Paralympics

Did you know a Smithfield “old boy” is competing in the Paralympics? Watch out for “Scooter” Patterson“ and cheer him on to win a medal. Mrs Sheppard has designed a special “Go Grant” poster for the library so staff and students will be able to recognize him on the telly. Visit the full swimming schedule online to search for the race day/time.  Look for Grants heats and finals by his swimming classifications for various strokes: 100m Breaststroke SB2, 100m Backstroke S3 and 150m individual medely SM3.  Watch a brief bio of Grant from the ABC.

Reading Olympics

Even though the London Olympics are over, our Reading Olympics is powering along because this term we still have the Paralympics PLUS the theme of bookweek 2012 next week is Champions Read. We’re only half way through with 11G and 8 E neck-in-neck in the top spot ready to claim our cooked breakfast for the whole class. Close behind them are 8A & 8D.  Keep borrowing, reading and returning books!( form teachers loans count too). At this point if everyone in any form class borrowed a book or two, they could take the lead.

Last fortnight’s Olympic competition winner was Ben Weller. Ben won a funky Robot USB for completing our Olympic Flag quiz accurately. Our latest competition is the easiest one yet and we still have neat IT prizes to win.  If you haven’t been into the library to see the actual Olympic Torch used in the Sydney Olympics Torch Relay, you must check it out. While you’re at it, take a look our latest remodelled desk chairs – see if you can find Mrs Andersen’s orange and fuschia creations?

 Senior English students have been analysing classic novels to find out what makes them “classics”.  Many classic novels and playsare to be found at LitCharts.com. These are good study guides and printing them in colour will allow you to recognise themes which are colour-coded in  the chapter summaries. Additional scholarly articles have been sourced from openpdf.com and students are asked to share printed versions by placing them in the vertical file when they are finished using them.

Mrs Bell  Celebrity Reader  25/08/12 

 My favourite place to read is on my banana lounge beside the pool when the weather plays nice. At the time I was interviewed, I was reading “Up High in the Trees’ by Kiara Brinkman.  My favourite authors fall into a couple of categories; those I like for their craft and message – Dickens, Hardy, Tolstoy, Robert Louis Stevenson and George Elliot;  and those I like because reading their work is as good as seeing a good movie –  Maeve Binchey, Jodi Piccoult, Kate Morton and Harlen Coben.

If I happened to meet Charles Dickens, I would be able to believe in resurrection and I think he would also be very impressed by the extent of social reform since the Victorian era.

Most of the books in my house are stored in the study/ spare room. When I holiday I take a light book that won’t use up my baggage allowance. The last book I bought someone was a biography about a navy mine clearance diver who had been attacked by a shark in Sydney harbour. (Good one)  It was for my son who wants to become a Navy mine clearance diver. 

 My most memorable reads are: “To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee, Cloudstreet- Tim Winton, The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini” and  Heidi- Johanna Spyri.  The book I would like to see made into a film is Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon. Set in the time of the Scottish/ English wars. Claire, the main character on honeymoon in the 20th Century, travels back in time. Claire, a strong independent character, could be played by Jennifer Aniston. Russell Crowe should play Frank with his dark brooding looks. He is Clair’s 20th Century husband whose ancestor was a villain in the 18th Century. I’d like to see Johnny Depp as the hero and Claire’s 18th century love interest.

THANKS Mrs Bell !