Lesson 3: How We Care - Me PÄhea TÄtou e Tiaki
Learning About Kaitiakitanga and Caring Actions
Students learn about kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and explore practical ways to care for their environment, identifying problems and solutions.
Whakatūwhera - Cultural Opening
Kaitiakitanga means being a guardian or caretaker. In Te Ao MÄori, we have a responsibility to care for our place - the land (whenua), water (wai), and all living things. When we care for our place, we care for ourselves and future generations. Today we will learn how to be kaitiaki.
"Tiaki i te taiao, tiaki i a tÄtou"
Care for the environment, care for ourselves - we are all kaitiaki (guardians).
NgÄ WhÄinga Ako - Learning Intentions
Students Will Learn
- What kaitiakitanga means
- How to identify problems in their environment
- Ways to care for their place
- That we all have a responsibility to care
Students Will Demonstrate
- Understanding of kaitiakitanga
- Identifying caring actions
- Creating a kaitiaki promise
- Planning how to care for their place
šŗ YouTube Video Section
šŗ YouTube Video - Lesson 3
Watch this video to support your learning:
Video Title: [To be added]
Duration: [5-10 minutes recommended]
NgÄ Mahi - Lesson Activities (45-60 minutes)
1. What is Kaitiakitanga? (10 mins)
Cultural Protocol: Begin with "Kia ora koutou." Explain that kaitiakitanga is a special responsibility we all have to care for our place.
Discussion: Ask students: "What does it mean to care for something? Who takes care of you? How do you take care of pets or plants?"
Kaitiakitanga Means:
- Kaitiaki: Guardian or caretaker
- Tiaki: To care for, to protect
- Manaaki: To look after, to support
- Responsibility: It's our job to care
Differentiation:
- Support: Use simple examples: "We care for our classroom, we care for our pets"
- Extension: Students explain why caring for the environment matters for future generations
- Inclusive: Connect to students' own experiences of caring and being cared for
2. Looking for Problems (15 mins)
Observation: Take students outside or look at photos. Ask: "What needs our help? What could be better?"
Things That Might Need Care:
- Litter or rubbish (paru)
- Plants that need water (wai)
- Areas that need cleaning
- Places where animals need help
- Spaces that could be more beautiful
Positive Framing: Focus on "How can we help?" rather than just problems. Emphasize that we can make a difference.
Differentiation:
- Support: Use picture cards showing "needs help" vs "looks good". Work in pairs.
- Extension: Students identify specific problems and suggest solutions.
- Physical Needs: Can observe from classroom window or use photos/videos.
3. How Can We Care? (15 mins)
Brainstorming: As a class, brainstorm ways to care for our place.
Caring Actions:
- Pick up litter: Keep our place clean
- Water plants: Help plants grow
- Plant seeds: Grow new plants
- Feed birds: Help animals
- Recycle: Use things again
- Be gentle: Don't hurt living things
Connection Activity:
Ask: "Which of these can we do at school? Which can we do at home? What else can we do to be kaitiaki?"
Differentiation:
- Support: Use picture cards showing caring actions. Students can point to what they can do.
- Extension: Students create a detailed plan for one caring action.
- Inclusive: All students can participate in some caring action, adapted to their abilities.
4. Creating Our Kaitiaki Promise (10-15 mins)
Creative Project: Students create a kaitiaki promise poster showing how they will care for their place.
Promise Options:
- Drawing: Draw themselves doing a caring action
- Writing: Write "I promise to..." statements
- Poster: Create a colorful poster with their promise
- Collage: Use pictures and words
Example Promises:
"I promise to pick up litter" / "Ka tiaki ahau i te taiao" (I will care for the environment)
Differentiation:
- Support: Provide sentence starters: "I promise to..." Use templates.
- Extension: Write detailed promises with multiple actions.
- Creative: Allow various formats - posters, cards, drawings with captions.
Aromatawai - Assessment & Next Steps
Formative Assessment
- Understanding: Do students understand kaitiakitanga?
- Identification: Can they identify problems and solutions?
- Engagement: Are they participating in caring discussions?
- Promise: Do their kaitiaki promises show understanding?
Homework & Extension
- Home Care: Do one caring action at home - pick up litter, water a plant
- WhÄnau Share: Show family your kaitiaki promise and explain it
- Observation: Look around your home - what needs care?
- Practice: Practice saying "kaitiaki" (guardian), "tiaki" (to care)
Whakaaro - Reflection
Today we learned about kaitiakitanga - being guardians who care for our place. We all have a responsibility to look after our environment. When we care for our place, we care for ourselves and future generations. Next time, we will put our learning into action and actually do caring things for our place.
"Tiaki i te taiao, tiaki i a tÄtou" - When we care for the environment, we care for ourselves.
šŗ YouTube Video - Lesson 3
Watch this video to support your learning:
Video Title: [To be added]
Duration: [5-10 minutes recommended]
NgÄ Mahi - Lesson Activities (45-60 minutes)
1. What is Kaitiakitanga? (10 mins)
Discussion: Ask students: "What does it mean to care for something? Who takes care of you? How do you take care of pets or plants?"
Kaitiakitanga Means:
- Kaitiaki: Guardian or caretaker
- Tiaki: To care for, to protect
- Manaaki: To look after, to support
- Responsibility: It's our job to care
- Support: Use simple examples: "We care for our classroom, we care for our pets"
- Extension: Students explain why caring for the environment matters for future generations
- Inclusive: Connect to students' own experiences of caring and being cared for
2. Looking for Problems (15 mins)
Observation: Take students outside or look at photos. Ask: "What needs our help? What could be better?"
Things That Might Need Care:
- Litter or rubbish (paru)
- Plants that need water (wai)
- Areas that need cleaning
- Places where animals need help
- Spaces that could be more beautiful
- Support: Use picture cards showing "needs help" vs "looks good". Work in pairs.
- Extension: Students identify specific problems and suggest solutions.
- Physical Needs: Can observe from classroom window or use photos/videos.
3. How Can We Care? (15 mins)
Brainstorming: As a class, brainstorm ways to care for our place.
Caring Actions:
- Pick up litter: Keep our place clean
- Water plants: Help plants grow
- Plant seeds: Grow new plants
- Feed birds: Help animals
- Recycle: Use things again
- Be gentle: Don't hurt living things
Connection Activity:
Ask: "Which of these can we do at school? Which can we do at home? What else can we do to be kaitiaki?"
- Support: Use picture cards showing caring actions. Students can point to what they can do.
- Extension: Students create a detailed plan for one caring action.
- Inclusive: All students can participate in some caring action, adapted to their abilities.
4. Creating Our Kaitiaki Promise (10-15 mins)
Creative Project: Students create a kaitiaki promise poster showing how they will care for their place.
Promise Options:
- Drawing: Draw themselves doing a caring action
- Writing: Write "I promise to..." statements
- Poster: Create a colorful poster with their promise
- Collage: Use pictures and words
Example Promises:
"I promise to pick up litter" / "Ka tiaki ahau i te taiao" (I will care for the environment)
- Support: Provide sentence starters: "I promise to..." Use templates.
- Extension: Write detailed promises with multiple actions.
- Creative: Allow various formats - posters, cards, drawings with captions.
Aromatawai - Assessment & Next Steps
Formative Assessment
- Understanding: Do students understand kaitiakitanga?
- Identification: Can they identify problems and solutions?
- Engagement: Are they participating in caring discussions?
- Promise: Do their kaitiaki promises show understanding?
Homework & Extension
- Home Care: Do one caring action at home - pick up litter, water a plant
- WhÄnau Share: Show family your kaitiaki promise and explain it
- Observation: Look around your home - what needs care?
- Practice: Practice saying "kaitiaki" (guardian), "tiaki" (to care)
Whakaaro - Reflection
Today we learned about kaitiakitanga - being guardians who care for our place. We all have a responsibility to look after our environment. When we care for our place, we care for ourselves and future generations. Next time, we will put our learning into action and actually do caring things for our place.
"Tiaki i te taiao, tiaki i a tÄtou" - When we care for the environment, we care for ourselves.