Kaitiakitanga Ako

Overview

This 90-minute Social Sciences lesson for Year 3–4 learners focuses on how people and laws shape learning in schools (educational policy impacts) and what learning support looks like in a kura. It follows Te Marautanga o Aotearoa by centring Mātauranga Māori, tikanga, and connection to school community (whakapapa/whanaungatanga) through panui (reading), haere (talking/observing), and tuhituhi (writing), supported with visual and structured routines.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• WALT identify one example of educational policy and explain how it can change school/classroom practices.
• WALT describe learning support in a kura and name key components (e.g., identification, planning, targeted support, review).
• WALT explain support features for two learning disability types and how kura/school teams respond.
• WALT demonstrate learning using panui haere and tuhituhi (shared reading, discussion prompts, and sentence responses).

Success criteria

I can …

• tell about a school/classroom change caused by a policy (with a simple reason).
• describe learning support steps: notice → plan → help → check/review.
• name two learning disability types and one support system for each (e.g., adjustments, strategies, specialist input).
• participate in panui haere and produce a short tuhituhi response using a writing scaffold.

Curriculum links

• Te Ao Māori (Mātauranga Māori, tikanga, and whanaungatanga): students connect learning support to caring for people and community.
• Social Sciences (people, places, institutions, and systems): learners begin to understand how policies affect school life.
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa framework expectations: learner agency through discussion and shared meaning-making; formative assessment through oral and written evidence.

Lesson structure (90 minutes total)

1. 0–10 min · Karakia & whakataukī hook. Teacher greets in te reo Māori, recites a short karakia, then displays a whakataukī about learning and caring for others; students repeat key phrases and point to images.
2. 10–25 min · Panui (shared reading). Teacher reads a short, kura-appropriate text (big book/print) titled “Mauri Ako—How School Helps Us,” highlighting vocabulary with picture cards; students track with a finger and circle an animal/learning-support picture.

• Success criteria check: students can point to “help” and “school.”

3. 25–40 min · Haere (discussion stations). Students rotate through 3 picture stations: (a) policy sign/notice, (b) learning support plan, (c) adjustments in class (seating, visuals, extra time). Teacher prompts with talk frames:

• “I notice…”
• “This might happen because…”
• “A learner might need…”
• Success criteria check: each student contributes one spoken idea.

4. 40–65 min · Direct teaching (mini-lesson with examples). Teacher explains, using simple class story examples:

• Educational policy impacts: attendance expectations, learning support processes, classroom assessment practices, culturally responsive approaches.
• Learning support within kura: identification, learning plan, targeted teaching, accommodations, monitoring, and review with whānau and specialists when needed.
• Two learning disabilities (age-appropriate explanation):
• Reading difficulty (dyslexia-like): support systems such as phonics/structured literacy, explicit decoding practice, multisensory activities, reduced print load with continued access to content, and frequent progress checks.
• Attention/learning regulation difficulty (ADHD-like features): support systems such as clear routines, movement breaks, visual timetables, chunked tasks, preferential seating, and consistent feedback. Teacher uses animal-themed examples: “The Kiwi needs a map (visual plan)” and “The Tui needs slow, clear sound steps (reading support).”
• Success criteria check: students can name one support step (notice/plan/help/check).

5. 65–80 min · Tuhituhi (scaffolded writing). Students complete a “Tino Pai Ako” worksheet:

• Sentence stem 1: “A policy can change our classroom by ______.”
• Sentence stem 2: “Learning support helps by ______.”
• Sentence stem 3: “For reading difficulty, support could be ______.”
• Sentence stem 4: “For attention difficulty, support could be ______.” Teacher models writing on the board, then supports with line guides and picture word bank (animal icons included).
• Success criteria check: at least 3 completed stems with understandable meaning.

6. 80–90 min · Exit share & formative assessment. Each student shares one sentence (or reads with teacher help). Teacher notes understanding and gives one “next step” prompt.

• Quick exit question: “What is the first step in learning support?”

Resources

• Big book/print text: “Mauri Ako—How School Helps Us” (teacher-created)
• Picture cards for panui haere: policy notice, support plan, adjustments, whānau meeting
• Animal-themed icons (kiwi/tui/caring hands)
• Talk frames (printed)
• Tuhituhi worksheet with sentence starters and picture word bank
• Coloured pencils, writing guides/line boxes
• Visual timetable chart
• Timer and station labels

Assessment

• Formative: observation during station talks (participation and accuracy of ideas).
• Formative: teacher collects tuhituhi worksheet to check policy impact, learning support steps, and two disability-support links.
• Exit share: one-sentence oral response to “first step” question.

Differentiation

• Support: sentence starters, picture word bank, reduced writing load option (circle/trace + one sentence).
• Support: quiet corner with sensory tools (fidget/weighted cushion) and movement break schedule.
• Extension: for students who finish early, add “One adjustment we could try tomorrow is…” with teacher conferencing.
• EAL/SEN: allow oral responses first, then copy best sentence; accept partially correct spelling while focusing on meaning.

Learning Support & Policy Report Request (assignment support)

I can also provide the requested 500-word written report for a Year 13 Social Sciences teaching degree assignment in the style you described, separately from this kura lesson plan. Please confirm whether you want it written in Te Mātaiaho “Year 13 Social Sciences” tone (more academic) and whether you want the two disabilities framed as dyslexia-like and ADHD-like features, or named using your course terminology.