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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Search results
153 items - Showing 31 - 40
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At the end of the driveway
A poem by Tim Upperton, with images by Edith Amituanai
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Six
Friends can be complicated. So can birthday parties.
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Aunties
by Maria Samuela
illustrations by Leilani Isara
Maria Samuela’s affecting story chronicles the week leading up to the narrator’s mother’s funeral, with all its sadness and confusion and overwhelming sense of loss. The story’s one light is the presence of the narrator’s extended family – and the sense that her many aunties will continue to be there in the future, providing the kind of support and love that usually comes from a mother. The text includes references to a girl’s first period.
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Science on the Ice
by Neil Silverwood
"Two sets of merino underwear, two fleece jackets, a windbreaker, a puffer jacket, five pairs of gloves, a hat, a balaclava, fleece pants, fleece-lined boots, and lastly – a set of extreme-cold weather gear (called ECWs by those in the know). My kit is issued at Antarctica New Zealand’s Christchurch headquarters, and I’m told to return the following morning at six. I’m to wear my ECWs for the flight south."
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The Fight
by Sarah Penwarden
illustrated by Scott Pearson
"Robbie shouldn’t have laughed. I can feel the change in atmosphere. It’s like a hot day with thunderclouds on the way."
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Waiting
by Nadine Anne Hura, illustrations by Zoe Hannay
This is a gentle story with a twist, which is revealed in the final illustration. While most School Journal stories are set over a few hours or days, this piece has an unusually long timeframe: nine months. During this time, Bella learns a more positive way to count the days – by noticing the seasons change and trusting that something is happening, even though it may appear otherwise.
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Please Don’t Tap the Glass
by Rose Lu; illustrations by Ant Sang
Author Rose Lu moved from Auckland to a much smaller place when she was twelve. Fitting in wasn’t easy, especially given that her new home contained very few Chinese New Zealanders. Suddenly Rose was different from everyone else – an experience she uses to inform her first piece of fiction for the School Journal.
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News for You
by Bernard Beckett, illustrations by Giselle Clarkson
This story has a mission: to shed light on the concept of algorithms, in particular the ways in which they influence our access to news. Bernard Beckett takes the Covid-19 lockdown as his starting point, using this shared experience to provide humour and appeal. This relevant context also allows students to explore the idea that people have different interests and perspectives and that news on social media has been curated for the user and may not represent all aspects of current events.
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The Way to Play
by Bernard Beckett, illustrations by Scott Pearson
When Room 6 wins the competition to design the school’s new playground, they are really excited. However, when it comes to deciding on the design, differences of opinion emerge and the students have to work through the conflict to come up with a design that will suit them all. This story provides an opportunity to introduce and discuss the acceptance and celebration of difference.
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Ghost Walk
by Renata Hopkins, illustrations by Rosie Colligan
Grumpa wants to take a walk, but the narrator has other ideas. Grumpa wins, and the pair tour Christchurch’s Red Zone, where the narrator learns to see what’s no longer there – and ways we can preserve the past.