Māui Tames the Sun

Overview

In this 15-minute Te reo Māori lesson, 26 Year 2 students listen to and retell a simplified version of Māui me te rā using a magnetic story board. The lesson uses an “I do, we do, you do” sequence to build confidence with key Te reo Māori words for characters, actions and events.

Learning intentions

• WALT listen to and understand key words from the story of Māui and the sun.
• WALT use Te reo Māori to name story characters, objects and actions.
• WALT place story images in sequence and retell part of the story.
• WALT participate respectfully, showing manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.

Success criteria

• I can say or point to key words from the story.
• I can help put the story pictures in the correct order.
• I can use a word or short sentence to describe what is happening.
• I can listen to others and take turns respectfully.

Curriculum links

• Te Mātaiaho Te Reo Māori — Novice 2 teaching sequence: Exploring ways to describe people, including physical characteristics and identifying characters.
• Te Mātaiaho Te Reo Māori — Novice 2 teaching sequence: Classroom language, including following instructions and using familiar classroom phrases.
• Te Mātaiaho Te Reo Māori — Novice 2 teaching sequence: Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge, with interactions guided by whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and tikanga.
• Te Mātaiaho Te Reo Māori — Emergent 1 teaching sequence: giving and following clear, purposeful and polite instructions while acknowledging relationships and place.

Lesson structure (15 minutes)

1. 0–2 min · Piki ake te hiahia — Hook. Teacher displays a striking image of a tiny sun moving quickly across the sky in the opening story slide and asks, “He aha tēnei?” and “He aha te rā?” Students turn to a partner, predict what Māui might do, and repeat “Te rā!” and “Ko Māui!”

2. 2–5 min · I do — Model the story. Teacher introduces the magnetic story board and models a short retelling, moving each picture while saying the words slowly and using gestures: “Ko Māui. He kaha a Māui. Ka here a Māui i te rā. Ka pōturi te rā. Ka nui te ao.” Students watch, listen, copy the gestures and echo each key word. Use the vocabulary and model-story slides to show the matching images.

Teach the core words:

• Māui — Māui
• te rā — the sun
• te ao — the world/daylight
• te pō — night
• kaha — strong
• tere — fast
• pōturi — slow
• here — tie/catch
• patu — hit/strike
• whakarongo — listen

3. 5–8 min · We do — Build the sequence together. Teacher mixes five large magnetic pictures: Māui, the fast sun, Māui making ropes, Māui catching the sun, and the slow sun. The class helps place them in order. After each picture, teacher asks, “Ko wai tēnei?”, “He aha tēnei?” or “He aha te mahi?” Students respond chorally with a word, gesture or sentence frame: “Ko Māui,” “Ko te rā,” “Ka here a Māui i te rā,” and “Ka pōturi te rā.” Refer to the sequencing prompt slide for the picture order and oral prompts.

4. 8–12 min · You do — Pair retell. Teacher places students in pairs, with one student as the “story teller” and one as the “picture helper”; partners swap after two pictures. Each pair receives or points to the magnetic story images and retells two or three events using the frame “Ka ___.” Students may say the words, point while a partner speaks, or use gestures. Teacher circulates, praises clear pronunciation and respectful turn-taking, and supports pairs with the Māui story sequencing sheet.

5. 12–15 min · Share and close. Teacher invites two pairs to demonstrate one part of the retell, then leads the class in a final action chant: “Tere, tere te rā! Here! Patu! Pōturi te rā!” Students show one finger for a word they remember, two fingers for two words, or three fingers for a short sentence, and complete the oral response “I tēnei rā, i ako au i te kupu ___.” Close with “Ka pai tō mahi” and acknowledge the class’s manaakitanga.

Resources

• Magnetic story board or whiteboard
• Five magnetic story images for the sequence
• the Māui and the Sun story deck
• the Māui story sequencing sheet
• Teacher word cards for the ten core words
• Blu-tack or magnets
• Optional sun, rope and slowing-down gestures
• Clear space for partner talk

Assessment

• During modelling, check whether students recognise and repeat “Māui”, “te rā”, “tere” and “pōturi”.
• During pair retells, listen for correct sequencing and use of “Ka ___”; accept pointing, gesture, single words or short phrases as valid evidence.
• At the close, use the finger check and oral sentence to identify students needing more practice with vocabulary or sentence structure.

Differentiation

• Support learners with picture-word cards, repeated oral modelling, gestures, choral repetition and the sentence frame “Ka ___.” Allow students to point or act before speaking.
• Pair developing speakers with a supportive peer and reduce the task to naming three pictures: “Ko Māui”, “Ko te rā”, “Ka pōturi”.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly access through uncluttered images, large print, a clear sans-serif font, high contrast, minimal text and oral instructions rather than requiring independent reading.
• For EAL learners or students with communication needs, preview the images, accept home-language discussion before the Māori response, and provide additional wait time.
• Extension learners retell all five events and add a describing word, for example “He kaha a Māui” or “He tere te rā”, or explain the change using “I mua… I muri…”.