Strengthening Our Wellbeing

Lesson 1: Introduction to Te Whare Tapa Whā

Year Level

Year 0-2

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

17 students

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Learning Outcomes

Health and Physical Education Learning Area (From New Zealand Curriculum Refresh):

• Understanding about Hauora (Well-being)
  Students will begin to understand the holistic concept of hauora through exploring Te Whare Tapa Whā and recognise the four key dimensions of well-being: physical, social, spiritual, and mental.

• Health Promotion and Well-being Concepts
  Students will identify practices that support well-being within themselves and others, focusing on simple strategies to strengthen their hauora.

• Development of Key Competencies:

  • Relating to Others: Sharing ideas and listening to others’ perspectives about well-being.
  • Participating and Contributing: Engaging actively in creative tasks that promote well-being.
  • Managing Self: Expressing feelings and ideas about health and well-being confidently and appropriately.

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Curriculum References

• Health and Physical Education Learning Area
  Strand: Personal Health and Physical Development
  Level 1 (Years 1-2)
  Students will understand the importance of strategies for maintaining well-being (taha tinana, taha hinengaro, taha wairua, taha whānau).

• Key Competencies
  Engage students in communicating and participating in tasks requiring cooperation and self-expression.

• Values Respect and empathy for others; care for the environment and community (supports taha whānau and taha wairua).

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Lesson Description

Students will be introduced to the concept of Te Whare Tapa Whā, a Māori model of health that depicts well-being as a whare (house) with four crucial walls:

• Taha tinana (physical health)
• Taha whānau (social well-being)
• Taha wairua (spiritual well-being)
• Taha hinengaro (mental and emotional health)

Through an interactive group discussion and hands-on creative activity, students will explore each wall and draw or create an image representing something that helps support each dimension of their well-being. These contributions will be displayed on a classroom wall resembling the four walls of a whare, building a visual reference to revisit in future lessons.

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Learning Activities Timeline

Time	Activity	Details
0–10 mins	Welcome & Karakia	Begin with a simple karakia focusing on well-being and belonging to set a respectful tone. Introduce the lesson purpose.
10–20 mins	Interactive Story and Discussion	Read or tell a simple story introducing Te Whare Tapa Whā. Use visuals to introduce the four walls and their names. Ask guiding questions about how they might look after these walls. Use examples familiar to the children (e.g., eating well for physical, family for social).
20–30 mins	Movement & Body Awareness Break	Brief physical activity to engage Taha Tinana — e.g., stretching or simple Māori action songs. Relate this back to caring for the "physical wall."
30–50 mins	Creative Wall Building Activity	Provide each child with paper and drawing materials. Ask them to draw something that supports one of the four walls of Te Whare Tapa Whā. Encourage sharing reasons for their choices. As children finish, they place their drawings on the corresponding wall segment of a large Whare Tapa Whā display (constructed beforehand on the classroom wall).
50–60 mins	Reflection and Closing	Gather as a class to look at the completed wall display. Prompt students to share how the drawings help strengthen their wellbeing. Finish with a karakia or waiata (song) about health or togetherness.

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Resources Needed

• Large display board or wall section divided into four labelled areas for each "wall" of Te Whare Tapa Whā
• Paper, crayons, markers, coloured pencils for drawings
• Visual aids or illustrated storybook on Te Whare Tapa Whā (adapted for young children)
• Space for movement activity
• Simple karakia and waiata text or audio

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Assessment for Learning

• Observational Assessment: Teacher notes on student engagement and ability to identify and express ideas about each of the four dimensions of wellbeing during discussion and drawing.
• Sharing and Explanation: Informal assessment through students verbally explaining what they have drawn and why it supports a particular wall.
• Participation: Engagement in karakia, group discussion, movement, and creative activities.
• Reflection: Ability to recall and connect the four walls to personal well-being in closing reflections.

These align with New Zealand Curriculum expectations that children learn through active participation and express understanding through multiple modes (oral, visual).

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Teacher Tips

• Use te reo Māori names for the four walls throughout the lesson to embed language learning and cultural understanding.
• Relate each wall to everyday experiences at home and school to ensure cultural and personal relevance.
• Make the wall display accessible so students can add to it throughout the unit, strengthening connections over time.
• Differentiate support by working with small groups or individuals needing extra guidance to express their ideas.

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This lesson plan offers a rich, culturally responsive introduction to hauora, engaging students’ creativity and understanding in ways firmly rooted in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, particularly reflecting the values, key competencies, and learning area achievement objectives for Year 0-2 Health.

If you want, I can also help you with lesson plans 2-5 in this unit!

Would you like me to generate those as well?