Clean up

Just finished a big cleanup of the bookshelves in the study. It is still a mess and needs a cull but at least now I can shut the cupboard door. It also gave me the opportunity to see what novels I had that would make great serials for school this year. I found; The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Five Children and It, Mrs Pepperpot, The Rescuers, Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, My Paul Jennings literature unit which I though I'd lost and Dr Doolittle.Four hours later I' m just up at school for a few hours to tidy up my books here ( I don't know where they'd go if I needed to bring them home? Teachers are great collectors.....or is that hoarders?)I also want to download some apps I found that will support the Westerns unit I want to do this term. ( An audio app for Shane and Call of the Wild - which has video clips on it of Alaska as well and an adventure game app for Zorro.)
I sent Gary Crew a copy of my unit for 'The Watertower' yesterday and he kindly sent a reply. ( below)


Hi Tony, terrific To hear from you again. Thanks for your notes. This is
excellent. One thing: the interplay (sometimes contradictory) between word
and image is what makes The Water tower tick. I am sending you two
attachments of interest. Aloow time for the graphics to load. (1) my
original draft done on my lap in an aircraft over Western Australia and (2)
an article on the interplay of print text and visual text. If these are
interest you, ask me for more. Some questions for you: (1) what is the rake
thing that moves through the broken fence and comes up behind Bubba? (2) How
come the old man with the fork in the centre of the book has the watertower
logo tattoed on the back of his hand as does Bubba on the final page?
Interesting... Let me know what you think. The kids will be all over this
likea rash.... Ps. So when are you enrolling in a Doctorate with me to write
your own novel? Huh? You're doing great. Happy Trails, Gary. By the way,
where do you teach? I forget....Lettuce no. G


This was my reply

AAAAAAAAH!
What is that rake? I made sure I re-drew that rake object in the sketch I did of Bubba sitting under the tree without really knowing what I was drawing! Didn't notice the tattoo only their eyes. I left the book up at work so I can't check it again now.
I'll have to pop up to work ( Glen Park Primary School, a one teacher rural school not far out of Ballarat) to open up your attachments.
Thanks for your prompt response, I really appreciate it. I'll get back to you.
PS I know that like me you love non-fiction books.I've just bought a new book called 'Air Disaster Canberra' by Andrew Tink about the plane crash that killed 3 politicians and General White in 1940 .I've only just started it. I' m also reading a book about the famous clown Grimaldi which is really good.
I have written a couple of books, just dry old school books.I couldn't do what you do but I do love reading them and sharing them.
Tony

Needless to say I have a bit more work to do on the unit before I put it on Teachers Pay Teachers.
below is a couple of photos of our 'Parent Library'. For the last few years I've been buying books and DVDs that think parents might like in the hope they'll take them home and set a positive example to their children as consumers of literature. ( I read somewhere that adults in Finland read an average of 100 books per year!) I was a bit despairing of the effort because myself and Glenda ( a retired staff member from here) seemed to be the only people reading from it but just before the holidays three sets of parents were spotted taking books home, in one instance an armful! ( I think I need to buy less cookbooks and books about 'dealing with adolescents' and more who dunnits!)