🌅 Karakia & Intent (8 minutes)
🎥 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 te rangimārie ki runga i a tātou" – Let peace descend upon us.
- Reconnect to agreements: Review emotional safety tikanga and highlight "you can pass".
- Koru breath: Lead two minutes of koru breathing – inhale as you trace up the koru, exhale as you trace down (use the handout).
- Intention setting: Ākonga whisper an intention for their hinengaro ("kia tau", "kia kaha") while touching their heart.
🎯 Learning Intentions / Ngā Whāinga Akoranga & Success Criteria
By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:
- Explain what mindfulness is (and isn’t) through a Te Ao Māori lens.
- Practise at least three mindfulness/regulation techniques (breath, sensory, focus).
- Recognise which techniques fit different emotions and mauri zones.
- Begin a personalised regulation plan to support daily hauora.
Success Criteria – Ākonga will demonstrate:
- ✓ Participation in mindful arrival and technique trials
- ✓ Reflection entries in the mindfulness journal
- ✓ Selection of strategies for each mauri zone
- ✓ Optional: willingness to teach a technique to a partner
📋 Kaiako Planning Snapshot / Teacher Planning Snapshot
Timing Overview
- Karakia / Opening: 5 min
- Activity 1 — Mindful Arrival: 10 min
- Activity 2 — What is Mindfulness?: 12 min
- Activity 3 — Regulation Toolkit Lab: 24 min
- Activity 4 — Regulation Plan Studio: 12 min
- Whakamutunga / Closure: 5 min
- Total: ~68 min
Preparation Checklist
- Set up regulation toolkit stations with physical items (stress balls, fidgets, sensory objects)
- Optional: soft lighting or taonga pūoro playlist for mindful arrival
- Print regulation plan templates
- Ensure classroom can be configured for quiet, low-stimulation arrival
Curriculum Alignment — Achievement Objectives
NZ Curriculum — Health & Physical Education, Level 4–5
- Personal Health & Physical Development (A1): Students demonstrate understanding of taha hinengaro through mindfulness practice and emotional regulation — Achievement Objective directly addressed through regulation toolkit activities
- Personal Health & Physical Development (A2): Students develop and practise strategies to manage their mental and emotional wellbeing — Achievement Objective addressed in Activity 4 regulation plan
Key Competencies: Managing Self (self-regulation, mindfulness practice); Thinking (evaluating which strategies suit different mauri states)
Inclusion & Accessibility Guidance
- ADHD / Neurodiverse: Mindfulness activities may be counterproductive for some neurodiverse learners — offer movement-based alternatives (walking, fidgeting) as equally valid regulation strategies. Never force stillness.
- ESOL / ELL: Regulation strategies are embodied — demonstration is more important than explanation. Model each technique without relying on language.
- Accessibility: Ensure sensory toolkit items include options for various sensory profiles (visual, tactile, auditory). Some students may need opt-out from specific sensory activities.
- Trauma-aware: Closed-eye exercises can be activating for students with trauma histories. Always offer "soft gaze" or eyes-open alternatives without drawing attention to individual students.
Activity 1: Mindful Arrival (10 minutes)
Settling Hinengaro & Tinana
Guided practice + reflectionKoru Breath (4 minutes)
Introduce the koru breath using the handout; focus on steady inhales/exhales, visualising light travelling through the koru.
Body Scan (4 minutes)
Guide ākonga to notice top-to-toe sensations. Offer trauma-sensitive options (eyes open, choosing a focus area).
Journal Prompt (2 minutes)
In the mindfulness journal, write: "Right now my mauri feels…" and "I noticed…"
Activity 2: What is Mindfulness? (12 minutes)
Understanding, Myth-Busting, Contextualising
Ako + discussion- Define mindfulness as aro + mataara – purposeful attention with compassion.
- Connect to traditional practices: karakia, mahi raranga, taonga pūoro, mahi toi.
- Myth bust: not about emptying mind, not quick fix, not replacing professional support.
Invite students to share cultural mindfulness practices at home/whānau (e.g., kapa haka warmups, river visits).
Activity 3: Regulation Toolkit Lab (24 minutes)
Try, Notice, Share
Stations + debriefSet up four mindful technique stations. Students rotate in small groups (4 minutes each) with 1-minute transition breathing.
Station A – Koru Breath & Box Breath
Practise koru breath, then 4-4-4-4 box breathing. Record which feels easier.
Station B – Sensory Grounding
Use grounding cards (5-4-3-2-1); use tactile resources (smooth stone, harakeke strip) + note feelings.
Station C – Mindful Movement
Flow through a mini yoga sequence/kapa haka warm-up; focus on breath-body synchrony.
Station D – Thought Observatory
Use "Noticing Thoughts" prompts: name, label, let go like clouds. Write one reframe.
After rotations, gather observations: Which techniques suited mauri moe vs mauri oho? Which connected to whakapapa or whānau routines?
Activity 4: Regulation Plan Studio (12 minutes)
Design Your Toolkit
Individual creation with teacher conferencing- Plan sheet: Using the Regulation Toolkit Planner, pick 2+ strategies per mauri zone. Include sensory tools, breath, movement, and thought supports.
- Support map: Add who can help you remember these (friend, whānau, kaiako, app).
- Optional sharing: Pair up to teach one technique to a buddy so it sticks.
Whakamutunga – Reflection & Outlook (8 minutes)
Journal Check-In (4 minutes)
Prompt: "When I notice ______, I will pause and…" Encourage a note about what made mindfulness easier/harder.
Closing Breath (2 minutes)
Repeat koru breathing, acknowledging shifts in mauri.
Exit Check (2 minutes)
Students note any follow-up support they would like (optional slip to kaiako/counsellor).
🏠 Homework / Extension
Required: Three-Day Mindfulness Log
Use the Mindfulness Journal to record a practice each day (breath, movement, sensory) + impact on mauri.
Optional: Whānau Mindfulness Moment
Teach whānau one technique from class (koru breath, gratitude scan). Note their feedback in the journal.
🧰 Teacher Preparation & Notes
- Space setup: Clear an area for mindful movement, prep cushions/mats, ensure quiet corners.
- Resources: Print Koru Breath Cards, groundings cards, gather sensory items (shells, rongoā sachets).
- Inclusivity: Offer seated and standing variations. Provide visual supports/closed captions if playing audio.
- Collaboration: Coordinate with pastoral team for students who may experience discomfort and need extra support.