Sofi's first night away

Sofi's first night away

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about making inferences and using words from the text to explain your answers.
Read "Sofi's First Night Away" (pages 8 - 13, School Journal Part 1, Number 1, 1996. Written by Ann Taua'i).
 
Read the sentences below and choose whether each sentence is true or false. Then explain why you think the sentence is true or false. Use the words from the story to help you explain.
 
An example has been done for you.
 
a)  Sofi had never been to Samoa before.

     true  /  false

Explain
     It was her first night in Samoa

Question

b)  It was hot because all the windows were closed.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

c)  The bed had spaghetti cans instead of legs.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

d)  Grandma was kind and caring.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

e)  Sofi had difficulty seeing in the dark.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

f)  In Samoa mosquitoes are a problem at night.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

g)  Sofi started crying because she felt homesick.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question

h)  In Samoa people usually sleep on the floor.

    • true

    • false

Explain

Question 2Change answer

i)  Describe a time when you felt like Sofi, and explain why.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed by pencil and paper or online (with some auto-marking).
 
Equipment:
 
Copyright: 
Source: School Journal, Part 1, No 1, Learning Media, 1996. 
Sofi's First Night Away - Text and Illustrations first published by Learning Media Limited in School Journal, on behalf of the Ministry of Education. © Ann Taua'i, 1996. Reproduced with permission.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Thinking
Keywords: 
comprehension, evidence, inference, Pasifika, SJ-1-1-1996
Description of task: 
Students read a story about a girl's first night in Samoa. Then they decide whether some statements are true or false and give evidence from the text to back up their responses. There is a link to the text used in the "Using this Resource" tab. SJ-1-1-1996. Text provided.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • evaluate and integrate ideas and information
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: processing system, set 3
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
 

 

Y4 (01/2001)

b)

False: "There were no walls."[Accept "There were no windows."]

difficult

c)

False: "its legs were sitting in spaghetti tins".

moderate

d)

True: Accept any reference to or quotation which includes one of Grandma's kind actions or words.

difficult

e)

False: Any 1 of the following:

  • "Outside, the moon was shining, and its light poured into the thatched fale."
  • She "stepped carefully over the sleeping 'ãiga on their floor mats."
  • "Carefully she poured herself a drink."
  • "She stood and looked at her aunties and cousins."

very difficult

f)

True: Accept any reference to mosquito nets/or the buzzing of the mosquito.

difficult

g)

True: Any 1 of the following:

  • "Sofi wondered what time it was at home."
  • "Were Mum and Dad in bed yet?" [Accept "She was thinking of/missed her parents."]

moderate

h)

True: Any 1 of the following:

  • "You are a real Samoan Sofi, sleeping on the floor with your grandma."
  • Any reference to the fact that all her relatives were sleeping on the floor, e.g., "They were all lying on mats, covered in sheets."

very difficult

i)

Any example which indicates that the student 

  • felt homesick.
  • felt uncomfortable in a new situation.
  • had someone care for them.
  • couldn't sleep.
  • was experiencing cultural traditions that were new to them.

moderate

Look for students to paraphrase the correct sections of text when answering the questions.