Matariki Collaboration

Overview

This final lesson (Lesson 3 of 3) focuses on students working together to plan a class Matariki celebration. Students apply what they learned in previous lessons to make decisions and take shared responsibility for decorations, food, and activities, then present their plan in a mini celebration.

Learning intentions

• WALT collaborate to plan a Matariki celebration with shared roles and responsibilities.
• WALT make decisions using group discussion, listening, and turn-taking.
• WALT explain why our choices respect and celebrate Matariki traditions.
• WALT prepare for a class mini celebration by assigning tasks and tracking progress.

Success criteria

• I can contribute an idea to our group plan and explain it clearly.
• I can take responsibility for my role and help others stay on task.
• I can participate respectfully during planning meetings (listening, turn-taking).
• I can use our checklist to show what I did and what still needs doing.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences (History): explore how people commemorate important events; identify examples of public celebration and the purposes behind them.
• Key competencies: thinking (planning and decision-making), relating to others (collaboration), managing self (responsibility and completing tasks).
• Values in action: responsibility, resilience, and relationship through shared roles and safe, respectful participation.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Relationship check-in + goal. Teacher greets students with a calm routine, states the WALT, and shows the “Group Plan” template. Students repeat the WALT and name one way they can show collaboration today.

2. 4–12 min · Plan stations (hands-on choices). Teacher sets up 3 stations: Decorations, Food, Activities (with picture cards and simple samples/replicas where possible) and gives each group a role card. Students rotate in pairs/groups using a checklist to select options (one decision per station) and record who will do what.

3. 12–18 min · Responsibility roles + mini rehearsal. Teacher facilitates a quick whole-class planning meeting: confirm roles (e.g., artist, speaker, timekeeper, materials manager, safety helper) and agree on sequence for the mini celebration. Students practise their parts for 30–45 seconds each and adjust the plan if needed.

4. 18–26 min · Mini celebration (showcase). Teacher runs the mini celebration using the class plan: decorations displayed, a short “welcome” script, and one group activity (e.g., star-cluster sharing, reflection, or Matariki name/symbol moment). Students perform their role and complete a final checklist “I did / I still need / Next time”.

5. 26–30 min · Exit reflection (resilience + responsibility). Teacher asks two prompts and collects exit slips. Students complete: “One thing I contributed” and “One way we worked well together.”

Resources

• Group Plan template (simple sections: Decorations, Food, Activities, Roles, Materials)
• Role cards (artist, speaker, materials manager, safety helper, timekeeper)
• Picture card sets for decorations, food choices, and activity ideas
• Contribution checklist (student version with icons)
• Timer (visual countdown)
• Basic materials for quick setup (paper, markers, scissors, glue sticks, tape, label cards)
• Exit slips (one-page, picture prompts optional)

Assessment

• Teacher observation checklist: active participation, respectful listening, staying in assigned role.
• Station decision-check: students can match a choice to “why it fits our Matariki celebration” (sentence starters provided).
• Exit slip evidence: each student states one contribution and one collaboration success.

Differentiation

• Role assignment by strengths:
• Artist (draw/make), Speaker (short prepared lines), Materials Manager (collect items), Timekeeper (uses timer), Safety Helper (reminds of rules).
• Dyslexia-friendly supports:
• Use bullet-point tasks with images and short phrases only; avoid long written instructions.
• Provide sentence starters on a card for speakers and writers (e.g., “We chose ___ because ___.”).
• Offer checklists with icons for “done” and “not yet”.
• Behaviour and executive function supports:
• Visual timetable for the 30 minutes.
• Short “stop and breathe” cue before whole-class meeting.
• Clear, limited choices at stations (3–4 options per category).
• Support for learners who struggle with defiance/impulsivity:
• Give a “choice within limits” (choose between two tasks).
• Use a calm re-direction script: “Pause → look at your role card → pick the next step.”
• Extension for advanced learners (do not require):
• Create a simple budget: list estimated costs for food/decoration items, calculate total cost, and decide what stays within a given class budget.

Dyslexia-friendly reading options (bullet tasks with images)

• Station: Decorations (look at pictures, choose 1)
• Point to your favourite decoration idea (🌟)
• Put it on the plan (📌)
• Artist collects materials (🖍️)
• Station: Food (choose 1 option from pictures)
• Choose 1 food idea (🍽️)
• Materials manager writes label (✍️) or places a sticker label (🏷️)
• Station: Activities (choose 1 activity picture)
• Choose 1 activity (🎉)
• Speaker/partner repeats the plan in 1 sentence (🗣️)
• Role checklist (tick icons)
• I helped my group
• I used my role card
• I was responsible (finished my part)
• I respected others