Māui Stories

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 3 of 10) students explore key Māori myths through the legend of Māui and focus on how stories help people remember important ideas. They listen, join in retelling, and sort statements into what is a story (myth/legend) and what is a fact.

Learning intentions

• WALT listen for key events in a Māui story and retell them in order.
• WALT use story words including once upon a time, story, myth, fact, remember, and record.
• WALT explain the difference between a story (myth) and a fact, using examples from the class story.
• WALT work respectfully with others when sharing ideas about myths.

Success criteria

• I can retell the Māui story using 3–5 key events.
• I can tell when something is a myth/story and when something is a fact.
• I can use story words to help my retelling.

Curriculum links

• History (Year 1): students learn to use historical language such as story, myth, and fact; they begin to understand that stories help people remember and pass on meaning.
• History (Year 1): students retell the stories they have learnt, building understanding of past ideas through narration.
• English (Working with texts): students engage with texts to make meaning, including understanding perspectives reflected in cultural stories.
• English (Writing—planning and drafting): students build knowledge through reading to/with discussion, then share ideas through speaking and simple recording.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and story focus. Teacher says today’s focus: the legend of Māui and what myths are for, then reviews the class story rules (listen, hands down, respectful voice). Students sit in a story circle and repeat one class rhyme: “Listen, remember, retell.”

2. 5–12 min · Teacher read-aloud (Māui legend). Teacher reads a short, age-appropriate retelling of a Māui adventure (teacher-chosen version), pausing to model noticing key events and feelings. Students hold up a “story signal” card when they hear a story/myth part and a “fact signal” card when a fact is mentioned (teacher prompts even if students get it wrong—used as formative check).

3. 12–20 min · Quick check: story vs fact. Teacher shows 4–6 simple statements (mix of myth-style statements and factual classroom statements like “We have a school.”). Students vote with thumbs (agree/disagree) and then explain using sentence frames: “This is a story because…” or “This is a fact because…”

4. 20–28 min · Map the story (sequencing). Teacher draws a 4-box timeline on the board labelled: Once upon a time…, Then…, Next…, In the end…. Students, as a whole class, help place picture cards or word cards for 3–4 key events from the Māui story (e.g., Māui starts, tries something, meets a challenge, outcomes/lesson).

5. 28–37 min · Retell in pairs (guided). Teacher models a short retell using the timeline and story words (teacher starts: “Once upon a time…”, students continue using one key event each). Students practise retelling with a partner, taking turns to say one event; they aim for 3–5 events total per pair.

6. 37–43 min · Record and share (my story page). Teacher hands out a one-page “My Māui retelling” template with stems:

• Once upon a time…
• First, Māui…
• Next, Māui…
• In the end… Students draw a simple picture for one event and say or write (scribe support allowed) one sentence using remember/record.

7. 43–45 min · Exit ticket (myth or fact). Teacher reads two final statements aloud: one myth/story-style and one fact-style. Students show a “myth” or “fact” card and say one word to justify (e.g., “story,” “fact,” “remember”).

Resources

• Story cards or a short picture book retelling of a Māui adventure (teacher-selected, age-appropriate)
• “Story” and “Fact” signal cards (2 colours)
• 4 picture/word cards representing key story events from the Māui legend
• Board timeline template with sentence stems
• “My Māui retelling” template (one per student) with picture space and sentence stems
• Crayons/markers, pencils
• Partner retell cue strip with story words: once upon a time, story, myth, remember, record, fact

Assessment

• Teacher observation checklist during pair retells: can students retell 3–5 key events in order?
• Formative checks during the story vs fact voting: can students justify with “story because…” or “fact because…”?
• Exit ticket: identify myth vs fact and provide a brief justification word.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and a word bank with story words; allow a teacher or peer scribe for the “record” sentence.
• Support: offer picture-only sequencing for students who need non-written entry; students can point and say rather than write.
• Challenge: ask students to add a “remember” line: “We remember this story because…” to explain the meaning of a myth.
• EAL/SEN: rehearse key phrases chorally before pair work; use consistent gestures for story vs fact to reduce language load.