Caring for Creation

Learning Context

Year 1 Religious Education
Class size: 20 students
Duration: 20 minutes
Focus: God’s creation as a taonga in the Catholic story

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Recognise that God’s creation (plants, animals, and the environment) is a special taonga.
• Share what we already know about plants, animals, and nature.
• Talk about how we can care for God’s creation responsibly.

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Success Criteria

• I can recognise that God’s creation is special.
• I can share a plant, animal, or nature fact I already know.
• I can say one way I can help care for God’s creation.

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Curriculum Alignment

NZ Curriculum Refresh - Religious Education & Key Competencies

• Vision & Principles: Emphasis on students understanding their cultural identity and taonga tuku iho (treasures passed down, God's creation as one) .
• Key Competencies: Managing self (taking responsibility for caring for the environment), and relating to others (sharing and discussing ideas) .
• Curriculum Areas: English learning supports sharing knowledge and vocabulary about the natural world in meaningful ways .
• Diversity & Inclusion: Use scaffolding such as question prompts and visual aids to support all learners and use dyslexia-friendly print and audio tools if needed .

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Lesson Breakdown

Materials Needed

• Natural objects: leaves, shells, flowers
• Small pictures of animals
• Visual aid sentence stems and question prompts (e.g., “I notice…”, “I think…”, “My favourite is… because…”)
• Promise cards or a simple graphic for “I will help care for God’s creation by...”

1. Introduction (3 minutes)

• Present the objects one by one to the class.
• Ask: “What do you see here?” (Allow brief observations.)
• Explain simply: “God made all these amazing plants, animals, and everything around us. Everything God made is a taonga – something very special and precious.”
• Use clear language and visuals to reinforce "taonga" as a treasure.

2. Think, Pair, Share (8 minutes)

• Pose questions for students to think about and share with a partner:
  • “What do you already know about plants, animals, or nature?”
  • “What is your favourite plant or animal?”
  • “Why is it special to you?”
• Teachers circulate and support language development using prompts and sentence stems.
• Allow 2-3 pairs to share with the whole class, strengthening verbal expression and listening skills.

3. Caring for God’s Creation (5 minutes)

• Class brainstorm: “How can we care for God’s creation?”
• Ideas might include watering plants, feeding birds, keeping the school garden tidy, picking up rubbish.
• Discuss how caring actions show respect and love for God’s work.
• Use visual aids or pictures to cue ideas for all learners.

4. Making a Promise (3 minutes)

• Each child makes a simple, personal promise: “I will help care for God’s creation by…”
• Offer sentence starter cards for children who need support.
• Children can draw or write their promise on a card to take home or display.

5. Reflection and Sharing (1 minute)

• Invite 1-2 children to share one new thing they learned today about God’s creation.
• Reinforce learning with positive feedback to encourage participation.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide question prompts and sentence stems for students needing language support (including ELL learners).
• Use visual supports such as real objects and pictures to reinforce understanding.
• Allow verbal or drawing responses for children with emerging writing skills or dyslexia-friendly alternatives (e.g., audio recording their promise).
• Pair advanced learners with peers to support discussions; encourage them to elaborate on why plants or animals are special.

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Extension Ideas for Advanced Learners

• Research or bring in an additional natural object and share why it is special to them or their family’s culture.
• Create a simple illustrated booklet titled “God’s Creation is a Taonga” with drawings and captions.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Options

• Use clear, sans-serif fonts in printed materials (e.g., Arial, Comic Sans).
• Use high contrast colours (dark text on light background).
• Provide verbal instructions and allow peer reading or audio support.
• Keep text short and straightforward with visual icons to represent ideas.

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Summary

This 20-minute lesson uses tangible items and familiar language to deepen year 1 students' appreciation of God’s creation as a taonga, linking Maori concepts and Catholic understanding, aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. It encourages student voice through sharing and reflection, scaffolded communication, and active participation in caring for their environment.

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If you would like, I can also provide a printable version or a quick checklist for the teacher to use during the lesson!