Book 1: Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees
This topic appears in Block 5 of our vocabulary curriculum and is recommended for learners aged between 8 - 11 years old. The content of this non-fiction topic is aligned to the KS2 National Curriculum.
In this original text, we explore the work of Jane Goodall, a scientist who studied chimpanzees in Africa, integrating with their tribe and discovering just how similar they are to humans!
Some interesting facts:
- Jane Goodall was the first person in the world to be accepted by a tribe of chimpanzees.
- Jane was a part of this group for 22 months!
- Jane went on to set up the JGI - Jane Goodall Institute, a company that tried to protect chimpanzees and other animals.
- Jane has dedicated her life to studying and protecting chimpanzees as well as other animals.
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Book 2: Malala
This topic appears in Block 9 of our vocabulary curriculum and is recommended for learners aged between 13 - 16 years old.
In this original text learners will explore the story of Malala, a young girl who stood up for what she believed in - education for all. Malala’s story is not an easy one, but our text explores her life in an age appropriate way whilst introducing some challenging tier 2 vocabulary.
Some interesting facts:
- As a young girl, Malala began writing blogs and giving speeches, advocating for girls’ education.
- Malala survived being shot in the head by the Taliban while she was on her way to school.
- At just 16 years old Malala spoke to the United Nations about the importance of education for all.
- Malala donated her $1.1 million prize for winning the Nobel Peace Prize to starting a school for girls in Pakistan.
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Book 3: The Life of Mary Seacole
This topic appears in Block 12 of our vocabulary curriculum and is recommended for learners aged between 14-18 years old. Designed for older learners, this original text goes into a little more depth with longer passages of prose to be read.
We explore the story of Mary Seacole, a woman born to a white settler and an indigenous Jamaican woman in 1805. A confident and self-assured woman despite the odds that were stacked against her, Mary led an incredible life saving others with her expertise in healing.
Some interesting facts:
- Mary Seacole was the first Black woman in Britain to publish an autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands
- Mary dedicated her time, money and energy to saving the lives of soldiers in the Crimean War, often coming under fire at the front line.
- After her death, Seacole’s name was mostly forgotten by the British public, who attributed the Crimean War’s advances in nursing to Florence Nightingale, who once rejected Mary’s offers of help, likely due to racism.
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