December 13, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
This wonderful resource has been produced by school librarian, Mrs H. Smith (Eckington Schools, Derbyshire) a member of the School Librarian’s Network. She has put a lot of work into putting this together and it links films and television programmes on television with the books on which they are based.
Enjoy!
December 12, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
Christmas is nearly upon us again and there are a number of things to see and do in the library until the end of term on the 21st.
Pupils Librarians have been busy decorating the trees and the Christmas display is up on the wall. This year an old display has been resurrected from the archives with the centre piece being The Twelve Days of Christmas. Flanking this are a handful of old photos of Orkney and some hand made (not very many computers back then for shiny colour printouts) and illustrated information sheets about Christmas, some done by ex-pupils and some by myself.
A rather squat, leaning into the Orkney winter gales 😉 book tree
‘Trees’ made out of stacks of books appear to be the ‘in thing’ this year with a number of pictures being circulated on the internet. Here is our attempt in a very limited space.
12 Words of Christmas
Not long ago, on The School Librarians Network (SLN) (an online forum) someone somewhere suggested an idea for a competition within their school. This grew legs and sprinted away with it becoming a national competition with the the winning pupil receiving an iPod Touch. Many schools across the country are doing this, with the overall winners from each school being forwarded to the national competition.
In Stromness Academy, this competition is open to all pupils and staff. S1 and S2 have worked on their stories – remember, they are only 12 words long – during library periods ith some producing up to six or seven entries. Stories are shortlisted and there will be a prize for each year group as well as an overall winner.
There is still plenty of time – the closing date is Thursday 20th December. PUpils and staff can submit as many entries as they want.
Here are some examples that have been submitted so far:
A transparent snowflake falling from the deep blue whilst twinkling through starlight.
Snowball fight after rain. Hit him in the face. Bet that hurt!
The snow was whiter; the tree was brighter, when Santa was real.
Black boots touch the snow. Door opens. Lock clicks. Swiflty quickly gone.
Falling. Pale figures drifting in darkness. Winter has begun. Cold tears falling.
Rattle, bang, clunk, thud, pop, SMASH! Should not have shook that present.
Here he comes. Santa has my Dad’s brown eyes… Wait a minute…
The snowball fight has consumed the playground sending the young kids scurrying.
And from the staff:
Last Christmas I gave you my heart. Then I dropped down dead.
The Star, magi followed, Shepherds, Angels heralded, Revealing Love, In manger, born
Sledging… wheeeee. Frost stings my face. Crashing… Arrgh! Snow up my nose.
Christmas at the palace. The Duchess retches, William winces; the world watches.
Misletoe in the doorway. Her waist encircled; in love, her cheeks burn.
Postprandulate, Monopolate, Pictionate, Articulate, Gesticulate, Flatulate, Televisulate, Brandiculate, Hiccupulate, Somnolate, Choculate, Indigestulate.
One horse town; open all hours. Jingle sleigh for sale. Snow down.
Christmas Reading Challenge
This challenge has been resurrected after a few years gap. A number of wrapped books have been placed under one of the trees in the library and pupils (and staff) have been invited to select a book to read over the holidays. They don’t know what they are going to get other than the chance to possibly read something completely different to their normal choices. All that is asked is that they give the books a fair chance then fill in a mini review slip giving a brief outline of the book and some comments (good or bad). Those that return their books and completed review slips after the holidays will receive a small prize.
November 27, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
Links to websites suitable for your Geography and History projects (S1 / S2) are now available through this blog. Just scroll down and look at the left hand column to find them.
November 19, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
The October break has been and gone and thoughts are turning to Christmas which is closer than one would like to believe. Let’s turn the clock back, then, two weeks. The Reading Zone of the library is quiet and the cobwebs appear to have sprouted from the shelves and ceilings.
Monday 5th November saw our annual Spooky Happenings storytelling event take place in the library at lunchtime. The small team of pupil librarians helped set up and tidy away the snacks and were on hand to help supervise the event.
This year we welcomed a local storyteller, Fran Flett Hollinrake, to come and share some of her stories amassed during her time spent doing the ghost stories tours in Edinburgh Old Town and ones learnt during her work here in Orkney as a tour guide and cathedral custodian. Over the course of the lunch she had up to 20 pupils and staff enthralled by her tales and even, at one point had most jumping some distance, in some cases, out of their seats at the end of one spooky story.
This event came close on the tail of the Orkney Storytelling Festival so it was fitting to have a local storyteller in the school so that pupils could get a flavour of this type of event.
Entertaining and just a little bit frightful. MM S5
Those stories were awesome. AL S2
Excellent, really good stories. RM S5
She scared me in the first story. AC S4
October 10, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
On Thursday 4th October the library celebrated National Poetry Day with the annual ‘Poetry Picnic’. Around twenty pupils and staff joined us in the library over the course of lunchtime to partake of some snacks and read out poetry on the theme of ‘stars’ which had been collated by the senior pupil librarians and the librarian. Many were eager to grab a poem and read it to the rest of us. There was a bit of happy non-poetry related banter too and everyone was chilled and relaxed. It also seems like the reading of tongue twisters (towards the end of the session) has become an annual highlight as we pass An Anthology of British Tongue-Twisters by Ken Parkin around the table as fast as we can.
In conjunction with NPD, collaborative work between the English Department and the library took place. S1 and S2 classes, during their library period all had a chance to try their creative hand at writing in iambic pentameter. This particular librarian actually didn’t find it that easy, but made an attempt anyway. Pupils were introduced to the poetry form by their English Teacher and then there was a short discussion on what ‘stars’ can mean and be used for. Pupils then headed to the library to look at the display of astronomy books and biographies of famous people as well as a wall displayon similar themes. This was to help them get ideas for their poems. Thank you to the English Department for this support.
Completed poems were then transferred onto a five-pointed star.
These will be entered into a competition running in conjunction with our NPD events with a closing date of 29th October 2012.
October 1, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
Where does the time ago? It is remarkable how one day you are only just a week or two back into a new session, then before you know it it is the end of the first term and the October break beckons.
Looking at my planning for National Poetry Day last week, I realised I was two weeks behind schedule in the advertising of our annual poetry picnic in the library. What has happened to the time?
None the least, it has been taken up with S1 and S2 classes doing their library induction and information literacy skills lessons during library periods keeping me busy with teaching the required skills and marking their workbooks as well as promoting reading. Other year groups also come to the library for a library period so they can pursue their personal reading interests. S2 History classes have all been introduced to our local studies collection in preparation for doing their Fereday Project research on a local history topic. A couple of S5 RMEclasses have been in for a personal reading period, to extend theirbackground reading for the subject. S2 Geography have also been in for a few weeks whilst pupils carry out book, internet and newspaper file research for their Earth Forces Project. At the height of all this project work and activity, there were classes in the library for 25 out of the 31 periods available in the school week.
As well as being involved with supporting classes in the library, I have also had to carry on with the day-to-day admin of the library, dealing with enquireis, book issues and the mundanities of shelving and shelf tidying (which is always backlogged), to which is added the management of the small team of pupil librarians and the Dynamic Youth and Youth Achievement Award Group. Ongoing development of library courses continues, with thoughts soon to be turning towards the S1 Ancient Civilisations project and the urgency of putting together a web evaluation lesson for the library’s first involvement in and IDL (interdisciplinary learing) day based on the theme of Technology for our S3 pupils.
Now, back to the aforementioned National Poetry Day! The annual poetry picnic will take place this Thursday (4th October) – yep, this Thursday in the library at lunchtime. Four weeks of planning has been condensed into two weeks with the help of the Senior Pupil Librarians producing posters and invites and searching out poems for the readings. Snacks will be available to participants.
S1 and S2 classes are being introduced to iambic pentameter during their English Library period and are being asked to have a go at writing poetry on the theme of ‘stars’. They are producing 5 lines of poetry, 10 syllables and 5 beats to the line. The idea is that the final product will be written on a star to be displayed in the library and English department. This is being opened out into a school wide competition for book, stationery and sweety prizes. Closing date – Monday 29th Octoberl
September 19, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
The school library has a long history of providing structured activities for pupils to do in their leisure time (eg. Pupil Librarian Training, special events such as Poetry readings / story telling and role-playing games activities, Manga club) and now they can use these activities to work towards recognised qualifications in a pilot project which allow pupils to work towards a Dynamic Youth or Youth Achievement Award.
With the Community Learning Officer (OIC), and Deputy Head, Mrs Sinclair, the School Librarian has took on the role of ‘Award Group Worker’ to oversee the pupils undertaking the awards during a pilot profject 2010-12. Two pupils successfully gained their bronze YA earlier this year and the awards have been rolled out across the school with a number of other staff training for and taking on the role of Award Group Worker. Dynamic Youth Awards have now also been introduced.
Dynamic Youth Awards give recognition and accreditation for your achievements in challenges young people set themselves during activities they choose to be involved in both in and out of school. It is aimed at young people who are aged between 10 and 14 years old
DYA is based around a star rating system based on the number of cumulative hours done.
*5-15hrs **16 – 30hrs ***over 30hrs
Up to 30hrs can be used as ‘prior learning’ and can count towards the Bronze Youth Achievement Award with each 15 hour DYA challenge equalling ONE Youth Achievement Award Challenge.
The Youth Achievement Award, aimed at ages 14+, has four levels and each level provides an award equivalent to SQA qualifications for which pupils have to carry out a number of peer assessed challenges of their choice, producing a portfolio of evidence which can include photos of the activity, logbooks, diaries, witness observations, plans, records of attendance, certificates, to name but a few.
Both awards work on a plan,do, review with the pupils discussing ideas with their peers and Award Group Worker and set out their own challenges and create a set of targets to achieve to complete the challenge. These awards are pupil led and they need to show responsibility and have the motivation to carryout the challenges and produce the evidence they need with minimal input from the Award Group Worker who acts in a supporting role. Peer assessment is also part of the awards and is carried out prior to portfolios being internally moderated, then sent away for external moderation.
Any activity (in or out of school) can be used as long as the pupil can prove that theyhave done it by collecting evidence (logbooks, photographs, hours sheets, certificates, witness statements, etc). All library-based activities are eligible to be used for DYA (and YAA) and can be used in part or whole towards either award.
Further information can be obtained from Mrs Sinclair in the Library.
September 6, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
1 Comment
We are now into our third week back after the summer holidays and it doesn’t really feel like we have stopped ‘running’ since the first day. Everyone has got back into the way of work, study and learning as far as I am aware. The usual library activities have started, both leisure and academic.
S1 and S2 Library & Information Literacy Skills courses are well underway and taking up lots of time but are certainly proving to be enjoyable from this Librarian’s point of view and I do hope the pupils (and staff) are getting something out of them too. We will be covering everything from behaviour expectations, how to choose and borrow books, Dewey Numbers, Alphabetical Order, fiction & non-fiction books, various games to reinforce library skills, reading records, reading skills such as scanning and skimming, getting to know the reference section, learning about Glow (the Scottish intranet for education), using journals, using the internet, note taking… to name but a few.
The first research classes have now been booked into the library and are coming from S2 Geography to research earth forces. Book displays that relate to this are up and more resources will be borrowed from the Orkney Library to support the 3 week project.
Friday afternoon activities have started with two separate ones being run in the library. One of our 5th year students is running an Animé & Manga Club in the upper library for a small group of around 6 pupils. They will be watchingand discussing Animé films and Manga novels and even having a go at learning to draw Manga.
In the lower library, the Role Playing Games group of 10 pupils will be playing Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) or Magic the Gathering (MtG). 6th year students are helping out with this so this Librarian may well get a chance to play a D&D character rather than be Dungeon Master… now to think on what type of character I will play (Muahhaha)!
Tuesday after school activities got off to a slow start this week… where were you all? Hopefully more folks will turn up next week to play either D&D or MtG and of course, the library is also available until 4.30pm Tuesdays for anyone wishing to use the computers, read, study, do homeowrk, chill…
Lunchtime proves to be popular (no doubt it will be especially so today due to the fact in is pouring down outside) with pupils ‘chilling’, using computers for games, playing MtG, reading or maybe even doing school work – remember school work will always get priotiry over leisure use on the PCs! Must remember to get the board games out so folks can play chess or draughts at lunchtimes.
An eager six S2 pupils (all boys this time round) join me every morning before registration to help in the library, shelving, and shelf tidying. They will now go on to train to be Pupil Library Monitors. Three 5th year Pupil Librarians will be helping to ‘train’ them. In the process the younger ones will be doing Dynamic Youth Awards (some of the hours of which can be counted towards the Bronze Youth Achievement Award), whilst the senior pupils have expressed an interest in doing their Silver Youth Achievement Awards. These are a great way to give recognition (and qualifications) to the pupils’ work they do in helping with library duties. Two of the S5 pupils have already gained their Bronze YAA which is the equivalent of a Standard Grade at General Level, by taking part in library-based activities.
So it is proving to be as busy as ever… now to get on with all the book ordering, shelving, shelf tidying, book processing, cataloguing, development work, newsletter writing, filing, website development, Glow development, Pupil Librarian training, meetings, staff liaison…. the list could go on but despite all the work and pressures of running a school library and always multitasking, often being interrupted, etc, I wouldn’t have it any other way – it is more of a passion than a career. FS
August 14, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
Well, the summer holidays are over for this school librarian as I am now back and preparing for the new term. There is still a long list of things to do, none the least reshelving the books removed whilst central heating pipework was being replaced.
The other main task for day was to sort the Reading Record files and prepare various new versions of library notices which get tatty over the course of a year. Plants have also been tidyed up a bit, removing dead leaves and pruning back where necessary. Furniture is also nearly all back where it belongs. Still lots to do over then next 4 days before pupils are back next week including preparing library cards for our new S1, ensuring catalogue works on all PCs, putting up fresh posters and notices, catching up on book processing and cataloguing and giving the desk / office area a good tidy.
June 19, 2012
by Mrs Sinclair
0 comments
I can’t quite believe it was March when I last posted. The school year is now nearing its end and some of us are preparing to head off on a Geography field trip to Switzerland. Sports Day and Band Comp are also looming on the horizon.
It has been a busy year in the school library with a new library and information literacy skills course having been successfully piloted with the S1 as well as the pupils working to their Bronze certificate for the Reading record. Pupils’ work and effort in the course and Reading Record were recognised with certificates being issued during library periods last week as well as sweeties and small stationery prizes for those who completed their workbooks fully. The S1 course is now currently being revised and a new S2 course is in development which will reinforce library skills learnt in S1 as well as introducing new info lit skills to help them in their reading and studies.
Lots of new fiction books have been purchased and subsequently displayed over the course of the session and it is hoped we can do the same in the new session as well as up-dating (much needed) our non-fiction book stock. Pupils continue to use the library during their leisure time (before registration, lunch, or after school) on a regular basis using the library for leisure or school work purposes. The S6 stalwarts who played Magic the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons have left to go on to pastures new, but they have left behind a new cohort of younger pupils playingMagicand I hope that they, in time will join in with the D&D activity.
The summer holidays will see me continung with development work, giving the library a much need tidy, up-dating posters and notices and preparing for the new intake amongst other things.
Glow Blogs uses cookies to enhance your experience on our service. By using this service or closing this message you consent to our use of those cookies. Please read our Cookie Policy.