In this journal there are three stories (Not So Normal;-Sparks;-The Ski Trip), One poem (The Game), and three articles (The Big Dig: Clearing the Manawatū Gorge Slip;-Three Legends;-Mahinga Kai Crusaders). The Big Dig: Clearing the Manawatū Gorge Slip – article Three Legends – article Mahinga Kai Crusaders – article Sparks – story Not So Normal…
This is a poem about the intense internal pressure and focus experienced by a young cricketer walking out to bat. It uses vivid imagery—the heat, the opponents’ grins, and the narrator’s stomach churning—to capture the nervousness and anticipation just before the bowler releases the ball.
This is a story about a boy, Anthony, who needs money for the class ski trip and his necessary gear. Unlike his friend Jevan, Anthony has to earn the money himself. He starts a small business mowing lawns and doing odd jobs, successfully raising the required funds through hard work and reliability, while his friend,…
School Journal Level 3 September 2014 This is a story about a girl named TJ who finds a weird, glowing stranger named Normal on her road in Eketāhuna. Normal claims to be a tiny alien from T27 in the Andromeda Galaxy, disguised as human to “prospect” Earth’s resources. TJ helps Normal retrieve his pea-sized spaceship…
This is a story about a boy, Harley, whose younger brother, Dillon, receives a brand-new, spark-shooting scooter for his birthday. Dillon refuses to share, causing tension and arguments between their parents. The conflict is only resolved when the scooter is finally stolen, leading the narrator to realize they are better off without the source of…
This is an article about two Ngāi Tahu men determined to keep the ancient tradition of mahinga kai (traditional food gathering) alive. Karl Russell teaches the practical skills of living off the land, while artist Simon Kaan uses the Kai Hau Kai website to share knowledge and memories digitally across the world.
This is an article profiling three iconic New Zealand cricketers: Bert Sutcliffe (known for huge scores despite never winning a test), Debbie Hockley (the first female professional cricketer and World Cup winner), and fast bowler Tim Southee (a modern all-format star). The article tracks the changing nature of cricket from non-professional test matches to lucrative…
The Big Dig – School Journal Level 3 September 2014 This is an article about the enormous engineering challenge of clearing one of New Zealand’s biggest slips in the Manawatū Gorge. It details the work of digging out 370,000 cubic metres of debris, using machinery anchored by the mighty bulldozer, “The Bandit,” and implementing bench…
I want to be Zippy! School Journal Level 2 September 2014 This is a play script about six students who clash over who gets the main roles (Zippy and Fang) in their play. After one student quits, the group realizes their script has three possible endings (giving up, fighting, and negotiating). They resolve their conflict…
Pōhā – A Clever Way of Storing Food – School Journal Level 2 September 2014 This article describes the traditional Māori method of preserving tītī (muttonbird) meat using pōhā. These unique storage containers are made from a type of kelp called rimurapa, reinforced with kete and tōtara bark. Kāi Tahu families still practice this skill…
Reading a Boat – School Journal Level 2 September 2014 This article follows three boys on a ferry trip who play a game with their Gran to classify the numerous signs they see as “important” (e.g., safety and conservation) or “not important” (e.g., advertising). The exercise helps them realize the importance of reading information in…
This School Journal contains one story (Nobody Laughed), One Poem (Where Are the Fairies?), One Play (I Want to Be Zippy!), and two articles (Reading a Boat;Pōhā: A Clever Way of Storing Food).
This graphic novel/comic tells the personal story of a miner from Waihi who served in the New Zealand Tunnelling Company. Stationed near Arras, the company spent months in a “game of cat and mouse,” using geophones to monitor German counter-mining while digging tunnels and expanding ancient quarries into a secret underground city.
This fictionalised story is based on the controversial issue of Māori fighting for the British Empire during the First World War. Students will need some knowledge about the history of our race relations and, in particular, the colonisation of Aotearoa by the British.
A poetic story about memories of a great-granddad who flew in World War One.
This article details the New Zealand Tunnelling Company’s efforts during the First World War. Arriving in Arras in 1916, these miners and laborers converted ancient quarries into a secret underground city for 25,000 troops, complete with a hospital and electric lighting. Using geophones to monitor enemy “counter mining,” they prepared a massive surprise attack for…
This article explores how oral history preserves the lived experiences of First World War veterans to counter “national amnesia” regarding the conflict. Through eighty-five recorded interviews now held at the Alexander Turnbull Library, historians captured the shift from initial “adventure” to the grim realities of Gallipoli, the Somme, and shell shock. These “eye witness” accounts…
This article describes how New Zealand children were mobilised as “little crusaders” to support the British Empire through school rituals and the School Journal. While soldiers faced the horrors of Gallipoli and Passchendaele, children at home were taught duty through flag saluting, military drills, and extensive fundraising for the war effort. This era left a…
Windfall – School Journal Level 3 June 2014 This is a story about a girl, Anna, trying to cope with her father, James, who has returned from the war suffering from nightmares and being emotionally distant (implied shell shock). During a fierce storm, James reverts to his capable self, using a rope to rescue Anna…
Harry’s War – School Journal Level 3 June 2014 This is a graphic story about Harry, a farmer conscripted late in the war (1918). He trains miserably and arrives in England just before Armistice Day. Frustrated by being stuck overseas, the troops riot. Harry’s sole lasting military act is carving the huge chalk kiwi into…
Chunuk Bair – School Journal Level 3 June 2014 This is a poem and accompanying text about the brutal battle for Chunuk Bair during the Gallipoli campaign in August 1915. It describes the brief capture of the peak by New Zealanders and the devastating Turkish counter-attack led by the Ottoman commander, Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk).
Grey Angels – School Journal Level 3 June 2014 This is an article about the 550 New Zealand nurses who served in WWI, following the experiences of Edna Pengelly. They endured punishing work in Egypt treating Gallipoli casualties, and later in England at places like Brockenhurst, dealing with severe injuries and shell shock. .
Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū: The Māori Pioneer Battalion This article is about the Māori Pioneer Battalion. It details how some Māori volunteered hoping to achieve equality, while others (Waikato) resisted conscription due to historical land losses. After fighting at Gallipoli, they served primarily as labourers on the Western Front.
New Zealand at War – School Journal Level 3 June 2014 This is an article about the huge impact of World War I on New Zealand, noting that around 10% of the population served and over half became casualties. It includes a timeline of major events like ANZAC formation and the Battle of Passchendaele. .
Das Piano – School Journal Level 2 June 2014 This is a story about the personal “war” between a schoolboy, Thomas, and his teacher, Mrs. Biggs. To avoid singing a solo, Thomas falsely claims the school’s piano is German. Mrs. Biggs and the town mayor furiously prove the claim and then destroy the piano with…
School Journal Level 3 June 2014 Inside this School Journal are three stories (Das Piano; Harry’s War; Windfall), three articles (Grey Angels; Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū: The Māori Pioneer Battalion; New Zealand at War), and one poem (Chunuk Bair). The theme of these texts is centred around World War 1, the First World War.
This poem discusses mascots used by sports teams, bands, and armies. It mentions specific mascots like the collie Roy of Masterton’s band, who wore a medal when the band won a competition, a terrier that barked in French and sat on the drum for the Auckland Regimental Band in World War I, and Mooloo the…
Nobody Laughed – School Journal Level 2 September 2014 A short story where Aiden is deeply embarrassed when his entire class shows up with the same backpack, fearing his hidden “secret favourite thing” will be mocked. When the teacher opens everyone’s bags to sort them, revealing a series of strange items (from a moa bone…
In this Junior Journal are three stories (Always Great, Never Late; Breakdown; Rongoā Māori), one poem (Tortoise), and two articles (Helpful Trees and Plants; Torty, the Lucky Tortoise).
A poem about a tortoise: I found a harmless little creature paddling in a ditch. A turtle or a tortoise? I wasn’t quite sure which.
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