Just another Welcome to Hawes Side Primary School Blog HQ site

At book club we are currently reading Matilda. It is a great story by Roald Dahl and we are having lots of fun reading aloud to each other and talking about the humour in the author’s writing. This week we talked about the use of powerful verbs such as ‘devouring’ as in:

“Her brother sat opposite her with his back to the door devouring hunks of bread smoothered with a mixture of peanut-butter and strawberry jam”

We also talked about onomatopoeia.   This is when a word  makes a sound, like ‘cuckoo’ or ‘boom’.   When you read these words they imitate the sound.   When Mrs Wormwood drops the plate with Mr Wormwood’s breakfast on it lands with “a crash and a splash on to the floor.”  This is an example of onomatopoeia.    Can you think of any other examples?

This week we used the ‘Show Me’ app to record ourselves reading extracts from our latest books. We’ll be adding me ‘Show Mes’ after the Easter holdays. Here’s Thomas and Poppy reading from ‘Charlotte’s Web.’

Today we met to read and discuss our current reads ‘Charlotte’s Web’ and ‘The Marble Crusher’.   Fantastic reading from everyone, clear, fluent and expressive – Miss Lillie and I were very impressed!   Before the end of term we are going to record everyone reading and embed the sound files on the blog.   You’ll be able to hear each other reading your favourite extracts!  Make sure you choose an exciting section.

Title of book and author: Dragon Detective Agency by Gareth P.Jones

Main characters: Dirk, Dragon Detective

Main setting: Searching for the missing cat

Main events (three): Searching for the cat

How the book made you feel: The book made me laugh

What you liked about the story:  the acting

Rating out of 10: 10

Name of reviewer:  Leigha

Title of book and author: Garth P. Jones.

Main characters: Dirk, Holly, Willow

Main setting: Dirk’s office

Main events (three): The chase, Holly knows Dirk’s a dragon

How the book made you feel: Sad

What you liked about the story: The main character’s a dragon

Rating out of 10:10/10

Name of reviewer:Liam Wylie

Title of book and author:  The Dragon Detective Agency by Garth P. Jones

Main characters: Dirk, Holly and Willow.

Main setting: Dirk’s office.

Main events (three): Holly finds out that Dirk is a dragon,they find willow, they see the two kidnappers.

How the book made you feel: The book makes me feel happy and excited.

What you liked about the story: I liked that the detective is a dragon.

Rating out of 10: 10/10

Name of reviewer: Oskar Martin Galazka.

Title of book and author: Custardly Wart by Alan Macdonald.

Main characters: Dobbs, Miss Scrubshaw,Captin Cuttlefish, Custardly and Mr Mate.

Main setting: Dankmarsh school.

Main events (three):Visiting Sea,Captain Cuttlefish and Mr Mate arriving at school and making a boat.

How the book made you feel: Laugh and feel happy.

What you liked about the story: I like the part when the captain says”You’re pretty as a poop deck m’aam.”

Rating out of 10:10:).

Name of reviewer: Simao Canastra Severino.

We are planning to review ‘Custardly Wart’ and ‘Dragon Detective Agency’ and have agreed our reviews will contain the following infiormation:

Title of book and author

Main characters

Main setting

Main events (three)

How the book made you feel

What you liked about the story

Rating out of 10

Name of reviewer

We also talked about drawing and painting pictures from the stories.   Next week we are meeting on Tuesday to write our reviews.

Yesterday we met to read some of our new books.   It was great fun as we tried out voices for different characters.   We wondered what kind of voice the Dragon would have in Dragon Detective Agency and in Custardly Wart we tried Pirate voices for Captain Cuttlefish, and strict, school mistress voices for Miss Scrubshaw.  Next week we’re going to read on from Chapter Three.   Make sure you’re in the right place for Thursday’s meeting everyone!

It was great to meet up again today after the break.   We heard all about some of the Myths and Legends people had been reading over the holidays.   Miss Lillie is going to run a blogging session next Thursday (12th Jan) so people can add comments on their latest reads.   In the meantime we’re all going to read the first two chapters of our new books so we’re ready to discuss them in a fortnight (on Thursday 19th Jan).   Mr Shepherd and Miss Lillie are also going to produce a pro forma to help with the reviews for The Iron Man and The Butterfly Lion.