Category: Parent tips

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

Dot.common sense: How to stay smart and safe online by Ben Hubbard.

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Have you been concerned about the prospect of your child delving into the unknown world of the internet alone?

The use of social media, digital footprints and you tube videos is something that we cannot avoid; so it’s time to pick up your child and that cup of tea and together read this book!

Dot.Common sense is a great way to engage your child in conversations about being safe online.

Walking through different aspects of the online world are two children – Olivia and Sam. Along the way they come across cyber bullies, trolls and viruses but they also learn about the positives of the internet – information gathering, linking with friends after school and educational games.

As they travel through different aspects of the internet, they learn about the importance of boundary setting before anything online has begun. Page 13 gives parents and carers a great list to go through with your child that they will need to adhere to if they are to use the internet and all within it!

Talking to your child about the concept of forever is important as well as the idea that not everyone online is your friend – even if they make it out that they are.

Online etiquette is also a focus of this book and children will learn the importance of treating everyone with respect even if they don’t know the person. So many young people fall into the trap of cyber- bullying as it is very easy to say things behind an avatar – but as we are too well aware, these simple words can form tidal waves in young people’s lives.

Dot.Common sense is a book to read slowly with your child. Stop after each chapter and have a discussion, talk about scenarios and set boundaries together.

The quiz at the end of the book is a fun way to go over what has been learnt and something to revisit when the time arises.

Dot.Common Sense is a book that every child should read before they head into the online world so that they are safe and they ensure that others are safe too.

So what can you do at home? 

 – Create your own rules for online use at home.

– Look at how you all use the internet and see if there is a way you can use it better so that you all remain safe online.

– Discuss ways the internet is beneficial and how those sites could be used more regularly over sites that can cause harm.

– Revisit this book from time to time and work through the different topic areas so that everyone has a clear understanding of how to act online.

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Book review, Books with current issues, eco living, Environmental books, life cycles, nature play, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

I love this tree by Anna Claybourne

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Come and climb up a tree, sit on it’s branches and admire it’s leaves, seeds and fruit.

Wonder no more about the secrets a tree holds as you will find out so many things in this informative non-fiction text about trees – and why so many people love them! 

In this colourfully illustrated non fiction book for children you will discover the world of trees that perhaps you did not know about.

Each page is filled with detailed explanations of trees from how it grows from a seed, how old they can be and who needs them.

The readers will discover that there is so much more to a tree than it’s leaves, bark, fruit and seeds. They will see that trees provide so much for many animals and humans and that they cleverly work so that they can survive in testing conditions.

Not only will readers learn facts about trees, they will also learn about how myths have been created about trees and their importance in different cultures and times.

I love this tree is filled with drawn illustrations and real photographs. Diagrams are labelled clearly, timelines give adequate description and there is even a pie chart! Exposure to different methods of factual information is important for young readers so that they know that reading and writing are not the only ways we can see facts.

Trees from all around the world have been included in this book as well as animals and insects that need them for survival. Perhaps this book would be a great lead into learning more about one tree in particular once you have covered the ground work through the chapters in this book.

How can I use this book at home?

This is an easy one as trees surround us – even in the cities and they are often a focus point of parks and walkways.

 —————–  > Go and investigate trees that are in your area.

——————————- > Look at different leaves that have fallen onto the ground and collect them to make a collage, basket display, sketch or chalk rubbing.

——- > Look for seed pods or flowers and try to work out which tree they have fallen from and the purpose of each one is.

Where would you use this book in the curriculum?

Literacy

– There are so many ways to base factual knowledge into persuasive texts, imaginative texts and informative. 

Outdoor Learning

Check out this link on how you can learn outside and meet curriculum standards https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/curriculum-connections/portfolios/outdoor-learning/

Science:

Explore different parts of trees, how they help us to survive and how we can help them to survive.

  • Living things have a variety of external features (ACSSU017
  • Living things can be grouped on the basis of observablefeatures and can be distinguished from non-living things(ACSSU044
  • Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
  • Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment
Book review, Indigenous authors, Parent tips, picture books, Teacher tips and resources

Alfred’s War by Rachel Bin Salleh

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Alfred had fought in the Great war, but his bravery was not part of the nation’s remembering. He was one of the forgotten soldiers.

A powerful picture book for children aged 7+, Alfred’s War by Rachel Bin Salleh highlights the lack of recognition given to Australian Indigenous servicemen who returned from WWI.

Alfred lived where he liked to live, outside, under the stars, beneath gum trees or by the fire. He lived free and happy as a gardener and labourer, far from home. When he signed up for war not only did he experience the horror of war but also the horror of returning home without recognition for what he did to save Australia.

Many men and women returned from war, scarred from the awful experience they had and many did not receive the support they should have – but to be forgotten would have added more insult to the injuries he sustained.

Indigenous Australians have had many injustices done to them since 1788

Rachel Bin Salleh has written a beautiful story and it really pulls at the heart strings. Children will have so many questions to ask and this is a wonderful thing. We talked about war and we talked about indigenous Australians. We talked about many things I didn’t think younger children would want to listen to, but they did because they saw an injustice in the world.

Samantha Fry’s illustrations add more emotion to each page of the story, giving more meaning to who Alfred was and what he did for Australia.

Creating stories that are told through picture like this are so important and we need to make more of them so that the mistakes of history are not created again and again.

What else can you do?

  •  Talk about war – be honest without too many details. Talk about wars that have been and wars that are still raging. Explore why they start and how they finish.
  • Talk about indigenous people of Australia, what happened to them and why. Look at the indigenous language map of Australia to see where different tribes lived and where some still live today.
  • Why were the indigenous people forgotten about?
  • Look at the different colours used on each page and how those colours make you feel.

BUY HERE – click on book below.

Alfred's War

Book review, Creativity, gifted education, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Ruben by Bruce Whatley

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Ruben’s dreams were of places that made no sense to him. Places that didn’t exist. At least not anymore.

Ruben, a young boy lives on the outskirts of a damaged, abandoned and futuristic city. Every day when he wakes he writes about his dreams and flicks through images of places he once knew.

Living alone, Ruben often wanders the streets, avoiding the huge machines that live in Block city who destroy things humans need for survival – freedom, safety and knowledge.

One day, on his way through the city in search of food and water, he discovers Koji, another child who is also alone. Together they understand each other, share secrets and dream of escaping on one of the fast trains that leave the destroyed city.

Bruce Whatley is a master illustrator who has created this whole world in black and white – giving it the grim and abandoned feel it needs. Readers will pour over the illustrations for hours as they journey with Ruben hoping that he can escape this formidable place.

Although set in the future, the sketches of objects Bruce Whatley has included, pull on our own heart strings and lead us to think – what if? Children of all ages will ponder the possibility of places in our world that already look like this or the possibly of our own country looking like this if we don’t care for others around us.

This Dystopian world that Ruben lives in is one that young children can enter without the violence of many other Dystopian fiction books on the market.

I have explored this book with some Gifted Year 4 students and they have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Ruben and then creating a Dystopian world of their own.

So what can you do? 

GRASPS Task – – Ruben by Bruce Whatley

GOAL: You are going to create your own dystopian world using as many as the key areas as you can.

ROLE You are the engineer of this futuristic society. You are the designer of the people, their plight and their place.

AUDIENCE You need to create a world that will appeal to readers aged 8-12. .

SITUATION : In the book market there are many fiction books set in Dystopian worlds but they are for older readers and any are full of violence. You need to create a dystopian world without violence. There are many other ways the world can become dystopian so use your create juices and move away from the violence we hear about in the older books.

PRODUCT. The world you create needs to be a combination of things so we can get a true insight into this world. You can use: Diary entries, maps, posters, sketches, storytelling, newspaper articles, radio correspondence etc.

You will be marked out of 15.

STANDARDS and CRITERIA [INDICATORS]

 

1 2 3
Key areas of a dystopian world. Student has used 3 key areas in their dystopian world Student has used 5 key areas in their dystopian world Student has used 6 r more key areas in their dystopian world.
Understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the topic, the purpose and the intended audience (ACELA1490 Student has developed three different types of texts to engage the audience Student has developed four different types of texts to engage the audience Student has developed five or more different types of texts to engage the audience
Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold readers’ interest by using various techniques, for example character development and plot tension (ACELT1605 Outline how they developed characters and settings briefly. Outline how they developed characters and settings in details. Outline how they developed characters and settings in detail and respond to questions with good explanation.
Create literary texts by developing storylines, characters and settings (ACELT1794 Outline the basic process of creating this Dystopian world. Discuss how characters were developed and how they fit into the world created. consider how and why particular traits for a character have been chosen. Discuss in details why the setting has been created and how the idea was developed.
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704 Many errors made in final draft with little editing present. Some mistakes made in final products wth some editing present. Excellent final product with little or no mistakes.

 

 

 

Book review, Creativity, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Tiggy and the magic paintbrush: A pet called nibbles by Zanni Louise.

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Today is Pet Day at Tiggy’s school, and Tiggy is a little worried – she is the only person in the class who doesn’t have a pet! Lucky Tiggy has her special magic paintbrush – but will it help her solve the problem this time? 

The second book is this fun series – Tiggy and the magic paintbrush – takes us back to school on pet day.

I’ve never been to a school pet day, but I can imagine they would be lots of fun (and a bit chaotic) but also possibly worrying for children who don’t have a pet.

Tiggy is one of those children, but luckily with her big imagination and magic paintbrush, she can create the best pet that anyone could ask for!

And even though Tiggy can’t quite take a photo of her new pet, she is able to draw one and show her friends just how wonderful he is.

You’ll have to read the story to find out what Tiggy’s pet is and why children will love reading this book!

BUY HERE:

A Pet Called Nibbles (Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush)

Zanni has written this story with young children and their beautifully creative imagination in mind. There are so many great ideas just waiting to be found in the big world but so often children’s lives are too busy with organised activities or technology they just don’t have the space to dream big.

This story just shows how important imagination is, how it fills your soul and mind with happiness and wonder – and encourages us to show who we are.

Tiggy is a delightful character, as are her friends and with the magic paintbrush in tow, anything can happen!

Tiggy and the magic paintbrush – a pet called nibbles has been a very popular read for my children (aged 6 and 4) and the students at school (I’ve read this to Kindergarten to Year 3!) so keep an eye out for this wonderful new series – I’m sure it will delight!

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

This book will (help you) change the world by Sue Turton.

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Do you actually know how you can change the world you live in? Do you understand the political system that you are a part of and how you can change it by standing up and voicing your opinion so that it will be listened to?

Many of us don’t – especially young people – and this book is here to help.

This book will (help you) change the world by Sue Turton has been written with young adults in mind, but many adults will also benefit from what is inside.

Part one of this book outlines the political system of the UK. If you are not in the U.K, don’t let this put you off. There are many parallels in the two systems and Sue Turton only dwells on the details of the UK parliamentary system for a couple of pages.

Part one also looks at why you need to know the system to play a role, why the system is broken and how young people can play a role in a political party.

Part Two is excellent. It is this section that will empower young readers to take action – but take action that is planned, thoughtful and to the point. Sue Turton outlines the different ways people can take action that will make a difference and the importance of voicing your opinions that will be listened to (well researched, coherent and less blame-more action based)

Activism is a key part to this book and many young adults will walk away from this feeling that they can make a difference in the world they live in. This book does have a lot of links (websites, references to events) to the U.K. but they can all be transferred to the country you live in so don’t be put off.

Why are books like this important? 

Many young people often feel that they can’t speak up because either they don’t understand how the system works, they speak too soon before they have thought how they can best tackle an issue or they are worried about the ramifications of speaking up.

We need to empower young people to speak up but teach them to speak up in the right way. We don’t want them to hurt others verbally or physically to make a point, we don’t want them caught up in the wrong group to make a point either. Being informed is important and this book teaches children how to do that.

Sue Turton’s This book will (help you)change the world is a great book to accompany any classroom that is looking at democracy, debating or human rights issues – it will inform and inspire future leaders.

Book review, Books with current issues, find your treasure, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Treasure

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What type of treasure will you find in your library today?

What will it look like?

Will it be what you expected?

Will it surprise you? horror you? confuse you? love you? worry you? engage you?

Will it make you talk about it for weeks and week?

Will you share it with others or keep it for yourself?

There are so many treasures in the library and they are all there to share.

Today might be the day to visit the library and find a treasure that is just right for you!

Author Interview, Book review, literacy, Parent tips, Teacher tips and resources

Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush. A school day smile by Zanni Louise.

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Tiggy has a big imagination. She sometimes has BIG feelings too. But everything is A-Okay, because Tiggy has a very special secret….

Zanni Louise has created the beautifully told story of Tiggy. A young girl who is starting her first ever day at school – and of course like most children is worried about making new friends, learning new things and being brave in an unfamiliar place.

BUY HERE:

A Pet Called Nibbles (Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush)

A School Day Smile (Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush)

Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush  – A school day smile, is part of a new series for younger readers. Parents can read this story out loud or encourage new readers to have a go themselves. This is a wonderful story for beginning readers and one which can foster a love of reading.

Accompanied with delightful black and white illustrations by Gillian Flint, (with magical colour splashed in at the right moments) The reader meets Tiggy and her friends as they learn how to cope in a difficult situation – the first day of school!

Tiggy has her magic paintbrush with her all the time, and it can always help her out whenever she needs it. But sometimes having a magic paintbrush stops Tiggy from being herself  and Tiggy needs to be brave enough to realise when it is time for her to rely on the goodness inside herself rather than the paintbrush.

Tiggy shows the characteristics many new Kindergarten children will show when they are in a new situation but she also shows resilience and self belief.

Children will love this idea of a magic paintbrush and it will possibly give them that little boost in the back of their mind when they feel nervous, worried or sad.

Tiggy and the magic paintbrush is a new favourite at our house and we can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

Check out my interview with Zanni Louise coming soon to this blog.!

What else can you do with this book?

Here are some questions you can ask children after they have read the book –

  • Why are the illustrations in black and white (except for the paintbrush)?
  • Have you ever felt like Tiggy?
  • How did you behave when you were in a new situation?
  • Do you have a magic paintbrush to help you when you are nervous, worried or sad?
  • If you had a magic paintbrush, how would it help you?
  • Could the magic paintbrush cause trouble?
  • How might Tiggy feel if she loses it?
  • Do you think Tiggy always needs her paintbrush? Think about what she realise when she looked in the mirror.
eco living, Parent tips

Book worms

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How can a library, classroom or home become more sustainable but also fun?

I’ve introduce Book worms and Book chooks to our library for any leftover scraps.

In the ideal world we wouldn’t have any leftovers but unfortunately with young children there is food waste.

Food thrown out into the garbage goes into landfill. In landfill food waste has little oxygen to help it to break down therefore it creates more methane into the atmosphere.

Methane creates more heat into the atmosphere, which isn’t great but when food is composted it only releases carbon, as oxygen is also used to break it down – much better for the atmosphere.

So what are you waiting for? Time to make a small difference in where your food waste goes!

If you live or work somewhere where you don’t have the space for a worm farm or large compost bin – try these Bokashi bins.

You can buy them from biome (just click below)

 

 

Every time you add waste to the bucket, you sprinkle a small amount of bokashi onto the waste (the bokashi is a fine grain like mixture). Once the container is filled to capacity (about 3 to 4 weeks for the average household), you can immediately shallow bury the fermented waste in your garden, planter or outdoor compost.
Or, you can let the waste continue to ferment for two weeks in another airtight container (such as a plastic bag or bucket with lid) and then transfer the matter into your garden. The extra fermentation means the material will break down faster in the soil.

 

 

 

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

Introducing Global Guardian Project Junior: Exploring the Ocean.

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The junior issue of these informative online magazines is here, with a captivating first capsule – Exploring the ocean.

What makes the Junior modules different?

  • Information is still up to date and informative but not as fact heavy. Pictures and videos are still linked to each section as well as links to groups that help endangered animals or areas of the ocean.
  • There are some great mini posters to download and colouring in pages to print out aimed at the 3-7 age group.
  • There is a strong focus on craft and art – making the learning real as well as meditation more suited to little ones who can’t sit still for long!
  • Great reading for parents is also included in these modules so it’s not just learning for the children, but also learning for the adults involved.

Why subscribe to Exploring the Ocean and future issues? 

  • You’ll get a 10% discount from me (GGPVanessa)
  • You’ll feel more empowered to start making changes in your life – such as giving up the plastics that end up in our ocean on a daily basis (check out this post about straws by GGP)
  • You’ll learn some wonderful new facts about animals who live in our oceans and how other families around the world are playing their part to ensure they are just as wonderful in 100 years time.

We had a great time exploring this module! 

 

We had a great time creating our own ocean with a boat that was cleaning up plastic. This was all directed by my nearly four year old – it goes to show that a little bit of parent time, a little bit of information and a little bit of interaction goes a long way to empowering little ones to feel they can make a difference.