Kia Tū, Kia Rere

Overview

Students are introduced to the purpose, key concepts and basic skills of Ki-o-Rahi through modified games. They develop safe movement, passing, evasion and communication while beginning to understand how game roles, space and teamwork contribute to successful performance.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand the basic aim, roles and safe practices of Ki-o-Rahi
• practise passing, receiving, evading and moving into space
• use communication and simple attacking and defending strategies
• reflect on how teamwork and respectful participation support performance

Success criteria

• I can explain the purpose of the tupu, pou and ki.
• I can pass and receive safely using control and awareness.
• I can move into space and communicate with my team.
• I can describe one strategy that helped my team attack or defend.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education — Physical Education: developing movement skills and applying them in a game context
• Health and Physical Education — Physical Education: using practices such as spatial awareness, communication, decision-making and teamwork
• Personal exercise plan: reflecting on performance and identifying achievable next steps
• Health and Physical Education — hauora and relationships: participating safely, respectfully and cooperatively

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and cultural context. Teacher gathers students on the boundary, introduces Ki-o-Rahi as a Māori team game, explains that the lesson will focus on learning, respect and safe participation, and opens with the opening question and Ki-o-Rahi overview. Students listen, identify anything they already know, and agree to the class expectations: whakamana others, play fairly, communicate positively and stop immediately on the whistle.

2. 5–10 min · Set-up and safety briefing. Teacher shows the field layout and equipment on the field diagram, roles and safety instructions, explaining the ki, tupu, pou and the two broad roles: kīoma and taniwha. Establish no-contact rules for this introductory lesson: no grabbing, blocking with the body, sliding or throwing at people; students must keep their heads up and pass below shoulder height. Students walk through the playing area, practise stopping on the whistle and form four teams of seven.

3. 10–18 min · Skill warm-up. Teacher leads a dynamic warm-up, then runs pairs through passing, receiving and evasion tasks, using the skill demonstration and practice prompts. Students jog, change direction and complete chest passes, bounce passes and soft catches with a partner before adding a change of direction. Challenge students to pass, call a teammate’s name and move immediately into open space; developing players may shorten the distance or use a stationary receiver.

4. 18–28 min · Skill challenge: pass and support. Teacher creates four lanes and explains the activity using the pass-and-support challenge instructions. In groups of seven, one player carries the ki while teammates create passing options; the group attempts to complete five controlled passes without the ki touching the ground. A defender applies light shadow pressure but cannot intercept until the teacher signals. Students rotate the kioma, defender and support roles, focusing on accurate passing, calling early and moving after each pass. Pause briefly to ask: “Where should you move when your teammate has the ki?”

5. 28–43 min · Modified Ki-o-Rahi games. Teacher sets up two small-sided games, each with 14 students, and uses the modified game rules and rotation instructions. Teams score one point for completing a set number of passes and one point for reaching a designated scoring area; they score an additional point for tagging a pou with the ki under control. Players may intercept passes but may not make physical contact. After four minutes, teams rotate roles or opponents. Teacher observes safe movement, passing choices, support play and communication, stopping play for one coaching point between rounds.

6. 43–50 min · Cool-down and reflection. Teacher leads slow walking, breathing and mobility exercises, then displays the reflection questions and exit prompt and distributes the Ki-o-Rahi skills and teamwork reflection sheet. Students individually record one skill they used, one effective team strategy, one safety or respect example, and one achievable focus for the next lesson. Invite two or three students to share, then collect the sheets as they leave.

Resources

• Ki, soft balls or suitable rugby-sized balls
• Pou markers or cones
• Tupu marker or central cone
• Cones for two small-sided playing areas
• Coloured bibs for four teams
• Whistle and stopwatch
• Ki-o-Rahi introduction and activity deck
• Ki-o-Rahi skills and teamwork reflection sheet
• First-aid kit and water access

Assessment

• During the warm-up and passing challenge, check whether students control the ki, pass safely, move after passing and communicate with teammates.
• During games, observe one student from each team for spatial awareness, fair play, role participation and decision-making; give specific feedback between rounds.
• Use the reflection sheet to assess understanding of the game concepts and each student’s ability to identify a realistic next step.

Differentiation

• Support students by reducing passing distances, allowing a bounce before receiving, using a larger softer ball, or assigning a supportive partner and clear role.
• Provide visual demonstrations and repeat instructions in short steps; pair oral explanations with the field diagram for students who benefit from visual processing or language support.
• Offer an active non-playing role such as scorekeeper or coach temporarily for students managing injury, anxiety or fatigue, while maintaining meaningful involvement.
• Extend confident players by requiring three passes before scoring, encouraging off-ball leads, or asking them to coach a teammate using one positive and specific instruction.