Tag: Literacy

LI: To vary our sentence lengths to create pace and impact.

In reading, my group created a DLO about sentence structures while learning about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. We looked at simple, compound, and complex sentences, and how different sentence lengths can change the mood and feeling of a piece of writing.

As part of this task, we made our own examples and explained how each sentence type works. We also created AI images to match the scenes and atmosphere in our writing, which helped make our DLO more detailed and interesting. I liked seeing how different sentence styles can make writing feel more tense, emotional, or dramatic.

This activity helped me improve my understanding of sentence structure and how authors use language to create impact for the reader.

LI: To understand we make judgements based on stereotyping, assumptions and prejudices

This week in reading, we read a text called Bok Choy. It was about a boy named Jacob and a man called Ah Sum, who helped him after he fell into a river. Our task was to write a letter to Ah Sum to thank him properly. In my letter, I thanked him for rescuing Jacob and for giving him hot tea to warm up. I also included an apology for how Jacob acted when William was being mean, because he didn’t stand up or do the right thing. I also wrote about the ancestors paintings in Ah Sum’s hut and how they made Jacob feel calm and safe. It helped me understand how important family and culture are, especially since Ah Sum’s family lives far away in Canton.

This task helped me get better at writing letters and explaining thoughts and feelings more clearly. I’m getting more confident at adding detail to my writing.

Dear Ah Sum,

I am writing to sincerely thank you for saving me from the river last week. I am very grateful for what you did, and I know that without your help, things could have turned out much worse for me. I also want to thank you for the hot tea you gave me. It helped warm me up when I was freezing and made me feel safe and cared for.

I would also like to apologise for the way I acted earlier when William was being unkind. I did not stand up for what was right, and I regret that now. I should have shown more courage and respect, especially towards you.

While I was in your hut, I noticed the Ancestors paintings. They made me feel calm, and I could see how important your family and culture are to you. It made me think more deeply about respect and understanding others, and how important it is to appreciate people’s backgrounds and beliefs.

Thank you again for your kindness and for helping me. I will remember this experience and try to be a better person because of it.

Yours sincerely,
Jacob

For literacy this week, my class learned about how life for women in New Zealand has changed a lot since 1870. We made a Venn diagram to compare the past and now. In 1870, women mostly stayed at home, didn’t have many rights, and couldn’t vote or work many jobs. Today, women can choose almost any job, vote, go to school, and have laws that protect their rights. Even though things have changed, women have always been important to their families and communities. It was cool to see how much things have improved and to think about how women’s lives keep getting better.