Changing Whakairo Practices

Overview

Lesson 1 of 12 introduces Unit Standard 23016 and the unit focus, Changing Whakairo Practices. Students examine the purpose of the standard, assessment expectations, grading pathway, authenticity requirements and culturally responsive protocols before modelling how to unpack the standard and identify the evidence needed to explain changes in whakairo practices and production.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand the purpose, structure and expectations of Unit Standard 23016
• distinguish between Achieved, Merit and Excellence evidence
• identify what makes an explanation of change in whakairo practices convincing and well supported
• use culturally respectful protocols when discussing Māori art, knowledge and practitioners
• plan how to maintain authentic, traceable evidence throughout the assessment

Success criteria

• I can explain what the two assessment tasks require.
• I can describe the difference between Achieved, Merit and Excellence.
• I can identify evidence that shows what changed, why it changed and how production was affected.
• I can explain how I will use sources and record my own thinking authentically and respectfully.

Curriculum links

• Unit Standard 23016: demonstrate understanding of changing whakairo practices and production through evidence-based responses.
• Systematically clarify ideas using drawing informed by established painting practice: develop ideas through investigation, analysis and reference to established practice.
• Examine the different values placed on art works: use evidence to consider cultural, historical, symbolic and other values.
• Produce a resolved work that demonstrates purposeful control of skills appropriate to a visual arts cultural context: recognise the importance of cultural context, intention and appropriate practice.

Lesson structure (120 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Provocation and prior knowledge. Teacher opens with the visual provocation and opening question showing contrasting examples or documented contexts of whakairo across time, without presenting change as a simple “traditional versus modern” story. Students silently record what they notice, what they think may have changed, and what questions they have; share one observation with a partner.

2. 10–25 min · Unit orientation. Teacher introduces the unit sequence, the purpose of Unit Standard 23016 and the relationship between investigating change, interpreting evidence and communicating an informed response, using the unit map and standard overview. Students annotate the standard unpacking and evidence guide with the unit purpose, key terms and their initial questions.

3. 25–45 min · Assessment architecture. Teacher works through the NZQA assessor and ākonga booklets, clarifying the two assessment tasks, submission expectations, evidence requirements and assessment conditions; students use the teacher-created checklist and the two-task assessment pathway to create a simple timeline in their worksheet. Emphasise that students must follow the current school-issued assessment materials and ask questions where task wording is unclear.

4. 45–65 min · Grading pathway and evidence. Teacher models one broad prompt: “Explain a change in whakairo practice and production.” Think aloud while sorting possible evidence into description, explanation, analysis and perceptive interpretation, then compare the Achieved, Merit and Excellence expectations on the grading ladder and evidence examples. In pairs, students highlight which evidence would strengthen a response and complete the “What would the assessor need to see?” section of the worksheet.

5. 65–80 min · Culturally responsive protocols. Teacher establishes protocols for discussing whakairo: avoid treating Māori knowledge as a visual style to copy; name artists, iwi or contexts accurately where known; distinguish observation from assumption; use appropriate pronunciation and respectful language; acknowledge that knowledge, imagery and meaning may have cultural restrictions; and seek guidance rather than claim authority. Students contribute one protocol they will follow and one question they should ask before interpreting or reproducing imagery. Teacher checks understanding sensitively and avoids requiring students to disclose whakapapa or personal cultural knowledge.

6. 80–105 min · Modelling how to unpack change. Teacher demonstrates a four-part evidence frame on the worked analysis model: What was the practice or production context? What changed? What contributed to the change? What evidence supports the interpretation? Model distinguishing material, tool, process, function, audience, patronage, technology, cultural context and values, while avoiding unsupported causal claims. Students apply the frame to a teacher-provided example in the worksheet, then compare responses in groups of three and identify one claim requiring stronger evidence.

7. 105–120 min · Authenticity, questions and exit check. Teacher explains authenticity: submit independent work, keep source details and research notes, identify quotations or paraphrased ideas, retain drafts and development, and discuss permitted collaboration with the teacher before submitting. Students complete the final worksheet reflection: one assessment requirement, one evidence type, one protocol and one question for the next lesson; three volunteers share questions before the teacher previews Lesson 2.

Resources

• the Changing Whakairo Practices introduction deck
• the standard unpacking and evidence checklist
• NZQA Unit Standard 23016 assessor booklet
• NZQA Unit Standard 23016 ākonga booklet
• Teacher-created evidence checklist
• Unit glossary, including whakairo, tikanga, context, practice, production and evidence
• Assessment timeline
• Projector or interactive display
• Board and markers

Assessment

• Listen to partner and group explanations, checking whether students distinguish observation, claim, evidence and interpretation.
• Review worksheet annotations and the completed evidence frame to identify misconceptions about grading, cultural context and authenticity.
• Collect the final reflection or photograph it for a quick diagnostic record; use student questions to plan the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Provide a partially completed evidence frame, sentence starters such as “The practice changed when…” and “This is supported by…”, and a glossary with plain-language definitions for students who need scaffolding.
• Allow students to discuss ideas orally before writing, use speech-to-text, or submit annotated notes during the modelling activity where appropriate.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach key terms, display pronunciation support where approved, and pair students strategically without positioning one student as a cultural spokesperson.
• Extend confident students by asking them to identify competing explanations for a change and explain what additional evidence would be needed to test each interpretation.
• Use careful, non-stereotyping visual examples and consult appropriate school or community guidance when selecting whakairo content, names, images or knowledge for later lessons.