Winds and Waters

Curriculum Area

Technology – Nature of Technology
Curriculum Level: Level 1
(Appropriate for Years 2–4)

Duration

40 minutes

Big Idea

Understanding that technological outcomes are developed in response to real-world situations and can reflect both cultural knowledge and scientific understanding. In this lesson, students explore connections between Māori pūrākau (stories) about Ururangi (atua of the winds) and Waipunarangi (atua of the rain) and contemporary weather observations, using a diary to record data and stories.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Record simple weather data (wind direction and rainfall) using visual and tactile tools.
• Identify Ururangi and Waipunarangi, and describe their roles in traditional Māori knowledge.
• Begin to understand how technology can be used to communicate and respond to our natural environment.
• Create a simple tool to track the weather and reflect on the cultural significance of weather patterns.

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Materials Needed

• Printable Weather Diary template (teacher-created or hand-drawn)
• Paper cups, pencils, and card for creating a basic wind tracker (weather vane)
• Rain gauge (ready-made or simple jar with measurements marked)
• Laminated pūrākau cards (short legends about Ururangi and Waipunarangi)
• Compass or access to Google compass on device (if available)
• Whāriki or story mat for circle/story time
• Crayons or markers
• Optional: Printable atua weather chart (visual representation of each atua)

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Lesson Breakdown

🔹 1. Mihi & Welcome (5 minutes)

Begin with a karakia or mihi whakatau. Frame the session by sharing that today we’re going to explore the weather around us and learn the stories of two special atua – Ururangi (wind) and Waipunarangi (rain). Introduce these atua using large laminated images or cards.

“What do you notice about the weather today? Can you feel the wind? Is it raining?”

Sit in a circle and allow students to offer quick observations.

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🔹 2. Storytelling Circle (10 minutes)

Move into a whāriki storytelling session. Share short pūrākau about Ururangi and Waipunarangi – ideally 1 minute each. Choose concise, visually rich retellings of their journeys and roles in the natural world.

Teacher prompts during the storytelling:

• “What sounds do you think Ururangi might make?”
• “How do you think Waipunarangi helps the trees and rivers?”

After each story, encourage brief reflection or questions from students. Use open-ended inquiry to spark curiosity.

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🔹 3. Hands-On: Making Mini Weather Tools (10 minutes)

Task: Students work in small table groups to assemble simple wind trackers using:

• A paper cup as the base
• A pencil poked through the bottom for balance
• A piece of card cut into an arrow and attached to the top (to indicate wind direction)

Demonstrate how the arrow should move with the wind. Discuss how people have used similar tools over time to read the weather.

Optionally, show or reference a rain gauge or place a jar outside the classroom earlier in the morning to check rainfall later.

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🔹 4. Introducing the Weather Diary (10 minutes)

Distribute a simple Weather Diary (one per student or pair), featuring:

• Space to draw or write the date
• An arrow template to draw the wind direction
• Small rain symbol to colour based on observed rain level
• Section for a quick sentence or drawing about the atua of the day

Teacher model example on the board: “Today the wind is coming from the north. Ururangi must be visiting! It’s not raining, so Waipunarangi must be resting.”

Encourage students to add their own creative thoughts or observations.

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🔹 5. Sharing Circle & Reflection (5 minutes)

Return to the whāriki for a brief sharing session.

Ask:

• “What did your wind tracker tell you today?”
• “Which atua was most active?”
• “Why do you think it's important to pay attention to the weather?”

Allow 2–3 students to share their diary page with the group. Finish with a “thank you” to the atua and tie it back to caring for our world – “Even though we can’t see Ururangi or Waipunarangi, we can feel when they are with us.”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Informal observation of students engaging with their weather tools
• Discussions and willingness to link the pūrākau with real-world observations
• Creativity and participation in the Weather Diary activity

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Differentiation & Support

• Visual supports (e.g. images of the atua, weather symbols) provided
• Pair learners with buddies if they need support with writing
• Oral reflections for those with limited writing abilities
• Extension: Have early finishers begin designing a simple shelter that could withstand strong winds or heavy rain – connecting back to technological problem solving

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Teacher Reflection Prompt

After the lesson, consider:

• How did students respond to the integration of pūrākau with daily observations?
• Were they able to make connections between the atua and what they experienced in real life?
• How could this Weather Diary be used over a week to deepen understanding?

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Future Learning Extension

"Design a Weather Station!" – Extend over a week to build a full class weather station incorporating rain gauges, temperature charts, and mythological stories. Invite a kaumātua or local historian to share more kōrero tuku iho (ancestral stories) about local weather phenomena. This lays rich groundwork for integrating Science, Technology, and Tikanga Māori holistically.

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Key Competencies Integrated:

• Thinking
• Using language, symbols, and texts
• Managing self
• Participating and contributing

Te ao Māori concepts woven into technology learning empower students to build meaningful understanding of the environment, enriched by cultural knowledge.