Māori Legends Environment

Lesson Overview

Unit: Exploring Māori Stories Lesson: 14 of 18 Duration: 60 minutes Class Size: 25 Year 13 students Subject: Te Reo Māori Lesson Title: Māori Legends and the Environment Learning Area: Te Reo Māori (NCEA Levels 2-3) Context: Connect Māori legends to environmental themes and stewardship in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Curriculum Alignment

NCEA Level 3 Te Reo Māori
Engage critically with Māori texts and interpret cultural narratives.
Understand the role of Māori stories in conveying knowledge about the environment and societal values.
Create and present storytelling projects that reflect understanding of tikanga and kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship).
Learning Objectives:
Understand connections between traditional Māori legends and environmental stewardship concepts.
Develop skills to discuss and critically analyse environmental themes embedded in Māori stories.
Collaborate effectively in group discussions by interest to explore mana whenua perspectives on the environment.
Create an environmental storytelling project demonstrating understanding of the interplay between legend and environmental values.
Key Competencies:
Thinking: Interpret and critique stories and their messages.
Relating to others: Participate in group discussions, showing respect and consideration.
Using language, symbols, and texts: Create and present environmental stories effectively in te reo Māori.
Managing self: Self-manage project work, meeting deadlines and responsibilities.
Values:
Whanaungatanga (Relationships)
Kaitiakitanga (Guardianship)
Manaakitanga (Care and respect)

Success Criteria

Students can identify and explain environmental themes within Māori legends.
Students actively contribute to group discussions, showing engagement and respect for differing views.
Students can plan and begin creating an environmental storytelling project that reflects understanding of Māori perspectives on the environment.
Students demonstrate confidence using te reo Māori appropriate to Year 13 level in discussion and storytelling.

Resources

A selection of traditional Māori legends focusing on environmental themes (e.g., tales of Tāne Mahuta, Papatūānuku, Ranginui, or taniwha stories associated with local waterways).
Story maps/graphic organisers for planning.
Audio-visual clips or recordings of Māori environmental stories (if available).
Posters or visual cards illustrating concepts of kaitiakitanga and mana whenua.
Dyslexia-friendly reading materials: legends printed in clear font, spaced layout, and accompanied by images.
Whiteboard, markers, and group discussion prompts.

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation & Support
0-10 mins	Lesson Introduction and Context Setting	Brief review of previous lessons; introduce today’s theme: links between Māori legends and the environment. Explain environmental stewardship (kaitiakitanga) in Māori worldview.	Use bilingual (te reo and English) explanations; visuals to support understanding.
10-25 mins	Group Discussion: Environmental Legends	Students divided into small groups by interest in specific environmental themes (forest, rivers, mountains, sea). Each group reads or listens to a related Māori legend. Discuss: What environmental themes are present? How is stewardship shown?	Provide reading materials at varying difficulty levels. Dyslexic students have access to audio or large-print texts. Support EAL learners with vocabulary lists. Challenge advanced learners to identify metaphors or symbolic language.
25-35 mins	Sharing and Connecting Ideas	Groups share key points with the whole class. Teacher facilitates discussion making connections between legends and Māori concepts of environment.	Encourage quieter students by allowing “think-pair-share” before sharing. Those with oral language difficulty may write ideas first.
35-50 mins	Environmental Storytelling Project Introduction	Explain assessment task: create an original or adapted storytelling project focused on Māori environmental themes (can be oral, written, digital or multimodal). Outline criteria based on NCEA standards for storytelling and cultural understanding. Students begin brainstorming using story maps.	Allow students to select their preferred mode (oral, digital, visual, written). Provide scaffolds for planning (question prompts, vocabulary support). Advanced students encouraged to incorporate symbolism or compare multiple legends.
50-60 mins	Reflection and Next Steps	Individual reflection: students write a short paragraph / voice note in te reo Māori about what they learnt and how Māori legends influence views on the environment. Homework set to develop story project draft.	Alternative reflection methods: drawing, concept maps, or pairing for peer oral reflection.

Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Observation of participation and engagement in group discussions.
Teacher notes on contribution and use of te reo Māori.
Initial planning submitted or shared orally for environmental storytelling project.

Summative Assessment:

Environmental storytelling project due in upcoming lessons, assessed against NCEA Level 3 storytelling achievement standards (or relevant Level 2/3 standards), focusing on:
Use of te reo Māori language skills.
Understanding and application of environmental themes and Māori cultural values.
Creativity and effectiveness of communication.

Differentiation Strategies

Grouping by interest allows students to engage where most motivated.
Provide reading/watching materials matched to language proficiency and learning needs.
Use visual supports and story maps to aid organisation of ideas.
Offer various modes for final storytelling projects to cater to strengths and learning preferences.
Provide vocabulary lists and sentence starters for learners needing language scaffolding.
Allow peer support or teacher check-ins throughout project work.

Extension Activities

Research and present on specific iwi (tribal) environmental guardianship practices linked to local legends.
Create a digital storytelling video including Māori language narration and traditional music.
Write a comparative essay on Māori environmental legends and a global indigenous environmental story.
Lead a class assembly or community sharing event presenting environmental stories in te reo Māori.

Dyslexia-Friendly Supports

Use clear, large fonts in printed materials with wide spacing.
Include illustrations or images that support text content.
Provide oral versions of texts or allow audio recording playback.
Use colour coding to highlight key vocabulary or environmental concepts.
Allow extra time for reading and writing tasks.
Encourage use of speech-to-text tools for story writing.

Teacher Reflection Prompts

Were students able to articulate connections between the legends and environmental stewardship effectively?
How well did grouping by interest support engagement?
Did the storytelling project tasks enable creative and cultural expression in te reo Māori?
What supports or scaffolds worked best for diverse learners?
What follow-up activities could deepen understanding of kaitiakitanga?

This lesson plan entwines cultural identity with critical thinking and language achievement as per NCEA requirements, nurturing young Māori language speakers’ confidence and environmental responsibility through story and discussion.

Teaching Instructions