Grapes to Market

Overview

This 30-minute session with Year 1 students introduces the basic concepts of the winemaking and marketing process through hands-on, imaginative, and age-appropriate activities aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. It emphasises developing key competencies and integrating business-related thinking with literacy and social sciences.

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Curriculum Alignment

Learning Areas:

• Social Sciences: Understanding how people make and use products in Aotearoa and the wider world.
• English: Developing oral language and story comprehension through shared texts and discussion.
• Mathematics and Statistics: Developing basic number concepts through counting and grouping activities.
• Technology: Awareness of simple processes and purpose of products.

Key Competencies:

• Thinking: Curiosity about processes, sequencing.
• Using language, symbols, and texts: Listening, speaking, and using images to describe processes.
• Managing self: Participating actively and staying on task.
• Relating to others: Sharing ideas and working in small groups.
• Participating and contributing: Taking part in collaborative activities.

Achievement Objectives (Year 1, New Zealand Curriculum Refresh):

Social Sciences:

• Understand that people make products for different purposes and in different ways.
• Recognise some simple processes in making products they use or see.

English:

• Participate in shared learning activities that involve listening to stories and discussing ideas.

Mathematics:

• Count and use number names in familiar contexts.

Technology:

• Explore simple products and the processes involved in making them.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand the simple steps involved in making a product — here, grapes to wine (simplified).
• Recognise that people create products for selling and sharing.
• Explore the idea of telling others about a product (basic marketing).
• Develop sequencing ability and share their observations verbally.
• Begin to use simple financial thinking (e.g., exchanging goods).

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Lesson Breakdown (30 mins, 8 students)

1. Engage & Explore: Story Time (7 mins)

• Gather children in a circle and read a simple illustrated story about how grapes grow and are turned into wine (adapted for young children, using a fruit juice analogy if preferred due to age appropriateness).
• Use expressive reading with visual cards showing grapes, picking, crushing, fermenting (simplified), bottling.
• Pause to ask simple questions: "What comes first? What do you think happens next?"

Curriculum Focus: Using language, symbols and texts; Social Sciences understanding of processes.

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2. Hands-on Activity: Sequence the Process (8 mins)

• Present picture cards depicting the winemaking process steps (vineyard, picking grapes, crushing, fermenting, bottling).
• Students work in pairs/small groups to arrange the cards in the correct order.
• Teacher facilitates and prompts with questions to reinforce sequencing and understanding.

Curriculum Focus: Thinking; Social Sciences; Managing self.

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3. Creative Play: Marketing Our Product (10 mins)

• Explain in simple terms: "After we make the wine, we want to tell people about it so they want to buy it!"
• Students create a simple 'advertisement' for their grape product using drawing and simple slogans like “Juicy Grapes!” or “Taste the Sweet Juice!”
• Role-play selling the product: Some children can be sellers and others buyers using play coins (linking to early financial literacy).
• Encourage phrases like "Would you like to buy some juice?" to build oral language.

Curriculum Focus: Using language, symbols and texts; Participating and contributing; Managing self.

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4. Reflect and Share (5 mins)

• Groups share their product ads and pretend selling experience with the class.
• Teacher asks reflection questions: "What did you like about making the juice? How did you tell others about it?"
• Recap the idea of how grapes become something people enjoy and share.

Curriculum Focus: Relating to others; Thinking.

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Resources and Materials

• Illustrated storybook or custom picture story about winemaking (use simplified fruit juice concept if preferred for age appropriateness).
• Visual sequence cards of the winemaking process.
• Paper, crayons, marker pens for drawing advertisements.
• Play money and small containers (imaginary bottles) for role-play.
• Comfortable carpeted space for circle time and activities.

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Assessment & Observation

• Teacher observes students’ ability to sequence images logically.
• Listen for use of new vocabulary describing the process.
• Note participation in role-play and use of persuasive language.
• Informal assessment by reflection answers showing comprehension of process and marketing idea.

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Notes for Teachers

• Although winemaking is the focus, simplify content for Year 1: frame as making juice from grapes to engage curiosity.
• Use te reo Māori equivalents for words like grape (kōriri or parāoa) if appropriate to your context to embed local language.
• Encourage respect and curiosity for local industries, linking with Aotearoa’s viticulture.
• Highlight the five key competencies explicitly during activities to guide support.
• Use this session as a springboard for interdisciplinary integration (science: plant growth, arts: drawing, maths: counting money).

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This lesson plan meets the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh requirement to develop students' understanding of processes behind products, communication skills, and participation in shared learning activities in an age-appropriate, culturally responsive, and engaging way .