Every Second Friday Activities

(see curriculum links at the end of the activity)

• thinking
• using language, symbols and text
• relating to others
• participating and contributing

1. After reading, look back through the story and identify the ways that Margi knows her dad loves her.

She knows that she is loved and considered special to her dad because

• he plays with her
• he puts up pictures that she has drawn all over the house
• he puts up photos of her and Totty all over the house
• he dances with her
• he reads stories to her
• he tells her how special she is to him

2. Ask children to think of an adult who is really special to them. It might be a parent, uncle or aunty, grandparent or family friend.

Allow 10-15 minutes for children to go away and draw a picture of this person.

3. With a partner, talk about this person:

• what do you love about this special person?
• how do you know that this person loves you?
• talk about one special time you can remember with this special person – where were you? What were you doing? Do you remember how you were feeling at the time? What made you feel that way?

4. At Level 1, children will use this sharing time to plan their writing.

At Level 2, have partners scribe the main points of each others talk. Ask questions to get details about the special person.

5. Share some ideas as a class. Prompt children to get more detail.

6. Students can go on to write about their special person.

• At Level 1, children can write freely.
• At Level 2, children can use the following plan:

• Draft writing can be edited and published (English)
• Bring a photo of their special person and use it to create a piece of portrait art (Visual Art)
• Write and present a speech about their special person – organise a special morning tea and invite them as guests to hear the speeches (English)
• Turn their writing into a book about their special person (see link to Activity 2) (English)

Relationships with Other People

• explore and share ideas about relationships with other people (Level 1)
• identify and demonstrate ways of maintaining and enhancing relationships between individuals and within groups (Level 2)

English

Listening, Reading and Viewing

• recognise and identify ideas within and across texts (Level 1)
• show some understanding of ideas within, across and beyond texts (Level 2)

Speaking, Writing and Presenting

• form and express ideas on a range of topics (Level 1)
• organise texts, using simple structures (Level 1)
• select, form and express ideas on a range of topics (Level 2)
• organize texts, using a range of structures (Level 2)

The house that grew

– both books show special relationships within unconventional families

(see curriculum links at the end of the activity)

• thinking
• using language, symbols and text
• managing self

1. After reading, look back through the pages and notice how the text is organised. Notice how Kiri Lightfoot (author) and Ben Galbraith (illustrator) have arranged the words. Ask:

• Why do you think they have done this?
• How do you think they would like us to read these words?

2. Look at their use of

• captions and arrows
• text layout – including use of space
• use of large and small font
• how text is placed on a new line – is there a particular way it should be read?
• how some text is placed on angles or on wiggly lines

3. Also spend time looking at the inside front and back covers – identify that these are photos of the children and pictures created by the children. They are mentioned in the story – where?

What is the significance of these pages? How do they add to the meaning of the story?

• At Level 1, work together as a class to ‘hunt’ for different ways text is placed – for example, “Lets find some text that’s been put on a wiggly line.” Support children as they discuss why the author/ illustrator has chosen to present the text in this way.
• At Levels 2 and 3, students can work in groups to discuss ideas about text layout. After group discussions, report back to the class.

4. Children working at Levels 2 and 3 can go on to create their own books. Use an existing story, or a piece of their own writing (see Activity 1 for possible link). Try to use some of the layout techniques that have been identified in ‘Every Second Friday’. They will need to decide what text goes on each page and how it will be set out, for a particular purpose. Also, think about what could be placed on an inside cover to enhance the message of the story.

Listening, Reading and Viewing

• recognise that texts are shaped for different purposes and audiences (Level 1)
• recognise and begin to understand how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 1)
• show some understanding of how texts are shaped for different purposes and audiences (Level 2)
• show some understanding of how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 2)
• show a developing understanding of how texts are shaped for different purposes and audiences (Level 3)
• show a developing understanding of how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 3)

Speaking, Writing and Presenting

• recognise how to shape texts for purpose and an audience (Level 1)
• organise texts, using simple structures (Level 1)
• show some understanding of how to shape texts for different purposes and audiences (Level 2)
• organise texts, using a range of structures (Level 2)
• show a developing understanding of how to shape texts for different purposes and audiences (Level 3)
• organise texts, using a range of appropriate structures (Level 3)

(see curriculum links at the end of the activity)

• thinking
• using language, symbols and texts

1.After reading, tell children that you are going to go back through the story and find all the places where the author has used alliteration.

Define alliteration as words that start with the same letter or sound.

Alliteration is found in the following parts of the text:

–       “bits and bobs”

–       “magnificently muddy”

–       “worryingly wet”

–       “mind-blowingly messy”

–       “from books to bicycles to clocks and clarinets, from pictures and pans to ties and tea towels”

2. When all the alliteration has been identified and written up for all to see, ask children why they think the author has chosen to use this language feature. Discuss possible reasons.

Establish that alliteration can be used to help a sentence to flow easily and it also draws attention to the particular adjective used and/or the subject/verb involved.

3. Children may like to have a go at writing their own sentences using alliteration.

• At Level 1, students could be given adjectives to add a word to eg. hot (horribly hot), tired (terribly tired). Emphasise that it must be words which make sense together.
• At Level 2 and 3, students could have a go at stringing several words together using alliteration. They could also have a go at using alliteration in a piece of their own writing.

• Use alliteration to structure a poem (English)
• Level 3 students could go on to explore the use of other language features and create a language scrapbook with examples of each – see weblink in ‘Resources’ for descriptions of language features (English)

• http://www.numberworks.co.nz/glossary-of-language-features-and-poetic-terms/

Listening, Reading and Viewing

Language Features

• recognise and begin to understand how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 1)
• show some understanding of how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 2)
• show a developing understanding of how language features are used for effect within and across texts (Level 3)

Speaking, Writing and Presenting

Language Features

• use language features, showing some recognition of their effects (Level 1)
• use language features appropriately, showing some understanding of their effects (Level 2)
• use language features appropriately, showing a developing understanding of their effects (Level 3)