Waiata Creation

Overview

Lesson 2 of 2 continues students’ work from “Exploring Rona’s Story”. In today’s lesson, learners collaborate to compose a short waiata that links Rona’s journey to their own feelings and connections, using te reo Māori vocabulary and emotional expressions.

Learning intentions

• WALT: Create a waiata that reflects personal connections to Rona's journey.
• WALT: Use te reo Māori kupu to show emotion and meaning in simple lyric lines.
• WALT: Work together to plan, draft, and practise performing a short waiata.
• WALT: Communicate intentions clearly through voice, rhythm, and shared performance.

Success criteria

• I can contribute at least two lines of waiata lyrics with te reo Māori vocabulary.
• I can include emotional expressions (e.g., feeling words) that match the story moments.
• I can perform our waiata with expression so listeners understand the emotions we want to show.
• I can show respect in our group work by listening, taking turns, and using agreed tikanga for sharing ideas.

Curriculum links

• Te reo Māori: Productive skills—Kōrero ā tuhi (students prepare and write short texts on familiar topics; compose short lyric lines).
• Te reo Māori: Cultural and sociolinguistic knowledge—use polite language, respect relationships and place when working together.
• Communication competencies: using language to express ideas and feelings, and collaborating for shared outcomes.
• Learning through social interaction: co-constructing text and performing for an audience with purposeful communication.

Lesson structure (30 minutes total)

1. 0–3 min · Hook (quick music + emotion). Teacher plays a short under-2-minute video showing elements of music (tempo/beat) and/or a simple waiata snippet; students name one emotion they associate with the sound. Students turn and talk: “When I hear this, I feel…”

2. 3–8 min · Revisit learning + model (teacher-made lyric frame). Teacher briefly revisits key lyric ideas from Lesson 1 and displays a scaffolded template: story moment → emotion → te reo Māori word → lyric line. Teacher models one example line with translation, e.g., “Kei te (… ) ahau” / “I feel (… )”, and explains that strong emotion words help listeners understand the message. Students do a quick choral read of the template lines.

3. 8–17 min · Group composing (collaborative drafting). Teacher sets groups of 3–4 and assigns roles: Kaituhi (writer), Kaiārahi (leads rhythm), Kōrero (checks te reo), Kaiwhakamātautau (rehearsal). Students use the filled-in-the-blank lyric template to create 2–4 lyric lines each group, choosing te reo Māori vocabulary cards and selecting emotions that match Rona’s journey (e.g., courage, hope, sadness, determination). Teacher circulates with checklist language: “Show me your te reo Māori word. What emotion is it expressing?”

4. 17–24 min · Practise (perform with expression). Teacher gives a simple performance expectation: clear start, beat/tempo matched to a clapping pattern, and expressive voice (not just reading). Students practise their group waiata twice, then swap to another group for one “feedback sparkle”: one strength and one suggestion (e.g., “Add an emotion word” or “Make the ending stronger”).

5. 24–29 min · Share (short performances). Each group performs for 20–30 seconds while class listens with “audience eyes and ears” (quiet, facing forward). Students who are not performing watch and note: “Which emotion words did I hear?”

6. 29–30 min · Exit check (quick assessment). Students write or say one sentence: “Our waiata shows ___ when Rona ___.” (Use one te reo Māori emotion word.) Teacher collects quick evidence for assessment.

Resources

• Prepared lyric templates (fill-in-the-blank frames) for groups
• Laminated vocabulary/icon prompt cards for te reo Māori emotion words and key story-related kupu
• Teacher-made picture prompts reflecting Rona’s key story moments
• Audio device/speaker for short hook video
• Coloured markers and mini lyric sheets (one per group)
• Clapping beat pattern cards (e.g., 1–2–3–pause)
• Simple group role cards (Kaituhi, Kaiārahi, Kōrero, Kaiwhakamātautau)
• Performance space markers (tape circles) so groups rehearse safely

Assessment

• Formative observation during composing: teacher checks each learner contributed at least two lyric lines containing te reo Māori vocabulary.
• Formative listening during performance: teacher notes whether emotional expression is clear to the audience (audience can identify emotions heard).
• Exit check: one spoken or written sentence including one te reo Māori emotion word that links to Rona’s journey.

Differentiation

• Pair stronger learners with those needing assistance: assign roles so Kaituhi and Kōrero share the writing task and checking of te reo Māori.
• Scaffolded structure: students use fill-in-the-blank templates with sentence starters (e.g., “Kei te ____ ahau…”, “I te wā e ____ ana…”, “E ____ ana tōku ngākau…”) and choose from a limited vocabulary set.
• Additional support: provide a “word bank + icon” near group tables; allow rehearsal using a whisper-count rhythm before performing.
• Language support for learners needing practice: teacher circulates to confirm correct placement of the chosen te reo Māori word in the line (meaning first, then accuracy).

Extension

• Students illustrate their waiata: create a small visual storyboard panel (Rona moment → emotion → key te reo Māori word written clearly on the image).
• Advanced groups add a repeating phrase (a simple hook) in te reo Māori that appears in at least two lyric lines, then label what emotion it reinforces.