Matariki



=Social Studies (Matariki) @ Te Papa= =TePapa Teacher Resources=

Programme Title
Matariki

Topic
Matariki in mainstream, New Zealand

Issue
Should Matariki, the Māori New Year, be recognised as a public holiday? This issue is important for students developing awareness and understanding because:
 * They gain an appreciation of Māori epistemology and Māori perspectives
 * They gain appreciation of the many elements that help form our identity as New Zealanders
 * They gain an appreciation that Matariki is an effective way of measuring time, reading the seasons, and navigating geographically, that it is part of social organisation
 * It enables them to develop the skills of Social Decision-Making and Values Exploration
 * They appreciate that any change to public holidays requires a change in legislation.

Suitability
Years 5-6 Level 3

Learning area
Social Studies

Strand
Identity, Culture, and Organisation

Links to other curriculum areas
English:
 * Listening, Reading, and Viewing
 * Speaking, Writing, and Presenting.

Values
Excellence, Innovation, inquiry, and curiosity, Diversity, Community and participation

Key Competencies
Thinking, Relating to others, Participating and contributing.

Culture and heritage
Students will gain knowledge, skills, and experiences to:
 * Understand how groups make and implement rules and laws.
 * Understand how cultural practices vary but reflect similar purposes.
 * Understand how the movement of people affects cultural diversity and interaction in New Zealand.

Learning outcomes and intentions

 * Explain how Matariki’s position in the sky was used as a way to organise society: a sign to plant, gather, store kai (food), and as a navigational tool.
 * Identify through research and describe the range of views (Māori and Pākehā) regarding Matariki becoming a public holiday.
 * Identify the similarities and differences in the views held by groups concerned with Matariki becoming a public holiday.
 * Describe the legislative process of how Matariki could become a public holiday.
 * Make a choice about whether Matariki should become a public holiday with justification.
 * Design a set of criteria that will become the basis for which the community makes its decision.
 * Decide on what possible action will be taken by the classroom community.

Lesson one: Within a given issue people will hold different views and perspectives

 * Compile a questionnaire to survey peoples’ opinions on the topic.
 * Identify the groups that would have an interest in this discussion: Māori, non-Māori, MPs, young and old people (initially individually and then in pairs).
 * Children will come up with open and closed questions (brainstorm with class).

Lesson two

 * With information gathered from a survey, students will group responses into those who agree and disagree with Matariki becoming a holiday and put them into a pie graph.
 * Students will then present three examples of why/why not.

Lesson three: Students will know that public opinion drives legislative change

 * Students will come up with specific questions to ask an MP.
 * Students will investigate what are the legal processes in making and creating a public holiday, using processes already used and information gained in previous lessons.
 * Students will invite their local MP to school to clarify the issues.

Lesson four

 * Based on the information gathered, students will write a report of their own thoughts on this topic.
 * They will need to justify their opinions, using information gathered as a reference.
 * Guided discussion: whole class.

Lesson five

 * Students will be introduced to a possibility tree of the outcomes and actions of Matariki becoming a public holiday.
 * PMI each of the outcomes.

Lesson six

 * Collaboratively, students will come up with a set of criteria for deciding whether Matariki should become a public holiday.
 * Consider aspects of economics, Māori perspectives, and practicalities.

Lesson seven

 * Students will take into account all of the information gained as a class.
 * Students will decide whether Matariki should become a public holiday.
 * Decide what action to take and, in particular, action suitable to the community view.

Resources

 * Internet
 * Carter Observatory
 * Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
 * Library
 * Kaumatua, local iwi (tribal groups)
 * Treaty of Waitangi
 * Holidays Act
 * New Zealand constitutional law

Matariki Teaching Activities - NZ History Taitokerau and Matariki 2010 Tetaurawhiti - Matariki Resource - pdf booklet file:) TKI- Matariki Teaching Resource


 * e-Best Cluster Activities: **
 * ||  || [|Matariki] - Using Bloom's Taxonomy to learn more about Matariki, the Maori calendar and traditional Maori food gathering. ||


 * ||  || [|Making a movie about electricity] ||


 * ||  || [|Matariki Poster Task Sheet] ||


 * ||  || [|Matariki Quiz] - A quiz made using the Forms Toolbar in Word. Students select answers from drop down boxes or enter responses in text fields. ||

=**RESOURCES:**=

This section of the Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand website is about Matariki, and can be viewed in te reo Māori or English. Matariki is the Māori name for the small cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters in the Taurus constellation. When it rises in the north-eastern skies in late May or early June, it signals to Māori that the New Year will begin. Contains further information in images, audio, and video clips. @http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/Astronomy/MatarikiMaoriNewYear/en This interactive is based on the appearance of Matariki in our skies around the month of June. The interactive explores some of the themes around this time of year in the Māori calendar through proverbs, pictures, and stories, and can be viewed in both English and te reo Māori. Includes a link to teachers' notes from Pūtaiao Online. [] Matariki, the Māori New Year, is an important festival that reflects New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage. This page outlines how a study of Matariki can be used by teachers and students of social studies. Matariki can also be a springboard into further topics associated with the different ways the passage of time is celebrated and measured. NZhistory.net.nz has some general information on the measurement of time in different cultures. @http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/classroom/matariki-maori-new-year
 * Matariki - Māori New Year - Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand**
 * Matariki Interactive**
 * Matariki - Social Studies Activities**
 * Matariki on Korero Maori site A good site for some basic facts, and links including teacher resources about Matariki.
 * Maori Star & Constellation Names This is an online wordlist of the names of many stars and constellations, taken from various historical and contemporary resources (includes a reference list). Created by Chris Hilder.
 * Astronomy in Your Hands Includes activities including a star wheel and magic lantern. A great way to engage kids in astronomy! This site is also created by Chris Hilder.
 * Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand A comprehensive website on New Zealand astronomy, not such a Maori focus, but useful for more detailed information and up to date information.

WicKED: Matariki Matariki Festival