Pānui Pūrakau Start

Unit: Pūrakau - Pania's Journey (Lesson 1 of 10)

Age Group: Year 2 (approx. 6-7 years)

Duration: 30 minutes

Class Size: 15 students

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Curriculum Alignment

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh 2024, Phase 1 (Years 0-3), focusing on oral language, literature appreciation, and cultural identity through pūrakau. It supports the critical focus for this phase: Thriving in environments rich in literacy and mātauranga Māori.

Specifically:

• Te reo Māori Learning Area (oral language and narrative competence):

  • Understand: Recognise pūrakau as a taonga tuku iho (treasured story) giving insight into Māori perspectives and identity.
  • Know: Key vocabulary related to the pūrakau context, e.g., moana (sea), ākau (reef), kōhine (maiden).
  • Do: Engage in listening, retelling, and discussing kōrero pūrakau. Use oral / visual cues to support comprehension and vocabulary development.
  • This supports strands around Listening, Reading, and Speaking from the kura kaupapa Māori learning pathways .

• Key Competencies:

  • Using language, symbols and texts – understanding pūrakau narratives and expressing ideas orally.
  • Participating and contributing – collaborating in group discussions to explore story themes.
  • Relating to others – appreciating Māori cultural identity and tikanga through pūrakau.

• Values emphasised:

  • Whanaungatanga (relationships), Manaakitanga (care and respect), Kotahitanga (unity) through shared learning about pūrakau.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand what a pūrakau is and recognise it as a Māori story with cultural significance.
2. Become familiar with the story of Pania of the Reef.
3. Learn and use new te reo Māori vocabulary words: moana (sea), ākau (reef), kōhine (maiden).
4. Identify and discuss key characters in the pūrakau.
5. Develop oral language skills through listening and group discussion.

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Resources Needed

• Picture book or illustrated text of Pania of the Reef (preferably bilingual or te reo Māori version if available).
• Flashcards or visual aids for vocabulary words (moana, ākau, kōhine).
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers.
• Puppets or simple props representing characters (optional but engaging).
• Comfortable reading area.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	Curriculum Reference / Notes
0-5 mins	Whakatau and Introduction	- Welcome students with mihi or appropriate karakia.

• Briefly explain what pūrakau means, using simple language: "Pūrakau are special stories passed down from long ago that help us understand the world and our people."
• Highlight the importance of listening carefully to the story. | Supports values: Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga; key competency: Participating and contributing | | 5-20 mins | Read Aloud: Pania of the Reef | - Read the pūrakau aloud with animated expression and pauses for comprehension.
• Show illustrations as you read to scaffold understanding.
• Emphasise key kupu (words): pause at moana, ākau, kōhine and show corresponding flashcards/images.
• Use gestures and repetition to reinforce vocabulary. | Supports oral language and vocabulary acquisition aligned with Phase 1 "Know" and "Do" areas in Te reo Māori learning. | | 20-27 mins | Class Discussion | - Ask open questions to check understanding, e.g.:
  • Who is the main character? (Pania - a kōhine)
  • What places do we hear about? (moana and ākau)
  • What do you think happens next?
• Encourage students to share their thoughts (in te reo Māori or English, depending on proficiency).
• Use sentence stems: "Ko Pania te ___", "He ___ tenei". | Builds verbal reasoning and narrative skills (English NZC aligns with narrative elements and recounting shared stories) .| | 27-30 mins | Wrap-Up and Reflection | - Revise key vocabulary as a group using flashcards.
• Sing a short waiata or chant about the sea or the reef to consolidate the theme (optional).
• Outline that next time they will learn more about Pania’s journey.
• End with a karakia or farewell. | Reinforces vocabulary and cultural connection; supports disposition for ongoing learning.|

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Assessment Strategies

• Observational: Note student participation in discussion and ability to recall key characters and vocabulary.
• Anecdotal: Listen for correct use or recognition of moana, ākau, kōhine during the discussion.
• Future follow-up: Short oral retelling in later lessons to check comprehension and sequencing.

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Teaching Tips: WOW Factor!

• Use puppets or props for Pania and the reef creatures to bring the story alive visibly and kinesthetically.
• Integrate visual arts later in the unit where students create artworks representing moana or ākau.
• Consider a simple drama activity in follow-up lessons where students act as characters to deepen engagement—building on this introduction.
• Use digital storytelling tools for students to hear the pūrakau again or record themselves retelling it, integrating technology creatively with tikanga Māori content.

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This lesson plan offers a culturally responsive, age-appropriate introduction to a taonga pūrakau, embedding te reo Māori vocabulary that anchors students in their identity and language, fully aligned with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum's goals for Year 2 learners.

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If you would like, I can also generate lesson plans for subsequent lessons in this unit following the same framework.

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References:

• New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Phase 1 Literacy & Te reo Māori strands)
• Narrative and oral language pedagogies in Year 2 context consistent with NZC expectations.