Library survey, new social science tool, resources No images? Click here Newsletter to schools — Term 4 2023Here's what's in our term 4 newsletter:
School library staff, teachers, principals — take the school library survey![]() This survey is part of a longitudinal project which started in 2018. The survey is easy to complete, and you can choose which sections to answer. The information you provide will help us and our survey partners (SLANZA and LIANZA) work with schools to develop and advocate for strong school libraries across the motu. This year, we're collecting information about:
Find out more and start the survey The survey closes 19 November 2023. New social sciences topic starters for Y0–3![]() Images are a great way to engage ākonga in Aotearoa NZ's histories. Use our topic starters to explore the diverse histories and experiences of the peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. Each image gallery has teacher support materials to encourage conversations and learning about the social sciences Know curriculum content. Topics include the significance of Waitangi Day, living and working in Aotearoa New Zealand and stories about places in Aotearoa New Zealand. Check out the new Social sciences topic starters for Years 0–3 New Chinese New Zealanders topic![]() Image credit: Ng Soon Yee and Mel Jean Chin preparing dumplings, Wellington, 1995 by Ross Giblin, The Evening Post. Ref: EP/1995/3963/8-F Alexander Turnbull Library. Our latest Topic Explorer resource, Chinese New Zealanders, explores the dynamic history of Chinese in Aotearoa New Zealand. The topic has 4 stories, each containing quality information and digital items from the National Library's content partners through DigitalNZ:
The topic draws on an extensive range of images, text and resources from our collections and wider. It can be used across all phases of learning of Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content. Explore Chinese New Zealanders. Thanks to the New Zealand Chinese AssociationWe collaborated with the New Zealand Chinese Association to ensure we had an accurate and contemporary reflection of Chinese New Zealand history. Researchers Kirsten Wong and Lynette Shum kindly provided text, recommendations and guidance. Emeritus Professor Manying Ip reviewed the resource and offered invaluable feedback. Special offer — books for summer reading!![]() Teachers, kaiako and librarians — want some great books to read yourself or to keep your ākonga reading over the summer break? Summer reading is an important, enjoyable activity that students can do during the summer holidays to help avoid the ‘summer slide’ in reading levels. Choose books for summer reading by visiting our Auckland or Christchurch centres in person from 13 November to 15 December, between 10am and 4pm. Or, you can order books by sending us a quick email, and our librarians will choose some fantastic reads to send to you. Find out more about our great summer reading offer — share this link with any other staff who may be interested in your school! Seeding a community of readers in Canterbury![]() Between 2020 and 2023, the Canterbury Pūtoi Rito Communities of Readers (COR) project provided books, shelving and reading support to children in care and on the edge of care. The collective impact project aimed to weave a whāriki of support to inspire a love of reading among these tamariki and rangatahi. The project involved National Library and Kingslea School working with government and community support agencies in the Canterbury region, including Oranga Tamariki. National Library brought their knowledge of books and reading, and access to books to the project. And Kingslea School and Oranga Tamariki had relationships with the children and young people and their whānau. In a recent blog post, researcher Alex Woodley discusses some of the findings from the project report. She mentions how ‘children and young people have loved the books and appreciated being able to keep them’. And there were wellbeing benefits and some unexpected intergenerational impacts too. Read the blog post: Seeding a community of readers. More about the Canterbury Communities of Readers Project report Double the fun with 2 info-packed podcasts![]() Listen to Pere Durie and Luke McFarlane from the New Zealand Association for the Teaching of English (NZATE) podcast Is This For Credits. In the episode ‘Getting schooled’, they chat with Tracey Greenwood (Senior Specialist Developing Readers) about reading for pleasure and the quality support, advice and resources that Services to Schools provides. The episode also shares resources to help understanding and promotion of mātauranga Māori in classrooms. Another great listen is ‘Reading for pleasure’ from the SLANZA Sessions podcast. Alan Dingley (Te Awhi Rito New Zealand Reading Ambassador), Sasha Eastwood (Library Manager) and Chris Auer (Librarian) explore our new Teachers creating readers — examples of practice. Term 4 professional learning and lending news![]() Professional learning and developmentWe've had a busy year with lots of courses, webinars and workshops offered online and in centres throughout the motu. Register for one of our last workshops for the year: We'll be offering a variety of professional learning options for teachers and school library staff next year too. Many of our learning events are free or minimal cost and often are online if that suits you better. So bookmark our Professional learning courses and events page. Have a look in the new year for our 2024 offerings! Important lending dates for term 4 2023 and term 1 2024Submit your term 4 topics selection and extra reading requests by 10 November. Request books for term 1 2024 from 11 November 2023. Term 4 books are due back 16 February 2024 and term 1 books are due 12 April — great for summer reading! AnyQuestions and Many Answers![]()
What colour is earth? How do cows make milk? These are all questions we've recently helped students with on AnyQuestions! AnyQuestions is a free, online reference service for all New Zealand school students using live, text-based chat. Monday to Friday between 1pm and 6pm, students can visit the AnyQuestions website and chat with a librarian to get help researching questions like these. Students can also use Many Answers for their research. Many Answers' entries guide students to relevant and reliable resources on popular topics. The entries are not intended to provide answers, but rather to lead students to websites and other resources that help them to find the information they need. Check out these recently published Many Answers entries: Online resources for terms 4 and 1![]() Summer is heading our way! Kia pai te raumati! Explore our online learning resources from Topic Explorer, Many Answers and Te Kupenga relating to significant events in our history or upcoming celebrations. 1 November 1944 — Polish refugees land in Aotearoa New Zealand 5 November 1881 — invasion of Parihaka 11 November 1918 — Armistice Day 11 to 15 November — Diwali 20 November 1863 — British Army attacks Rangiriri 29 November 1949 — Iriaka Rātana becomes first female Māori MP elected 3 December 1863 — NZ Settlements Act passed into law 8 December 1972 — Whetu Tirikātane-Sullivan becomes first Māori woman Cabinet minister 10 December — UN Human Rights Day 6 February 1840 and 2024 — the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Waitangi Day
Popular topics this term and term 1 2024 |