Lesson 1: He aha te Whakaaro Māramatanga?

🚀 Starter Activity 10 minutes

Quick Think-Pair-Share:

Question: "When did you last change your mind about something important? What made you change it?"

Teacher Script:

"Today we're going to explore how we think about thinking itself. In te ao Māori, our ancestors spent hours in hui (gatherings) carefully considering all sides of important decisions. Let's see what critical thinking means to you."

Instructions:

1. Think individually (2 minutes)
2. Share with partner (3 minutes)
3. Volunteer pairs share with class (5 minutes)

📜 Main Activity: Whakataukī Analysis 20 minutes

Māori Proverb Investigation

Focus Proverb: "He kōrero, he kōrero; he kai, he kai"

Translation: "Words are words; food is food" (Words have consequences - choose them carefully)

Student Task (Groups of 3-4):

1. Read the proverb and translation
2. Discuss: What does this teach about thinking before speaking?
3. Find a modern example where words had serious consequences
4. Connect to critical thinking: How does this proverb show good reasoning?

Extension Proverbs:

• "Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua" - "Walk backwards into the future" (Learn from the past)
• "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata" - "What is the most important thing? People, people, people"

💻 Digital Activity: Google Jamboard 10 minutes

Good vs. Poor Reasoning Examples

Instructions:

1. Open Google Jamboard (teacher shares link)
2. Two columns: "Good Reasoning" and "Poor Reasoning"
3. Students add sticky notes with examples from their lives
4. Examples: Social media posts, family decisions, school choices, news stories

Prompting Questions:

• "What makes some arguments stronger than others?"
• "How do you know when someone is using good evidence?"
• "What are warning signs of poor thinking?"

📝 Wrap-up & Definition 5 minutes

Class Discussion:

"Based on our activities today, how would you define critical thinking? Use both English and te reo Māori if you can."

Expected Student Responses:

• Thinking carefully before deciding
• Asking good questions
• Looking at evidence
• Considering different viewpoints
• Learning from the past (whakapapa)

Teacher Summary:

"Critical thinking is the skill of analyzing arguments, questioning assumptions, and making reasoned judgments. In te ao Māori, this connects to whakatōhea - carefully gathering different perspectives before making important decisions."