On Wednesday, 19th May, all primary school classes shared in this annual event which is organised by ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association). It was very exciting to be part of an initiative which saw over one million participants from across Australia reading Philip Bunting’s picture book, Give Me Some Space.
Many of us also watched and listened to astronaut, Shannon Walker, read the story from the International Space Station – in zero gravity! After the reading, student discussions were animated and their questions profound. Below are some examples:
What’s it like in space? Zander, age 6
What does space smell like? Fred, age 8
What does astronaut ice cream taste like? Isla, age 6
How do you feel in space? Halo, age 8
Why does gravity exist? Lochie, age 9
How long can you last in space? Ayla, age 7
How do astronauts go to the toilet? Giorgia, age 9
Why are planets different? Lukas, age 8
How hot is it in space? Erin, age 7
Each class has a copy of the book and several copies are available through our new school library (thank you Yulia!). The book is suited to the wide range of ages represented in our school. I can heartily recommend this book as a stimulus to further learning and discussion about the fascinating topic of ‘space’ and the importance of looking after our planet.
Deb Lynass and Sea Lion Class