šŸ“š Unit Plans ā†’ šŸ“œ Unit 2: Decolonized History ā†’ šŸ“– Lesson 3
Lesson 3 of 5 75 minutes

Unit 2: Decolonized Aotearoa History - Centering Māori Agency, Resistance, and Sovereignty

Counter-narrative to colonial histories, highlighting Māori perspectives and ongoing fight for tino rangatiratanga

1 Pre-Colonial Innovation
2 The Aotearoa Wars
3 20th Century Rights
4 Fire of Activism
5 Path to Redress

The 20th Century Fight for Rights: Activism & Urbanisation

Duration: 75 minutes Year Level: 9-13 Unit: Decolonized Aotearoa History

šŸŽÆ Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Analyze the paradox of Māori fighting for freedom overseas while facing discrimination at home
  • Explain the causes and consequences of urban migration (rural to city movement)
  • Connect 20th century struggles to the rise of Māori activism in the 1970s
  • Evaluate how structural racism persisted after WWII despite Māori military service

šŸ“š Key Concepts

  • The Paradox: Māori soldiers fought for freedom abroad, but returned to discrimination at home
  • Urban Migration: Mass movement from rural marae to cities (1945-1975)
  • Cultural Dislocation: Loss of connection to land, language, and community through urbanization
  • Structural Racism: Systemic barriers in housing, employment, education despite military service

šŸš€ Lesson Structure

Part 1: Paradox of Service Documentary Activation (15 minutes)

šŸ‘©ā€šŸ« Teaching Instructions

Distribute the 20th Century Māori Rights Companion before pressing play.

  • Before viewing: Preview paradox vocabulary and set up the paradox table.
  • During viewing: Pause the clip at 5:00, 9:00, and 12:00 to let students log evidence (reasons for enlistment, battlefield success, return-home realities).
  • After viewing: Collect the quick paradox reflection, then invite quick pair-share using the prompt below.
  • Formative checkpoint: Use completed paradox tables + reflections as Mātainuku/Mātairea evidence.

šŸ“ŗ Māori Battalion ā€“ RNZ Documentary (0:00ā€“12:00)

Focus Prompts (log in companion):

  1. Why did Māori enlist? Capture promises made by the Crown.
  2. What evidence shows the battalionā€™s excellence and sacrifice?
  3. What discrimination or broken promises were faced on return?

Quick Pair Share: ā€œWhy is it a paradox to fight for freedom abroad but face discrimination at home?ā€ Gather big ideas on a shared chart.

šŸ’” Teaching Tip: You can still launch with a Polynesian Panthers image (Do Now resource) while distributing the companion; use the image as a bridge to the second documentary later in the lesson.

Part 2: Jigsaw Reading Activity (30 minutes)

Resources: Māori Battalion Legacy + Urban Māori Identity

Purpose: Deep dive into two connected 20th century experiences.

Activity:

  1. Home Groups (5 min): Divide class into groups of 4. Assign two students per group to "Māori Battalion" and two to "Urban Migration"
  2. Expert Groups (15 min): Students reading same handout form expert groups. They read together and identify:
    • Key events/dates
    • Causes of the phenomenon
    • Consequences for Māori
    • Connections to colonization
  3. Home Groups Return (10 min): Students return to home groups and teach their topic to partners. Each person takes notes on BOTH topics.

šŸ’” Teaching Tip: Circulate during expert groups to ensure students are identifying the PARADOX - soldiers fought for freedom but returned to racism. This is key!

Part 3: Urban Activism Documentary & Whole Class Discussion (25 minutes)

šŸ‘©ā€šŸ« Teaching Instructions

Return to the companion to complete the activism timeline and data tasks.

  • Before viewing: Preview key terms (Dawn Raids, solidarity, activism) and set up the activism timeline table.
  • During viewing: Pause at 4:30, 9:00, 12:00 so students can capture Dawn Raid impacts, community programmes, and long-term legacy.
  • After viewing: Students finish the companion quick-write: ā€œThe Panthers responded toā€¦ byā€¦ This matters becauseā€¦ā€
  • Formative checkpoint: Gather timelines + impact snapshots for Mātainuku/Mātairea evidence.

šŸ“ŗ Polynesian Panthers ā€“ RNZ Documentary (0:00ā€“12:00)

Focus Prompts (log in companion):

  1. How did the Dawn Raids affect Māori & Pasifika communities?
  2. What practical programmes did the Panthers run to enact manaakitanga?
  3. How did activism shift public opinion and policy?

Purpose: Synthesize learning and connect to larger unit themes.

Discussion Questions:

  1. "How is the Māori Battalion story connected to land confiscation from Lesson 2?" (Land loss ā†’ economic necessity ā†’ military service)
  2. "What's the relationship between urban migration and the activism we'll study in Lesson 4?" (Cities = concentration of Māori experiencing racism ā†’ organized resistance)
  3. "Why do you think the government encouraged Māori to move to cities after the war?" (Labor needs, assimilation policy, weakening of tribal structures)
  4. "What was gained and lost through urbanization?" (Gains: employment, education access. Losses: language, land connection, cultural knowledge)

Chart Responses: Create a T-chart on board: "Challenges" vs. "Opportunities" for 20th century Māori

šŸ’” Teaching Tip: Push students beyond simple answers. When they say "racism," ask "What form did that racism take? Housing? Jobs? How did it work?"

Part 4: Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

Prompt: "Identify one major challenge AND one major opportunity for Māori in the 20th century. How are they connected to colonization?"

Success Criteria:

  • Names specific challenge (discrimination, cultural loss, housing inequality, etc.)
  • Names specific opportunity (education, employment, political organizing, etc.)
  • Connects to broader colonial history (land loss, assimilation policy, structural racism)

šŸ“Š Formative Assessment & Differentiation

Evidence to Collect

  • Paradox tables + reflections from the documentary companion
  • Activism timelines and Dawn Raid impact snapshots
  • Jigsaw note catchers covering Māori Battalion and urban migration
  • Systems maps linking service, migration, activism
  • Exit ticket responses (challenge + opportunity connected to colonisation)

Differentiation Ideas

  • Visual learners: Annotated paradox charts, colour-coded activism timelines
  • Kinesthetic learners: Role cards for discussion (soldier, urban whānau, activist), movement-based timeline
  • Advanced students: Compare documentaries with Waitangi Tribunal findings or whānau oral histories
  • Support: Provide sentence starters, mixed-ability expert groups, audio summaries of key clips
  • ELL students: Dual-language vocabulary lists (paradox, assimilation, solidarity), peer scribes

šŸ§ŗ Resources & Homework

Required Resources

Homework / Extensions

  • Interview whānau about military service, urban migration, or Dawn Raids (record in companion)
  • Research a specific activist movement (Ngā Tamatoa, Polynesian Panthers, Māori Women's Welfare League) and prepare a mini brief
  • Optional: Complete the counter-narrative paragraph for formative teacher feedback
  • Preview Lesson 4 by reading the Bastion Point and Land March primary sources

šŸ”— Connections to NZC

  • Social Studies Level 5: Understand how people view and use places differently, and how this can lead to conflict about environmental sustainability
  • History Level 6: Understand how people's interpretations of events are influenced by their perspectives
  • Key Competencies: Thinking (critical analysis), Relating to Others (empathy for historical experiences)

āž”ļø Preparation for Lesson 4

Next lesson explores the fire of 1970s activism - land marches, Bastion Point, Ngā Tamatoa. Students will see how the challenges of the 20th century ignited organized resistance.