Unit #4: Hauora in Sport

Lesson 4 of 7 — Taha Hinengaro: Nurturing Mental and Emotional Well-being

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Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
Strand: Mental Health: Personal growth and development; Relationships with other people
Curriculum Level: Level 2 (Year 4) — New Zealand Curriculum

Achievement Objectives:

• Identify personal strengths and describe how these contribute to building resilience (Personal growth and development).
• Express their feelings and show respect for and understanding of the feelings of others (Relationships with other people).
• Describe their own feelings and those of others in a range of contexts including physical activity (Mental health).

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Learning Intentions

• Explore the concept of Taha Hinengaro – mental and emotional well-being – within the context of sports and physical activity.
• Identify and name different emotions felt during games and activities, such as excitement, nervousness, disappointment, or pride.
• Use positive self-talk to build confidence and deal with setbacks.
• Show empathy and support for teammates and others.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify at least three emotions they might feel when playing sport.
• Participate in a group game to act out and recognise emotions.
• Create a visual poster with examples of positive self-talk phrases they could use in tricky or emotional moments.

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Resources Needed

• A3 paper or card for posters
• Felt-tip pens, coloured pencils, glue
• Emotion Charades prompt cards (with facial expressions and brief descriptions)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Timer or visual clock
• Calm music (optional for use during the poster creation)

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Lesson Breakdown (30 Minutes Total)

1. Karakia and Check In – 3 mins

• Begin with a short and inclusive karakia to centre the class.
• Quick group kōrero: A pātai (question) like “How are you feeling today — like a bouncing ball, a calm pond, or a fizzy drink bottle?”

2. Introduction to Taha Hinengaro – 4 mins

Wānanga-style discussion:

• As a class, explore what Taha Hinengaro means: our thoughts, feelings, and mind.
• Teacher prompts:
  • “How do we feel when we win a game?”
  • “How do we feel when something goes wrong, like missing a goal or dropping the ball?”
• Draw a simple emotions continuum on the board and add some examples (e.g. Excited, Frustrated, Proud, Embarrassed).

3. Game: Emotion Charades – 8 mins

Purpose: To make emotions visible, understandable, and fun to discuss.

• Divide tamariki into 4 small groups (5 students each).
• Each group picks an 'Emotion Charade Card' from a pre-made set. Each card shows:
  • Emotion word
  • Facial expression and simple scenario (e.g. “Excited – you just scored a try!”)
• Tamariki take turns acting out the emotion while others guess. Encourage dramatic expression and peer support.
• After 3 rounds per group, regroup and ask: “What made it easier to guess emotions?” and “Have you felt this when playing sport?”

4. Activity: Positive Self-Talk Posters – 12 mins

Purpose: Growing resilience and wellbeing through positive inner dialogue.

• Introduce the idea of positive self-talk with a quick example:
  • “Oops, I dropped the ball. But that’s okay, I’ll try again!” vs. “I’m useless at this.”
• Discuss how positive messages can help our hinengaro stay strong and calm.
• Give students A3 paper and art resources.
• Students create their own Positive Self-Talk Posters, including at least:
  • One emotion from the game
  • Two kind sentences they can say to themselves (e.g. “I can learn from this!”, “Mistakes help me grow!”)
  • Visuals, drawings, colours that express that message
• Play calming music softly if appropriate to help focus.

5. Wrap-Up and Reflection Circle – 3 mins

• Sit in a circle and briefly share:
  • “One emotion I understand better now is…”
  • “One kind thing I can say to myself next time sport feels hard…”
• Close with whakataukī:

"He aroha whakatō, he aroha ka puta mai." — If kindness is sown, then kindness you shall receive.

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Differentiation Suggestions

• Support: Pair students who need literacy support with a buddy during poster creation; use sentence starters on the board.
• Extension: Students write a positive self-talk script or short comic strip with captions showing a sports scenario.
• Inclusion: Ensure emotion words and examples reflect the diverse experiences, cultural backgrounds, and personalities of the learners.

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Optional Kaiako Reflection Prompts

• Did students engage readily with discussing emotions?
• Were any students reluctant to discuss or display feelings? Why might that be?
• How might you build on this lesson to deepen the understanding of Taha Hinengaro in the next 3 sessions?

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Next Lesson Preview (Lesson 5)

Title: Taha Whānau: Supporting Each Other On and Off the Field
Focus: How our relationships and whānau (family, friends, teammates) support our wellbeing in sports.

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Ka pai! He whetū ngā ākonga nei!

Let’s continue building tamariki who are not only active—but emotionally strong, kind, and resilient.