Tag Archives: Book Week

Superheroes are champion readers

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Announcing another Stage 1 digital story based on the Book Week 2012 slogan. As mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m spending two weeks with each class group (about twelve selected students), identified by each class teacher, for 30 mins per day. In this particular example, the teacher wanted every student in her class to have the experience, so Year 1 students of a composite class started a story (theme, character building, some photos) and the Year 2 students finished it (more photos, sequencing, caption writing, editing, etc).

Here is their effort, “Superheroes are champion readers“, hot off the virtual press:
photopeach.com/album/78xb36


Superheroes are champion readers!

Remember that Photo Peach requires the latest version of Flash to view the digital story.
ABOUT PHOTO PEACH:
Please remember that Photo Peach is blocked for student use by the NSW DEC’s web filters. For good reason. It has some very unsavoury stuff on it. Similar to Youtube, no one rates the material. Search “What’s popular” or “What’s new” on the site and you’ll find lots of other… inappropriate stuff. Just like Youtube and other Web 2.0 tools, such as wikis and blogs.

Every time I’ve used the Photo Peach site, it’s under MY username and (secret) password. We work on brainstorming and storyboarding offline, then upload photos or graphics under my direct supervision, edit in small groups, and view our finished products the same way. My username and password, and no one else can change it. No open browsing. Unless you close off open comments, these, too, have to be previewed before each use with students if you notice a new comment has been added.

I’ve written several articles about strategies for use. Click HERE to download a PDF from Scan teacher librarians’ journal (NSW DEC).

or our Guided Inquiry site, featuring lots of Stage 3 persuasive slideshows

or other articles ‘iInquire… iLearn… iCreate… iShare: Stage 1 students create digital stories’ in Scan 30(2) May 2011, pp 4-5.

or a similar idea using PowerPoint instead: ‘Have blog, will storyboard!’ in info@aslansw Issue #2, May 2010, pp 5-8.

Recent NSW DEC book raps have excellent online instructions for using Web 2.0 tools with students. Scroll down on the PDF linked HERE.

On the “Guided Inquiry” site, I have the following warning:
“Teachers and parents: By the way, just a few points to consider with Photo Peach: Use it as judiciously as you would a series of Youtube clips. Don’t permit students to do open browsing; Photo Peach is a Web 2.0 facility that is open to anyone, and the slideshows are ‘unrated’. Also, if you notice that new comments have been added to a slideshow you’ve made, please preview the slideshow again before using it with students so you can monitor (and moderate/remove) unwanted comments. (Or close off comments altogether.) Consider a subscription to Photo Peach, which enables you to add your own or Creative Commons music, a wider range of transitions, and the capacity to download slideshows to your hard drive, web space or a CD.”

While there is some inconvenience with using Photo Peach, it’s still an amazing resource and the benefits outweigh the problems. Small group work enhances opportunities for talking & listening, negotiating and other skills.

Champions read!

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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?

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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”

A magical morning with Phyllis Wong’s friends

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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

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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!

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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!

Book trailers for Book Week

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The students and I have begun to explore some book trailers, both official and student-created, for the CBCA shortlisted books of 2012:


The last Viking book trailer – Norman Jorgensen & James Foley


The golden door book trailer – Emily Rodda


Rudie nudie book trailer – Emma Quay

Here’s a persuasive digital slideshow questioning whether the Tasmanian thylacine is really extinct:

Compare this Youtube video clip to the picture book, “The dream of the thylacine” by Margaret Wild & Ron Brooks.

Frané Lessac visits!

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Frané sketches Duffy

To help us celebrate Children’s Book Week, award-winning illustrator Frané Lessac came to talk about her career with students in K-2. We had prepared for her visit by looking at several of her picture books, including “Simpson and his donkey”, which was written by her husband, author Mark Greenwood.

Frané and her audience

Frané's mock-up book

Frané enthralled us with anecdotes about the pet monkey she had as a child in New Jersey, USA, and her time living on a tiny island which was almost totally destroyed when its volcano erupted. She painted a picture of Duffy, Simpson’s donkey, and showed a slideshow of her other picture books, including several about Australian bushrangers.

We had a great time! Thank you, Frané – and Lateral Learning!

Frané's volcano
Frané’s volcano

Frané Lessac's completed artwork of Duffy
Frané completed artwork of Duffy

Frané's paint water cup

Above: Frané’s pet cat usually drinks the contents of her paint-water cup, which is one reason she tries to always use non toxic paints, but her cat lives in Fremantle, Western Australia. (Maybe we could sell this exclusive souvenir on eBay?)

Frané's brush technique

Book Week approaches

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Aldi world map

Teacher-librarians had been mentioning that Aldi supermarkets were stocking a large, exclusive, felt map of the world, which might prove useful to decorate the library for Book Week (this year’s theme being, “One world, many stories”). I checked out my local Aldi today and, sure enough, there it was. It comes with 100 small felt pieces to attach to the map: iconic buildings, animals, birds, people, products, rivers – and labels for the oceans and continents. Looks great!

Family forest display

Congratulations to Class 1H for creating this beautiful display for the library on the picture book, “Family forest”! This and other class displays are in my Flickr slideshow.