Unit #4: Guardians of Place

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Rationale

This unit explores the concept of Kaitiakitanga—guardianship and protection, particularly of the environment, within the local context of Aotearoa New Zealand. Drawing from The New Zealand Curriculum, the unit is framed within the refreshed Aotearoa Histories and Social Sciences learning area and incorporates Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles. It focuses on fostering local, culturally responsive learning for Years 6–8 ākonga, with a specific emphasis on the Wairoa community or a local equivalent relevant to the school.

By anchoring our unit around Kaitiakitanga, we provide an avenue for learners to:

• Explore relationships between people, places, and environments
• Understand the responsibilities we have as guardians of our collective spaces
• Recognise mana whenua perspectives and intergenerational Māori knowledge systems

Ākonga will connect deeply with local stories and develop agency over issues of care, sustainability, and community. The inclusion of te reo-a-iwi and local tikanga (customs) supports mana-enhancing and bicultural practices aligned with the refreshed curriculum and Te Tiriti-led education.

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Achievement Objectives

Social Sciences (New Zealand Histories) – Level 4

• Understand how people participate individually and collectively in response to community challenges.
• Understand how the ways in which leadership of groups is acquired and exercised have consequences for communities and societies.

Health and Physical Education – Level 4

• Take individual and collective action to contribute to environments that can be enjoyed by all.

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Big Idea

Kaitiakitanga is about reciprocal care—between people, land, water, and community. Understanding our roles as kaitiaki empowers us to look after our local spaces and the histories they carry.

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Unit Overview – Three Weekly Lessons + 1 Showcase

Week	Lesson Title	Focus	Curriculum Links
1	What is Kaitiakitanga?	Introducing the concept through pūrākau	Social Sciences, NZ Histories, Te Reo Māori
2	How to be Kaitiaki of the Wairoa Community	Community link, local iwi stories	Social Sciences, Health & PE, The Arts
3	How to be Kaitiaki of Our School	Manaakitanga and student-led context	Social Sciences, Values Education
4	Design a Pou	Creative representation of understanding	Visual Art, Integrating Cultural Literacy

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Learning Outcomes

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

1. Define and explain the concept of kaitiakitanga in both local and national contexts.
2. Investigate how local examples of kaitiakitanga are practised and led by mana whenua and community leaders.
3. Apply the concept of kaitiakitanga by taking action in their local environment (e.g., their school).

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Lesson Plan #1: What is Kaitiakitanga?

Year Levels	Years 6–8
Duration	45 minutes
Number of Students	22
Curriculum Level	Level 4 – Social Sciences
Cross-Curricular	Te Reo Māori, The Arts (Visual + Oral)
Big Idea	Kaitiakitanga is a foundational Māori value involving guardianship, protection, and intergenerational knowledge.

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Learning Intentions

• To explore the meaning and relevance of kaitiakitanga
• To understand the different ways people care for places
• To hear and respond to stories of kaitiakitanga from Māori perspectives

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Success Criteria

• Ākonga can define kaitiakitanga in their own words
• Ākonga can identify at least one example of kaitiakitanga in their own life/local area
• Ākonga can respectfully respond to a pūrākau (story) about kaitiakitanga using artistic expression

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Lesson Breakdown

Part 1: Whakawhanaungatanga / Mihi & Karakia – 5 mins

• Purpose: Set the tone using Te Reo Māori, making space for tikanga.
• Activity: Begin with a school-specific karakia, mihi from teacher and opportunity for ākonga to share a pepeha or recent local story or event.
• Te Reo-a-iwi: Use local dialect words for key terms (e.g., "te awa" for river, "ngahere" for forest, adjusted to iwi-specific kupu if known).

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Part 2: Watch & Reflect – 12 mins

• Resource: How Kiwi Saved the Forest short film or animation (from TKI or other Māori media).
• Integration: Use of a culturally relevant media depicting animals acting as kaitiaki.
• Prompt questions for discussion:
  • What makes the kiwi a good kaitiaki?
  • Who are the kaitiaki in our own stories or people we know?
  • What helped or challenged them?

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Part 3: Whakarongo / Class Discussion – 10 mins

• Display the kupu: Kaitiakitanga, Mana, Taiao (Environment/Nature), Rangatiratanga
• Pair and share: Students turn to a neighbour and discuss what they think these terms mean.
• Share responses out loud – teacher records mind-map on board with verbatim student thoughts.

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Part 4: Creative Reflection – 15 mins

• Activity – Visual Thinking Task:
  • Each student creates a fast drawing or written visual metaphor for kaitiakitanga. For example, a seedling growing beside a stream, a pair of hands holding the land, or a family looking after a garden.
• They are encouraged to add a kupu Māori label to the picture.
• Display artworks around classroom on a Te Taiao Wall to be added to each week.

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Part 5: Wrap-Up and Journalling – 3 mins

• Teacher asks: "What is one way you’ve seen someone be a kaitiaki?"
• Ākonga write a 1–2 sentence response in their inquiry journal.
• Quick preview of next week: “We’ll be looking at how our Wairoa community looks after our awa, ngahere and marae.”

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Assessment Strategy

• Formative Assessment:
  • Observations during pair-share
  • Collection of journal entries
  • Review of visual metaphors and their kupu Māori to check conceptual understanding

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Culturally Responsive Elements

• Curriculum is responsive to mana whenua presence and local dialects (te reo-a-iwi)
• Integrates oral storytelling (pūrākau) and visual art, traditional modes of expressing understanding
• Whanaungatanga is prioritised through whakawhiti kōrero (sharing conversations) and collaboration

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Resources Needed

• Short video/story: How Kiwi Saved the Forest (Māori TV or TKI resource)
• Large art paper, pens, crayons
• Visual thought starter words in Te Reo Māori
• Journal books for reflection
• Teacher's pepeha, local iwi map
• Image printouts of local landmarks or spaces students recognise

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Teacher Considerations

• Consult with local iwi liaison to ensure accurate and meaningful incorporation of te reo-a-iwi
• Connect with bilingual colleagues to support tikanga Māori inclusivity
• Prepare visual aids for students with additional needs (ESOL learners, neurodivergent learners)

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Upcoming Lessons

• Lesson 2: On-site or virtual visit/interview with local iwi or community environmental initiative (e.g. pest eradication programme).
• Lesson 3: Action design: planning student-led kaitiaki action in school such as a compost system, waste audit, or garden project.
• Lesson 4: Creative show: design and present a class pou kaitiaki, either physical or digital, reflecting their collective learning.

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"Ko te mana, ko te whenua, ko ngā mokopuna – ēnei mea e honoa ana i raro i te maru o te kaitiakitanga."

"Authority, land, and our future generations – these are united under the umbrella of guardianship."

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This plan incorporates ideas from curriculum resources, culturally responsive pedagogy, and reflects the New Zealand context outlined in the NCEA and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa guidelines.

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References (Sample for Full Unit Submission)

1. Ministry of Education (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum.
2. NCEA Pilot Framework, Social Studies (2023).
3. Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) – Māori education resources
4. Bishop, R., & Berryman, M. (2009). Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities of Māori students.
5. Durie, M. (1998). Te Mana, Te Kāwanatanga: The Politics of Māori Self-Determination.
6. Ritchie, J., & Rau, C. (2010). Enacting a kaupapa Māori early childhood pedagogy.
7. Macfarlane, A. (2004). Kia Hiwa Ra! Listen to Culture.
8. Royal, T. A. C. (2007). Te Ao Mārama – A new world view.

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✅ Appendices with lesson 2, 3 and 4 would follow in submission.

Let me know if you’d like the rest of the unit fleshed out!