We have our amazing Reader’s Cup Team of Esta-Ann, Angeline, Madoc and Oliver practicing daily to ask each other questions based on five novels that they have read over the term. They are preparing to go to Cairns in Week 8 to compete against Forty- Five other primary school teams in the Far North Division.

Today was National simultaneous Story Time, classes have been enjoying the story Truck Cat over the week. Written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell. Published by Hardie Grant Children's Publishing.

Today the preps listened to the story and made some cute cat book marks.

The aim of National Simultaneous Story time:

• promote the value of reading and literacy,
• promote the value and fun of books,
• promote an Australian writer and publisher,
• celebrate and promote storytime activities in public libraries, school libraries, classrooms, bookshops and communities around the country,
• and provide opportunities to involve parents, caregivers, the media, and others to participate in and enjoy the occasion.

Thank you for joining us for the 25th Anniversary of National Simultaneous Storytime, we were one of 2,204,658 participants to take part in reading The Truck Cat today.

In the library we have had a very busy term with children borrowing books trying new authors and enjoying,  sitting and listening to stories.

Children have explored different texts this term working with Non -Fiction texts in line with their classroom focus. We have found some interesting facts on animals and countries. It has been great to see the interest in books with facts, and the knowledge gained about the amazing animals of the world.

The junior school are enjoying stories with messages of Hope, Friendship. Creativity and Getting Along.

In the middle school we have explored a number of Hybrid texts focussing on Australian animals. The children have enjoyed this type of writing which explores the use of Facts and Fiction to bring an animal to life.

The upper school students have been working on increasing their knowledge on HASS topics through research questions and note taking.

We were lucky to have two rangers who came and spoke to the year 1 students about the seasonal calendars and to look out for when the animals and the plants appear. They heard stories about the turtles, sharks, fish, crocodiles, crayfish and dugongs. They learnt that some birds fly from Papua New Guinea and rest on Thursday Island then fly to the tip of Australia and then return to fly home to Papua New Guinea. How the purple vine that grows along the beaches helps to prevent erosion by holding the sand on the shore.

In science, the Year 1 class has been busy learning about the Seasonal Calendars and the importance of looking out for the signs to show us the different seasons are coming.

Year 2 are busy discovering what is in Space and learning about the phases of the moon, constellations, the planets and meteorites.

Year 3 are looking at rocks and learning about the different rock types. They have learnt how the Torres Strait People have used rocks to create Fish Traps and made their own fish traps with their own model fish. They discussed how some rocks were sharpened and used for the tips of spears.

It has been a very busy five weeks and the next five weeks look just as busy.

Keep on Reading everyone! Let the adventures continue,

Ms Chris