Whānau and the Stars

Curriculum Context

Learning Area: Social Sciences – Aotearoa New Zealand's Histories
Curriculum Level: Level 3 (Years 4–8)
Strand: Tūrangawaewae me te kaitiakitanga — Place and Environment
Big Idea: The past shapes the present through passing on knowledge, values, and stories.

Key Focus for Lesson:

Explore Matariki as an important part of te ao Māori, and investigate how it connects whānau, whenua, and whakapapa, fostering collective memory and cultural identity.

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Learning Intention

Students will learn what Matariki is, why it is significant in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history and culture, and how it is celebrated differently across iwi and hapū.

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Success Criteria

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

• Explain the meaning of Matariki and its connection to Māori astronomy and renewal.
• Identify at least three of the Matariki stars and their meanings.
• Contribute a personal or whānau-style story/gift to a collaborative paper ‘kete’ as part of a Matariki-inspired activity.

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Duration

30 minutes
Class Size: 16 students

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Resources

• Large image/chart of the Matariki star cluster
• A3 kete-shaped paper cut-out (for collaborative task)
• Star info cards (with images and meanings of each star)
• Markers, crayons, scissors, coloured paper slips
• Short pūrākau poem about Matariki (printed)
• Bluetooth speaker for ambient pūoro Māori music (playing softly in background at start)

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Lesson Outline

1. Karakia and Welcome (3 minutes)

• Begin with a short karakia to set the tone for learning and respect for mātauranga Māori.
• Brief mihi to acknowledge Matariki as a time of reflection, remembrance, and celebration.

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2. Introduction to Matariki (7 minutes)

Teacher-Led Discussion

• Display an image of the Matariki star cluster.
• Ask: “Have you or your whānau ever celebrated Matariki? What do you know about it?”
• Use concise storytelling to introduce:
  • What Matariki is — the rising of the star cluster signaling Māori New Year
  • Why it matters — time for remembering ancestors, planting, gathering, and looking to the future
  • Emphasise that different iwi commemorate Matariki in unique ways.

Tactile Component
Pass around the printed star info cards – each student holds and reads aloud one star’s name and its connection (e.g., Tupuānuku – food grown in the ground).

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3. Group Activity – 'Wā Kōrero' Star Time (10 minutes)

Task Name: “He Kete ā Matariki” (The Matariki Gift Basket)

Students work in groups of 4 (total of 4 groups) and each group sits at a ‘star table’ themed after a Matariki star. They will:

• Share one short story/memory from their own life or whānau (can draw if nervous to speak).
• Choose one story/gift (drawn or written on a coloured paper slip) that represents something to celebrate or remember.
• Each group adds their gift to the large collaborative paper kete (display near whiteboard).

Teacher circulates and prompts quieter students with gentle questioning:

“What was a time you felt proud?”
“Did your whānau do something special this year?”

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4. Reflection and Star Catching (7 minutes)

Mini-Wānanga Circle Time

• Sit together in a circle. Turn off ambient music.
• Read aloud a short Matariki poem (ideally a pūrākau-style metaphorical verse).
• Ask:
  • “Why might people look to stars as a way to remember their loved ones?”
  • “Which star from Matariki do you think represents your gift/story best?”

Final Moment: “Tōu Whetū” Movement
Each student stands, reaches to ‘pluck their star’ from the sky, names it aloud (could be their favourite, or the one that fits their story), and symbolically places it in the shared kete.

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative

• Student participation in group discussions and contributions to the kete
• Oral storytelling or drawing helps assess understanding and empathy

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Cross-Curricular Links

English – Oral storytelling, vocabulary around stars and emotions
The Arts – Visual creativity through drawing, symbolic representation
Science – Early foundations of astronomy – identifying constellations and the Māori lunar calendar

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Next Steps

• Extend by creating digital Matariki storybook (using student drawings and voice recordings)
• Explore planting traditional kai as a way to honour Tupuārangi and Tupuānuku
• Invite local kaumātua or whānau to a Matariki whānau evening

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Teacher Reflection Prompt

After the lesson, consider:

How confidently did students connect personal experiences to the Matariki kaupapa?
Did the tactile and visual elements support engagement for all learners?
How could you build on this to integrate mātauranga Māori into other curriculum areas?

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He Whakamutunga (Closure)

E mihi ana for exploring the stars, the stories, and the spirit of Matariki together. Encourage students to look up at the night sky tonight with someone in their whānau – and to share their ‘kete gift’ aloud.

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