š Karakia & Intent (8 minutes)
"Kia tau te rangimÄrie ki runga i a tÄtou" ā 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 ā inhale as you trace up the koru, exhale as you trace down (use the handout).
- Intention setting: Äkonga whisper an intention for their hinengaro ("kia tau", "kia kaha") while touching their heart.
šÆ Learning Intentions & Success Criteria
By the end of this lesson, Äkonga will be able to:
- Explain what mindfulness is (and isnāt) through a Te Ao MÄori 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 ā Äkonga will demonstrate:
- ā Participation in mindful arrival and technique trials
- ā Reflection entries in the mindfulness journal
- ā Selection of strategies for each mauri zone
- ā Optional: willingness to teach a technique to a partner
Kupu / Vocabulary: mindfulness, mauri, regulation, grounding, breathwork, focus, koru, hauora.
Media Anchor (8 mins)
Video: The Significance of Te Whare Tapa WhÄ
- Which sleep habit has the strongest effect on your energy and emotional regulation?
- How will you protect your sleep routine when routines get disrupted?
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 Äkonga 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 feelsā¦" and "I noticedā¦"
Activity 2: What is Mindfulness? (12 minutes)
Understanding, Myth-Busting, Contextualising
Ako + discussion- Define mindfulness as aro + mataara ā 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/whÄnau (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 ā Koru Breath & Box Breath
Practise koru breath, then 4-4-4-4 box breathing. Record which feels easier.
Station B ā Sensory Grounding
Use grounding cards (5-4-3-2-1); use tactile resources (smooth stone, harakeke strip) + note feelings.
Station C ā Mindful Movement
Flow through a mini yoga sequence/kapa haka warm-up; focus on breath-body synchrony.
Station D ā 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 whÄnau routines?
Activity 4: Regulation Plan Studio (12 minutes)
Design Your Toolkit
Individual creation with teacher conferencing- Plan sheet: Using the Taha Hinengaro Regulation Plan handout, pick 2+ strategies per mauri zone. Include sensory tools, breath, movement, and thought supports.
- Support map: Add who can help you remember these (friend, whÄnau, kaiako, app).
- Optional sharing: Pair up to teach one technique to a buddy so it sticks.
Whakamutunga ā Reflection & Outlook (8 minutes)
Journal Check-In (4 minutes)
Prompt: "When I notice ______, I will pause andā¦" 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).
š Homework / Extension
Required: Three-Day Mindfulness Log
Use the Mindfulness Journal to record a practice each day (breath, movement, sensory) + impact on mauri.
Optional: WhÄnau Mindfulness Moment
Teach whÄnau one technique from class (koru breath, gratitude scan). Note their feedback in the journal.
š§° Teacher Preparation & Notes
- Space setup: Clear an area for mindful movement, prep cushions/mats, ensure quiet corners.
- Resources: Print Koru Breath Cards, grounding cards, the Taha Hinengaro Regulation Plan, and gather sensory items (shells, rongoÄ 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.
š Teacher Planning Snapshot
NgÄ WhÄinga Ako ā Learning Intentions
Students will engage with this hauora resource to build holistic wellbeing knowledge, connecting te ao MÄori perspectives on hauora with personal, social, and environmental dimensions of health.
NgÄ Paearu AngitÅ« ā Success Criteria
- ā Students can explain key hauora concepts using their own words and personal examples.
- ā Students can connect te ao MÄori frameworks (e.g. Te Whare Tapa WhÄ) to real wellbeing contexts.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters, graphic organisers, and entry-level tasks to scaffold access. Offer extension challenges for capable learners to address a range of readiness levels.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key vocabulary (hauora, wairua, tinana, hinengaro, whÄnau). Allow students to draw or respond in their home language as a first step.
Inclusion: Hauora topics can be sensitive ā create a safe learning environment. Neurodiverse learners benefit from choice in how they demonstrate wellbeing understanding. Use accessible, non-threatening language.
Curriculum alignment
- Health & Physical Education: Understand that wellbeing is a dynamic state determined by physical, social, mental/emotional, and spiritual dimensions of health.
- Social Sciences: Understand how people participate individually and collectively to support community wellbeing.