PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Category: Special Days and Weeks

Display: Very Hungry Caterpillar Display – 50 Years

Display – The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Celebrating 50 Years

In 2019 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle will celebrate 50 years in print. To celebrate we decided to turn the Very Hungry Caterpillar day (March 20th) into a gigantic birthday celebration.

For years now, our Junior Reading Room has hosted a giant Hungry Caterpillar poster, created by the students many years ago. It is a much-loved favourite of our Head of Library Services and so it has held pride of place in the Reading Room. So, I decided to design and place the Very Hungry Caterpillar 50 Years display around this old poster.

The giant hanging leaf is a new addition to the reading room, purchased from Ikea, and it fit nicely into the display.

With a lot of help from our awesome student library helpers, we made 3D fruit for the Caterpillar to munch on, thanks to Mr Printables for the awesome templates. All the needed fruit is available in the free downloadable pack, we just had to colour the oranges orange to transform them from lemons. We also used these 3D fruits to create headbands to wear throughout the week (any excuse to dress up). We just hot-glued the fruit to a plastic headband.

Our handy Cricut cutting machine cut lots of coloured dots, which we strung together to add brightness to the area. (These could also be used for a Roald Dahl display, as it kind of looked like Willy Wonka had thrown a party with all the colour). A 3D caterpillar was made with styrofoam balls, green and red paint, a purple straw, goggly eyes and more hot glue.

Hungry Hunt

As well as dressing up throughout the week of celebrations, we also ran a Hungry Hunt. Students had to find the fruit cutouts hidden around the library and write down the secret clue hidden with each piece of fruit. Their answers went into the draw to win this awesome prize pack – thanks to Penguin Australia for previous supplying us with Hungry Caterpillar Posters, which were both included in the prize pack and included in the display.

30 Years of Where’s Wally?

2017 marks 30 Years of Where’s Wally. We decided this momentous occasion called for celebration.

Where’s Wally Display

Walker Books Australia, in their Classroom Newsletter, are celebrating 30 Years of Where’s Wally by offering a free downloadable Activities pack.

They were also offering a limited supply of free party packs, including balloons, a large Wally standee, a huge poster, activity sheets and stickers! We were fortunate to be sent one of the party packs. You can see the giant Where’s Wally poster and the Wally standee in the picture to the left.

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Activity: Library Olympic Games

Library Olympic Games – Library Activities

Olympic Book Rings

This is the second part in my Library Olympics prep – my display ideas can be found under Display: Olympic Games.

This library challenge is designed  so that students can engage in a competitive but inclusive challenge to inspire them to read more, read with their friends and use books to help them complete fun tasks.

Students can complete any or all tasks individually or in teams. They will earn points for their class group or school house team.

World FlagsChallenge 1: Flag design

Design your own flag. It can be a personal flag or make a team and share the design. We will display the flags with the other countries’ flags bunting, from Mr Printables.

Challenge 2: Paper plane making and flying competition

Create the most aerodynamic or the most fantastic looking paper plane. Create a paper plane that can fly the highest or do the most loops. We will test the planes during lunchtime outside the front of the library.

Challenge 3: Origami making

Using the library’s origami books, create an origami piece to add to our display. Can you create one that is sports themed?

Olympics PictogramsChallenge 4: Pictogram design

Design a new set of Olympic Pictograms for reading in a variety of exciting ways. Reading while lying on the beach, reading while surfing, or maybe reading while riding a horse???

Challenge 5: Reading Challenge

This event is based on the Olympic Reading Challenge found on Mrs Mac’s Library. 

Artistic Gymnastics: Read 3 Picture Books

100m Sprint: Read a short story (or book from the Easy Reads collection)

Marathon: Read for 30mins straight

Triathlon: Read 3 books by 3 different authors

Weightlifiting: Read a book of more than 200 pages

Relay: You and a friend read the same book.

Equestrian: Read a book about animals, fiction or non-fiction.

Teen Read Week 2015

Teen Read Week

Teen Read Week

October 18-24, 2015 is Teen Read Week in the US, a literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association. This year’s theme is Get Away @ your library.

Now, down here in Australia we don’t usually celebrate Teen Read Week. We have recently celebrated the CBCA Book Week, which is for all ages, but I love the idea of specifically targeting teenage reading audiences. And really, what librarian wouldn’t another excuse to decorate the library and celebrate the fabulousness of young adult books.

This year’s Teen Read Week theme conjures images of summer reads (holding onto the last summer rays for those in the Northern Hemisphere, while awaiting the coming warmth in the Southern), holiday destinations and, of course, the epic Road Trip.

While our library won’t be celebrating Teen Read Week as such, it is certainly timely for inspiring some teen-related displays, activities and book lists.


Display Ideas

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International Dot Day

International Dot Day

International Dot Day

September 15 (ish) is International Dot Day. It is a celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration. The day is inspired by Peter H. Reynold’s beautiful book The Dot.

The Dot

International Dot Day provides a wonderful opportunity to engage students in reading and creative tasks, and there are myriad possibilities for fun displays and activities.

You can find more information on the Dot Club website, beautiful dots created by authors, illustrators and celebrities on Celebri-Dot, and ideas for using The Dot in the classroom in the Candlewick Teacher guide for The Dot and Ish.

How will you make your mark on International Dot Day?

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