Whai Ara i te Mahere

Overview

Lesson 9 of 15 in Ngā Rangatira, Ngā Kōrero. Students use te reo Māori to give and follow sequential directions on a map, using landmarks, pathways, Māori place names and accurate location markers. They then design spoken and written instructions to a significant location.

Learning intentions

• WALT give and follow directions on a map using location and movement language.
• WALT use location markers accurately in complete sentences.
• WALT listen carefully and clarify a partner’s instructions.
• WALT write clear, sequential instructions for reaching a significant location.

Success criteria

• I can give at least five sequential directions using movement verbs.
• I can understand and complete a partner’s route without seeing their map.
• I can use location markers such as kei te taha mauī, kei te taha matau, i mua, i muri, i waenganui and whakawhiti accurately.
• I can include a landmark and a clear destination in spoken and written instructions.

Curriculum links

• Interacting orally in te reo Māori: listening for meaning and speaking clearly for a specific purpose.
• Writing in te reo Māori: organising ideas and producing understandable instructions.
• Using language features: applying sentence patterns, prepositions, location markers and movement vocabulary.
• NCEA senior Māori language learning: communicating information, responding to spoken language, and producing prepared spoken and written language for an audience.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 minutes – Whakatau and visual hook Open with the map challenge introduction. Display a simple map and ask: Me pēhea koe e tae atu ai ki tēnei wāhi? Students briefly predict a route, then share one direction using haere, huri, whakawhiti or kati. State the WALT and success criteria in student-friendly language.

2. 7–17 minutes – Model language and location markers Use the movement language and model route slides to teach or retrieve: haere whakamua, huri ki mauī, huri ki matau, whakawhiti i te ara, haere ki te taha o, kei te ritenga atu o, kei waenganui i, tata ki and tawhiti atu i. Model a route aloud while tracing it on the map. Explicitly contrast ki for movement towards a place and i for position or location. Include a quick check: students point left or right when they hear each direction.

3. 17–25 minutes – Listening and movement game Place the large visual map where all four students can see it. Students take turns giving one direction while the others move a counter or finger along the route. The listener must repeat the instruction before acting: Nō reira, me huri au ki te taha mauī? Add a short deliberate error and ask students to correct it politely: Kāore, me huri ki te taha matau.

4. 25–39 minutes – Partner map task Distribute the partner map directions worksheet. Pair students and give each pair a route with Māori place names and four to six landmarks. Student A describes the route while Student B traces it without interrupting; then they compare the completed route with the original. Swap roles using a new route. Require each speaker to use at least five sequential instructions and two location markers. Partners record one successful phrase and one phrase needing correction.

5. 39–51 minutes – Design a significant-location route Students independently choose a significant location, such as te marae, te awa, te maunga, a local historical site or another place meaningful to them. On the worksheet, they draw or label a simple map and write six to eight instructions, including a starting point, destination, landmark and sequence words such as tuatahi, kātahi, ā muri ake and ka mutu. Advanced students add distance, an alternative route and a deliberate obstacle, for example: Mēnā kua kati te ara, haere mā… They rehearse their instructions with a partner.

6. 51–57 minutes – Spoken route challenge Each student gives their instructions while a partner follows the route. The listener may ask only clarification questions in te reo Māori, such as Kei hea au ināianei? or Me huri ki hea? The speaker checks whether the partner reaches the correct destination and revises one unclear instruction.

7. 57–60 minutes – Plenary and exit reflection Finish with the success criteria exit ticket slips. Students identify which criteria they met and write one location marker they used accurately. Invite two students to share a strong direction or correction. Collect worksheets and exit slips for formative assessment.

Resources

• the map challenge introduction
• the partner map directions worksheet
• Large projected or printed map with Māori place names
• Four counters, highlighters or coloured pencils
• Whiteboard and markers
• Mini word bank of movement verbs, location markers and sequence words
• Exit slips: the success criteria exit ticket slips
• Optional local map or teacher-created map showing a significant location

Assessment

• Listen for accurate pronunciation, sequence, movement verbs and location markers during the partner task.
• Check whether each student can follow a route and ask for clarification appropriately.
• Review the written route and exit slip for a clear sequence, destination, landmark and accurate use of ki, i and location phrases.

Differentiation

• Provide large, uncluttered visual maps, colour-coded pathways, gestures and teacher modelling before independent work.
• Give developing learners a reduced map with a three- or four-step route, a phrase bank and sentence frames such as Tuatahi, haere… Kātahi, huri…
• Allow repeated listening, partner rehearsal, tracing with a finger and clarification in English before restating the idea in te reo Māori.
• Extend advanced learners with landmarks, distance, alternative routes, a deliberate obstacle, and a brief explanation of why their significant location matters.