Context

• Unit: Body Awareness Journey (Lesson 5 of 5)
• Year level: Preschool (Early Childhood, Year 0-1 equivalent)
• Subject: Health (Health and Physical Education learning area)
• Class size: 15 students
• Duration: 30 minutes

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Learning Intentions (WALT - We Are Learning To)

• Perform a waiata (traditional Māori song) with corresponding body movements representing body parts.
• Reflect on and share favourite parts of their learning journey about body awareness.

Curriculum Links (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, Health Learning Area)

• Strand: Healthy Communities and Environments (Understanding that identity and well-being are linked to whānau, community, and environment)
• Level: Early Level, Year 0-1 / Preschool age
• Key Competencies:
  • Relating to others: Students develop social skills as they work cooperatively during the group waiata performance.
  • Participating and contributing: Students actively participate in shared cultural and physical activities.
• Learning Outcomes:
  • Recognise and name body parts and express how to care for their bodies through movement and song.
  • Demonstrate confidence using their bodies to communicate and participate in group activities.

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Lesson Overview

Time	Activity	Description	Learning Focus	Resources
5 mins	Welcome & Warm-up	Teacher greets students, briefly revisits previous lessons about body parts and movement using simple questions: “Can you show me your nose? Your hands?”	Recall & reinforcement of body awareness vocabulary	Visual cards of body parts
10 mins	Waiata Introduction & Practice	Teacher introduces the waiata chosen for the unit (simple, repetitive, about body parts). Demonstrate each movement clearly: e.g., tap head, touch shoulders, stomp feet. Students imitate teacher actions. Repeat multiple times with increasing participation.	Develop listening skills, imitation, coordination, and language	Māori waiata lyrics poster, audio recording or teacher singing
10 mins	Group Performance	Students perform waiata together with full actions in front of peers/small group. Teacher encourages expressive movements and confidence. Group setting promotes cooperation and turn-taking.	Group collaboration, confidence in performance, physical coordination	Open space, music playback device
5 mins	Reflection & Sharing	Circle time for students to share favourite parts of the waiata or body movements. Teacher uses guiding prompts, e.g., “What was your favourite movement?”, “Which body part did you like touching the most?” Teacher models language for expressing feelings and preferences to support emergent bilinguals or students with barriers.	Developing oral language, metacognition about learning, expressing feelings	None

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Detailed Lesson Plan

1. Welcome & Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Settle the students into a circle.
• Use visual body-part cards placed on the floor to prompt students to point or touch each part on themselves.
• Use simple, clear language with repetition and gestures.
• Incorporate inclusive strategies: allow non-verbal responses for students with communication challenges.
• Example prompts:
  • “Where is your head?” (Point)
  • “Can you touch your knees?” (Demonstrate)
  • Encourage all students to try, praising efforts.

2. Waiata Introduction & Practice (10 minutes)

• Introduce the waiata chosen from prior lessons or culturally appropriate one that aligns with body parts knowledge.
• Sing or play an audio recording, slowly at first.
• Demonstrate actions associated with each body part mentioned in the waiata. For example:
  • "Ko te ihu (nose)" tap nose
  • "Ko ngā ringa (hands)" wave hands
  • Encourage students to mimic movements.
• Scaffold by breaking waiata into segments, repeating, and reinforcing movements progressively.
• Use positive reinforcement and encouragement, adapting movements for different ability levels.
• Consider partnering quieter or hesitant students with peers for support.

3. Group Performance (10 minutes)

• Arrange students in an open circle or semi-circle formation.
• Play the waiata music or have the teacher sing.
• Students perform learned actions confidently and together.
• Teacher models enthusiasm, expression, and clear diction to engage students.
• Encourage students to use voice and body language expressively (tone/volume changes simple enough for preschool).
• Record the performance (optional) to aid self-reflection or share with whānau.
• For students with sensory or social needs (e.g., autism), provide quiet space or alternate roles (e.g., clapping hands) to feel included but comfortable.

4. Reflection & Sharing (5 minutes)

• Sit in a circle for sharing.
• Teacher uses simple prompts to invite students to talk or show favourite parts of the waiata or body parts.
• Use sentence starters, e.g., “I liked…”, “My favourite was…”, and support expressive language through pictures or gestures.
• Allow non-verbal learners to point, show pictures, or use assistive communication devices.
• Reinforce positive feedback and encourage empathy by acknowledging each student’s contribution.
• Briefly summarise the unit’s learning outcomes, e.g., “We have learned about our bodies and can use waiata and movement to celebrate them!”

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Assessment

• As Formative Assessment:
  • Observe participation and engagement during waiata practice and performance.
  • Note students’ ability to match movements to body parts referenced in the waiata.
  • During reflection, listen for students’ ability to communicate likes or dislikes about their learning.
• Success Criteria:
  • Students perform waiata with corresponding movements representing body parts with appropriate timing.
  • Students express favourite body parts or movement activities using verbal or non-verbal communication.
• Teachers use observations to inform next steps or adaptations for individual learning needs.

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Inclusive Teaching and Learning Considerations

• Use clear, slow instructions and visual supports to cater to students with learning barriers such as dyslexia or autism.
• Provide alternative ways to communicate preferences (e.g., picture cards, gestures).
• Scaffold social interaction by pairing students and modelling turn-taking.
• Incorporate cultural responsiveness by acknowledging Māori language and waiata traditions respectfully.
• Create a safe, supportive environment for all students to participate confidently in movement and singing.

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Resources

• Large body part picture cards
• Simple waiata lyrics poster (can be laminated with large text and pictures of body parts)
• Audio playback device or teacher-led singing
• Open space free of hazards for movement
• Reflection prompts (visuals or sentence starters on cards)

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Summary

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh Health and Physical Education learning area for early years, focusing on body awareness, identity, and communication through waiata and movement. It promotes key competencies, literacy in oral language, and inclusive participation consistent with curriculum principles and supports neurodiverse learners. The 30-minute session is hands-on, engaging, culturally rich, and designed to build confidence and reflectiveness in young learners.

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If desired, I can help generate specific waiata lyrics or create visual resources for body parts as part of this lesson plan.