World Book Day
WORLD BOOK DAY 2012
Mercy Primary pupils always look forward to the first Thursday in March – World Book Day! And this year, as always, we celebrated books and authors in style. We started the day with a half hour “Buddy Reading” session – a lovely, quiet time where each child from Junior Infants to Second Class is read to by a child from the older classes. Books are very carefully selected for this, to suit the younger children. The older girls have learned how to make this a very stimulating, interactive experience for their younger friends.
This was followed by our Guest Readers. Each class had a book or story brought to life for them by an invited guest. We are very fortunate that the people who “volunteer” to read to the girls put huge preparation into their chosen books. World Book Day wouldn’t be the same without The Gruffalo in Junior Infants or Roald Dahl further up the school. Frank O’Connor’s stories have become firm favourites in 5th and 6th classes. The True Story of the Big Bad Wolf emerged in 2nd class whilst 3rd class were involved in a very bizarre audition. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Rainbow Fish delighted the younger girls.
After break, the entire school was involved in The Greatest Book Show on Earth, a live event on The World Book Day website. Children also Googled their favourite authors and book characters. Our interactive whiteboards brought Jacqueline Wilson, Derek Landy, Julia Donaldson, Valerie Thomas, Holly Webb and countless other authors to life for the girls.
Each girls was given a free World Book Day edition of a book suited to her age and interest – all were surprised to see that they had found out lots of information about the author of their particular book from the internet earlier in the day!
In the afternoon, the younger girls, Infants, 1st and 2nd classes had art lessons based on the books that the Guest Readers shared with them earlier in the day. A great selection of Ladybirds, Caterpillars, Rainbow fish and Wolves have just gone on display. The older classes all designed book marks, cramming a huge amount of creativity into very small spaces. 6th class transformed our main staircase with giant book spines – we have a very visual response to books at Mercy Primary!
The afternoon on World Book Day always concludes with a Table Quiz in the Hall for mixed age teams from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes. All questions are based on books, authors, fairytales, poetry, rhymes and general “book knowledge,” covering everything from Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary to Macbeth.
The following day found that our school had gone “back to normal”. 4th class weren’t taught by Mary’s Little Lamb or an Oompah Loompah. Cleopatra had gone back to Egypt leaving 6th with their usual teacher. Mary Poppins is still hovering near the 5th class room, Senior Infants can’t find Mary or her little lamb, and both Little Red Riding Hoods have gone off to visit Granny. Lots of other book characters have left us but the teachers have all returned………..
Be careful when you knock on the Office doors though Rumour has it that there was a witch in one and A Big Bad Wolf in the other!
Only eleven and a half months until the next World Book Day – we can’t wait!