Ain't No Party Like a Library Book Club Party!

Yesterday was our last Book Club for the year. We celebrated by eating junk food (yes, in the library! Our Book Club numbers have fluctuated throughout  the year, due to sport commitments and the like but out regular members can be seen in the picture below munching away at their treats.

Book Club has been such a blast this year. Thank you to all of you for your reviews, chats and general madness! 

To anyone interested in joining Book Club next year, here are a few more reasons to tempt you...

Book Club gets first pick of any new books that are accessed into the library. 

Book Club type up reviews which often are published here on the library blog.

Book Club occasionally get treats, like biscuits. 

Digital Book Trailers

This is a project the Grade Sevens undertook in library and I'm so excited to share a few of the final products on the blog today. Book reviews form a big part of our library curriculum, learners practice creating blurbs for books they've read using elements that publishers would use in order to create an interest in reading the book. Learners also learn that it's OK to give an honest opinion about a book they've read. 

By the time Grade Seven comes around, book reviews can begin to feel a bit like a chore. So, we shook up the concept of a book review by deciding to create digital book trailers. The Grade Sevens worked in groups. They made a unanimous decision about which book they were going to "advertise". They then created a storyboard. Over the course of the following lessons, they used Windows Movie Maker to create a trailer. The Grade Sevens also learnt a little about copyright and borrowing images from websites. They were given the instruction to include credits to where they found images on the web. The music they used was from copyright free sites. This project took a little while to complete but I was completely amazed by how creative the Grade Sevens got. I was so proud of them after watching their completed trailers. Library also became a fun session, I was often greeted at the door by eager faces asking if they were going to work on their trailers during their lesson. 

Below is one really excellent trailer from each class. Well done to every Grade Seven pupil though on the effort they put into their trailers.

The Enemy  Created by Matt B and Kieran C (7Du)

Spud   Created by Tristan, Vito, Morgan and Josh (7Ke)

                   

Twilight   Created by Jade, Leah and Rhiannon (7Nu)

                     

The Hunger Games   Created by James B and Gabriel (7Sk)

                     

The Big Return to the LIbrary

Over the next two weeks every class in the school will be visiting the library for the last time in 2012. Can you believe we've reached this point of the year already?

The good news is that it means a lovely holiday is around the corner. The bad news is that it's also the time that every one returns any library book they currently have out on their name. Our books are well-read and need a little holiday too!

If you have any outstanding books, you are welcome to drop them off at the library at break or after school and don't forget to bring those bags when you visit with your class.

If you need a reading fix during the December holidays, why don't you pop in to one of the local libraries? Joining is free and they allow you to take up to ten books out! Here are a few libraries that are close by:

Fish Hoek Library

Central Circle, Fish Hoek

021 784 2030

Ocean View Library

Carina Close, Ocean View

021 783 1887

Kommetjie Library

Somerset Road, Kommetjie

021 783 1848

It's Blog, Blog, Blogs for Grade Sixes in the Library!

Here is another post brought to you by our amazing Grade Six bloggers! This post was written by Liam, Cole, James and Fayan in Grade 6 Williams. They chose the "Top Ten Books" topic. I think they did a pretty good job of selling the books on their list!

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Top 10 Must Reads

These books are the top ten books in our opinion that we suggest you read, that is if you haven’t read them already!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games is a fast-paced, action-packed book. It can get sad and violent and is not for the light-hearted.

Skulduggery Pleasant (The Faceless Ones) by Derek Landy

Skulduggery Pleasant is a hilarious book filled with magic and mystery.

It is impossible to put down.

Percy Jackson (The Lightning Thief) by Rick Riordan

It is an action packed, fictional, page turner. Don’t read this book if you don’t like magical action.

Artemis Fowl (The Opal Deception) By Eion Colfer

It is an action-packed, awesome book. It is a brilliant mix of sci–fi and fantasy.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling

It is a magical book of wonder and has a brilliant plot. This is a definite must read.

Supernaturalist by Eion Colfer

This is a really good sci-fi book. It shows a fairly near future where the greed of the human race has grown immensely.

Inkeart by Cornelia Funke

Inkheart is a very original book. There is no other book like this. It is really good.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

A well written, epic fantasy adventure that goes on and on but, by the end, you want it to go on longer.

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

The Enemy is a scary but gripping book. If you like horror you must read this book.   

The Witches by Roald Dahl       

The Witches is a happy book. It's funny and amazing and if you have a little sister this is a great bed time story to read her (and to scare her with!)     

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Read other blog posts by our talented Grade Six writers here!

Dinosaurs in the LIbrary

The Grade Threes are currently learning all about dinosaurs in class, a topic they are very enthusiastic about! During library they have been exploring their creative side by writing funny poems about dinosaurs.

Before we began, we learnt about where dinosaur books can be found on the library shelves according to the Dewey Decimal system. They were then taken through a process to help them construct a poem and once they had all their planning in place, they set off to write their masterpieces.

Some found it challenging, some couldn't stop the words tumbling from their brain to their pages, but overall their efforts resulted in hilarious dinosaur poems.

The following poem was written by Aaron in Grade Three Hewson. He thought it would be funny for a dinosaur to find its way into the library.

A Dinosaur In The Library

By Aaron O

A dinosaur in the library.

But, how could this be?

Did it jump through the roof?

Or climb in using a tree?

The dinosaur reads a book. 

The teacher is so scared, hiding under the desk

without phoning the policeman who is sleepy in his bed.

The clock strikes five, the dinosaur gets a fright.

The dinosaur runs away saying; "Goodbye and goodnight!"

Image source

Isn't Aaron's poem brilliant? I can't wait to see what the Grade Three girls come up with during Library next week!

The Adventures of Roald Dahl

Last term, the Grade Six learners discovered the world of blogging. After learning what a blog is and how to write a post for a blog, they set off to research a topic for a blog post from a list of options. Their finished blog articles were amazing and a few of them will be shared here on Birdie Bookworms over the next few weeks. 

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This post was written by Kim, Paige and Rebekah in Grade Six Suter. They choose the "Favourite Author" topic and found out some interesting things about Roald Dahl's life.

Have you ever wondered about Roald Dahl’s life? His favourite things and his best books? This blog post will give you all the information you need to know. 

Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales in 1996. Roald Dahl’s first school was Llandaff Cathedral School, St Peters, Repton. For his first job, he was a representative in East Africa for the Shell Oil Company. He was also a RAF fighter pilot in the Second World War in the 1940, he had a bad plane crash so he ended up retiring and became an author. His Norwegian parents had five children, he was the only boy. His youngest sister died at the age of seven, and his father died two months after from heart pain. He was three when his father died.

His first piece of writing was about his adventures in war, which was bought by the Saturday Evening Post. Surprisingly he received terrible marks in English. He had five children, one died at the age of seven from measles.

Roald Dahl's first book was The Gremlins. Then, he wrote Some One Like You. Roald Dahl has been writing children’s stories since 1960. Roald Dahl’s books are enjoyable because they are funny, interesting, exciting and magical. They teach good life lessons. Some of his best children's books are The BFG, Matilda, The Witches, Boy, The Twits, Going Solo and Esio Trot.

His motto was: "My candle burns at both ends, it will not last the night, but oh my foes and oh my friends, it gives a lovely life."  Roald Dahl sadly died in 1990 at the age of 74.

Hopefully you now know all you need to know about Roald Dahl, the greatest author who ever lived. He was so amazing he managed to write both children and adult books.

Image source

And the winners are......

Every term we have a class library competition. Classes are awarded points for bringing their bags and for their overall behaviour. The class that collected the most points in term three is Grade 5 Ross! Well done, boys and girls! You can expect some cupcakes to be delivered to your classroom when you are back from camp.

Here are the top five scoring classes for Term Three:

1. Grade 5 Ross           2355
2. Grade 3 Laufs          1915
3. Grade 5 De Meillon 1650
4. Grade 4 Herman      1615
5. Grade 2 Wiley          1600

We have cleared the boards and started a new competition for Term Four. So bring those bags and remember to switch on those library voices!

image source

Once Upon A Time....

Our school has Cinderella and Rockefeller fever right now. Watching the Foundation Phase put on a pantomime version of Cinderella last night was such a treat! Cast 1 did an excellent job and they were so funny.

Did you know there are many different versions of Cinderella? According to Wikipedia, the oldest tale of a story that had a similar plot to Cinderella was written in the 1st century BC! It was about a rosy-cheeked girl called Rhodophis who lived in Ancient Egypt. We have many different adaptations of Cinderella in our library. Here is a list of them in case you'd like to read one....

1. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

2. Prince Cinders by Babette Cole

3. Cinderella by Nick Sharratt

4. Cinderella by Walt Disney

5. Ella's Big Chance by Shirley Hughes

Book Reviews #10

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

Reviewed by Safiya in Grade 3

Carter and Sadie Kane have a big mission to complete. They have to save the world by destroying Apophis (The God of Chaos). They face many difficult challenges, like fighting demons and monsters. Luckily the gods help them on their way. They have a crazy plan and only 2 days to find out his secret name and use his shadow to kill him. Setne, the ghost magician is helpful but also betrays the Kanes. 

Safiya says: "This was the last in the trilogy based on Egyptian myths. I loved all the characters, especially Felix. There's a lot to learn from this book and Rick Riordan writes in a very humorous way. I recommend the book but beware, your parents will never get you for dinner on time!

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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Reviewed by Josi in Grade 4

This story takes place around 200 years in the future when there is holographic technology. With the press of a button people can create something which didn't exist before. There are 12 districts with poor people who can not afford food. The rich people of the capital city of Panem, hold an event called The Hunger Games. A boy and a girl, between the ages of 12 and 18, from each district compete in a fight to the death in these games. 

Josi says: "I loved it! It's way more dramatic than the movie. I was so absorbed in it."

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The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

Reviewed by Hannah in Grade 5

Maria Merryweather came to Moonacre Manor. She met the delightful Sir Benjamin and his big dog who immediately made friend with Maria's dog, Wiggins. Maria soon finds out that she has a wonderful room and own horse, Periwinke. She then goes on many adventures with Periwinkle. 

Hannah says: "I loved the book so, so much. It is my favourite book in the whole world. It's magical."

Spring had Sprung

The gloomy, winter weather has gone back into hiding for another year and the sun is (mostly) here to stay! The wonderful change in the weather has inspired a change on the library's display wall. The wall is in bloom with Aunty M's beautiful creations...

The holidays are almost upon us and Interchange has come to an end for Term 3. If you need a good book to read during the break, feel free to pop into the library at lunchtime or after school. If you're stuck for a good book to read, click on this link to check out Scholastic's 100 Greatest Books for Kids.

Storytime: The Cat in The Hat

Today's post is definitely for the girls! Here we have Justin Bieber reading The Cat in the Hat by Dr Suess. This was made for America's Biggest Storytime, an initiative that is run by Pizza Hut to promote the tradition of story time at home. Bedtime stories can be really great fun (even if it's only mom or dad reading to you and not a major celebrity!)

The Dewey Decimal Rap

The Grade Threes are learning how to use the non-fiction section of our library, which means they are being introduced to the Dewey Decimal System. This can be quite a boring topic but with the help of the Dewey Decimal Rap it's been transformed into a really fun lesson. Much laughter can be heard emanating from the library when the zany Dewey is on screen, rapping about how a to figure out the library shelves.  

Book Reviews #9

Here are a few more, very honest, book reviews from some of our avid readers....

Eight Keys by Suzanne Lafleur
Reviewed by Hannah A in Grade 5

A girl’s parents had gone when she was small. Her parents had left her clues to find rooms filled of things about her parents. At first she sees the key and doesn’t  know what she is supposed to do with it. Then after she has opened the first room she starts to realize all these important things in life and that people who bully her are just being mean and selfish but they are doing  it because there is something wrong in their own lives. 

Hannah says: "I started Eight Keys thinking it was a vintage, sad story. My friend had told me about the story and she had exaggerated and made it sound so cool but actually it wasn’t.  It was actually really boring like about these two people who go to normal school and the one gets  bullied its really, really boring. I rate it 0 stars. I did not like it at all."

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Five Go Off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton

Reviewed by Jaden in Grade 5

This book is about 5 kids named: Dick, Anne, Julian and Georgina  (likes being called George) The one that I'm reading is the one with the one with the circus and a kid called Nobby. In the book, the kids are on their own in their own caravans. There are two caravans  and they are different colors. The one is red,  that’s for the girls and there is a green one for the boys. They are close to a farm where they get  their supplies and they are close to a lake where they get their water  from. There was  a hidden underground lair where these people from the circus hide things they've stolen. They stole all sorts of things that are PRICELESS. 

Jaden says: "I'm done with the book and I think that you will enjoy the book very much. I am not saying anymore about the book. Thank you for reading my review."

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The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snickett
Reviewed by Josi in Grade 4

Three Children aged 14,12 and 1 get sent to live with a horrible family relative, Count Olaf , because their  beloved parents died in a fire. Count Olaf tries to steal the Baudelaire family's fortune. At the end of this book the Baudelaire orphans are about to arrest Count Olaf when he and his filthy theatre troupe escape. You can find out what happens next by reading the other books

Josi says: "I loved this book. At beginning it was pretty boring but in the middle it started to get more interesting. The book is enjoyable in a sad way. There were a few happy parts in the story but there isn't exactly a happy ending."

Storytime: The Great Dog Bottom Swap

Today's story is called The Great Dog Bottom Swap by Peter Bently & Mei Matsuoko. It's a charming tale that answers the age old question of why dogs sniff each others' bottoms when they say hello. It was chosen and read by Hannah and McKenna, two of our book club members. Enjoy!

FunDza Mobi Books

Did you know you don't need a Kindle or a fancy e-Reader to read digital books? You can read really great stories on your phone! FunDza, a South African non-profit organisation, offer a great selection of stories for you to enjoy. FunDza's mission is to "boost literacy among teen and young adult South Africans by popularising reading, growing a community of readers and developing young writing talent."

To access the FunDza library  go to: www.fundza.co.za/mobi
Or, if you have Mxit: Mxit > Tradepost > Mxit Reach > mobiBooks > FunDza

Miss Saaiman's FunDza's Picks:

Check out these really enjoyable reads available on FunDza...

Things To Do in Durban When You're Dead, by Lily Herne
Love and Science Don't Mix, by Lauri Kubuitsile
Broken Promises (Harmony High Series), by Ros Haden

Image from here.

How a Book is Born

Have you ever wondered how a book is put together? This video shows how the book binding process takes place at Smith Settle bookbinders in Leeds, England. Isn't it fascinating? 

Olympic Fever

The library is getting into the Olympic Spirit. Aunty M has created a beautiful 3D display in honour of the games. Here are a few fun facts about the Olympics that you might not know....

Did You Know....

• The first Olympic games were held by the Greeks in 776 BC (which is over 2700 years ago!) The games were dedicated to the god, Zeus, and only had one event, a sprint.
• At the Ancient Olympics, winner's were crowned with a wreath of olive branches (in Greek, this is called a kotinos). Nowadays, winners receive medals.
• The Olympic flag was first used in 1920 and consists of five interlocking rings. The five rings stand for the five parts of the world that were united by the Olympics: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas.
• Some events in the Summer Olympics include: archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, soccer, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kayaking, marathon, pentathlon, ping pong, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, taekwando, tennis, track and field, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling 
• The 2012 Summer Olympics will be held in London, England and will begin on the 27th July. The motto of the London Olympic Games is: "Inspire a Generation".
• Below is a picture of the 2012 Olympics logo

Olympics info found here.

Term 3 Begins with a Bang

Library has gotten off to a successful start this term. We've completed a stock take, had our first Book Club on Wednesday, added a lot of wonderful new books to the shelves and we've started our Term 3 class projects. Here's a taste of what each grade will be doing when they visit library this term:

Grade 1 Aesop's Fables

There are morals to be learned and stories to hear in Grade One this term. The Grade Ones will find out exactly what a fable is and will be hearing some stories from a famous fable writer, Aesop. They will then illustrate selected fables and will write down the moral they learnt from each of the short stories.

Grade 2 What Trees Do For Us

Trees are not just there to look pretty, as the Grade Twos will soon be discovering. They will begin learning how to use the library to find information by looking at different sources to find out five things that trees do to help humans. Their findings will be presented creatively in the form of a tree with five leaves holding a fact. 

Grade 3 The Planets

The Grade Threes are travelling to outer space in library this term. They will be completing fact files by using the books in our library for research. They will also be learning how to acknowledge books as sources by adding a bibliography to their project, a task that can often be daunting!

Grade 4 Southern Right Whales

The Grade Fours will be looking at Southern Right Whales. They will be creating posters,  which will include information about these amazing creatures. They will be using books and the web to find facts to include on their posters.

Grade 5 Movie Reviews

The Grade Fives think they have it easy this term by getting to watch a movie during library. What they don't know yet is just how much they'll be learning about crafting a review and forming an opinion. 

Grade 6 Blogging

The Grade Sixes will be working in groups to write articles for the library blog. They will be focusing on creating interesting, well-researched web content. The topics of their blog posts will be book-related and will be up here on Birdie Bookworms very soon. 

Grade 7 Digital Book Trailers

Books have gone digital too. The Grade Sevens will be looking at how publishers have found a great way to market books online, through digital book trailers. After seeing a few examples, they Grade Sevens will be creating their own trailer for a book they've read, using Windows Movie Maker. (Go here to see the book trailer for Cabin Fever)

Winter Holiday Good Reads

What's the best thing to do while the rain is pouring these winter holidays? You guessed it! Curl up under blankets and read on the couch. Here a few interesting reads for you to check out these holidays...

For Younger Readers....

Sapphire Battersea by Jacqueline Wilson

A fascinating, funny and moving Victorian-era novel featuring Hetty Feather. Hetty Feather is a Foundling Hospital girl and was given her name when she was left there as a baby by her mother. But she always longed to be called Sapphire, after her sapphire-blue eyes. When she is reunited with her mother, she hopes her new name, Sapphire Battersea, will also mean a new life! But life doesn't always go as planned...Follow the twists and turns of Hetty's adventure as she goes out to work as a maid for a wealthy man. She longs to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart Jem - but also finds a new sweetheart, Bertie the butcher's boy, who whisks her away from her household chores to experience the delights of the funfair! But Hetty's life may also take a darker path. Can she cope with the trials ahead?

The Story of the Olympics by Richard Brassey

The quirkiest guide you will ever read to the history of the world's most famous celebration of sport. From the story of how ethos of the games of ancient Greece has been carried down and into the twenty-first century, to the individual tales of heroes and heroines, this is a lively, witty and entertaining guide for young readers everywhere. As always with Richard Brassey's popular books, there are comic strips, fact boxes, hilarious captions and speech bubbles, in a book that's packed with amazing information and entertaining insight.

My Sister The Vampire: Stake Out by Sienna Mercer

This is a funny, super-girly story with a vampire bite to it. Sink your teeth into Olivia and Ivy's twelfth fright-time adventure. 'We're on a mission'! Ivy and Olivia are together again - and not a moment too soon. The whole vampire community is in a flap. Can the twins discover the identity of the mystery blogger who's determined to expose Franklin Grove's biggest secret? Hold on to your fangs, vamp fans. It's time to go undercover! This is a killer story to sink your teeth into.

For Older Readers...

Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian by Eion Colfer

This is the final thrilling Artemis Fowl adventure in Eoin Colfer's globally bestselling series. Let the misadventure begin - for the last time. The thrilling climax to this globally bestselling series - but will it all end happily ever after? 

Starcrossed: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

In the second book of the Starcrossed Trilogy, Helen is tasked with descending to the underworld and killing the Furies, she must endure hellish torture whenever she goes to sleep -- she wanders around the various levels of hell with no idea how to complete her task, and she's beginning to suffer from extreme exhaustion. Although she still trains with the Delos clan, Helen and Lucas are coming to terms with the fact that they cannot be together. Lucas believes that the only way Helen will complete her quest is if he leaves her alone completely, so he tells her he doesn't want to see her again and that he never loved her. Distraught, Helen carries on with her mission, and for the first time meets another person down in the shadowy underworld: Orion, descended from Adonis and with the power to control desire, he is the heir to the house of Rome and an outcast. He's also kind of hot. Confused by her conflicting emotions but glad to have an ally in hell, Helen begins to realize the enormity of her task 

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrisson

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend is the secret diary of Jenny Cooper, Jane Austen's teenage friend and confidante. Their evenings are a blur of beautiful dresses, balls, gossip and romance; their days are spent writing about them - Jenny in her diary, Jane in her first attempts at fiction. When Jenny falls utterly in love with a handsome naval officer, obstacles stand in their way. Who better to help her than Jane herself, who already considers herself an expert in love and relationships?

*All blurbs borrowed from here.

The Book People Visit Again!

The Book People will be selling their lovely, reasonably priced books in our school hall on Monday and Tuesday (all through Parentline). Don't forget to bring your wallet to come and buy something good to read!

A Wartime Childhood

The Grade Seven learners spent their library lessons in Term One and Two investigating what life was like for a child growing up in Britain during World War Two. They examined specific topics and worked in groups to compile the necessary information, using books and the internet. They then presented the information in a digital magazine format.  Have a browse through their well-researched and well-designed magazines...

Grade Seven Du Toit

Grade Seven Skippers

Grade 7 Keller

Grade 7 Nuttall