The magic of ATMs

I was surprised to find archival footage of Australia’s first Automic Teller Machine (ATM), dating back to 1977(?):


ATM Machines history in Australia 1977


How to withdraw money from ATM

Using Google images search terms, we will explore coins and banknotes of Australia’s neighbouring countries.

This website, Security features of New Zealand’s banknotes has an excellent labelled diagram.

How the whale got a hole in his head – resources

As part of our literacy cycle, students in Stage 1 and Early Stage 1 investigate Aboriginal dreaming stories in Term Three.

To accompany this week’s dreaming story, “How the whale got a hole in his head”, here is a useful website that shows an old Aboriginal rock shelf engraving of a large sea creature at Tamarama in Sydney.

A closeup of a humpback whale spouting is here:


Humpback whale footage: extreme close up blowhole


Star fish walking, you can actually see his legs.


Zombie starfish – Nature’s weirdest events: series 4 episode 3 preview – BBC Two

In the version of the Dreaming story we use, Whale’s friend, Starfish, offers to help remove “mulas” from Whale’s skin. Here is a Youtube clip explaining about barnacles:


SeaTalk – Barnacles

STOP PRESS:

The student book rappers of 1G created a digital slideshow on Photo Peach to accompany this Aboriginal Dreaming story:


How the whale got a hole in his head

Champions read!

Flash learns to hop

A group of Stage 1 (Year 2) students have been working on creating a digital story about the Book Week slogan, “Champions read”. We have spent 30 mins per day (for 2 weeks) watching stimulus material, such as The hare and the tortoise (2009) fable. Also brainstorming, character building, storyboarding, taking digital photos, caption writing, editing, and selecting music. They have discussed their effort on the book rap, Join a reading adventure.

Easter Carnival hopping race

See this exciting digital story on Photo Peach!


Champions read!

Photo Peach message

A Flood in the library?

6W Flood
Class 6W represented the picture book “Flood” with a tabletop 3D model.

The flood was as quick as Usan Bolt.
The flood was as deadly as a spider.
The flood looked like a massive, roaring sea.
The waters of the flood were as unhygienic and dirty as a rubbish heap.

The flood was as wet as a water bomb exploding on your face.
The flood was like a horrifying nightmare.
The flood was as dangerous as a tornado.
The flood was as cold as an ice block.

The flood was as fast as a cheetah running away.
The flood was as violent as the devil’s anger.
The flood was as dangerous as a wild tiger.
The flood was as loud as a lion’s roar.

by students of 6W, 2012.

1-4P York's universe
Class 1-4P presented the Crichton Award-nominated “York’s universe”.

3M Bilby secrets
Class 3M presented the information book “Bilby secrets”

Exciting new books – and their book trailers

Happy Book Week!


In the lion book trailer
The new picture book by James Foley!


Unforgotten book trailer
The new picture book by Tohby Riddle!

I also bought “Too many elephants in this house” by Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner. While there is no trailer, as yet, I still love Andrew’s Youtube clip promoting their previous picture book, “The terrible plop!”:

A magical morning with Phyllis Wong’s friends

Phyllis Wong cover

Today, at The Children’s Bookshop, Beecroft, Paul Macdonald introduced the irrepressible author Geoffrey McSkimming, of “Cairo Jim” fame, to a young audience who’d come to celebrate the start of Book Week with some magic! Geoffrey read from his new novel, “Phyllis Wong and the Forgotten Secrets of Mr Okyto”, the first in a projected series of six books. His professional magic adviser on the book, Sue-Anne Webster, performed some wonderful feats with the help of members of the audience. There were autographs and collectible lapel badges for all!

Paul Macdonald introduces Geoffrey McSkimming
Paul Macdonald introduces Geoffrey McSkimming

Geoffrey 1

Geoffrey 4

Sue-Anne Webster

Geoffrey and Sue-Anne

Geoffrey's imagination
Author Geoffrey McSkimming is about to unleash his “Saturday imagination”, and magician Sue-Anne Webster prepares to catch it in a paper bag at The Children’s Bookshop. For his weekday imagination, Geoffrey would need a bigger container.

Geoffrey 3whiteGeoffrey 2

A highlight of the event:

Geoffrey: “Any questions?”

Comment from audience: “What’s behind that black cloth?”

Geoffrey: “Books I didn’t write.”


Phyllis Wong and the forgotten secrets of Mr Okyto – book trailer

and, as presented by the author, Geoffrey McSkimming:

I found a Youtube clip of Sue-Anne performing rope tricks:

Sue-Anne Webster magic ropes

More displays for Book Week

Penrith champions read
Penrith champions read – in 2012!

That's not a daffodil
Lots of the students didn’t know what daffodils looked like. Luckily, Daffodil Day is coming up!

4W That's not a daffodil
4W’s poster for the book.

Daffodil

More Book Week displays from the classes have been arriving in the school library:

45E Champions read
4/5E decided to create a display using the 2012 theme for Book Week

KB Squish Rabbit
KB presents “Squish Rabbit”

A close-up of one of the Squish portraits:
Squish

It’s Rabbit Season:
Rabbits read

KI No bears
There are no bears in KI…

… or so we thought:
KI No bears... or so we thought

Watch a slideshow of all of these displays (and more as they are added) HERE!

Book Week looms!

It’s Term 3, so the first Book Week displays from classes have started to arrive in the school library! This has been an annual tradition at my school long before I arrived here. The displays become a part of the library decor until the next Book Week, when everything is refreshed. This year’s slogan is “Champions read”.

2H The last Viking
1/2H presents “The last Viking”

K-2B Farm
K-2B presents a frieze featuring “The three billy goats Gruff” and a farm

3F Bus called Heaven
3F presents “A bus called Heaven”

3F Bus called Heaven - unveiled
“A bus called Heaven” – revealed!

K3R Ben and Duck
K-3R presents “Ben and Duck”

K3R Ben and Duck2

K3R Ben and Duck3

1G Rudie nudie
1G presents “Rudie nudie”

1K Surrealism for kids
1K presents “Surrealism for kids”
Click HERE to see some sample pages.

The creators of “The last viking” have also posted 1/2H’s display on their website! Congratulations 1/2H!

Watch a slideshow of all of these displays (and more as they are added) HERE!

Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, for Stage 2

Further to our unit on Financial Literacy, here are some useful Youtube clips about the Royal Australian Mint in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) for Stage 2 students.

A tourist interprets the displays and machinery at the Mint:

Royal Australian Mint

The current range of commemorative and collectible coins are showcased here:

Royal Australian Mint 2012 Product Launch

A tourism specialist has prepared this narrative-free, persuasive clip about the Mint’s experiences available for visitors:

Royal Australian Mint – grasshoppertravel.com

Although this clip is about the 2008 coin releases, it has several sequences which illustrate the processes of coin design and manufacture:

Royal Australian Mint 2008 Products Launch

The original tourist, from the first clip, mints her own commemorative $1 coin. (Spend $3.00 to create $1.00!)

Making Money at Royal Australian Mint