Where Did That Year Go?

Wow! It's hard to believe that the school year for 2014 is over. We had a great time together learning, laughing and challenging ourselves to be better than before.
I hope you and your families have a happy holiday together. Remember to find something kind to do for someone everyday and
READ, READ, READ!
Follow this link to find the Summer Holiday Reading Challenge from the City Libraries. I'd love you to discover some great new books for me.
Have you seen this one? I gave it to my nephew Sam on Wednesday and he LOVES it!

Reading Picture Books

.. and we mean reading the pictures too!
Today we looked really closely at illustrations in picture books. We talked about different techniques illustrators use to add meaning to their pictures.The story called ANZAC Biscuits by Phil Cummings and Owen Swan showed how framing and bleeding can be used to make illustrations very meaningful.

Have a look at home tonight for examples of this technique in books you have at home.

You came up with many interesting ways you could share what you have learned about reading illustrations with other children:

• Take a book to share with another class
• Find a website from a great author or illustrator - share this with someone else
• Share a book with someone and encourage them to act parts of it out or read it allowed
• Read someone one book by an author then show them others that author has written
• Create an illustration with someone
• Copy and illustration together with someone
• Find out about other people's favourite authors or illustrators
• Offer to help junior children choose books at the school library
• Encourage someone to write out a sentence they have enjoyed in a story
• Help someone make notes about what techniques are demonstrated in different illustrations 
• Write a picture book about the fair

Over the next few weeks I hope you'll get the chance to try some of these ideas.

Library Time

It was great to share our library time with Room 19 today.

We also have a very engrossing set of new library books from the National Library. Remember to ask your family to come in and see your new favourite book.

Goldilocks Rap

Rebus Stories

Thanks to the group who were reading the rebus story for showing us how to create them.  I love making messages using the technique.  Here is one I wrote this evening.

More Book Recommendations

Book Reviews

We are enjoying the book reviews some children are sharing this week. They have made good use of notes and props as well as all those poetry competition skills like using expression, gestures and projecting their voices. Tau ke!

That's Not a Good Idea!

Today we enjoyed a production of Mo Willems' book That is NOT a Good Idea!

The presenters used great expressions and gestures to enhance the story. Hmm - does that remind you of anything else we've talked about recently - possibly your poems for the poetry competition?

Book Week Parade

The links below will take you to the presentation with your photo and writing in it. Thanks Tracy for typing out all the stories!

Book Character Day 2014 Part 1

James, Belah, Blaze, Sophie, Lachlan, Ryan, Theo and Isobel

Book Character Day 2014 Part 2

Brooke, Akira, Riley, Evie, Vianca, Talan, Lucy and Makenzie

Book Character Day 2014 Part 3

Aakifah, Elizabeth, Ms Ashby, Gabe, Tanner, Soumadeep, Hasini and Sammie

Book Olympics

These are the fabulous books we won.

I don't think we ever shared the fact that Room 17 were the winners of the Middle School Book Olympics. It was held on Brooke's birthday so he and Riley were our runners. They ran to the hall and collected a question then ran back and we answered it as best we could then sent them flying back to the hall with our answer and to collect the next question. I think we were the second team to return the last question but we had the most correct answers overall. GO US!

A Reminder...

There is a lot more than meets the eye on our blog. Remember to check out the page tabs above to find extra reading links, author websites, the other Year Three class blogs, maths games and activities, family treasures and some skipping videos (more of these to come soon).

Ramona The Pest

We really enjoyed reading the story Ramona the Pest. It was extra curly to be able to watch the movie Beezus and Ramona on the last day of school.

There were funny bits, romantic bits and some sad bits too. 

Check out the author page up above to go to Beverly Cleary's fantastic website.

Book Week Update

Today we browsed the shelves at the Book Fair in the hall with our buddy class.

There are some beautiful books there.
(Doesn't the Community Quilt look fabulous too!)

We were able to compile a wish list to bring home and share with you.

Ms Ashby's Valuable Life Lesson:
A wish list is NOT the same as a shopping list!
A shopping list has things you NEED and WILL buy.
A wish list has things you WANT to buy.

A Beautiful Sight to Behold

 

An after playtime read - bliss!

The Cat's Whiskers

Thanks Tanner for sending in this photo of your cat Austie's whiskers.
 My grandma used to say, "That's the cat's whiskers!" if she meant something was just right or perfect. Have you ever heard anyone using that expression? There is some extra reading about cats' whiskers on the extra reading links page.

My Book Character

Today I came to school, or I should say I scuttled to school, as a spider. My character is Charlotte from Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
I remember reading Charlotte's Web when I was in year four. It was the first book I ever read that made me laugh AND cry (and I mean howl!).
Charlotte is clever and kind. She is a gentle friend to Wilbur the pig. Wilbur needs a kind friend to help save his life. I also love that Charlotte helps solve Wilbur's problem through being crafty, in both senses of the word.
I hope that I am a bit like Charlotte, she is a great role model. I have to admit though, I'm pleased I don't have eight legs.


By Ms Ashby

Strange Coincidence

Remember we were talking about books the other day and someone mentioned Spot books? Lily said she remembered loving them I said I had some written in Māori. Well I discovered this morning that the author of those books has just died. He was 86 years old.
I wonder if you have a Spot book at home somewhere? We could do a display for book week.

Quentin Blake

Elizabeth brought her Quentin Blake book collection to school today. We loved the two we read together. I've added a link to the Author Website page above so you can explore his website. I'm particularly looking forward to sending someone an e-card!

Speech Marks

What might these children be saying?

Today we have worked on using speech marks. We wrote stories about what we gave the queen for her birthday and what her reaction was.
As you are reading today notice the way authors use speech to share their ideas. You need to use special punctuation to show who is talking and what they are saying.

Reading Extension

Now I really want to see one of these!

Don't forget to check out the extra reading links page for some extra reading about rainbows. I found out many new bits and pieces of information. Have you heard of a moonbow?!? Read on my friend!