Unit #6

The Treaty of Waitangi and Its Relevance

Year Level: 7
Curriculum Area: Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories – Understand, Know, Do Framework
Curriculum Level: Level 4 of The New Zealand Curriculum (Social Sciences)

Unit Title: Waikato Wars and Urbanisation
Lesson Number: 6 of 18
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 27 students

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🎯 Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We are learning to understand the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its historical influence during the Waikato Wars.
• We are learning to identify how the Treaty affected land ownership and Māori rights in the mid-19th century.
• We are learning to critically examine different perspectives (Māori and Crown) on the Treaty’s meaning and implementation.

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✅ Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Describe the three key articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Explain at least two ways the Treaty impacted land ownership during the Waikato Wars.
• Reflect on how the Treaty continues to influence Aotearoa today.

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🧠 Prior Knowledge

Students should already:

• Know basic facts about Te Tiriti o Waitangi (introduced in earlier lessons).
• Be familiar with the causes of the Waikato Wars.
• Understand key 19th century concepts such as sovereignty, colonisation, and iwi.

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🗺️ Lesson Structure (45 mins total)

Time	Activity
5 mins	Introduction & Karakia
10 mins	Treaty Recap: Pass the Pātai
15 mins	Investigation: Then & Now – Treaty Article Analysis
10 mins	Application: Treaty and Land Ownership Role Cards
3 mins	Reflection: “What if...” Predictions
2 mins	Wrap-up, Exit Card, Karakia Whakamutunga

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⏰ 5 mins – Introduction & Karakia

• Begin with a short karakia timatanga led by the teacher or a ākonga.
• Briefly reintroduce the Treaty of Waitangi and where we are in the unit.
• Use a timeline visual on the board showing before and during the Waikato conflict to place today's lesson in context.

“What was going on in New Zealand when this Treaty was signed? And what did different people think it meant?”

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⏰ 10 mins – Treaty Recap: Pass the Pātai

Activity type: Kinesthetic + Cooperative Learning
Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and reinforce Treaty content

Instructions:

1. Arrange students into a standing circle.
2. Teacher holds a small taonga object (or Treaty printout/replica).
3. Music plays lightly in background. When music stops, the holder must answer a pātai (question).
4. Sample pātai (teacher prepares):
   • Name one article of Te Tiriti.
   • What is "sovereignty"? What is "kawanatanga"?
   • Why might Māori have signed the Treaty?
5. Each correct answer earns a mini sticker/point for group pride (grouped into iwi later!).

Assessment Opportunity: Formative – observe confidence and gaps in understanding.

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⏰ 15 mins – Investigation: Then & Now – Treaty Article Analysis

Activity type: Guided critical group reading + discussion

Instructions:

1. Break students into 6 groups of 4–5 students. Each group focuses on one article of the Treaty.

2. Provide each group:

   • Printed copies of the Article (both English and Te Reo, simplified versions)
   • A short paragraph summary of how this article was interpreted at the time (Māori vs. Crown view)
   • A short paragraph from a present-day perspective (from Waitangi Tribunal, NZ history resources etc.)

3. Each group reads and completes the following prompts:

   • What did this mean in 1840?
   • What happened in the Waikato region that connected to this article?
   • How do you think this article affects Aotearoa today?

4. Each group shares a “Then vs. Now” whiteboard snapshot: 2 bullet points from each time period.

Extension (if time): Use string or wool to visually link the Treaty to issues on a Waikato region map.

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⏰ 10 mins – Application: Treaty and Land Ownership Role Cards

Activity type: Drama & empathy building

Instructions:

1. Distribute 6 different role cards (e.g. Māori rangatira, settler farmer, British soldier, Māori wāhine, tamaiti Māori, government translator). 5 students per role.
2. Pose this situation:
   • “It is 1863, and you’re all involved in a pā near the Waikato River. A military road has just been built. The Governor says The Treaty allows it. What do you think?”
3. Allow students to form quick groups by role and discuss their position.
4. They present one 30-second statement from their character's perspective.

Objective: Students apply Treaty understanding to real-world tension of Waikato land confiscation.

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⏰ 3 mins – Reflection: “What if…” Predictions

Prompt: “What if the Treaty had been fully honoured by both sides? What would be different today in Hamilton, or the Waikato region as a whole?”

Students write a one-sentence prediction on a sticky note and place it on the classroom Treaty Wall.

Allows ongoing display and reflection for the rest of the unit.

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⏰ 2 mins – Wrap-up, Exit Card, Karakia Whakamutunga

• Summarise the key takeaway: “Many of the roots of the Waikato conflict tie back to misunderstandings and disagreements about the Treaty.”
• Exit Card: Students answer (on paper):
  • 🔹 One new thing I learnt today
  • 🔹 One thing I still wonder about
• End with a karakia whakamutunga or moment of silence to close the space respectfully.

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🧰 Resources Required

• Printed simplified Treaty articles (Te Reo + English)
• Role cards (6 roles x 5)
• Timeline/class map of Waikato
• Sticky notes, markers, whiteboards
• Music player for warm-up
• Kahoot quiz OR light Treaty recap song as optional extension

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📘 Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment via Pass the Pātai and group observations
• Group presentation and exit card responses inform comprehension
• Tracking layered understanding of Treaty principles over time

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📌 Teacher Reflection Prompt

After the lesson, reflect on:

• Which Treaty concepts were hardest for students to connect with?
• Did the role-play bring out empathy or deeper engagement?
• How might this learning influence students’ understanding of urban spaces today (Hamilton, Kirikiriroa)?
• Are there any misconceptions that need targeted clarifying next lesson?

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🌿 Mātauranga Māori Integration

This lesson honours multiple perspectives and aligns with the principle of whanaungatanga in learning — understanding our collective responsibilities through relationships. The use of pūrākau-backed character roles and te reo Māori affirms tikanga within the classroom.

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Next Lesson:
Lesson 7 – Kirikiriroa: Displacement and Transformation – exploring the effects of the wars and land confiscations on Māori urban presence.