Understanding Te Tiriti

Curriculum Area: Social Sciences (Level 4)

Achievement Objective:

• Understand how people’s perspectives on past events in Aotearoa shape the present.
• Analyse how leadership, decision-making, and power influenced relationships in early Aotearoa New Zealand.

Lesson Duration: 60 minutes

Unit: Understanding Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Lesson 1 of 12)
Year Group: Year 7
Class Size: 30 students

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Lesson Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, students will:
✅ Identify key events leading up to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
✅ Discuss why perspectives on Te Tiriti differ.
✅ Share and correct misconceptions through guided discussion.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Whakawhanaungatanga – Building Connections (10 minutes)

📍 Objective: Establish a personal connection to the learning

• Begin with a whole-class discussion: What do you know about Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
• Write students’ responses on the board under two headings: Facts and Misconceptions.
• Encourage students to think about prior learning in primary school and family or community discussions.

👥 Activity: Think-Pair-Share

1. Ask students: Why do you think some people might see Te Tiriti differently?
2. In pairs, students discuss their thoughts before sharing with the class.

⭐ Teacher’s Role: Guide students to recognise that perspectives differ based on experiences, historical context, and cultural views.

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2. Setting the Scene – 1840 Aotearoa (15 minutes)

📍 Objective: Provide historical context of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• Storytelling Approach:
  • Use an engaging visual like a hand-drawn map or digital slideshow showing Aotearoa in the early 1800s.
  • Describe the relationships between Māori rangatira, British settlers, missionaries, and traders.
  • Introduce key figures like Hone Heke, Governor William Hobson, and British officials.
  • Explain why some rangatira wanted a treaty and others were hesitant.

🎭 Mini-Drama: Role Play – Voices from the Past

• Materials: Pre-prepared short quotes from Māori chiefs, British officials, settlers, and missionaries.
• Activity:
  • Hand out different quotes to students.
  • Students stand in a line representing different viewpoints and read their quotes aloud.
  • Short teacher-led discussion: What do you notice about the differences in opinions?

⭐ Teacher’s Role: Facilitate discussion to highlight how complex the decisions were for both Māori and the British Crown.

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3. Te Tiriti vs The Treaty (15 minutes)

📍 Objective: Recognise key differences in texts and their impact

• Brief Explanation:
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi was written in te reo Māori and The Treaty of Waitangi was the English version.
  • Many words didn’t translate exactly, leading to confusion and challenges in later years.

📝 Small Group Activity: Translations Matter

• Instructions:
  • Give each group an English phrase and ask them to rewrite it in their own words.
  • Rotate phrases between groups to see how meanings shift with retellings.
  • Relate this to the differing understandings of the Treaty.

⭐ Teacher’s Role: Emphasise that mistranslation caused disagreements that continue today.

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4. Exit Ticket – Quickfire Reflection (10 minutes)

📍 Objective: Assess student understanding and gather insights for next lesson

🚦 Traffic Light Reflection:

• Give each student a sticky note.
• Write one thing they learned (green), one thing they are unsure about (yellow), and one question they have (red).
• Stick notes on the board before leaving.

📢 Share a few reflections aloud to engage student thinking and highlight key ideas for the next lesson.

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Teacher Reflection and Next Steps

✅ Which misconceptions need deeper exploration?
✅ Were students able to grasp differing perspectives?
✅ Review exit tickets to inform next lesson on the motivations behind Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

✏ Next Lesson: Who Wanted the Treaty and Why?

This lesson ensures Year 7 students actively engage with the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a way that is age-appropriate, interactive, and based on critical thinking.