Matariki Star Names

Learning Objectives

• Understand the significance of Matariki in Māori culture as part of Aotearoa New Zealand's histories.
• Learn and be able to name the main stars of the Matariki cluster.
• Connect the stories and meanings of each star to the natural world and Māori beliefs about seasons, wellbeing, and the environment.
• Develop oral language and te reo Māori vocabulary related to Matariki stars.
• Work cooperatively in pairs or groups to engage in memory and naming activities.
• Reflect on cultural traditions of observing Matariki as a time of remembrance, gratitude, and hope.

These objectives align with the New Zealand Curriculum Social Sciences learning area achievement objectives for Year 3 and the Te Reo Māori language competencies, emphasizing cultural understanding and oral language use. The curriculum refresh includes specific emphasis on Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and identities connected to Matariki.

Curriculum Links

Social Sciences

• Understand how Māori traditionally used knowledge of the natural world, including stars, to live sustainably.
• Explore stories, celebrations, and traditions associated with Matariki.
• Development of identity, belonging, and connection to place and people.

English

• Develop listening and speaking skills through sharing stories, repeating star names, and group activities.
• Use descriptive vocabulary about stars and natural phenomena.

Te Reo Māori

• Learn and use te reo Māori names of Matariki stars.
• Pronounce and repeat star names accurately in Māori.

Key Competencies

• Participating and Contributing: working in pairs and groups to share learning.
• Thinking: making connections between stars, stories, and natural cycles.
• Relating to Others: respecting Māori cultural knowledge.

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Lesson Duration: 20 minutes

Class size: 25 students (Year 3)

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Lesson Structure

1. Whakatau and Introduction (3 minutes)

• Begin with a simple Māori greeting, welcoming students to the lesson.
• Briefly introduce Matariki as the Māori New Year celebrated in New Zealand.
• Explain that Matariki is a cluster of stars that appear in the sky in midwinter and that each star has a special name and story.

2. Story and Names of the Stars (7 minutes)

• Introduce the nine main stars visible in the Matariki cluster:
• Matariki (the mother star)
• Pōhutukawa
• Tipuānuku
• Tipuārangi
• Waitī
• Waitā
• Waipunarangi
• Ururangi
• Hiwa-i-te-Rangi
• Use visual aid cards/flashcards with star names and symbols/icons representing their meanings.
• Briefly explain for each star:
• Its meaning and what it represents (e.g., Pōhutukawa connects to ancestors who have passed on, Tipuānuku relates to food grown in the earth).
• How Māori use the stars to understand nature and wellbeing.
• Incorporate te reo Māori pronunciation of each star name, encouraging students to repeat after you.

3. Interactive Activity: Star Name Match-Up (7 minutes)

• Divide the class into small groups or pairs.
• Provide each group with a set of star name flashcards and separate picture cards illustrating meanings (e.g., a pōhutukawa tree, crops for Tipuānuku).
• Challenge students to match each star name with the correct picture.
• Circulate to support correct pronunciation and provide hints.
• Discuss as a class after the activity, reinforcing star meanings and pronunciation.

4. Reflection and Closing (3 minutes)

• Ask students to share which star name they liked best and why.
• Summarise Matariki as a time for remembering and hoping for a good year ahead.
• Finish with a simple karakia or waiata related to Matariki to honour the tradition.

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Resources Needed

• Matariki star name flashcards (with te reo Māori and images)
• Picture cards for meanings of stars (e.g., ancestors, crops, birds, freshwater, ocean, rain, wind, wishes)
• Space for group work
• Optional: a simple star cluster image to show what Matariki looks like in the sky

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Assessment

• Formative: Observe students during the matching activity for correct naming and understanding of the stars. Listen to pronunciation and participation.
• Oral: Ask individual students to say a star name and describe its meaning.
• Reflective: Student sharing in the closing discussion to demonstrate engagement and comprehension.

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Teaching Tips

• Use repetition and song to aid memorisation of star names.
• Connect the stars to students’ experiences with seasons, food, and family.
• Include tikanga by acknowledging Matariki as a time of remembrance, linking cultural respect to learning.
• Use clear visuals and realia for better understanding by Year 3 learners.

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This lesson plan supports learning about New Zealand’s unique cultural heritage through Matariki, intertwining Māori knowledge with social sciences and language development in line with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for Year 3 students. It fosters a sense of identity and place while growing language and collaborative skills in a lively, age-appropriate manner.