CMIS Evaluation

Foundation Day 1st June 1829

Foundation Day, 1 June, is a significant date in the history of Western Australia. On this day in 1829 the State’s first European settlers, on board the Parmelia, under the command of Captain James Stirling, had their first view of mainland Western Australia.

Foundation Day commemorates the date in 1829 when there was a meeting of cultures; one that has evolved from this land over tens of thousands of years, another brought to this land from across the waters by free settlers seeking a new promised land to call home. Over the years these have been joined by further arrivals from all corners of the world. Each group contributes elements of its rich heritage to forge our unique, vibrant Western Australian identity and culture.

The Celebrate WA website has extensive links to materials and resources to support units of work about Foundation Day. Resources available for download include:

• historical information about Foundation Day
• the history of the Foundation of Perth on 12 August 1829
• activities and information sheets for classroom use
• two historical facts and trivia quizzes

A majority of Western Australian schools will celebrate the creation of the Swan River Colony around the date of Foundation Day June 2nd.The re-establishment of WA Week to coincide with Proclamation Day on October 21st is also a good time to celebrate this great state.  The CMIS Western Australia theme page has links to many different aspects of life in WA to assist teachers and students.

WA Week was re-launched by Celebrate WA in October 2007 to provide citizens from all regions and sectors with an opportunity to celebrate Western Australian’s unique history, heritage and development and applaud individual and collective achievement and contribution.

The October date was selected to include the anniversary of the State’s Proclamation Day on 21 October 1890, which marked the transition of Western Australia from a colony under British rule to self-government.

WA Week 2008 will take place from 20 – 26  October 2008.

Your school, (through the P&C) can participate by holding an event during the week. 
The Government of Western Australia has provided a WA Week small grants program for eligible groups and organisations to hold a project or event during WA Week. The program is managed by Celebrate WA.  On the website there is also a PDF list of suggested activities.

WA Week Small Grant applications will open 19 May 2008 and close on 27 June 2008.
For futher information contact Celebrate WA on 9481 8066

National Archaeology Week May 18 -24

National Archaeology Week aims to increase public awareness of Australian archaeology and the work of Australian archaeologists both at home and abroad, and to promote the importance of protecting Australia’s unique archaeological heritage. Held from the 18th to the 24th of May 2008, this exciting nationwide program of events and activities will include public lectures, seminars, exhibits, demonstration excavations and displays.

In Western Australia a “live dig” is taking place in Pioneer Reserve, opposite Fremantle Railway Station. The site is to be investigated for its archaeological and interpretive potential, giving an insight into 19th century commercial port activity and leisure past-times in the 1920s and 30s. Expert consultants will be available at the site to answer questions.

Pioneer Park was home to the Uglieland Fun Park from 1922 to 1936, run by the charitable Ugly Men’s Association to alleviate suffering in the community after World War I. City of Fremantle Heritage Planner Vanessa Collins said “This project intends to peel back some of the layers to reveal and communicate the area’s rich and varied past”. Check out your state for events in your local area; Meet the Archaeologists; Take the Quizzes! Perhaps you school has a site for students to investigate like a real scientific study.Classroom activities can be linked to related CMIS themes topics such as Ancient Worlds and Shipwrecks

 Nominations are open for WA’s 2008 Teacher Librarian of the Year.  We know there are inspirational TLs out there.  Many are just quietly (or not so quietly!) getting on with a job that includes among many things: ensuring a dynamic, well resourced learning space (actual and/or virtual); collaborating with teachers to create, plan and deliver literature and contextual information literacy programs to students; matching the right book with the right student at the right time; and keeping up with the latest communication tools.

To fulfil the main criteria for eligibility for this award, the teacher librarian must be:

• a qualified teacher librarian
• a member of WASLA
• endorsed by his/her principal and two members of the school community.

Nominate one of your colleagues for this award before 31 May 2008.

Check out our Fiction Focus Blog for a growing list of Australian and International authors and illustrators who are writing for teenagers. They all have their own blogs and websites so that their readers can communicate with them and enrich their reading experiences.

Neil Gaiman, one of these authors, presented an inspiring keynote at the recent CBCA Conference in Melbourne.  Teachers and older teenagers may have enjoyed Neil’s popular Sandman comics, which were published from 1989-1996. Younger students may know Wolves in the Walls, The day I swapped my Dad for two goldfish and Coraline, which is soon to become a 3D animated film.

In May every year, libraries and information services throughout Australia showcase their many and varied resources and services through different programs and events targeted to a cross-section of the community. The week provides the opportunity to introduce new services and professional skills to the community, and to publicly canvas issues of importance to the provision of library and information services in Australia.

The Biggest Morning Tea@Your Library [Thursday 22nd].

Schools are invited to showcase their celebrations by submitting photos of their displays and Library Week events to cmiseval@det.wa.edu.au.nospam. (please remove ‘.nospam’ from address before sending).

Teachers are advised to familiarize themselves with the current Department of Education and Training Western Australia Students Online policy [March 2008] before considering publishing photographs or video of students. More information about Managing Student Safety Online is available on the CMIS Evaluation Website.

Put those three elements rogether and the result is the AMOS Art Competition.

The Australian Meteorological & Oceanographic Society  is an independent Australian environmental society that supports and fosters interest in meteorology, oceanography and other related sciences.

Poets, artists, musicians and writers have long been inspired by the oceans and the atmosphere. Just think of all the all the weather and ocean songs that have been sung and the wonderful poetry; stories that have been written and atmospheric ocean paintings hung on gallery walls.

Students of all ages are invited to join in that inspiration and enter the AMOS Art Competition and entries close on September 26th 2008

Combining a study of the Oceans with an art competition could be appealing to both teachers and students. Inspiration and resources can be found on the CMIS Oceans Theme page and the Shipwrecks page

The two people will be chosen as winners [one primary and one open], will have the opportunity to exhibit their work at the 2009 AMOS Conference.  Other prizes include AMOS membership, a cash prize and a book for the school library.

Any queries schould be addressed to m.long@bom.gov.au

One in every 300 babies is born with a hearing impairment. Approximately 1000 newly diagnosed deaf babies will be born in Australia this year. It costs a minimum of $10,000 per annum to provide each of these children with services to teach them to listen and speak as early as possible to ensure their integration into the hearing world.

More information is available on the LoudShirt Day homepage.

Secondary teachers looking for fiction resources to support this special day should consider using Blind Trek by Jim Kennedy, Dovey Coe by Frances O’Roark, The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan and Michael Sweeney’s Method by Sean Condon.

_{Image used with permission Era Publications}

Library and Information Week (19 – 25 May) is a great time for your school to participate in the National Simultaneous Storytime. This year NSS is on May 21.  The book EVERYONE will be reading is Arthur by Amanda Graham & illustrated by Donna Gynell. Published by Era Publications. 
Although the original was published quite a few years ago – there’s bound to be a copy in your library. 
However in the event you can’t get a copy there’s a  list of great doggy books and other inspirations on the ALIA NSS 2008 website

Activites for schools are available from the website and there is  a special publisher’s website which will be available from May 14 – 21 and contains extra items for use during the event.

Your school will need to register at this link:-http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/storytime/2008/form.2008.html - register by May 12th to be in the running for some great prizes.

© Copyright World Vision Australia ABN 28 004 779 081. All rights reserved. Used with permission.