Life Before Colonization

Overview

This lesson continues the unit “Exploring Early NZ History” by investigating what everyday life for Māori people was like before European settlers arrived. Students will use stories, pictures, and guided discussion to explore food, shelter, and social connections, building understanding of the past and where we come from.

Learning intentions

• WALT investigate everyday life for Māori before European settlers, focusing on food, shelter, and social structures.
• WALT use simple time ideas (e.g., “before”) to talk about the past compared with today.
• WALT share observations and ideas respectfully using sentence starters.
• WALT place ideas from stories into a simple sequence (first/then).

Success criteria

• I can name at least two everyday things Māori people used for food.
• I can describe how Māori shelter could be made for people to live in (e.g., temporary or permanent homes).
• I can explain one way Māori communities were connected (e.g., family/tribe/hapū or shared responsibilities).
• I can talk about “before European settlers” using clear words and pictures.

Curriculum links

• History — New Zealand History: where we come from (understanding that New Zealand hasn’t always had people living here, and that ancestors came from somewhere else).
• History — Past and present: learning through stories about the distant past in New Zealand and links to understanding change over time.
• History — time markers: using general time markers and simple sequencing (first/then) to talk about when things happened.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome & hook. Teacher shows 3 image cards (food, shelter, people/community) labelled only with picture cues and the words “Before settlers”. Students do a quick think-pair-share: “What do you notice? What do you wonder?”

2. 5–12 min · Story listening (teacher read-aloud). Teacher reads a short, student-friendly story about Māori everyday life before European settlers (food gathering/cooking, home life, community responsibilities) and pauses to point to the picture cards. Students track with their finger and whisper one “important thing I heard” to a partner.

3. 12–20 min · Mini investigation: food. Teacher introduces an “evidence table” with 5–6 food picture clues (e.g., plants/harvest, fishing imagery) and one sentence frame: “I think Māori people had ____ for food because ____.” Students in groups of 3 sort the food clues into “used for food” and “not sure yet”, then choose one clue to explain with the sentence frame.

4. 20–27 min · Mini investigation: shelter. Teacher shows shelter picture clues (home types and materials shown in simple visuals) and asks: “What might help people live safely and comfortably?” Students choose one shelter card, then complete a quick class graphic organiser: “Shelter helps people to ____ (stay safe/dry/warm/at home).”

5. 27–35 min · Social structure through community. Teacher uses a simple diagram on the board: circles for “whānau/family”, “community”, “shared responsibilities”. Teacher asks guiding questions: “Who do people belong with? How might people work together?” Students match 3 community picture prompts to the circles (e.g., sharing food, helping others, gathering together) and share one connection.

6. 35–41 min · Timeline talk (first/then). Teacher makes a simple two-part timeline strip: “Today” and “Before settlers”. Students place the “food/shelter/community” picture cards under the correct heading, then answer one oral question: “What is the same/different from today?”

7. 41–45 min · Exit ticket: show your learning. Students draw or circle: 1 food idea + 1 shelter idea + 1 community idea, then write (or dictate to teacher/TA) one sentence using a starter: “Before European settlers, Māori people…” Teacher collects for quick checks.

Resources

• Picture cards: food clues, shelter clues, community/people prompts (large and small versions)
• Evidence table graphic (food/sorting headings)
• Simple two-part timeline strip (“Today” / “Before settlers”)
• Student sentence starters (printed or displayed): “I think… because…”, “Shelter helps people to…”
• Class whiteboard or chart paper and markers
• Group mats/clipboards for sorting
• Exit ticket slips (or half-page response sheets)
• Visual cues for expectations (listen, share, respectful voice)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during story listening: who can name an everyday feature they heard (food/shelter/community).
• During group sorting: check students’ explanations using sentence starters and whether they place cards under “Before settlers” appropriately.
• Exit ticket review: identify whether students meet the success criteria (at least two food ideas, one shelter idea, one community connection, and use of “before settlers”).

Differentiation

• Support: provide more picture choices for students who need reduced language load; use sentence starters and teacher modelling for each investigation.
• Support: allow students to point, circle, or dictate responses for the exit ticket; pair confident speakers with those needing help.
• Extension: challenge students to compare with today by adding a second sentence: “Today we ____ instead of ____.” (keep focus on respectful, simple comparison)
• EAL/SEN: pre-teach key words with gestures on the board (food, shelter, community, before). Maintain consistent routines for sorting and sharing.