Whanaungatanga First Day

Overview

This plan is designed for Year 4 students in a Māori bilingual unit in New Zealand, following the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (The Māori-medium curriculum framework). The focus is on building relationships, establishing classroom expectations, and fostering a positive learning community on the very first day of school. It runs for approximately one hour with 21 students.

Learning Objectives

Aligned with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa Phase 2, Years 4–6:

• Whanaungatanga (Building Relationships): Students will engage in activities that develop positive interpersonal communication and strengthen classroom relationships through verbal and non-verbal interactions.
• Manaakitanga (Respect and Care): Students will demonstrate respect for peers by practising active listening, greetings, and collaborative discussions.
• Te Reo Māori Oral Language (Communication): Students will use conversational te reo Māori including greetings, brief self-introductions, and polite interaction – aligning with oral language capabilities described for Year 4 students.
• Whakaritea Ngā Tikanga ā-Kura (Setting Classroom Expectations): Establish clear behavioural and learning expectations using shared language and visual supports.
• Whakaute ki te Ao Māori (Respect for Māori Language and Culture): Incorporate whakataukī (proverbs) and waiata to ground classroom culture in te ao Māori perspectives.

Curriculum References

• Communication skills including listening, responding, turn-taking, and using sentence stems for respectful agreement and disagreement (Years 4–6)
• Developing positive identities and oral language competency (Phase 2, Years 4–6)
• Whanaungatanga and Manaakitanga as foundational classroom values aligned with Māori worldviews

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Resources to Set Up for Week 1

• Visual learning support posters: classroom rules in te reo Māori with symbols, whakataukī, and illustrated tikanga concepts.
• Name tags: for students featuring their names and a symbol or whakapapa reference (e.g., their pepeha/ancestry).
• Whakataukī display: e.g., "He aroha whakatō, he aroha ka puta mai" (If kindness is sown, then kindness you shall receive).
• Waiata charts: lyrics for a simple waiata (song) to be used in morning routines.
• Rauemi Māori (Māori resources): e.g., poi, kete (baskets), and taonga pūoro (Māori musical instruments) to inspire connection activities.
• Collaborative work spaces: arranges desks in a circle or clusters to encourage discussion.
• Greeting space: a designated area where children practise their greetings.

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Lesson Breakdown (60 Minutes)

Time	Activity	Details and Purpose
0-10 mins	Mihi Whakatau & Karakia	Start with a welcome karakia and mihi whakatau (introductory greeting) to open whakawhanaungatanga.
		Teacher models their pepeha and encourages students to share basic mihi using sentence stems - scaffolding for learners.
10-20 mins	Name Circle & Dictionary Game	Each student says their name and something they like (e.g., favourite food or hobby) in te reo Māori.
		Use sentence stems: Ko ___ taku ingoa. He pai ki ahau te ___. (My name is ___. I like ___.)
		This builds vocabulary, oral skills, and helps classmates learn each other’s names.
20-30 mins	Whakataukī Exploration	Introduce a whakataukī about kindness or respect. Discuss its meaning with visuals and examples on how to show kindness.
		Students make a simple connection by drawing or talking about a time they showed kindness or respect.
30-40 mins	Waiata & Movement	Teach a simple waiata that has actions for kinaesthetic engagement and cultural familiarity.
		Singing together builds group cohesion and provides language rhythm learning.
40-50 mins	Classroom Expectations Collaboration	Discuss together what a good learning environment looks like, using visuals and matua (sentence stems) in Māori.
		Create a "Charter of Kindness" written and illustrated with student input (simple phrases: Whakarongo, Manawanui).
50-60 mins	Whakawhanaungatanga Partner Task	Pair students to interview each other using simple question stems (e.g., Kei te pēhea koe? He aha tō māka pai?).
		Students share something interesting about their partner to the group, promoting speaking and listening skills.

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Assessment & Reflection

• Formative Observation: Teacher notes student participation, use of sentence stems, and ability to engage positively with peers.
• Oral Language Use: Monitor students’ confident use of basic vocabulary and greetings in te reo Māori.
• Classroom Culture: Observe respectful behaviour and collaboration during expectation setting.

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Additional Tips for the Week

• Display pepeha templates so students can gradually build their own pepeha throughout the week.
• Use visual timetable charts including te reo Māori for daily routines.
• Install a ‘Feelings’ corner where children can share or express emotions using Māori vocabulary.
• Incorporate daily karakia and waiata to root the learning environment in Māori tikanga and reinforce language naturally.
• Provide interactive word walls with new vocabulary and sentence stems for reference.

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This day plan ensures students find their place in the class community, engage actively in te reo Māori language, and understand the values that will shape their year ahead, all deeply grounded in the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa framework for language development and cultural responsiveness.

If you need a detailed weekly overview or wall/display examples, I can also provide those!

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References to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa documents:

• Oral language communication, interpersonal communication, and sentence stems scaffolding for Year 4 students
• Building positive identities and respectful classroom culture with whakataukī and waiata