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Listed under:  Language  >  Text types  >  Imaginative texts  >  Narratives
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Storyline Online: Lotus and feather by Ji-Li Jiang

A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without friends. A hunter’s bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances to the girl’s reed whistle, much to the ...

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Storyline Online: Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

Strega Nona – “Grandma Witch” – is the source for potions, cures, magic and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical ever-full pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden, but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony ...

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Storyline Online: Sophie's masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli

Sophie's no ordinary house spider. She's an artist; and every web she spins is more wondrous than the one before. But don't mention that to the guests at Beekman's Boardinghouse, because they don't like spiders. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known US based actors supported by the ...

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Storyline Online: To be a drum by Eveline Coleman

Daddy Wes whispers to his two young listeners one morning the story of the 'drum', the pulse that has moved through the African people and through time and place. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known US based actors supported by the illustrations. Each book is supplemented with guides ...

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Storyline Online: How I learned Geogrpahy by Uri Shulevitz

Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when the boy’s father brings home a map instead of bread for supper, at first the boy is furious. But when the map is hung on the wall, it floods their cheerless room with color. As the boy ...

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Storyline Online: Clark the shark by Bruce Hale

Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and boom. Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life – but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends, Clark’s teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down. Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm ...

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Storyline Online: Carla's sandwich by Debbie Herman

When Carla brings weird sandwiches to school, her classmates have plenty to say about them. “That’s sick!” says Leslie. “That’s disgusting!” says Natie. But Carla thinks otherwise. “It’s unique. It’s creative.” - Just like Carla. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known US based actors ...

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Storyline Online: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

Wilfrid lives next to a retirement home, and his favorite old person is 96-year-old Miss Nancy. Everyone says Miss Nancy has lost her memory, and despite the fact that Wilfrid doesn't even know what a memory is, by accident he helps her find it. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known ...

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Storyline Online: The empty pot by Demi

The Chinese Emperor announces an unusual test to choose an heir—the child who raises the best flowers from a seed given by the Emperor will be his successor. Ping, unaccountably, is unable to get his seed to sprout—but Ping’s empty pot is best of all. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known ...

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Storyline Online: Brave Irene by William Steig

Plucky Irene, a dressmaker's daughter, braves a fierce snowstorm to deliver a new gown to the duchess in time for the ball. This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known US based actors supported by the illustrations. Each book is supplemented with guides for teachers and parents, aiming to ...

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Storyline Online: Harry the dirty dog by Gene Zion

Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything…except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away.This series of videos features illustrated stories read aloud by well-known US based actors supported by the illustrations. Each book is supplemented with by guides for teachers and parents, aiming to strengthen ...

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Storyline Online: A tale of two beasts by Fiona Robertson

There are two sides to every story. In Part One, a little girl finds a strange beast in the woods and takes it home as a pet. She feeds it, shows it off to her friends and gives it a hat. But that night it escapes. Then, in Part Two, the beast tells the story of being kidnapped by the girl, who force-fed it squirrel food, ...

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How to retell a story (for kids)

A short video (1:48) for students explains how to retell a story focusing on characters, setting and major events.

Online

Horton Hears a Who

This resource for primary school children examines the Dr Seuss picture book classic and the film based on the book. It examines the theme of sustainability. It contains questions and activities on the book and the film, as well as a teacher guide.

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Sustainability of a historic community garden

Discover the history of a local community garden and find out about some of its new sustainable features. View this clip called 'Sustainability in Edinburgh', created by young reporters from North Fitzroy Primary School, Victoria. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured ...

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Preserving the flathead of Tasmania

Discover how people who like to fish can help preserve one of Tasmania's favourite catches, the flathead. View this clip created by young reporters from Circular Head Christian School, Tasmania. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured local sustainability stories ...

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Hey diddle diddle' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen as Buzz, Belle and Bop perform 'Hey diddle diddle' in this animated music video. Then try to create your own sentences that include pairs of words that sound the same at the end (rhyme).

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Heywire: Digging for diprotodons

Ever dreamed of finding buried treasure in your own backyard? For Natasha Camp, this is a reality. Her 'treasure' is not gold or silver, but the bones of ancient Australian megafauna. In this Heywire photo story, Natasha describes the latest dig at Floraville Station, Queensland, her family's property. It was on this dig ...

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What's that mystery instrument?

Watch this video to learn about a spooky sounding instrument called the theremin. How is it played? Listen as it joins the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to play music from the TV show Dr Who. Do you like the sounds it makes? Why or why not?

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Story starting points

Do you sometimes have trouble finding an idea to write about? Watch this clip to learn how author Tony Wilson developed the idea for his book 'Stuff Happens: Jack'. Is there a dramatic moment from your life that might inspire a story? Remember what Tony says about building a fictional world around this real starting point, ...