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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- Nature of science
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Search results
153 items - Showing 81 - 90
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The Kōrero of the Waka
by Keri Welham
Te Waka Rangimārie o Kaiwaka is a 25-metre waka at the entrance to Kaiwaka School in Northland. The waka welcomes people to the school and is also enjoyed as a kapa haka platform, a play area, and a quiet place to sit. The focus of this article is on the whakairo (carvings) of the waka, which tell stories about the Kaiwaka area and the school community. The article includes a profile of carver Tim Codyre, who speaks of the rich and changing traditions of whakairo.
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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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Ann Evans: Colonial Nurse
by Kathryn Mercer
Ann Evans was never a doctor, although that’s what she was often called. She grew up in England in the 1840s. Most people expected her to become a wife and mother. At the time, very few women had a career.
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Journeys of Discovery: The Life of Alfred Wallace
by Paul Mason
illustrations by Gavin Mouldey
The naturalist Alfred Wallace and his close association with the theory of evolution is little known – most people think of Charles Darwin. Yet Wallace’s story is a classic one of adventure, talent, and persistence before he was able to offer one of the most ground-breaking scientific theories of all time. Most readers are exposed to the work of scientists in the present day; the nineteenth-century setting of this text is an excellent way to broaden their understanding of how scientists have increased their understanding of the world over time and the major milestones along the way. This article is designed to be read alongside the fictional story “Dodinga, 1858”, written by the same author.
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Rongoā for the Land
by Mere Whaanga
Restoring the whenua on the Māhia Peninsula
Taipōrutu is a sheep and cattle farm on the Māhia Peninsula. The land has been in the same whānau for twenty generations. It was once covered in native bush: tī kōuka, mānuka, rewarewa, tītoki, kahikatea, nīkau, and kawakawa. These species ensured the health of the land and the health of its people – but then they were cleared for farming. A few years ago, the family who owns Taipōrutu came up with a plan to restore their whenua. They called the plan Ahikāroa.
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The Longest Walk
by Rebekah White
The Rapsey family, including nine-year-old Elizabeth and her six-year-old brother, Johnny, spent just over four months walking the entire length of New Zealand. During this time, they lived a simple life, learning about the natural world around them and the various ways to engage with it. Rebekah White captures both the sense of adventure and the contemplative moments through her lyrical style, which contains some elements of creative non-fiction.
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Kia Māia
by André Ngāpō, illustrations by Minky Stapleton
Jayson has just arrived in New Zealand to stay with his nan. He is staying at her marae preparing for an unveiling but is feeling out of his depth. With help from his younger cousin, Nikora, Jayson slowly feels his way, learning about tikanga Māori and how he, too, belongs.
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Boot Camp
by Shanna Fa‘aita, illustrations by Andrew Burdan
Liyah has never seen Uncle Joey this happy.
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Hana Kōkō
by Steph Matuku, illustrations by Scott Pearson
Santa Claus is plump, with rosy cheeks and a curly white beard ... who says?
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