Library News
Fiona O'Rourke, Head of Library and Digital Resourcing
Years 7 and 8 Hallow Read Challenge
It has been a busy few weeks in the Library!
Recently, our Year 7s and 8s completed our Hallow Read Challenge on Beanstack – an app that allows students to log their reading progress, complete fun challenges, and earn digital badges for reaching milestones
Throughout October, our students earned badges for every 30 minutes of reading they logged. As part of the challenge, each student nominated a peer to help them stay on track with their reading goals. These peer supporters checked in regularly, offering motivation, sharing tips and recommending books. Each participant also completed a book review.
Together, we smashed our collective target of 50,000 minutes of reading, reaching a whopping 68,234 minutes! In the Year 7 challenge, Mrs Skovron's Year 7CD Boys English class were the valiant winners, while the Year 8 winners were Mrs Prysten's Year 8AB Girls class.
Congratulations to our top three readers: Tessa Glowinski, Ashleigh Harran and Louisa Tesch, Year 8, for their outstanding contributions to the reading challenge. Well done to all students who participated!
'Murder in the Library' mystery activity
For Halloween, the Library team designed a ‘Murder in the Library’ mystery activity, challenging students to test their detective skills.
Students had to put their sleuthing abilities to the test by examining suspect statements and possible motives. They also had to locate clues hidden throughout the library by an anonymous witness. The clues, which included ciphers, Caesar codes and riddles, all pointed to the identity of the culprit.
With over 35 pairs of detectives participating, the competition was fierce, with several teams cracking the case in record time! Although many identified the culprit, they still needed to use their skills of deduction to summarise the events leading up to the crime.
Congratulations to Lachlan Klarin and Timothy Anastasiadis, Year 6, and Annabelle Chick and Hannah Chalmers, Year 7, for identifying the correct culprit and using the evidence to write a summary of what happened.
Festive season ideas
The festive season is fast approaching, and books are topping many Christmas wish lists!
I highly recommend the Australian Kids Reading Guide, jammed full of picture, fiction and nonfiction books. Considered Australia’s leading children’s book catalogue. The guide features hand-picked and reviewed books by booksellers.
Andrew McDonald, author of Real Pigeons and a featured guest during our Book Week, will join the series’ illustrator Ben Wood for a fun and interactive session at the Wheeler Centre on Saturday, 14 December 2024. The event will also feature special guest appearances by renowned authors and illustrators, including Nat Amoore, Jess Racklyeft and Huda Hayek. You can book your tickets here.