Pasifika Design Patterns

Year Level

Year 10

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

35 students

WALT (We Are Learning To)

Explore the concept of the 3 P’s of Culture: Personal identity, Place, and Purpose within Pasifika cultures.
Create a digital collage incorporating culturally significant Pasifika symbols, motifs, and colour palettes.
Develop a detailed design sketch for a Kava bowl integrating the 3 P’s.
Categorise cultural elements meaningfully into the 3 Ps for design inspiration.

Curriculum Links

The New Zealand Curriculum (Refreshed)

Learning Area: The Arts — Visual Arts

Level: Years 9–10 (Phase 4)
Achievement Objectives:

Understand how and why people create art (their purpose and social, cultural contexts).
Develop and use ideas through exploration of visual language and cultural symbols.
Use digital technologies to develop and communicate ideas in art.
Reflect on and critique their own and others’ artwork, demonstrating understanding of cultural contexts.

Key Competencies:

Thinking: Develop ideas and patterns using knowledge of cultural significances.
Using language, symbols and texts: Use digital tools to create visual texts (collages).
Managing self: Plan and manage time to complete artwork.
Relating to others: Explore and respect other cultures through art.

Values:

Cultural diversity (valuing knowledge and differences in Pasifika identities).
Innovation, inquiry, and curiosity (experimenting with digital tools).

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Identify and explain the 3 P’s of Pasifika culture — Personal identity, Place, and Purpose — and how these inform artistic expression.
Collect and organise visual symbols, motifs and colour palettes that represent Pasifika culture digitally.
Generate a creative collage digital artwork as a conceptual reference for a Kava bowl design.
Create a detailed sketch of one design element that clearly integrates aspects of the 3 P’s.
Categorise cultural elements into Personal identity, Place, and Purpose for deeper understanding and design coherence.

Success Criteria

Students can:

Name and describe cultural symbols and colour palettes connected to Pasifika communities.
Properly organise and group visual cultural features into the 3 P’s categories in their workbook.
Confidently produce a digital collage expressing Pasifika identity with cultural meanings.
Draw a detailed design element inspired by their digital collage that links to Personal identity, Place, and Purpose.
Explain their choices and how their art reflects the 3 P’s of culture.

Resources Needed

Digital devices/laptops or tablets with photo editing or collage apps (e.g., Canva, Photoshop, or free collage tools)
Digital workbook worksheet on "The 3 P’s of Culture for Kava Bowl Design" (includes spaces to list Personal Identity, Place, Purpose)
Projector for teacher-led introduction
Examples of traditional and contemporary Pasifika Kava bowls and art (printed or digital)
Pasifika cultural symbols and colour palette references (provided digitally or in print)
Drawing materials for sketching (pencils, erasers, paper)
Dyslexia-friendly font versions of instructions and key vocabulary sheets

Lesson Activities Breakdown

1. Introduction — 10 minutes

Teacher explains the 3 P’s of Pasifika culture:
- Personal Identity: Symbols and patterns connected to individual or tribal identity.
- Place: Cultural linkages to homeland, nature, and geography.
- Purpose: The role and significance the art (the Kava bowl) holds in Pasifika traditions.
Show inspirational examples of Pasifika Kava bowls and artworks.
Discuss how patterns and symbols communicate cultural stories and values.

Differentiation: Provide printed dyslexia-friendly text and image descriptions. Use verbal explanations and visual examples.

2. Digital Collage Creation — 25 minutes

Students use digital tools to create a collage from a selection of Pasifika cultural motifs, symbols, and colour palettes.
Encourage students to think about how each element represents Personal identity, Place, or Purpose.
On their worksheet, students list and categorise their chosen elements under the 3 P’s columns.
Teacher circulates to support with software use and cultural references.

Differentiation:

Provide templates for students needing extra scaffolding.
Encourage advanced students to experiment with layering and blending modes digitally for complex visual effects.

3. Design Sketch and Reflection — 10 minutes

Using their collages as inspiration, students sketch one detailed design element that integrates the 3 P’s ideas for a Kava bowl.
On their worksheet, students write brief notes connecting the design element to the 3 P’s categories.
Teacher asks volunteers to share their sketches and explain their cultural meanings.

Extension: Advanced students can draft multiple design ideas or use digital drawing tools if available.

4. Plenary and Assessment — 5 minutes

Whole class reflection facilitated by teacher:
- What did you learn about the 3 P’s of culture?
- How did the digital collage help your design?
- How does your design reflect Pasifika identity, place, and purpose?
Teacher collects digital collages and sketches for formative assessment.
Encourage self-assessment: “I successfully used the 3 P’s to inspire my design” with a thumbs up/down.

Assessment

Formative: Observation of class discussion participation and digital collage work.
Worksheet completion: accurate categorisation of cultural symbols into the 3 P’s.
Sketch assessment: detail, creativity, and integration of the 3 P’s concepts in design element.
Reflection explanations indicating cultural understanding.

Differentiation Strategies

For diverse learners: Use dyslexia-friendly fonts, coloured paper, and oral instructions with visual support.
Provide one-on-one tech support for students unfamiliar with digital tools.
Break down complex tasks into steps with clear visual checklists.
Pair students to encourage peer support and shared cultural knowledge.

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

Research additional Pasifika art forms and integrate these into their Kava bowl design concept.
Create a digital presentation explaining their collage and design linking to historical and contemporary Pasifika contexts.
Experiment with digital drawing applications to produce a refined final design.

This lesson plan aligns with the NZ Curriculum Focus on cultural responsiveness, digital fluency in art, and developing critical thinking and creativity through meaningful cultural exploration. It supports Pasifika students’ identity affirmation and provides all students with a rich understanding of Pasifika heritage expressed through art 【13: Future focus †New Zealand Curriculum.html】.

Teaching Instructions