Spiritual Tradition Choice

Overview

In this lesson, students begin a five-lesson inquiry into the relationship between Māori spirituality and religious traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Students will explore a range of Māori spiritual concepts and select one spiritual tradition or value to investigate in depth. They will develop an understanding of key concepts such as whakapapa, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, and kaitiakitanga, while learning how to break complex religious and spiritual ideas into clear components for analysis.

While Te Hāhi Mihinare will be used as a key example throughout the unit because of its significance within our school community, students are also encouraged to investigate a religious tradition that reflects their own family values, beliefs, and faith background. As Hukarere students come from a diverse range of religious traditions, this approach acknowledges and celebrates the richness of their whakapapa, lived experiences, and cultural identities. Students will be supported to make meaningful connections between Māori spirituality and their chosen religious tradition, fostering a deeper appreciation of both faith and diversity within Aotearoa New Zealand.

By the end of the lesson, students will have selected a focus for their investigation and begun considering how Māori spiritual traditions influence and connect with religious beliefs, practices, identity, and community life.

---

Learning Intention

To understand key Māori spiritual concepts and explore their connections with diverse religious traditions.

Do Now

Quickwrite: What does respectful analysis of spiritual traditions involve?

Whakataukī

"He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata."

(What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.)

Skills Needed

• Critical thinking and analysis
• Respectful dialogue and cultural sensitivity
• Collaborative discussion
• Note-taking and annotation

Teaching Strategies

• Direct teaching with modeling
• Pair and group discussions
• Structured feedback protocols
• Use of visual aids and templates

Resources

• Lesson slides/board headings outlining analysis components and Māori spiritual concepts
• Printed Choice Card templates for student selection and planning
• Pair discussion prompts focused on whakapapa, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, and related concepts
• Respectful discussion norms cards emphasizing tikanga and cultural safety
• Learning folders or workbook sections for unit lessons 1–5
• Visible timer to manage lesson pacing

---

Learning intentions

Students will:

• analyse key Māori spiritual concepts such as whakapapa, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, and kaitiakitanga within the context of Aotearoa New Zealand
• explore how these Māori spiritual traditions connect with and differ from various religious traditions, including those reflecting their own backgrounds
• develop skills to critically investigate and select a Māori spiritual tradition for deeper study
• create an analysis plan that incorporates both Māori spirituality and students' own faith or cultural perspectives

Success criteria

I can:

• clearly describe a chosen Māori spiritual tradition and identify its key spiritual concepts for analysis
• explain the significance of concepts like whakapapa, manaakitanga, and wairuatanga with examples of their influence on beliefs and practices
• formulate focused analysis questions that guide inquiry using credible evidence
• respectfully engage in discussions using appropriate tikanga and demonstrate understanding of diverse faith perspectives

Curriculum links

• NCEA Religious Studies: AS90825 Analyse a religious tradition(s) in Aotearoa New Zealand (focus on Māori spirituality and other religious traditions)
• NCEA Religious Studies: AS91725 Analyse the meanings in a sacred text within a religious tradition (supporting interpretation of Māori and other faith texts)
• NCEA Religious Studies: AS90826 Analyse the response of a religious tradition to a contemporary ethical issue (linking beliefs to community and ethical practice)
• Key Competencies: Thinking (critical analysis and inquiry), Relating to others (respectful dialogue and cultural understanding), Participating and contributing (collaborative learning and sharing perspectives)

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook (respect + focus). Teacher introduces the inquiry focus on Māori spirituality and religious traditions, prompting students to reflect on respectful study and analysis; students quickwrite what good analysis involves.

2. 8–18 min · Direct teach (components of Māori spirituality). Teacher presents key Māori spiritual concepts (whakapapa, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, kaitiakitanga) and models breaking down spiritual traditions into beliefs, practices, community roles, and evidence; students annotate with questions.

3. 18–28 min · Concept mini-workshops. In pairs, students discuss how selected Māori concepts influence identity, relationships, and spirituality, adding possible evidence sources for each.

4. 28–42 min · Selecting a Māori spiritual tradition. Teacher presents options reflecting diverse iwi/hapū traditions and explains selection criteria emphasizing relevance, analyzability, and evidence availability; students complete a Choice Card detailing their tradition, analysis components, and connections to their own or other religious traditions.

5. 42–52 min · Peer feedback. Small groups share Choice Cards using a structured feedback protocol to refine analysis questions and deepen understanding.

6. 52–58 min · Teacher check and next steps. Teacher reviews student choices and questions, ensuring clarity and readiness for further inquiry; students file Choice Cards for upcoming lessons.

7. 58–60 min · Exit ticket. Students write their tradition choice, first analysis question, and key Māori concept(s) they will use.

Resources

• Lesson slides/board headings outlining analysis components and Māori spiritual concepts
• Printed Choice Card templates for student selection and planning
• Pair discussion prompts focused on whakapapa, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, and related concepts
• Respectful discussion norms cards emphasizing tikanga and cultural safety
• Learning folders or workbook sections for unit lessons 1–5
• Visible timer to manage lesson pacing

Assessment

• Formative checks during mini-workshops to assess understanding and application of Māori spiritual concepts
• Formative assessment during peer feedback to confirm clarity and depth of tradition choice and analysis questions
• Exit ticket to evaluate students' ability to articulate their chosen tradition, analysis focus, and key concepts

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and simplified checklists for analysis questions and Choice Card completion
• Support: allow drafting notes before finalising Choice Cards; pair students with supportive partners; use consistent prompts
• Extension: encourage deeper analysis by comparing additional dimensions such as community roles or ritual practices
• EAL/SEN: scaffold language and concepts; provide culturally safe spaces for academic discussion without requiring personal disclosure
• Cultural safety: reinforce that discussions focus on academic inquiry respecting whakapapa and tikanga without personal family sharing