Introducing Māori Storytelling

Overview

In this first lesson of the 20-lesson unit White Lies: Stories and Themes, students build shared background knowledge about myths, legends, fairytales, and Māori pūrākau. They compare the purposes of traditional stories across cultures and co-construct expectations for discussing cultural texts respectfully.

Learning intentions

• WALT distinguish between myths, legends, fairytales, and pūrākau.
• WALT identify purposes traditional stories can serve in different cultures.
• WALT discuss cultural stories respectfully, avoiding assumptions and treating knowledge as context-dependent.
• WALT contribute ideas that will help us explore themes throughout this unit.

Success criteria

• I can explain at least one purpose of a traditional story.
• I can use the term pūrākau appropriately and explain why it should not simply be treated as a synonym for “myth”.
• I can compare stories without claiming that one culture’s traditions are the same as another’s.
• I can follow our agreed expectations for respectful discussion.

Curriculum links

• English — meaningful engagement with short stories, including texts from around the world and texts with lasting influence on how people understand key ideas.
• Language Studies — planning and organising ideas effectively for audience and purpose.
• Language Studies — planning and developing ideas for visual and digital texts.
• The New Zealand Curriculum values and key competencies — respect, participation, relating to others, managing self, and thinking.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Teacher displays a striking image representing a journey or transformation and asks, “Why do communities keep telling stories that began long ago?” Open with the opening question and visual. Students complete a silent think, then share one idea with a partner; invite two or three responses without evaluating them yet.

2. 4–10 min · Build shared vocabulary. Teacher uses the story-terms overview to introduce myth, legend, fairytale, and pūrākau. Explain that these labels come from particular traditions and are not interchangeable: pūrākau can refer to Māori narratives that carry knowledge, values, history, identity, relationships, and explanations of the world. Emphasise that Māori stories are diverse, iwi and hapū contexts matter, and students should not assume one version represents all Māori. Students record a brief definition and one possible purpose for each term on the story-purpose notes sheet.

3. 10–17 min · Compare purposes, not cultures. Teacher presents short, age-appropriate descriptions of three familiar story types on the comparison examples—for example, a creation narrative, a local legend, and a fairytale—without reducing any Māori narrative to a plot summary or claiming a single “Māori mythology”. Students work in groups of four to identify possible purposes, such as explaining relationships with the natural world, preserving knowledge, expressing values, entertaining, warning, or strengthening identity. Each group chooses two purposes and explains what evidence in the description supports them.

4. 17–23 min · Respectful discussion expectations. Teacher asks, “What do we need to do when studying stories connected to people’s identity, whakapapa, spirituality, or whenua?” Record suggestions on the board and use the respectful discussion prompts to establish three expectations: listen without interrupting; use cautious language such as “this version suggests” or “I understand”; and ask questions to learn rather than to challenge or mock. Students add one expectation and one sentence starter to their worksheet. Useful starters include: “I notice…”, “This may be important because…”, “In the version we have studied…”, and “Can you explain what you mean?”

5. 23–28 min · Individual synthesis. Teacher directs students to the final section of the purpose-and-respect response sheet and displays the synthesis question: “What can a traditional story do for a community, and what responsibilities do readers have?” Students write a short response using one vocabulary term and one respectful discussion starter. Circulate, checking that students distinguish purpose from plot and do not make sweeping cultural claims.

6. 28–30 min · Share and exit check. Teacher invites two students to read a strong sentence, then returns to the plenary and exit questions. Students complete the worksheet exit check: define pūrākau in their own words, name one purpose of traditional stories, and write one discussion expectation they will use next lesson. Collect responses to identify misconceptions before introducing the first short story.

Resources

• the Introducing Māori Storytelling slide deck
• the story-purpose notes and reflection sheet
• Whiteboard or shared digital board
• Projector or interactive display
• Pens or pencils
• An approved, culturally appropriate image for the opening slide

Assessment

• Listen during pair and group discussion for accurate use of pūrākau, myth, legend, and fairytale.
• Check worksheet definitions and group explanations for understanding that stories may serve several purposes and that cultural contexts differ.
• Use the exit check to identify students who need further clarification about respectful language, cultural specificity, or the difference between a story’s purpose and its plot.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank and sentence starters on the worksheet; read key definitions aloud and allow students to rehearse responses with a partner before writing.
• For EAL learners, pair each term with a simple explanation and visual symbol; accept oral responses recorded by the teacher or digitally where writing is a barrier.
• For students requiring additional support, provide a partially completed example and a choice of purposes to select before explaining one.
• Challenge confident students to explain how the same story might serve more than one audience or purpose, while carefully distinguishing evidence from personal assumption.
• Avoid requiring students to disclose personal cultural knowledge. Acknowledge that some narratives are shared only in particular contexts and that the class will use approved texts and sources.