Many Ways to Celebrate

Overview

In this third lesson of Remembering Aotearoa Together, students investigate how diverse communities in Aotearoa New Zealand celebrate, observe, support or remember significant days. They build on earlier learning about shared identity and participation, using respectful inquiry to compare purposes, activities and levels of participation.

Learning intentions

• WALT investigate how New Zealand’s diverse communities mark significant days.
• WALT classify events by their purpose.
• WALT describe how people participate in celebrations, observances and awareness days.
• WALT ask and answer respectful questions without making assumptions.

Success criteria

• I can classify an event as cultural or faith-based, seasonal or unofficial, fundraising, or awareness-related.
• I can describe the purpose of an event and how people participate.
• I can identify similarities and differences without saying that everyone in a group does the same thing.
• I can ask or answer a respectful question using evidence from a source.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences — Civics and Society: commemorations and celebrations contribute to a shared identity.
• Social Sciences — Civics and Society: New Zealand’s diverse population leads to many significant days being celebrated.
• English — reading, oral interaction and informative writing.
• Learning Languages — language, culture and intercultural awareness.

The lesson supports the refreshed curriculum’s emphasis on inquiry, belonging, participation, respectful relationships and communicating understanding. It develops the competencies of managing self, relating to others, participating and contributing, and thinking.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: the celebration suitcase. Teacher displays a suitcase containing safe, non-sacred objects or photographs, such as decorations, a poppy, a daffodil image, a greeting card or a coloured ribbon, and asks, “What might this tell us about a significant day?” Teacher explains that objects and stories connected with culture or faith belong to people and communities; teachers must seek permission before sharing cultural knowledge. Students observe, make careful suggestions and distinguish “I notice…” from “I assume…”. Open with the hook and respectful inquiry slides.

2. 5–10 min · Model respectful inquiry. Teacher introduces the four categories: cultural or faith, seasonal or unofficial, fundraising, and awareness-related. Model sorting one example, such as Daffodil Day, and think aloud: “This is fundraising because people collect money to support cancer research.” Model questions such as “What is the purpose?” and “How might some people participate?” Explain that participation is not universal and that personal choices, beliefs and whānau practices differ. Students help classify a second example and practise turning an assumption into a respectful question with a partner. Refer to the Think Pair Share poster for the talk routine.

3. 10–25 min · Station investigation. Teacher places students in five mixed-ability groups of three and assigns roles such as reader/listener, recorder and questioner, using the Group Role Cards. Groups rotate through accessible stations, spending approximately three minutes at each. The stations cover Chinese New Year, Easter, Diwali, Mahayana New Year, Christmas, Ramadan, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Guy Fawkes Night, Halloween, Daffodil Day and Pink Shirt Day. Each station provides a short text, map, image, audio or video, and clearly identifies whether information is community-approved, commonly observed or a general example.

Students complete the significant days inquiry recording sheet by recording the date or season, purpose, common activities, likely participation, and one respectful question. Include a teacher-approved whānau quote, interview or local community contribution, with permission obtained before sharing. Teacher circulates, checks that students select relevant facts, and interrupts stereotypes gently: “Does the source say everyone does this, or does it describe one way some people participate?” Open the station instructions and question prompts during the rotations.

4. 25–35 min · Create a “Many ways” message. Teacher asks each group to choose one investigated event and create a respectful poster or digital slide for an authentic audience, such as another class or whānau. The product must include the event name, category, purpose, one or two participation examples, date or season, and a statement such as “Some people…” or “People may choose to…”. Students create, rehearse and check that their wording does not suggest that every person shares the same belief or practice. Use the poster checklist and audience reminder.

5. 35–41 min · Gallery walk. Teacher displays posters or digital slides and reminds students to move quietly, read carefully and respond to the ideas rather than judging people’s practices. Students leave one sticky-note question or appreciation on another group’s work. Groups then read their feedback and identify one detail they communicated clearly.

6. 41–45 min · Reflection and assessment. Teacher leads a brief review: “How can commemorations and celebrations help people feel they belong?” Students complete the final reflection on the significant days inquiry recording sheet: one new understanding, one respectful question, and one way to help everyone feel included. Students show a traffic-light self-assessment for the three success criteria. Close with the reflection and inclusion prompt.

Resources

• the Many Ways to Celebrate teaching deck
• the significant days inquiry recording sheet
• the Group Role Cards
• the Think Pair Share poster
• Celebration suitcase with safe, non-sacred objects or photographs
• Station texts, maps, image/audio/video cards and approved community voices
• Poster paper, markers and sticky notes
• Tablets, headphones and teacher-approved digital content

Assessment

• Observe station talk and use an inquiry checklist: categorises an event, selects relevant facts, acknowledges diversity and communicates clearly.
• Check recording sheets for accurate purpose, participation examples, date or season and a respectful question.
• Assess posters or slides for evidence-based information, inclusive language and clear communication. Use the traffic-light reflection to identify students needing support in the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Offer text, image, audio and video options; provide dyslexia-friendly cards with clear sans-serif type, generous spacing, short chunks and read-aloud access.
• Use mixed-ability groups, visual category labels, bilingual labels, a vocabulary bank and sentence starters: “Some people may…”, “The source says…”, and “I wonder…”.
• Allow oral, drawn, scribed or typed responses. Provide adult scribing, headphones, reduced recording demands and a quiet station option for students who need them.
• For extension, students research a significant day chosen with whānau or community guidance, compare two reliable sources, and distinguish reliable information from personal opinion.