Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds - other ideas

 

Image Source: CBCA Colouring Poster (check rules of use)

NOTE: FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY. NOT FOR RESALE. THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY SHAUN TAN CANNOT BE ALTERED OR CROPPED.

Alternate ideas to the Book Week parade

I have mentioned in previous posts that I am not a fan of the Book Week dress up parade. I also think Book Week is a week - not a day. In fact the celebration of books, reading and the experiences we have when we find a fabulous story should go on all year. 

Each year in my school library I set daily challenges for the students in Grades 3-6 during Book Week. These are presented each morning and are due that same day at 3.30pm so they are not homework and they are not completed by enthusiastic adults at home. I try to create challenges which involve reading, problem solving, writing, design and make and art or craft skills. Participation is entirely voluntary. Some teachers give their students time to participate in one or more of the challenges while other students work on their responses during lunch time. I always receive hundreds of entries each day and I offer tiny prizes to ten winners of each challenge each day.

This year I have split the slogan into the three parts. These are just my early plans - I am sure to add other challenges over the coming weeks. For my school Book Week I would only use four of these suggestions - one for each day Monday to Thursday. Please feel free to use or adapt these to suit your school, your students and your library. If you can reference my blog as the source of these ideas that would be great!

My first challenge uses all parts of the slogan:

Make a Time capsule – you can pack three books into your capsule and they must relate to the slogan – one for old worlds, one for new worlds and one for other worlds - invent your own titles and draw their  covers so we can see the books going into your capsule. Your book covers should also include an author and illustrator name. 

OLD WORLDS

Design a puzzle with clues from an Ancient World - this could be a find-a-word; a crossword; a mystery code; or another puzzle form of your own choice. Please put the solution or answers on the back of the puzzle.

Debate topic - Old books are the best.  Choose a side for this debate YES OR NO and write your opening argument (200 words)

Your team of archaeologists have dug under our school. What did they find from the Old World? What should happen to these objects? Write a letter to the school Principal explaining your find and your ideas for displaying or preserving this treasure.

A new discovery. Cavemen from long ago have made a library. Draw a poster with a catchy slogan or library name inviting others to visit.

Knights are well known for their good manners. Make a list of five rules for Knights - try to make this funny. You could do some research about courtly manners and etiquette. 

NEW WORLDS

You know there are children in the world who have very few books and children who find reading is difficult. Design and Make make a device for book reading (such as an audio book) to be used by children in developing countries (no electricity).

Design a robot to read you, or a younger child, a bedtime story. This can be a model of the robot or a drawing/diagram of your robot showing their features.

Make a list of five things that an author might include in a story written in 2021 that will seem old fashioned in 2051. Present your answer with illustrations. 

Debate topic - In the future kids in school won’t read books we will all have chips inserted inside our brains. Choose a side YES OR NO and write your opening argument (200 words)

Write a letter to an astronaut who is planning to spend several months in space. The astronaut can take an unlimited number of books into space because they will read them on a device. Which three books children's  from the 2021 CBCA short list or the CBCA short list from another year of your choice would you recommend the astronaut include in their reading collection and why.

OTHER WORLDS

Maps - Design/ draw a map of a fantasy world either from your imagination or from a book you have enjoyed. Try to add lots of details to make your map interesting and useful. If your map relates to a book you have read be sure to include the title and author.

Explain or draw a portal to another world - how will your book character move to this other place? What will they find there?

Write a short story (300 words) about the food you find in a magical other world. You might like to include a recipe or two.

Shaun Tan

Since the 2021 poster from the CBCA features the work of Shaun Tan why not set up a display of his books. Here is an interview with Shaun about his book Eric which is now available in a larger format making it easier to share with a group. Shaun Tan has won the CBCA Picture book award in previous years - 1999 The Rabbits (John Marsden); 2007 The Arrival; 2014 The Rules of Summer; 2019 Cicada.

Image Source: Reading Time 2014

Read this review of The Rules of Summer by Elizabeth Bird

My own favourite Shaun Tan book is long out of print and fairly obscure but if you can find it this is a wonderful book to read aloud to a group of Grade Six students. I guarantee they will be hooked from the first page. Actually they will be hooked from the start when they look closely at the image on the cover of this book from the After Dark series.