Preparing for Exams

• Make a realistic study plan
• Find a good place to study
• Do it! Study, that is.

Start now. Make notes of the year's work. Attempt examples of exam questions. Practice writing essays. Get your teacher to check your essays and any questions that you find difficult.

Remember to be realistic and don't get stressed (or learn to manage your stress).

Useful resources in our library:

• Exam Stress Folder
• Exam Intelligence by Patrick Sherratt
• Test-taking Strategies & Study Skills for the Utterly Confused by Laurie Rozakis
• Learning to Learn by Christine Ward & Jan Daley
• Power Learning : A Student's Guide to Success by Gwen Gawith
• Learning Champs by Colin Rose & Anne Civardi

• Pass with Pearson : Maths 1.8 &1.9 : NCEA Level 1
• NCEA Level 1 Mathematics Revision Guide
• Pass with Pearson : English 1.5 : NCEA Level 1
• NCEA Level 1 History Revision Guide
• Pass with Pearson : Geography 1.1 : NCEA Level 1

• StudyPass : Year 12 Chemistry
• StudyPass : Year 12 Physics
• StudyPass : Year 12 Mathematics
• Year 12 Study Guide : NCEA Level 2 Mathematics

• What to Study When You're Sitting Bursary English
• The 8 Week Training Programme : NCEA Level 3 : Statistics
• The 8 Week Training Programme : NCEA Level 3 : Calculus
• NCEA Level 3 Chemistry Revision Guide
• Chemistry Year 13 Compact Course Book

Diego, run! by Deborah Ellis

Diego lives with his mother and sister in a womens prison in Bolivia. While his mother is a prisoner, Diego is free to come and go. But money is required to survive in the prison and Diego helps his mother by getting paid for doing odd jobs for everyone. More money would make life easier, so Diego is convinced to go with a friend who has set-up a special job which was supposed to pay very well. Unfortunately they were duped and end up working for drug manufacturers who have no intention of paying or allowing the boys to survive.

This is a story of survival.

I liked it and recommend it for Year 9 and 10 students.

Term 4 has started

Check out the things that are happening in the library

• Book Month has finished, and a new display will be assembled during the week.
• The new books listed on the left-hand side of our blog have been placed on the display shelves. The lists will be added to as books are borrowed during the period that they are on display. After these books have been on display for 1 to 2 weeks they will be shelved with the rest of the collection, removed from these lists and replaced with new lists.
• Have a look at the Scholastic Book Clubs catalogues - there may be some items that you would like to purchase. Completed orders, with payment, must be received by the librarians by Thurs, 25 October.

Your comments about the library will be appreciated. You can add them here if you have set-up a Google Account. This is easy and takes a about 2 mins if you have an email address. This address can be with any provider.

Happy Accidents by Tiffany Murray

This is a strange story! It contains a lot of humour in it's many layers. At the beginning I wasn't sure that I would like it, but I continued, and found it difficult to put down until I had finished. But I had love/hate feelings about it.

It is set in the 1980's, but feels more like the '60's, in England. Kate Happy is 12, and is looked after by her grandparents. She sees her mother from time-to-time - but she is strange! There is a strong feeling of wierdness about the whole family.

Marco's Pendulum by Thom Madley

Marco's parents have recently separated and he is supposed to live with his father - but dad has other ideas and arranges for his son to stay with some grandparents he has never met! His grandparents live on a small piece of land outside Glastonbury. Glastonbury has a very interesting history. It is rumoured that the Holy Grail is buried there. It was certainly the place where the first Christian Church or community was established in England, and it is also rumoured that Jesus Christ visited the area as a child. But, it's history goes farther than that, and it is steeped in Celtic beliefs.

Marco has difficulty in sorting out who are the good guys and who are the bad one's, and who to believe and who not!

This story is mysterious, scary and thrilling. I would recommend it to those who enjoy Harry Potter.

Tamar by Mal Peet

Having enjoyed Mal Peet's first novel (Keeper), I decided to read "Tamar". It has a different feeling to it, because it doesn't contain the mystical element that Keeper had. It does confirm Mal Peet's right to be considered a good writer. He has created a believable story which takes you into the "underground" in Nazi occupied Holland. This is a story for adults as well as teenagers.