Safety and Regulations

Lesson Overview

Year Level: 11
Subject: Technology
Unit: Building a Mai Mai (Lesson 16 of 28)
Time: 60 minutes
Class Size: 13 students

Curriculum Alignment

New Zealand Technology Curriculum - Level 6

• Technological Practice: Understand how regulations and safety requirements guide the development of products and structures.
• Technological Knowledge: Identify and apply safety measures in the construction of outdoor structures.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key safety features required in a Mai Mai (hunting shelter).
2. Understand and explain New Zealand regulations related to building small outdoor structures.
3. Apply best practices for safety in the construction process.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Hook (10 mins)

• Engage: Start with a quick discussion: “What are the potential hazards of staying in a Mai Mai?”
• Class Brainstorm: Write answers on the board. Encourage real-life examples from students who may have been in a Mai Mai before.
• Video Clip (Optional): Show a short real-life hunting setup video to connect learning with practical examples.

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2. Key Safety Features (15 mins)

• Mini-Presentation: Explain essential safety features to consider when designing a Mai Mai:
  • Structural Stability (Strong foundation, wind resistance)
  • Fire Safety (Safe areas for heating or cooking)
  • Weatherproofing (Proper drainage, waterproof materials)
  • Visibility & Emergency Planning (Reflective elements, exits, first aid kits)
• Hands-On Task: In groups of 3-4, students design a Safety Feature Checklist for a Mai Mai they would build.

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3. New Zealand Building Regulations (15 mins)

• Fact Sheet Activity: Hand out a summary of key New Zealand Building Code points relevant to small structures.
• Pair Discussion: Each pair highlights two regulations they think are most important.
• Class Share: Each pair presents their findings in 30 seconds.

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4. Practical Application (15 mins)

• Scenario Challenge:
  • Present students with 3 Mai Mai designs (printed images or drawn on the whiteboard).
  • In groups, they assess each design against the safety checklist they created earlier.
  • Groups share whether each design is safe or unsafe, and suggest improvements.

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Conclusion & Reflection (5 mins)

• Student Reflection: Quick-write: "Which safety feature do you think is most important in a Mai Mai? Why?"
• Teacher Wrap-Up: Highlight key learnings and connect to the next lesson (material choices for durability).
• Exit Ticket: Each student shares one new fact they learned about safety & regulations.

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Resources & Preparation

Teacher Preparation:

• Print NZ Building Code Summary Sheet
• Prepare 3 example Mai Mai design images
• Organise a short hunting shelter video clip

Materials for Students:

• Printed safety checklist template
• Pens & highlighters
• Whiteboard markers

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Assessment & Homework

• Formative Assessment:
  • Participation in the Scenario Challenge & Checklist Task
  • Reflection response on most important safety feature
• Homework:
  • Research another NZ outdoor structure regulation and bring notes to the next class

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Teacher Notes & Differentiation

• Support for Struggling Learners: Provide a pre-filled safety checklist template they can modify.
• Extension for Advanced Learners: Ask students to research additional safety considerations for wetland environments.
• Cross-Curricular Links: Science (weatherproofing materials) & Social Studies (NZ hunting regulations).

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🔹 Next Lesson Preview: Exploring materials for a long-lasting and durable Mai Mai structure.