All posts by Mrs WILSON

School Librarian Northfield Academy

Grampian Children’s Book Awards

The shortlisted books for the Grampian Children’s Book Awards are;

The Ultimate Truth            Kevin Brooks

Charlie Merrick’s Misfits   Dave Cousins

Say her Name                      James Dawson

Blood Family                        Anne Fine

Thirteen                                Tom Hoyle

The Wall                                William Sutcliffe

 

The pupil book review form is available here –  2015 Book Review Template

Metaphrog visit

The school were again delighted to welcome our Patrons of Reading Metaphrog back to deliver a series of hands-on workshops over two days with S2 pupils. Celebrating Book Week Scotland, pupils enjoyed fun sessions creating their own Christmas themed characters.

Northfield Academy are currently in the second year of a three year Patron of Reading partnership with graphic novel writer/illustrators John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs of metaphrog.  This partnership will allow the school to work with metaphrog to raise the profile of graphic novels and reading for pleasure with pupils, parents and staff in a scheme which “adopts” authors/illustrators.

As a result of a successful funding bid to the Scottish Book Trust we will again welcome metaphrog back in Feb / March 2015 to work with the current S1 on an ambitious cross curricular Great Scottish Scientists project.  The visits will be part of a wider cross curricular school initiative to research, plan and draw a short graphic novel about a famous Scottish Scientist. Three comics will then be photographed frame by frame and music composed to create several short films.

We are very privileged to be paired up with metaphrog. Their visits have inspired and encouraged youngsters through the medium of graphic novels. The partnership on both sides is evolving into something truly great.

You can follow what metaphrog are up from their blog – http://metaphrog.blogspot.co.uk/

Everest Climber Matt Dickinson visits Northfield Academy

The well-known author and film maker Matt Dickinson was in school on Monday 27 October giving an inspirational talk to S1 – S3 pupils about his ascent of Everest and how pupils should themselves aspire to be the best they can be.

Dickinson is famous for climbing Mount Everest’s notorious North Face in 1996 with Alan Hinkes, beating hurricane force winds and temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius. The film producer was on Everest to film Brian Blessed as he made a third attempt of the summit.  Ironically, Dickinson set out not to climb the world’s highest peak, but just to film it. His task was to record as much of the expedition as he physically could before handing over equipment to a professional climber who was to film on to the summit. Matt Dickinson’s drive and determination however meant that he went on to become the first British film-maker to film on the summit of Everest and return alive.

His film Summit Fever has been seen by more than twenty million people worldwide. He also wrote the  book ‘The Death Zone’ about the same expedition. Recently Matt has started writing fiction for teenage readers. His latest novel “The Everest Files” is an adventure story set on Everest.

The inspiring talk was well received by staff and pupils.  He spoke openly about the Everest expedition showing breath-taking pictures taken on the ascent. Pupils were most amused to hear that he ate 300 toffee crisp bars on the Everest trek to keep up vital sugars levels! He also joked about the Everest weight loss plan losing a kilo a week on the mountain.

The talk also touched on the human tragedy of Everest and of the bodies of climbers who died trying to achieve their dream.

Female explorers were also a focus of his talk. He was keen too to emphasise that it was not just “men in beards” that climbed mountains. The talk ended with a short film capturing Alan Hinkes as he reached the summit of Everest.

His film Summit Fever has been seen by more than twenty million people worldwide. He also wrote the  book ‘The Death Zone’ about the same expedition. Recently Matt has started writing fiction for teenage readers. His latest novel “The Everest Files” is an adventure story set on Everest.

Matt Dickinson visit

The well-known author and film maker Matt Dickinson will be in school on Monday 27 October giving a talk to S1, S2 and S3 pupils.
Matt Dickinson became the first British film-maker to film on the summit of Everest and return alive.  In 1996, Dickinson made a successful ascent of Mount Everest’s notorious North Face with Alan Hinkes, beating hurricane force winds and temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius. His film Summit Fever has been seen by more than twenty million people worldwide. He also wrote the  book ‘The Death Zone’ about the same expedition. Recently Matt has started writing fiction for teenage readers. His latest novel “The Everest Files” is an adventure story set on Everest.
http://www.mattdickinson.com/

Aberdeen City Libraries Digital Resources

Using your library card(often on your accord card)  it is possible to access a range of useful online resources.

For more information go to

http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/Library/digital_library/lib_digitallibrary_AtoZ.asp

The digital resource list is fairly comprehensive and a useful support for a range of school subjects. You can even practice for the UK Driving theory test ;

Issues Online examines a huge range of topical issues

19th. Century British Library Newspapers including Aberdeen Journal

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 57,000 biographies

Oxford Art Online Art resource –    including history, styles and biographies.

Incorporating Grove Art,  Benezit Dictionary of Artists

Oxford Music Online includes Grove Music. Music Industry (record labels, performers), genres (early roots to the modern era)

Oxford Reference Online encyclopedias, subject dictionaries and language dictionaries

Scotsman Archive & UK Scotsman newspaper 1817 – 1950.

SCRAN 360,000 images, videos and sounds from museums and  archives.

Silver City Vault Images and Records of Aberdeen.

Wood of Words Online database of activities on reading, writing and  books.

Tell Me More Online language learning

Theory Test Pro Online simulation of the UK Driving Theory Test.

UK Press Online Historic newspapers 1900 – present.

Who Else Writes Like Find out who else writes like a favourite author.

Who Next guide for children to finding similar authors to ones they know

Who’s Who & Who Was Who 1898 – present

Emagazines free digital editions of popular magazines

Overdrive free Ebooks and Audiobooks


Metaphrog recommends 12 Graphic Novels

It was lovely to hear from John and Sandra of Metaphrog today. Our fantastic Patrons of Reading have compiled a suggested reading list of 12 Graphic Novels. We already have some in the Library and will add to this collection soon.

How many have you read?

Metaphrog recommends 12 Graphic Novels:

1. The Arrival by Shaun Tan (Hodder Children’s Books)

2. Coraline by Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell (Bloomsbury)

3. The Rainbow Orchid by Garen Ewing (Egmont)

4. Adolf series by Osamu Tezuka (Cadence Books)

5. Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi (Scholastics US)

6. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and Michel Plessix (Papercutz)

7. Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, Antony Johnston, Kanako & Yuzuru (Walker Books)

8. Bone by Jeff Smith (Scholastics US)

9. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Conan Doyle, Ian Edginton & Ian Culbard (Self Made Hero)

10. Silverfin by Charlie Higson & Kev Walker (Puffin)

11. Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastics US)

12. The Phoenix comic magazine (David Fickling Books)

Metaphrog Visits

January saw the first of seven visits by John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs of Graphic Novel writing / illustrating team Metaphrog. Our three year Patron of Reading partnership got off to a great start with all S1 pupils being introduced to the art of Graphic Novel planning and design.

The informative and practical workshop took pupils on a journey of discovery through different types of graphic novels before allowing them to create strong descriptive characters of their own. These workshops were very well received by pupils.

Returning in February Metaphrog worked with Heathryburn and West Park Primaries up at the Academy on a similar workshop theme.

Thirty S1 pupils then got the opportunity to work further on their previous character creation designing their own comic script with guidance from John and Sandra. Since the sessions, pupils have had the opportunity to finish their comics which will be displayed in school and on the Library blog next term.

We were pleased to receive a kind gift from Metaphrog of a class set of “Louis : Red Letter Day” and accompanying teacher lesson ideas. In between visits John and Sandra will be keeping in touch to recommend graphic novels to pupils.

The partnership with Metaphrog is a three year one so we will be looking forward to planning further visits and activities with them in the near future.