Wahine Reflection

Overview

This 30-minute lesson for Year 0-1 students in New Zealand introduces the Wahine disaster of April 1968 using age-appropriate methods grounded in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. It builds on prior learning about NZ history and develops empathy, reflection, and understanding through storytelling and sensory activities, accommodating diverse learners inclusive of ESOL and neurodiversity.

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Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We are learning to listen and understand the story of the Wahine sinking.
• We are learning to express feelings and ideas about events that happened in New Zealand’s past.
• We are learning to work together and respect others' viewpoints.

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Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Recall simple facts about the Wahine event using pictures and teacher storytelling.
• Show empathy by naming feelings they think people on the Wahine might have had.
• Participate in class discussions or activities, sharing ideas safely and respectfully.
• Use provided dyslexia-friendly texts and visuals to support understanding.

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Curriculum Links

Social Sciences (The New Zealand Curriculum Refresh - Year 1)

• Understand how the past is important to people (Social Sciences, Levels 1–2).
• Share stories and experiences and listen to others (English - Oral Language).

Key Competencies

• Managing Self: Explore and express self-awareness about feelings.
• Relating to Others: Show respect for others’ ideas and experiences.
• Using Language, Symbols, and Texts: Listen actively and use pictures and stories to support understanding.

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Resources

• Picture book or simple story about the Wahine disaster, with large clear images, simple sentences, and dyslexia-friendly fonts.
• Visual timetable of the lesson.
• Emotion face cards.
• Large paper for drawing or Story Map.
• Audio recording of key words and sounds (e.g., waves, wind).
• Props: small boat model, life jackets (toy), or textured materials (cotton wool for waves).

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Lesson Sequence (30 minutes)

1. Welcome and Connection (5 minutes)

• Activity: Gather students on the mat.
• Show visual timetable.
• Discuss: “Today, we will learn about something from New Zealand history – the sinking of the Wahine.”
• Activate prior knowledge: “Who knows what a ship is? Have you been on a boat?”

2. Storytelling with Sensory Engagement (10 minutes)

• Read aloud the Wahine story using the picture book or story cards.
• Incorporate audio effects of waves, wind.
• Use a toy boat or textured materials to illustrate key moments.
• Emphasise key facts:
  • The Wahine was a big ship.
  • It hit trouble during a big storm (cyclone).
  • People worked together to stay safe.
• Pause and ask open-ended questions: “How do you think people felt on the ship?”

3. Emotion Exploration (5 minutes)

• Use emotion face cards for students to identify feelings (e.g., scared, brave, sad, relieved).
• Encourage students to share times they felt like that.
• Link feelings to the story gently, e.g., “It’s okay to feel scared, but people helped each other.”

4. Reflection and Drawing (7 minutes)

• Invite students to draw or mark a story map about the Wahine story or how they imagine the sea.
• Use scaffolding with visual prompts.
• Support ESOL students by pairing with a buddy or using sentence starters e.g., “I think…”, “People felt…”

5. Sharing and Closure (3 minutes)

• Invite students to share their drawings or thoughts as comfortable.
• Recap key points: “The Wahine story helps us learn about working together and being kind.”
• Preview next lesson (continuing the Wahine story and what happened after).

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Needs	Strategies
ESOL	Use visuals and gestures, repeat vocabulary, sentence stems, peer support, bilingual props or keywords.
Neurodiverse Students	Provide sensory breaks, reduced language load, choice in participation, clear visual timetable, quiet space.
Dyslexic Students	Dyslexia-friendly font/text, audio story support, one sentence per page, highlighted keywords, use of visuals.
Advanced Learners	Encourage storytelling role-play, create a sequence story map independently, ask ‘why’ questions about events.

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Extension Activities

• Roleplay: Act out roles from the story — helpers, passengers, rescuers — with simple props.
• Music and Movement: Make wave motions with arms, create soundscapes with classroom instruments to represent the storm.
• Writing/Writing Preparation: Dictate a simple sentence about the Wahine to write or illustrate.
• Digital Story Creation: Use tablets to take photos of their drawings and arrange into a digital story with voice recording.

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Assessment for Learning

• Observe students’ participation and engagement in storytelling and emotion activities.
• Use anecdotal notes from drawing/sharing to gauge comprehension.
• Listen for use of key vocabulary and empathy expressions.
• Reflect on success in including all learners and adapting supports as needed.

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This plan draws on the emphasis in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh on inclusivity, social sciences focusing on "people and events in the past," oral language development, and the key competencies of managing self and relating to others. It uses rich sensory and interactive activities appropriate for young learners with diverse needs, supporting multiple pathways to learning and expression as recommended in curriculum guidance documents .