Junior Journal 59, Level 2, 2019
PDFs of all the texts in this issue of the Junior Journal are available online as well as teacher support materials (TSM) and audio for the following:
| TSM | Audio | ||
| Stories | Nian, The New Year Monster | ✔ | ✔ |
| Articles | Bird of the Year | ✔ | ✔ |
| And the Winner is... | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Poems | Garden Angels | ||
| Plays | The Competition | ✔ | ✔ |
Look inside this issue
Nian, the New Year Monster
A Chinese tale, retold by Chris Tse
This story sets out to explain the origin of the Chinese New Year festival. It tells how a mysterious old man helps a village to get rid of Nian, a rampaging monster who has been terrorising the villagers at the start of every spring (on the first day of the Chinese New Year). The story is told in the style of a traditional folk tale, but its origins are thought to be more recent.
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And the Winner is...
by Iona McNaughton
This article builds on ideas introduced in “Bird of the Year” (in the same journal) and provides information about six winners of the Bird of the Year competition. Much of the information is presented in the form of tables, allowing students to gain experience in reading different text formats. Together, the two articles provide opportunities for students to identify and discuss main ideas about native New Zealand birds.
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Bird of the Year
by Iona McNaughton
In this interview, Megan Hubscher of Forest & Bird talks to Iona McNaughton about the Bird of the Year competition – why it started and how it helps keep New Zealand native birds safe. Students can read about some of the past winners of the competition in an accompanying article, “And the Winner Is ...”
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The Competition
by Chris Lam Sam
Messy City has a big problem – it’s too messy! A group of superheroes are invited to take part in a competition to find a solution to the problem. In addition to providing opportunities for expressive oral reading, this humorous, light-hearted play can be used to consider ideas about caring for the environment, problem solving, and the power of cooperation.
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