He Manu Tēnei

Overview

In this 30-minute Rumaki Māori session, ākonga identify and describe native birds of Aotearoa through waiata, gestures, listening and paired speaking. The lesson develops familiar sentence patterns while acknowledging manu as taonga and inviting local iwi or community knowledge where appropriate.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify selected manu nō Aotearoa.
• WALT listen for and pronounce kupu hou accurately.
• WALT ask and answer simple questions about a manu.
• WALT describe a manu using colour, body parts and actions.

Success criteria

• I can name at least four manu.
• I can use “He aha tēnei manu?” and answer “He … tēnei.”
• I can describe colour or an action using “He … te tae” or “Ka taea e ia te …”.
• I can listen respectfully and speak clearly with a partner.

Curriculum links

• Te Reo Māori introduction: meaningful learning connected with maramataka, local mātauranga Māori and Māori worldviews.
• Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge: instructions and interactions are clear, purposeful, polite and respectful of relationships and place.
• Receptive skills – Pānui: understanding familiar written language and beginning to use texts containing some unfamiliar language.
• Pāhekoheko: communicating information on the spot in contexts connected to self, others and the immediate environment.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Whakatau and hook. Teacher welcomes the class with a brief greeting, explains that manu are taonga with important relationships to whenua, and opens the opening bird image and question: “He aha ngā manu e mōhio ana koutou?” Students silently observe the image, share a known bird name with a partner, then contribute ideas. Acknowledge local names, stories or knowledge shared by whānau and mana whenua, without treating Māori names as disconnected vocabulary.

2. 4–9 min · Waiata and pronunciation echo. Teacher leads a short, familiar manu-themed waiata or rhythmic chant using the target words, then models vowel sounds and syllables. Students echo in whole class, rows and pairs, using gestures for each word. Practise: manu, kererū, kiwi, tūī, pīwakawaka, kārearea, kākāpō, ruru, tara, parirau, ngutu, huruhuru, rere, kauhoe, noho. Emphasise macrons, clear vowel sounds and natural rhythm rather than speed.

3. 9–14 min · Picture and gesture matching. Teacher displays bird photographs or illustrations and body-part/action images in the labelled manu and matching slides. Model one example: “He kererū tēnei. He aha te tae? He mā, he kākāriki te tae. Ka taea e ia te rere.” Students work in small groups to match names, gestures and descriptions, using a worksheet as a visual reference: Distribute the manu identification and speaking mat. Groups check answers orally; the teacher confirms pronunciation and corrects gently by recasting.

4. 14–22 min · Pair speaking practice. Teacher demonstrates the speaking routine with a confident student and leaves the sentence-pattern practice slide visible. Partner A points to a bird and asks, “He aha tēnei manu?” Partner B answers, “He ___ tēnei.” Partner A asks, “He aha te tae?” Partner B answers, “He ___ te tae.” Partners then add one action or feature: “Ka taea e ia te rere/kauhoe/noho,” or “He nui ōna parirau/ngutu/huruhuru.” Students swap roles and practise with at least three manu. Encourage “Tēnā koa” when requesting help and “Ka pai” when responding.

5. 22–27 min · Listen, identify and describe. Teacher reads or says four short descriptions, varying familiar and slightly unfamiliar language, for example: “He manu tēnei. He pango te tae. Ka taea e ia te rere.” Students point to the matching bird on the manu identification and speaking mat and quietly rehearse the answer with a partner. Invite several pairs to say a complete response. For challenge, students add two features or explain which clue helped them.

6. 27–30 min · Exit check and closing. Teacher asks each student to show understanding to a partner or quietly to the teacher: name one manu, answer one question, and say one feature or action. Students complete the final box on the manu identification and speaking mat by drawing or circling a bird and orally saying one sentence. Close with a brief repeat of the waiata and thank students for caring for manu and listening respectfully.

Resources

• the native birds speaking deck
• the manu identification and speaking mat
• Bird photographs or illustrations, including locally relevant manu where possible
• Whiteboard and markers
• Audio or teacher voice for the waiata
• Optional local iwi, whānau or community information about manu
• Space for paired speaking and gesture work

Assessment

• Listen during echo practice for macrons, vowel clarity and accurate pronunciation of manu names.
• During pair work, check whether students ask and answer using the target sentence patterns and can identify a bird from spoken clues.
• Use the final oral check and worksheet response to record who can name a manu, describe a feature and use an action sentence; note students needing further modelling.

Differentiation

• Support learners with photographs, gestures, a word bank, colour icons and sentence frames: “He ___ tēnei,” “He ___ te tae,” and “Ka taea e ia te ___.”
• Allow students to rehearse with a supportive partner, point before speaking, or give a one-word response before extending it into a sentence.
• Extend confident speakers by asking them to use two descriptors, compare two manu, or include “He nui/he iti” and “He roa/he poto.”
• For EAL and students needing additional support, preview meanings in English, slow the oral model, repeat consistently and accept drawing, pointing and oral responses as evidence of understanding.