School Journal Level 2, May 2012
Teacher support materials (TSM) and audio are available for the following texts in this issue of the School Journal:
| TSM | Audio | ||
| Stories | A Bit of a Laugh | ✔ | |
| Namu and Waeroa | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Article | Te Namu – the Nuisance Fly | ✔ | ✔ |
Look inside this issue
A Bit of a Laugh
by David Hill
Two brothers laugh about a friend who is mad about science. When their great-grandfather quizzes them about their laughter, he recalls a young man he and his friends laughed at during the war. The boys are astonished to learn who the young man was, and the great-grandfather’s final comment reflects the theme of the story: respecting others and their differences.
Namu and Waeroa
retold by Ross Calman
“Namu and Waeroa” is a pakiwaitara – a traditional Māori story that offers an explanation for natural phenomena or for why something is the way it is. Some pakiwaitara are located in more than one different iwi, but they often have subtle differences that reflect their local environments. As well as explaining natural phenomena, they also often impart tikanga or cultural understandings, and they may also warn about the consequences of not adhering to tikanga.
Te Namu – the Nuisance Fly
by Ross Calman
This article may look like a story at first glance, but the dramatic illustration helps to introduce an informative report on the sandfly – and the reason it is such a nuisance to humans. The report gives some facts about how humans in Aotearoa New Zealand managed problems with sandflies in earlier times. It then explains where sandflies are found, why they bite, their life cycle, the reason why their bites are itchy, and how to prevent bites.
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