Ke Te Pēhea Koe?

Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Learning Languages
Language Targeted: Te Reo Māori
Level: Curriculum Level 4 (Aligned with Year 8 of the New Zealand Curriculum)
Big Idea Focus:

• Languages and cultures are inseparable.
• Learning another language provides new ways of thinking and understanding different people, cultures, and identities.

Key Competencies:

• Relating to others – Understanding and expressing emotions through te reo Māori.
• Using language, symbols and texts – Reading, interpreting and using emotion-related vocabulary.
• Participating and contributing – Working in pairs, co-constructing meaning, and engaging with Māori language and culture.

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Lesson Overview

Topic: Emotions in Te Reo Māori
Focus: Matching te reo Māori emotional vocabulary with English equivalents.
Time: 30 minutes
Class Size: 21 Year 8 students
Learning Objectives:

• Recognise and understand basic Māori phrases and words related to emotions.
• Use te reo Māori to describe feelings.
• Work collaboratively to decode and match emotional vocabulary in both languages.

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Resources Needed

• Printed vocabulary cards (21 matching pairs – one side te reo Māori, one side English)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Emotions chart (printed or projected)
• Timer or stopwatch
• Audio clips of Māori speakers pronouncing key phrases (optional for teacher use)
• Ka pai! (Well done!) reward stickers or small tokens to boost engagement

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Mihi & Karakia Timatanga (3 minutes)

• Begin with a short informal mihi to welcome students and establish a positive tone.
• Optional Karakia: "Whakataka te hau…" – to set intentions for the learning space.

2. Warm-up: Kei te pēhea koe? (5 minutes)

• Introduce the key phrase:
  "Kei te pēhea koe?" – How are you?

• Call and response format with a few example answers:

  • Kei te ngenge ahau – I am tired
  • Kei te harikoa ahau – I am happy
  • Kei te hōhā ahau – I am annoyed
  • Kei te pōuri ahau – I am sad
  • Kei te āmaimai ahau – I am nervous

• Use facial expressions and mime to reinforce meanings.

• Ask a few brave volunteers to tell the class how they’re feeling using a phrase from the set.

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3. Pair Activity: Memory Match-Up (12 minutes)

Prepare beforehand: Create 21 pairs of cards. Each pair has:

• One card with an emotion in te reo Māori (e.g. harikoa)
• One with the matching English word (e.g. happy)

Instructions:

• Divide students into 10 pairs (leave one group of 3).
• Spread matched sets upside down on desks or on the floor.
• Each group takes turns flipping two cards to try to find matching pairs of emotion words in Māori and English.
• When a pair is found, the group must pronounce the Māori word correctly to keep it.
• Groups keep turning until all cards are matched correctly.

Extension:

• If time allows, challenge groups to use the Māori emotion word in a full sentence, e.g.
  Kei te pōuri ahau i te kore kai i taku pouaka kai.
  (I am sad because there is no food in my lunchbox.)

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4. Interactive Wrap-Up: 'Emoji Wall' and Ako Time (7 minutes)

Emoji Wall (3 minutes):

• Set up a board or wall space with printed emoji illustrations showing different emotions.
• Ask each student to choose the emoji that reflects how they feel now (using magnets or a sticker) and respond in te reo:
  “Kei te (emotion) ahau.”

Then brief Ako Time (4 minutes – group sharing):

• Invite a few students to share one new word they learnt and one sentence they formed.
• Reflect briefly as a class:
  How does it feel using Māori language to express emotions?
  Why is it important to know how other languages describe how we feel?

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Teacher Notes & Differentiation

• Support ākonga by pre-teaching pronunciation for students who struggle with te reo sounds.
• Mixed-ability pairs help students scaffold each other's knowledge.
• For students who require extra support, assign a visual support guide with emotion word illustrations and translations.
• To stretch confident learners, allow them to explain a time they felt an emotion and try describing it in full te reo.

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

• Informal oral assessment during:
  • Pair activity (listening to pronunciation)
  • Wrap-up discussion (sentence construction)
• Observe confidence and fluency through class responses.

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Homework / Next Steps

• Encourage students to use at least one Māori emotion phrase with a whānau member at home.
• Extension writing task: Write a short emotional diary entry in te reo Māori (can mix with English if needed) to use in next Te Reo class.

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Reflection Prompt for Teacher

• Did students engage with the vocabulary actively?
• Which students demonstrated increased confidence in using te reo Māori?
• How could you scaffold the next step – simple dialogue or role-play situations?

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“Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori.”
The language is the life essence of Māori authority. – Emphasise that every new word learnt is a step toward understanding and respecting te ao Māori.