Our cultures today

Overview

In this 60-minute Social sciences lesson, Years 3–4 explore Navajo (Dinè) culture through everyday life, traditions, art, and language. Students learn common Navajo welcome phrases and a brief history of the Navajo people. They compare what they learn to their own lives and practise respectful ways to learn about other communities, aligning to the social sciences focus within the Tikanga ā-Iwi / Te Ao Māori direction of learning about human experience, culture, and community practices.

Learning intentions

• WALT recognise that cultures include traditions, community roles, and ways people live.
• WALT identify key features of Navajo culture (community life, connection to place, and traditional art).
• WALT explain how learning about others should be respectful and based on observation and reliable information.
• WALT create an artwork or model that shows one aspect of Navajo culture and community life, with clear labels.

Success criteria

• I can name 2–3 parts of Navajo culture I learned about (e.g., community life, traditions, or art).
• I can describe how Navajo people live and connect to their community or land using simple sentences.
• I can show respect by using kind language and not stereotyping people.
• I can label my artwork/model to explain what it represents.

Curriculum links

• Tikanga ā-Iwi (TMoA): learning about tangata whenua and cultural practices supports social sciences understanding of people, cultures, and identity (as a foundation for respectful study of culture).
• Tikanga ā-Iwi: recognising diversity of cultural practices and explaining similarities and differences between communities.
• Te Marautanga o Aotearoa local Marau ā-Kura: encourage linking learning to community understandings and classroom expectations for respectful dialogue.
• Social sciences: building skills for understanding people, places, and community life through age-appropriate inquiry and communication.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook (community picture sort). Teacher shows a set of printed “everyday life” images (homes/buildings, clothing patterns, community gathering, art patterns, food preparation). Students do a quick think-pair-share: “What do you notice? What might these communities value?” Students then choose one image and write one observation sentence.

2. 8–18 min · Introduction (Navajo culture snapshot). Teacher presents a short, teacher-made information card set (no video needed):

• Community life: family roles, working together, sharing time with community
• Connection to place: land and home as part of identity
• Traditional art: pattern design and meaning in craft (focus on “what we see and what it might represent,” not “exact symbols mean…” statements) Teacher models respectful learning language: “I wonder… I notice… I can tell from this image…” Students complete a simple “Notice / Wonder” chart.

3. 18–27 min · Guided discussion (similarities and differences). Teacher writes two sentence starters:

• “In both my community and Navajo communities, people…”
• “A difference I noticed is…” Students choose one similarity and one difference to share with a partner. Teacher circulates and corrects stereotypes gently (e.g., “Let’s avoid ‘all Navajo people…’ and use ‘some people… in this information we looked at’.”). Whole-class share: teacher summarises key points.

4. 27–45 min · Activity 1: Create a “Culture & Community” art panel. Students choose one of two prompts:

• Draw a pattern-inspired design for a craft (inspired by Navajo textile-style pattern shapes) and add labels about community life or place.
• Build a simple diorama/model scene using paper shapes (community gathering space, home features, or land/place cues) and add 3 labels. Teacher provides a “respectful learning” checklist: no copying exact copyrighted designs; use imagination and focus on features learned (patterns/pictures/labels), and include what it represents in their own words.

5. 45–55 min · Activity 2: Gallery walk with “respectful questions”. Students display work. In small groups, they use question stems on a class card:

• “What does this part represent?”
• “What did you learn from your information cards?”
• “How does this connect to community life or place?” Teacher prompts students to practise listening and responding politely.

6. 55–60 min · Exit ticket (check for understanding). Students complete a short exit ticket:

• Name one Navajo cultural feature you learned.
• Write one sentence starting with: “I showed respect by…” Teacher collects for quick next-step planning.

Resources

• Printed image set of everyday life, art patterns, and community scenes
• Teacher-made information cards about Navajo culture (community life, place connection, traditional art, language, and history)
• Pictures illustrating Navajo culture, language, and history
• Recommended educational video: "Navajo Culture and Language for Kids" (search on YouTube for educational content)
• Notice/Wonder chart sheet
• Culture & Community art template (paper or A3)
• Art materials: crayons/markers/coloured pencils, rulers, glue, scissors
• Paper shapes for diorama option
• Display space for gallery walk (wall or desks arranged in groups)
• “Respectful questions” card with stems
• Exit ticket slips

Assessment

• Formative observation during partner discussion (listen for respectful language and accurate observations)
• Checklist from gallery walk: students can explain one aspect with a simple reason
• Exit ticket: identifies at least one cultural feature and demonstrates respectful learning behaviour

Differentiation

• Support: sentence starters (“I notice…”, “I wonder…”, “This represents…”) and a partially completed art template for students needing structure.
• Support: small-group teacher check-ins for students who struggle to write explanations; allow oral responses recorded by teacher on a sticky note.
• Extension: students add a “similarity and difference” label to their artwork and explain it in two sentences.
• EAL/SEN: provide visuals for each sentence starter; allow students to draw and then dictate labels while teacher or peer writes.