Aotearoa's Innovations

Curriculum Area: Social Sciences – Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories

Level: Year 7 (Level 4 of The New Zealand Curriculum)
Time: 45 minutes
Unit: Lesson 1 of 4 in Innovations in Aotearoa History

Big Idea for this Lesson

Innovation shapes societies over time. Aotearoa New Zealand’s history is full of technological, cultural, and social innovations that have made a lasting impact.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand what innovation means and its role in shaping Aotearoa’s history.
• Identify examples of technological, cultural, and social innovations in New Zealand’s past.
• Discuss how Māori and Pākehā have contributed to innovation in different ways.

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Lesson Structure

1. Settling In & Introducing the Concept (10 minutes)

Hook: Innovation Around Us (5 min)

• Begin with an engaging class discussion: “What is something in your everyday life that didn’t exist 100 years ago?”
• Encourage students to think of things they use frequently, like mobile phones, the internet, or even electric cars.
• Show images of three famous innovations from NZ history (e.g. the bungy jump, Hamilton Jet boat, and frozen meat exports).
• Ask: “What do all these have in common?” (They are all innovations—something new that changed the way people do things.)

Defining Innovation (5 min)

• Introduce the term innovation on the board: "A new idea, method, or invention that changes the way people live."
• Discuss different types of innovation:
  • Technological innovations (e.g. Ernest Rutherford’s nuclear physics discoveries)
  • Cultural innovations (e.g. Te Reo revitalisation efforts)
  • Social innovations (e.g. New Zealand being the first country to grant women the vote in 1893)

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2. Group Activity: Innovation Timeline Challenge (20 minutes)

• Split the class into five groups of five students.
• Provide each group with FIVE historical event cards, each describing an important innovation from New Zealand history, including its date and key details (e.g. Wi Pūrekē, Kate Sheppard and suffrage, Hamilton Jet, Polynesian navigation innovations).
• Challenge: Groups must work together to arrange their innovations in chronological order on a mini-timeline.
• Extension: Ask: “Which of these had the biggest impact on the world, and why?”

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3. Whole Class Discussion: Innovation and Identity (10 minutes)

• Students reflect on their timeline activity:
  • “Did you notice any patterns in these innovations?”
  • “Which innovations were Māori-led? Which were Pākehā-led? Did any involve both?”
• Discuss how Māori innovation (such as traditional navigation techniques and sustainable food storage) has influenced Aotearoa alongside European technological developments.
• Pose a question: “What modern problems do you think need a new innovation to solve them?”

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4. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Have students turn to a partner and share one innovation they found most interesting today and why.
• Exit ticket: On a sticky note, students write one thing they learned about innovation and stick it on the board as they leave.

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Assessment & Homework

Assessment (Informal, Formative)

✅ Teacher observes participation in the Innovation Timeline Challenge.
✅ Class discussion contributions indicate understanding of innovation’s role in history.
✅ Exit tickets provide quick insight into individual understanding.

Homework (Optional Extension)

• Choose one innovation from today’s lesson and create a one-paragraph mini-report explaining:
  • What it was
  • Who created it
  • Why it was important
• Bring it to the next lesson.

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Teacher Notes

• Culturally Responsive Teaching: Ensure Māori innovations are deeply explored alongside Pākehā ones.
• Differentiation: Visual learners may benefit from timeline visuals; discussion questions help extend critical thinkers.
• Resources Needed: Printouts of innovation cards, images of key innovations, sticky notes for exit reflections.

By the end of this lesson, students will be primed to dive deeper into New Zealand’s history of innovation in the next session. 🚀