Seasons and Atua

Overview

This 10-minute lesson introduces preschool (under 5) students in New Zealand to the Hotoke/Takurua season, exploring the atua (gods) associated with this season and the ahuatanga o te huarere (weather patterns). The lesson respects the developmental stages for three age groups: 0-12 months, 12 months to 3 years, and 3-5 years. It aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum, particularly the strands of Learning Languages (Te Reo Māori), Science, and Social Sciences for early childhood, responsive to cultural identity and environmental awareness.

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Curriculum References

• Learning Languages (Te Reo Māori strand):
  Recognising and using Māori language as a taonga, integral to identity and communication (NZC).
• Science (Understanding the Natural World):
  Exploring the environment and seasons through observation and storytelling.
• Social Sciences:
  Understanding how people relate to their environment, including respect for Māori tikanga and ngā atua.
• Key Competencies:
  Manaakitanga (care and respect), Ngākau pono (commitment), and Whanaungatanga (relationships) through shared activity and learning.

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Learning Objectives

Age Group: 0-12 months

• Experience sensory stimulation related to the Takurua season (cool air, winter-related objects).
• Hear and respond to simple Te Reo Māori words associated with Hotoke/Takurua, e.g., hau (wind), koaka (snow or frost), atua names in simple form.
• Develop language awareness through songs and sounds.

Age Group: 12 months – 3 years

• Recognise and name simple weather features of Takurua (cold, wind, frost) in te reo Māori.
• Participate in guided movement and mimic seasonal changes (e.g., shivering to show cold).
• Understand the connection between atua and weather through simple stories and puppets.

Age Group: 3 – 5 years

• Use more detailed Te Reo Māori vocabulary about Hotoke/Takurua, including names of atua and weather phenomena.
• Describe ahuatanga o te huarere (weather-related characteristics) of the season through oral sharing.
• Engage in simple creative activity representing Takurua, linking atua to their characteristics.
• Begin to sequence the season (concept of time and change) with teacher support.

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Lesson Outline (10 minutes total for 16 students)

Time	Activity	Age focus	Curriculum link	Resources
0-2 min	Welcome & Karakia	All	Learning Languages, Social Sciences	Simple karakia related to weather seasons
2-4 min	Sensory Experience or Story Introduction	0-12 months: feel warm/cold cloths or soft "snow"	12m-3y & 3-5y: Storytelling about Hotoke, Atua (e.g., Tāwhirimātea - god of weather)	Science, Learning Languages
4-6 min	Te Reo Māori Vocabulary & Action Song	12m-3y & 3-5y	Learning Languages	Song including words like hau, matao (cold), kapua (clouds)
6-8 min	Movement & Mimicry Game	All (age adapted)	Health & Physical Education, Social Sciences	Movement (shiver, blow wind, wave hands like snow falling)
8-10 min	Creative Expression / Sharing	3-5 years mainly	The Arts, Learning Languages, Science	Drawing or playdough modeling takurua/atua symbols
Ongoing	Teacher Observation & Encouragement	All	Assessment – oral vocabulary, participation, engagement	Anecdotal notes

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Detailed Activities Description

0-12 Months:

• Show and allow touching of warm vs. cold cloths to introduce the concept of cold weather (matao).
• Use soft cotton balls or white fabric to represent snow (Hotoke). Repeat simple words like hau (wind), hua (frost).
• Use gentle voice tone, facial expressions and simple gestures.

12 Months to 3 Years:

• Read a short illustrated story or use puppets about Takurua and Tāwhirimātea, the atua of weather.
• Teach them a short action song incorporating weather words (Hau, hau, hau - blow the wind).
• Encourage children to make wind sounds, shiver (cold), or reach up like snow falling.

3 to 5 Years:

• Discuss who Tāwhirimātea is and how he controls the winds and storms in Hotoke season.
• Use pictures and ask children to describe the weather using Māori words taught.
• Engage children in drawing or crafting simple representations of the season or atua, e.g., blue and white colours for cold and wind, drawing clouds or frost.
• Support sequencing words like nāianei (now), āpōpō (later), i mua (before) to frame the season timeline.

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Assessment and Reflection

• Monitor verbal responses and active participation to assess vocabulary acquisition and understanding of seasonal concepts (Learning Languages and Science).
• Teachers will note engagement with sensory materials and ability to mimic seasonal changes (Physical Education).
• Observe the ability to connect atua presence with weather phenomena through discussions and art (Social Sciences and The Arts).
• Use informal observation to identify individual learning needs and adapt follow-up activities.

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Inclusivity and Cultural Responsiveness

• This lesson fosters Māori identity and language use as the mauri (life force) of the culture.
• All children, irrespective of whakapapa, are supported to engage through interactive, sensory, visual, and verbal methods.
• Acts of respect for the atua and the environment are modelled and practiced in culturally responsive ways.

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This lesson plan promises an engaging, culturally rich experience tailored to the developmental needs of preschool tamariki, with clear ties to the New Zealand Curriculum's bilingual and bicultural aspirations.

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If you would like, I can also help you create specific songs, stories, or visual aids to support this lesson.