This story references general elections, in the context of an election to a school council. “The Winning Side” introduces a few big ideas: the need for a platform, the importance of giving everyone a voice, and why we vote.
This family story captures the experience of forming a new relationship and how circumstances that are outside our control can end relationships.
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.
Inside this School journal are three stories (Kia Māia; Ghost Walk; and Want Relief), one play (A Mugging in Maths), one poem (Bad Advice), and two articles (The Longest Walk and Changing Lives – The Omeo Story).
This classroom mystery is solved by Ruby, a student who loves detective novels and who has honed her skills through reading. The author delights in mysteries and plays – and works both forms to their advantage. The play aligns with the arts and English learning areas and is at a year 6 reading level.
Tim Upperton plays with poetic form, especially the pleasures of a tight rhyme scheme, to give readers some unusual “advice”. His poem is a homage to the nonsense text of Doctor Seuss, with a black-humour twist. This play has a year 5 reading level.
Kevin Halsall is an engineer and inventor who likes to solve problems. Over a four-year period, he designed and built the Omeo: a ground-breaking mobility device that gives people much greater freedom than a traditional wheelchair. In this article, Kevin discusses his motivation and design process, and his friend Marcus shares the impact the Omeo…
The Auckland Islands, a New Zealand territory in the Southern Ocean, were the site of nine shipwrecks in the nineteenth century. Paul Mason uses this as a starting point for his fictional story about Nell, who becomes a castaway with several others and must play her part in keeping their precious fire going. Keywords: Auckland…
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.
Inside this School Journal are two articles (Monsters; Our First Olympians), one poem (Megabyte), one play (Let’s Vote on It!), and one story (Kupe and the Giant Wheke).
The author uses this light-hearted play to introduce ideas about voting, elections, and MMP. A monster is roaming the kingdom and causing mayhem. The characters come up with various ways to deal with the threat and then vote on the solutions. The resolution sees the problem solved peacefully through communication.
This traditional tale features in the oral traditions of many iwi. It tells of how Kupe discovered Aotearoa while pursuing a giant wheke (octopus) across the Pacific. As he chased the creature around Aotearoa, Kupe explored the new land and named many places. Keywords: Aotearoa, courage, creature, culture, discovery, exploration, Hawaiki, Hine-Te-Aparangi, history, journey, Kupe,…
This humorous poem describes the poet’s pet monster and its dining habits.
This article provides information on some of our earliest Olympians, with a particular focus on the four athletes who attended the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. “Faster, higher, stronger …” The Olympic Games have been a source of international interest and entertainment since the late nineteenth century. It was the first year that Aotearoa…
This article describes a selection of mythical creatures and monsters from around the world, including Kāhui Tipua (Aotearoa), Afinemata/Gāhehelevao (Tokelau), kraken (Norway), oni (Japan), sphinx (Ancient Greece and North Africa), dragons (Asia and Europe), chinthe (Myanmar/Cambodia/Laos), and the bunyip (Australia), and discusses the possible origins of such creatures and some of the reasons for their…
Porokoru Patapu (Johnny) Pohe was a daring and gifted pilot who flew bomber aircraft in the Second World War. In 1943, after twenty-two successful missions, his aircraft was shot down and he was captured. Johnny was taken to Stalag Luft III, a prison camp deep in Nazi Germany. This article tells the story of an…
Inside this School Journal are two stories (Four of a Kind; Springers), one play (The Name Game), one poem (Fly), and two articles ( Johnny Pohe and the Great Escape; Resistance: When Antibiotics Don’t Work)
In this play, a substitute drama teacher named Miss Potter attempts to learn her students’ names through a “name game,” leading to a persistent and ultimately successful effort to correctly pronounce the name of a student named Uilealea. Despite initial awkwardness and comedic interference from the other students, Miss Potter refuses to take the easy…
“Springers” is a fictional story set in a rest home, where George and his daughter are visiting his elderly mum. Meredith has dementia, although it’s not clear to what degree: at times her strong mind and character shine through, at others, she seems childlike and resigned to the loss of autonomy that many people in…
When the school cannot find a rugby coach for the year, the boys joined the netball team. On game day, questions around gender and teamwork are raised.
A poem from Lynley Edmeades about the life of pilot Johnny Rohe, who was taken prisoner during the Second World War. Explore a poem called Fly by Lynley Edmeades about the capture of Second World War pilot Johnny Rohe and his daring escape.
How do antibiotics work? What will happen if they don’t? Keywords: Alexander Fleming, antibiotics, bacteria, bugs, colds, disease, epidemic, flu, health, infection, infectious diseases, influenza, medicine, microbiologists, penicillin, resistance, sickness, stomach bugs, vaccination, viruses, report
In this narrative poem, a boy uses humour to confront a bully.
In the story “Speechless” by Fifi Colston, a young girl named Tilda attempts to navigate her school’s “Day of Silence” fundraiser while dealing with the frustration of being misunderstood by her peers and a competitive classmate. Tilda, who usually talks a lot, finds that her vow of silence allows her to observe others more closely…
The article “Unwanted Visitors” by Allan Burne explains the critical importance of biosecurity in New Zealand, detailing how strict border controls and community surveillance protect the country’s unique environment and economy from the devastating impact of invasive pests, weeds, and diseases.
This article is based on the diary of Iris Marshall, a ten-year-old girl who sailed on the yacht Dog Star with her parents and a family friend from New Zealand to Nouméa. The text details the highs and lows of the journey from Iris’s perspective and includes some excerpts from the on-board logbook. While few…
In the story “Donkey Sleepover” by Sarah Johnson, a young girl hosting her first sleepover is initially nervous about her small home, her parents’ unique food, and the presence of stray animals. While a group of popular girls leaves early after one discovers she is allergic to the family’s surprise guest guinea pigs, the narrator…
In the story “Whānau” by Whiti Hereaka, a young boy named Timi, who is living with his grandmother on a farm while missing his mother and deceased grandfather, finds comfort and a sense of belonging when he is gifted a puppy. As Timi cares for the small, homesick dog, he realizes that his new life…
This mysterious story combines the familiarity of a coming-of-age story with elements of fantasy. The setting and time are vague. There is magic at work, yet most students will relate to the sense of pressure that comes from trying to meet an older person’s expectations while working out personal values and priorities. The layers of…
Inside this School Journal are three articles (Harwoods Hole; The Striped Invader; Why is the Wasp a Pest?) two stories (Stung!; Where’s Toki?) and the poem (Cave).
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