Kokeshi dolls

Kokeshi dolls

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
This task is about finding information and understanding the different purposes of texts.
Read the article (The Wooden Dolls of Tohoku) and the poem (Tohuku Doll) and answer the questions that follow.

The Wooden Dolls of Tohoku

By Barbara Beveridge
 
Tohoku is a district in the north-eastern part of Japan.  Over a hundred years ago, the woodworkers there started making a special sort of doll for their children.  Nowadays, these dolls are famous.  They are called "Kokeshi" dolls.
     Kokeshi dolls all have a wooden body with a loose-jointed head, and no arms or legs.  There are many shapes and sizes.  Some are only a few centimetres high; others may be as tall as a metre.
     They are painted with flower designs - usually chrysanthemums, apricot blossom, peonies or maple leaves.
     The woodworkers of Tohuku are still making Kokeshi dolls - not just for children, but for adults, too.  Many people like to collect them.
 

 

 kokeshi doll     WL30502.gif

 
 

Question 1Change answer

a)  Write down three facts about the way the Kokeshi dolls look that can be found in the article, but not in the poem.
     i)    
     ii)   
     iii)  

Question 1Change answer

b)  Write down three facts about the way Kokeshi dolls look that can be found in the poem, but not in the article.
     i)    
     ii)   
     iii)  

Question

c)  What is the main purpose of the article?  (Select one)

    • To give people information about the Kokeshi doll.

    • To describe the Kokeshi doll in a creative way.

    • To persuade people that the Kokeshi doll is important.

    • To instruct people on how to make the Kokeshi doll.

Question

d)  What is the main purpose of the poem?  (Select one)

    • To give people information about the Kokeshi doll.

    • To describe the Kokeshi doll in a creative way.

    • To persuade people that the Kokeshi doll is important.

    • To instruct people on how to make the Kokeshi doll.

Question 1Change answer

e)  Write down one difference between the way the article has been presented and the way the poem has been presented.
     
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (with some auto marking).
Copyright: 
The Wooden Dolls of Tohuki - Text first published by Learning Media Limited in School Journal, on behalf of the Ministry of Education © Barbara Beveridge.  Reproduced with permission.
Tohuku Doll - Text and illustation first published by Learning Media Limited for the Ministry of Education.  © James Kirkup, 1983.  Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holder.
 
Source: School Journal, Part 2, Number 2, Learning Media, 1983.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Thinking, Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
comprehension, poetry, article, purpose, School Journal, text features, locate information, SJ-2-2-1983
Description of task: 
A poem and brief article about Japanese dolls is the context for this comprehension resource that has focus on comparisons and purpose. SJ-2-2-1983. Text provided.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • locate information within a small range of texts
  • identify and reflect on writers' purposes
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Making sense of text: text structure, set 4
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
 

Y6 (09/2001)

a)

 Accept any 3 facts from the article that are not in the poem, e.g., The dolls:

  • Are made from wood.
  • Have a loose-jointed head.
  • Have no arms.
  • Have no legs.
  • Come in many shapes and sizes.
  • Can be a few centimetres high.
  • Can be as tall as a metre.
  • Have designs that include pictures of chrysanthemums, apricot blossom and/or maple leaves.

3 correct – moderate

2 correct – easy

1 correct – very easy

b)

 Accept any 3 facts from the poem that are not in the article, e.g., The dolls have:

  • Severe faces.
  • Neat smiles.
  • Tiny noses.
  • Bright eyes.
  • Black hair.

3 correct – difficult

2 correct – moderate

1 correct – moderate

c)

To give people information about the Kokeshi doll.

easy

d)

To describe the Kokeshi doll in a creative way.

easy

e)

 Any 1 of:

  • The article uses sentences and the poem does not.
  • The article uses paragraphs and the poem does not.
  • The poem has only one word per line.
  • The words in the poem are spaced apart/out.

1 correct – moderate