Unit TitleRataLevel 1
Achievement Objectives
Children will:
  1. develop and expand their interest in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori;
  1. gain confidence in understanding basic Māori vocabulary and simple sentences in the context of a traditional story;
  1. attempt to use basic Māori vocabulary and simple sentence structures in the context of a traditional story;
  1. AO 1.7 Curriculum - use and respond to simple classroom language;
  1. cooperate and support each other’s learning across a range of ages and abilities;
6. develop and expand their respect for New Zealand native bush and wildlife.
Links to other Curriculum Areas
Pūtaiao: Science Ngā Toi: The Arts
Hangarau: Technology Tikanga a Iwi: Social Sciences
Te Kōrero me Ngā Reo: Language and Languages
The Essential Skills
Communication Problem solving
Information Social and Cooperative

TEACHER NOTES

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UNIT

The value of co-opting support from members of the community with local Māori knowledge cannot be overstated.
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RATA

See story p11

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Encourage children to guess vocabulary from context.
______
.
Every class is different, so you will focus on areas relevant to your children’s interest, age, levels and local environment.
Encourage guessing from context and visual cues.
Avoid writing translation of target Māori words.
______
Pronunciation is not usually a problem for children provided they hear accurate models. If you don’t speak Māori, ask someone in the community who does, or use the accompanying cd.
______
______

A variety of tasks is suggested. Teachers will select from these according to teaching style, ages, interests and prior experience of the children.

______
Encourage children to use new and previously known Māori vocabulary / structures
______
Technical Aids
Video cameras
Tape recordings
Sound effects
Reference
E Tū Kahikatea,
He Manu he Manu (207),
Whakarongo Ake Aufrom
Waiata Māori for Schools (1977) Wellington Education Board
Kihikihi
The Insect People Hirini Melbourne
Tōia mai – te waka,
Ngangara from
Parekereke Waiata, Haka, compiled by L.P.Riki
Related reading for all levels:
  • Department of Education (1988) Ngā Pepeha o Aotearoa.Wellington
  • Reed A.W. estate and Calman R. (2004). Reed book of Māori mythology. Auckland: Reed Books.
  • Jeffers S. (1992) Brother Eagle Sister Sky. London: Hamish Hamilton
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Pre-listening task:

-activate prior knowledge by
questioning
eg “This is a story about a man who cut down a tree.”What happens when we cut down trees?
(Lead discussion towards environmental issues)
-brainstorm
Tell story
-children listen
Follow up after first telling
Discuss significant issues,
- loss of habitat for birds and insects
-richness of forest life
-importance of thinking before doing something that affects others.
2nd Telling
  • some audience participation – children dramatise, mime as you tell
  • teacher pauses – children fill in words – emphasise Māori words
  • note key words on whiteboard
(some English, some Māori)
  • older children note key vocabulary and key points in story for later use in writing tasks
Discuss Story
Teacher provides key questions
  • What are the effects on the land when
whole forests are destroyed - on
hillsides, on low lying farmland?
How is climate affected by large scale
destruction of forests?
Possible follow-up
Drama / Art
  • bird and insect masks
  • puppets – shadow, stick
  • models - eg papier mache tree -
leaves, birds, insects
  • murals
  • creating waiata, haka, rap and rhythms
mime and movement
Waiata
  • E Tū Kahikatea
  • Kihikihi (Cicada song)
  • Whakarongo ake au
  • Toia mai (haka)
  • Ngangara (haka)
  • Pungawerewere
Reading andWriting Tasks
Bilingual writing – English and whatever level of Māori they can manage.
Junior –
  • picture and caption
  • big book / wall story.
  • writing related to art and models
  • conservation poster
Middle and Senior –
  • write play scripts, story boards
  • write haka, rap, cartoons,
  • conservation posters, eg
‘Tiakina ngā tamariki o Tane’
  • rewrite story into modern context
(How will it change? eg chainsaws)
  • write to newspaper (environmental issues)
  • write to local council about environmental issues
  • write a text / speech on current community environmental issues for presentation at school assembly
  • related reading

Vocabulary and Sentences
ngahere
tōtara
waka
rākau
mahi (1.6)
nui (1.4)
kāinga (1.4)
tamariki
manu
tū (1.7)
waiho
whakamā (2.5)
karakia
aroha (1.6)
moana
Tane (Te Atua o te ngahere.)
Ko wai te nanakia? (1.2)
Kua hinga te tōtara nui.
E tū te rākau. (1.7)
Waiho tōku rākau!
Extra for enthusiasts
Birds
tūī
kōkako
kiwi
kākā
kererū
weka
Other forest creatures
ngārara: insects, spiders etc
wētā
pūngāwerewere: spider
pōpokorua: ant
kihikihi: cicada
mokomoko: lizard
tuatara
Kua hinga te tōtara nui. The big tōtara has fallen.
E tū, te rākau. Stand up, tree. (1.7)
He manu ahau. Ko _____ taku ingoa. (tui, kiwi, kokako, huia)
He ngārara ahau. Ko _____ taku ingoa. (weta, kihikihi, noke, popokorua)
Nā Tane te rākau. It’s Tane’s tree.
Ehara nāu. Not yours.
Tahi, rua, toru………… Juniors could count the axe blows. (L1, p29)
Pea Perhaps - use as for “perhaps” in English.

A cloze task

Younger children can do this cloze orally, with the teacher reading the text and raising her/his voice before each missing word to allow children to suggest possible insertions. Older children can work cooperatively in pairs or small groups.

Teachers should advise children not to try and translate the passage into English. Instead children should be encouraged to get the gist of the passage before trying to see which word best fits into each of the gaps. Correctly filling in the gaps can be regarded as sufficient evidence of understanding.

He Kōrero mō Rata
Tērā tētahi tangata, ko Rata tōna ______. Ka haere a Rata ki te ______ki te tope*
rākau. Ka wareware ia ki te karakia ki a ______. Nā ngā tamariki a Tane i whakatū te
______. Ka kī atu a Rata “Waiho tōku rākau!” Ka kī mai ngā ______a Tane
ki a Rata, “Nā Tane te rākau!” Ka______a Rata. Ka karakia ia ki a Tane.
*cut down
Ngā kupu āwhina
ingoa rākau Tane tamariki ngahere whakamā

See Page 8 for completed cloze.

Application of New Learning in EverydaySchool Life
Identifying Trees and Birds
He aha tēnei rākau? What is this tree? (1.7)
He______. It’s a ______.
He aha tēnei manu? What is this bird?
He ______. It’s a ______.
He aha tō mahi? What are you doing? (Literally: What is your work?) (1.3)
Kei hea tō kāinga? Where is your home? (1.4)
Kei ______. It’s in ______.
Kei hea te pene papatuhituhi? Where is the whiteboard pen? (1.5, 1.7)
Kei hea te pia? Where is the glue
Kei hea a ____? (Child’s name) Where is ______? (name)
E tūtamariki mā. Stand up, children. (1.7)
Completed cloze task. (from Page 7)
Tērā tētahi tangata, ko Rata tōna ingoa. Ka haere a Rata ki te ngahere ki te tope
rākau. Ka wareware ia ki te karakia ki a Tane. Nā ngā tamariki a Tane i whakatū te
rākau. Ka kī atu a Rata “Waiho tōku rākau!” Ka ki mai nga tamariki a Tane
ki a Rata, “Nā Tane te rākau!” Ka whakamā a Rata. Ka karakia ia ki a Tane.
Assessment
AO
Children will develop and expand their interest in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
Assessment
Children will demonstrate their interest in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori by:
-listening attentively;
-responding appropriately while listening to story;
-participating in follow up tasks and activities.
AO
Children will gain confidence in understanding basic Māori vocabulary and simple sentences in the context of a traditional story.
Assessment
Children will demonstrate willingness to guess from context and visual cues.
AO
Children will attempt to use basic Māori vocabulary and simple sentence structures in the context of a traditional story.
Assessment
Children will attempt to use new Māori vocabulary and sentence structures during follow-up tasks and activities.
AO 1.7 Curriculum
Children will use and respond to simple classroom language.
Assessment
Children will attempt to use basic Māori vocabulary and simple sentence structures in the wider context of the classroom.
AO
Children will cooperate and support each other’s learning across a range of ages and abilities.
Assessment
Children will cooperate and support each other’s learning when working on follow-up tasks and activities.
AO
Children will develop and expand their respect for New Zealand native bush and wildlife.
Assessment
Children will demonstrate through their drama and written work, respect for native bush and wildlife.
The Art of Storytelling
It is recommended that teachers familiarise themselves with the story and tell the story rather than read it.
This is in keeping with the traditional art of storytelling, which maximises eye contact and establishes stronger rapport between storyteller and listeners.

The Story of Rata

Before Rata was born, his father was killed and carried away to a distant country. Rata grew up knowing that, when he became a man, he would be expected to avenge his father’s death. He knew exactly what to do, then, when his mother returned home from the ngahere one morning with a handful of tōtara bark and leaves. All she said was “There is a fine tōtara in the ngahere.” Rata knew that a fine tōtara meant a fine waka and a fine waka was what he needed to find out what had happened to his father. It was time for him to fulfil his destiny.

Rata took his axe and went in the direction his mother had indicated. It was not long before he saw the tōtara, tall and straight, the perfect rākau for a waka. Rata set to work immediately, and by dusk the great tōtara lay on the ground surrounded by chips and splinters of wood. Rata returned home tired, but satisfied with his day’s mahi.

The next day Rata got up early and returned to the ngahere, eager to begin the task of removing the branches and hollowing out the trunk to shape his waka. But to his amazement, the tōtara was not lying on the ground where he had left it, but standing tall and proud again in its original place. There was not even a mark on it. Rata couldn’t believe his eyes. He looked around carefully, wondering if he had made a mistake. Perhaps this was the wrong rākau and the one he had felled was lying nearby. But there was no mistake. Every rākau in the vicinity stood in its place and there was no sign of chips or any other evidence of yesterday’s mahi.

There was nothing Rata could do but to start all over again and cut the tōtara nui down for the second time. Again he worked all day, his frustration giving strength to his blows, so that by nightfall the tōtara lay on the floor of the ngahere again, this time with the branches trimmed off. Tomorrow he would set to work hollowing it out. Rata was well satisfied when he went home that night, but when he returned in the morning, to his amazement, he saw that the tōtara nui was standing once more.

“Ko wai te nanakia?” thought Rata, as he prepared to cut the tōtara nui down for the third time. But this time Rata had a plan. He worked all day to fell the rākau nui, and when dusk came he took his axe and set off towards his kāinga. But he only went a little way off, then he hid in the undergrowth and waited to see what would happen. He did not have to wait long. As soon as darkness fell there was a buzzing and twittering of urgent voices calling “Kua hinga te tōtara nui”. This was followed by a great rustling and scuffling as all the tamariki a Tane came out of their hiding places and headed towards the felled tātara.

Then before Rata’s startled eyes, each manu, mokomoko, popokorua and other ngarara picked up a small chip of wood and placed it carefully back in its original position. As they worked they hummed together, “Fly together, chips and splinters. E tū te rākau.” They worked with such accuracy and precision that for a short time Rata could only stand watching with admiration. Then his frustration and anger returned and he stormed out from his hiding place saying “Waiho tōku rākau!”

For a moment the ngahere fell silent. Then one of the tamariki a Tane said, “It is not your rākau, Rata. It belongs to Tane. Did you ask Tane if you could take one of his rākau?”

Then Rata was overcome by whakamā. In his enthusiasm to build a waka, he had completely forgotten to ask Tane for permission to cut down the tōtara nui. He apologised for his inappropriate behaviour and said a karakia, asking Tane for permission to cut down the tōtara nui.

When they saw Rata’s whakamā, all the tamariki a Tane felt aroha for him. Instead of raising the rākau again, they set to work helping Rata hollow it out and shape it into a waka. They even helped him to drag it from the ngahere to the moana, ready for his long and dangerous journey.

References:

Grey, G. (1928) Nga Mahi a Nga Tupuna. New Plymouth: Board of Māori Ethnological Research.

Grey, G. (1988) Legends of Aotearoa. Hamilton: Silver Fern Books Ltd

Reed, A.W. Revised by Calman, R. (2002) Reed book of Māori Mythology. Auckland: Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd.

Tremewan, C. (2002) Traditional Stories from Southern New Zealand: He Korero no Te Wai Pounamu. Christchurch: Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury.

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