More ideas on Picture Books

A few further thoughts on Picture Books from authors and readers:

Here are 12 reasons why picture books are important.

Little kids love them
Big kids love them
Adults love them
They make us laugh
They make us cry
They make us think
They help us understand the world
They help us understand each other
They stay with us
They are fun to talk about
They are fun to give as gifts
They smell good

http://inkygirl.com/inkygirl-main/2013/11/7/why-picture-books-are-important.html

http://www.tanglewoodbooks.com/tangled-up/15-reasons-why-we-will-always-love-picture-books/

https://www.writersdigest.com/guest-columns/picture-books-are-not-just-for-children-10-reasons-why

What are your reasons for loving them?

Picture Book Month Display

November is my favourite Library month of the year!!  It's Picture Book Month!  For me, picture books are just magical.  So many stories, with all the beautiful illustrations that make the whole thing come to life - and all the layers within the stories and pictures.  Picture Books are never truly just for kids - they are SO much more than that. 

There is a display up in the Library with book covers from some of our staff and students favourite Picture Books  - and I have made and  attached a QR Code to all the ones I could -which should take you to a YouTube clip of the story being read. 

 Give it a try - it's a good way to get into the magic of QR  Codes - another one of my passions!  They can be used for SO much amazing stuff. 

Never underestimate the power of Picture Books - they are personal as well as universal. And they are very, very important - no matter how grown up you may think you are. You should never get so old that you don't read Picture books - that would just be too sad!

Have a wonderful weekend and take time to read!  And .. if anyone was counting, which I'm sure you're not .. 4 weeks to the end of term!

Life is only travelled once - today's moment becomes tomorrow's memory.

Enjoy every moment! 

Mindshift Blog Articles

Check out these articles when you get a moment - it is interesting to note in the first one concerning reading, that the data shows that American students are having as many problems with reading as ours are, along with the same concerns being made by their teachers.  I guess the highlight from that is: We are NOT alone and it ISN'T just us!  Poor comfort maybe, but possibly a comfort anyway!

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54452/why-deeply-diving-into-content-could-be-the-key-to-reading-comprehension

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54514/how-tech-tools-can-reduce-anxiety-and-strengthen-relationships-with-students

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54389/3-ways-to-shape-math-into-a-positive-experience

Enjoy your weekend - 7 weeks to go to the end of Term!      (If anyone is counting)

8 Opal Science – Visiting Seismologists

 8 Opal Science – Visiting Seismologists (that’s Earthquake scientists)

 Three scientists visited the 8 Opal Science class on Thursday 17 as part of our Term 3 study of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Dr Michelle Salmon from the Australian National University, Joel Tatpudi and Rajesh Erigela who are based at the Warramunga Seismic Array situated in the Barkly region.  They set up an active seismograph machine in the classroom on the floor and had an old one that the students could look at and touch.

 

Dr Salmon explained about the array and what it was designed to do. We saw a photo of one of the shafts that the equipment is placed in.

Dr Salmon explained about where earthquakes occur and tectonic plates.  She showed us where they occur, and the frequency that they occur. The pattern of the quakes shows where the boundaries of the plates are, and students were able to explain the different types when quizzed.

Dr Salmon also explained how the Richter scale works and how the magnitudes of the earthquakes is measured.

With questions from students, she also talked about the scientific data that came from the 1988 earthquake that rocked Tennant Creek as well as the recent one this year. The students found it all fascinating. They asked many questions and were impressed with the answers.

Dr Salmon showed the class the seismic wave charts from both earthquakes as well, and the students could see the patterns that were registered. She explained and showed us examples of P, S, Love and Raleigh waves, and how they move through the earth.  At this point the class were asked to stand, and on the count of three, we were all asked to jump. We set off the seismograph, and could see on the screen how the machine showed our impact, our own mini quake. We did this a couple times more to see if we could beat our previous one.

Finally we talked about movies and how they aren’t always scientifically accurate, but some do have good science information in them. We also talked about types of buildings that are safer to build, and structural tricks to keep buildings safer as well as safety procedures should we find ourselves in a severe earthquake. 

Dr Salmon showed us what happened in some famous earthquakes from around the world and even some in Australia and New Zealand.

Guest Blogger:    KSQ

Digital Survival Kit Idea

This is a re-post of one I put up about 3 or so years ago.  It's a suggestion for a Digital Survival Kit, designed by a teacher in the US for his class .. mainly to reinforce some of what he teaches.  Sometimes visual props can make a point better than all the words can.  
Any other suggestions to add?

Padlock: to remind you to have strong passwords
Toothbrush:  Would you share your toothbrush?  No? Don't share your passwords either.
Permanent Marker:  EVERYTHING you put on the Internet is there forever
Toothpaste:  You can't get toothpaste back into the tube - nor can you ever take your posts off the Web.
Magnifying Glass:  What shows up when people search you on Google? Is that what you want people to know about you?  Will it get you a job later?
Fake Tattoo:  'Digital Tattoo' instead of 'Digital Footprint'.  Footprints can be washed away - a tattoo is much harder to get rid of.
Sheet of paper:  Screw it up, stomp on it - now smooth it out and try to make it as new as it was.That's what happens with cyber bullying - the marks are always there.
Strainer:  Know how to 'strain the real' from the Internet.  In other words, know how to spot fake stuff and don't get caught out by hoaxes.

Genre's and Weblinks

The latest genre display is up - and it is DIARY this time.  
There's a range of titles from historical to humour, and hopefully will appeal to a range of tastes.  

Below are also some links taken from the 'Conversation' blog, about educational thoughts and ideas.  I have just grabbed a few that could be topical, so maybe log on and have a look for yourselves. 

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-is-it-ok-to-listen-to-music-while-studying-125222

https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-was-maths-discovered-who-made-up-the-numbers-and-rules-121509

https://theconversation.com/keep-your-job-options-open-and-dont-ditch-science-when-choosing-next-years-school-subjects-123012

https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-difference-between-stem-and-steam-95713

Silent Reading Suggestions

Weblink with ideas on making Silent Reading accessible and useful for students, especially for students moving up through year levels.

https://theconversation.com/10-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-silent-reading-in-schools-123531

Have a look and see what you think.

Big History Project Weblink

Check out the Weblink below on the Big History Project.  
This is free - and includes easily accessible lessons which are updated regularly and highly customisable.  It advertises itself as:  13.8 Billion years of History!  Free!  Online!  Awesome!

Take a few minutes and have a look - see if it is as good as it claims.  

https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive

Fascinating facts

Hey all, 

It's Friday Week 9 and I truly have nothing earthshattering to throw at you today!  So my offering is a list of 'fascinating facts' to catch your attention and have you say 'Really?'  (I haven't even gone through and checked the validity of them - how's that for lazy?)  I'll let you and your classes do that! 

Fascinating Facts

 There is a butterfly found in Brazil that has the smell and colour of chocolate.

 Rats can survive without water longer than camels.

 The elephant is the only animal that has been taught to stand on its head.

During its entire lifetime a house fly never travels more than a few hundred feet from the place where it was born.

 It is impossible to sneeze and keep your eyes open at the same time.

 The starfish has an eye on the end of each arm.

 A zebra's stripes are as individual as human fingerprints. No two zebras are striped alike.

 A fish's heart has two chambers.

 Any whole number decreased by the sum of its digits will leave a remainder that can be divided by 9.

 You can tell a fish's age by counting the rings on its scales in the same way that you can estimate the age of a tree by counting the rings in the trunk.

 It takes about 48 hours for your body to completely digest the food from one meal.

 The rarest disease in the world, called Kuru, or laughing sickness, affects only the cannibals of New Guinea and is believed to be caused by eating human brains.

 The smallest known fish is the Pandaka Pygmea, about the size of an ant and almost transparent.

 Your brain will stop growing in size when you are about 15 years old.

 A full moon is nine times brighter than a half moon.

 Nearly half the people on the earth live in only one thirtieth of the total land area.

 One square mile of land contains more insects than the total number of human beings on earth.

Have an great weekend - and carry on being awesome!  Not long to go to school break!

Genre Display and Weblink ideas

I have updated the mini Genre Display with Adventure as the theme for this week.  There are a couple of 'Choose Your Own' titles included in this collection as well.

When you get a free moment - or two- check out the Weblink below.  It gives a list of the 'Top 10 Blogs for Educators to follow' - and promotes them as  "rock-solid and trusted education blogs that continue to be sources of inspiration for us all as educators from all walks of life."

https://www.wabisabilearning.com/blog/10-best-edtech-blogs

Hopefully there will something there to catch your interest.

Have a fantastic week - and carry on being AWESOME! 

Genre Display Update

I've updated the Genre Display - and it's Horror this week.  

Included in the display is a 'Choose Your Own' story.  These books give you the opportunity to choose how the story runs because as you get to the end of each chapter, you make a choice as to where you'll go.  Therefore, you can have multiple stories in the same book - and different endings to each. 

These have proven popular with the students - and they are not big books, so even the unconfident readers are usually prepared to give it a go.

Mindshift Weblinks

Below are a few weblinks from the MindShift website that caught my attention.  Take a few minutes and check them out for yourselves.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53940/how-hydroponic-school-gardens-can-cultivate-food-justice-year-round

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53892/how-daily-farm-work-and-outdoor-projects-make-learning-in-high-school-better-for-teens

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53701/what-students-gain-from-learning-ethics-in-school

Displays and so on.

Currently I have a small mini display happening in the Library that I am planning to update each week (or so) covering various Genres in the Fiction area.

The one out at the moment is a collection of SPORT titles, and my plan is to try and work my way through most of the Genres in the hopes of catching students interest - as well as giving an understanding of what the pictures on the spines of the books actually mean, and how it can make it easier to choose a book. 

Mr Eckart also has a variety of display boards and posters that his class have done on Indigenous Language and Culture that he updates regularly, and Nurse Beck also regularly updates her board depending on what is happening in her area.  Huge thanks to both of you for keeping it current - and for saving me lots of time.  

We also have a small display of books concerning India tucked in a corner near the magazines which has proven popular for students wanting to flick through stuff - especially the Graphic Novels about Indian myths and legends.  

Holiday Time

Three weeks break coming up!!  Yippee!!

Have a wonderful, relaxing time - take it easy, rejuvenate and make the most of it, wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  

Also, make some time to READ - it's great for the blood pressure according to research.  

Carry on being your awesome selves!

Fundraising for Maths & Science Camps

https://www.schoolsplus.org.au/stem-adventures/

Please visit the website above to give a tax deductable donation and support local students who are keen to stretch their mental skills and understanding in challenging ways.

Since 2016, Tennant Creek High School has been providing opportunities every year for teams to engage and compete in the Science and Engineering Challenge as well as the Maths Enrichment Camp.

These two events offer students alternative non-sporting opportunities to extend themselves and explore the areas of Maths and Science in fun and competitive environments. 

The students carry out fundraising each year to help support travel costs and competition fees.  Those who have attended these events have shown an increased interest in Maths and Science as well as improvement in their attitudes to learning.  

The camp theme is FUN, THINKING & FRIENDSHIP. 

STEAM - powering today's classroom

Below are a few links to articles about schools and STEAM in classrooms and the benefits or otherwise to our students.  I found the one about Math and STEM being a social justice issue fascinating, especially given my inherent dislike of maths and numbers.
  
Take a look when you have a moment and see what you think.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/oct17/vol75/num02/The_STEAM-Powered_Classroom.aspx

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/01/how-steam-education-benefits-students-at-a-young-age/

https://www.gettingsmart.com/2019/06/why-math-and-stem-education-is-a-social-justice-issue/

Tennant Creek Show

https://www.tennantcreekshow.com.au/

Link to the Tennant Creek Show website above.  

The Tennant Creek Show will be on 12th July.  There are a few more updates to come including the Show program and more sponsors added, but it should give you an idea.  There may be lots of things your students could enter in.

Being the 40^th Show – it will be party time as well!!  Cake, Balloons and raffles for gifts. 

There are also some competitions running for people to have fun with ...

* Build A Scarecrow sponsored by the TC Girl Guides
* Cows for Schools sponsored by the NT Cattlemans Association
* Photography Competition - Photo from any previous Show over the last 40 years sponsored by the Barkly Multicultural Association
* Decorate a Party cake to celebrate 40 years sponsored by Barkly Plumbing Services

Check out the Show Program booklet for more information.  You can do this on the website but there are also printed copies available in various businesses.

Remember - it is just a Great Day Out!  See you there.

Maths and Sports

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53767/getting-physical-how-the-flagway-game-sparks-learning-and-love-of-math

Check out the above link  - it's another small gem from the MindShift website about a program called FlagWay which is changing students attitudes to Maths.  It's sort of like a combination of Maths problems and Parkour.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour

I am no fan of Maths, as I'm sure some of you know - but I can see this being fun for the kids.

Mindshift Links

It's been a little while since I've posted on here - and that has been for a variety of reasons.... staff feeling I'm wasting my time/heart surgery slowing things down/changes in how things operate each day.  

But then, every so often I come across small, little gems (in my mind anyway) that I want to share with everyone and here I am!

Today it is a couple of articles I found on the MindShift website.  If you get a few moments, take a look and see what you think.  This site has a link on the side if you want to see what else is there.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/49092/digital-text-is-changing-how-kids-read-just-not-in-the-way-that-you-think

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53681/how-movement-and-exercise-help-kids-learn

Have an awesome day!