📔 Week 2: A Day in the Life of a Kūmara Grower

Unit 10: Kai, Culture and Climate — Surviving Scarcity
Write a diary entry from the perspective of a traditional Māori kūmara grower. Imagine you are living in Aotearoa before European arrival.

📋 Instructions: Choose one season (spring, summer, autumn, or winter) and write a diary entry describing a day in your life as a kūmara grower. Think about: planting, tending, harvesting, or storing kūmara. What challenges do you face? How do you solve problems?

🎭 Your Character

Name: _________________________________

Iwi/Hapū: _________________________________

Season: Spring (Koanga) Summer (Raumati) Autumn (Ngahuru) Winter (Takurua)

Date: _________________ (e.g., "Early spring, when the tūī begin to sing")

Today I...






The challenge I faced was...




How I solved it (my innovation)...




I felt... because...



💡 Ideas to Include

Spring (Koanga) - Planting

  • Preparing the soil
  • Choosing the best tipu (shoots)
  • Protecting from frost
  • Working with whānau

Summer (Raumati) - Growing

  • Watering during drought
  • Protecting from pests
  • Weeding and tending
  • Watching for signs of growth

Autumn (Ngahuru) - Harvesting

  • Harvesting kūmara
  • Sorting good from bad
  • Preparing for storage
  • Celebrating the harvest

Winter (Takurua) - Storing

  • Checking rua kūmara
  • Managing food carefully
  • Sharing with whānau
  • Planning for next season

📝 Sentence Starters (For Support)

  • "This morning, I woke up early to..."
  • "The biggest challenge today was..."
  • "I solved this by..."
  • "Working with my whānau made me feel..."
  • "I am worried about... because..."
  • "What I learned today was..."
💡 Extension: Research traditional kūmara growing practices from your local iwi or hapū. Include specific details about your region's climate and growing conditions.