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Māori Environmental Adaptation History
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Māori Environmental Adaptation History
📚 Part 1: Vocabulary and Knowledge
1. Match the te reo Māori words with their English meanings:
Taiao
Kaitiakitanga
Whenua
Muka
Flax fibre
Environment
Land
Guardianship
2. Which of these was a traditional way Māori adapted to their environment?
Using plastic containers for storage
Harvesting flax for weaving clothing and baskets
Building houses with concrete
Using electric fishing nets
3. What does kaitiakitanga mean?
Taking as much as you want from nature
Caring for and protecting the environment
Living in cities
Using modern technology
4. Fill in the blanks using words from the box:
Word Box: taiao, urutau, moana, whenua
Māori people learned to _____________ (adapt) to their _____________ (environment). They used resources from both the _____________ (land) and the _____________ (sea).
✏️ Part 2: Understanding Environmental Adaptation
5. List three natural materials that Māori traditionally used and explain what they were used for:
Material 1: _________________________________ Used for: _________________________________
Material 2: _________________________________ Used for: _________________________________
Material 3: _________________________________ Used for: _________________________________
6. Explain why it was important for Māori to adapt to different seasons. Give two reasons:
7. How did the concept of kaitiakitanga help Māori care for their environment? Write 2-3 sentences:
🎭 Part 3: Thinking and Creating
8. Choose one traditional Māori environmental practice (like fishing, flax harvesting, or building whare). Draw and label how people adapted to work with nature:
9. How can we use Māori ideas about caring for the environment today? Write three ways:
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
10. What is one new thing you learned about how Māori people lived with their environment?
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