Understanding Whakapapa

Curriculum Area: NCEA Level 1 – History

Unit: Whakapapa: Our Heritage Journey
Lesson 1 of 3: Introduction to Whakapapa: Understanding Our Heritage

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, ākonga (students) will explore whakapapa as a fundamental concept in te ao Māori (the Māori world) and understand its role in shaping individual and collective identity. They will engage in discussions, share stories, and begin to construct their own personal whakapapa framework.

This lesson incorporates a culturally responsive pedagogy of relations, including co-construction, feedforward, and differentiated learning approaches using Bloom’s Taxonomy and SOLO Taxonomy. The session will also integrate a badge system to encourage student participation and progress tracking.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, ākonga will:

1. Understand the meaning and significance of whakapapa in Māori culture.
2. Reflect on their own heritage and connections to people and places.
3. Learn key te reo Māori terms related to whakapapa.
4. Engage in a co-constructed learning experience through storytelling and discussion.

Success Criteria

Ākonga will demonstrate their understanding by:
✔ Contributing to discussions on whakapapa and identity.
✔ Completing a personalised "Whakapapa Web" activity.
✔ Using new te reo Māori terms appropriately during the lesson.
✔ Reflecting on the importance of heritage in personal identity.

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Lesson Structure: 60 Minutes

1. Karakia & Whanaungatanga (10 mins)

Objective: Establish a culturally safe and welcoming learning environment.

• Begin with a karakia (opening words of encouragement). If students are unfamiliar, offer a simple one or invite a student to lead.
• Icebreaker: Whakapapa Connections Quickfire – Ākonga pair up and share three facts about their heritage (whānau, place, or traditions).
• Introduce the badge system:
  • "Kōrero Kaha" (Strong Speaker) – Awarded for confident participation.
  • "Kaiwhakarongo Pai" (Active Listener) – Given to attentive and respectful listeners.
  • "He Kairangahau" (Inquiring Explorer) – Rewarded for insightful or deep-thinking questions.

2. The Concept of Whakapapa (15 mins)

Objective: Introduce and explain the meaning of whakapapa in te ao Māori.

• Display the whakataukī:
  “I nga wa o mua ka hanga te wa o nāianei.” (By understanding the past, we shape our present.)
• Use a Think-Pair-Share strategy:
  • Think: What does this whakataukī mean to you?
  • Pair: Discuss with a partner.
  • Share: Class discussion – co-construct a definition of whakapapa.
• Teacher-led kōrero (discussion) on how whakapapa links to identity, whānau, hapū, and iwi.

3. Personal Whakapapa Web Activity (20 mins)

Objective: Allow students to visually map their own connections and deepen understanding.

• Instructions: Each student creates a “Whakapapa Web” using a central circle with their name. They will add branches based on the provided prompts:
  • Whānau (Family members that shape you)
  • Whenua (Places meaningful to your family)
  • Tikanga (Traditions or values passed down)
  • Kōrero tuku iho (Stories told in your family)
• Differentiation:
  • Advanced ākonga add historical events/figures linking to their whakapapa.
  • Scaffolded support: Provide sentence starters for students struggling to articulate their connections.
• Encourage students to present their webs in pairs or small groups.

4. Class Reflection & Feedforward (10 mins)

Objective: Consolidate learning and encourage deeper thinking about whakapapa’s role.

• SOLO Taxonomy Question Prompts:
  • Unistructural: What is whakapapa?
  • Multistructural: List three ways whakapapa shapes identity.
  • Relational: How does understanding whakapapa help build a sense of belonging?
  • Extended Abstract: How can whakapapa be applied to understanding broader historical narratives?
• Badge awards based on student engagement.
• Exit Reflection Cards:
  • One thing I learned...
  • One question I have...
  • One way I can explore my whakapapa further...

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Additional Notes for Kaiako (Teachers)

• Cultural Sensitivity: Not all students will know their full whakapapa. If a student expresses discomfort, allow them to substitute elements with significant personal relationships (friends, mentors, etc.).
• Integration with Next Lessons: This foundation lesson sets up deeper explorations into historical narratives, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and personal and national identity discussions.
• Authentic Kaupapa Māori Connections: Where possible, invite a local kaumātua or marae representative to join in later lessons to deepen community connections.

Extensions for Advanced Ākonga:

• Research whakapapa-specific stories from iwi around Aotearoa.
• Create a digital whakapapa tree using Google Drawings or Canva.

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Assessment & Next Steps

• Formative Assessment: Teacher observation during discussions, quality of responses in Think-Pair-Share, and depth of student whakapapa webs.
• Next Lesson Preview:
  🏆 Badge Challenge: "Te Kairangahau Nui" (Great Researcher) – Find and share a historical event linked to their whakapapa in the next lesson.
  • We will link personal whakapapa stories to wider Aotearoa New Zealand histories.