Author Archives: Mrs Baird

Super helper

Hi everyone, my name is Jonny and I am a volunteer library assistant at the school. One of my favourite books is “Bleach” by the Tite Kubo. However, my favourite author is J.K. I can probably be found listening to music whilst reading a book, because that is what I spend most of my time doing if I’m not playing music, making another instrument from scratch or doing homework. I enjoy films so I am part of the St Ninians Filmclub where we watch lots of obscure and wacky film Like Shoailin Soccer or a Town called Panic. My favourite time of the year is the summer, Because you don’t have to do a lot of work in preparation for exams or Folio essays. If you have any questions about manga or graphic novels I’m your guy.
Favourite Author – J.K. Rowling
Favourite TV Show – NCIS (not spelt wrong: Naval Criminal Investigative Service)
Favourite Colour – Lime Green
Favourite Food –Anything foreign
Books – Currently reading Rise by Anna Carey
Favourite Chocolate – Dark Chocolate Orange
I like things to be in order so don’t put a book back in the wrong place right in front of me or I might just explode on the spot (Especially if you do it just to annoy me!!).

It’s not just the law – it’s the LIBRARY law!

Leave a reply

More fun stuff from my amazing library assistants plus a special guest…

Obey the law!!!

Library Assistant of the week – Charlie

Leave a reply

Hiya everyone, my name is Charlie and I am a volunteer library assistant at the school. One of my favourite books is called “The Girl Who Saved The King Of Sweden” by the Author Jonas Jonasson. However, my favourite author is J.K.Rowling ( I am still trying to convince Mrs Lamont to let me do my dissertation on Harry Potter.) I enjoy lots of different TV series like Sherlock, Star Trek and The Thick Of it (but some of you shouldn’t be watching that.) I enjoy going to the theatre to see all sorts of different things; musicals, comedy and dramas etc. My favourite time of the year is whatever time the Edinburgh Fringe is because it is full of tons and tons of interesting things to see and do (I would recommend the Addams Family.) I am a fun and approachable character and I’m always here to help.

Favourite Author – J.K. Rowling
Favourite TV Show – Star Trek the Next Generation
Favourite Colour – Whatever you want it to be
Favourite Food – Thai food
Books – Currently reading Winger and Laughter in the Dark
Poetry – “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
I have been a library assistant for a whole 20 minutes so you can trust me to help. I am in sixth year, help with the Saltire Award programme and help out at Isobel Mair school. I became a library assistant because I love books and you should too! A person I would most like to meet is Casey Neistat because he is one of the best modern story tellers alive.

This week’s Library Assistant of the Week! – Holly

Leave a reply

Hi, my name is Holly and I am a volunteer library assistant at St. Ninian’s. My favourite author is Jennifer Brown and my favourite book of hers is ‘Hate List.’ I love to eat food (who doesn’t) and play the trumpet (but not at the same time!) My ideal story is probably very dramatic with lots of plot twists. I have a tendency to be quite timid, but talk to me about books and I won’t shut up!

Favourite author– Jennifer Brown
Favourite TV show– Doctor Who/Sherlock
Favourite colour– Green/blue
Favourite food– Steak Pie with soggy pastry
Books I enjoy- ‘Hate List’, ‘Perfect escape’, Apple and Rain’, ‘Mind Blind’… I could go on.

I became a library assistant because I was hanging about the library all the time and thought I would be as well to do something useful that could help somebody out. It is a great thing to do because I have been able to share my love of reading with other pupils who I would have otherwise never have met and exchange book suggestions.

Why not pop in to the library and say hello!

Just brilliant

Leave a reply

Welcome to the first in a series to help pupils get the most out of their school library.

I am biased and know I have the best pupils but when they are as creative as this it just goes to prove I am right.

Cast:
Caterina stars as very helpful library assistant
Goudham stars as confused borrower
and special guest star,
Poppy as Mrs Baird.

A brilliant comic version of what goes on in our library

Keep coming back to our web pages for more in this series…

Meet the team

Leave a reply

Each week I will be posting about one of my lovely library helpers – this week it’s Toni.

Indulging in some Potter

Hi, my name is Toni and I am a volunteer library assistant at St. Ninian’s. My favourite book is Skin Game the fifteenth book in the Dresden Files collection written by Jim Butcher. My favourite authors, however, are Darren Shan and J.K.Rowling as they are both excellent fantasy writers in different ways and using different styles. I enjoy watching NCIS and eating popcorn, usually at the same time. I love to read and write. Although shy sometimes I am lively around friends and can be a little crazy sometimes. I love all things fantasy and out of this world as I find it a great way to escape from the worries of real life. I also enjoy the great outdoors and watching TV.

Favourite author– Daren Shan and J.K.Rowling
Favourite TV show– NCIS
Favourite colour– Black (or red)
Favourite food– chicken nuggets and chocolate ice-cream (not together)
Books I enjoy– Skulduggery Pleasant, The Saga of Darren Shan and Runaways are but a few.

I have been a library assistant for many years but as I am now in sixth year I have taken a more prominent role during some of my free periods. I became a library assistant in order to give back to the school community, also as I enjoy reading it is a great why to recommend books to people and even find new reads that I myself might find interesting. The author I would most like to meet would be J.K.Rowling as she is a huge inspiration for me to start my writing.

Why not pop in to the library and say hello!

Think Big – really big…

Leave a reply

The Everest Files by Matt Dickinson

Read this amazing book!

Each year for the past 6 years Saint Ninian’s School library and Woodfarm High’s school library have been working in tandem on specific literacy projects – from You’re Booked; the football scheme where pupils met the Scotland manager, read books by and met author Tom Palmer and were trained by the local SFA development team – to our cli-fi carbon neutral project where we created our own films on the premise- Can books save the world?
This year after having read the amazing book by Matt Dickinson; The Everest Files there really was nowhere else to seek inspiration.

The scheme will focus around the novel which deals with topics such as Buddhism, the cold chain, arranged marriages, ethical tourism, animal welfare and much, much more as well as the obvious of climbing. The aim of the project is to get pupils thinking about fiction in all its various facets. No book is ever written in isolation so how can we take each thread, each idea, each character and look at them on their own? Over 80 pupils will be involved in this scheme our biggest challenge yet!

The difference with this book to many others is that the author has lived this experience having climbed Mount Everest a number of years ago. So, the detail is the reality and, the thrill of the action is based on truth.

Some endangered species

We hope to have pupils putting themselves into the book by having experience of researching the topics but also having a go. Part of the grand plan is to have some pupils trying out a climbing wall to see if they have what it takes to really face a challenge such as Everest. I would like, in the wake of the horrific earthquakes in the region, to have pupils think about the lives of the Nepalese whose lives are dominated by the presence of the mountain and their livelihood sustained by rich mountaineers (which will be used as part of an inter-class debate). In the light of this I would like pupils to be sponsored to walk Mount Everest using pedometers and the monies raised would go towards supporting the relief effort.

Pupils will also be able to present their work using an interactive online poster using thinglink.com; an image is used for the focal point for research, how that research manifests itself will be , in part, up to the pupils; allowing them to take ownership of the scheme and play a significant role in their final project.
Pupils will be directed to different ideas through working through a traditional booklet on their own, in pairs or as part of a team. The team aspect will also come into play with the other final project; a playable board game. Pupils will have a chance to play traditional board games and discuss what makes them tick and apply this knowledge to their own games.

It only looks small because it’s far away

The scheme will be supported by other departments –
Geography – will talk about the creation of the Himalayas
RE – will talk about Buddhism
HE – will help pupils plan a Nepalese feast, and will look at Nepalese attire, and
Art and Design – have created a Pinterest board of relevant images to use as source materials for pupil’s own selection for thinglink and their board game.

In September, a new film will be released all about climbing Everest and I would like to take a small group to the I-max theatre to experience an epic up close. And we are also hoping that Matt might be able to fit us into his busy schedule and pop in to the school to talk about the book and his experiences!

The final part of the scheme – I would like to have an evening at the school where family and friends will be able to come in to the school, have a taste of Nepal, try out the board games and watch some of the presentations – any monies raised from this event will again go toward the relief efforts in Nepal. ( bobble hats at the ready!)

It is only with the support of pupils, parents and teachers that I am able to undertake such an exciting scheme and I would like to thank all of you who will get your snow boots on and harness yourself to this climb.

Just in case you didn’t know the way

Nearly 7000 people have summited Mount Everest – I hope we can too. Sort of!

Barrington Stoke and S1

Leave a reply

Books are books right? They all look the same, feel the same and smell the same? Well, no. If you take the time to open a Barrington Stoke titles you will be aware that you are looking at a book with a difference. The pages are well banana coloured, the chapters short and easily accessible, the font just the bit easier on the eye and the page set up just that bit simpler to follow.

Is this a fluke? Has the world gotten a little bit stranger?
Nope- this is how Barrington Stoke see the world or indeed how they want their readers to see the world.
As a fluent reader from an early age I find it difficult to comprehend just how hard it must be for some pupils with specific reading issues to pick up and read a book.

If words danced in front of your eyes and shapes and order lost their meaning would you keep going? Barrington Stoke books and those like them make reading easier. Please don’t just take my word for it take the words of my S1 class a mix of fluent and not so fluent readers who were up for the challenge of reading some of my over 200 different Barrington Stoke titles.

We started with a very honest lesson about how we saw ourselves as readers and what reading meant to us. Several pupils would not class themselves as readers at all with one or two saying they didn’t read at all. For some reading was a pleasure which they often indulged in after school for others just another bit of classwork.

Our challenge was to read 3 titles over the course of 3 months. So far, after 3 weeks most pupils have read 2 titles. I could not be prouder and neither could they.

I chose one lesson to be reflective- How are they getting on? What do they like and what don’t they like? How do they see themselves now?

Here are some quotes from my brilliant readers to speak for themselves –
Here is what they had to say when I asked them I have ( or have not) enjoyed reading this Barrington Stoke book because:
I just enjoyed it I don’t really know why.

It is very interesting because there are lots of characters in it and a lot of different storyline.

It was really interesting when it came to the Saturday game because I didn’t know what Blake was going to choose. This book made me not want to stop.

It was about football
The font is much easier to read
The books are short and really exciting to read!

It is very interesting and mysterious and at some moments it can be a little bit funny

I have never read a book like this

The pages are different colours and it is easier for me because I have Meares Irlen.
It was really exciting and I wanted to know what happened next.

I have loved this book because it was a horror/sport/romance novel. It covered lots of different types of things which kept me interested.

it is quite upsetting at the fact that Matthew hasn’t got a lot of money and is getting bullied, but I found it interesting when he got the new uniform and the bully ended up being the one who got bullied.

I found the story to be interesting. I wanted to know whether or not he would be able to convince people he was really ill.

I like the story.

It is really exciting and tense. You don’t know if he is going to succeed or not.

These books are better because it’s a better font because my dyslexia I find it harder for me to read fonts
I can not tell you how proud I am of these pupils willing to give this project a go and being able to see the results.
Who knows how far they will go after this?

What does the Hunger Games mean to you?

Leave a reply

Well, to Mrs McCoy’s S2 class it means everything and I mean everything.

Wed 18th and 25th of February saw the final flourish to weeks of research and study; our presentations.

We began with our first group of Tributes talking us through the music choices that SHOULD have been made to accompany the film. With images and music and conversation we were transported to the cornucopia, to the reaping and to the loss of *spoiler alert* Rue. A brilliant start to proceedings to get us into the mood of the novel.

Our next group looked at the fashions of Districts 7-12. Our “designers” had created male and female tribute outfits and explained their reasoning behind the colour , design and material choices. There was even details on the make-up to match. Beautiful illustrations and and thoughtful and well planned designs were at the core of this excellent presentation.
Engineers burst on to the scene with their plans for weapons to be grabbed from the cornucopia. A toughened light weight long bow and a mini– prototype crossbow were on display. The crossbow made out of lethal Lego bricks was showed it’s deadly force as one engineered tested it out on the other to dramatic effect ( no engineers were hurt in the presentation). The weapons were available for other pupils to admire.

More designers were up next with their Pinterest account of fashion for TRIBUTES FROM District ? As with all fashion the devil is in the detail and the idea of rear shooting arrows seems to gain biggest approval from the audience with many enquiring when the prototypes might become a reality and would they stull be able to wear their blazers over them?

The rucksack is something of an icon for all tributes and our next group had not only brought in their own but had created a companion Prezi presentation to detail it’s contents. Whilst we delved into the back for items the presentation showed us examples of tributes from the film using these weapons or provision to the maximum. Schoolbags will never look the same!
We were next invited into a world of intrigue and suspicion where top secret plans for next year’s arena had been leaked. Our secret spies created a 3-d model and highlighted dangerous beasts and water and shelter all to aid any tributes in our audience who might just be called up in the reaping next year. It was all very Hush Hush—Don’t tell the CAPITOL!
District 5 acme to the fore( see what I did there?0 when our two Haymitch’s implored us to send money and goods to their tributes; Foxface and Porta—they were strong and lean and talented athletes with a real chance of winning . Or so our speakers tried to persuade us into thinking.
More scientists took over in the form of Gamesmakers and horrible beasties; their evil genius had designed the killer kedwick for the next games. It looks cute but it had phenomenal hearing and a bite well lets just say the odds would Not be in your favour if this thing got to nibble on you.
If it’s one thing that the Hunger Games can never be accused of is balance and fairness and equality. Our next pairing tries to show us there are two sides to ever game and gave us the pros and cons of the games on one handy poster. On the one side the games keeps the masses quiet , stops riots and is the natural order of things and on the other there is of course the killings and the violence and the poverty. Depending on where you stand would depend on what side of the poster you would most identify—Capitol or District 12?

After all this hard work it was time for a snack—err sort of our next delight was culinary—what will you be eating or be seen to be eating in the capitol when the games are on; crystal juice, jellyfish soup, t-rex burgers ( re animated for your diing pleasure) or even the blob fish—genetically created to tell you what part of it’s body was the tastiest. Well, would you rather eat an animal that wanted to be eaten or didn’t want to be eaten? ( nod to the genius of Douglas Adams here).
Dr Olaf and his “assistant” informed us of his new deisgns for the capitol– a new mode of transport using new forms of energy. We were all witness to some test flights indeed some being unwilling victems of paperplaneitis. Well they are called prototypes for a reason.
Social media is an integral part of getting the most out of the juicy gossip from the games and our group had hacked @Cecelia Sanchez’s account where she chats with @katnissE and gets blocked by @capitol—carefull what you tweet you never know who might be listening.
Our penultimate AMAZING accounts were introduced our historical duo—using timetoast curation software they were able to track the history of Panem right up to the 74 Hunger Games. The audience were invited to take part by picking dates from a box to which the boys would add historical depth. The amount of work and detail that went in to this presentation was staggering.

Our last presenters was one presented who was able to give us both presentations one a BOGOF as it were. More good information on tributes and their talents, skills and efficiencies and hope for the games?
Outstanding work by the class who were allowed the opportunity to show their creativity and my goodness it shone.
Kudos also to their teacher Mrs McCoy for encouraging and inspiring the activities.

Longing for the long list?

Leave a reply

Then long no longer.

It’s here – it’s long(ish) and it’s pre diction time! Take a look at the long list and tell me the final 8 you think might just make it to the next round it’s like the X-Factor but smarter.

Who will win this year?

2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal Long listed titles are:

My Brother’s Shadow by Tom Avery (Andersen Press)
Us Minus Mum by Heather Butler (Little Brown, Young Readers)
When Mr. Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan (Bloomsbury)
Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)
The Company of Ghosts by Berlie Doherty (Andersen Press)
The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books)
Tinder by Sally Gardner (author) and David Roberts (illustrator) (Orion Children’s Books)
Monkey and Me by David Gilman (Templar)
Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children’s Books)
The Fastest Boy in the World by Elizabeth Laird (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Buffalo Soldier by Tanya Landman (Walker Books)
Scarlet Ibis by Gill Lewis (Oxford University Press)
The Middle of Nowhere by Geraldine McCaughrean (Usborne Books)
Hello Darkness by Anthony McGowan (Walker Books)
More Than This by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)
Close Your Pretty Eyes by Sally Nicholls (Marion Lloyd Books)
Trouble by Non Pratt (Walker Books)
Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff (Penguin Books)
Smart: a Mysterious Crime, a Different Detective by Kim Slater (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith (Electric Monkey)