🌅 Karakia & Psychological Safety
🎥 Media Anchor
Video: The significance of Te Whare Tapa Whā - Sir Mason Durie
- How does this lesson strengthen Taha Hinengaro alongside other wellbeing dimensions?
- Which coping or support strategy will you practise this week and why?
"Kia tau ngā manaakitanga a te mea ngaro" – May the unseen blessings rest upon us.
Opening Protocol (8 minutes)
- Mihi tūhono: Kaiako acknowledges that talking about emotions can be hard. Emphasise manaakitanga, confidentiality, optional participation.
- Safe space agreements: Co-construct quick tikanga (listen with aroha, no fixing, uphold privacy, use "I" statements).
- Breathing anchor: Lead a short Ngā Hau E Whā grounding – four breaths for the winds, connecting hinengaro and wairua.
- Opt-in supports: Point out trusted adults, chill-out zone, and helplines displayed on board.
🎯 Learning Intentions / Ngā Whāinga Akoranga & Success Criteria
By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:
- Describe taha hinengaro within Te Whare Tapa Whā and why it underpins overall hauora.
- Label a wide range of emotions using precise vocabulary in te reo Māori and English.
- Analyse how emotions manifest in tinana, hinengaro, and whānau relationships.
- Identify personal feelings triggers and early warning signs.
- Map trusted support pathways for themselves and their peers.
Success Criteria – Ākonga will demonstrate:
- ✓ Completion of the Kare-ā-roto kōrero chart with three nuanced emotions.
- ✓ Contribution to the Hinengaro Balance Map linking emotions to other pou.
- ✓ Shared support pathway with at least two trusted people/services.
- ✓ Reflection that honours personal limits and next steps.
📋 Kaiako Planning Snapshot / Teacher Planning Snapshot
Timing Overview
- Karakia / Opening: 5 min
- Activity 1 — Mood Check & Agreements: 10 min
- Activity 2 — Emotion Language Lab: 18 min
- Activity 3 — Hinengaro Balance Map: 20 min
- Activity 4 — Support Pathways Hui: 10 min
- Whakamutunga / Closure: 5 min
- Total: ~68 min
Preparation Checklist
- Prepare class agreements framework (community agreements for emotional safety)
- Print Hinengaro Balance Map template if paper-based
- Prepare support pathways resource list (school counsellor, 1737, Youthline)
- This lesson may surface emotional disclosures — be prepared, not reactive
Curriculum Alignment — Achievement Objectives
NZ Curriculum — Health & Physical Education, Level 4–5
- Personal Health & Physical Development (A1): Students demonstrate understanding of taha hinengaro (mental and emotional wellbeing) as a core dimension of hauora — Achievement Objective directly addressed through emotion literacy and the Hinengaro Balance Map
- Relationships with Other People: Students develop skills to recognise when they or others need support and identify appropriate pathways — Achievement Objective addressed in Activity 4
Key Competencies: Managing Self (emotion recognition and regulation); Relating to Others (empathy, support-seeking); Thinking (connecting emotions to wellbeing dimensions)
Inclusion & Accessibility Guidance
- ESOL / ELL: Emotion vocabulary varies significantly across cultures — validate that emotional expression differs and provide visual emotion wheels. Allow students to name emotions in their home language first.
- ADHD / Neurodiverse: Students with emotional dysregulation may find this lesson activating. Offer opt-out/step-out options without drawing attention. Mood check at start helps gauge readiness.
- Accessibility: Ensure class agreements include sensory and neurodiversity considerations. Visual/written options available for all verbal tasks.
- Pastoral: This is high-risk for disclosures. Review school protocols for mandatory reporting before delivery. Have immediate referral steps clear in your mind.
Activity 1: Mood Check & Agreements (10 minutes)
Ngā Kare-ā-roto Temperature Check
5 min individual + 5 min huiPrivate Mood Snapshot (5 minutes)
- Distribute the forthcoming Kare-ā-roto Check-In card (handout forthcoming).
- Ākonga circle where they are on the mauri continuum (mauri moe → mauri tau → mauri oho → mauri ora) and jot one word describing how they feel right now.
Class Agreements Hui (5 minutes)
Facilitation prompts:
- "What do we need from each other so this kōrero feels safe?" (examples: confidentiality, listening, body breaks)
- "What are signs someone might need awhi? What can we do?"
- Record agreements on chart paper, visible all week.
Activity 2: Emotion Language Lab (18 minutes)
Kupu Kare – Expanding Emotional Vocabulary
Mini-ako + station rotationMini-ako (4 minutes)
Introduce the idea that language shapes how we understand emotions. Share a bilingual emotion spectrum (e.g., hōhā, manahau, pōuri, hohou rongo).
Emotion Stations (10 minutes)
Station A: Emotion Wheels
Pairs sort feelings into the five zones (joy, fear, anger, sadness, energy). They must add one te reo term per zone using the bilingual wheel.
Station B: Body Signals
Trace outlines noting physical cues (e.g., tight shoulders, butterflies) for selected emotions.
Station C: Thought Patterns
Sort example self-talk statements into "helpful" vs "unhelpful" responses; rewrite unhelpful ones collectively.
Whole-Class Synthesis (4 minutes)
- Create a large Class Emotion Lexicon anchor chart with contributions from each station.
- Highlight cultural concepts like whakamā, whakamanawa, whakaaro pai.
Activity 3: Hinengaro Balance Map (20 minutes)
Linking Emotions to Te Whare Tapa Whā
Group mapping + gallery walkResources: Large format Hinengaro Balance Map (new handout), sticky notes, markers.
- Small groups (10 minutes): Choose one emotion experienced today. On the map, record:
- Tinana: What happens in the body?
- Hinengaro: What thoughts/beliefs surface?
- Whānau: Who/what relationships are impacted?
- Wairua: Does it affect purpose, values, or connection to whenua/faith?
- Protective & risk factors (5 minutes): Add green sticky notes for supports (kai, sleep, karakia, trusted adults) and orange notes for drains (social media spiral, exams).
- Gallery walk (5 minutes): Groups circulate, silently reading each map and leaving mana-enhancing feedback ("I notice…", "A next step could be…").
Activity 4: Support Pathways Hui (10 minutes)
From Feeling to Action
Pair share + whole groupIntroduce the Tautoko Map (to be created) showing four levels of support: self-care, peer/whānau, school-based, professional/helpline.
Guided Kōrero Prompts
- "When I feel ______, my early warning sign is…"
- "One tikanga-friendly strategy that helps me regulate is…"
- "A person or service I trust is… because…"
- Pair plan a code word/emoji to use if they ever need support from each other.
Close by reiterating the helplines and school pastoral team contact process. Offer optional written card submission for anyone seeking follow-up.
Whakamutunga – Closing the Loop (7 minutes)
Silent Reflection (3 minutes)
Ākonga complete the reflection section on the Kare-ā-roto Check-In card: "Today I learned… / One support I will lean on…"
Karakia Whakamutunga (2 minutes)
Use "Whakairia" or school karakia to settle wairua, acknowledging emotions released.
Exit Strategy (2 minutes)
Students choose one of three exit options: share aloud, pass quietly, or check-in privately with kaiako/counsellor. Provide follow-up sign-up sheet.
🏠 Homework / Extension
Required: Emotion Journaling (10 minutes each evening)
Using the upcoming Hinengaro Daily Journal template, record one emotion each day, its trigger, body cues, and a support action.
- Bring the journal to Lesson 7 for the stress toolkit activity.
- If journaling feels unsafe, students can instead create an audio note or visual art reflection.
Optional: Whānau Wānanga (15 minutes)
Share the class agreements with whānau. Invite them to add one strategy that supports hinengaro wellbeing at home.
🧰 Teacher Preparation & Notes
- Trauma-informed practice: Have a guidance counsellor or trusted adult on standby. Remind students they can step out.
- Pronunciation: Practise emotion kupu with correct macrons (provide audio support if available).
- Resources to prep: Kare-ā-roto cards, Bilingual Emotion Wheel posters, Hinengaro Balance Maps, support pathway infographic.
- Data privacy: Any written reflections should be stored securely or returned to ākonga.