✊ Karakia & Cultural Opening — He Mea Tū
Opening Karakia (2 minutes)
"Tūturu whakamaua kia tīna — tīna!
Hui e! Tāiki e!
Ko tēnei rā, ko tēnei wā
Ka tū tātou hei kaitiaki mō Papatūānuku."
Let this be firmly established. On this day, at this time, we stand as kaitiaki for Papatūānuku.
Opening Challenge (3 minutes)
Ask ākonga: "Think of someone — real or fictional — who changed the world by taking action before it was popular or easy. What did they do? What made them keep going?"
Today we meet real young people — many not much older than you — who are confronting the biggest challenge of our generation. They are not waiting for adults to fix it. They are acting as kaitiaki right now.
🎯 Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:
- Describe the NZ School Strike 4 Climate movement and its significance
- Analyse the tactics and strategies used by youth climate campaigns and evaluate their effectiveness
- Explain how climate justice connects to Treaty of Waitangi obligations and Māori rights
- Evaluate the role of Pacific youth voices at international climate forums
- Design a one-page climate campaign proposal for their school or community
Success Criteria — Ākonga will demonstrate:
- ✓ Factual knowledge of at least two real NZ youth climate campaigns
- ✓ Ability to evaluate campaign tactics: what worked, what didn't, and why
- ✓ A clear, specific campaign proposal with goal, audience, tactics, and kaitiaki framing
- ✓ Understanding of how climate action connects to Treaty and indigenous rights
🌏 Youth Climate Action in Aotearoa & the Pacific — He Hītori Ora
School Strike 4 Climate NZ — September 2019
On 27 September 2019, inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg's global movement, New Zealand students walked out of their schools in an extraordinary act of civic engagement. It was one of the largest coordinated youth-led events in New Zealand history.
The NZ marches were organised largely by secondary school students. Auckland's march drew 80,000 people — one of the largest protest marches in that city's history. Wellington students led chants linking climate change to the Treaty of Waitangi.
Climate Justice Tamariki Māori
A thread of Māori youth climate activism connects climate action to Treaty rights. Key arguments include:
- The Crown has Te Tiriti obligations to protect the environment for Māori
- Kaitiakitanga is a Treaty principle — when the government fails on climate, it fails Māori
- Māori communities face disproportionate climate impacts (as seen in Cyclone Gabrielle)
- Mana whenua must have a seat at the table in climate policy decisions
- Intergenerational justice: tamariki today will bear the costs of decisions made now
Pacific Youth at COP26 & COP27
Pacific island youth have been among the most powerful voices at international climate negotiations:
- COP26 (Glasgow, 2021): Pacific youth delegates delivered powerful speeches framing climate change as a "code red for humanity" specifically for low-lying nations
- "Loss and Damage" breakthrough (COP27, Egypt, 2022): Pacific youth advocacy contributed to the landmark agreement for wealthy nations to compensate vulnerable countries for climate damage
- Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Fiji delegations include youth representatives who speak in their own names
- The Pacific Climate Warriors movement combines direct action with cultural identity
Other NZ Youth Climate Initiatives to Know:
- 350 Aotearoa: Local chapter of the global 350.org movement campaigning for fossil fuel divestment from New Zealand's Superannuation Fund and universities
- Generation Zero: NZ youth-led urban planning and climate policy advocacy group — notable for the Congestion Free Network transport proposals in Auckland
- ClimateAct NZ: Youth-led legal action exploring climate litigation in NZ courts
- Mana Tamariki climate petitions: Multiple school groups have petitioned Parliament on specific climate issues
Activity 1: Analyse a Youth Climate Campaign (20 minutes)
He Tātaritanga Kōkiri — Campaign Analysis Framework
20 minutes | Small groups | Research and analysisIn groups of 3–4, choose one of the following NZ or Pacific youth climate campaigns to analyse. Use the framework below to evaluate what they did and how effective it was.
Campaign Options:
- A. School Strike 4 Climate NZ — September 2019 nationwide strike
- B. Generation Zero — "Congestion Free Network" public transport campaign (Auckland)
- C. Pacific Climate Warriors — canoe direct action against coal ships in Newcastle, Australia
- D. 350 Aotearoa — Fossil fuel divestment campaign targeting NZ Superannuation Fund
- E. Local option: Research a climate campaign at your school or in your community
Analysis Framework — Use these questions to guide your research:
What? — He aha?
- What was the campaign's goal?
- What specific change did it ask for?
- What tactics did it use? (march, petition, social media, direct action, legal challenge...)
Who? — Ko wai?
- Who organised it? Who participated?
- Were Māori and Pacific voices included?
- Who was the target audience or decision-maker?
Impact? — He aha te hua?
- What did it achieve? What changed (or didn't)?
- How did media cover it?
- What was the government or institution's response?
Kaitiaki? — He aha te hononga kaitiaki?
- Did it use a kaitiakitanga framing or Māori/Pacific cultural approach?
- Did it speak to obligations to future generations?
- How could a kaitiaki perspective have strengthened it further?
Presentation (3–4 minutes per group):
Each group shares their analysis. Class takes brief notes on effective tactics across all campaigns to build a shared "What Works" resource for the next activity.
Class Synthesis — "What Works in Climate Campaigning?"
After all presentations, the class builds a shared list: What tactics appear most effective? What ingredients does a successful youth climate campaign seem to need?
Expected themes: Clear ask, compelling stories, coalition-building, cultural grounding, media strategy, persistence.
Activity 2: Design Your Climate Campaign Proposal (25 minutes)
Tō Ake Kōkiri — Your Own Campaign
25 minutes | Individual or pair workUsing what you have learned about effective climate campaigns, design a one-page campaign proposal for a climate action at your school or in your community. This will be refined in Lesson 7 as part of your Kaitiaki Action Plan.
Campaign Proposal Template — He Tauira Kōkiri:
1. Campaign Name / Ingoa Kōkiri:
Give your campaign a name that captures its spirit. Consider using te reo Māori or connecting it to a local place or value.
2. The Problem You Are Addressing / Te Raru:
What specific climate issue affects your school or community? Be precise — not "climate change" generally, but something specific and local.
3. Your Specific Ask / Tō Tono:
What one concrete change are you calling for? Good campaigns have a specific, achievable ask. Examples: "Switch school grounds to native planting by 2026," "Install solar panels on the school hall," "Create a school food forest and compost system."
4. Target Decision-Maker / Ko wai ka whakaaro?
Who has the power to make this change? (Principal, Board of Trustees, local council, MP, school board?) You need to know who you are asking.
5. Your Tactics / Ngā Mahi:
List at least three tactics you would use. Think about: petition, student assembly, letter to the Board of Trustees, social media campaign, local newspaper story, presentation to community meeting, connecting with local iwi, art installation...
6. Kaitiaki Connection / He Hononga Kaitiaki:
How does this campaign embody kaitiakitanga? How does it connect to responsibility for place, for future generations, or for the mauri (life force) of the environment?
7. Allies and Supporters / Ngā Hoa Tautoko:
Who in your school or community could support this campaign? Teachers, whānau, local iwi, environmental groups, local business...?
8. How Will You Know If You Succeeded? / He aha te tohu angitū?
What is your definition of success? What does "winning" look like — even partially?
⚖️ Te Tiriti o Waitangi & Climate Justice
Youth climate activists in Aotearoa increasingly frame climate change not just as a scientific issue, but as a Treaty issue. Here is why this framing matters:
The Treaty Argument
- Article Two of the Treaty guarantees tino rangatiratanga — Māori authority over their taonga (treasures), including land, water, and natural resources
- Climate change threatens these taonga — sea level rise, floods, drought affect Māori land and mahinga kai
- Therefore the Crown has a Treaty obligation to take meaningful climate action to protect Māori taonga
- Kaitiakitanga is a Treaty principle — embedded in the Resource Management Act 1991
UNDRIP and Climate Rights
- New Zealand endorsed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2010
- UNDRIP Article 29 protects indigenous peoples' right to the conservation and protection of their environment
- UNDRIP Article 32 requires free, prior, and informed consent for projects affecting indigenous lands
- Climate policy that fails Māori communities may breach UNDRIP commitments
"E kore te whenua e hokia ki a tātou." — The land cannot be returned to us [once lost]. Climate change is an irreversible threat to Māori land and identity. This is why Treaty obligations demand urgent action.
Whakamutunga — Reflection & Closure (5 minutes)
Exit Ticket — He Pūrongo Iti
In one sentence each, answer:
- "The tactic that I think is most powerful in youth climate campaigns is... because..."
- "One thing that surprised me about NZ youth climate activism is..."
- "My campaign proposal is about... and I believe it matters because..."
Closing Whakataukī:
"Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini."
My strength is not that of a single warrior — it is the strength of many. Climate action is not the work of one person; it is collective work. What begins in this classroom can grow outward.
Preview of Lesson 5:
"Next lesson we look at community-scale climate solutions already happening in Aotearoa — from coastal restoration using mātauranga Māori to regenerative farming and community solar. We'll use these as models for designing our own community solution."
🏠 Mahi Kāinga — Homework Options
Option 1: Campaign Refinement (20 minutes)
Review and refine your campaign proposal from class. Research one existing campaign that is similar to yours — what can you learn from them? Update your proposal with specific details about the target decision-maker and realistic tactics for your context.
Option 2: Youth Activist Profile (30 minutes)
Research a NZ or Pacific youth climate activist. Who are they? What do they campaign for? What inspires them? How have they used their cultural identity in their activism? Write a 300-word profile. Consider: Leisha Fonotia, Generation Zero members, Pacific Climate Warriors, or a local activist from your community.
Option 3: Letter to an MP (30 minutes)
Write a letter to your local Member of Parliament about one specific climate action you want them to support. Make it personal, factual, and grounded in what you have learned about local climate impacts (from Lesson 2). Include a specific ask — not just "do more on climate" but a named, specific policy or action. This is a real letter you could actually send.
Kaiako Planning Snapshot
Science / Social Studies — Antarctica & Climate Change — Years 9–10
Curriculum alignment: Te Mataiaho | Science — Nature of Science; Social Studies — Place and Environment (Years 9–10). Achievement Objective: Students compare knowledge systems as ways of understanding environmental change.
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga — Learning Intentions
- Explain the relationship between climate change, ice melt, and sea-level rise using both Western science and mātauranga Māori
- Analyse iwi environmental indicators as valid knowledge systems alongside scientific data
- Evaluate kaitiakitanga-based responses to climate threats in Aotearoa and globally
Differentiation & Proximinal Guidance
Extension: research a specific iwi climate adaptation project and present findings. Scaffold: sentence starters for comparison tasks and graphic organiser. On-level: structured inquiry with resource pack. Entry: key vocabulary card with visual anchors.
Inclusion & Accessibility
ESOL/ELL: pre-teach key climate vocabulary with visual supports and glossary. Neurodiverse learners: chunk activities into timed segments with visual timer. Accessibility: all video content includes captions; printed materials in accessible font size.