Instructional Series
Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.
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- English
- Social Sciences
- Science
- Health and Physical Education
- The Arts
- Technology
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Learning Languages
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- None
- Articles
- Stories
- Poems
- Plays
Search results
138 items - Showing 111 - 120
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Our Blue Planet
by Bronwen Wall
Water is the basis of life on Earth. It’s everywhere, and it’s familiar to all students. However, many students will not be aware of how water changes form. The text provides an introduction to this aspect of chemistry and introduces aspects of the water cycle, which they will explore further when they are working at level 3 of The New Zealand Curriculum.
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How Cars Changed the World
by Bronwen Wall, illustrations by Scott Pearson
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The Choice
by Victor Rodger, illustrations by Michel Mulipola
Lamb’s brother and sister are relying on him to perform with them in the church talent quest. But the only final Lamb cares about is the final match of the season for Manu Sāmoa. Unfortunately, the two events clash. In this humorous story, Lamb learns a lesson about the importance of being responsible and following through on commitments – and being truthful.
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Ngāti Kurī Proud
by Tim Tipene
illustrations by Munro Te Whata
“Ngāti Kurī Proud” is a pakiwaitara – a traditional Māori story that explains natural phenomena or why something is the way it is. This pakiwaitara tells how Ngāti Kurī got their name. It is, in fact, three stories in one – three siblings each retell the story they have been given. Each story reflects the clever thinking, endurance, skills, and resourcefulness of the children’s ancestors. Guided by their grandmother, the children come to learn that all their stories are valid.
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Monsters
by Tricia Glensor, illustrations by Scott Pearson
This article describes a selection of mythical creatures and monsters from around the world, including Kāhui Tipua (Aotearoa), Afinemata/Gāhehelevao (Tokelau), kraken (Norway), oni (Japan), sphinx (Ancient Greece and North Africa), dragons (Asia and Europe), chinthe (Myanmar/Cambodia/Laos), and the bunyip (Australia), and discusses the possible origins of such creatures and some of the reasons for their universal appeal.
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Our First Olympians
by Bill Nagelkerke
“Faster, higher, stronger ...” The Olympic Games have been a source of international interest and entertainment since the late nineteenth century. This article provides information on some of our earliest Olympians, with a particular focus on the four athletes who attended the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. It was the first year that Aotearoa New Zealand had sent an independent national team to the games, and despite facing additional challenges of distance and expense, all four athletes made the finals with one winning a bronze medal. The final paragraph of the article extols the benefits of aiming high and working hard to achieve a goal.
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Megabyte
by Greg O’Connell
This humorous poem describes the poet’s pet monster and its dining habits. It links to the article “Monsters” in the same journal and shows how a topic can be approached in different ways. It also provides a model for students’ poetic writing.
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Kupe and the Giant Wheke
A traditional story, retold by Steph Matuku, illustrations by Isobel Te Aho-White
This traditional tale features in the oral traditions of many iwi. It tells of how Kupe discovered Aotearoa while pursuing a giant wheke (octopus) across the Pacific. As he chased the creature around Aotearoa, Kupe explored the new land and named many places.
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Let’s Vote on It!
by Simon Cooke, illustrations by Beck Wheeler
The author uses this light-hearted play to introduce ideas about voting, elections, and MMP. A monster is roaming the kingdom and causing mayhem. The characters come up with various ways to deal with the threat and then vote on the solutions. The resolution sees the problem solved peacefully through communication.