Focus Pātai
- What is one change we can realistically create — and why does it matter?
- Who benefits, and how will we know our mahi is helping?
- How do we uphold manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga while acting?
At A Glance
- Duration: 100 minutes (includes video content)
- Year levels: Years 9–13 (Phases 4–5)
- Learning areas: Integrated (culminating project)
- Mode: Project planning + commitment
Plan for consent, safety, and whānau/iwi engagement before any public-facing action.
🌅 Karakia & Cultural Opening
"Kia tau te mauri" — May the life force be with us
Opening Ceremony (5 minutes)
- Whakapapa Acknowledgment: Honoring the journey from ancestors to our present action
- Collective Intention: Setting intention for our projects to serve community wellbeing
- Courage & Commitment: Calling in strength for the work ahead
- Community Blessing: Seeking support for our contributions to rangatiratanga
🎯 Learning Objectives & Success Criteria
By the end of this lesson, ākonga will be able to:
- Present: Effectively communicate action projects to community audiences
- Refine: Improve project proposals based on community feedback and validation
- Commit: Make specific, realistic commitments to implementing community action
- Reflect: Articulate their understanding of rangatiratanga and their role in advancing it
Success Criteria — Ākonga will demonstrate:
- ✓ Clear, compelling presentation of community action projects
- ✓ Incorporation of community feedback into project refinement
- ✓ Concrete implementation plans with realistic timelines
- ✓ Deep understanding of their role in advancing rangatiratanga
Phase 1: Project Refinement & Community Validation (35 minutes)
Youth-Led Innovation for Community Impact (15 minutes)
15 minutes video + discussionTeaching Instructions:
- Before viewing: Ask students how their projects can be innovative and youth-led
- During viewing: Focus on examples of young Māori leading impactful projects
- Key observations: Note the creativity and cultural grounding in their approaches
Community Advisor Speed Consultations
15 minutes consultations + 5 minutes integrationSetup & Structure:
Community advisors (teachers, invited community members, or assigned peer advisors) stationed around the room. Project groups rotate through 3–4 consultation stations.
Station 1: Community Impact Advisor
Focus: Validating community need and potential impact
- Is this addressing a real community need?
- Who would benefit most from this project?
- How could you measure the project's success?
Station 2: Cultural Authenticity Advisor
Focus: Ensuring cultural grounding and rangatiratanga alignment
- How does this project honor Te Ao Māori values?
- Does this advance genuine self-determination?
- What cultural support/validation would you need?
Station 3: Implementation Feasibility Advisor
Focus: Practical planning and resource realism
- Is your timeline realistic for the scope of work?
- Do you have access to the resources you need?
- Who could you partner with to make this happen?
Station 4: Youth Leadership Advisor
Focus: Ensuring genuine youth leadership and development
- How are young people truly leading this project?
- What leadership skills would you develop through this work?
- What support do you need to succeed as leaders?
Consultation Process (3–4 minutes per station):
- Project Pitch (1 minute): Groups present their refined project proposal
- Advisor Questions (2 minutes): Advisors ask probing questions from their focus area
- Feedback (1 minute): Advisors provide specific suggestions for improvement
Integration & Refinement (5 minutes):
Groups take 5 minutes to integrate feedback and make final adjustments to their project proposals before presentations.
Phase 2: Community Presentation Preparation (30 minutes)
Learning from Community Action (15 minutes)
Teaching Instructions:
- Before viewing: Discuss how successful community projects communicate their message
- During viewing: Focus on how Māori community leaders present their work and engage audiences
- Key observations: Note effective communication strategies and cultural protocols
Presentation Coaching & Rehearsal
Presentation Framework (5 minutes):
Teach students effective community presentation structure:
1. Connection & Context (30 seconds)
- Who are you and what connects you to this issue?
- Brief acknowledgment of community and cultural grounding
2. Community Need & Vision (45 seconds)
- What issue are you addressing and why does it matter?
- What change do you envision for your community?
3. Project Description & Innovation (60 seconds)
- What will you actually do? (concrete activities)
- What makes your approach unique or innovative?
- How does this advance rangatiratanga?
4. Partnership & Implementation (30 seconds)
- Who will you work with?
- What are your next concrete steps?
5. Call to Action & Invitation (15 seconds)
- How can others support or get involved?
- What do you need from the community?
Presentation Skills Quick Tips (3 minutes):
- Authenticity: Speak from your passion and connection to the issue
- Clarity: Use simple, clear language that anyone can understand
- Confidence: You are the experts on your community and your vision
- Cultural Grounding: Integrate cultural elements naturally, not as performance
Practice & Coaching (7 minutes):
- Round 1 (3 minutes): Groups practice full presentation with each other
- Round 2 (3 minutes): Partner groups provide specific feedback and encouragement
- Final Prep (1 minute): Groups make final adjustments and center themselves
Phase 3: Rangatiratanga Action Showcase (35 minutes)
Building Movements for Future Rangatiratanga (15 minutes)
Teaching Instructions:
- Before viewing: Discuss how individual projects contribute to larger movements
- During viewing: Focus on how collective action creates significant social change
- Key observations: Note the power of unified vision and sustained effort
Community Project Presentations & Commitment Ceremony
Presentation Showcase (20 minutes):
Each group presents their community action project to the full class and any invited community members:
Presentation Structure:
- Presentation Time: 3 minutes per group
- Audience Response: 1 minute appreciative feedback focusing on strengths and potential
- Community Questions: Brief clarifying questions if time allows
Audience Guidelines:
- Listen with aroha and respect for student vision and leadership
- Focus feedback on encouragement and constructive support
- Honor the cultural grounding and community focus of projects
Community Response & Networking (10 minutes):
- Community advisors/guests move between project groups
- Students share more details and specific needs/asks
- Community members offer specific support, connections, or resources
- Exchange contact information and next step commitments
🌅 Whakamutunga — Commitment Ceremony & Unit Reflection
Personal Commitment & Collective Blessing (5 minutes)
Individual Commitment Ritual:
Students complete written commitment and share in closing circle:
Personal Commitment Statement:
- Project Commitment: "In the next 3 months, I commit to taking these specific actions toward my project: ___"
- Leadership Growth: "To become the leader my community needs, I will develop this skill/quality: ___"
- Rangatiratanga Vision: "My understanding of rangatiratanga is now ___, and I will contribute by ___"
- Community Relationship: "I will strengthen my connection to community by ___"
Collective Blessing & Whakataukī:
"Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi"
With your contribution and my contribution, the people will thrive. You have begun a journey of leadership that honors your ancestors and serves your communities. Your visions of rangatiratanga are not dreams — they are blueprints for the future you are creating.
📊 Summative Assessment & Unit Completion
Summative Assessment — Unit Evidence Portfolio:
- Vision Articulation: Lesson 1 whakapapa futures reflection
- Innovation Analysis: Lesson 2 traditional/contemporary innovation synthesis
- Digital Leadership: Lesson 3 platform design and digital activism strategy
- Community Partnership: Lesson 4 partnership mapping and leadership analysis
- Action Project: Lesson 5 final project proposal and community presentation
Ongoing Project Implementation:
- Monthly Check-ins: Progress reports on project implementation
- Community Connections: Evidence of partnership development
- Reflection Journals: Ongoing leadership and learning documentation
- Peer Support: Collaboration and mutual support among classmates
🛠️ Unit Conclusion & Transition Resources
Community Partnership Facilitation:
- Partner Invitations: Templates for inviting community advisors
- Presentation Guidelines: Community audience preparation materials
- Follow-up Support: Templates for connecting students with mentors
Project Implementation Support:
- Monthly Check-in Templates: Structured reflection and progress tracking
- Resource Connection Lists: Local funding, mentorship, and support opportunities
- Celebration Planning: End-of-year project showcase event planning
Cross-Unit Connections:
- Unit 7 Bridge: How digital technologies can support action projects
- Assessment Integration: Using projects for other curriculum assessments
- Rangatiratanga Portfolio: Multi-year leadership development tracking
Kaiako Planning Snapshot
Social Studies — Future Rangatiratanga — Years 9–10
Curriculum alignment: Te Mataiaho | Social Studies — Community and participation; identity, culture, and organisation (Years 9–10). Achievement Objective: Students explore how communities respond to challenges and take action to create change.
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga — Learning Intentions
- Articulate a personal and collective vision for rangatiratanga in their community in 2050
- Analyse how young people can lead social, environmental, and economic change in Aotearoa
- Design or evaluate a community action project grounded in tikanga and kaupapa Māori principles
Differentiation & Proximinal Guidance
Extension: develop a full community action plan with stakeholder analysis and timeline. Scaffold: vision statement sentence frames and project planning template. On-level: group project with structured planning guide. Entry: role-play leadership scenarios with guided debrief.
Inclusion & Accessibility
ESOL/ELL: visual project planning template with step-by-step instructions in plain English. Neurodiverse learners: offer varied project formats including visual, oral, and digital options. Cultural safety: centre student voices throughout; never position Māori communities in deficit.