Stand Up Together

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Curriculum Context

• Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
• Curriculum Strand: Personal Health and Development / Relationships with Other People
• Curriculum Level: Level 5 (aligned to Year 9)
• Key Competencies: Managing Self, Relating to Others, Participating and Contributing, Thinking, Using Language, Symbols, and Texts
• Wellbeing Focus: Building resilience, positive relationships, and safe environments

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Lesson Overview

This interactive 50-minute lesson explores the significance of Pink Shirt Day in Aotearoa, the issue of bullying through a New Zealand context, and empowers students with practical strategies to build a supportive school culture.

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Learning Intentions

Students will:

• Understand the history and significance of Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand.
• Demonstrate knowledge about Pink Shirt Day by participating in a quiz.
• Identify and describe anti-bullying strategies used in New Zealand schools and communities.
• Reflect on their own actions and responsibilities in creating a bully-free environment.

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Success Criteria

• Students accurately complete the Pink Shirt Day quiz.
• Students contribute thoughtful ideas to group discussions on anti-bullying strategies.
• Students can explain at least two strategies that support safe and inclusive behaviour.

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Materials Needed

• Pink Shirt Day fact sheets (printed or displayed)
• Prepared Pink Shirt Day Quiz (Kahoot/Google Forms or printed)
• A3 paper and markers
• Sticky notes in pink
• Whiteboard and pens

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Lesson Structure (50 Minutes Total)

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🔵 1. Kaupapa Whakatuwhera - Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Activity: Quick Think-Pair-Share.
  • Question: "What do you already know about Pink Shirt Day?"
  • Students first think individually (30 seconds), share with a partner (1 minute), then 2-3 pairs share briefly with the whole class.

Purpose: Activating prior knowledge and promoting engagement right away.

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🔵 2. Our Story: History of Pink Shirt Day (12 minutes)

• Mini-Explanation (5 minutes):
  • Teacher narrates the origins of Pink Shirt Day — started in Canada in 2007, brought to Aotearoa New Zealand and now an important annual event promoting kindness, diversity, and anti-bullying.
  • Emphasise its relevance to Māori and Pasifika communities and our commitment to manākitanga (care and respect).
• Visual Timeline Activity (7 minutes):
  • Display 5–6 key events on the board, but out of order.
  • In small groups (4 students per group), they must order the timeline correctly on a mini whiteboard or scrap paper.
  • Quick whole-class check and celebrate the correct timeline.

Teacher Tip: Play light upbeat music quietly in the background to create a positive atmosphere.

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🔵 3. Whakawhiwhi Mātauranga - Pink Shirt Day Quiz (10 minutes)

• Activity: Pink Shirt Day Quiz
  • Use an interactive platform like Kahoot (recommended) or a printed handout.
  • 10-12 questions covering:
    • Origins of Pink Shirt Day
    • Colour symbolism
    • New Zealand’s involvement
    • Statistics about bullying in NZ schools
• Reward:
  • Top 3 scorers win stickers or house points.

Purpose: Fun, formative learning check.

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🔵 4. Building Bully-Free Schools: Anti-Bullying Strategies in Aotearoa (18 minutes)

• Teacher-led Discussion (5 minutes):

  • Share examples of how NZ schools tackle bullying (e.g., Restorative Practices, Peer Mediation, Whānau support systems).
  • Mention significant documents like the Wellbeing Act and programmes like "KiVa" and "PB4L" (Positive Behaviour for Learning).

• Group Creation Activity (13 minutes):

  • Groups stay the same (4 students).
  • Task: Design their own “Bully-Free Aotearoa” Poster.
    • Must include 2–3 anti-bullying strategies suitable for a NZ secondary school context.
    • Use A3 paper and markers.
  • Include a catchy slogan encouraging kindness and standing up.

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🔵 5. Whakataunga - Reflection and Close (5 minutes)

• Pink Sticky Note Exit Pass:

  • Each student writes their answer to:

    "One action I will take to support Pink Shirt Day and a positive school environment"

  • Stick to the classroom "Kindness Wall".

• Closing Kōrero:

  • Teacher reminds students that true leadership is shown not just wearing a pink shirt but through everyday actions.
  • Invite students to wear pink in support on Pink Shirt Day!

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation during discussions and timeline activity.
• Pink Shirt Day quiz participation and accuracy.
• Group poster presentation and creativity in solutions.
• Reflection quality on the sticky note.

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Differentiation

• Support students needing extra help by pre-teaching key terms (like "kaupapa," "manākitanga," "restorative practice").
• Allow alternative ways of creating posters (digital or oral presentation) if needed.
• Offer leadership roles to confident students (e.g., quiz facilitator or poster leader).

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Teacher Reflection Questions

• Were students meaningfully engaged with the kaupapa?
• Did the group activities reflect understanding of Pink Shirt Day’s significance?
• What memorable moments can I build on for next year’s Pink Shirt Day focus?

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Final Thought

Pink Shirt Day is more than a moment — it’s a movement. Embedding this learning within an Aotearoa-focused framework plants seeds of understanding, mahi tahi (collaboration), and respect that will grow throughout the year.

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Ka mau te wehi! (Awesome job!) 🌸
Be the change. Wear the pink. Spread the kindness.