Unit #1: Spark to Fire

Lesson Title: Introduction to WWI: Causes and Context

Level: NZ Curriculum Level 5
Subject: Social Sciences – History
Year Group: Year 10
Learning Area: The Social Sciences – Aotearoa New Zealand Histories
Time: 50 minutes
Roll Size: 10 students

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🌍 Big Idea:

Global historical relationships such as those between Aotearoa New Zealand and other world powers influence the shaping of identities, perspectives, and decisions.

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🎯 Learning Objective:

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

• Identify and explain at least two key causes of World War I using historical terminology.
• Describe how the causes of WWI influenced Aotearoa New Zealand’s entry into the war.
• Begin to consider different global and local perspectives of the era.

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🧠 Key Concepts:

• Militarism
• Alliance Systems
• Imperialism
• Nationalism
• Colonial Relationships

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🛠 NZ Curriculum Capability Focus:

• Thinking – Analysing how historical events are connected and shaped by ideas.
• Participating and Contributing – Connecting with collective memory and engaging with historical debates.
• Using Evidence – Drawing on historical sources to form interpretations and claims.

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📚 Te Takanga o Te Wā Connection:

Students begin reflecting on concepts such as whakapapa (genealogy and interconnectedness) and tuakiri (identity) in relation to how Aotearoa was linked to global events. This builds awareness of how iwi and hapū views of history may differ from mainstream narratives.

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📅 Lesson Breakdown (50 Minutes Total)

⏳ 0–5 min – Karakia / Whanaungatanga Circle

• Begin with a short karakia to centre the room.
• Use a quick whakawhanaungatanga round: “Share one thing you know or have heard about World War I.”

Purpose: Building relationships, connecting prior knowledge, and establishing a safe, inclusive space for historical inquiry.

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⏳ 5–15 min – Hook Activity: Exploding Europe!

Activity: Use an interactive classroom map with string and pins to visualise the European alliance systems in 1914.

• Assign each student a "country card" with facts and alliances.
• One by one, have them come to the map, place their country, and connect alliances using string.
• When Serbia is placed, narrate the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and observe how the "strings" represent the chain reaction.

WOW moment: Watch the literal “web” of entanglements tighten and create a dramatic ‘spark-to-fire’ visual.

Key Questions:

• What does this web show us about the fragility of peace in 1914?
• Which countries were allies? How did small events become big wars?

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⏳ 15–30 min – Mini Lecture & Discussion: The Four Main Causes

Content Delivery: Use short, differentiated slides or concept cards to introduce the "M.A.I.N" causes:

• Militarism: Arms race and belief in military solutions
• Alliances: Secret and public treaties
• Imperialism: Scramble for empires, including British Empire’s dominance
• Nationalism: Intense patriotism and ethnic self-determination

🗣 Pair-Think-Share: Students pair up and come up with an analogy from school or daily life for each cause (e.g. cliques for alliances, brags for nationalism).
🎤 Share-out to highlight real-world connections.

Differentiated note-taking support: Provide visual cards or sentence scaffolds to support students who need them.

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⏳ 30–40 min – NZ Lens: Why Did We Go to War?

Activity: Students review 3 short perspectives on NZ’s entry into WWI, including:

• An excerpt from a 1914 newspaper
• A quote from a Māori soldier
• A family letter from a Pākehā settler's whānau

Group Work (2-3 per group):

• Summarise the perspective (Who is speaking? What do they say? Why?)
• Rank their motivations: nationalism? loyalty to Britain? adventure? colonial obligation?

Te Ao Māori perspective: Highlight how iwi participation varied and was complex — some supported, others resisted involvement.

👥 Whole-class discussion: "What surprised you? Was there one NZ view or multiple?"

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⏳ 40–47 min – Quick-Write: Spiral of War

Prompt:

"What were the main causes that led to World War I and how did those global causes influence New Zealand's decision to go to war?"

• Students write for 5–7 minutes using their own words.
• Encourage use of terms like militarism, alliances, and imperialism alongside NZ-centric phrases like supporting Britain or Empire loyalty.

✅ Teacher moves around offering sentence starters or checking on quieter students.

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⏳ 47–50 min – Debrief & Whakatika

• Revisit the string map briefly: “How might things have gone differently?”
• Peer shout-outs using “I noticed…” to affirm good effort and discussion.
• Wānanga question for take-home discussion:

“Does having ties to other countries mean we must always support them in war?”

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📌 Assessment for Learning (Informal)

• Observation of group discussion and use of historical language.
• Content in the spiral of war quick-write.
• Ability to identify more than one cause and relate it to NZ context.

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📦 Resources Needed

• Alliance map outline & string
• Country role cards
• M.A.I.N. cause slides or cards
• Heritage NZ voice perspectives (printed or projected)
• Writing journals or laptops
• Karakia prompt (for opening/closing)

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🔭 Looking Ahead – Lesson 2 Teaser

Title: Marching On: Why NZ Sent Men
Focus will shift toward enlistment, propaganda, and the social effects at home.

Ēhara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari kē he toa takitini.
(My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.)
Let students begin understanding that in Aotearoa’s wars, identity and memory are multiple and layered.