Unit #7 – Anatomy in Motion

Lesson 1: Introduction to Human Anatomy

Total Duration: 120 minutes
Class Size: 4 students
Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education
Curriculum Level: Level 8 — aligned with NCEA Level 3 Physical Education

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Big Ideas from NZC Learning Matrix (Level 8 – Physical Education)

• Big Idea 1: Understanding the Body – Knowledge of the function and structure of the body enhances participation and performance in physical activity.
• Big Idea 4: Hauora – Holistic Wellbeing – Physical activity contributes to the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:

• Identify and describe key components of the skeletal, muscular, and circulatory systems.
• Use basic anatomical terminology accurately.
• Understand how these systems interact to support movement.
• Relate anatomical knowledge to physical activity, movement, and hauora.

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Key Competencies Developed

• Thinking – Analysing the connection between body systems and performance.
• Relating to others – Peer explanation and co-constructed understanding of anatomical structures.
• Participating and contributing – Engaging in movement-based kinaesthetic activities to learn anatomy.
• Managing self – Independent inquiry and practical exploration.

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Te Ao Māori Integration

• Incorporation of te reo anatomy terms (where possible).
• Acknowledgement of the body as a taonga, and its relationship to hauora.
• Introduction to concepts of taha tinana, taha hinengaro, and how knowledge of the body supports mauri ora.

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Resource List

• Human skeleton model (or printed anatomy posters)
• Chalk, cones, large body outlines (on butcher paper)
• Whare tapa whā posters
• Clipboards, markers
• Basic 5kg medicine ball (for movement activity)
• Printable quiz sheets & labelling diagrams

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Lesson Breakdown

🕐 0–10 mins | Karakia + Whakawhanaungatanga Introduction

• Begin with a karakia to open the learning space.
• Quick whakawhanaungatanga with students — how are they feeling in their tinana and hinengaro today?
• Explain the kaupapa of the “Anatomy in Motion” unit – and how understanding the body will support better movement, hauora and performance.

“In Te Ao Māori, our tinana is more than muscles. It is where our wairua lives, where legacy is held. Let’s honour that with learning.”

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🕐 10–30 mins | Group Activity – “Mapping the Tinana"

A hands-on introductory activity to locate body systems through visual and kinaesthetic learning.

Materials: Large butcher paper, markers, skeleton model or chart
Instructions:

• In pairs (2 pairs in total), ākonga trace around one group member’s body on large paper.
• Use coloured markers to draw in:
  • Major bones (e.g. femur, humerus, skull)
  • Major muscles (e.g. quadriceps, deltoids, biceps)
  • Circulatory pathways (basic heart & arteries)
• Māori terminology is used alongside English (e.g., kōiwi – bones, uaua – muscles, ngā toto – blood).

Debrief: Students walk around each group’s diagram and give feedback. What surprises them? Which systems are layered or overlap?

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🕐 30–50 mins | Teaching Segment – “Inside the Tinana”

Kaiako-led learning using anatomical models or diagrams.

• Walk students through how the skeletal, muscular, and circulatory systems work individually, then how they interact.
• Focus on functional relevance to movement:
  • Skeletal = Structure
  • Muscular = Movement
  • Circulatory = Fuel/Recovery
• Use real-life example of a haka, karanga, or a basketball lay-up to illustrate system integration.

“Your muscles don't move alone – he whānau tō rātou. The heart, the lungs, and the bones are all part of the story.”

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🕐 50–70 mins | Outdoor Movement Challenge – “What Moves the Body?”

Use movement to make the invisible visible.

Set-up: Outdoors in the kura field or ngahere (if nearby and safe).
Stations:

1. Jump squat station – linking quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings
2. Plank station – isolating core and back musculature
3. Medicine Ball lift/toss – full body integration
4. Heart rate check station – pulse pre- and post-exercise

Activity Flow:

• Each student rotates through stations every 4 minutes, using clipboards to note:
  • Which muscles are working?
  • Is there heart rate change?
  • What joints are moving?

Kupu hou reinforced throughout e.g. kukune – muscle contraction, ngākau – heart, marohi – strength.

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🕐 70–85 mins | Group Discussion – Linking to Hauora

• Bring everyone together to debrief movement session.
• Prompt discussion:
  • How does knowing the body enhance your ability to move purposely?
  • Link back to the taha tinana strand within hauora.
  • What might injury to one system mean for hauora?
  • How does respecting your tinana reflect mana motuhake?

Optional Extension: Create a short whakataukī or metaphor for the body, e.g.

“Ko ngā uaua te kaha, ko te toto te manawa – together, they carry us forward.”

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🕐 85–105 mins | Consolidation Activity – “Anatomy Relay”

Quick-paced group competition reinforcing new terms and systems.

Set-up:

• Kaiako sets out labelled stations – bones, muscles, functions.
• Students work in two teams and race in relays to:
  1. Collect correct anatomical terms.
  2. Match them to body regions or functions.
  3. Bonus round: answer application question like “What muscles activate when jumping?”

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🕐 105–115 mins | Reflection – “My Body, My Movement”

• On individual sheets or orally (whakaaro kōrero):
  • One new term I learnt today…
  • A system I want to understand more deeply…
  • One way this learning connects to my life, my mahi, or my movement...

Encourage honest and curious reflections. Connect their ideas back to movement practices like kapa haka, sport, or whānau health.

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🕐 115–120 mins | Karakia Whakamutunga + Next Step Preview

• Close with a short karakia and gratitude for our tinana.
• Kaiako gives a teaser:
  “Next week, we explore muscles more deeply – and how to train them for power and endurance. We’ll test our own limits.”

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative only – observation of terminology accuracy during tasks
• Understands functions of key systems
• Contributions to group discussion
• Links made between anatomy and movement

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Homework / Optional Extension

• Whānau research task: Interview someone at home or in your whānau about how they look after their tinana and hauora – especially through movement. Bring a summary next lesson.
• Use a labelled diagram to revise 10 key terms from today

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Teacher Reflection Prompts (Post-class)

• How confident were students with anatomical language?
• Did outdoor activities support deeper understanding of concepts?
• Is there a balance between mātauranga Māori and Western knowledge systems in this unit so far?

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Ngā mihi nui – let’s build deeper understanding of our bodies, our potential, and our movement together.