Schools in the 1980s

Overview

This 60-minute lesson invites Year 7 students to explore what education was like in New Zealand during the 1980s. Students will investigate the historical context, educational practices, and cultural influences shaping schooling during that decade. The lesson aligns closely with the New Zealand Curriculum's Social Sciences learning area, specifically focusing on how societies work and the ways people participate as informed citizens. It also integrates key competencies such as thinking, using language, symbols and texts, and relating to others.

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Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Social Sciences (Year 7)

• Achievement Objective: Understand how people’s social, cultural, and economic contexts influence their identity, ways of life, and perspectives (New Zealand Curriculum, Social Sciences achievement objectives for Level 3/4) .

• Key Competencies:

  • Thinking: Critically and creatively explore the past and reflect on change over time.
  • Using language, symbols & texts: Communicate historical understanding through oral, written, and visual means.
  • Relating to others: Engage in discussions respecting diverse views, including historical perspectives.

• Principles and Values Promoted: Equity, diversity, community and participation for the common good, as outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum .

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe key features of education in New Zealand during the 1980s, including classroom practices, school culture, and curriculum emphasis.
2. Identify cultural influences that shaped schooling in the 1980s, including social attitudes and technology available.
3. Compare and contrast these features with the education system today, reflecting on what has changed and why.
4. Engage collaboratively and critically with historical information, using a variety of sources and media.

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Resources Needed

• Images and visual artefacts from 1980s New Zealand schools (e.g., classroom photos, school uniforms, books, teaching tools).
• Short video clip or slideshow showing 1980s school life (teacher can narrate or provide captions).
• Printed timeline template for students to organise key facts.
• Worksheets with guided questions and space for reflections.
• Access to multimedia (e.g., projector, speakers).
• “Then and Now” comparison chart for classroom wall or handout.

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Lesson Plan Schedule

Time	Activity	Notes
0–10 mins	Engage and Activate Prior Knowledge	Class discussion: “What do you imagine school was like in the 1980s?” Use questioning to prompt ideas about technology, teaching styles, cultural norms.
10–25 mins	Explore 1980s Education	Present images/videos illustrating NZ classrooms, school routines, teaching tools (chalkboards, tape recorders), curriculum subjects from the 1980s. Discuss cultural aspects such as popular values, dress codes, and use of te reo Māori at the time.
25–40 mins	Group Activity: Timeline Construction	Students work in small groups to place key features/events of 1980s education in chronological order (e.g., introduction of new curriculum elements, cultural inclusion). Groups use provided timeline templates and refer to resources/notes.
40–50 mins	Compare and Reflect: Then and Now Discussion	Guided class discussion using “Then and Now” chart to identify changes in technology, pedagogy, cultural inclusiveness, and curriculum. Encourage critical thinking: Why did these changes happen? What stayed the same?
50–60 mins	Wrap-up and Formative Assessment	Individually, students list three things they learned about 1980s education and one question they still have. Share samples with class. Teacher provides verbal feedback.

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Detailed Activity Descriptions

Engage and Activate Prior Knowledge (10 mins)

• Ask students what they already know or have heard about schools in the past. Introduce the decade: 1980s New Zealand.
• Encourage sharing memories from parents/grandparents if known.
• Write ideas on whiteboard; correct misconceptions gently.

Explore 1980s Education (15 mins)

• Show selected photos/videos depicting typical 1980s classroom setting (e.g., teacher-centred instruction, chalkboards, no digital devices).
• Highlight key historical context briefly: 1980s social changes (e.g., growing bicultural awareness, early moves towards including Māori perspectives in curriculum).
• Discuss and list types of activities, subjects, and school culture features.
• Use questions to ensure comprehension, e.g., “What technology do you see? How is it different from your school?”

Group Activity: Timeline Construction (15 mins)

• Split the class into 5 groups of 5 students.
• Each group receives timeline templates with blank event slots.
• Provide event cards or notes about 1980s educational milestones (e.g., introduction of Te Reo Māori in schools, corporal punishment phasing out, key curriculum shifts).
• Groups collaborate to sequence events and justify positions.

Compare and Reflect: Then and Now Discussion (10 mins)

• Use a comparison chart on the board or handout summarising "Then" vs "Now" in categories:
  • Teaching tools and technology
  • Cultural inclusion and values
  • Curriculum focus and subjects
  • School routines and discipline
• Facilitate discussion linked to key competencies (thinking and relating to others).
• Prompt critical reflection: What lessons can be learned from the past?

Wrap-up and Formative Assessment (10 mins)

• Students individually write down:
  • 3 things they learned about 1980s education
  • 1 question they still have
• Invite a few to share their responses.
• Teacher provides encouraging feedback, highlighting curiosity and critical thinking.

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Extensions and Further Study Resources

• Encourage students to interview family members about their school experiences in the 1980s.
• Provide books or library resources with New Zealand school histories.
• Suggest exploring related cultural history topics, such as the impact of societal changes on schools.
• Optional creative activity: Students create a 1980s school diary entry or draw a classroom scene.

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Reflection for Teachers

• This lesson integrates key Social Sciences achievement objectives with the development of authentic critical thinking and communication skills as highlighted in the New Zealand Curriculum.
• The focus on historical empathy and comparison supports students' understanding of change over time and the contextual nature of education.
• Use of group timelines and multimedia caters to diverse learning styles and builds collaboration.

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By following this plan, teachers will deliver a memorable, curriculum-aligned exploration of 1980s education to Year 7 students that builds historical understanding and key competencies essential for active citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand .