Exploring Kapiti Coast

Curriculum Links

Subject: Social Sciences (Aotearoa New Zealand Histories)
Level: The New Zealand Curriculum – Level 2
Strands Covered:

• Understand: How places influence people and how people influence places.
• Know: The different ways Māori and other cultural groups have shaped and experienced Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories.
• Do: Use maps and historical sources to understand significant places in New Zealand’s history.

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Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will explore the Kapiti Coast’s geographical features and its significance to early Māori settlements. They will engage in an interactive discussion, a mapping activity, and a creative reflection task to deepen their understanding of why this area was important historically.

Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will:
✔ Identify key geographical features of the Kapiti Coast.
✔ Understand why early Māori settled in this area.
✔ Use maps to locate significant sites and discuss their historical importance.

Success Criteria

• I can name at least one reason why Māori settled on the Kapiti Coast.
• I can point out key places on a classroom map and explain why they were important.
• I can share one thing I found interesting about the history of the Kapiti Coast.

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Lesson Plan (60 Minutes)

1. Engaging Introduction – “Where Are We?” (10 Mins)

🌍 Activity: “Guess the Place” Game

• Teacher displays a map of New Zealand with the Kapiti Coast covered.
• Students are given clues and guess the area’s name (e.g., “This place has a famous island where birds are protected.”).
• Once identified, reveal the region and discuss:
  • Have any students visited Kapiti Coast or Kapiti Island before?
  • What do they know about it already?

2. Exploring the Coast – “Why Did People Settle Here?” (15 Mins)

🗺 Activity: Storytelling & Quick Discussion

• Teacher shows an enlarged map of the Kapiti Coast. Discuss key features:
  • Waterways & food sources – Easy access to fish, shellfish, and fertile land.
  • Kapiti Island – A strategic location for Māori tribes (Ngāti Toa).
  • Natural protection – The coastline provided shelter and easy access for waka (canoes).
• Using illustrations, share a short narrative about early Māori communities:
  • The arrival of Ngāti Toa, led by Te Rauparaha, and why the location was important.

3. Mapping Activity – “Find & Mark” (15 Mins)

🖊 Activity: Hands-on Mapping

• Each student receives a blank simplified map of the Kapiti Coast.
• Using symbols (coloured stickers or drawings), they mark:
  • Kapiti Island – Green marker
  • Wellington Harbour (for reference) – Blue marker
  • A key early settlement area – Red marker
• Group reflection: Why do they think Māori chose these locations?

4. Creative Reflection – “Imagine You Lived There” (15 Mins)

🎨 Activity: Drawing & Sharing

• Students draw a simple scene as if they were living on the Kapiti Coast in early times. Options:
  • Fishing in a waka
  • Gathering shellfish on the shore
  • A whānau (family) cooking together
• In pairs, students share their drawings with a partner and discuss what life might have been like.

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Wrap-Up Discussion (5 Mins)

🤔 Reflection Questions:

• What is one new thing you learned today about the Kapiti Coast?
• Why do you think this place was so important to Māori?
• If you could visit one place we talked about today, where would it be and why?

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Assessment Opportunities

✅ Formative Assessment: Teacher observations during discussions and mapping activities.
✅ Student Work Evidence: Completed maps and creative drawings.
✅ Self-Reflection: End-of-lesson responses to the reflection questions.

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Teacher Notes & Extensions

📌 Key Māori Concepts to Include:

• Whakapapa (genealogy): How Māori connections to land are important.
• Kaitiakitanga (guardianship): The role of Māori in caring for the environment, including Kapiti Island.

🌿 Extension Activity: Take students on a virtual tour of Kapiti Island using images and videos for the next lesson.

🌟 Wow Factor: Use simple props like a woven fishing net or a carved wooden paddle to make the history more tangible!