Good Neighbours Kai

Context and Curriculum Alignment

This 60-minute lesson is tailored for Year 13+ adult learners in a mental health and disability organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand. The focus is the kaupapa of Good Neighbours - Collecting kai for whaiora, emphasizing whaiora leadership and staff partnership in the process and collective sharing of kai.

The design closely aligns with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa / The Māori-medium curriculum framework for New Zealand schools, specifically focusing on the Health learning area, Year 13 phase (Phase 5: Years 11-13). It supports key principles of hauora in Health and Physical Education (spiritual, mental, physical, social well-being), incorporates the five key competencies (Thinking; Using language, symbols, and texts; Managing self; Relating to others; Participating and contributing), and centres on culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy with kaupapa Māori values like manaakitanga and whanaungatanga .

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Lesson Details

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Class size: 10 students
• Subject: Health (Te Marautanga o Aotearoa)
• Theme: Good Neighbours - Collecting kai for whaiora
• Settings: Mental health and disability organisation, with learners from diverse nationalities and literacy abilities.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

WALT:

• We Are Learning To
  • Understand the role of whaiora leading the kaupapa 'Good Neighbours' in collecting kai.
  • Appreciate how staff alongside whaiora support this kaupapa.
  • Describe the process and purpose of sharing kai among all whaiora to foster wellbeing.
  • Develop skills to participate respectfully in community-led activities that enhance hauora (well-being).

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Explain who the whaiora are and how they initiate and lead the kai collecting kaupapa.
• Describe the supportive role of staff working alongside whaiora.
• Illustrate how the kai is collected and shared with all whaiora.
• Demonstrate respectful participation, using appropriate te reo Māori greetings and expressions of manaakitanga.
• Reflect simply on how this activity supports taha hinengaro (mental/emotional) and taha whānau (social) well-being.

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Curriculum Links & Competencies

• Health and Physical Education (Hauora focus): Understanding taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana, taha whānau to promote well-being.
• Key Competencies: Thinking, Managing self, Relating to others, Participating and contributing, Using language and texts.
• Phase 5 Critical Focus (Years 11-13): Navigating pathways and developing agency to shape futures through community engagement and leadership.
• Values: Manaakitanga (care and hospitality), Whanaungatanga (relationships), Kotahitanga (unity).

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Lesson Structure and Timings

Time	Activity	Description	Support/differentiation
0-5 mins	Welcome & Whakataukī	Greet with simple pepeha and whakataukī; e.g., "He oranga ngākau, he pikinga waiora" to frame hauora. Quick explanation of kaupapa.	Use visual aids with large print and audio pronunciation; dyslexia-friendly font handout.
5-15 mins	Introduction to Whaiora Leadership	Group discussion: Who are whaiora? What does it mean that whaiora initiate and lead? Teacher models vocabulary & simple explanations. Show photos or story of kai collection led by whaiora.	Use pictorial storyboards; allow oral explanations; pair advanced learners with peers for peer-support.
15-25 mins	Staff Role & Working Together	Short role-play in pairs: staff and whaiora plan kai collection. Use question prompts: "How can staff help?" "How does whaiora lead?"	Provide sentence starters for those with literacy challenges; steady scaffolding for language support; repeat instructions.
25-40 mins	Collecting and Sharing Kai – Practical Activity	Hands-on group activity: sorting sample kai items (real or pictures), discussing how they are shared among whaiora. Highlight tikanga (customs) around sharing and respect.	Use concrete materials; visual instructions; step-by-step facilitation; allow students to lead parts of the activity.
40-50 mins	Reflection & Hauora Connection	Guided reflection on how collecting and sharing kai helps wellbeing (mental, social). Use sentence frames for writing or oral sharing.	Oral sharing option for dyslexic/ESOL learners; visuals or graphic organisers; assistive technology if available.
50-60 mins	Extension & Wrap-up	For advanced learners: design a simple plan or poster for next kai collection. For others: draw or write one thing learned about whaiora leadership or kai sharing. Conclude with karakia/reflection focusing on community and wellbeing.	Flexible output modes (drawing, speaking, writing); peer feedback encouraged; scaffolded criteria for advanced learners.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

  • Use clear, chunked instructions, supported by visuals and gestures.
  • Repeat and paraphrase key points in simple Māori and English.
  • Pair learners for support in role-play and discussions.
  • Provide sentence starters and writing frames for those with literacy challenges.
  • Allow oral presentations as an alternative to written work.

• Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Options:

  • Handouts with dyslexia-friendly font (e.g., OpenDyslexic).
  • Use high-contrast colours and bullet points.
  • Provide audio recordings of key content.
  • Keep reading material brief and use clear simple language.

• Extension for Advanced Learners:

  • Facilitate leadership roles during activities.
  • Encourage planning a full kai collection event collaboratively.
  • Develop a poster with kaupapa values in te reo Māori and English.
  • Explore cultural protocols (tikanga) in more depth, including karakia and whaikōrero (formal speech).

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative checks:

  • Observe participation in role-play and group work.
  • Listen for accurate use of new vocabulary and concepts.
  • Review reflections or drawings for understanding hauora connections.
  • Peer and self-assessment with guided questions: “What did I learn about whaiora leadership?” “How does collecting kai help us?”

• Success criteria guide self and teacher assessment for comprehension and engagement .

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Cultural Responsiveness and Kaupapa Māori Integration

• The lesson embraces the role of whaiora as leaders in their own hauora, not just recipients of care, reflecting tino rangatiratanga (self-determination).
• Staff participate whakawhanaungatanga-style: walking alongside (not leading) whaiora to strengthen relationships and mana.
• Use of te reo Māori including simple whakataukī and key terms reinforces cultural identity and the values of manaakitanga and kotahitanga.
• Emphasizes sharing kai as an act of care that nurtures taha whānau and taha hinengaro well-being.

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This lesson plan delivers an accessible, culturally embedded learning experience that empowers adult learners in mental health and disability settings to connect with their community through a tangible, meaningful kaupapa that supports hauora and leadership.

If you want, I can also provide these lesson materials as an editable document or support resources (handouts, sentence starters, visual prompts). Would that be helpful?