Matariki Memories

Overview

In this lesson, students connect Matariki to remembrance of loved ones by learning what a biography is and using guided prompts to write a short biography. They will practise organising ideas, using respectful language, and reflecting on how community traditions help people remember.

Learning intentions

• WALT write a respectful short biography about a past loved one using important details.
• WALT sequence information (early life, important experiences, and impact) so it makes sense to a reader.
• WALT communicate ideas clearly using simple, accurate sentences and topic-specific vocabulary related to Matariki remembrance.

Success criteria

• I can include key biography details (who, where/when, what they were like, and what I remember/what they meant to others).
• I can put my ideas in a clear order with a beginning, middle, and end.
• I can use respectful language and check my writing for basic errors.

Curriculum links

• History (New Zealand History): Students explore how Māori traditions and cultural practices such as Matariki support remembrance and identity, and connect past experiences to people’s lives today.
• Literacy in Social Sciences: Students communicate ideas and retell information using appropriate structure (such as a biography) and relevant vocabulary.
• Key competencies: Thinking (organising information), Communicating (sharing ideas for a reader), Participating and contributing (group discussion and sharing), Self-management (using time to draft and revise).

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Matariki connection. Teacher briefly introduces Matariki as a time that helps people remember and honour loved ones, then asks: “Who helps you remember someone important, and how?” Students share one idea with a partner.
2. 5–10 min · Model the biography. Teacher shows a simple biography example (about a fictional person or a student-chosen safe example) with headings: Who, Early life, Memories/achievements, How they affected others, Closing reflection. Students circle the “who/what/impact” details in the model.
3. 10–20 min · Plan with a biography scaffold. Teacher gives each student a planning sheet with sentence starters and a word bank (e.g., “I remember…”, “They were known for…”, “One important time was…”, “What I learned from them…”). Students complete the plan independently, choosing one loved one to write about.
4. 20–28 min · Draft and conferencing. Teacher releases students to draft the first version of their biography (3 short paragraphs) using the plan. Teacher runs a quick round of 1-minute conferences with groups, focusing on structure and respectful wording. Students revise one sentence as part of their drafting.
5. 28–30 min · Share and quick check. Students do a “glow and grow” share: read one paragraph to a peer, then receive one suggestion about clarity or ordering.

Resources

• Matariki short prompt card: “Remembering a past loved one”
• Biography planning sheet with headings and sentence starters
• Word bank (Matariki remembrance / respectful terms)
• Graphic organiser for beginning–middle–end
• Lined paper or writing journal
• Coloured pencils for highlighting structure (beginning/middle/end)
• Timer for independent writing minutes
• Dyslexia-friendly reading option pack: audio-recorded example biography and a simplified version of the model (large print)
• Teacher checklist for quick conferences (structure + respectful language)

Assessment

• Teacher observations during planning: are students selecting biography details and sequencing them?
• Teacher conference notes during drafting: can students use at least 2–3 sentence starters and maintain respectful tone?
• Quick partner feedback at the end: does the reader understand who the person was and what they meant to others?

Differentiation

• Support for level 2 learners:
• Provide sentence starters that reduce writing load (e.g., “My loved one was…”, “I remember when…”, “They helped others by…”).
• Offer a simplified model biography and allow students to copy the structure with their own words.
• Allow oral planning first: students speak their ideas to a partner, then write with teacher support.
• Support for diverse English abilities:
• Pre-teach 6–8 key words in context (e.g., remember, respect, community, taught, helped, legacy).
• Provide a “sentence frame bank” they can use freely.
• Extension for advanced learners:
• Challenge them to add one specific story detail (a moment, a lesson learned, or a place connected to the person) and include a closing reflection sentence using “Because…”.
• Ask them to vary sentence beginnings (e.g., “Later…”, “One day…”, “In those times…”).
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
• Use large-print model text and offer an audio recording of the model and sentence starters.
• Allow students to highlight required parts (Who/Impact/Closing) with colours instead of re-reading long passages.
• Collaboration structure:
• Partner planning for 2 minutes at the start (then independent writing) to build confidence while protecting individual drafting time.

Homework sheet: Biography of a loved one (Matariki)

Name: ____________ Due: ____________

Part A: Finish your plan

Write 1–2 sentences under each heading:

• Who were they? (name and something about them)

• ---

• Early life / where they were from:

• ---

• Memories or important times:

• ---

• How they affected others:

• ---

• Closing reflection (what you remember/learn):

• ---

Part B: Draft your biography

Write 3 short paragraphs (about 8–12 sentences total):

• Paragraph 1: Who they were and where/when (beginning)
• Paragraph 2: Memories/important experiences (middle)
• Paragraph 3: What they meant to others + respectful closing (end)

Reminder checklist (tick when done)

• My biography uses respectful language.
• It has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• I included at least one specific memory or example.
• I checked for basic capital letters and full stops.

Optional family talk (if you wish): Ask one family member for a detail you can include (a story, a place, or a lesson they learned).