Instructional Series
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Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.
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43 items - Showing 11 - 20
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No More Warts
by Tricia Glensor
illustrations by Scott Pearson
Buster has warts, and his friend Ellie decides to help him get rid of them. She asks her family for advice and then sets about making him a “cure”. See also, “FAQs about Warts”, in this journal.
Purple 2
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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
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Marcus and the Wind
by Kylie Parry
Marcus is a “middle boy”. He doesn’t stand out in any way and tends to be overlooked. Then, one Wednesday, everything changes. A strange wind springs up, and Marcus suddenly finds himself doing extraordinary things. The story is open-ended but with an implication that Marcus’s days of being a “middle boy” are over.
Purple 2
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Something Strange Going On
by Julia Wall
Something odd has been happening and the family decides something needs to be done. Numerous clues are presented in the text and illustrations to stimulate readers to play detective and work out what the family’s problem is and how it might be solved.
Purple 1
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Shark Attack
by Ruth Hamilton
Harry finds it hard to sit still in class. In this humorous narrative, he brings an exciting item to share for news. Unfortunately, it ends up causing an unfortunate accident that prevents Harry from sitting down at all!
Purple 2
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At the Game
by Sharyn Jones
Brady finds a wallet on his arrival at the stadium for a rugby game and is upset at the prospect of missing kick off when Dad insists on handing in the wallet right away. Luckily, their good deed is rewarded. The moral dilemma and author’s message in this text will promote rich discussion, and you may wish to read and discuss it over more than one session.
Purple 2
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Missing
by Kylie Parry
In this narrative, Liam’s pets have mysteriously disappeared. When Liam goes to play in his room, he discovers where they’ve gone and, in the process, learns an important lesson. This text requires students to make inferences on a number of levels – about what is happening in the text, the shift to an imaginary world, and the author’s purpose.
Purple 2
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Shetland Ponies
This brief descriptive report provides information about Shetland ponies, where they come from, what they look like, how long they live, and what they were used for in the past and now. The clear structure supports students to find and summarise information and can be used as a model for students’ own report writing.
Purple 2
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Frog School
by Philippa Werry
illustrations by Fraser Williamson
At Frog School, Freddie Frog is feeling hopeless compared to his classmates, who freely boast about their abilities. But when Snake comes along, Freddie has a chance to show his special talent. This humorous play explores bullying in a subtle and non-threatening way.
Purple 2
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Buried Treasure
by Kylie Parry
illustrations by Antony Elworthy
This humorous play follows a group of pirates as they use clues on a map to search for treasure. Students will delight in the pirates’ misinterpretation of the clues and the problems caused as they follow their misdirected ideas.
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