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Tasks: The New Zealand Housing Crisis

Study:

Study the banking terms. Do you know them all already?

Discuss:

  1. In New Zealand, it is an ideal that people should own their own homes. It is believed that this creates a more stable society. Is this the same in Norway?

  2. Do you think it is true that we get a more stable society if people own their own homes?

  3. Both Norway and New Zealand are small countries with around 5 million citizens. Do you think that explains why the societies are safe and prosperous?

  4. Do you want to own your own home in the future, or is it better to rent?

  5. Should the government take measures to ensure that first-time buyers will be able to afford to purchase a home?

Find out:

Is there a housing crisis in other English-speaking countries?

Research:

Alexander is 12 years old. He has just moved to Norway from New Zealand with his family. He wants to own his own home by the time he is 26. He wants to live in Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, or Stavanger. Alexander comes from a median income family, he has three siblings, and he wants to finance the purchase himself.

  1. Find out what it costs to buy a one-bedroom apartment in one of the cities mentioned.

  2. Find out how much Alexander has to save up to qualify for a loan to purchase an apartment.

  3. Also, try to find out how much he ought to earn per year to be able to pay off the loan.

  4. Write a letter to Alexander where you offer him advice on how to pursue his dream of owning his own home.

Create:

Work in groups. Make sure everyone in the group gets a speaking part. Choose one of the tasks, write down the conversations, then perform them.

  1. Imagine that you are a couple in your twenties, and you live in New Zealand. You have gone to the bank to inquire about a loan to purchase your first home. Write the conversation you have with each other and the loan advisor in the bank.

  2. Imagine that you are a young Norwegian student. You have been accepted to university and you want to own your own home while you study. You bring a parent or guardian to a meeting at the bank to discuss the possibility of getting a mortgage.

  3. Imagine that you are a couple with a baby on the way. You want to have a sustainable lifestyle, in harmony with nature. You seek advice from others about how you can best live up to your ideals, while at the same time creating a permanent family home.

Guess:

In the expandable box you will find six photographs. The images are either from Norway or New Zealand. Can you tell where the pictures were taken?

Work with a partner and talk about why you think the picture was taken in Norway or New Zealand. Don't look at the key until you are sure of your answers.

Six photographs: where are they from?
Photo: We see a fjord with steep mountains. The sky is blue.
Picture A. Bilete: Bernard Spragg / CC0
Photo: Two small houses, one red, one white. There are solar panels on the roof. In the background we see snow capped mountains and some water, like a fjord or lake.
Picture B. Bilete: Michal Klajban / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Photo: We see an urban street with a red and yellow tram.
Picture C. Bilete: Michal Klabjan / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Photo: Landscape with mountains, ocean and a sandy beach.
Picture D. Bilete: Tone Hesjedal / CC0
Photo: We see houses nestled by a fjord or a lake. There is a low mountain with a stream to the right.
Picture E. Bilete: Tone Hesjedal / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: We see a harbour with high-rise buildings in the background. There are many cars parked on the harbour. One of the buildings in the harbour has a sign that reads 'Mainstream'.
Picture F. Bilete: Krzysztof Golik / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Answer Key

A. Milford Sound, New Zealand

B. Bealey Spur, New Zealand

C. Christchurch, New Zealand

D. Lofoten, Norway

E. Alnes, Norway

F. Wellington, New Zealand


  • Was it easy or difficult?

Make posters:

While Norway and New Zealand may look similar in photographs, the flora, fauna, and climate are different. Norway is far north in the Northern Hemisphere, while New Zealand is far south in the Southern Hemisphere.

Choose one of the tasks, find interesting and relevant facts about the topic, and make a wall poster that will be displayed in the classroom. Also be prepared to present your poster to the class. Work in pairs or groups of three. Your poster must include an illustration as well as facts.

  1. kiwi fruit and kiwi birds.

  2. the Kakapo

  3. New Zealand's climate

  4. two plants that are unique to New Zealand

  5. neither snakes nor leeches: why are these animals not found on New Zealand?

  6. New Zealand's fjords

  7. Wētā

Write:

Choose one of the tasks and write a text that is at least 800 words long.

  1. Write a short story about being young in New Zealand.

  2. Imagine that you have traveled around New Zealand. Write an article about your journey for a travel magazine.


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