Whare Tapa Whā Walls

Overview

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 0-2 students in Aotearoa New Zealand to the concept of Te Whare Tapa Whā, a holistic Māori model of wellbeing. Students will learn about the four walls—Taha tinana (physical well-being), Taha whānau (social well-being), Taha wairua (spiritual well-being), and Taha hinengaro (mental well-being)—that support overall health. As a hands-on activity, they will create drawings representing something that supports one of the four walls to build a collaborative Whare Tapa Whā classroom display.

Curriculum Links

Health and Physical Education Learning Area

Strand: Personal health and physical development (Years 0-2)
Achievement Objective:
Understand that people’s well-being is supported by practices that contribute to physical, emotional, and social health.
Key Competencies:
Managing self, Relating to others, Participating and contributing
Values:
Respect, Community and participation, Integrity

This aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum’s focus on holistic well-being and relationships which underpin successful learning and living .

Learning Objectives

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

Name and identify the four walls of Te Whare Tapa Whā: taha tinana, taha whānau, taha wairua, taha hinengaro.
Understand that these four walls represent different aspects of wellbeing that work together.
Express their understanding through drawing something that supports one aspect of their wellbeing.
Work collaboratively to build a class display symbolising a Whare Tapa Whā.

Resources Needed

Large poster board or classroom wall space for Whare Tapa Whā display
Four large flashcards or signs with the names of each wall in Māori and English, plus simple symbols/images
White paper and coloured pencils, crayons, or markers
Simple picture story or whakataukī about wellbeing (optional)
Name labels / name tags for students

Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details
0-10 mins	Welcome & Introduction	Karakia (welcome prayer/focus). Teacher introduces concept of wellbeing and the Whare Tapa Whā model using simple language. Use visual aids with the four walls presented as a whare (house) to show how all parts need to be strong. Connect to students’ own experiences of being healthy and happy.
10-20 mins	Story or Discussion	Read a short story or say a whakataukī that links to one or more walls of wellbeing (e.g., importance of whānau/family, caring for your body, thinking happy thoughts). Follow with a short guided discussion: “What helps us feel good in our body? With our family? In our thinking? In our spirit?”
20-35 mins	Drawing Activity	Each student chooses one wall of Whare Tapa Whā they want to focus on. They draw a picture of something in their life that helps that wall stay strong (e.g., playing outside for tinana, family hugs for whānau, praying or feeling calm for wairua, thinking happy thoughts for hinengaro). Teacher supports language and discussion while students work.
35-45 mins	Sharing and Explaining	Students share their drawings in pairs or small groups, explaining why their picture supports that wall of wellbeing. Teacher prompts with simple questions. Choose some to share with the whole class.
45-55 mins	Building the Display	Teacher and students attach drawings to the corresponding walls on the Whare Tapa Whā poster or wall display. Reinforce the idea that all walls are important to keep our whare (house) strong.
55-60 mins	Reflection and Closing	Brief reflection circle: “Why is it important to take care of all four parts of ourselves?” End with simple karakia or song about wellbeing.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Explicit teaching with simple, step-by-step explanations and visuals for Te Whare Tapa Whā concepts.
Use visual representations to support understanding for young learners — e.g., a picture of a house with labelled walls.
Think-pair-share to encourage oral language practice and scaffold social interaction.
Incorporate whanaungatanga (building relationships) by sharing and supporting each other’s ideas.
Scaffold drawing activities with teacher modelling and vocabulary prompts.
Encourage inclusive participation: allow students to choose the wellbeing aspect most meaningful to them.

Assessment for Learning

Observe student participation in discussions and their ability to identify the four walls.
Listen for vocabulary use: do students use the Māori terms and connect them to pictures?
Review drawings and explanations for understanding of the connection between the drawing and the chosen wall.
Anecdotal notes to inform teaching in subsequent lessons in the "Strengthening Our Wellbeing Whare" unit.

Extension Ideas for Future Lessons

Create simple chants or waiata about each wall.
Role-play scenarios to demonstrate supporting each aspect of wellbeing.
Invite whānau members to share their perspectives on wellbeing.
Explore each wall in more depth through stories, movement, and mindfulness activities.

This lesson plan nurtures holistic wellbeing, integrates Māori worldview with health education, and supports key curriculum competencies and values central to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for Years 0-2 . It sets a warm, collaborative, and inclusive foundation for the unit "Strengthening Our Wellbeing Whare" over five lessons.

Teaching Instructions