ORFC Discover Sample Pages ORL 8

Finn and the Ancient Inventions

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by Sascha Goddard

illustrated by Beth Hughes

Phonics Developing Vocabulary

This book contains new vocabulary that students may not have encountered previously. If students stumble on a word, encourage students to say and blend the letter sounds – helping them if necessary. Practise these words before reading:

answer come queue laughed

Words from the Oxford Wordlist appear in Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover. For teacher support and guidance on using the Oxford Wordlist with this series, visit the series section on Oxford Owl.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

Oxford University Press acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which we create and share our learning resources. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners as the original storytellers, teachers and students of this land we call Australia. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, for the ways in which they have enabled the teachings of their rich cultures and knowledge systems to be shared for millennia.

Finn and the Ancient Inventions

Goddard

Chapter

1 Dreams and inventions

“Does anyone know the answer? Finn?”

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Miss Sharma’s voice pulled Finn out of his daydream. He had been staring at the ceiling again, trying to think up new inventions.

“We’re talking about the ancient cities of Sumer,” whispered Finn’s friend, Van.

Miss Sharma continued. “Everyone, tonight I would like you to do some research. Tomorrow, you can each tell the class about one thing we use today that was invented by the people of ancient Sumer.”

Finn’s eyes lit up. He loved inventions!

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After school, Finn tried to start researching. He couldn’t concentrate. His sister Alba was practising the recorder … again. Mama wanted to chat about her day delivering packages, and Dad had just arrived home from his pottery class.

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Finn had ten more minutes on the computer after dinner to find some inventions.

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That night, Finn couldn’t sleep at all. He tried to relax by imagining a tropical island in the ocean. All he could think of was ancient Sumer.

Chapter 2

What, where, when?

Finn woke with a start. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, then sat bolt upright.

“Where am I?” he exclaimed, his eyes wide.

“Finn, are you awake?” he heard his mum call.

“Come on, it’s breakfast time!”

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Finn looked around and noticed some light material laid out on a chair. When Finn picked it up, he was surprised to see it was a robe.

He pulled the robe on, along with some sandals. Then he peeked out the doorway nervously.

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Finn walked slowly up to the roof. He saw a big table.

Mama, Dad and Alba were eating fruit for breakfast.

“What … where … when is this?” Finn stuttered in disbelief.

“It’s Sumer, of course,” Alba replied with a laugh. “Are you okay, Finn?”

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Finn grinned. They were in an ancient city of Sumer!

He had no clue what was going on, but he was ready to embrace the ride.

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Maybe he would even find out about some inventions!

Chapter 3

An ancient city of Sumer

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Before he knew it, Finn was being bustled downstairs and out the door.

“Bye,” Dad called, waving. “I’m off to my pottery workshop now.”

“Make lots of bowls today,” said Mama. “People at the market always want to buy them.”

Finn followed Mama and Alba through the dusty streets. Houses were packed closely together on either side. In the distance, Finn saw a wall that surrounded the city and stretched to a great height.

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Suddenly, Finn stopped and stared at Mama’s cart.

‘It has wheels!’ he exclaimed.

Mama looked at him, confused.

Finn couldn’t believe that the wheel had been invented already, and he was seeing it in action. Ancient Sumer was such an incredible place!

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A short walk later, Alba turned to Finn. “See you after school,” she said cheerfully.

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Finn noticed a queue of boys in front of a nearby building. “School?” Finn thought to himself. “I wonder what they learn about in ancient Sumer.”

School in ancient Sumer was very different. For one thing, there were no girls. The teacher was very strict, too.

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Finn sat at the back and watched in amazement as the students wrote words in wedge shapes printed on clay tablets.

The boys laughed, but the teacher did not.

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When Finn was asked to write, he couldn’t help but be honest. “I have no idea what to do!” he blurted out.

“I have not seen this sort of script before!”

Finn was glad to get home … until Alba started playing a wooden flute. Once he got over the noise, he realised that instruments must have been another invention from ancient Sumer.

“Wow, there are so many inventions here!” he thought.

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After dinner, Mama asked if Finn would like to play a board game. He was surprised.

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The game had a big wooden board. There were 20 squares on the board. There were counters and also four dice.

As they played, Finn wondered if this was the first board game ever invented.

Chapter 4 Pots and

ploughs

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“Let’s go Finn,” Dad said the next morning after breakfast.

“I hope you are ready for some hard work!”

“I’ll be making pottery with you today?” asked Finn, surprised.

“Of course,” said Dad. “It’s important to learn the family trade.”

Dad and Finn walked to the workshop. Dad showed Finn how to mould the clay as it sat on top of a spinning wheel. It was tricky! Finn’s pots and bowls often collapsed as the wheel spun. The more Finn practised, the better he got.

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At the end of the day, Dad’s friend gave them a ride home in his wagon. Dad pointed to the farms they could see out past the city wall.

“The farmers grow so much tasty food out there,” he said.

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“Do the farmers have tools?” Finn asked.

“They have invented lots of tools,” Dad answered. “That farmer’s ploughing the ground. His plough has a funnel filled with seeds, so he can plant them as he ploughs!”

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“Wow!” said Finn. “That must save them lots of time.”

Chapter 5

The best inventors ever

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Finn stretched as he woke, ready for another day of exploring Ancient Sumer. But when he opened his eyes, he was back in his own bedroom.

“What a dream!” Finn exclaimed. He couldn’t wait to get to school.

Finn surprised his class with all the inventions he knew about.

“The wheel was used for carts, wagons, pottery and farming!” he said eagerly. “There were board games, musical instruments, reading and writing, and school!”

Finn beamed. “People in ancient Sumer were the best inventors ever!”

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Retell the story SAMPLEPAGES

Comprehension

Before reading

• Use the Phonics information on the inside front cover of the book to make sure students are comfortable with some of the sounds and high-frequency words that will appear in this book.

• Look at the front and back cover of the book. Ask students what they think the book might be about. When in history do you think this book might be set? What do you think will happen to the boy on the cover?

During reading

Ask the following comprehension questions as you read through the book with the student:

• Page 2: What are inventions?

• Page 7: What do you think has happened to Finn? Why do you think that?

• Page 8: Point to a punctuation mark on this page that shows that Finn is pausing while talking.

• Pages 16–17: What ancient Sumerian inventions appear on these pages?

• Page 22: What could be another good name for this chapter?

Ask the student to look at the images on the final page of the book and use these to retell the story/talk about the main ideas in the book.

After reading

Visit the Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover series section on Oxford Owl for access to:

• a Phonics and Comprehension Activity Sheet for this title

• Phonics and Comprehension teaching notes for this title, including a practical After Reading activity.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries.

Published in Australia by Oxford University Press

Level 8, 737 Bourke Street, Docklands, Victoria 3008, Australia.

© Oxford University Press 2023

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

First published 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

ISBN 9780190340322

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Designed by Beth Hughes

Designed by Claire Atteia in collaboration with Oxford University Press

Printed in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd.

Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand is committed to sourcing paper responsibly.

Illustrations by Beth Hughes

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Phonics Developing Vocabulary

This book contains new vocabulary that students may not have encountered previously. If students stumble on a word, encourage students to say and blend the letter sounds – helping them if necessary. Practise these words before reading:

aisles received mission intrigued

Words from the Oxford Wordlist appear in Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover. For teacher support and guidance on using the Oxford Wordlist with this series, visit the series section on Oxford Owl.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

Oxford University Press acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which we create and share our learning resources. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners as the original storytellers, teachers and students of this land we call Australia. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, for the ways in which they have enabled the teachings of their rich cultures and knowledge systems to be shared for millennia.

Warning to First Nations Australians

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this publication may include images or names of people now deceased.

by Janine Scott

Blazing Trails

Next time you walk the aisles of a museum, look for the work of a trailblazer. A trailblazer is someone who is the first to do something.

A trailblazer in science found this skeleton.

Trailblazers help pave the way for others.

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Trailblazers have new ideas. Sometimes it can be hard for people to imagine or accept these ideas at first. Trailblazers work in science and the arts.

Helping Chimpanzees

Name: Jane Goodall

Where: Africa

When: 1960s Blazed a trail in: Biology

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Jane Goodall was born in the United Kingdom in 1934. Her childhood shaped her life. At a very early age, she received a toy chimpanzee. It celebrated a chimpanzee born at London Zoo.

Jane loved to observe animals.

In 1957, Jane’s mission was to do something dear to her heart. She went to Africa and took a job at a natural history museum. Then, in 1960, she went to a special nature reserve to study chimpanzees.

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Jane built the chimpanzees’ trust.

Jane found out some new things about chimpanzees. She learned they used sticks as tools to get termites from termite nests. This was groundbreaking. Until then, it was thought that only people made tools.

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Jane spent a lot of time watching the chimpanzees.

By 1986, forests were being cleared. The chimpanzee population was falling. Jane had the idea to help nearby villages. In turn, the chimps would be protected.

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Jane started programs that still run today to help with food, water, farming and schooling.

Sound Pioneer

Name: Daphne Oram

Where: United Kingdom

When: 1959 Blazed a trail in: Sound

Daphne Oram was born in 1925 in the United Kingdom. As a child, she showed talent in music. In 1942, Daphne started working at the BBC.

Daphne recorded sounds for radio shows.

In 1959, Daphne left the BBC to work on her own ideas. She invented a new machine. It turned lines and shapes drawn on film strips into sounds. Daphne’s work was ahead of its time.

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In 2011, the Science Museum in London displayed Daphne’s machine.

Chemistry Cures

Name: Alice Ball

Where: USA

When: 1916 Blazed a trail in: Chemistry

Alice Ball was born in the USA in 1892. In 1915, she became the first African American to receive a master’s degree at her university.

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Alice received three degrees.

In 1916, Alice joined a research team working to cure leprosy. People with leprosy back then were often sent to an island for life.

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The government put people with leprosy on this island.

Chaulmoogra oil helped treat leprosy. However, if you consumed the oil, it made you feel sick. If you put it on your skin, it made sores. Neither treatment was effective. Alice found a way to inject the oil into the bloodstream.

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Chaulmoogra oil is made from chaulmoogra seeds.

Alice died at age 24 when she was at the height of her success. Another person carried on her research and took credit for much of it. In 2000, Alice was finally recognised for her groundbreaking work.

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This chaulmoogra tree at Alice’s university honours her.

First Novelist

Name: Murasaki Shikibu

Where: Japan

When: Early 1000s

Blazed a trail in: Writing

Murasaki Shikibu was born into a noble Japanese family in about 973. She was also a courtier to the Japanese royal family.

Murasaki was well educated and became a writer.

Murasaki’s book, The Tale of Genji, may have been the very first novel. It described court life in detail. It had more than 400 people in it.

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Much of what we know about the royal family in Japan back then comes from Murasaki’s book.

Plant Scientist

Name: Janaki Ammal

Where: Kerala

When: 1930s Blazed a trail in: Botany

In 1897, Janaki Ammal was born in Kerala. As a child, her father’s interest in nature inspired her.

In 1931, Janaki was the first female from her country to earn a PhD and degree in botany in the USA.

Janaki is thought to be the first female botanist from her country. She developed a new sugarcane that grew well in warm, wet conditions. It had a great yield.

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Janaki said, “My work is what will survive.”

Fossil Collector

Name: Mary Anning

Where: United Kingdom

When: Early 1800s

Blazed a trail in: Paleontology

In 1799, Mary Anning was born in a seaside town in the United Kingdom. As a child, Mary helped her father find and clean fossils.

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Looking for fossils was not usual for a girl then.

Mary was 11 years old when her father died. She kept selling fossils to help her family. She taught herself geology and anatomy.

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The tongue twister “She sells seashells on the seashore” is about Mary.

In about 1811, Mary’s brother Joseph found a skull. It had a sword-like mouth. Mary found its skeleton, which was 5.2 metres long. People thought she had unveiled a monster. It was an Ichthyosaurus.

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Some of Mary’s fossil finds are displayed in London.

Mary was the first to find a whole Plesiosaurus skeleton. Many people thought it was not real. Scientists had a meeting to review it. Mary was not asked along.

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her.

This church window in Mary’s town Lyme Regis now honours

New Ideas

People who lead the way in their fields often have something in common. They come up with new ideas. Other people can build on these ideas.

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Many trailblazers are intrigued by things from childhood.

Sometimes, new ideas help fix old problems. Sometimes, new ideas or new ways of thinking just help people see things differently and learn. By thinking in a different way, trailblazers help change the world.

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New ideas can make a big difference.

Glossary

anatomy: the study of the structure of living things

botanist: a plant scientist

courtier: someone who attends a royal court

geology: the study of rocks and soil

leprosy: a disease that attacks the skin, nerves and muscles

paleontology: the study of fossils

yield: amount produced

Comprehension

Before reading

• Use the Phonics information on the inside front cover of the book to make sure students are comfortable with some of the sounds and high-frequency words that will appear in this book.

• Look at the front and back cover of the book. Ask students what they think the book might be about. What sort of book do you think this is? What do you think you will learn in this book?

During reading

Ask the following comprehension questions as you read through the book with the student:

• Page 2: What is a trailblazer?

• Page 7: What does it mean that the chimpanzee population was ‘falling’?

• Page 13: Summarise what makes Alice Ball’s research significant.

• Page 17: Why do you think it was important that Janaki Ammal’s sugarcane grew well in warm, wet conditions?

• Page 21: Why do you think the author used the same layout and text features when discussing each trailblazer in this book?

Ask the student to look at the images on the final page of the book and use these to retell the story/talk about the main ideas in the book.

After reading

Visit the Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover series section on Oxford Owl for access to:

• a Phonics and Comprehension Activity Sheet for this title

• Phonics and Comprehension teaching notes for this title, including a practical After Reading activity.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

SAMPLEPAGES

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries.

Published in Australia by Oxford University Press

Level 8, 737 Bourke Street, Docklands, Victoria 3008, Australia

© Oxford University Press 2023

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

First published 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

ISBN 9780190340346

Designed by Marley Berger in collaboration with Oxford University Press

Printed in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd

Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand is committed to sourcing paper responsibly.

Acknowledgements

The publishers would like to thank the following for the permission to reproduce photographs:

Danita Delimont / Alamy Stock Photo, Cover; Paul Quezada-Neiman / Alamy Stock Photo, p.2; Amorn Suriyan / Shutterstock, p.3; CBS via Getty Images, p.4; Ron Harvey / Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo, p.5; United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo, p.6; WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo, p.7; Daily Herald Archive / National Science & Media Museum / SSPL / Getty Images, p.8; Jonathan Hordle / Shutterstock, p.9; Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo, p.10; Lokuttara / Shutterstock, p.11; Netnapha Buaban / Shutterstock, p.12; Photo courtesy The University of Hawaii, p.13; Science History Images / Alamy Stock Photo, p.14; Art2010 / Alamy Stock Photo, p.15; photo from John Innes Archives courtesy of the John Innes Foundation, p.16; TB studio / Shutterstock, p.17; Tony Cowburn / Shutterstock, p.18; GL Archive / Alamy Stock Photo, p.19; David Buzzard / Shutterstock, p.20; Photo courtesy St Michael the Archangel Church, Lyme Regis, p.21; BGStock72 / Shutterstock, p.22; Creativa Images / Shutterstock, p.23; Mizkit / Shutterstock, back cover

An Ocean of Sound

by Holly Harper illustrated by Sofia Cardoso

Phonics Developing Vocabulary

This book contains new vocabulary that students may not have encountered previously. If students stumble on a word, encourage students to say and blend the letter sounds – helping them if necessary. Practise these words before reading:

idea heartbeat dissolving cough

Words from the Oxford Wordlist appear in Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover. For teacher support and guidance on using the Oxford Wordlist with this series, visit the series section on Oxford Owl.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

Oxford University Press acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which we create and share our learning resources. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners as the original storytellers, teachers and students of this land we call Australia. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, for the ways in which they have enabled the teachings of their rich cultures and knowledge systems to be shared for millennia.

by Holly Harper

Chapter 1

A special guest

Sid’s school had a special guest.

“Hello everyone, my name is Ailsa,” the guest said. “I’m here to teach you about mindfulness.”

“What’s mindfulness?” asked Sid.

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“I’ve got an idea,” said Ailsa. “Why don’t I show you?”

Sid breathed in and out. He drew his loop.

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“Let’s make a breathing board,” said Ailsa. “Draw a loop with the rhythm of your breathing. Clear your mind. If your mind starts to wander, bring it back to your breath.”

Ailsa took the class outside.

“The world is an ocean of sound,” she said.

“What can you hear?”

Sid heard birds chirping, his classmates breathing and the leaves rustling.

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“Listen without judgement,” said Ailsa. “Notice your thoughts and feelings, then let them go.

“Everybody pick a leaf and study it,” said Ailsa.

Sid traced the veins in his leaf.

“We are going to focus our thoughts only on this leaf,” said Ailsa. “It’s helpful to do this if we get overwhelmed by our thoughts.”

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Together, the group did a guided meditation.

“Let your shoulders soften,” said Ailsa.

“Focus on your heartbeat. Picture any stress just dissolving away.”

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Sid felt so calm. He couldn’t wait to show his family what he had learned!

Chapter 2

Aunty Priya and Cousin Kiran

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When Sid got home, Aunty Priya and Cousin Kiran were there. They were staying for the week. Sid was happy, but nervous. To be honest, they could be very noisy. It would be hard to relax!

Sid wanted to teach Dad about mindfulness. He got out some paper to make a breathing board. Instead, Kiran scribbled all over it.

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“Dad! Make him stop!” cried Sid.

“Sid, be nice and share with Kiran,” warned Dad.

Chapter 3

A flood of noise

Sid wanted to go for a walk to focus and calm down. Instead, Aunty Priya said they were going shopping. In the car, his aunt roared with laughter. His cousin started to cough. Sid could feel his stress growing.

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Sid tried to meditate in the queue. It was too hard, though. The people were so loud! Sid was hot. He just wanted to leave. The world wasn’t an ocean of sound like Ailsa said. It was a flood of noise!

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At home, Sid tried to calm down by mindfully observing a stick.

“It’s brown,” he thought, “and rough, and … hey!”

Kiran grabbed the stick and threw it.

“Why did you do that?” asked Sid. He felt angry and frustrated.

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Sid was relieved when it was time for bed.

“I’ll meditate when everybody is asleep,” he thought.

“Then I can relax.” Sid stared at the ceiling. He tried to picture his stress slowly dissolving, but …

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Chapter 4 A change of view

At school, most of the students were excited to share how they had used mindfulness.

“My family did a guided meditation together,” said Evelyn. “It was great. We all felt so relaxed afterwards.”

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“What about a change of scenery?” said Evelyn.

“You should go somewhere less noisy.”

“My night wasn’t so good,” grumbled Sid. “If anything, it was tiresome. I love my family, obviously. I just wish they were more like yours!”

Back at home, Sid tried to take Evelyn’s advice about a change of scenery. He went down to the garden, closed his eyes, and … “Fetch!” shouted Kiran.

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Sam sat nearby, meditating. Sid noticed that she wasn’t bothered by Kiran’s shouting.

“I tried a change of scenery, but it didn’t work,” moaned Sid. “How can you meditate with all this noise?”

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“Maybe you should try a change of view instead,” said Sam. “Remember what Ailsa said? Mindfulness is about being present in the moment.”

“Try to listen without judgement,” said Sam.

It was hard. Sid was annoyed at first. After a few minutes, though, he was able to listen without judgement. He noticed other sounds too – his nan singing and his dad laughing. Sid started to feel calm.

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After a while, Kiran came over to them. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“We’re listening,” Sid told him.

“What are you listening to?” Kiran asked.

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Sid patted the ground beside him. “Why don’t you find out?” he said.

Kiran sat down. Together they listened to the crickets

chirping. They also heard a plane flying overhead and the thud of joggers running past.

“Wow!” said Kiran. “It’s so noisy! Like …”

“An ocean of sound?” said Sid.

“Yes!” squealed Kiran. He started to listen again.

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chirp chirp

Sid taught Kiran how to make his own breathing board.

Kiran traced the loop in time with his breathing.

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Next, Sam taught Kiran mindful observation with a rock.

Kiran ran inside. “Mum! Look at this amazing rock!” he shouted.

Chapter 5

Too quiet

Soon the whole family was practising mindful observation. “This biscuit tin is so shiny!” said Nan. Afterwards, Sid offered to teach them guided meditation. “We were going to go shopping,” said Aunty Priya, “but that can wait. Let’s meditate!”

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Over the next few days, Sid and his family practised mindfulness in different ways. They focused on breathing, meditating, noticing and listening.

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The more Sid listened, the more he noticed how happy everybody was – especially himself!

When it was time for his relatives to leave, Aunt Priya gave him a hug.

“Thanks for teaching us mindfulness, Sid. I haven’t felt this relaxed in years!”

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After they were gone, Sid noticed something else.

“Now it seems too quiet!” he said.

Retell the story SAMPLEPAGES

Comprehension

Before reading

• Use the Phonics information on the inside front cover of the book to make sure students are comfortable with some of the sounds and high-frequency words that will appear in this book.

• Look at the front and back cover of the book. Ask students what they think the book might be about. What do you think will happen in this story? Where do you think the sounds in the story might come from?

During reading

Ask the following comprehension questions as you read through the book with the student:

• Page 3: What is a breathing board?

• Page 8: If you were Sid, how would you feel in this situation?

• Page 15: What does the word ‘nearby’ mean?

• Page 19: What is the main idea on this page?

• Page 23: Who was your favourite character in this story? Why?

Ask the student to look at the images on the final page of the book and use these to retell the story/talk about the main ideas in the book.

After reading

Visit the Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover series section on Oxford Owl for access to:

• a Phonics and Comprehension Activity Sheet for this title

• Phonics and Comprehension teaching notes for this title, including a practical After Reading activity.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

SAMPLEPAGES

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries.

Published in Australia by Oxford University Press

Level 8, 737 Bourke Street, Docklands, Victoria 3008, Australia

© Oxford University Press 2023

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

First published 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

ISBN 9780190340360

Designed by Ruth Comey in collaboration with Oxford University Press

Printed in in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd

Oxford University Press Australia & New Zealand is committed to sourcing paper responsibly.

Illustrations by Sofia Cardoso

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Phonics

Developing vocabulary

This book contains new vocabulary that students may not have encountered previously. If students stumble on a word, encourage students to say and blend the letter sounds – helping them if necessary. Practise these words before reading:

perceive familiar businessperson subtle

Words from the Oxford Wordlist appear in Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover. For teacher support and guidance on using the Oxford Wordlist with this series, visit the series section on Oxford Owl.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

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Acknowledgement of Country

Oxford University Press acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which we create and share our learning resources. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners as the original storytellers, teachers and students of this land we call Australia. We pay our respects to Elders, past and present, for the ways in which they have enabled the teachings of their rich cultures and knowledge systems to be shared for millennia.

Warning to First Nations Australians

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this publication may include images or names of people now deceased.

Our Best Traits

Each of us has wonderful character traits that we can share with other people. Our best traits can make other people’s lives better. These include traits such as:

• kindness

• understanding

• patience

• creativity.

We can be kind by giving to others.

We can become more creative through practice.

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Everyone can work to develop these types of traits. This can help us improve our relationships with the people in our lives. It can also help us become more willing to consider other people’s choices and beliefs.

Kindness

Kindness means being thoughtful and friendly to others. We can show kindness through kind words. We can also show it through actions that make other people’s lives better in some way.

Helping other people is one way to show kindness.

True kindness involves doing something for other people without wanting anything in return. The best reward for kindness is often thanks or a smile.

We should always show our thanks when other people are kind to us.

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Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett

Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett were saddened to see so many people in their city sleeping rough. They decided to help these people. They offered to wash and dry their clothes and belongings for free.

Nic and Lucas feel honoured to be able to support people facing homelessness.

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A team of volunteers enjoy chatting with friends in need out on shift.

They put washing machines and dryers in a van and drove it around the city. They soon had a small fleet of vans. Now they service Australia and New Zealand, too. Some vans have showers on board.

Understanding

Understanding helps us know the right thing to do. It helps us perceive what is true. People often gain understanding from the hard things they go through in life.

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One way to gain understanding is through study.

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We can gain understanding by listening to other people’s perspectives.

Understanding also includes showing sympathy and tolerance. We can show understanding in how we respond to other people. We can stay calm and show respect.

Luz Restrepo

Luz Restrepo left her home country to stay safe. She felt lonesome in her new home because she did not know anyone. However, she soon found other people who faced the same issues.

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Luz Restrepo helps others.

Luz had many hard-working helpers who shared her mission.

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They shared some of the problems familiar to many people in a new country. Together, they made crafts and sold them to raise money to help others. Luz helps many people build new skills.

Creativity

Creativity is using our imagination to come up with new ideas or make new things. It can also mean using our imagination to solve problems. Many people show their creativity through arts, such as painting or dancing.

These creative children are painting art on a beige wall.

There are many things we can do to grow our creativity. We can choose an art form and practise it often. We can also study other people’s creativity to see how they do what they do.

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Watching other people can help us become more creative.

William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba is a young man from Malawi. When William was 14, he lived on a farm with no access to power. He decided to build a windmill with wind turbines to make power. William taught himself to make spinning wind turbines.

William reused materials he found.

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William found scrap parts on the farm. He put them together to make windmills that could power his home. He also built a windmill that could move water to where it was needed on the farm.

Patience

Patience is the skill to wait for something no matter how long it takes. A patient person can work towards a goal for as long as it takes to achieve it.

Many things worth doing take patience.

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When plans don’t work out, we need to keep trying.

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Patient people can keep doing something even when it seems very hard. They can even have a laugh about things when they are not going quite to plan.

Wally Funk

Wally Funk waited a long time to achieve her goal.

Wally trained as an astronaut when she was 22 years old. She didn’t go into space until she was 82.

Wally’s dream was always to go into space.

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In 1961, NASA trained a group of 13 female pilots, including Wally. The female pilots did better in many tests than the male trainees. However, NASA never sent the women into space. They sent men instead.

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Wally Funk took many tests while she was a trainee astronaut.

After a lifetime of working as a pilot and flight instructor, Wally’s patience finally paid off. She put on a spacesuit and went soaring into the sky.

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In 2021, Wally fulfilled her dream of going into space.

Wally went into space in a spacecraft owned by a businessperson. She had waited six decades for the opportunity. She was the oldest person ever to travel to space.

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Wally hoped for the view of a lifetime from this spacecraft.

Being Our Best

We can all show kindness, wisdom, creativity and patience in many ways, including in small, subtle ways. This could be through kind words or the sharing of ideas.

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We can be our best in all sorts of wonderful ways.

Ways We Can Be Our Best

We can share our things or help others.

We can read or listen to others.

We can develop ideas and find ways to share them.

We can keep working on our goals over time.

Comprehension

Before reading

• Use the Phonics information on the inside front cover of the book to make sure students are comfortable with some of the sounds and high-frequency words that will appear in this book.

• Look at the front and back cover of the book. Ask students what they think the book might be about. Why do you think this book is called Being Our Best? What kinds of people do you think you’ll read about in this book?

During reading

Ask the following comprehension questions as you read through the book with the student:

• Page 6: What did Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett decide to do to help people facing homelessness?

• Page 10: Point to the caption on this page. How does this help you to understand the picture?

• Page 12: Share a time where you have done something creative.

• Page 16: What does the word ‘achieve’ mean?

• Page 24: What was your favourite part of this book? Why?

Ask the student to look at the images on the final page of the book and use these to retell the story/talk about the main ideas in the book.

After reading

Visit the Oxford Reading for Comprehension Discover series section on Oxford Owl for access to:

• a Phonics and Comprehension Activity Sheet for this title

• Phonics and Comprehension teaching notes for this title, including a practical After Reading activity.

www.oxfordowl.com.au

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Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries.

Published in Australia by Oxford University Press

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© Oxford University Press 2023

The moral rights of the author/s have been asserted.

First published 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence, or under terms agreed with the reprographics rights organisation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

ISBN 9780190340384

Designed by Vonda Pestana in collaboration with Oxford University Press

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Acknowledgements

The publishers would like to thank the following for the permission to reproduce photographs: AnnaStills / Shutterstock, Cover; SewCream / Shutterstock, p.2; Jules Ingall/Getty Images, p.3; AnaLysiSStudiO / Shutterstock, p.4; Just Life / Shutterstock, p.5; Photos courtesy Orange Sky, p.6, p.7; Chinnapong / Shutterstock, p.8; Lev Dolgachov / Alamy Stock Photo, p.9; Photos courtesy Luz Restrepo, p.10, p.11; Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg 2+ / Alamy Stock Photo, p.12; Kuznetsov Dmitriy / Shutterstock, p.13; Photos courtesy Moving Windmills Project and Tom Rielly, p.14, p.15; trambler58/Shutterstock, p.15 left; 3d_man/ Shutterstock, p.15 right; photka/Shutterstock, p.15 background; SeventyFour / Shutterstock, p.16; Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock, p.17; ABACA / Shutterstock, p.18; Carl Iwasaki/Getty Images, p.19; ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo, p.20, p.21; MNStudio / Shutterstock, p.22, back cover; FamVeld / Shutterstock, p.23 top (1); Maya Afzaal / Shutterstock, p.23 top (2); Tatevosian Yana / Shutterstock, p.23 top (3); wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock, p.23 top (4); Patrick Foto / Shutterstock, p.23 bottom (1); Edward_Indy / Shutterstock, p.23 bottom (2); Ground Picture / Shutterstock, p.23 bottom (3); Olena Shvets / Shutterstock, p.23 bottom (4)

We have made every effort to trace and contact all copyright holders before publication. If notified, the publisher will rectify any errors or omissions at the earliest opportunity.