Instructional Series
Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.
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Search results
16 items - Showing 11 - 16
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Frogs
by Paul Mason, illustrations by Michel Mulipola
Frogs is a graphic text that tells the story of Tane, a boy struggling to survive in a world where drastic environmental changes mean that humans need to protect themselves from the heat of the sun. Tane is forced to scrounge for anything he can sell to charge his chip, and his search leads him into dangerous territory, controlled by a gang known as the Mutts.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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Bok Choy
by Paul Mason
illustrations by Ant Sang
This seemingly simple historical story carries an important message about discrimination. It is set in a goldmining town in Otago during the 1860s gold rush. Jacob’s mother is glad to buy bok choy (Chinese cabbage) from Ah Sum, but Ah Sum’s presence brings out the worst in their neighbour Mrs Bishop and her son, William. William taunts Ah Sum and leaves Jacob feeling confused about his loyalties. When Jacob slips into the river while fishing, it is Ah Sum who rescues him. The story shows how Jacob becomes aware of the realities of Ah Sum’s life. The ending is left open for readers to infer the longterm impact of Jacob’s encounter with Ah Sum.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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The White Mouse
by Leon Davidson
The White Mouse tells the true story of Nancy Wake, a courageous and adventurous woman who helped end the German occupation of France in the Second World War. This illustrated biography tells of the experiences that shaped Nancy’s determination to fight the Nazis and relates some of her exploits in France during the war years. Pages 3, 5, and 9 provide background information about the Second World War, the French Resistance, and the Special Operations Executive. It may be helpful to build prior knowledge for students by reading and discussing the information on page 3 with them before reading the text. During reading, you could pause at the end of each of the other two journal pages to discuss the information there and support them to make connections with the details in the biography.
This story is supported by audio with embedded support. The embedded support in the audio version for this non-fiction text is designed to assist students to use visual features, such as photographs and diagrams, to help them make meaning of the text.
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Hinepūkohurangi me Te Maunga
This comic by Ngāi Tūhoe writer Maraea Rakuraku explores the pūrākau of Hinepūkohurangi and Te Maunga from a contemporary perspective. Pōtiki is travelling home with his dad, fresh from reciting his pepeha at school. As he reads a comic retelling the pūrākau of how Hinepūkohurangi fell in love with Te Maunga, he comes to see his surroundings and his pepeha in a new light. The comic shifts between the two narratives – the car ride and the pūrākau comic – creating a layered, meditative story that touches on place, belonging, whakapapa, and the power of storytelling.
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Te Tiriti o Waitangi
by Ross Calman and Mark Derby
illustrated by Toby Morris
Second edition
This graphic novel provides a fresh approach to the story of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. It covers a wide time span, from the arrival of Polynesian explorers to the signing of Te Tiriti, to the New Zealand Wars, and through to the modern-day Treaty settlement process. A special emphasis is put on unpacking the two versions of Te Tiriti and exploring their ongoing significance.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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Any Old Iron
by Greg O’Brien
This is the story of Jeff Thomson, the sculptor of a chicken that O’Brien and his brother bought as a birthday present for their mother. The chicken was made of corrugated iron. O’Brien describes Thomson’s inspirations, his training, the work that goes on in his noisy workshop, and the many and varied objects and animals that he has made from iron over the past thirty years. The text is well illustrated with photographs of these sculptures. O’Brien adds his own responses to them, providing insights that may motivate readers to consider unusual materials or subjects for their own artworks.
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