Tag: T Shaped Literacy

Something Happened Here

LI : To learn how to search and unravel the past/history of New Zealand

This week we investigated  and we discovered the riddled mysteries about the past. Me and my partner chose the card called Promises. After we chose the cards we had to research about where that part of the country is and we landed in Temuka / Te Umu Kaha Then we did the tasks about the history of the summaries that we read. 

I found this activity interesting as I was able to discover the history behind the people of the south island and and being able to work collaboratively with my partner.

Escape From Afghanistan

LI: To explain in fewer words what the text is about

Our challenge in this activity was to summarise the text in our own words. We were challenged to use powerful vocabulary instead of simpler words. My summary tells the journey of what a refugee is the perilous obstacles and sacrifices they face for freedom.

I found Mahdi’s journey arduous because they had faced many perilous obstacles  in hope for freedom and better futures.

Tension Graphs

LI: To gauge the tension in a text

Our challenge in this activity was to gauge the tension across the events in the text. We needed to change the line height to show the change in tension as the story progressed.  The level of tension each event was rated (1-10) to show how we were feeling as each event unfolded. This was a collaborative challenge so we needed to have a learning conversation to discuss our ideas and decide the tension level as a group. We did this challenge for the texts ‘Escape From Afghanistan ‘, “From Afghanistan to Aotearoa’ and ‘My name is Rez’. 

When I compare these graphs I notice that some stories compared to the others had higher tensions in the events then the others.

I found this activity interesting because was able to discus and collaborate with my group and identify what each tension level was for every event.

‘My name is Rez’ Tension Chart

“From Afghanistan to Aotearoa’ Tension Chart

‘Escape From Afghanistan ‘ Tension Chart

Synthesis Challenge

LI: To compare and contrast the way authors hook us in and build tension in a set of texts.

Our challenge in this activity was to compare and contrast the ways each author built tension and hooked us in using evidence from the texts to support our thinking. When we had read all three texts in the set we wrote a collaborative statement to convince other students why one of the story beginnings was better than the other(s). Our team’s statement was Abbas’ Story, ‘From Afghanistan to Aotearoa’ had a preferable exposition as they used short and meaningful quotes such as. Imagine having to make an impossible choice and face misery after misery or start a new life.’ They also used the techniques called ‘rhetorical questions’ to make the readers think about the questions. Another technique is using dramatic and effective words to build the tension. In the story in the last few parts of act 1, the question in the first line has been answered when they had a catastrophic conundrum between staying in their motherland and being miserable or risking their lives to escape their misery and hope of a new era. Would you risk everything for freedom?

I found this activity interesting because I was able compare the stories we read and work collaboratively with my group.