|
|
 |
 |
Although produced for the
2000 Children's Book Week theme: The Edge of Tomorrow,
the following ideas from journals and websites are still available
to support The Future theme.
- The Literature Base
- Ideas from Websites:
Vol 11, Issue 1, February
2000 p 16-22
Fran Knight, Teacher Librarian at The Heights School in South
Australia, has developed a unit of work on a science fiction/futuristic
theme. Titled Brave New World of Reading, the unit is
suitable for students in the Early Adolescence Phase of Development
(approximately Years 7-9). The fundamental question students
are asked to consider is What does the future hold for us,
and how is it portrayed in current young adult literature?
This is a comprehensive unit containing thought provoking discussion
topics, an interesting range of activities, a worksheet and
group project, plus a list of novels (including a short annotation
of each), useful websites and films related to the theme.
A subscription to The
Literature Base is worthwhile for school libraries.
It is always full of relevant and practical ideas for incorporating
literature into the curriculum.
Vol 11, Issue 2, May 2000
p 10-16
The article titled Book Week 2000. The Edge of Tomorrow
suggests three different ways of looking at The Edge of Tomorrow
theme:
- The first is an historical approach:
...we always live on
the edge of a tomorrow - in fact it never arrives - and
trying to forecast what the next day will bring can, at
best, be an informed guess. However, a knowledge of what
happened yesterday, and what is happening today shapes
and makes possible a degree of probability in any such
forecast.
An example, using the topic of Space
is outlined providing teachers with possible research activities
and craft, writing and display ideas, plus a list of fiction
titles to support this theme.
- Another interesting suggestion appropriate
for Early to Middle Childhood classes, is to use the recently
re-released picture book The Sandal by Tony Bradman
as the focus.
This book is divided into three sections: Yesterday,
Today and Tomorrow. Largely through a comic-book
style, sequence of pictures, the story follows a lost sandal
through the ages, helping young readers/viewers to gain
an understanding of how the past is present in today
and tomorrow. (p. 14)
- A third suggestion is to regard tomorrow
as the place of the imagination (p.16). They recommend
using another new edition of a highly acclaimed, picture
book, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick as a stimulus
for creative writing and discussion.
A subscription to The
Literature Base is worthwhile for school libraries.
It is always full of relevant and practical ideas for incorporating
literature into the curriculum.
Devised by Jenny Stubbs and the Ipswich
District Teacher-Librarian Network, theme ideas for The Edge
of Tomorrow include:
- The Future of Books - consider how
books began, e-books, investigate stories published on the
web.
- Inventing Tomorrow - explore the ideas
of Jules Verne and other science fiction writers. Includes
relevant websites.
- The World of Tomorrow - created by
Angela Heuzenroeder of Angaston PS, SA. An impressive Internet
Hotlist on living in the future. Includes future travel
& transport, leisure, environment, food, homes, clothes
and health.
- Predicting the Future - link to the
Bureau of Statistics for world population figures or to
a UK site providing an insight into how people 100 years
ago imagined life in 2000.
|
|
|
