Milk and Honey

Overview

Students explore why many Pacific families migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand after World War II. They build an evidence bank that links migration hopes and aspirations to later historical developments connected to the Dawn Raids.

Learning intentions

WALT:

• Understand why Pacific peoples migrated to Aotearoa.
• Identify push and pull factors.
• Understand hopes and aspirations of Pacific families.
• Collect and record historical evidence from a primary source.

Success criteria

I can:

• Name Pacific nations involved in migration.
• Explain at least three reasons people migrated using push/pull factors.
• Use a primary source to answer questions about why one family migrated.
• Record evidence in an Evidence Bank for a later historical context task.

Curriculum links

• Achievement standard connection: demonstrate understanding of the significance of a historical context through evidence of impact and tuakiri that migration created.
• Historical evidence focus: engage with a primary source by identifying what it tells us and recording relevant detail.
• Historical reasoning: distinguish push vs pull factors to explain causes of migration and people’s aspirations.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook Video Teacher action: Show a short migration video; pause once to check understanding of key ideas (leaving home, expectations, reasons). Student task: Think-pair-share: “What would make people move, and what do you think they expected to find?”

2. 5–15 min · Teacher Input: Migration Story Teacher action: Explain after World War II New Zealand’s economy was booming; factories needed workers; government encouraged migration; discuss expectations of jobs, better wages, education, opportunity, and family connections. Introduce the phrase “Land of Milk and Honey” and list Pacific nations: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau. Clarify that Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau people were New Zealand citizens and could freely enter New Zealand. Student task: On a guided notes sheet, record 3 “hopes/opportunities” New Zealand offered and 2 questions they still have.

3. 15–25 min · Activity 1: Pacific Mapping Challenge Teacher action: Hand out a blank Pacific map and migration label list; model one example (e.g., locating Tonga). Student task: Label the map with: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau. Extension (if ready): add arrows showing migration routes to Auckland. Check: Ask quick “closest/furthest” questions while students point at locations.

4. 25–35 min · Activity 2: Push and Pull Factor Challenge Teacher action: Explain push factors (encourage people to leave) and pull factors (attract people to a new place). Distribute card set and give each group a sorting purpose: “Match reasons to push or pull, then choose the strongest one.” Student task: Sort cards into two columns and discuss: Which push factor was strongest? Which pull factor was strongest? Would they have made the same decision? Teacher move: Circulate and prompt for evidence-based explanations (e.g., “What makes that a pull factor?”).

5. 35–45 min · Activity 3: Source Investigation (Manase Lua extract) Teacher action: Read selected extract together. Emphasise the focus quote: “A better life in the land of milk and honey.” Remind students they must use evidence from the source, not general knowledge. Student task: Answer five guided questions:

• What does the source tell us?
• Why did Manase’s family migrate?
• What opportunities were available?
• What did New Zealand promise?
• What challenges did they later face? Then record one quote or key phrase that supports one reason for migration.

6. 45 min · Exit Ticket (short, if time) Student task: Complete reflection:

• Before today I thought Pacific migration was…
• Now I think Pacific migration was…

Resources

• Blank Pacific map (A3 or A4)
• Printed list of Pacific nations to label
• Migration route arrow template or sticky notes (optional extension)
• Push/pull factor cards (mixed set)
• Source 5: “Manase Lua Interview” extract (print)
• Evidence Bank worksheet: “Historical Context Evidence Bank” with fields:
• Name (individual or family)
• Evidence 1 (what it tells us)
• Evidence 2 (quote)
• Evidence 3 (migration reason)
• Guided notes sheet for teacher input
• Coloured pens/pencils for mapping and charts

Assessment

• Formative checks during each activity:
• Quick verbal checks: correct map labels and ability to explain “closest/furthest” reasoning.
• Listen for accurate sorting of push vs pull factors and justification using card wording.
• During source work, check students select evidence from the extract (quote or specific detail).
• Evidence collection at lesson end:
• Pacific migration map completed
• Push/pull factor chart completed
• Source analysis answered with at least one recorded quote
• Evidence Bank started with named individual and one migration reason

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for source questions: “The source shows…”, “Manase’s family migrated because…”
• Offer a partially labelled map (teacher covers less frequently named islands first).
• Reduce card choice load for some groups (start with 6 cards instead of 10).
• Extension:
• Add migration route arrows to Auckland and write a one-sentence explanation for why Auckland was a main destination.
• Compare two push factors and decide which one is strongest, with a “because” statement.
• EAL/SEN:
• Pre-teach key terms on the board: migrate, opportunity, wages, education, push, pull, evidence, promise.
• Allow oral responses to be recorded by a partner before writing.

Activities (separate, teacher-ready)

Activity 1: Pacific Mapping Challenge (10 minutes)

• Give each student a blank Pacific map.
• Students label:
• Samoa
• Tonga
• Fiji
• Cook Islands
• Niue
• Tokelau
• Extension: draw arrows to Auckland.
• Class discussion prompts:
• Which country is closest to New Zealand?
• Which is furthest?
• Why might Auckland become a main destination?

Activity 2: Push and Pull Factor Challenge (10 minutes)

• Teacher explains push vs pull factors.
• Group task: sort reason cards into:
• Push Factors
• Pull Factors
• Discussion prompts:
• Which push factor was strongest?
• Which pull factor was strongest?
• Would you have made the same decision? Why/why not?

Activity 3: Source Investigation: Manase Lua Interview (10 minutes)

• Read the extract together as a class.
• Focus quote: “A better life in the land of milk and honey.”
• Students answer the focus questions (listed in the lesson structure).
• Record in Evidence Bank:
• Evidence 2: one quote or short phrase from the extract
• Evidence 3: one migration reason linked to the quote

Evidence Bank (5 minutes built into Activity 3 time)

• Students enter:
• Name: Manase Lua
• Evidence 1: what the source tells us (one sentence)
• Evidence 2: one quote
• Evidence 3: migration reason (one sentence)