Monthly Archives: May 2013

Friday 31st May – Oystercatchers

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cammo chickThe oystercatcher chicks have hatched, and once again have taken up residence in the school Eco Garden. There are two chicks this year and you can see them from various places around the school, but the best views are from the Science rooms and the stair up to Maths. The chicks have very long legs and beaks and are extremely well camouflaged; it’s very difficult to see them when they are sitting still, particularly when they are in the gravel or on the rockery.

Thursday 30th May – Daemons

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There are Daemons on the library windowsill – come and have a look!

Miss Stirling’s 2A1 English class have been studying the play His Dark Materials (based on Northern Lights) this year, and they have designed, made and written about their own Daemons. They range from bumble-bees to gorillas and are absolutely fantastic.

 

Wednesday 29th May – West Lothian Speaks

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DebatingGood luck to our S2 debating team, Adam, Anna, Euan and Charlotte, who are taking part in the West Lothian Speaks school debating competition today at St Margaret’s Academy. They will be debating against Deans, and their topic is “Should Euthanasia be Legalised?”. They are all looking forward to representing the school, and they think it will be fun and interesting to take part.

Tuesday 28th May – The Forest of Hands and Teeth, reviewed by ND

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ForestofHandsandTeeth - Ls copyThis is by far the best zombie book I’ve ever read. Though it follows some classic zombie novel cliches it is rather unique. Mostly I felt annoyed with the main character, Mary, as she made a lot of stupid choices as she was more of a doer than a thinker. But I found myself becoming more and more immersed in her life story, and soon the book was too good to put down. That, and the zombies were awesome.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is by Carrie Ryan and is the first in a series – we have the others in the library too. Watch the scary book trailer from Random House below.

Monday 27th May – Book of the Week

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Statistical Probability Love at First SightThis week’s Book of the Week is a sweet romance about chance meetings and karma. Hadley is seventeen and American, Oliver is eighteen and British. They meet in an airport… The book is The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, by Jennifer E. Smith.

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

 

Today should be one of the worst days of Hadley’s life…

 

Her father is getting married in London to a woman she’s never even met, and she’s just missed her flight.

 

Hadley has never believed in destiny or fate before…

 

But, stuck at the airport in New York, today is also the day she meets Oliver. He’s British. He’s cute. And he’s on her new flight.

My favourite line in the book?

He was … a lover of stories, and he was building her a library in the same way other men might build their daughters houses.

Friday 24th May – Sponsored Walk

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sponsored walkGet your trainers on!

The last Friday of our Health and Wellbeing Week is always marked by the school sponsored walk, when most of the staff and students spend all morning taking part in a gentle stroll through the surrounding area. This year part of the walk will follow the new Polbeth Trail which S1 have already explored when they were learning all about David Livingstone, James Young and oil shale in February.

Wednesday 22nd May – S1 Tree of Knowledge

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treeof_logoTree of Knowledge are working with the first year in the library all day today. They are doing a programme called Successville which is all about working together and learning successfully.

The Tree of Knowledge website says that the course is designed to help pupils:

• Understand the importance of their contribution to society
• Recognise the role of “communities” in their learning
• Aim high and think big
• Learn to work together

Tuesday 21st May – Book of the Week

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itchThis week’s Book of the Week has mad Scientists, evil corporations, hot rocks, wild adventures and explosions. What more could you ask for? Itch, by Simon Mayo, is the story of Itchingham Lofte who loves Science and is trying to collect all the elements. When he gets an unusual rock from a fellow collector, he suddenly finds himself caught up in a dangerous adventure.

Itchingham Lofte had caused explosions before.

 

There had, in truth, been many bangs, flashes and smells coming from his bedroom in the past. But there had been nothing like this one. It wasn’t just the bedroom walls that shook; it was the whole house.

 

Not that Itch was aware of any of that, as he was unconcious.

 

He would have stayed that way too if it hadn’t been for the fact that his eyebrows were on fire…

Friday 17th May – Wondrous Reads

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Wondrous Reads is one of the blogs that I look at to get ideas for new things to buy for the Library – this is where I first learnt about Thirteen Reasons Why and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. As well as some stellar reviews, there are author interviews and, one of my favourite bits, a comparison between UK and US covers; I love how different the covers can be, and it’s fun to decide which one you like best.

Wondrous Reads specialises in YA (teen) books (although there are some younger reads in there as well) and just occasionally, there’s a giveaway… I’ve never managed to get one for the Library, but I keep trying! Click on the logo to go and look for yourself.