Our National Anthem

Overview

Year 5 students (ages 10–11) explore the history, meaning, and significance of the New Zealand national anthem, "God Defend New Zealand," through listening, discussion, and a creative response task. Designed for a home education setting with a Christian foundation and a collaborative, together-learning approach.

Learning Intentions

• WALT understand the history and origins of "God Defend New Zealand"
• WALT explore the meaning and significance of the anthem's words, including its Christian themes
• WALT respond creatively to the anthem through writing or visual art
• WALT make connections between national identity, faith, and community values

Success Criteria

• I can explain when and why "God Defend New Zealand" became the national anthem
• I can identify at least two key themes or values expressed in the anthem's lyrics
• I can create a new verse or a piece of artwork that reflects what I value about Aotearoa New Zealand
• I can share and discuss my creative response with my learning partner

Curriculum Links

• Social Sciences: Understanding how people in the past and present have shaped New Zealand's identity and culture
• Social Sciences: Exploring how groups express shared values and beliefs through symbols and traditions
• Cambridge International framework: Individuals and societies — understanding civic identity, national heritage, and how communities reflect shared values
• Cambridge International framework: Personal and cultural expression — responding to texts and traditions through inquiry and creative work

Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

0–5 min | Warm-Up: What Do You Know? Sit together and ask: "What is a national anthem and why do countries have them?" Invite both students to share ideas freely. Briefly discuss how anthems are a way nations express what they believe and value — connecting to the idea that "God Defend New Zealand" is essentially a prayer.

5–20 min | Listen and Explore the Anthem Play a recording of "God Defend New Zealand" in both te reo Māori (Aotearoa) and English. Read through the lyrics together on paper copies. Discuss line by line: What is being asked for? Who are we asking? Point out the Christian character of the anthem — it is addressed directly to God and asks for His defence, guidance, and blessing over the nation. Invite students to highlight phrases that stand out to them.

20–30 min | History and Significance Discussion Share a brief, age-appropriate overview of the anthem's history: it was written as a poem by Thomas Bracken in the 1870s, set to music by John Joseph Woods, and became an official national anthem in 1977 alongside "God Save the Queen." Discuss: Why do you think New Zealanders chose a song that is a prayer? How does it reflect the country's values? Encourage both students to ask questions and make connections to their Christian faith and what they believe God's protection and guidance means in their own lives.

30–45 min | Creative Task Students choose one of two options:

• Write a new verse for the anthem that reflects something they personally value about New Zealand — faith, family, creation, or community.
• Draw an image or a series of images that captures the meaning of one verse of the anthem (e.g., mountains, sea, people praying, native birds). Work side by side, sharing ideas as you go. Encourage students to refer back to the lyrics for inspiration. Remind them there is no single right answer — this is personal expression.

45–55 min | Share and Reflect Each student shares their creative work with the other. Ask: What did you choose to focus on and why? What does the anthem mean to you personally now that you know more about it? Discuss together how national symbols like anthems help communities — and families — remember shared values and give thanks.

55–60 min | Wrap-Up Close by singing or reading the anthem together one more time. Ask each student to name one thing they learned or one thing that surprised them. Optionally close with a short prayer of your own, thanking God for New Zealand and asking for wisdom and care for the nation.

Resources

• Printed lyrics of "God Defend New Zealand" in both English and te reo Māori
• A device to play a recording or video of the anthem (YouTube or a local audio file)
• Highlighter pens for marking key phrases in the lyrics
• A brief printed or written summary of the anthem's history (prepared by parent/teacher beforehand)
• Blank paper, pencils, and coloured pencils or felt-tip pens for the creative task
• Bible (optional, for exploring themes of God's protection and blessing)

Assessment

• Observe and listen during discussion to assess whether each student can identify key themes and historical facts about the anthem
• Review the creative task (verse or artwork) to assess whether the student has engaged meaningfully with the anthem's content and expressed personal understanding
• Use the sharing time to assess verbal communication skills and the ability to explain their own thinking and choices

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters for the creative writing task (e.g., "God, please guard our…" or "In this land we are thankful for…") and allow students to dictate ideas aloud while you scribe
• Extension: Challenge the student to research another country's national anthem and compare its themes and values to New Zealand's, noting similarities and differences
• Together learning: Encourage paired discussion throughout — allow both students to co-create their verses or artwork if they prefer a collaborative product over individual ones
• EAL/SEN: Use the te reo Māori lyrics as an opportunity to discuss bilingual identity; simplify historical information into three key dot points on a reference card the student can keep beside them