Session 1 · AUTHOR: Techniques
Graphs, diagrams and captions
- 10 minRead 'Show it: graphs, diagrams and visuals'. Match visuals to jobs: compare, show change, show parts, show a process, show where.
- 25 minGraph it right: collect quick class data (how we get to school), then draw it as a bar graph and a pie chart. Which explains it better?
- 10 minCaption practice: write a caption that tells the reader what to notice, not just what the graph is.
- 5 minPlan one visual for your own article.
Session 2 · AUTHOR: Hear Voices
Research day
- 10 minRead 'Research and citing'. Practise the source check: who, when, why, evidence.
- 30 minResearch in the library and on trusted sites. Take notes in your own words under each sub-question, and record the source for every note.
- 10 minSwap notes with a partner. Can they find the source of every fact?
Getting started
Use a note-taking grid with the sub-questions already set up as rows.
Stretch
Find two sources that disagree and explain which one you trust more and why.
Checkpoint
Notes cover every sub-question, are in the student's own words and have a source for each fact.
Activities for this week
- Graph it right: Which graph explains our data most clearly?
- Process diagram: How can a diagram explain a process in fewer words?
- Source detective: How do we know which sources to trust, and how do we give credit?
Useful this week
- Understanding infographics ↗ How infographics turn data into something readers can grasp quickly.
- CensusAtSchool ↗ Real survey data from New Zealand students to graph and explain.
- NZ History ↗ Trusted New Zealand history articles, images and timelines.
- Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand ↗ In-depth, reliable entries on New Zealand places, people, nature and history.
- DigitalNZ ↗ Search millions of New Zealand photos, newspapers and records at once.