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Tuesday 31 August 2021

Haiku competition with Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop


On Friday last week, which was National Poetry Day, Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop launched a haiku competition. The competition is open until the end of lockdown, so you can still enter. The prize is a $50 book voucher!

Your Haiku must include one of these six words: book, read, page, story, pukapuka, word - and the last word of the first book you pull from your bookshelf.

Send your Haiku to shop@dorothybutler.co.nz or post on their Facebook/Insta.

#nzpoetryday #haikuchallenge #lockdownnz

Here are a few examples of other entries.

Remember, a Haiku has 5 syllables in line 1, 7 syllables in line 2 and 5 syllables in line 3. Remember to include the words listed earlier. Happy writing.



Reading in interesting places

Keep those pics coming, Woodlands Park School. 

Make sure you have parental supervision when getting into interesting spaces. 

Happy reading!






Monday 30 August 2021

Reading in interesting places

Wow, these pictures are coming in as fast as I can post them! Fabulous! I love your inventiveness.





This pic (above) came with a note (Dad says I was only allowed to do this for a minute and under strict parental supervision!)



Toffee the dog is reading Aline's book!




 

Reading in interesting places

Morena tamariki,

What a storm last night! I hope your homes are all dry.

Thanks for sending me your pics. I love to see you reading in interesting places. Keep the pics coming.






Parents, if you're happy for your child's reading pic to be added to this blog, please make a note in your emails to me. Thanks.

library@woodlandspark.school.nz

Happy reading!
Take care


Sunday 29 August 2021

Reading in interesting places




Thanks to Lauren for getting the ball rolling with our READING IN INTERESTING PLACES competition. Lauren was reading The Unicorns of Blossom Wood and a Geronimo Stilton Book. I love your hideout on the trampoline - but I'm sure when you were reading, you travelled to all sorts of faraway places in your mind. 

I bet your guinea pig enjoyed being read to. He/she (?) probably related well to Geronimo Stilton's character :)

Send your pics to Kate at library@woodlandspark.school.nz if you'd like to have a chance to win a prize from my prize box. And if you'd like your pic to be posted on the blog, please include parental permission in the email.

It's a rainy, book reading kind of day, isn't it?

Ka kite ano



Te Reo resources

Thanks, Roz for sharing this Te Reo resource. Free during lockdown!

https://tereoclub.co.nz/

Here are some other Te Reo learning resources:

https://wakelet.com/wake/wgfeiTq_TLAWUERonDva2/edit

Virtually visit Leigh Hobbs in his studio

I love Mr Chicken goes to Paris and Old Tom's big book of beauty by Leigh Hobbs. We have them both in our school library. 

Would you like to virtually visit Leigh Hobbs in his studio where he creates his picture books? He discusses the inspiration for his characters and shows how they're drawn, in his short film series - 'That's Me'.

https://www.leighhobbs.com.au/thats-me-film-series/


Maybe you'd like to create your own quirky characters. Send me your pics to library@woodlandspark.school.nz and I'll put some up on the blog. You could write some notes about your character around the picture... 

Swapna Haddow's new book - Bad Panda; and Zac's book review blog

Kia Ora Woodlands Park School,

Remember when Swapna Haddow visited our school



Well, Swapna is launching a new book in NZ in September. To celebrate, Zac McCallum, (an NZ school librarian), will be doing a virtual book launch.

Details: Wednesday 1 September at 10.30 am. Zac says "Please join us ... to hear about this hilarious book." 

Here is the Zoom link: 

Zoom meeting

Meeting ID: 968 4815 4070

Passcode: DrKh9U

Zac McCallum is a school librarian in Christchurch. He has an excellent blog where he reviews children's books. It is well worth visiting.

It's called My Best Friends Are Books.



Zac also says, "NZ kids and YA bloggers are also part of the Bad Panda NZ Blog Tour starting next week. The graphic with the schedule is below"

Thursday 26 August 2021

New resources on the Wakelet

Morena,

I hope you're not getting cabin fever.

I've curated some museums and galleries to visit virtually here:

https://wakelet.com/wake/WT_WMDELlI7hUSRTdVOFO

I've started a history collection. The RNZ podcasts look interesting. I haven't listened to them, so I advise parents or teachers to check them out first. 



I also advise parental supervision for the Anne Frank Museum. I visited it when I was 12 and found some of the pictures harrowing. I am not sure what is shown on the website, but parents, have a look and then decide based on your child. There are many children at WPS who are interested in Anne Frank, and who have read the graphic novel about her, or her actual diary.

https://wakelet.com/wake/rUgPQ2dA3tOfR6-3CCOoo

There are heaps of cool activities on the Wakelet, so have a browse.

Here are some virtual jigsaw puzzles:

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/online-jigsaw-puzzles-using-our-collections?fbclid=IwAR2STb7HVPCQfU0c-XEY2POP2AaJb78h_JJ_CIILYTkLITY8hRiHIn7gJmk

I'm attending an online LIANZA webinar soon - and hope to gather some more resources and activities for you.

Stay safe and well

Kate

Wednesday 25 August 2021

Saturday Live Read Along

May be an image of 1 person, book and text that says 'MR MAC'S BOOKS BOORES KIDS READ ALONG! LIVE reading of THE SUPER WEIRDOS! Mr Mac will be reading The Super Weirdos and the Battle of Bash LIVE on Saturday the 28th of August at 4pm! Be into WIN the book he reads by SHARING the live stream! VEIRDOS SUPER BIRDOS SUBE 2T E www.mrmacsbooks.co.nz'


On Saturday 28th August you can watch the live reading of The Super Weirdos by Mr Mac.

Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1034047350698079/?ref=newsfeed

FREE FULL WONKY DONKEY SHOW AT 11AM WITH CRAIG SMITH

Morena,

Check this out:

TODAY AT 11 AM UTC+12 – 12 PM UTC+12


May be a cartoon of 1 person, book and text


Thanks for sending this to me, Mrs E!

Ka kite ano

Tuesday 24 August 2021

Storytime

Kia Ora,

Moon & Sun

I recorded a reading of Moon & Sun by Melinda Szymanik today. It's on the School Activity Library on Seesaw.

Moon & Sun -

This gorgeous book was one of the finalists in the New Zealand Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Activity:

Would you like to look out for the rising moon tonight and write a poem for National Poetry Day (27 August)? See how the writer combined two things; the moon & sun, and sibling relationships.

Crabs & Seashells

Also, here's a fun song about Crabs & Seashells from the Glen Eden Library.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm6s59LBoms

Monday 23 August 2021

Quiz time

Book quiz questions:

Illustration of a stack of books

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/have-some-fun/quizzes/


Check out these book quizzes, Olympic Games quizzes, Fairy Tale quizzes and so much more!

National Poetry Day is this Friday

Kia Ora,

Friday 27th August is National Poetry Day in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Paula Green has compiled some videos of authors reading poems. Have a look on her page (scroll down to see the videos):

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2021/08/23/poetry-box-national-poetry-day-celebration-8-nz-childrens-authors-read-a-poem-for-you-plus-poetry-challenges-plus-book-giveaways-ideas-for-schools-and-for-lockdown-time/

Paula Green has also posted a poetry challenge on her website. Here it is:

Deadline: 10th September

Send to: paulajoygreen@gmail.com

Include: name, age, year, name of school or homeschooled

Don’t forget to put National Poetry Day Poem in subject line so I don’t miss it

I will post some favourite poems on 17th September. I will have loads of books to give away! I will read all the poems and email you back by this date.

IF YOU MAKE a video – I need parental permission to post it if I pick it.

TOP TIP: Leave your poem for a day and then read it out loud. Listen again before you send it to me.

So, young poets... See, imagine, write...

Sunday 22 August 2021

Book review challenge

Hi again,

What are you reading at the moment? We usually do verbal book reviews at book club. 

How about you share your book reviews with me and I can post them to this blog for others to enjoy? This challenge is for all the children at WPS, not just the book club.

You can email your book reviews to library@woodlandspark.school.nz

Here are some tips on how to write a book review:

https://hookedonbooks.org.nz/how-to-write-a-review/

I'll start. 

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Rooftoppers

When Sophie is a baby, she is found amongst the debris of a shipwreck, floating in a cello case. She is adopted by Charles, the man who found her. They live an atypical life - surrounded by books. Sophie is allowed to write on the wallpaper, and wear pants (it's the olden days). Her bookish, but untraditional upbringing raises eyebrows. When Sophie and Charles hear that she is to be taken away and put into a children's home, they decide to escape to Paris, and search for her mother. Sophie has always believed her mother survived the shipwreck. 

While staying in Paris, Charles instructs her to stay in her room during the day. He is following leads about the suspicious sinking of the ship. But Sophie finds a ceiling window that opens to the roof, and begins to explore. She meets Matteo, a French boy, who lives on the roof. He calls himself a 'rooftopper', and he survives by shooting pigeons with a bow and arrow and cooking meat over a fire. He has also made a shelter out of feathers. He is a wild and innovative boy. He shows Sophie another view and perspective of the world. He introduces them to the sisters who live in trees. Together, Sophie's new friends will help her search for her mother, by following the notes played by a cello.

I loved the author's use of unique metaphors and descriptive language to bring people and places to vivid life. This is a beautiful read for children, and adults who love children's books. I recommend it for years 4-6.

Five stars!

Wilbur's Cosmic Cone - written by Alan D. Parr, illustrated by Anna Lee

Morena tamariki,

I'm so glad we managed to have Book Week this year. If you want to reflect on some of the fun we had, there are some lovely pics of the Book Character Parade on the WPS Facebook Page. I've also written a blog post about the Des Hunt visit.

We were also visited by Alan D. Parr, the author of Wilbur's Cosmic Cone. He is a school parent, author and TV cartoon scriptwriter. Alan delighted the Y0-2 children with a reading of Wilbur's Cosmic Cone. He also visited his daughter's Y3/4 class. 


While he read, Alan flicked through the lively illustrations on the class TVs. He brought along the crocheted versions of the characters from his book. 



Alan has a natural orator's voice, and a warm persona, which the children enjoyed. Teachers and children laughed at the funny bits and were drawn into the story. They asked interesting questions. He was really accommodating, visiting 5 classrooms. One of the teachers told me that the children did some inspired writing after he left, and they were trying out big words and vocabulary.


Write a story

Here's a fun challenge:

Would you like to write a story where you combine something interesting about your pet (or an animal at the Zoo), and something outlandish?

It's fun to write stories about something you know about in your own world, combined with something imaginary. In Wilbur's Cosmic Cone, Wilbur the dog is zoomed up to Mars. You could integrate anything that comes to your imagination with a real world character. It doesn't have to be an animal. It could be a story about how your sister developed superpowers. I don't know... it's your story, so have fun with it.

Activity sheets

Here are some "how to draw Wilbur" activity sheets.



I'll be back later with more resources.

Ka kite ano


Thursday 19 August 2021

Hairy Maclary and Donovan Bixley activities

Morena tamariki,

I hope you're taking a moment to do something nice today. I took my dogs for a little walk, with my mask on. They remind me of Hairy Maclary and Friends. 

Here's an activity pack of Hairy Maclary and Friends, and if you click on the link you'll also find a Slinky Malinki activity pack on the website:

Hairy Maclary and Slinky Malinky activities

https://www.penguin.co.nz/activities/2621-hairy-maclary-activity-pack?fbclid=IwAR0VwrkNAXzPNJyto2uYGRRQCbrq2xG1btFlCV7TWMYTlGj5bzY4u3CBoSo

There are some fun Donovan Bixley activities here:

https://www.hachette.co.nz/whats-on/welcome-to-the-world-of-donovan-bixley/?fbclid=IwAR1lEzKjF-W9dyFR30VJuoQv6uOuyfTfGu8VJ4wGKF8SsVrMaysN6un1bL8

Ka kite ano

Wednesday 18 August 2021

Fabulous resources from NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults

Kia Ora Woodlands Park School whanau,

While we're in lockdown, I'll keep you posted with resources.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have some fabulous resources that I want to share here. There are excerpts from the list of finalists, author/illustrator Q&A sessions, writing workshops, drawing workshops, and a behind the scenes session with Kate Parker.

https://lianza.org.nz/events/books-alive-online-events-virtual-storytimes/books-alive-2021/

Kōwhai and the Giants

Kate Parker won the best picture book award and the best first book award at the NZCYA awards for Kowhai and the Giants. Parker is a WPS mum. We are so proud of her.

Click here for the virtual story times:

https://lianza.org.nz/events/books-alive-online-events-virtual-storytimes/virtual-storytimes-2021/

Thanks to LIANZA for curating these resources.


Tuesday 3 August 2021

Des Hunt's visit

It's Book Week at Woodlands Park School. On Monday, Des Hunt visited whanau pohutukawa and whanau harakeke in the hall. He is a multi-award winning and much loved New Zealand author who writes "Kiwi Stories for Kiwi Kids". We have most of Des Hunt's fiction novels in the school library, and many teachers use his books for novel studies.

It was interesting to hear about the author's life and writing journey. The children and teachers were thoroughly engaged and thrilled!  He cleverly demonstrated the idea of plot structure through magnets, with a metaphorical reader (metal ball) shooting through the story. 

He showed us the build-up of tension through an inflating balloon that grew... and grew... and burst! Judging by the cheering children, they loved it too! 


We learnt a little about chemistry and physics and about how stories work. A story needs conflict to hook the reader in, but it also needs things to go right at the end (in children's fiction anyway). There needs to be dramatic tension - a climax (balloon popping) and a release of that tension. I'm sure the young aspiring writers and readers picked up some tips.


We organised Des Hunt through the Writers in Schools programme. Thank you to ReadNZ Te Pou Muramura! And thank you to Des and his lovely wife, Lynne, for your time and energy in sharing a love of reading and science with the children.