Weaving Matariki Lanterns

Learning Context

Year 5 & 6 students in Aotearoa New Zealand will explore Māori weaving using the basic under-over technique and apply this skill to create lanterns for Matariki celebrations. The lesson integrates Te Ao Māori concepts, weaving practice, art, science, and social studies in a 60-minute session for 25 students, with differentiation and extension tailored for diverse learners including neurodiverse and dyslexic students.

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Curriculum Links

Languages Learning Area (Te Reo Māori central to identity and cultural expression)

• Communicate ideas and explanations about Māori cultural practices through practical activity
• Use vocabulary and language structures related to weaving and Matariki

The Arts

• Develop skills in creating visual arts (weaving + lantern construction)
• Express understanding of cultural stories symbolically through art

Science

• Explore materials and their properties (flexibility, strength of fibres)

Social Studies

• Understand significance of Matariki in Māori culture: a time to celebrate identity, relationships, and seasons

Key Competencies

• Participating and contributing (working collaboratively)
• Managing self (perseverance during weaving)
• Relating to others (sharing knowledge and cultural stories)
• Thinking (problem-solving weaving challenges)

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Learning Objectives

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

• Explain the significance of Matariki and its link to weaving as a cultural practice
• Demonstrate the under-over weaving technique with confidence
• Create a simple lantern using woven panels reflective of Matariki themes
• Describe properties of materials used for weaving
• Express connections to Te Ao Māori values through their artwork

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Lesson Overview (60 Minutes)

1. Introduction & Te Ao Māori Context (10 mins)

WALT: We are learning to understand the importance of Matariki and its connection to weaving.

• Brief oral/kōrero introduction to Matariki and its cultural significance as the Māori New Year — a time to honour ancestors, celebrate community, and recognise natural cycles.
• Discuss weaving (raranga) as a valued cultural skill connected to identity and storytelling, especially in Matariki celebrations.
• Use simple visuals and a lanter shaped model to connect meaning.
• Success Criteria: Students can explain Matariki’s significance and associate weaving as a traditional practice.

Differentiation: Use clear, dyslexia-friendly text cards and visuals; allow oral responsiveness for neurodiverse learners.

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2. Science and Material Exploration (5 mins)

WALT: We are learning to identify and describe the properties of weaving materials.

• Show flax strips (harakeke), paper strips, and other weaving materials.
• Discuss flexibility, texture, strength, and suitability for weaving lanterns.
• Encourage hands-on touching and comparing.
• Success Criteria: Students can describe at least two properties of a weaving material.

Differentiation: Provide tactile samples and allow verbal or pictorial description for students who prefer non-written communication.

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3. Teaching the Under-Over Weaving Technique (10 mins)

WALT: We are learning to weave using the under-over technique.

• Demonstrate step-by-step how to weave with strips: go under one strip, over the next, alternating consistently.
• Use a large, visible frame or weaving loom.
• Students practice simple 4-6 row weaving on individual flat frames or cardboard looms with strips.
• Guide students closely, allowing peer support.
• Success Criteria: Students can create an under-over pattern with at least 6 rows neatly.

Differentiation:

• For neurodiverse learners needing more structure: use colour-coded strips and simplified frames.
• For dyslexic learners: provide pictorial step cards showing weaving steps visually.

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4. Lantern Creation (Weaving Application) (25 mins)

WALT: We are learning to apply weaving skills to create a Matariki lantern.

• Students cut and weave panels (approx. A4 size) to form sides of a simple lantern frame (provided pre-cut cardboard or wooden sticks).
• Assemble weaving panels onto lantern frames with teacher support.
• Decorate lanterns with Matariki motifs or symbols using markers or stickers (encouraging tear-drop or star shapes, representing stars of Matariki).
• Discuss how light and shadow from the woven lantern represent stories and light during Matariki.
• Success Criteria: Students create a lantern with woven sides using under-over technique and can explain its connection to Matariki.

Differentiation:

• Scaffold work for students requiring it (provide partially woven panels or simplified frames).
• Allow sensory breaks or quiet corners for neurodiverse students.
• Give dyslexic learners verbal or illustrated instructions and peer buddy system.

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5. Sharing and Reflecting (10 mins)

WALT: We are learning to share what we have made and learned about Matariki and weaving.

• Students show their lanterns, explain their weaving process, and share one new fact about Matariki.
• Teacher highlights use of Te Reo Māori words introduced (e.g., raranga, harakeke, Matariki).
• Discuss perseverance, the importance of culture, and using art to express identity.
• Success Criteria: Students confidently share their art and understanding of Māori culture orally or with visual support.

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Differentiation Strategies Summary

• Visual and tactile materials (flax, paper, loom).
• Step-by-step visual aids and dyslexia-friendly fonts.
• Flexible grouping and peer support.
• Sensory breaks and quiet spaces as needed.
• Oral scaffolding and English/Te Reo bilingual vocabulary.
• Allow choice in decoration to foster creativity and identity.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Research another Māori weaving pattern or region-specific technique to present to the class.
• Create a digital storytelling project on the significance of Matariki and weaving.
• Design a multi-material lantern incorporating natural fibres and recycled resources, explaining their ecological properties.

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Resources Needed

• Pre-cut cardboard or wooden stick lantern frames
• Harakeke or paper strips in various colours
• Weaving looms or cardboard bases
• Markers, stickers for decoration
• Visual aids with Māori words and weaving steps
• Dyslexia-friendly instruction handouts with visuals

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Reflections and Assessment

• Formative: Observe participation and skill acquisition during weaving.
• Success in able verbal or visual articulation of Matariki significance.
• Use a checklist to identify individual challenges and strengths in weaving and cultural understanding.
• Provide feedback focusing on growth mindset and cultural appreciation.

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This lesson fosters skills in language, arts, science, and social studies through a culturally rich context, guided by the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum’s principles of engaging multiple competencies and promoting equity and inclusion in learning environments.