Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea Whole-Class Novel Study Year 6-7

Description

A comprehensive Reading, Literacy, and Writing novel study that bridges the gap between understanding a novel and mastering the craft of writing.

This comprehensive 6-week unit for Year 6 and 7 (Phase 2 and 3) provides a total literacy solution by intentionally building the foundations students need to succeed. By managing cognitive load through a structured framework, this resource ensures that students make meaning, build skills, and develop the confidence to move from deep reading to masterful, independent writing.

Each section begins by introducing prior knowledge and key vocabulary that students will encounter in the following chapters of the novel. This strategy allows students to focus on deep meaning-making and the author’s craft rather than getting stalled by unfamiliar concepts or terms. For more information, view our resource preview here.

What is Included?

This resource uses a whole-class slideshow-based delivery paired with a comprehensive suite of supporting documents:

6 Interactive Slideshows: Each section includes prior knowledge, vocabulary, reading comprehension, critical analysis, literacy skills, and a writing task.
Scaffolded Writing Planners: Practice tasks for every literacy skill using the I Do, We Do, You Do model of explicit instruction.
2025 NZ Curriculum Mapping: Direct alignment for Years 6 and 7 across Reading, Writing, and Critical Analysis strands.
Additional Worksheets and Posters: Includes Te Reo Māori vocabulary activities, sensory and fronted adverbial word banks, planning and drafting guides, and follow-up activity sheets.
Assessment Suite: The final “Local Legend” writing task with student self-assessment, peer-review missions, and a detailed teacher rubric.

The Six-Week Skill Sequence:

Our framework ensures students have already rehearsed every skill needed for their final short story:

Section 1 (Ch 1 through 4): Atmospheric Setting: Mastering expanded noun phrases and figurative language.
Section 2 (Ch 5 through 8): Character Depth: Using appositives and internal monologue.
Section 3 (Ch 9 through 12): Narrative Pacing: Shifting from calm to chaos with sentence length variation.
Section 4 (Ch 13 through 16): Realistic Dialogue: Replacing “said” with Action Beats to show feelings and relationships.
Section 5 (Ch 17 through 19): Pacing and Tension: Utilising strong, active verbs for a high-stakes climax.
Section 6 (Ch 20 through Epilogue): Reflective Ending: Crafting closure with fronted adverbials.
Final writing task: Narrative Short Story – The Local Legend

Equip your students with the context, the vocabulary, and the skills to succeed.

About the Novel: Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea is a 2020 children’s novel by T.K. Roxborogh. The story follows Charlie Tangaroa and his brother Robbie as they encounter a mysterious sea creature on the East Coast. It masterfully combines elements of Māori mythology with a modern setting, exploring themes of family, bravery, and environmental awareness.

Please note: To use this resource, you will need at least one copy of the novel (1:1 or 1:2-3 is better!) Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea.