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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13 items - Showing 11 - 13
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Richard Owen’s Giant Mystery
by Quinn Berentson
illustrations by Spike Wademan
Richard Owen was a British scientist of the early nineteenth century, most famous for his identification and naming of dinosaurs. This article reports on the role he played in unravelling the mystery of the moa and in identifying it as the largest bird ever known to humans. The nature of scientific endeavour is conveyed well, from the initial presentation of a bone fragment and through the research needed to have a new species recognised.
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Kurī
by Priscilla Wehi
illustrations by Spike Wademan
Māori brought the kurī or Polynesian dog with them when they migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand. This article looks at what we know about kurī, their origins, what they were used for, and why they died out. It incorporates traditional stories about the explorers Tāneatua and Īhenga and explains the importance of kurī to early Māori society. “Kurī” is a fascinating but challenging article at this year level, and you may wish to approach it in sections.
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CHAPTERS – Super Spies
by Renata Hopkins; illustrated by Andrew Burdan
Super spies Sophie and Manu are looking for clues. Who (or what) is making the weird noises in the forest? And who do those strange footprints belong to? Find out if the cousins can solve the mystery.
See below for teacher support material (TSM) for Super Spies as well as audio of the complete book. For audio of the individual chapters, see “Look Inside this issue”.
Teacher support material (TSM):
For information and support about early chapter book reading:
Look inside this issue
Chapter One: Hide and Seek
Manu is staying at his cousin’s farm for the school holidays. While playing hide and seek in the bush, Manu and Sophie are startled by some strange noises.
Chapter Two: Strange Noises
Sophie realises that the noises came from the walkie-talkie in her backpack. When her mother calls and tells the cousins to come home for lunch, Sophie asks if she called earlier. Her mother says she didn’t – they must have heard someone else talking on another radio.
Chapter Three: Who’s Talking?
Sophie explains that the walkie-talkies only have a small range, so the voices must have come from someone nearby. When they hear the voices again, the cousins decide that they will be super spies and find out who was talking.
Chapter Four: Spy Kits
Back at the house, the cousins put together a spy kit. Then they set out with Possum the sheepdog to try to solve the mystery.
Chapter Five: On the Trail
After searching unsuccessfully for an hour, the cousins become dispirited. Things then take a dramatic turn when Possum senses something in the bushes nearby.
Chapter Six: Tracks
With new friends, Jose and Rosa, the cousins start to follow some unusual footprints. When they hear more weird noises, Possum runs off towards the sounds and the children follow in hot pursuit.
Chapter Seven: WHEEEG!
The children chase Possum and find her crouched in front of a thick patch of gorse. In this final action-packed chapter, they discover the source of the weird noises and solve the mystery.
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