Assessment Type: asTTle Reading Comprehension
Unit: Unit 3 - STEM Through Mātauranga Māori
Curriculum Level: 4-5 (Years 9-10)
Time Allowed: 45 minutes
Unit 3: STEM + Mātauranga Māori
asTTle Reading Comprehension Assessment
Instructions for Students
- Read the passage carefully
- Answer ALL questions in full sentences unless otherwise instructed
- Use evidence from the text to support your answers
- You have 45 minutes to complete this assessment
- This is an individual assessment - work independently
Reading Passage
Kaitiakitanga and Western Science: Complementary Approaches to Environmental Management
For centuries, Māori have practiced kaitiakitanga - a form of environmental guardianship deeply rooted in the concept that humans are part of the natural world, not separate from it. This worldview contrasts sharply with Western scientific approaches that often position humans as objective observers studying nature from the outside.
Yet in Aotearoa New Zealand, innovative environmental scientists are discovering that these two knowledge systems - mātauranga Māori and Western science - can work together powerfully. Dr. Aroha Mead, a conservation biologist of Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Porou descent, explains: "Mātauranga Māori provides generations of detailed observation about ecosystems. When we combine this with Western scientific methods like statistical analysis and controlled experiments, we get a much more complete understanding of environmental challenges."
Consider the case of Lake Rotorua, where water quality had declined dramatically by the 1990s. Western scientists identified nutrient runoff from farming as the primary cause and proposed technical solutions like wetland construction and nutrient caps. However, when local hapū (sub-tribes) were consulted, they shared traditional knowledge about the lake's historical ecosystem - information recorded in whakapapa (genealogies), waiata (songs), and oral histories that stretched back centuries.
This mātauranga revealed that certain native fish species, now rare, had once been abundant and played crucial roles in nutrient cycling. The traditional practice of rāhui (temporary bans on harvesting) had historically allowed fish populations to recover, which in turn improved water quality. By combining this traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary scientific monitoring, restoration efforts became far more effective. Scientists could test hypotheses informed by centuries of observation, while kaitiaki (guardians) could see their ancestral knowledge validated and applied.
The success at Lake Rotorua demonstrates a key principle: Western science excels at measuring and analyzing specific variables through controlled methods, while mātauranga Māori offers holistic, long-term understanding of ecosystems as interconnected living systems. When scientists approach mātauranga Māori with genuine respect - not as "folklore" to be validated, but as legitimate knowledge developed through rigorous observation over generations - the combination yields solutions neither system could achieve alone.
However, this integration requires careful navigation. Dr. Dan Hikuroa, a geologist and mātauranga Māori expert, cautions: "Mātauranga Māori belongs to Māori communities. Scientists can't just extract this knowledge without relationship, permission, and ongoing partnership. True collaboration means Māori leadership in research design, equal weighting of both knowledge systems, and ensuring research benefits Māori communities first."
Today, more environmental management projects in Aotearoa are embracing dual knowledge approaches. From marine reserves to climate change adaptation, the pattern is clear: when mātauranga Māori and Western science work together respectfully, with Māori maintaining authority over their knowledge, environmental outcomes improve dramatically. This isn't about Western science "validating" mātauranga - it's about recognizing that different ways of knowing offer different but equally valuable insights into the living world we share.
Comprehension Questions
Question 1: Literal Comprehension (2 marks)
According to the text, what were the two main causes of Lake Rotorua's water quality decline?
Student Answer:
Question 2: Vocabulary in Context (2 marks)
What does kaitiakitanga mean in this passage? Use evidence from the text to explain.
Student Answer:
Question 3: Making Connections (3 marks)
The text describes mātauranga Māori as offering "holistic, long-term understanding" while Western science "excels at measuring and analyzing specific variables." Explain what this means using the Lake Rotorua example.
Student Answer:
Question 4: Inferential Thinking (4 marks)
According to Dr. Dan Hikuroa, what are the key principles that must guide collaboration between Western scientists and Māori knowledge holders? Why are these principles important?
Student Answer:
Question 5: Author's Purpose (3 marks)
Why does the author include the phrase "not as 'folklore' to be validated, but as legitimate knowledge"? What message is the author trying to convey?
Student Answer:
Question 6: Critical Evaluation (5 marks)
The text argues that mātauranga Māori and Western science are "different but equally valuable" knowledge systems. Do you agree or disagree? Use evidence from the text AND your own thinking to support your position.
Student Answer:
Question 7: Application (4 marks)
Imagine you are designing an environmental restoration project for your local area. How would you use BOTH mātauranga Māori and Western scientific methods? Give specific examples of what each knowledge system would contribute.
Student Answer:
📝 Teacher Answer Key & Marking Guide
Question 1: Literal Comprehension (2 marks)
Answer: Nutrient runoff from farming was the primary cause. The decline happened by the 1990s.
Marking: 1 mark for identifying nutrient runoff, 1 mark for mentioning farming or timeline.
Question 2: Vocabulary (2 marks)
Answer: Kaitiakitanga means environmental guardianship, where humans see themselves as part of nature, not separate from it. It's about caring for and protecting the environment.
Marking: 1 mark for "guardianship/caring for environment", 1 mark for explaining the relationship between humans and nature.
Question 3: Making Connections (3 marks)
Answer: Mātauranga Māori provided long-term, holistic knowledge about the lake's historical ecosystem through whakapapa, waiata, and oral histories. Western science focused on specific, measurable things like nutrient levels and wetland construction. Together, they understood both the big picture (ecosystem history) and specific details (current water chemistry).
Marking: 1 mark for explaining mātauranga's holistic/long-term view, 1 mark for Western science's specific/measurable approach, 1 mark for explaining how they complemented each other in the Lake Rotorua example.
Question 4: Inferential (4 marks)
Answer: Key principles: (1) Relationship and permission - can't just extract knowledge, (2) Māori leadership in research design, (3) Equal weighting of both knowledge systems, (4) Research must benefit Māori communities first. These are important because mātauranga Māori belongs to Māori and has been exploited historically. Respectful collaboration requires Māori control and benefit.
Marking: 1 mark for each principle identified (up to 3 marks), 1 mark for explaining why these matter (preventing exploitation/ensuring respect).
Question 5: Author's Purpose (3 marks)
Answer: The author wants to emphasize that mātauranga Māori is legitimate scientific knowledge, not just stories or folklore that needs Western science to prove it's true. The author is challenging the idea that Western science is superior or more valid.
Marking: 1 mark for identifying mātauranga as legitimate knowledge, 1 mark for recognizing "folklore" is a dismissive term, 1 mark for understanding the author challenges Western science supremacy.
Question 6: Critical Evaluation (5 marks)
Sample Agree Answer: I agree they are equally valuable because they offer different strengths. The text shows mātauranga Māori provided centuries of ecosystem knowledge about Lake Rotorua that scientists didn't have. Without it, restoration would have been less effective. Both systems use rigorous observation - one over generations, one through controlled experiments. Equal value doesn't mean identical - it means both are necessary.
Sample Disagree Answer: I partially disagree because "equal" might not be the right word. In some contexts, Western science might be more useful (like developing vaccines), while in others mātauranga Māori is essential (like understanding cultural relationships to land). Rather than "equally valuable," I'd say they're "differently valuable" depending on the question being asked.
Marking: 2 marks for clear position, 2 marks for evidence from text, 1 mark for original thinking/reasoning. Accept both agree/disagree if well-supported.
Question 7: Application (4 marks)
Sample Answer: For a local river restoration project: Mātauranga Māori would contribute knowledge of traditional fish species, historical river flow patterns known through oral histories, and cultural protocols like rāhui to protect spawning areas. Western science would contribute water quality testing, statistical analysis of fish populations, and controlled experiments on native plant restoration. Local kaumātua would lead on cultural aspects while scientists provide technical measurement tools.
Marking: 1 mark for specific mātauranga contribution, 1 mark for specific Western science contribution, 1 mark for showing how they work together, 1 mark for appropriate project example and detail.
Total Score: ____ / 23 marks
Curriculum Level Indicators:
- Level 3 (Below): 0-11 marks - Literal understanding only, struggles with inference
- Level 4 (At): 12-18 marks - Can make connections and infer, developing critical thinking
- Level 5 (Above): 19-23 marks - Strong critical evaluation, sophisticated understanding of dual knowledge systems