How to join in National Simultaneous Storytime
National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.
NSS will be held at 11am on Wednesday 19 May. This year’s book is Give me some Space!, written and illustrated by Philip Bunting. We have several copies in the library.
ALIA – along with Scholastic, the Australian Space Agency and the Office of the Chief Scientist – invites you to join them for an intergalactic experience with the NSS 2021 book being read by NASA astronaut Dr Shannon Walker from the International Space Station!
Meet Dr. Shannon Walker
Engage
There are a number of ways to engage this year – whether from your home, school or childcare facility.
- Watch Philip Bunting author of Give Me Some Space! host the official live NSS event at Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide. Head to the Scholastic Australia Facebook page to view. Make sure you like the page and be online to meet Philip Bunting at 10:53am
- Watch the livestream reading from the Starlight Children’s Foundation. This livestream includes an Auslan translator.
- Borrow the book either from Deakin Library’s collection or your local public library.
- Join your local public library if they are hosting an event. Check out their Facebook page or enquire in person to see what they have planned.
- Your childcare centre, preschool, kindergarten or school may also be celebrating NSS. Get in touch with them to find out how they will be participating.
Teach
Use these insightful resources to help scaffold literacy:
- Scholastic Australia: Teacher discussion notes and activity ideas from Scholastic Australia.
- The Australian Space Agency: The Australian Space Agency has some fun and educational learning resources, including colouring in for primary school students and educational pathways for secondary students. You can find all these wonderful resources here.
Create
- Learn From Play: Our Learn From Play friends have some incredible resources available. Be sure to check it all out on their website. They are also running a colouring-in competition. With more than $2200 worth of prizes to be won, be sure to download your colouring-in sheet and get colouring!
- Cleverpatch: It’s here! The Cleverpatch NSS e-book is now available to download! Cleverpatch is very excited to bring you lots of wonderful, creative and intergalactic crafts. Be sure to check it out here. Cleverpatch has also created loads of great craft resources for this year’s space theme. Find all these out of this world ideas right here.