No images? Click here
Newsletter to schools — Term 3 2022
Welcome to our new-look newsletter! We hope you like the new design. Here's what's in this newsletter:
- Read about the NZCYA finalists
- New Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador website
- School Library Week
- Pacific Language Weeks in term 3
- Book and Beyond exemplars for the Auckland Writers Festival
- Regular updates from Services to Schools
Read about the NZCYA finalists
Image credit: New Zealand Book Awards Trust.
The shortlists for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2022 are out and it's not long now until the awards will be announced — 10 August!
We've been busy helping New Zealanders get to know and enjoy the wonderful selection of finalists for this year's awards.
A team from Services to Schools compiled a range of entertaining things to do for the 2022 finalists activity booklet which you can download from the NZCYA website.
Our team of reading experts and enthusiasts have also been sharing blog posts promoting the diverse range of books in each award category.
New Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador website
The new Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador website has now been launched. The site includes blog posts by the current Te Awhi Rito, Ben Brown, and information on his activities and public events. Now one year into his two-year term, Ben has a busy programme lined up during the next few months.
Visit the Te Awhi Rito website.
Image credit: SLANZA.
School Library Week
Next week (8–12 August) is SLANZA's inaugural Aotearoa NZ School Library Week, a time to celebrate all the wonderful things happening in school libraries across the country.
We'll share stories about great school libraries during School Library Week so keep your eye on our Libraries and Learning blog!
Pacific Language Weeks in term 3
Image credit: Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
Kia orana | Mālō e lelei | Fakatalofa!
We celebrate the languages of the Cook Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu across Aotearoa this term. Iekoko! (Yay!) With the overarching theme of sustainability across language weeks this year, it's promising to see the resurgence of these languages amongst youth communities.
For help with Pacific language resources, check out these great resources:
- recent blog post by Matirini Ngari — Weavers of Pacific languages, orators of our stories
- our new Pacific languages topic — Reo, 'Ōlelo, Gagana (Pacific Languages).
Also, take a look at our Topic Explorer topics on individual Pacific islands for extra resources.
Visit the Ministry for Pacific People's website and check out Pacific Language Weeks 2022 for events during each week.
Book and Beyond exemplars for the Auckland Writers Festival
For this year’s Auckland Writers Festival, we've developed a new set of Book and Beyond exemplars to help spark conversations about books and reading with students.
You can also use the Book and Beyond Educator guide questions and blank templates with any book to generate discussion and enthusiasm — a vital ingredient in creating readers.
We've exemplars this year for:
- Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature From the Sea by T.K. Roxborogh
- The Upper World by Femi Fadugba
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander.
Check out these exemplars and our other Book and Beyond guides and exemplars — including one for R J Palacio's Pony: Book and Beyond Educator and Student Guides.
Regular updates from Services to Schools
Image credit: Two happy jumping lambs frolicking in a field by Liam Read. Unsplash. License to use.
Professional learning this term
Do you have any new library staff starting in your school this term? Our series of Zoom meetings with learning and support for new school library staff began in term 1, but are designed to work for staff who start anytime during the year.
Find out more and register for the online series
This term, we have our popular online course Developing your school library services starting 15 August. The course is free but you need to register by 5pm 8 August.
Lending service updates
Remember loan requests for term 3 close 26 August. Term 4 requests open the following day — submit requests early and your books may arrive early (even in term 3!).
We've been buying lots of new books across all categories of our school lending collection. Add an extra reading request for up to 100 books in term 3 and we can send you a great selection including fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels and picture books. You can also specify a reading age range for this request.
Te Kupenga
Find out how Te Kupenga online can help ākonga (students) learn about Aotearoa New Zealand's histories. Discover a range of stories about items from the Alexander Turnbull Library with curated resources that link to key contexts of the Aotearoa New Zealand's histories curriculum.
The Friends of the Turnbull Library's Smart Alex creative writing competition for secondary students closes 28 August — so it’s not too late to enter! This year, the Friends are encouraging students to use Te Kupenga as a fantastic starting resource.
Entries can be a piece of creative writing, illustrated graphic story or written song/waiata.
Find out more on the Friends of the Turnbull Library website.
He Tohu Tāmaki
He Tohu Tāmaki offers learning programmes to engage and inspire young minds about the foundational stories of Aotearoa New Zealand.
This term, we're excited to be able to offer 2 new learning experiences for schools:
- Waka moana — exploring Polynesian canoes, navigation and Māori migrations to Aotearoa
- Matariki and maramataka: Living with our special stars.
The Matariki programme has been piloted with 2 schools in term 2, with excellent feedback. We've designed both programmes to be highly interactive, engaging and informative for years 4 to 10. The programmes are adaptable too — just let us know your needs.
We're delivering all of our programmes onsite at Auckland schools for term 3 this year.
To book a programme, email: servicestoschools@dia.govt.nz.
Topic Explorer for term 3
So much is happening this term! There are the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Chinese Language Weeks. And spring starts too. Use Topic Explorer to find curated resources to help support teaching and learning related to these events. Resources in each topic are regularly updated and include videos, articles, audio and stories.
Image credit: Everyday words and phrases, 1977. Archives New Zealand on Flickr. Some rights reserved: CC BY 2.0.
28 July to 8 August: Commonwealth Games begin in Birmingham on 28 July — Commonwealth Games
31 July to 6 August: Cook Islands Language Week — Reo, 'Ōlelo, Gagana (Pacific Languages)
8 to 12 August: Maths Week — Maths
8 to 14 August: Money Week — Financial literacy
21 August 2006: Te Arikinui Tūheitia Paki crowned the 7th Māori King — Kiingitanga
5 to 11 September: Conservation Week — Environmental issues
12 to 18 September / 12–18 Mahuru/Hepetema: Te Wiki o te Reo Māori — Te reo Māori
4 to 10 September: Tonga Language Week — Reo, 'Ōlelo, Gagana (Pacific Languages)
19 September 1893: Women win the right to vote — Women’s suffrage
25 September to 1 October: Tuvalu Language Week — Tuvalu
New on Topic Explorer:
- Nuclear-free Aotearoa New Zealand and the Rainbow Warrior bombing
- The Great Depression in Aotearoa New Zealand
- The welfare system of Aotearoa New Zealand
Popular topics:
AnyQuestions and Many Answers
Do your students need help finding answers? AnyQuestions is a free, online chat service that helps New Zealand school-aged students with their research.
The service is run by the National Library, funded by the Ministry of Education and staffed by real librarians. Between 1pm and 6pm weekdays, students can log in and chat with a librarian who'll help guide their research. Librarians also teach valuable information literacy skills so students can learn how to find information for themselves.
Explore AnyQuestions and their classroom sessions
Many Answers on the AnyQuestions website is another great resource for students, with more than 200 entries designed to guide students to quality resources about a topic. Entries feature searching and website evaluation tips too!
Here are some recently published Many Answers entries:
- Planets (junior) — junior primary (years 1 to 4)
- Sign Language (junior) — junior primary (years 1 to 4)
- Sun safety — junior primary (years 1 to 4)
- Rainbow Warrior bombing 1985 — senior secondary (years 11 to 13)
- Earthquakes (junior) — junior primary (years 1 to 4)
- Tides (junior) — junior primary (years 1 to 4).
