Literacy
BOOK WEEK
To help us celebrate the inspiring work of authors, illustrators and publishers, whilst continuing to nurture a love for reading, we will be celebrating Book Week in Week 7.
A dress up day will be held on Friday 26th August, where students are invited to dress up as a beloved book character, author, illustrator or in a costume related to this year’s theme; Dreaming with Eyes Open.
There will be a parade at 9:15am in the morning in the main yard (weather permitting), which families are invited to attend. On this day, students will also participate in activities with author/illustrator Mark Wilson. A big thank you to Ann Nicola, our librarian, for organising this special incursion. Our students will enjoy this one!
EXPLORING THE CBCA SHORTLISTED BOOKS
Teachers and students have been busy exploring the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlisted texts for 2022. There are many favourites already!
RESPONDING TO MENTOR TEXTS IN YEAR 6
The Year 6 students read extracts from A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader. They looked specifically at text type, sentence length, vocabulary choices and how the author had an impact on their chosen audience. Afterwards, they used the mentor text to inspire their own responses. Have a read of these high quality pieces of writing.
Dear Not-Yet-Readers,
For me, reading was an addiction. It still is. I could go home, sit on my couch and absorb words, sentences, paragraphs. Even entire books weren’t enough to extinguish my hunger for the exhilaration of reading. One minute, I would be a detective combing the city of New York for clues on a major case. The next, I would be a secret agent on the alps of Switzerland searching for the most blood-curdling villain in history. I could go on and on about the various benefits of reading. Just writing about it makes me long for that wondrous comfort of millions of characters in my exact same predicament. In all honesty, nothing beats turning the pages of a book only to find a spiral of unforeseen twists. A book can’t find you, but you can find a book. Keep going.
From Jack
~
Dear Reader,
There are thousands of books in the world. All with different and unique ideas. Some you might like. Some you might not.
But just know, anything in the universe can get trapped inside a book. These tantalising, tormenting ideas force you to read the next page.
They give you something new to imagine sucking you closer and closer into the story.
Into an unknown reality filled with excitement.
The build up. The need to know… need to know… need to know!
James
~
Dear Friend,
You may be like me. Maybe you don’t read much. Maybe you just don’t like reading.
Maybe you still haven’t found that ‘made-for-you’ book.
I’m here to tell you that it will change.
Today I learnt that there is a book sitting and waiting for you.
I’m here to tell you that.
So start looking.
It could be today, it could be tomorrow…
But there is a story to take you away from reality and into a world of imagination.
I know you’re probably thinking exactly what I was thinking, “I’m not a reader! That’s not going to happen!”
But I promise it will.
There is a way to escape.
Hope is on its way.
For you and for me.
Love Lucy
~
Hey Readers,
There are so many wonderful books in the world. Action packed books. Adventure books. Plot-twist books. Interesting books. Calm books.
But out of all of them there is one special one that you will love.
In that book you will find ridiculous facts and crazy ideas.
You might meet talking gorillas who go to school, cuddly tigers who cook rainbow toast, adventurous dolphins who convince you to try skydiving.
Who knows who you’ll meet in a book!?
So get out of your zone.
Feel yourself somewhere else.
From Charlie
POETRY IN YEAR 3/4
The Year 3/4 teachers and students have LOVED writing poetry this term!
They recently read The Art in Country. They then looked closely at the vocabulary within the text and began to explore a range of adjectives to describe colour. After explicit teaching and modelling of text structure, the students were guided to create Paint Chip Poetry using an engaging visual scaffold. The students were given specific feedback around their vocabulary choices which resulted in some very powerful pieces of writing.
Well done to the 3/4 team and their budding young poets!
A closer look…
LITERACY PARENT HELPERS
We warmly invite Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 parents who are interested in becoming Junior Literacy Parent Helpers, to join us on Monday 15th August from 9am - 10am.
During this time, we will discuss some handy prompts and strategies to use when supporting children’s literacy learning. We will also have an opportunity to participate in a learning walk through the junior classrooms, to see literacy in action at St James.
Another session for parents of Year 3-6 children, who are interested in supporting the middle and senior parts of the school, will be coordinated in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for those dates!
Please indicate if you wish to attend the Junior Literacy Parent Helper morning via Operoo.
We are very much looking forward to welcoming parent helpers back into our school! Thank you in advance for your support.
Kind regards,
Olivia Quinlan
Literacy Leader/Teaching and Learning Leader