Growing Guardianship

Year Level

Suitable for Year 0-3 (Early Childhood to Junior Primary)

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand the importance of caring for living things and the environment.
• Know the role of kaitiaki (guardianship) in protecting the whenua (land), moana (sea), and ngahere (forest).
• Recognise and respect the whakapapa (ancestral connections) and tikanga (customs) related to the environment.
• Use technology creatively to express ideas about kaitiakitanga and te ao Māori principles.

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Success Criteria

• Students can name at least one living thing they want to care for.
• Students can explain what a kaitiaki is and why it is important.
• Students participate actively in all activities, showing respect for living things.
• Students produce a simple visual or digital representation of a guardian for a chosen environment (land, sea, forest).
• Students reflect on how they can protect the environment respectfully.

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Curriculum Links

• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa | Technology Learning Area
  Focus on:

• Ngā Whāinga Ako | Learning Objectives:

  • "Kia tipu te miharo o ngā tamariki ki ngā mea ora, ki ngā mea tupu katoa. Kia kaua e tukinotia."
  • "Kia tupu ngā tamariki hei kaitiaki i ngā painga huhua o te whenua, o te moana, o ngā ngahere. Kia mau hoki ki ngā ture tuku iho a ngā mātua tūpuna."

• Key Competencies:

  • Managing Self: Setting goals and managing time.
  • Relating to Others: Sharing ideas and respecting tikanga.
  • Participating and Contributing: Caring for the environment with action.
  • Thinking: Creative and critical thinking about guardianship.
  • Using Language, Symbols, and Texts: Representing ideas visually and orally.

• Technology Strands:

  • General Technology and Design and Visual Communication—simple digital and material outcomes expressing kaitiakitanga.

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Lesson Duration

30 minutes

Class Size

35 students

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Resources Needed

• Tablets or computers with drawing/digital design apps (e.g., simple paint or design software)
• Natural objects (leaves, stones, feathers)
• Paper, pencils, crayons, or markers
• Images/books of New Zealand flora and fauna, traditional Māori environmental guardianship stories (e.g., taniwha, kaitiaki creatures)
• A whiteboard or large paper for group ideas
• Audio story or video (if available) showing kaitiaki role in nature

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Lesson Plan Overview

1. Mihi and Whakataukī Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin with a karakia or simple waiata related to the environment.
• Share the whakataukī:
  “Kia tupu te miharo o ngā tamariki ki ngā mea ora, ki ngā mea tupu katoa. Kia kaua e tukinotia.”
• Discuss meaning in simple language: “We want to grow wonder and care for all living things. We don’t harm them.”

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2. Interactive Storytelling and Discussion (5 minutes)

• Tell or show a short story about a kaitiaki protecting the forest or sea, emphasizing respect and guardianship.
• Ask students to share what they think a kaitiaki does.
• Use prompts like:
  • What could we protect in our school or home?
  • How do we look after things that are alive?

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3. Interactive Activity Rotations — 18 minutes (6 activities x 3 minutes each)

Each activity is short, hands-on, and designed to keep engagement high for young learners.

Activity	Description	Supports / Notes
1. Nature Collection	Students gather small natural objects outside or from a tray (leaves, stones).	Sensory and connection to the environment
2. Group Brainstorm	On whiteboard/large paper, record ideas — What living things do we see? How can we care?	Use simple writing/words & symbols
3. Digital Guardian Design	Using tablets/computers, children draw or design a guardian creature for land, sea, or forest.	Dyslexia-friendly interface; icon-based
4. Role-Play Circle	In small groups, students act out being kaitiaki protecting an area (forest, sea).	Supports kinaesthetic learners
5. Whakapapa Connection	Share simple visuals of connection between people and places; children name or draw their special place to protect.	Builds identity and belonging
6. Reflect and Share	Children share their guardian designs and explain why it is important to care for the living things.	Oral language and confidence building

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4. Reflection and Whanaungatanga (2 minutes)

• Invite students to share how they will be kaitiaki in their own environment.
• Reinforce the message: “Kia mau ki ngā ture tuku iho a ngā mātua tūpuna, e pa ana ki te moana, ki te whenua, ki ngā ngahere.” (Hold on to the traditional laws of our ancestors related to sea, land, and forest.)
• End with a simple shared waiata or karakia for protection and care.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

  • Use visuals and concrete materials for English language learners and younger tamariki.
  • Pair students for peer support, especially for digital activities.
  • Simplify instructions with visuals and gestures.
  • Provide noise-cancelling headphones for sensory-sensitive tamariki during group activities.
  • Use a step-by-step scaffold for digital drawing apps.

• Extension for advanced learners:

  • Challenge to create a short story or oral explanation about their kaitiaki’s special powers and why they are important.
  • Make a simple digital slideshow about caring for different environments using images and text.

• Dyslexia-friendly options:

  • Oral instructions repeated and paired with pictures.
  • Provide printed story summaries with clear fonts and spacing.
  • Allow verbal sharing instead of written work.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe student participation and engagement in activities and discussion.
• Listen to students’ explanations of what kaitiaki means and how they can care for living things.
• Review digital guardian designs or drawings for understanding of concepts.
• Reflective oral or visual statements about personal role as kaitiaki.

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30 Interactive Activities Summary (Grouped for Time Efficiency)

Type	Number of Activities
Nature exploration & collecting	6 (e.g., collecting leaves, stones, natural objects in different contexts)
Drawing/design	6 (digital and paper-based guardian creations)
Discussion & brainstorming	6 (whole group or small group idea sharing, story response)
Role-play and drama	4 (acting as guardians, protecting environments)
Storytelling & listening	3 (Māori environmental stories, karakia)
Reflection & sharing	5 (explaining guardians, personal connections, group sharing)

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This lesson aligns holistically with the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa framework by focusing on nurturing wonder for living things, fostering kaitiakitanga, and embedding customary Māori perspectives on environmental guardianship. The mix of tactile, oral, visual, and digital activities respects diverse learning needs, and the focus on Māori language and values positions tamariki as active guardians of te taiao (the environment) in culturally authentic ways.

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If needed, I can also provide a version tailored for older Year levels (4-8 or 9-13) focusing on different strands of Technology learning within Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.