Instructional Series
Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.

- Turquoise
- 1
- English
- Social Sciences
- Health and Physical Education
- Science
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Stories
Search results
13 items - Showing 1 - 10
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White Sunday in Sāmoa
by Sarona Aiono-Iosefa
photographs by Jill MacGregor
This factual recount describes how a young Sāmoan boy, with the support of his family, gets ready to celebrate White Sunday. There is a glossary of Sāmoan terms and extra information about White Sunday at the end of the book. This book is also available in five Pasifika languages in the Tupu series.
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#LFH
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Te Pēpi Hou
by André Ngāpō
illustrated by Adele Jackson
Kāhu is nervous about a new baby coming. He misses Mum when she goes to the hospital and is not happy about having to spend so much time on his own when the baby first comes home. Then one day, the baby smiles at Kāhu, and his feelings about Āio change.
Turquoise 2
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Timo’s Shorts
by Marie Langley
illustrated by Andrew Burdan
In this lively narrative, Timo can’t wait to show off his hot new swimming shorts. But when it’s swimming time, they’ve disappeared. Timo anxiously retraces his movements from the school pool back to the cloak bay, where he solves the mystery.
Turquoise 2
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Kapa Haka
by Lisa Rangiaho and Kahurangi Rangiaho-Katipa
illustrated by Adele Jackson
When she joins the school kapa haka group, Marama feels nervous but is supported by her older sister and Whaea Mere. In this recount, Marama practises hard and is honoured to wear her nan’s pounamu for their performance.
Turquoise 2
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Inside the Maize Maze
by Sharon Holt
photographs by Anthony Russell
This text begins with an explanation about mazes and then recounts the narrator’s experience of being inside a maize maze. There is another example of a maze on the inside back cover.
Turquoise 2
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The King’s Birthday
by Dot Meharry
illustrated by Philip Webb
The King is upset because nobody seems to have remembered his birthday. Lunch, however, reveals a lovely surprise. This is a sequel (with lots of delightful links) to The Hole in the King’s Sock (Shared Reading).
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This title is also available as a NZ Sign Language e-book on iTunes and GooglePlay.
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No More Cakes
retold by Barbara Beveridge
illustrated by Vasanti Unka
In this humorous tale, the hungry cat eats everyone and everything he meets until the tables are finally turned by the landcrabs with their sharp claws.
Turquoise 1
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Isobel’s Garden
by Maria Hansen
illustrated by Andrew Burdan
This is a true story set in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes. When William and Sam kick their ball over the fence and go looking for it, they find themselves in an overgrown garden. Isobel, the owner of the garden, explains that her family have left Christchurch because of the earthquakes, and she has no one to help her keep it tidy. The boys and their mum help her out, but it’s a huge job, and they call in the Student Volunteer Army.
Turquoise 1
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Butterfly Day
by Judy Raymond and Room Ten, Maungawhau School
In this factual recount, Room Ten shares their excitement when a monarch butterfly emerges from a chrysalis in their classroom. It includes an explanation, written by a child, of how a butterfly is formed.
Turquoise 1
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Easy Peasy
by Bill Nagelkerke
illustrated by Philip Webb
The phrase “easy peasy” appears often in this story about a group of school children who visit a rest home to entertain the residents. Easy Peasy makes strong connections to students’ experiences of performance and of overcoming challenges.
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