Kotahitanga in Action

Curriculum Details

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
Curriculum Level: Level 6 (typically Year 11)
Strand: Relationships with Other People
Key Concept: Kotahitanga (unity, togetherness, collective action)
Whakataukī: He oranga ngākau, he pikinga waiora
(Positive feelings in your heart will raise your sense of self-worth)
Big Idea Focused:

• Personal and collective identity is shaped through movement and relationships within varied and changing contexts.
• Learning in PE can help students understand the significance of working as a team, managing relationships, and sharing leadership.

---

Lesson Title

“Navigating the Waka Together” – Exploring Kotahitanga Through Movement

---

Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, ākonga (students) will be able to:

• Define kotahitanga and describe its significance in a physical and social setting.
• Demonstrate kotahitanga through collaborative movement-based challenges.
• Reflect on how unity and cooperation contribute to personal and collective wellbeing.

---

Success Criteria

Students will:

• Participate fully and collaboratively in all parts of the waka challenge.
• Support their teammates through verbal encouragement and co-planning.
• Articulate how the activity modelled kotahitanga both physically and socially.

---

Resources Required

• Cones or markers
• Mat ropes or large tarpaulins (waka platforms)
• Blindfolds (optional for added difficulty)
• Whiteboard and markers for debrief
• Māori imagery or flag to represent the waka (optional visual connection)

---

Lesson Structure (55 Minutes)

1. Whakawhanaungatanga & Introduction (5 mins)

Activity:

• Begin by gathering the class as a single huddle. Greet students with a warm kia ora e hoa mā.
• Briefly introduce the concept of kotahitanga: the importance of acting as one, valuing the contribution of every individual, and moving forward together.
• Link it to waka (canoe) journeys where unity was necessary for survival and progress.

Prompt student thinking:

“What happens when we all paddle in different directions?”

---

2. Warm-Up: “The Paddle Rhythm” (5 mins)

Purpose: Encourage rhythm, synchrony, and awareness of others.
Activity:

• Students form rows of 4-5 as if sitting in a waka.
• Leader (teacher at front) performs rhythm cues: claps, counts, motions.
• All must paddle (move arms or step) in sync.
• Rotate kaihautū (leader at front) after 1 minute.

Key Teaching Point:
Kotahitanga happens when everyone is pulling together—leader and team in sync.

---

3. Main Activity: “Crossing the Moana – Waka Challenge” (30 mins)

Setup:

• Split class into 5 teams of 5 (one group of 6).
• Each group gets a "waka" platform (mat / tarpaulin / rope space).
• Cones mark “islands” across the gym or field. The aim is to "sail" from one island to the next.

Challenge Rules:

• All team members must stay connected to their waka (hands/feet must be on it at all times).
• A different team member leads each leg of the journey.
• Teams must navigate the space without touching the floor outside their waka.
• Students must problem-solve as a team to move the waka between cones.

Variation (for higher challenge):

• Introduce “rough weather” (students blindfolded, can’t speak, or reduced space).

Teacher Role:

• Observe teamwork, communication, and leadership.
• Prompt thinking with questions:

  “How are you making sure everyone is included?”
  “What does kotahitanga look like here?”

---

4. Debrief & Reflection: “Holding the Paddle Together” (10 mins)

Circle Time Reflection:

• Gather students in a seated circle.
• Ask open-ended questions:

  “Who had to step up for your waka to move forward?”
  “How did unity or lack of unity affect your journey?”
  “How do we practise kotahitanga outside PE?”

Whiteboard Prompt:

• On the board: "Kotahitanga = _______."
• Invite students to write or state one word or phrase that kotahitanga meant for them today (e.g., support, strength, together as one).

Closing Karakia or Māori Phrase:

“He waka eke noa – We are all in this waka together.”

---

Differentiation & Support

✅ Provide leadership scaffolding for shy ākonga (e.g., pair leadership roles).
✅ Allow students to adapt movement challenges according to ability.
✅ Visual cues and Māori iconography can support deeper cultural connection.

---

Extension or Homework

• Write a short reflection or journal entry:

"Describe a time outside of PE when kotahitanga made a difference to you. How can we strengthen unity in our class, whānau or community?”

---

Teacher Reflection Prompts (post-lesson)

• Which students shone as natural leaders?
• Where was kotahitanga most evident? Least evident?
• How might this learning transfer into ongoing classroom culture?

---

Final Notes 🌿

This lesson blends core Health and PE curriculum elements with mātauranga Māori and responsive, localised practice. In the spirit of the refreshed NCEA and New Zealand Curriculum, teachers are encouraged to adapt activities to reflect the aspirations and identities of their ākonga.

Kotahitanga is felt before it is understood—this lesson helps students feel it first.