Magical Forest Friends

Curriculum Area

Learning Area: English
Curriculum Levels: Te Whāriki – Early Childhood Curriculum (Strand 4: Communication | Mana Reo)
Focus Area: Oral language and early writing – Expressing ideas through stories, discussion, and simple written forms.

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WALT

We Are Learning To:

• Use our words and pictures to describe animals that live in the ngahere (forest).
• Explore Tāne Mahuta’s tamariki (animal children) and how we can report things we know about them.

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Success Criteria

By the end of this activity, students will be able to:
✔ Verbally describe at least one forest animal using two simple facts (e.g., what it eats, where it lives).
✔ Contribute ideas to a shared group report about forest animals.
✔ Use drawing and early writing symbols to share ideas.

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Duration

Total time: 20 minutes
Group size: 8 children

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Materials Needed

• Visual cards of native New Zealand forest animals (kererū, tūī, kiwi, pekapeka, wētā, etc.)
• Felt board or magnetic storytelling board
• Large chart paper and marker (teacher-led shared writing)
• Small individual whiteboards or clipboards with paper
• Chunky crayons, markers, or pencils
• Dyslexia-friendly picture word cards with visual prompts (e.g., image of kiwi with “kiwi” written in OpenDyslexic font)
• Tactile and sensory aids (e.g., feather, leaf, bark)
• Māori kupu word strip cards (e.g., “ngahere”, “tamariki”, “kararehe”, “rākau”)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Karakia and Mihimihi (2 mins)

Welcome tamariki with a karakia and mihimihi to bring focus and calm before learning.

“Nau mai e ngā tamariki, he haerenga hōu e tatari ana i te ngahere!”

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2. Story Spark – Tāne Mahuta and His Tamariki (3 mins)

Tell a short oral story about Tāne Mahuta and his animal tamariki. Use a felt/magnetic board while introducing animals found in the ngahere (using te reo Māori and English):

“Tāne Mahuta lives in the ngahere. In his forest, there are many tamariki. The kererū flies through the trees. The wētā hides under the log. Let's learn about these magical forest friends today!”

Encourage tamariki to name the animals aloud as they appear.

🧠 Differentiation tip: Include tactile objects to match each animal (feather for kererū, twig for insect homes).

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3. Group Brainstorm – What Do We Know? (5 mins)

Using picture prompts, guide children to co-construct simple facts about each animal on a large chart. Model basic report language:

"This is a kiwi. It is a bird. It has no wings to fly. It comes out at night."

Encourage contributions:

• Encourage verbal ideas with prompts: “What do you remember about the tūī?”
• Use sentence starters: “The ___ is a ___.” “It lives in the ___.”

🧠 Dyslexia support: Use visual cues and read back sentences slowly in clear, unhurried tones.

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4. Creative Expression – My Forest Friend Report (7 mins)

Each child chooses one animal to create a mini-report page:

On a drawing board or paper:

• Draw their forest animal
• Add early writing marks or copied word from the dyslexia-friendly cards (e.g., “kiwi”, “in ngahere”)

Support learners by:

• Scribing sentences for emergent writers: “My animal is a tui. It eats nectar.”
• Providing scaffold strips: [Animal image] + “lives in the ngahere.”

🧠 Extension for advanced learners:
Invite tamariki to describe sounds or actions:

“The tūī can sing. The wētā can jump.”

🧠 Support for diverse learners:
Offer one-on-one prompting, repetition, or alternative communication (pointing/selecting picture cues).

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5. Sharing and Circle Praise (3 mins)

Gather in a circle. Each child shares their page or drawing. Encourage praise using te reo Māori:

“Tino pai tō mahi – what a great forest friend!”
“Ka rawe! You remembered where the pekapeka sleeps!”

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Extension Ideas

📘 Create a Class Book
Bind all drawings and scribed stories into “Tāne Mahuta’s Tamariki – Our Forest Book” and keep on display for tamariki to revisit.

📗 Forest Role-Play Corner
Set up a nature area where students can pretend to be animals of the ngahere with simple costumes and natural objects.

🧩 Science Integration
Explore real animal calls (kiwi, ruru, tūī) in a later session and identify habitats using real leaves, bark, and moss.

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Reflections for Teachers

• What ideas did tamariki find most engaging?
• Who showed interest in expression through drawing or speaking?
• Which animals were new and sparked excitement?

🔍 Consider repeating the session with a new set of ngā tamariki a Tāne Mahuta and focusing on comparison next time.

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Next Steps

In the following session, tamariki can explore contrasts between farm animals and forest animals (home, food, appearance), building on this foundational knowledge of describing and reporting.

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Ka pai tō mahi! Our tamariki are now storytellers, scientists, and kaitiaki of our ngahere! 🌿🦉🖍️