Te Whakamārama Tāngata

Overview

Lesson 8 of 15 in Ngā Rangatira, Ngā Kōrero. Students examine how to describe a friend and a Māori leader respectfully, using accurate adjectives, roles, achievements, values, a/o categories and negated active sentences before writing and sharing a short profile.

Learning intentions

• WALT describe a friend and a Māori leader using connected sentences.
• WALT use respectful adjectives, roles, achievements and values.
• WALT use a/o categories accurately in possessive phrases.
• WALT use negation with active sentences.
• WALT support ideas with relevant details and examples.

Success criteria

• I can write a connected description of a person.
• I can use appropriate a/o categories, such as tōna and āna.
• I can use a negative active sentence accurately, such as Kāore ia e…
• I can include supporting details about roles, achievements and values.
• I can share my profile clearly and respectfully.

Curriculum links

• Communicating information, ideas and opinions in spoken and written te reo Māori.
• Understanding and responding to spoken, written and visual Māori-language texts.
• Producing a planned, connected written text for a specific audience and purpose.
• Developing the key competencies of managing self, relating to others, participating and contributing, and using language, symbols and texts.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Whakawhanaungatanga and hook Open with the opening question and leader images. Ask: He aha ngā āhuatanga o te rangatira? He aha ngā mahi ka whakaatu i ēnei āhuatanga? Students briefly discuss in pairs, then share one idea each. Establish that descriptions should be respectful and supported by evidence.

2. 5–15 minutes – Language focus: describing people Use the language focus slides to review sentence patterns:

• Ko ___ ia.
• He tangata ___ ia.
• He kaihautū ia mō ___.
• Ka ārahi ia i ___.
• Kāore ia e ___; engari, ka ___.

Model a short profile of a Māori leader, for example: He tangata māia, he tangata manawanui hoki a Dame Whina Cooper. Ka ārahi ia i te hīkoi mō te whenua. Kāore ia e whakarere i tōna kaupapa.

3. 15–25 minutes – A/o and sentence-building practice Distribute the a/o and sentence-building worksheet. In pairs, students classify phrases and complete sentences using tōna or āna, for example tōna whānau, tōna whenua, āna mahi, āna whakatutukitanga. They then transform two affirmative active sentences into negative sentences using Kāore … e …. Confer briefly with each pair and address errors immediately.

4. 25–35 minutes – Reading and oral rehearsal Students read the short leader profile on the leader profile and oral rehearsal task. Each student identifies the person’s role, achievement and values, then retells the profile to a partner without reading every word. Partners listen for one accurate adjective, one a/o phrase and one supporting detail.

5. 35–48 minutes – Independent writing: friend profile Students choose a friend, classmate, whānau member or another familiar person. Using the profile planning frame, they plan and write 6–8 connected sentences. They should include an introduction, two or three respectful adjectives, a role or contribution, an achievement or example, one a/o phrase, and one negative active sentence. The teacher conferences individually, prompting students to expand ideas rather than correcting every error for them.

6. 48–56 minutes – Sharing and peer feedback In pairs, students read their profiles aloud. The listener gives feedback using the prompts: He rerenga honohono? He tika te a/o? He taipitopito tautoko? Students revise one sentence after hearing feedback. Invite one or two volunteers to share with the class, only with permission.

7. 56–60 minutes – Plenary and evidence of learning Return to the success criteria and plenary slide. Students state one language structure they used successfully and one next step. Collect the written profiles and worksheet for formative assessment.

Resources

• the introduction, language focus, activity instructions and plenary slide deck
• the a/o and sentence-building worksheet
• Whiteboard and markers
• Dictionaries or approved digital Māori-language reference tools
• Exercise books or writing paper
• Timer
• Four pens or highlighters for peer feedback

Assessment

• Listen during pair rehearsal for pronunciation, sentence structure, appropriate adjective use and accurate a/o categories.
• Check each profile for connected ideas, relevant supporting details, a/o usage and a correctly formed negative active sentence.
• Record one strength and one next step for each student to inform Lesson 9.

Differentiation

• Provide a vocabulary bank with adjectives, roles, contribution verbs and values; allow students to select a familiar person rather than a public figure.
• Use oral-to-written scaffolding: students may rehearse sentences aloud, record a draft, or build the profile from sentence starters before writing independently.
• For students needing additional support, colour-code tōna and āna, provide a partially completed model, and conference in short one-to-one check-ins.
• For advanced learners, require a comparison with another person, a metaphor, or a relevant whakataukī. Encourage varied sentence openings and a more precise explanation of the person’s impact.