Journey With Māui

Drama Lesson Plan for Year 5

Curriculum Area: The Arts – Drama
Level: Level 3 of The New Zealand Curriculum
Learning Time: 60 minutes
Class Size: 60 students

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🧭 Big Idea

Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua – Drama is influenced by whakapapa and is a way to respond to and share identity, culture, and perspectives.
Drama can reconnect ākonga (students) with pūrākau (stories) that inform our collective past and allow them to express understanding through embodiment, team collaboration, and storytelling.

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🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, students will:

• Explore and embody different characters and scenes from the Māori legend "Māui and the Sun"
• Develop empathy and understanding of Māui’s culture and kaupapa (purpose)
• Use movement, voice, space, and role to convey ideas and story
• Collaborate respectfully and responsively with peers (kotahitanga and whanaungatanga)
• Reflect on their own dramatic work and that of others

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🛠️ Key Competencies

• Thinking: Explore how the actions of Māui and his whānau had a purpose and impact
• Relating to Others: Collaborate in scenes, listen to others' ideas, respond creatively
• Using Language, Symbols and Texts: Communicate meaning using dramatic conventions
• Participating and Contributing: Build group kawa (rituals and ways of working), demonstrate manaakitanga for others’ performances

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🎭 Introduction (10 minutes)

Welcome and Warm Up (5 mins):

• Karakia mō te ata (Morning blessing)
• Whole class joins in a movement-based warm-up using the sun and shadows imagery: growing from small (rising sun) to big (midday strength)

Story Introduction (5 mins):

• Teacher tells or plays an engaging short retelling of "Māui and the Sun" (can be oral storytelling with pūrākau illustrations or taonga pūoro music in the background)
• Prompt questions:
  • “Why did Māui want to slow the sun?”
  • “How do you think the sun felt?”
  • “Who helped Māui?”

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🧩 Main Activity (45 minutes)

🌞 Scene-Based Drama Creation – 10 Scenes

Students are split into 10 groups of 6 students (can be mixed ability). Each group is assigned one scene and given structured role descriptions and tasks.

Each group will get 3 minutes to perform and 2 minutes of preparation time overlap as scenes transition.

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🔟 Scene Descriptions:

1. The Lazy Sun

   • Role-play the struggle of people trying to live their daily lives as the sun streaks too fast across the sky.
   • Roles: Farmer, fisherman, tamariki, frustrated kuia

2. Māui’s Big Idea

   • Māui notices the problem and gathers his whānau to share a plan to slow the sun.
   • Roles: Māui, older siblings, grandmother, questioning villagers

3. Gathering the Harakeke

   • Māui and his brothers gather harakeke plants to braid into ropes.
   • Roles: Spinners, weavers, rope testers, tree climbers

4. Tane Mahuta’s Forest

   • Māui and his brothers walk silently through the forest asking Tane for protection.
   • Use movement and soundscape to create the forest's presence.
   • Roles: Trees, birds, wind, brothers, Tane voice

5. The Journey to the East

   • The group travels to the edge of the world, facing wind, rain, thunder.
   • Movement-based scene with crossing different terrains

6. Finding the Sun’s Cave

   • Māui and his team find the Sun sleeping. They sneak closer with braided ropes.
   • Focus on stealth and whispered voices

7. The Capture

   • With precision and strength, the brothers trap the sun using crafted ropes.
   • Physical focus on freeze frames and teamwork

8. The Angry Sun

   • The Sun awakens and tries to escape. The ropes begin to burn.
   • Use levels, voice projection and resistance movement

9. Māui’s Plea

   • Māui negotiates with the Sun, explaining the suffering of the people.
   • Roles: Māui (emotive), Sun (hot-tempered), brothers, villagers

10. The New Day

• The Sun accepts and begins to move more slowly. The villagers rejoice.
• Everyone celebrates with haka, poi movement, or a group chant

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🎶 Drama Techniques Focus:

• Tableau (still image)
• Slow motion
• Soundscape
• Thought-tracking (inner monologue from characters)
• Role on the wall (identify emotions and motivations)

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🔁 Wrap Up & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Recap: “What did Māui teach us today?”
• Quickfire circle share: Each student gives one word to describe their scene or character.
• Assess based on participation, teamwork, and creative offers
• Optional: Students draw their favourite part and explain who their character was

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📝 Assessment for Learning

Formative assessment based on:

• Engagement in devised role-play
• Evidence of cooperation (kotahitanga / whanaungatanga)
• Use of drama elements to express story and character
• Reflection and contribution during final sharing

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💡 Teacher Notes

• This lesson can act as a springboard for a longer unit of inquiry into pūrākau, tikanga Māori and climate/time, or be followed by a visual art unit designing masks/costumes
• Consider involving kaumātua or local iwi for deeper cultural connection
• Adapt groups for support learners by adding narrators or kaiāwhina/shared roles

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🌱 Opportunities for Next Learning

• Compose a class script and rehearse over multiple weeks for whānau performance
• Explore other heroic figures in Māori myths (e.g. Tāwhaki, Rata)
• Integrate Te Reo Māori vocabulary within drama scripts

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📚 Curriculum Links

The Arts – Drama (NZC Level 3):

• Developing Practical Knowledge: Develop understanding of drama techniques in a range of contexts
• Developing Ideas: Initiate and refine ideas using drama elements
• Communicating and Interpreting: Present drama pieces and respond to others’ work

Values in Action:

• Respect, excellence, diversity, community and participation

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This bold, collaborative retelling of Māui and the Sun brings mātauranga Māori and creative expression into the heart of learning — a journey of voice, movement, and connection.