Section outline

  •                                                                               EXPLORE / TŪHURA                                                                           

                                                                                   FOCUS / ARONGA

                                                                          FOCUS / ARONGA learning intentions:


    We are FOCUSING on explanation writing by choosing language that is appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

    We are EXPLORING letter writing by recognising how texts include or exclude people, places, or ideas in different cultural, historical, political and social contexts.

    We are EXPLORING poetry by interpreting how texts in Aotearoa New Zealand provide a lens on our unique cultural heritage.


                                                                                          Success Criteria:


    • I can categorise my ideas into paragraphs with clear ideas and following a writing frame eg. TEXAS, PEDAL etc.
    • I can infer why people, places, or ideas are included and/or excluded in text/s.
    • I can identify themes, messages and opinions within the text/s which reflect our unique cultural heritage.


    Knows Covered:


    KNOW: Text creators choose text structures to create meaning. These structures can be combined and recombined for particular effects.

    KNOW: Language works at both denotative and connotative levels. There is a gap between the language we choose to convey an idea and how the idea is understood. Our language choices and how we interpret language can reveal our values and beliefs.

    KNOW: Different analytical lenses can reveal different ways of seeing a text and help us to read it in line with or counter to its creator’s intentions.

    KNOW: Aotearoa New Zealand has unique literary traditions shaped by tangata whenua, tangata Tiriti, and those who have come from around Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. These traditions help me understand and contribute to the uniqueness of this place.


                                                                                         Tuesday


    • You will first watch this about teens writing from 3:10 to 4:39.
    • Afterwards, you will read what is written on slide 7 of the "Explanation Writing Slideshow" about “Food Gathering.” Then write the topic of what each paragraph is about and write what the passage which is explanation writing.
    • After that, you need to write an explanatory essay about what your favourite thing to do is and why. But first, on the next slide you will see a template of where to put researched information for your persuasive essay. Draw the template in your English books and write the researched information within it.
    • Then you will write an explanatory essay about what your favourite thing to do is and why.

      You can use the structure on the previous slide to help you write your explanatory essay.

    • Finally, draw, label and colour in a picture of what your favourite thing to do is and why in your English books to AT LEAST A YEAR NINE STANDARD.


                                                                                         Wednesday


    • You will first watch this  about parts of a letter from 4:05 to 4:49.
    • Afterwards, you will read the letter which is on slide 4 of the "Letter Writing Slideshow." Then write the topic of what each paragraph is about.
    • Then you need to write a letter to the Maori before anybody arrived in NZ asking about how they did what they did. But first, on the next slide you will see a template of where to put researched information for your letter. Use this link to help write your letter as well as the Explanation Writing Slideshow.
    • After that, you will write a letter to the Maori before anybody arrived in NZ asking about how they did what they did.
    • Finally, you will draw, label and colour in a picture of what your letter is about into your English books to AT LEAST A YEAR NINE STANDARD.

                                                                                       Friday


    • You will first watch this about the pleasure of poetic patterns from 0:55
    • Then after you have read the poem “Huia” by Bill Manhire on slide 23 of the "Poetry Slideshow," you will write as many poetic devices that you can find in the poem and write them down into your English book.
    • Afterwards, you will look at this site about New Zealand birds. It explains about the importance of birds to the Maori culture. Then you will need to write THREE poems about New Zealand birds. You can look at this website to know what the New Zealand birds are.
    • Finally, you will draw, label and colour in a picture of what your poems are about into your English books to AT LEAST A YEAR NINE STANDARD.