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LESSON: Traditional methods for keeping safe in the water

Description

Our tūpuna were masters at understanding how to look after themselves spiritually, mentally and physically in the various water environments they encountered.

Throughout the unit a number of class trips can be organised. These will be to a local waterway with whānau to practice traditional and modern ways of keeping safe by the water. Examples could be a trip to collect pipis, waka ama, fishing off wharf, learn to surf trip.

  • Traditional methods tamariki could practice may include – karakia, mihi, kaitiaki, koha, tuakana/teina, tamaiti/pakeke, tides, currents.

  • Modern methods tamariki could practice may include – wearing life jackets, wetsuits, reading weather maps, internet weather forecasts, using vhf radios.

 

Achievement Objectives

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Tikanga ā iwi

Te Āo Hurihuri 2.1

Explain the various ways of our tūpuna in the old days.

Te Reo ā waha 2.4

Āheinga Reo (functions)

The learner understands aspects of speaking about important topics. Rautaki Reo (strategies)

The learner is developing speaking skills to expand and clarify their thoughts.

Rautaki Reo (strategies)

The learner is developing speaking skills to expand and clarify their thoughts.

Health

Waiora 3

Explain health and safety practices in a range of contexts.

Taiao 2

Identify and discuss aspects of the environment that the learner enjoys.

Te Aho Matua

Te Aho Matua

Te Ira Tangata
  • The student is physically, spiritually and emotionally confident.

Te Ao
  • The student acknowledges his or her place in the Māori world and in the wider world.
  • The student is secure in the knowledge of ancestral links and the hopes and aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi.
  • The student actively investigates and explores the Māori world and the wider world.
Ngā Iwi
  • The student exhibits personal pride in their whānau, iwi and hapū.

Wai Puna

Mātauranga

Various ways of looking after ourselves before, during and after activities on the water

Tikanga

Various practices that were used to keep ourselves safe.

 

 

Learning Intentions

Students learn:

  • How our tūpuna kept themselves safe in the various water environments they encountered

  • Methods used today to keep ourselves safe before, during and after activities on the water

  • How to use the old knowledge and the new knowledge to keep safe

Success Criteria

Students are able to:

  • Discuss, and research how our tūpuna kept themselves safe.

  • Compare these traditional methods with modern day methods and technologies.

  • Recite a karakia and mihi that can be used either before, during or after a water activity.

Resources

Atlases and maps from the school library.

Atlases and maps - from school library

Blank map of Aotearoa

Blank map of local environment

Places and place names website link

Illustration of Te Whanganui Ā Tara

 

Lessons

Inquiry question - How did our tūpuna look after themselves in the different types of water?

Wānanga 1

 

Karakia

Use this karakia as a basis for this lesson,

1. Discuss the following questions

What was the person doing? Have you heard of a karakia like this one? Can a karakia be a song? Who was the person doing the karakia/waiata? Why do you say that?

a) Who is Māui doing this karakia to?

e) Who is Tangaroa?

i) Why is he doing a karakia?

o) Do you and your whānau use karakia? When do you karakia and why?

Look at each line and what was being said:

Hikitia, hāpainga ki tōku wairua

Lift up, Raise up to my spirit

Tū hikitia rā tōku mōhiotanga

Let my knowledge arise

kei runga I te Moana-Nui-a Kiwa

on the great ocean of Kiwa (Pacifc Ocean)

Ki te hī ika

To catch this fish

Tangaroa

O Lord of the sea

2. Whole class activity

Learn the Māui karakia (Maui chants a fishing Karakia) and put actions to the karakia so tamariki understand it.

 

Wānanga 2

Karakia and mihi

Read Te Reti Ngaru 

1. Ask questions such as

Q. What did the whānau do before entering the water to keep themselves safe?

A. Karakia

Q. Does anyone know a karakia for going into the water?

Q. What did the whānau do while in the water to keep themselves safe?

A. Swam between flags, adults with children in water at all times

Q. What did the whānau do after their swim to keep themselves safe?

A. Mihi

Q. Why do we mihi and who do we mihi to?

2. Whole class activities

  • Create a karakia that this whānau could use at the beach.
  • Create a mihi that the whānau could use before they leave

Lesson 1 and 2 can be adapted to discuss the other traditional methods that we used to keep ourselves safe (i.e. koha, kaitiaki, rāhui, taniwha)

 

Wānanga 3

 

1. How did our tūpuna look after the environment?

Wānanga with kaumātua and whānau about traditional methods (where possible wānanga at marae, or
waterway). Main topics of discussion with kaumātua are - kaitiaki, rāhui, koha, taniwha

Wānanga 4

 

How do we keep ourselves safe by the water today?

1. Use flash cards of modern day whānau and discuss how these people have used the following

  • Tikanga to keep themselves safe such as Atua, karakia, rāhui, kaitiaki, mihi, koha, taniwha, tuakana/teina, tamaiti/pakeke, wearing life jackets, wetsuits, weather maps, internet weather forecast, radios, checking tides
  • Mātauranga to keep themselves safe such as weather, waves, tides, currents, taniwha, kaitiaki, whetū, māramataka, tipua
  • Discuss how these are similar or different to traditional methods.
  • How can we use traditional methods today to keep ourselves safe at the various waterways?

2. Mural

The tamariki produce a classroom mural of traditional and modern ways of keeping safe.

Wānanga 5

 

Ongoing whānau trips to a local waterway

1. Throughout the unit a number of class trips can be organised.

These will be to a local waterway with whānau to practice traditional and modern ways of keeping safe by the water.

Examples could be a trip to collect pipis, waka ama, fshing off wharf, learn to surf trip.

Traditional methods tamariki could practice may include – karakia, mihi, kaitiaki, koha, tuakana/teina, tamaiti/pakeke, tides, currents.


Modern methods tamariki could practice may include – wearing life jackets, wetsuits, reading weathermaps, internet weather forecasts, using vhf radios.

Assessment

  • The tamariki will be assessed on the use of traditional and modern ways of keeping safe during the whānau outings
  • The tamariki produce a classroom mural of traditional and modern ways of keeping safe.

Flashcards

Please see separate file in reference to wānanga 4 activity

Ongoing activities

Choose a local waterway or project that the class/kura can become involved in looking after or supporting as kaitiaki

 

 
 


Hauora

These resources can be organised across the four strands of learning:

Waiora – personal health and development

Piki mai, kake mai. Homai te waiora ki ahau.

Come to me, join with me. Bring me the waters of life.

Students will explore and learn about food and nutrition that sustain the physical body, and explore the notion of sustenance that contributes to the wellbeing of mind and spirit. Students will also describe, consider and analyse aspects of personal growth and development, safety and safe practices.

Koiri - Movement concepts and motor skills

Ko te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau. As the sapling is bent, so the tree will grow.

Students will develop and apply movement concepts and motor skills and have opportunities to participate in and enjoy physical activities.

Taiao - Health and the environment

Hāhā te whenua, hāhā te tangata. Desolate land, desolate people.

Students will discuss and exchange ideas about the close and enduring relationship between people and the natural environment, exploring ways to lessen harmful environmental impacts.

Tangata - People and relationships

He taura taonga e motu, he taura tangata e kore e motu.

A string of beads is easily broken, but human bonds can never be severed.

Students will describe and analyse human relationships in a variety of contexts, both personal and those of others. There are four encompassing aspects of Hauora, interwoven within all the strands.

Te wairua

Involves Māori perspectives on the fundamental nature of humanity including customs, practices and protocols, Te Reo Māori, values and attitudes.

The purpose of including these aspects is to provide guidance in teaching and learning hauora in safe and positive ways, and to affrm and support unique Māori views of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

Wai Puna Model

Wai Puna is central to the development of the water safety Unit Plan available for kaiako in Kura Kauapapa Māori and mainstream kura, primarily for Years 1 - 8. 

 

 

 
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