Mānawatia a Matariki - Kōpaki Whakaako
Mānawatia a Matariki - Kōpaki Whakaako
This Matariki unit is designed specifically for educators with little to no prior knowledge about Matariki but can also be customised to any level of knowledge of Matariki. The primary goal of this unit is to equip you with all the necessary information and content required to teach this topic successfully. We have provided comprehensive materials, including lesson plans that include informative videos, to ensure you have a solid understanding of the lessons.
This unit is carefully aligned with NCEA assessments, providing valuable preparation for your students' assessments. However, you have the freedom to personalise the specific standards covered, tailoring them to match your preferences and your students' unique needs. Each lesson targets different strands of Te Marautangao Aotearoa, fostering a robust foundation for your students to explore diverse aspects of the curriculum.
This unit aligns with Te Reo Māori, Ngā mahi a Rēhia, Pūtaiao, Hangarau and Te Ao Haka at levels 6 - 8 of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
Overall, this unit encompasses key aspects of language, cultural expression, scientific inquiry, technology integration, and Māori cultural practices. This ensures a well-rounded educational experience that respects and celebrates Māori culture while fostering a deeper understanding of Matariki's significance.
See the “About this resource” box below to download resources:
- Mānawatia-a-Matariki-Māori.pdf
- Mānawatia-a-Matariki-English.pdf
Kawenga Mahi
How to Use This Unit
All of the lesson plans and supporting materials for this Matariki unit will be conveniently organised in one folder. This ensures easy access to all the resources you need to deliver engaging and comprehensive lessons. Each lesson has been provided in both English and Māori for your convenience, but please note that the English version is not intended for classroom use.
Inside the folder you will find:
16 Lesson Plans: Each lesson will have a detailed plan outlining the learning objectives, activities, and resources needed. These plans will guide you step-by-step through the entire unit.
PowerPoint Presentations: The PowerPoint presentations for each lesson will be available in the folder.These slides contain all the relevant information necessary to support your teaching, ensuring a seamless andcohesive learning experience.
Explanatory Videos: Any videos included in the unit will be linked in the lesson plans and presentations.These videos will provide additional context and enrich the learning experience for you and your students.
Inside the folder you will find:
Kahoot Games and Quizzes: In some lessons, you'll find engaging Kahoot games. However, if you don't have access to Kahoot, we've provided the corresponding questions for you to use in the lesson plan. These interactive activities will make learning engaging and enjoyable for your students.
Worksheets: For lessons that include worksheets, you will find them in the folder. These materials can beused as-is or customised to suit your teaching style and classroom needs.
TikTok Videos: In some lessons, TikTok videos are utilised as supplementary resources, you will find themlinked in the lesson plan and PowerPoint presentation. You will need access to TikTok on your school network. Embrace this enriching unit and immerse your students in the wonders of our celestial bodies.
Lessons Within This Unit
Mahere Ako 1: He whakaurunga ki a Matariki
This lesson is an introduction to Matariki with special focus on the whakapapa of Matariki. Students will make a short video to showcase their knowledge on the whakapapa of Matariki.
Mahere Ako 2: Ngā Whetū o Matariki
This lesson focuses on the individual stars in the Matariki cluster and the domains in which they represent. Students will explore the scientific, cultural, literal and metaphorical understandingsfor each star. Students will use their research skills to create an infographic about the stars to present their findings.
Mahere Ako 3: Te Tautoru Nui o Matariki 1
This lesson focuses on students understanding the connection of the maramataka ā-whetū and Matariki. Students will learn aboutthe 13 months of the maramataka ā-whetū and how our ancestors would use the setting of stars, the lunar phases and the position of the sun to plan their activities and how they lived their lives for each month of the year.
Mahere Ako 4: Te Tautoru Nui o Matariki 2
This lesson is a continuation of MA3 looking at the 3-year cycle of Matariki. Students will deepen their understanding of the 13 months of the 3-year Māori calendar.
Mahere Ako 5: Whakamoe Tau
This lesson focuses on students understanding the concept of Whakamoe Tau. During Matariki, our ancestors would reflect on the events of the year gone to help plan for the year ahead ensuring prosperity and affluence for the iwi. Students will understand how our ancestors reconciled and prepared for each year during Matariki. They will apply these understandings tocreate a report outlining specific events or experiences from their region in the year past and to help them make predictions and plans for the year ahead.
Mahere Ako 6: Ngā whakataukī mō Matariki
In this lesson we will be focusing on the whakataukī about Matariki. Students will learn about whakataukī and use their language skills to decipher the meaning of each whakataukī and then recreate well known whakataukī in their own words.
Mahere Ako 7: Te Reo o ngā Whetū
This lesson is focused on increasing vocabulary, reading comprehension and translating skills. Students will read anexcerpt from “Te Tāhū o Ranginui Whakatūria Te Whare Kōkōrangi” written by Hōhepa Tuahine in 2015 at the University of Waikato. This thesis is the first academic piece of literature written in te reo Māori on Te Whare Kōkōrangi.
Mahere Ako 8: Te Rangi Motuhake o Matariki
This lesson looks at the establishment of the official Matariki national holiday. Students will also learn about significant historical events that helped to contribute to the formation of Tem Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022. Students will learn about New Zealand politics, significant historical Māori events and how Matariki became a legislated national holiday in Aotearoa.
Mahere Ako 9: Te Pūtake o te Riri
This lesson is a continuation of Te Rangi Motuhake o Matariki and looks at the political achievements that can be accomplished for Māori, for Aotearoa, by one small act. Students will learn about the establishment of “Te Pūtake o te Riri” and the introduction of “Te Takanga o te Wā” into the New Zealand Curriculum to be taught in schools from 2022.
Mahere Ako 10: Karakia 1
This lesson focuses on the importance of preparations and karakia in the Hautapu ceremony. Students will watch the first official Matariki public holiday ceremony led by Tā Pou Temara,Professor Rangi Mātāmua and others in Wellington, in 2022. Students will learn the components of karakia and why it is used in the Hautapu ceremony. They will also observe the order of events and proceedings to help build their understanding of the Hautapu process.
Mahere Ako 11: Karakia 2
The following 4 lessons are focussed on preparing students to demonstrate a role play Hautapu ceremony at kura. This lessonm focuses on the importance of karakia and the important role it plays in our customs and practices like the Hautapu ceremony during Matariki.
Students will learn the components and format of karakia as described by Tā Pou Temara.
Mahere Ako 12: Karakia 3
This lesson focuses on the importance of karakia in the Hautapu ceremony. Students will learn karakia created by Tā Pou Temara and Professor Rangi Mātāmua for use in the Hautapu ceremony during Matariki. Students will learn the components of karakia and why it is used in the Hautapu ceremony. They will also observe the order of events and proceedings to help build their understanding of the Hautapu process.
Mahere Ako 13: Matariki Hunga Nui
This lesson looks at the ‘umu kohukohu whetū’ during Matariki ceremony and the ‘heri kai’ in hākari festivities during Matariki celebrations. Students will be able to demonstrate anunderstanding of the ‘umu kohukohu whetū’ as well as compose and perform an original ‘heri kai’.
Mahere Ako 14: Hautapu
This lesson focuses on the entire Hautapu ceremony. Over the past few weeks, students have been learning about the different components of the Hautapu. They will now apply these learnings to a role play Hautapu at kura. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the components of the Hautapu ceremony and process through role play.
Mahere Ako 15: Kōrero Tene
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the information and topics taught over the 8 weeks of this Matariki unit by impromptu speech.
Mahere Ako 16: He Aromatawai
This is a mock exam for students to demonstrate their understanding of this 8-week unit, Mānawatia a Matariki. This is a summative assessment that covers reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students will be tested on knowledge that they have gained throughout the duration of this unit.
He whakaurunga ki a Matariki
This lesson is an introduction to Matariki with special focus on the whakapapa of Matariki.
1 of 16Ngā Whetū o Matariki
This lesson focuses on the individual stars in the Matariki cluster and the domains in which they represent. Students will explore the scientific, cultural, literal and metaphorical understandings for each star.
2 of 16Te Tautoru Nui o Matariki 1
This lesson focuses on students understanding the connection of the maramataka ā-whetū and Matariki.
3 of 16Te Tautoru Nui o Matariki 2
We will be looking at each month of the Māori new year to understand their unique characteristics. What did our ancestors do during these months? What was the environment like during these months? What season does each month fall into and how are these characteristics noted?
4 of 16Whakamoe Tau
This lesson focuses on students understanding the concept of Whakamoe Tau. During Matariki, our ancestors would reflect on the events of the year gone to help plan for the year ahead ensuring prosperity and affluence for the iwi.
5 of 16Ngā whakataukī mō Matariki
Students will learn about whakataukī and use their language skills to decipher the meaning of each whakataukī and then recreate well known whakataukī in their own words.
6 of 16Te Reo o ngā Whetū
Students will read an excerpt from “Te Tāhū o Ranginui Whakatūria Te Whare Kōkōrangi” written by Hōhepa Tuahine in 2015 at the University of Waikato. This thesis is the first academic piece of literature written in te reo Māori on Te Whare Kōkōrangi.
7 of 16Te Rangi Motuhake o Matariki
This lesson looks at the establishment of the official Matariki national holiday. Students will also learn about significant historical events that helped to contribute to the formation of Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022.
8 of 16Te Pūtake o te Riri
This lesson is a continuation of Te Rangi Motuhake o Matariki and looks at the political achievements that can be accomplished for Māori, for Aotearoa, by one small act.
9 of 16Mānawatia a Matariki - Karakia 1
This lesson focuses on the importance of preparations and karakia in the Hautapu ceremony. Students will watch the first official Matariki public holiday ceremony led by Tā Pou Tēmara, Professor Rangi Matamua and others in Wellington, in 2022.
10 of 16Mānawatia a Matariki - Karakia 2
The following 4 lessons are focussed on preparing students to demonstrate a roleplay Hautapu ceremony at kura. This lesson focuses on the importance of karakia and the important role it plays in our customs and practices like the Hautapu ceremony during Matariki
11 of 16Mānawatia a Matariki - Karakia 3
This lesson focuses on the importance of karakia in the Hautapu ceremony. Students will learn karakia created by Tā Pou Temara, Professor Rangi Mātāmua for use in the Hautapu ceremony during Matariki.
12 of 16Matariki Hunga Nui
This lesson looks at the ‘umu kohukohu whetū’ during Matariki ceremony and the ‘heri kai’ in hākari festivities during Matariki celebrations.
13 of 16Hautapu
This lesson focuses on the entire Hautapu ceremony. Over the past few weeks, students have been learning about the different components of the Hautapu. They will now apply these learnings to a roleplay Hautapu at kura.
14 of 16Kōrero Tene
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the information and topics taught over the 8 weeks of this Matariki unit by impromptu speech.
15 of 16Mānawatia a Matariki - He Aromatawai
This is a mock exam for students to demonstrate their understanding of this 8-week unit, Mānawatia a Matariki. This is a summative assessment that covers reading, writing, listening and speaking.
16 of 16
About this resource
Taumata: Taumata 6, Taumata 7, Taumata 8
Kaupapa: Te Mātahi o te Tau Matariki Ahunga Nui
Kohinga: Mānawatia a Matariki