Month: October 2017

Book review, Books with current issues, eco living, Environmental books, picture books, Picture books that address current issues, Teacher tips and resources

The street beneath my feet by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer

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Have you ever wondered what is underneath the road, path or bush track you are walking on?

Have you ever dug down just a little and noticed a change in soil type or creatures?


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Well this just might be the book for you!  The street beneath my feet by Charlotte Guillain and Yuval Zommer is not only a colourful and informative book, it also folds out to around three metres in length! 

As you unfold each page you are taken deeper and deeper underground , exploring different life forms, buried rubbish, fossils, ancient artefacts, underground rivers and different types of rock.

This book will ignite so many conversations of how we use the underground world for our own benefit and perhaps might make you think what we are destroying in order to get to rocks like coal which we seem to think we desperately need.

Children will love to see the hot lava and magma which bubbles underneath our feet and the glorious gemstones which are created by this heat.

Rocks and different parts of soil are so important to the health of plants and animals which live on earth and through reading this book you can really talk about the importance of looking after the soil by thinking about what you throw in the bin, what you place down the drain and how you dig things up!

But overall I think the winning aspect of this book is the fact that is does fold out and the children can move through the soils – gaining some idea of the depth soil goes to.

A great read and one for budding environmentalists, scientists, historians and geographers!

So what else can you do?

 – Have a read of another book about soil

– Dig a hole and look at how the colour changes as you go down. Look at what is in the soil sample – animals, insects, rocks or rubbish?

– Conduct your own science experiment and see the best type of soils for plants to grow in. Learn about how much of a role soil plays in the life of a seed. Try sand, dry dirt, wet dirt, potting mix, compost etc. Place them all in the same location and give them a similiar amount of water. Predict and then watch!

– Explore the rocks we use for buildings, science and energy. Where do they come from? How do we get them out? Are they running out and are there alternatives?

– Could you create another book in this style? What could the topics be?

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eco living, Environmental books, global guardian project, nature play, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Global Guardian Project

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Have you heard of the Global Guardian Project?  This project is something I recently stumbled across and has been something I have been thinking about for a while – how can I help parents empower their children?

The Global Guardian project is the answer.

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Each month they release a new module which focuses on a variety of topics that help families to be inspired and empowered to make differences in their world.

Perhaps you too want to raise children who do care for the planet more than perhaps we have or our own parents have. We want to give them the tools so they can stand up and make a difference!

The Global Guardian Project is another tool you can use at home to create positive habits, learn new facts and challenge each other to become more creative and critical thinkers.

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I will be reviewing several capsules in my blog and I invite you to read these reviews and think about becoming a Global Guardian member.

So how much does it cost?

The wonderful part of the GGP is that you can choose how much you want to spend. You can nominate from as little as $6.99 a month to $12.99 a month.

How do I become a member?

If you sign up through my blog and use my code you will receive a 10% discount on any membership that you choose.

Ready to sign up?

Discount code: GGPVanessa

Sign up link: https://globalguardianproject.com/pages/digital-learning-capsule-subscription

Hope to see you in the GGP group soon!

Book review, Junior Fiction, literacy, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Lizzy’s Dragon by Melissa Gijsbers

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“No, you cannot have a pet lizard -” Lizzy’s mum said, “And before you ask, no snakes either. No reptiles of any sort.”

 

Lizzy’s Dragon by Melissa Gijsbers is a wonderful new fantasy  novel for younger readers – and they won’t want to put it down!


I know that as a young child I always wanted a different pet -a dog, a rabbit, a fish or a bird – I never wanted a lizard, and still wouldn’t want one crawling about in the house But Lizzy does, and she is determined to get a pet of her own.

Lizzy lives on a farm which is going through drought. The grass is brown, the dams are dry and their is the ever present threat of bush fire.

Lizzy is a strong, caring and clever young girl and perhaps by luck or perhaps by magic she stumbles upon a round shaped egg in the field outside their house. Her brother Joey discovers Lizzy and her secretive behaviour and does what many siblings would do – threaten to tell their parents if she doesn’t let him on the secret.

Despite Lizzy’s efforts to keep her egg (and then pet dragon) a secret, her brother finds out and Lizzy has to put up with doing all of his chores – that is until she discovers the magic her dragon holds and possibly the real reason the dragon egg happened to land in the drought stricken land.

Full of magic and mystery, Lizzy’s Dragon is an story you cannot put down. Younger readers will love this story as Lizzy is a character many children will identify with – she is thoughtful, she fights with her brother, she cares for her family and she wants the best for the place she lives in.

Dragons are magical beasts which excite and engage many readers and the beauty of this dragon is that it comes across as one of the best possible pets you could have.

Lizzy’s dragon is a wonderful read – one to read out loud or for better readers –  to read alone. The pictures within the novel give the readers some more insight into what Lizzy and her dragon look like and ignite more of that wonderful imagination.

Magic, mystery and mettle, Lizzy’s dragon is a book to inspire the best in all of us.

So what else can you do with this story?

 – Design your own dragon. What egg would it hatch from? where would you keep it and what would it’s special gift be?

– Are there any areas close to you or in your country that are experiencing drought? What do these places have to do during times of drought?

– Have you ever helped out in your community? Find out how you could help in some way at a community event.

——

Want to become a global guardian?

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Join now and receive 10% off with my unique code: GGPVanessa

Buy Biome products now and keep your home and the world sustainable and eco friendly

 

animals, Creativity, gifted education, literacy, loveozya, My creations, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

The lengths some bears go to

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Bollo had had enough.

Every book he read was boring.

His friends told him to try picture books.

BORING!

His little boy told him to try books based on facts

BORING!

His grandma suggested he try audio books

OH HIS EARS!

But that was until he was accidentally locked in the library.

The lights went out, the door clicked shut and the place went quiet.

Bollo looked around but there was no one in sight, no one that is until the books started watching him.

One by one he noticed aliens googling their eyes at him, monsters waving their furry hands and a Mopoke hooting at him.

He crept closer to each book and noticed the shimmer on some covers, the sparkle on the pages and the magic smell.

He hesitantly moved his hand over shelves of picture books, rows of audio books and reams of graphic novels.

He heard stories rumble from within books on low shelves, fact reciting from books on high shelves and constant mumbling from magazines on the back shelf.

With a dash of colour here and there, Bollo found books that were beyond boring. He found books that would transport him to another time, books that would teach him things he never knew possible and books that would give him ideas on how he could change the world.

And so when the lights came back on and a friendly hand picked him up, Bollo thought  that  just perhaps, books were not so boring.

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Book review, Books with current issues, Teacher tips and resources

Hey Warrior: A book for kids about anxiety by Karen Young

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Anxiety explained: Kids empowered

 

Do you have a child who feels anxious? Do you have a child who worries or perhaps cries over what seems to be nothing? Or perhaps a child that might lack a bit of self confidence?

Then this book is one for your book shelf!


Hey Warrior: A book for kids about anxiety by Karen Young, is a marvellous read aloud story for parent and child. It clearly explains to children what anxiety is and how it can happen to anyone at any time.

The clever way Karen Young has done this is by explaining the part of the brain that causes our body to think it might be in danger – the Amygdala – as a fierce warrior who is there to protect you but needs a name so that you can help it to calm down when there is no real danger at all.

I have read this book only a handful of times to my daughter and straight away it made a difference to how she deals with worrying situations. Her amygdala has a name now and she can tell it to calm down which helps her. This simple act of naming is another tool to add to her toolkit for her future and equip her with skills to deal with anxiety.

Karen Young clearly explains to the young reader what is happening to their body when they feel worried and gives out simple tips that young children can easily remember when in difficult situations.

This book is amazing and is one to read again and again just to remind your little one that emotions do not need to overtake us and that we have the power and strength in our brains to make ourselves even more incredible than we already are.

I hope you can share this book and make a difference to at least one child.

 

Book review, Books with current issues, literacy, loveozya, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Why read graphic novels?

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Last month I was lucky enough to review a copy of Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin.

After I read it I remembered how wonderful comics are and how accessible they make reading and big issues for reluctant readers.


So why should you encourage your young reader to borrow graphic novels from the library?

  1. Graphic novels are full of text and the text is just always about reading left to right. The reader needs to look at the page to work out where to read next – it could be vertical columns, horizontal or even a one page spread.
  2. Graphic novels can cover big issues in a more meaningful and easier to understand way that stories that just have text.
  3. Graphic novels are fast paced and great for children who don’t want to sit down for a long time. They are often action packed and full of movement.
  4. Graphic novels vary just as much as novels so don’t just try one – there are many more genre’s of graphic novels coming out and many more for girls too.
Book review, Parent tips, picture books, Picture books that address current issues, Teacher tips and resources

Zoom by Sha’an D’anthes

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What have you decided to do today after breakfast?

Build a rocketship?

Explore outer space?

That’s just what our adventurous character – Scout – has decided to do!

Zoom by Sha’an D’anthes is a fun and imaginative picture book that takes us on a journey with young Scout who is described as an inventor, explorer and a dreamer.

Scout has built a rocket ship and today is the day they are going to zoom off and explore the solar system.

Scout and the trusty rocket ship – Beattie – visit the planets and their personalities. Each planet is represented by a different animal and I found as I read this book out loud to young children that it really helped them to connect with these space beings which are so far away and can at times be difficult to understand.

Each planet smiles at Scout and Beattie, welcoming them to their zone and showing off just how big, small or coloured they are.

We even get to visit Pluto – who is so small and far away (and not a real planet by scientific standards) but very very helpful!

Sha’an’s illustrations are delicate and colourful. Each planet is really brought to life through the idea of an animal and the adventure Scout embarks on does not seem daunting when there are friendly creatures and a caring rocket ship along the way.

Zoom is a simple story but told so well. Children are engaged right from the start with the simplicity of always starting a day with a good breakfast. I also loved that the main character Scout was not outlined as being a boy or a girl so that both boys and girls can identify with being a scientist, adventurer and thinker!

What can you do with this book?

 –  Imagine what animals you think the different planets are like. Draw what they look like and how they act, using information about the planets to support the ideas.

– Design what you think earth would look like if you were in outer space.

– Start a diary with the words – But we all need our breakfast…..

-This picture book is full of adjectives – find as many as you can. Can any of these adjectives be replaced with a new adjective?

-CRASH, GATHUNK and FIZZ are all onomatopoeia words, can you think of some more that you might hear in outer space?

 

–

eco living, nature play, plants

Endangered plant spotlight :Wee Jasper Grevillea

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The Wee Jasper Grevillea, found in only two places in the world : wee jasper and on the slopes above Burrinjuck Dam has bloomed for the first time in twenty years!

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The hard work from the Saving our Species team and the National Parks and Wildlife service has saved this species from extinction.

The Wee Jasper Grevillea can grow up to 2.5m tall and has been in the past a delicacy for roaming cattle.  It grows around the many caves that are around the Wee Jasper area and flowers in winter and spring. It is interesting to note that it is predominately pollinated by birds.

So why is it critically endangered?

– Weeds take over the area it needs to grow in

– Feral Goats and grazing cattle have eaten it

– Recent fires have wiped out some of the small population.

– Human interaction with the area (tramping on plants and seedlings)

How is this plant being looked after?

Fences have been put in place around the species so that any young growth cannot be trampled on. This is paying off so the fencing will stay in place so that more plants can grow to adult size.

What can you do?

  • Report any feral animals you see to local farmers and NPWS.
  • Stick to the path when out bushwalking. Take photos only, do not pick the flowers.
  • Make sure your boots are clean when walking in different areas so you do not carry seeds from weeds.

 

Books with current issues, literacy, Parent tips, picture books, Picture books that address current issues, Teacher tips and resources

Draw a story

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This month, The Australian Children’s Laureate, Leigh Hobbs has suggested that we focus on drawing a story.


The idea behind drawing a story is to show how much the illustrations can change how we see the story. The illustrations can give us the viewpoint of someone or something in the story or just allow us to be observers.

Illustrations can help us to feel stronger emotions or to understand what the author really means.

Illustrations play a vital role in picture books and allow us to stop and think about what we have just read, search the page for more meaning and look at how different illustrators portray ideas.

There are more great graphic novels coming out – picture book and comic style.  And these types of books are a great place to start looking at how illustrations can tell a story all on thier own.

There are some wonderful ideas on the website and also an event but how can you use these ideas if you don’t have access to the books at home or at your school?

  • Last week my son (3) and I sat down. He drew three pictures then put them in order and told me a story as he looked back on what he had drawn. He learnt how to sequence the story, how to start a story and how to finish it – He even managed a complication in between! It was fun, it was easy and he learnt a lot – learning doesn’t always have to be formalised when it comes to books!
  • Explore Graphic novels that I have reviewed: Illegal, The arrival
  • Find an image and make up your own story. Try Bronwyn Bancroft’s art