Environmental Considerations

Waka Hoe: Heritage & Haka – Lesson 15 of 20

Year Level: 10 (ages approx. 14-15)
Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 25 students
Subject: New Zealand History (Social Sciences)
Focus: Environmental aspects of waka paddling, water conservation, respect for nature

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand the environmental significance of waka paddling and its connection to Māori values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
• Discuss the importance of water conservation and respecting natural resources.
• Reflect on how traditional waka practices promote sustainable relationships with the environment.

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Learning Objectives (Aligned with NZ Curriculum Refresh – Social Sciences and Values)

Social Sciences Learning Area:

• Achievement Objective: Understand how people view and use places differently (Level 5).
• Explore kaitiakitanga and its role in guarding waterways, especially in Māori traditions.
• Develop an understanding of human-environment interaction through historical and cultural contexts.

Key Competencies:

• Participating and contributing: Students engage respectfully and meaningfully in discussions about environmental responsibility.
• Thinking: Critically evaluate the impact of human activities on natural resources.
• Using language, symbols and texts: Communicate understandings about environmental practices in both oral and written forms.

Values:

• Respect: For the environment and for diverse cultural perspectives on natural resource use.
• Integrity: Understanding responsibility to care for the environment through practical examples such as waka paddling.

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Explain why environmental care is essential in waka paddling traditions.
• Identify at least two ways water conservation and respect for nature are practiced in waka tikanga.
• Describe how Māori environmental values like kaitiakitanga influence waka paddling and everyday environmental care.
• Participate in discussion using respectful and specific language about environmental sustainability.

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Lesson Outline and Timing

Time	Activity	Details & Resources	Differentiation / Support
0-10	Engagement & Introduction	- Begin with a short kōrero (oral narrative) about waka's connection to environment and wai (water).

• Show images/video of traditional waka paddling in natural settings. | Use dyslexia-friendly materials: clear font, short sentences, supportive images.
  Provide sentence stems such as "One way we care for water when waka paddling is..." |
  | 10-25 | Group Reading & Discussion | - Students read a dyslexia-friendly excerpt about environmental values in waka practices.
• In small groups, discuss the importance of water and respect for nature.
• Guiding questions: Why must waka paddlers respect waterways? How can we conserve water today like in the past? | Use high-contrast text format, audio read-aloud if required.
  Groupings can include mixed ability to support peer learning. |
  | 25-40 | Interactive Mapping Activity | - Using a large map of New Zealand’s waterways, students identify local rivers/lakes important for waka paddling.
• Discuss the environmental challenges those waterways face (pollution, drought).
• Students suggest ways to protect these places based on tikanga and environmental science. | Provide sentence frames and vocabulary lists.
  Advanced learners encouraged to research local environmental issues to share. |
  | 40-55 | Creative Reflection / Role Play | - Students role-play as waka paddlers explaining to a new generation why environmental respect matters.
• Focus on Māori values of kaitiakitanga, protection of wai, and connection to land.
• Use props or symbols representing natural elements. | Allow students to create posters or digital slides instead of role-play if preferred.
  Advanced learners to design a brief presentation incorporating Te Reo Māori terms. |
  | 55-60 | Plenary & Self-Assessment | - Whole-class sharing of reflections.
• Students complete a self-assessment checklist against success criteria.
• Teacher provides feedback and outlines next lesson focus. | Provide checklist with simple visual symbols (tick boxes). |

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

  • Use dyslexia-friendly texts (large fonts, sans serif, coloured overlays).
  • Support reading with audio recordings.
  • Provide visual aids and graphic organisers during discussions and activities.
  • Allow oral or visual responses instead of written work.

• For advanced learners:

  • Research and present on specific contemporary water conservation projects in Aotearoa.
  • Investigate traditional Māori environmental practices beyond waka paddling (e.g., rāhui, mahinga kai).
  • Lead group discussions or create an educational video on environmental kaitiakitanga.

• For students needing extra support:

  • Work in pairs or small groups with teacher or peer support during reading and mapping activities.
  • Use simplified language or more guided questions.

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Assessment & Reflection

• Formative assessment through group discussion participation and role-play engagement.
• Self-assessment checklist to monitor student confidence with key concepts.
• Teacher observes and notes student language use around environmental respect and tikanga.

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Resources & Materials Needed

• Dyslexia-friendly reading passage on waka and environment (prepared by teacher).
• Images or video clips showing waka on waterways.
• Large printed map of New Zealand with waterways highlighted.
• Sentence stems, vocabulary lists including key Te Reo Māori terms (e.g., kaitiakitanga, wai, taiao).
• Props for role-play (optional).
• Self-assessment printouts.

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Curriculum References

• New Zealand Curriculum Refresh:

  • Social Sciences Learning Area – Understanding people, place, and environment interactions (Level 5)
  • Values: Respect, Integrity
  • Key Competencies: Participating and Contributing, Thinking, Using language, symbols, and texts
  • Future Focus: Sustainability and citizenship (exploring societal and environmental impact)

• Integration of Māori perspectives:

  • Embedding Māori values and the Treaty of Waitangi principles in curriculum design.
  • Importance of cultural respect and bicultural foundations in learning about heritage and environmental stewardship

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This lesson plan blends cultural heritage with future-focused sustainability themes consistent with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. It empowers Year 10 students to understand and respect the environment through the lens of waka traditions, supporting diverse learners and encouraging deeper engagement.

If you would like, I can also help prepare the dyslexia-friendly reading passage or the sentence stems and vocabulary list for this lesson.