Design Your Own Society
Systems Thinking for Year 9–10 Social Studies
A 4–5 week project unit where students build a functioning society from first principles — examining governance, resource allocation, and cultural values through both Te Ao Māori and contemporary political lenses, culminating in a society design pitch.
Unit Overview Map
| Week | Lesson | Focus | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | What Makes a Society? | Components: people, governance, resources, culture | Society anatomy diagram |
| 2–3 | Government Systems | Decision-making, laws, rights, and responsibilities | Government design draft |
| 4–5 | Resources & Sustainability | Kaitiakitanga, resource allocation, equity | Society design pitch |
NZ Curriculum — Social Sciences
"The government budget is spent on many things, but in general, that budget is spent on: social security and welfare; health; education; transport and communications."
Phase 3 | Social Sciences
Learning Objectives (Whāinga Ako)
- Identify the essential components of any functioning society — governance, resources, culture, and identity
- Compare different government models (democracy, consensus, co-governance) through Te Ao Māori and Western lenses
- Apply kaitiakitanga as a framework for sustainable resource allocation within a designed society
- Analyse how decisions about rights and responsibilities shape a society's character and wellbeing
- Design and present a coherent society model that reflects the group's values and chosen governance approach
Unit Journey
Weeks 1–2: What Makes a Society?
Students deconstruct existing societies — Aotearoa, ancient Athens, traditional hapū — to identify the non-negotiable components: people and identity, governance and law, resource systems, and shared culture. They map these components and debate which is most foundational.
Weeks 2–3: Government Systems
Students examine how governments make decisions and distribute power. Case studies include parliamentary democracy, tikanga-based consensus, and co-governance models. Each group drafts a governance structure for their society — who decides, how, and what rights are protected.
Weeks 4–5: Resources & Sustainability
Students grapple with the hardest design challenge — how does their society allocate land, food, energy, and taonga fairly and sustainably? Kaitiakitanga is applied not as heritage but as active design principle. Final pitch presents the complete society model to the class as the "society design council."
Kaiako Notes (Teacher Guidance)
This unit works best when students have genuine creative ownership over their society design. Resist over-structuring — the productive struggle of realising "someone has to decide who gets water" is where the deep learning about governance happens. Let groups hit real design problems before offering frameworks.
Te Ao Māori should be woven throughout, not treated as one option among many. Hapū governance models (kaumātua, hui, consensus) are sophisticated systems that deserve careful study alongside parliamentary democracy — not as exotic alternatives but as tested, functional approaches.
Differentiate by adjusting complexity: ākonga needing support can design a small hapū; ākonga extending can design a nation-state with international relationships. The design pitch format is naturally differentiating — each group goes as deep as they can. Allow debate between groups about whose society model would be more just and sustainable.
Assessment Overview
- ☐ Society anatomy diagram — components mapped with justification
- ☐ Government design draft — structure, decision-making, rights framework
- ☐ Resource allocation plan — uses kaitiakitanga as active design principle
- ☐ Society values statement — what kind of people does this society produce?
- ☐ Final pitch presentation — coherent, defensible, and values-driven