National Reconciliation Week

May 29, 2009

We are into day three of National Reconciliation Week.  The theme this year is: “See the person, not the stereotype.”   Check out the website for information and resources.  There is much food for thought and discussion.

A good print resource that throws light on the Aboriginal experience of Maralinga, but which is also relevant for Aboriginal experience elsewhere in Australia, is the recently published book, Maralinga: the Anangu Story.


Free Junior Primary Resources for Download

May 22, 2009


SparkleBox is a UK website with 1000s of ideas and printable resources for literacy, numeracy and common Junior Primary topics that are free for download under Creative Commons terms.  Topics include: everyday life, living things, ourselves, places, weather and seasons, art and design, celebrations, religion, fantasy, physical education and role-play.  Also available are photos of classroom displays that teachers have shared, and signs, labels and banners.


Mother’s Day Book Titles

May 5, 2009

Some suggested book titles to share with Junior Primary students around the theme of “Mothers”:

A Chick called Saturday / Joyce Dunbar

A Mother’s Journey / Sandra Markle

A Pocketful of Kisses / Angela McAllister

Changes / Anthony Browne

Chimp and Zee / Catherine and Georg Hallensleben

Close Your Eyes / Kate Banks

Cottonwool Colin / Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

Daddy’s Having a Horse / Lisa Shanahan

Going Shopping / Sarah Garland

Harriet, You’ll Drive me Wild! / Mem Fox

How to Heal a Broken Wing / Bob Graham

Little Humpty / Margaret Wild

Lizzie Nonsense / Jan Omerod

Lord of the Forest / Caroline Pitcher

Lucy Goosey / Margaret Wild and Ann James

Mama Will Be Home Soon / Nancy Minchella

Millie / John Marsden

My Mum/ Anthoy Browne

My Mum Tarzan / Lisa Shanahan

On the Way Home / Jill Murphy

Scrambled Egg: Another Stripey Adventure / Wendy Binks

Seven More Sleeps / Margaret Wild

Square-eyed Pat / Liz Pichon

The Bear with Sticky Paws / Clara Vulliamy

The Growing Story / Ruth Krauss

Time for Bed, Isobel / David Bedford and Leonie Worthington

Too Many Monkeys / Margaret Wild

Waiting for Mummy / Tae-Jun Lee

If you can think of any other suitable titles, please suggest them in the Comment Box.