Storyboarding Māori Legends

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is the 10th in an 18-lesson unit titled "Exploring Māori Stories." It focuses on helping Year 13 students creatively interpret Māori legends through visual storyboarding. The lesson aligns with the NCEA Level 3 Te Reo Māori curriculum, emphasising creative communication and cultural understanding.

Curriculum Links

NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standards (Te Reo Māori)

AS91666: Create extended oral interactions (communicative competence through storytelling).
AS91669: Present a fluent and coherent oral text (story narration).
AS91672: Respond critically in spoken Māori texts (analysis and interpretation).

This lesson supports development in creative interpretation and presentation and complements standards involving oral and visual storytelling.

Key Competencies

Thinking: Students analyse and interpret stories, sequenced visually.
Using language, symbols, and texts: Storyboarding develops skills in visual and oral text forms.
Managing self: Organising ideas and time to complete the storyboard.
Relating to others: Sharing and discussing storyboards in pairs or groups.
Participating and contributing: Engaging with Māori culture through legend retelling.

Learning Objectives

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

Interpret key elements and themes of selected Māori legends accurately.
Create visual storyboards that represent the narrative structure of the legends.
Demonstrate creativity and cultural respect in their storyboards.
Reflect on how visual storytelling deepens understanding of Māori legends.

Success Criteria

Students will:

Identify the main plot points, characters, and cultural elements of their chosen legend.
Organise these elements coherently across storyboard panels.
Use culturally appropriate symbols and imagery in their drawings.
Present their storyboard to peers, explaining creative choices.
Show evidence of engagement with te reo Māori and tikanga Māori concepts where appropriate.

Resources

Storyboard templates with defined panels (5-6 boxes per page).
Examples of Māori legends (written summaries or oral versions).
Drawing materials: coloured pencils, markers.
Graphic organisers to help plan story structure (sequence charts).
Digital devices (optional) for students preferring to create digital storyboards.

Teaching Activities

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation / Support
0–10 mins	Introduction & Review	Briefly recap legends previously studied. Discuss key storytelling elements (characters, setting, problem, resolution). Emphasise cultural significance and accuracy.	Use oral and visual cues for dyslexic students; provide printed legends with dyslexia-friendly fonts.
10–15 mins	Storyboard Planning	Distribute storyboard templates and graphic organisers. Students select a Māori legend to storyboard. Brainstorm main events using graphic organisers.	Provide additional scaffolding with guiding questions and keywords for students needing language support.
15–45 mins	Create Storyboards	Students create visual storyboards interpreting their chosen legend. Encourage use of symbols meaningful in te ao Māori, and te reo Māori labels where possible. Teacher circulates, giving feedback.	Allow use of digital tools or simplified templates for students with fine motor needs. Challenge advanced learners to include whakataukī or pepeha related to the story.
45–55 mins	Share & Reflect	In pairs or small groups, students explain their storyboards focusing on their creative interpretation and cultural elements.	Oral sharing supports language development; provide sentence starters and discussion prompts.
55–60 mins	Wrap-Up & Assessment	Teacher provides formative feedback evaluating creativity and accuracy. Highlight effective use of cultural knowledge and storytelling. Assign extension task for homework if desired.	Written feedback tailored to individual learning needs; ensure encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Assessment

Evaluate completed storyboards for:
Accuracy: Correct representation of legend’s plot, characters, and tikanga.
Creativity: Originality in visual depiction and use of Māori cultural motifs.
Communication: Clarity in visual sequencing and use of te reo Māori where appropriate.
Formative assessment through observation and peer feedback during sharing.
Optional extension: Students compose a short written or oral narrative to accompany their storyboard, supporting achievement in related NCEA standards.

Differentiation Strategies

Graphic organisers: Help structure ideas visually for students who struggle with sequencing.
Dyslexia-friendly resources: Provide legends in clear fonts, include oral storytelling support.
Choice of medium: Allow artistic expression through digital or hand-drawn storyboards.
Guided scaffolding: Use sentence starters, Māori vocabulary banks, and exemplar storyboards.
Advanced learners: Extend by researching lesser-known legends or integrating whakataukī and whakapapa.

Extension Activities

Create a digital multimedia storyboard integrating audio narration in te reo Māori.
Research the historical and cultural context of their chosen legend to deepen understanding.
Collaborate to create a class mural depicting multiple Māori legends.
Prepare to present storyboards at a school assembly or community event in te reo Māori.

Supporting Māori Values and Perspectives

Incorporate tikanga Māori by respecting the mana of stories shared.
Use the lesson to affirm te reo Māori as a taonga and encourage confidence in its use.
Connect storytelling to the wider reo Māori revitalisation goals aligned with the NCEA curriculum and the New Zealand Curriculum principles on tino rangatiratanga and cultural identity.

This lesson builds students’ abilities to express Māori culture creatively and critically, preparing them well for NCEA achievement standards in Te Reo Māori through multimodal storytelling. It fosters cultural pride, literacy, and visual communication skills vital for ākonga success in Year 13 and beyond.

Teaching Instructions