The Land of Milk and Honey

Overview

In this first lesson of the unit “Unraveling Aotearoa's Dawn Raids”, students explore why Pacific peoples migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand by analysing push and pull factors. They connect family settlement decisions to later historical consequences, including the significance of the Dawn Raids.

Learning intentions

WALT analyse Pacific migration motivations using push and pull factors. WALT describe how family choices influenced settlement in New Zealand. WALT begin linking migration experiences to Aotearoa New Zealand’s later historical context (Dawn Raids).

Success criteria

• I can identify at least two push factors and two pull factors for Pacific migration to New Zealand.
• I can explain how family needs, responsibilities, and hopes shaped migration or settlement choices.
• I can use historical evidence (e.g., dates, names, or short excerpts from sources) to support my claims.
• I can state one way this migration context connects to the significance of the Dawn Raids.

Curriculum links

• History AS92025 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance of a historical context (focus on significance of migration and settlement).
• History AS92026 — Demonstrate understanding of historical concepts in contexts of significance to Aotearoa New Zealand (use causation and evidence in migration decisions).
• Social Sciences learning competencies: critical thinking, using sources to support thinking, and participating and contributing in class discussion.

Lesson structure ({total minutes})

1. 0–5 min · Hook: “Milk and Honey” prompt. Teacher displays the phrase “Land of Milk and Honey” and asks students what it might mean to someone moving to a new country. Students do a quick write: one hope and one concern migrants might have.

2. 5–12 min · Activate knowledge & introduce push/pull. Teacher gives a short explanation of push factors (reasons leaving) and pull factors (reasons attracting), linking to Pacific migration and family decision-making. Students annotate a class diagram: add examples to each side (no judgement, just ideas).

3. 12–22 min · Source-sleuth groups (primary evidence). Teacher distributes a short pack of excerpts (teacher-prepared or school resource set) showing migration motivations such as work opportunities, family reunification, or conditions in places of origin. Students complete a “source annotation” task: for each excerpt, label it as push or pull and write one sentence explaining why. Teacher circulates with questions: “What in the evidence makes you think that?” and “Whose perspective is this likely to reflect?”

4. 22–33 min · Family choices: decision-making storyboard. Teacher models a mini example: a family weighing options, then settling in New Zealand (using a cause-and-effect “Because…, therefore…” structure). Students work in pairs to create a 4-panel storyboard titled “Family choices about settling”. Each panel must include:

• one push or pull factor
• a family reason (e.g., responsibilities, support, future plans)
• one piece of evidence from the source pack (quote, date, or detail).

5. 33–40 min · Whole-class share: spotting patterns. Teacher leads a discussion: Which factors were most common? How did family priorities shape the outcome? Students contribute using sentence stems: “Many families may have… because the evidence shows…” and “This is a push/pull factor because…”

6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket: Dawn Raids link. Teacher asks: “In one or two sentences, explain one connection between Pacific migration settlement and why Dawn Raids became significant in Aotearoa New Zealand.” Students submit their exit ticket.

Resources

• Short excerpt pack of historical primary sources (migration motivations; could be oral-history style excerpts, archival notices, or curated school text passages)
• Push/pull factor worksheet or slide with diagram
• Storyboard template (4-panel) with “Because…, therefore…” prompt
• Highlighters or coloured pens for push (e.g., red) and pull (e.g., blue)
• Projector/board and marker
• Timer and discussion sentence stems strip

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during group source annotation (checking push/pull accuracy and evidence use).
• Formative: storyboard panels checked against the success criteria (clear factor + family reason + evidence).
• Exit ticket (summative-for-learning): quality of the student’s stated connection to Dawn Raids significance, using at least one accurate idea from the lesson.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for annotations and storyboard (“The evidence suggests…”, “This is a pull factor because…”). Offer a partially completed push/pull example for students who need scaffolding.
• Support for students needing language help: sentence frames that include a claim + evidence + explanation structure.
• Extension: students add an additional layer by identifying a likely perspective (e.g., family, community, or government) and whether the evidence shows hope, fear, or obligation.
• SEN/EAL considerations: allow oral rehearsal with a partner before writing; provide visual cues (icons for push/pull and family themes). Offer a word bank (migration, settlement, reunification, work, responsibilities, hope, safety).