Junior Journal 48, Level 2, 2014
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 | Always Great, Never Late | ✔ | ✔ |
| Breakdown | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Rongoā Māori | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Poems | Tortoise | ||
| Articles | Helpful Trees and Plants | ||
| Torty, the Lucky Tortoise | ✔ | ✔ |
Look inside this issue
Always Great, Never Late!
by Bill Nagelkerke
illustrations by Kat Chadwick
The boy in this humorous narrative is ready for school but fears he’s going to be late (again) because Mum is not ready for work. The boy, who is also the narrator, drops intriguing hints about what Mum does for a living. Readers have many opportunities to identify clues and speculate about Mum and her work and to enjoy the irony in the contrast between her motto (“Always great, never late”) and her actions. This narrative also includes snappy dialogue, jokes, and plays on words.
Gold 1
Breakdown
by Tricia Glensor
illustrations by Scott Pearson
Mum and Jake can’t go to the supermarket because Mum’s car won’t start. When the tow truck arrives, Jake takes a keen interest in everything the tow- truck driver does. Jake’s interest in the technology becomes the focus of the story, with a detailed description of the process of winching the car onto the tow truck woven into the narrative. The story concludes with a diagram that Jake has drawn.
Gold 1
Rongoā Māori
by André Ngāpō
illustrations by Elspeth Alix Batt
This story has a strong theme of the value of rongoā Māori, traditional Māori medicine. It provides opportunities for students who are familiar with te reo and rongoā Māori to share their knowledge. Ana’s mum is ill, and when Nan comes to visit, she decides that rongoā Māori is what Mum needs. Nan takes Ana into the bush with her to collect the plants she wants to use. Ana is fascinated by what Nan shows her, and Nan agrees to teach Ana more about traditional Māori medicine. After using rongoā Māori to treat an unexpected emergency, they return home to prepare the leaves of koromiko they have collected to treat Mum’s illness.
Purple 2
Torty, the Lucky Tortoise
by David Chadwick
illustrations by Scott Pearson
The adventures of Torty, the tortoise started in Greece during the First World War when she was rescued by Stewart, a New Zealand stretcher-bearer. Stewart took Torty back home to New Zealand at the end of the war and looked after her until he died. Torty is still alive and is cared for by Stewart’s family. This true story is told through a variety of text forms including two pages of graphic layout.
Gold 2
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