Fishing with Spider Webs
by Lino Nelisi
New Zealand born Aiani is ten when her family travel home to Niue for the first time. Uncle Tuki shows Aiani how to catch fish using spider webs on the end of a fishing line. Aiani is thrilled when they catch many fish to enjoy for tea! This book was nominated because it captures something of the culture of the Pacific. It was also a finalist in the 1995 Children’s Book Awards.
Please note that these activities are suggestions which have not yet been trialled. We welcome any feedback on how they play out in the classroom (see the feedback section).
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Activity: INSTRUCTIONAL WRITING: How to catch a fish using spider webs (English) |
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| Curriculum Level | 1 & 2(see curriculum links at the end of the activity) |
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NZC Key Competencies |
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Description |
In this story, Uncle Tuki teaches Aiani how to catch a fish using spider webs. Children could use this as a starting point for instructional writing.1. Read and enjoy the story.2. After reading, look back through the illustrations and ask children to notice how Aiani and Uncle Tuki catch their fish. Talk about it with a partner.
3. Tell the children that you want them to use the story to write some ‘instructions’ for how to catch a fish using spider webs.
4. Spend some time talking about what ‘instructional writing’ looks like. It would be useful to have some examples on hand to show the students, such as recipes, or furniture assembly instructions. Show students how they can use numbers to order the instructions. Then have a go at writing their own instructions for how to catch a fish using spider webs. As a follow up, students could independently have a go at writing some instructions for how to catch a coconut crab without being bitten. We are not told how in the story, but they could certainly use their imaginations for this one! |
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Materials |
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| Curriculum Links | English Listening, Reading and Viewing
Speaking, Writing and Presenting
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Other Ideas |
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