Shapes in Te Whare

Curriculum Area

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – Pūtaiao (Mathematics) within Languages
Level: Early Childhood (Te Whāriki - Communication & Exploration strands)

Lesson Duration

60 minutes

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, preschool students will:

• Recognise and name basic shapes (whakarōpū āhuahanga) in te reo Māori
• Develop spatial awareness by identifying shapes in their classroom environment
• Engage in an interactive scavenger hunt, reinforcing learning through movement and exploration

Resources Needed

• Large flashcards with basic shapes (porowhita - circle, tapawhā - square, tapatoru - triangle, porotītaha - oval, whitu - star)
• Shape stickers for students
• Printable scavenger hunt checklists with shape illustrations
• Soft mat for group time
• A classroom environment with various shaped objects

Lesson Structure

1. Karakia & Whanaungatanga (10 minutes)

• Start with a simple karakia to welcome the learning session. Example:
  “Tēnā tātou e huihui nei i tēnei rā. Kia ako tahi tātou i ngā āhua i tō tātou whare. Tūwhitia te hopo, kia māia!”
• Greet each student individually in te reo Māori, reinforcing basic greetings.
• Sing a waiata with actions: “Ko ngā āhua” (Shapes Song), using hand motions to represent different shapes.

2. Introduction to Shapes (15 minutes)

• Show each shape flashcard and say the name in te reo Māori. Encourage repetition and collective pronunciation:
  • Porowhita (Circle)
  • Tapawhā (Square)
  • Tapatoru (Triangle)
  • Porotītaha (Oval)
  • Whitu (Star)
• Ask students to trace each shape in the air with their fingers.

3. Shapes in Te Whare - Scavenger Hunt (20 minutes)

• Hand out scavenger hunt checklists with illustrations of shapes.
• Explain the task: “Haere ki te kimi! Find these shapes in the classroom and put a sticker next to the ones you find.”
• Students explore the classroom in pairs, looking for objects that match the given shapes (e.g., a clock for a porowhita, a book for tapawhā).
• Once a student finds a shape, they return and say the name out loud before marking it on their checklist.
• Teacher guides and provides feedback: "Āe! He tapatoru tēnei. Good job! That is a triangle!”

4. Reflection & Whakamihi (10 minutes)

• Gather students back onto the mat.
• Ask students to share one shape they found and where they saw it.
• Reinforce learning with a quick game: Teacher calls out a shape name and students have to point to an object in the classroom with the same shape.
• Sing the “Ko ngā āhua” waiata again to close the lesson.

5. Poroporoaki & Next Steps (5 minutes)

• Thank the students for their participation: “Ka rawe tō mahi i tēnei rā, e hoa mā!”
• Explain what they will learn in the next lesson (using their hands to build shapes with blocks).
• End with a karakia whakamutunga and give each child a sticker with a shape they enjoyed learning about.

Extension Activities

• Shape sorting station in the classroom for free play.
• Simple shape art activity using recycled materials.
• Create a classroom shape chart with photos of real objects labelled in te reo Māori.

This lesson plan ensures an engaging and movement-based learning experience that aligns with New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, fostering both linguistic and mathematical development in Te Reo Māori. Teachers will appreciate the interactivity and culturally responsive approach.