He Whetū, He Taonga

Curriculum Area:

Te Reo Māori – Tikanga ā-Iwi/The World Around Us
Curriculum Framework: Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
Level: 1
Year Group: Year 2 (age 6–7 years)

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Lesson Focus

Learning Intention (Whāinga Paetae):
Ākonga will understand why Matariki is important in Māori culture, and begin to explore how and why it is celebrated in Aotearoa today.

Success Criteria (Paearu Angitū):
By the end of the session, ākonga will:

• Say what Matariki is using simple Te Reo Māori vocabulary
• Describe one reason Matariki is important to Māori
• Participate in a classroom activity celebrating Matariki
• Share one way people celebrate Matariki today

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Key Vocabulary (Reo Hou):

Māori Word	English Translation
Matariki	Māori New Year / Star cluster
whetū	star
whānau	family
kai	food
karakia	prayer
hākari	feast
mātauranga	knowledge

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Resources (Ngā Rawa):

• Star stickers
• Large printed poster of the Matariki cluster (with names of stars)
• Small star name cards (1 per child)
• Picture book: Matariki by Gavin Bishop or similar
• Battery-powered tealight (to simulate hiwihiwtau / the cold breath of winter)
• Classroom Bluetooth speaker for waiata
• A3 paper and crayons
• Visual schedule on the board (ṛe: timings and transitions)

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Time Allocation: 30 minutes

Note: Activities are developmentally suitable for Year 2 students — active, visual, experiential and connected to ākonga prior knowledge.

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Session Breakdown

🕐 0:00–5:00 – Karakia & Whakawhanaungatanga

• Begin with a short morning karakia (pre-learned or teacher-led)
• Quick circle time check-in: “Kei te pēhea koe?” (How are you feeling?)
• Introduce the learning goal: “He aha te Matariki?” (What is Matariki?) and “He aha te take e whakanui ai tātou?” (Why do we celebrate it?)

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🕐 5:00–10:00 – He Pakiwaitara: Matariki the Story

• Read aloud from Matariki (or show pages using visualiser)
• Use open questions to check understanding:
  • “Ka kite koe i ngā whetū?” (Can you see the stars?)
  • “Nā wai i kite tuatahi i a Matariki?” (Who first saw Matariki this year?)

🧠 Tip: Use a finger light or pointer to track each star as it's named.

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🕐 10:00–14:00 – Matariki Star Cluster Game

Purpose: To encourage social, oral language, and movement-based learning
Activity: Each student receives a card with one of Matariki’s star names (e.g. Tupuānuku, Ururangi).

• Call out the meanings one by one: “Ko wai e hāngai ana ki te kai i te whenua?” (Who cares for food from the earth?)
• The child with "Tupuānuku" responds: “Ko au tēnā!” and stands up
• Group assembles the cluster on the mat with stickers or print-outs

🎯 Supports understanding of each whetū’s purpose in Matariki.

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🕐 14:00–20:00 – Mahi Toi: Celebrating Through Art

Activity Title: “Ko Taku Whetū” (My Star)

• Children use crayons to draw their own star in the sky
• Encourage inclusion of whānau, kai, nature, or things they are grateful for
• Incorporate mātauranga Māori by discussing which star would guide their artwork (e.g. Waipunarangi for rain/clouds)

🖼 Share and display in the class “Sky of Gratitude” wall display after lesson.

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🕐 20:00–25:00 – Waiata & Celebration Talk

Play a short waiata such as Te Waka o Matariki (if already learned) or a classroom favourite
Discussion (mat-time):

• “He pēhea te whakanui i a Matariki?” (How do we celebrate Matariki?)
• Children can mention kai, kapa haka, pūrākau, watching stars, or being with whānau
• Introduce idea of a class Matariki feast or shared celebration later in the week — begin planning!

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🕐 25:00–30:00 – Reflection & Whakarāpopoto

• Show a twinkling light (or use whiteboard stars) and say:
  “Ko tēhea whetū tō tino pai? He aha ai?” (Which Matariki star do you like most? Why?)
• Quick popcorn sharing or partner talk
• Finish with a whakataukī related to Matariki:

“Matariki hunga nui – Matariki of many people.”
Matariki brings us all together.

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Extensions / Follow-Up (Ngā Mahinga Anō):

• Create star-shaped gratitude/kai cards for local kaumātua
• Incorporate ngā mahi ā-ringa (craft) to build a class kite to fly during Matariki week
• Plan a hākari of healthy kai (fruit, veg, simple rēwana bread)

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Teacher Reflection Prompts:

• Did ākonga respond to the storytelling format?
• Were tamariki engaged in movement and oral reo Māori tasks?
• How can we strengthen the idea of mātauranga Māori in localised celebration?

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This lesson is an immersive, inquiry-led celebration of Matariki grounded in tikanga Māori and ākonga-centred learning, aligned deeply with Level 1 of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. It fosters language development in context, connection to ancestral knowledge, and hones fine motor and collaborative skills — all wrapped in the twinkle of the stars. 🌟