Our Classroom Soup

Overview

In this first lesson of the four-part unit Our Safe, Kind Classroom, 20 Year 2 tamariki explore why groups need shared rules and routines. Through a pretend “classroom soup”, a caring story, role-play, and a class hui, students co-construct positively worded rules that help everyone feel ahuru (safe, secure, and warm).

Learning intentions

• We are learning to explain why groups make rules.
• We are learning to listen to and build on other people’s ideas.
• We are learning to identify words and actions that show manaakitanga (care).
• We are learning to help create a shared classroom text.

Success criteria

• I can explain how a rule helps people work and learn together.
• I can listen, take turns, and share an idea respectfully.
• I can suggest a kind, positively worded classroom rule.
• I can help illustrate or read our class rules poster.

Curriculum links

• Civics and Society — group rules, routines, and social organisation: group rules and roles help people work well together.
• Civics and Society — group rules, routines, and social organisation: building relationships supports cooperation.
• Civics and Society — group rules, routines, and social organisation: tikanga and kawa guide social and cultural practices.
• English — oral language and creating texts: speaking, listening, explaining ideas, and contributing to a shared text.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook: classroom soup. Open with the hook and classroom soup slides and show an empty bowl or pot; explain that the class will make a pretend soup for a safe, kind classroom. Students predict what an ordinary soup needs, then suggest “ingredients” such as kindness, listening, manaakitanga, respect, and helping as the teacher adds matching word or picture cards.

2. 7–15 min · Story and discussion. Read a short pūrākau or picture book about caring for others, chosen for the class and handled respectfully; pause to ask, “Who helped?”, “How did the characters show care?”, and “What helped people feel ahuru?” Students use the Think Pair Share poster to think quietly, discuss with a partner, and share one example of a caring word or action.

3. 15–23 min · Role-play: safe or unsafe? Use the role-play instruction and discussion slides to present simple scenarios, such as someone being left out, two people wanting the same resource, or a child speaking while another is sharing. Model one scenario first. In pairs, students act out a caring response, then explain which “soup ingredient” they used and how it might help someone feel safe and included. Avoid acting out frightening or personally sensitive situations.

4. 23–32 min · Class hui: making decisions together. Gather students in a circle and explain that a group can make decisions by listening to ideas, discussing what is fair and helpful, and agreeing on shared rules. Record suggestions on the board, affirming that different cultures, languages, and ways of being are valued. Students propose rules and explain the problem each rule could help solve. Guide the class towards four or five positively worded rules:

• We care for people and places.
• We listen and take turns.
• We use kind words and actions.
• We respect different cultures and ways of being.
• We help everyone feel safe.

5. 32–41 min · Create the shared rules poster. Open the poster-making and rule-check slides and read each agreed rule aloud. Check that each begins with “We…”, says what to do, and helps people work together. Write the final rules clearly on a large sheet. Give each student the safe and kind classroom response sheet. Students draw one rule in action and complete or dictate the sentence, “Our classroom is safe and kind when we…”. Invite volunteers to add selected drawings to the class poster.

6. 41–45 min · Hui close and check. Return to the reflection and closing slides. Revisit the pretend soup and ask, “Which ingredient will you practise today?” Students tell a partner one rule they remember and one action they will try. Invite two or three responses, then display the poster where it can be revisited in the next three lessons.

Resources

• the classroom soup, story discussion, role-play, poster-making, and reflection slide deck
• Large bowl or cooking pot and large spoon
• Ingredient word or picture cards: kindness, listening, manaakitanga, respect, and helping
• Short pūrākau or picture book about caring for others
• Large paper or card for the shared classroom rules poster
• Thick markers, crayons, and drawing materials
• the safe and kind classroom response sheet
• the Think Pair Share poster

Assessment

• Listen during partner talk and role-play for students who can identify a caring action and explain how it supports safety or cooperation.
• During the hui, note who listens, takes turns, contributes an idea, and understands that rules are made to help a group work well together.
• Collect or photograph the response sheets. Use students’ drawings and explanations to check whether they can connect a rule with a safe, kind action.

Differentiation

• Provide picture cards, gestures, repeated modelling, and sentence starters: “I noticed…”, “A kind action is…”, and “This rule helps because…”.
• Allow students to draw, point, act, speak, or dictate their response rather than requiring independent writing.
• Pair EAL learners and students needing additional support with a patient peer; pre-teach ahuru, manaakitanga, care, respect, listen, and rule.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain how two rules work together or suggest a fair way to decide when classmates have different ideas.