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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- English
- Social Sciences
- Science
- Health and Physical Education
- Technology
- The Arts
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Non-fiction
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- Nature of science
- Geometry and Measurement
- Living world
- Planet Earth and beyond
- Nature of technology
- Physical world
- Number and Algebra
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- Technological knowledge
- Material world
- Technological practice
- Engage with science
- Gather and interpret data
- Interpret representations
- Use evidence
- Articles
- Stories
- Poems
Search results
166 items - Showing 131 - 140
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The Chess Champions of Nūhaka
by Kiwa Hammond
Nūhaka School took out the title of “Most Successful School” in the Hawke’s Bay junior chess championship last year. The interest in chess at the school was sparked by a workshop given by Genesis Potini (subject of the New Zealand film The Dark Horse) several years ago.
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Seals
by Susan Brocker
This article presents information about seals in an engaging way. Students can find out about the ways seals are adapted for living on land and sea, the various species found around New Zealand, and how they raise their pups.
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Grey Angels
by Anna Rogers
Although students will be aware of the role soldiers play in wartime, few will know about the role of nurses. This article describes the work
of New Zealand nurses who travelled to Africa and Europe during the First World War. -
Fantail, Fantail
by Margaret Mahy
drawings by Bruce Phillips
This very “New Zealand” text is written as a conversation between a fantail and an unidentified person, and it informs the reader about the food that Fantail prefers. The companion text Old Tuatara ends with the same climax – the demise of an unwitting fly.
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A Friend for Mateo
by Dot Meharry
illustrated by Leilani Isara
Mateo has just moved to New Zealand from Sāmoa. At the park, while Mateo watches the children riding their scooters, a boy (Zane) stops to say “hello” and offer Mateo a turn on his scooter. Afterwards, Mateo invites Zane to lunch with him and his mum.
Yellow 2
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Llamas
by Fiona Terry
In this information text, Fiona and her children visit a llama farm and go on a llama trek. Fiona shares what they learnt about llamas, including where they come from and why they are farmed in New Zealand.
Purple 2
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Blue Eggs
by John Dekker
This report describes the life cycle of a song thrush, how the song thrush came to New Zealand, and why some people consider this bird to be a problem.
This text provides opportunities for students to find and summarise information and to consider different points of view.Gold 1
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The River
by Paul Mason
Leo has travelled from New Zealand to visit his father, who has a houseboat in England. Leo and his dad touch briefly on memories of earlier visits to England, when the family was still together and living in New Zealand. The river has changed since the earlier visit, polluted by a factory upstream. Leo’s desire to see the selkie he saw previously causes him to fall into the dirty river. Leo finds that to save himself, he has to “stop fighting the river”, and students may hypothesise that this realisation could help him deal with the changes in his life.
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Roar
by Kathryn Mercer
Hunting is hugely popular in New Zealand’s rural communities, and it’s often done within families. This article will be welcome reading for students who already hunt, giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge with classmates. Those unfamiliar with the past-time are introduced to the basics, especially the “why” of hunting and the different skills and pleasures involved.