with only his hatchet to help him find his way out of the wilderness... which he does. In the sequel, which is set one year later. Brian is approached by a psychologist to relive his experience. But this time he is given the luxuries of shelter and sleeping equipment. Brian becomes frustrated and this causes him to make a bad decision which leaves him with nothing but items in his pocket.
Out of nowhere, lightening strikes and hits the psychologist which causes him to become comatose. Brian and the psychologist are taken on a multitude of adventures such as being attacked by thousands of hungry mosquitoes while rafting through the rapid waters. This tests Brian's survival skills.
This story is full of adventure, excitement and survival techniques.
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