Singing Our Belonging

Overview

Students build on their recent puzzle-piece artwork about what makes Orautoha Kura a place of belonging. Through singing, movement and body percussion, they learn and perform Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi, exploring how a waiata can communicate unity, connection and tūrangawaewae.

Learning intentions

• We are learning to express our tūrangawaewae by singing and performing a waiata together.
• We are learning to keep a steady beat using actions or body percussion.
• We are learning how waiata can communicate belonging, unity and connection.
• We are learning to participate respectfully in a group performance.

Success criteria

• I can join in confidently with Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi.
• I can keep a steady beat with an action or body percussion.
• I can explain one way the waiata connects to belonging at our kura.
• I can listen, co-operate and contribute respectfully to our group performance.

Curriculum links

• The Arts — Music: Sound Arts, Level 1: exploring and sharing musical ideas through singing, movement and performance.
• The Arts — Music: Sound Arts, Level 1: performing with others and showing awareness of beat, rhythm and group participation.
• The Arts — Music: Sound Arts, Level 1: responding to and discussing how music communicates ideas and feelings.
• Learning Languages: waiata support language learning through repetition, rhythm, pronunciation and meaningful use; waiata are used in settings such as school events and celebrations.
• Values and competencies: relating to others, participating and contributing, managing self, and showing respect for te ao Māori and the contributions of others.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Connect to belonging. Teacher displays the class puzzle pieces and asks, “What makes our kura a place where we belong?” Open with the opening belonging image and question and invite brief partner sharing. Students recall their artwork and offer one word or idea about Orautoha Kura, such as people, place, whānau or friends.

2. 4–8 min · Warm up voice and beat. Teacher leads a gentle breathing, humming and echo-clapping routine, then introduces Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi as a waiata about people standing together; model respectful singing and explain that every voice contributes. Students echo short phrases, practise clear pronunciation and tap a steady beat on their knees.

3. 8–15 min · Learn the waiata. Teacher sings or plays a familiar recording one phrase at a time, using the waiata words, pronunciation prompts and phrase-by-phrase instructions; teach by listening and echoing rather than expecting reading fluency. Students sing each phrase back, then join two phrases together, adding a simple repeated action such as hands together, hands out, or gentle side-to-side movement.

4. 15–21 min · Add rhythm and movement. Teacher demonstrates two safe performance choices: knee pats on the beat or a gentle side-to-side sway, and reminds students that quiet listening is also respectful participation. Students practise in pairs, helping one another keep the beat, then perform the waiata once with their chosen action. Teacher checks that the beat remains steady and the volume is comfortable.

5. 21–27 min · Group performance and response. Teacher arranges students in a circle or semi-circle and conducts a shared performance, using the performance cues and belonging discussion prompt. Students perform Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi together, then discuss: “How did singing together make us feel?” and “How did our voices and actions show that we belong to one kura?” Record a few student ideas using their own words.

6. 27–30 min · Reflect and share. Teacher distributes the waiata belonging reflection slip and reads each prompt aloud. Students draw or write one action they used, circle how they participated, and complete: “This waiata shows belonging because …” Invite two or three students to share before collecting the slips.

Resources

• waiata and belonging teaching deck
• the waiata belonging reflection slip
• Teacher voice or suitable familiar recording of Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi
• Display of students’ tūrangawaewae puzzle-piece artwork
• Projector or interactive board
• Open, safe space for singing and movement

Assessment

• During echo singing, listen for students joining in, attempting clear pronunciation and maintaining a steady beat.
• During paired practice and performance, observe participation, respectful co-operation, appropriate volume and use of movement or body percussion.
• Use the reflection slip to check whether students can connect the waiata with belonging, unity or connection to Orautoha Kura. Accept spoken, drawn or dictated responses.

Differentiation

• Support participation with teacher modelling, repeated short phrases, visual cues, actions and a seat beside a confident, supportive partner.
• Allow students to hum, tap, sway or listen during a first attempt; celebrate effort and re-entry rather than requiring solo singing.
• Provide the sentence starter “Our waiata shows belonging because …” and accept drawing, oral response, home-language thinking or adult scribing.
• Extend confident students by inviting them to lead an action, keep the beat for a group, or explain how the music’s repetition and shared voices communicate unity.
• Be sensitive to students’ cultural and communication needs. Use correct pronunciation, explain the purpose respectfully, and avoid pressuring any child to perform alone.