Thinking resources

In this practical task students design a net for a lidded cardboard cube to hold a tennis ball. They then cut out and construct the cube.

In this practical task students design a net for a lidded cardboard box to hold 3 "chocolate bars" represented by hundreds blocks. They then cut out and construct the box.

Students write arguments for and against school rules.

Students read a narrative that is about being different and about group dynamics. Assessment focus: an evaluation of characters and the author's construction of them. (A link to the text is provided. Reading age <8.) SJ-1-4-2005. Text provided.

From visual stimuli and a series of simple statements that describe personal attributes, students identify which person is being described.

Task: Answer questions about frog's skin adaptations, and use this information to think about consequences of chytrid fungus for Archey's frogs. Assessment focus: using information to think about management of native endangered species.

The assessment focus is on student ability to identify details that support the main idea of a text, and to identify where the main idea is developed.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to identify important information and establish the main idea of a narrative text. The text describes a person's experience of war and their learnings from it. SJ-2-1-2006. Text provided.

Students produce a simple written description, using nouns and adjectives with some precision.

Task: Select which state of water applies to a list of places where water can be found. Assessment focus: states of water.

Students are asked to match six everyday objects to the main energy transformation that occurs in each of these objects.

Students read the letters written by four different people and identify the main idea of each letter.

A newspaper article on the Wearable Art show is the context for this resource, with five short written response comprehension questions.

Students read a poster about railway crossing safety to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

Students read a narrative then complete three tasks that focus on one of the characters. Assessment focus: an evaluation of a character and the author's construction of that character. SJ-4-3-2004. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to find details and identify the main idea of a narrative about a Cook Island tradition.

Students read an extract from Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' to answer retrieval and inferential questions.

After reading a narrative about a shrewd boy, students identify evidence in the text that supports their thinking. Assessment focus: analysing and evaluating a character and the author's construction of him. (There is a link to the text used for this resource in the Task administration section of the Teacher information pages.) Reading age 8-9. SJ-2-4-2000. Text provided.

Students produce a simple written description, using nouns and adjectives with some precision.

Students read a recount about New Zealanders travelling in Africa, then answer retrieval and inference questions. The text is provided.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to evaluate the ideas and information in a text about an environmental issue. Students are asked to read a text, then respond to four questions. SJ-4-3-2005. Text not provided.

Students read an advertisement and retrieve information and make inferences from it.

Students read a poem titled 'The Sea' and explain the meanings of some of the language used.

This resource requires students to answer questions about an index page.

Students read a narrative about how a character copes with changes in her family dynamics. Students then complete three tasks focusing on that character. Assessment focus: an evaluation of a character and the author's construction of her. (The text used for this resource is reproduced under the "Working with Students" tab.) Reading age 10-12. SJ-4-2-2000. Text not provided.