Exploring Social Action

Overview

This engaging 60-minute lesson introduces Year 10 students to the concept of social action within the context of Aotearoa New Zealand history and society. Students will explore what social action means, why it matters, and begin to investigate examples of social action in New Zealand. This aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh by focusing on social sciences outcomes, key competencies, and developing critical thinking through inquiry.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Understand and explain the concept of social action and its role in society (Social Sciences – Understand and Participate, NZ Curriculum Refresh).
Identify key questions to explore social action issues in New Zealand.
Use a structured inquiry approach to begin investigating social action examples relevant to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Demonstrate the key competencies of thinking, participating and contributing, and relating to others through group discussion and inquiry planning.

References to NZ Curriculum Refresh:

Social Sciences learning area: Understand how societies work and how people can participate and take social action .
Key Competencies: Thinking; Relating to others; Participating and contributing .
Critical Inquiry: Using questioning and evidence to explore social action (aligned with Social Sciences perspectives) .

Lesson Plan Outline

Time	Activity	Description	Curriculum Links
5 min	Introduction: What is Social Action?	Teacher-led interactive discussion introducing the term "social action". Use simple definitions: actions taken by individuals or groups to make society fairer or address issues. Begin with everyday examples familiar to students (e.g., school petitions, environmental clean-ups).	Social Sciences understanding; Encouraging student voice – participatory learning
10 min	Brainstorm & Questioning	In small groups (4-5 students), students brainstorm examples of social action they know in New Zealand (past or present). Each group generates 3-5 guiding questions they want to explore about social action (e.g., "Why do people protest?", "How do social movements bring change?"). Groups share questions with class for collective refinement.	Collaboration, relating to others, critical thinking, managing self 【4:1†Te Mataiaho English Single Pructured Approach to Exploring Social Action**

Identify the social issue
Who is involved?
What actions are taken?
What changes occur?
What questions remain?
Model this with a well-known NZ example (e.g., 1975 Māori Land March, or Parihaka peace movement). | Builds understanding of inquiry process; fosters skills in asking questions and organising information, aligned with social sciences achievement objectives | | 15 min | Scaffolded Group Task: Choose a NZ Social Action Example | Groups select a social action event from a prepared list (or suggest one). They begin applying the inquiry structure to explore it quickly - identifying the issue, actors, and actions. Teacher circulates to support and prompt deeper thinking or use of evidence. | Thinking and using evidence, participating and contributing | | 10 min | Group Discussion and Sharing | Groups share their initial inquiries with the class. Focus on the questions they have, what they have learned so far, and how social action is presented. Teacher draws connections about impact of social action in NZ. | Developing communication and reasoning; listening and respecting different perspectives | | 5 min | Reflection and Next Steps | Individually, students write a short reflection: “Why is social action important in New Zealand?” and a goal/question they want to explore further in upcoming lessons. Teacher collects to inform future planning. | Metacognition and self-regulation; using language to reflect learning |

Resources Needed

Whiteboard or display for brainstorming
Printed inquiry structure template
List of significant New Zealand social action events (brief descriptions)
Writing materials for reflections

Assessment Suggestions

Formative: Observation of group discussions and questioning; written reflections to gauge understanding and engagement with social action concepts.
Summative (for ongoing unit): Later deeper inquiry projects or presentations on chosen social action events, demonstrating evidence use and critical thinking aligned with Social Sciences learning outcomes.

Teacher Tips

Encourage culturally responsive learning by including Māori perspectives on social action and tino rangatiratanga movements.
Use shared success criteria for discussions to build respectful, effective communication.
Support students with sentence starters or templates during brainstorming and reflection, reflecting the emphasis on language and communication in the Curriculum Refresh.

This lesson connects with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum emphasis on critical thinking, participation, and understanding Aotearoa histories and social structures, fostering students’ ability to explore, question, and contribute to society meaningfully.

If you would like, I can prepare printable student worksheets and a teacher's slide pack to accompany this plan!

Teaching Instructions