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
166 items - Showing 31 - 40
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Pōhutukawa
by Kate Boyle
This article explores different aspects of this New Zealand tree, including a description of its preferred habitat, the special features that help it survive, the creatures that live in or on it, and the significance it has for Māori. Students also learn that pōhutukawa are in danger from people and from possums – these trees need help to survive.
Gold 1
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The Journey
as told to Kiwa Hammond by Tumanako Taurima
Young Wilfred can be a rebellious godwit, but news that his family will soon embark on “the Journey” takes the wind out of his wings. After his family explain what “the Journey” is – their annual migration from Alaska to New Zealand – and a godwit elder recounts his heroic journey, Wilfred reassesses his attitude.
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Six Photos
This is an article that gives readers a “peek into history”. It makes a link between what we know about taking photos and what we can find out from photos that show different times and places.
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Ngā Tātarakihi o Parihaka
This story, set at Parihaka just prior to the government raid in 1881, is told from the perspective of a young girl who was living there. The author’s great-grandmother was living at Parihaka at that time, and the story is partially based on oral history.
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Home: Stories from New New Zealanders
by Kate Paris
photographs by Stacey Simpkin
Home: Stories from New New Zealanders tells the stories of four Avondale Intermediate students who moved to New Zealand from overseas. Interviewed by their teacher, Kate Paris, the students share memories of what life was like in the countries where they were born (South Africa, Sāmoa, Pakistan, and Kenya), and they discuss what it’s been like adjusting to life in New Zealand. The article explores the issues in a simple and accessible way, incorporating clear narration with students’ quotes and striking photography.
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My Name is Rez
written and illustrated by Toby Morris
Rez Gardi was born in a Kurdish refugee camp in Pakistan and came to New Zealand as a young child, with her family. This graphic text is a memoir, looking back on her life so far. She is now a successful lawyer, a worker for refugees, and was the 2017 Young New Zealander of the year.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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The Art of Aute
by Matahana Tikao Calman
Little is known about the history of cloth-making in Aotearoa. This article is a useful introduction to a tradition that’s found across the Pacific. Nikau Hindin has led the way with its recent revival in New Zealand – both learning a cloth-making practice that’s been around for centuries, then using this cloth for her art.
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Fallen Leaves
by Paul Mason
This historical fiction, set in 1845, is told from the point of view of a young Māori protaganist. Haora works in the printery at Kororāreka at the time when war was building between Ngāpuhi chief Hone Heke (Hone Wiremu Heke Pōkai) and the British troops.
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Te Kura Tuatahi: New Zealand’s First School
by Ross Calman
Two hundred years ago, our first school opened at Rangihoua.
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Something Alive
written and illustrated by Jem Yoshioka
Jem Yoshioka was born and bred in New Zealand to New Zealand-born parents, so technically she only belongs to one place. But her Japanese ancestry is a living part of her. This graphic novel, written and drawn by Jem, explores a struggle we are all familiar with: that of seeking to understand who we are and where we belong. Rich in both written and visual imagery, this text invites multiple readings.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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