Please click into the individual blog post, as the links are currently missing on the library page, (formatting issue being investigated).
The answer to last week's question is Rupert Bear who turned 100 on 8 November 2020. Only one person got it right, so well done to Shankith of Y7, who earns a house point. Winnie the Pooh was another good guess, but we will have to wait until 2026 for that anniversary. And page down for another chance to gain a house point.
Don't forget that if you wish to order any books from the Scholastic Teen Book Club catalogue that the deadline is Monday 30 November.
For those of you who haven't logged into Sora yet, here is a reminder of how to borrow library ebooks via Sora. But if you are having any difficulties accessing Sora, then I will be happy to help you.
There is a link to the Sora app on the pupil page of the school website or at the top of the sidebar here on the library page. Download the Sora app or explore in browser https://soraapp.com Enter the setup code uksecondary if asked, and sign in with your school Google login and email password. And in the meantime, here is a Getting Started video guide or there is a PDF version on the P drive in the P:\LIBRARY\Sora folder.
This week's Top Tip for Sora is if your first choice book is not available to borrow, to scroll further down the Explore page and choose a book from the 'no holds, no waiting!’ list. There are over 100 books which are always available to borrow.
As this year's theme for National Non-Fiction November is The Planet We Share, I thought that this week I should mention Sir David Attenborough's latest book - A Life on Our Planet : My Witness Statement and A Vision for the Future. Sir David is an inspirational voice in the warning for the future of our planet.
He is also one of the 20 featured Earth Heroes along with the likes of Greta Thunberg in Lily Dyu's book Earth Heroes: Twenty Inspiring Stories of People Saving Our World, which is available to borrow from London Library Consortium.
This week is Anti Bullying Week and this year's theme is United Against Bullying which is very apt as we saw so many people unite in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
Here is a video and do remember you may talk to any member of staff about bullying. We are all here to listen, support and help make a difference.
And here are a selection of both fiction and non-fiction books from Scholastic to tie in with Anti-Bullying Week. (Wonder by R J Palacio is available to borrow on Sora).
For some areas of the world, this is Geography Awareness Week, although the UK doesn't seem to be particularly participating. However as I mentioned last week, we have saved a selection of subject related book lists on the P Drive in the P:\LIBRARY\Subject Related Reading Lists - Lower School folder and I thought that I would highlight a fiction title from the Geography Book List which is available to borrow on Sora. This is the classic Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne.
There are also a few of the other titles available to borrow from London Library Consortium. These are Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson, Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean and The Explorer by Katherine Rundell.
Whilst talking about Katherine Rundell, I do have a few posters of her books to distribute once you are allowed in the library again. And although The Explorer is not on Sora, you will find some of Katherine's other titles available to borrow on Sora.
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Now for a quick round-up of a few other ideas and resources.
You may have seen the creative writing competition poster which I pinned up in the corridor. The University of Birmingham and the National Literacy Trust are jointly running a story writing competition on the topic of ‘Heroes and Heroines’. There will be at least one winner from every school. Open upto Yr 9.
Series 2 of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is currently showing on Sunday evenings on BBC1. You may also catch up with series 1 on iPlayer.
1.4 trillion digital images will be taken in 2020 – most of them on our phones – but when we pick up a camera, do we know that we can use it as a powerful tool to support mental health? The Photography Movement has set up Show and Tell to encourage young people to use photography as a mindful practice.
The Chaucer Heritage is hosting a competition for schools inspired by the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, considered by many to be the father of the English Language and England’s greatest medieval poet. The theme is Be Careful What You Wish For!
As I've previously mentioned, there are always plenty of giveaways on the Book Trust website. Today I am going to highlight this one which ties in with non-fiction November to win three books - YouthQuake, WildLives and HerStory, (closes 23 November).
And for staff, here is something for you. Play the Hidden Books Game.
Tomorrow is Doctor Who Comics Day and resources include free downloadable comics. This will be closely followed by Doctor Who Day (also known as TARDIS Day) on 23 November, the anniversary of the first ever transmission of Doctor Who, back in 1963. That first episode aired slightly later than scheduled, due to a longer news bulletin.
And I'll give you another opportunity to gain a house point. I will award one house point for the first student to email me the correct answer to the following question before I reveal it in next week's blog. Which global event resulted in that news bulletin over-running?
Whilst it is more usual for TV and film adaptions to be made from books, Doctor Who is the opposite having begun on TV before spreading to a huge number of books. I'm going to mention 12 Doctors, 12 Stories, a Doctor Who book featuring 12 short stories by 12 bestselling children’s authors, which is available to borrow on Sora.
Don't forget that we will happily accept all book-related contributions from students and staff to our blog. And please email us your suggestions for what you would like to see on our blog.
Finally now for a bit of fun, we have a Doctor Who themed word search. I created this word search at puzzle-maker.com myself and you may wish to try making your own word searches or crosswords there.
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