Class 7 ‘Te Akomanga Tuawhitu’ 

The Class Seven Child: “What I will carry into the World”  

 

Puraho maku, kai ngaure ō kai. 

To catch fish you must place your basket in the water. 

 

Puberty arrives and the balance is temporarily misplaced. With puberty changes can occur quickly; the ‘child’ is less in evidence physically. Students turning thirteen no longer experience themselves as children. They again ask “Who are you to tell me this?” They may resent school or having to learn te reo Māori. They would like to be independent, but do not yet have the ability to strike out on their own.  

 

The Task 

To look beyond the immediate horizon and begin a voyage of discovery that mirrors the students’ own development. To present threshold pictures of bravery and sacrifice in daring to go beyond the known and to reflect on the consequences of this. 

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The study of biographies of Māori role models who have moved beyond their comfort zone to achieve great things will support this soul need. 

 

The movements of the heavens are also studied from the human being’s perspective - what we can see as we stand on the earth and look upwards. The teacher of Māori could support the class teacher by introducing Māori astronomy, phases of the moon and how these relate to activities such as the planting of food, fishing and the navigation of the Pacific Ocean.  

 

 

Approach and learning Content (For specialist teachers) 

• Stories of Māori navigators who have used traditional astronomy to traverse the Pacific.  

• Oriori  

• Waiata-a-rohe 

• He mihimihi extension 

• Tangata Rongonui project – oral/poster presentation 

• Activities surrounding the rites of passage  

• Te Tinana – he taonga, kai, te oranga, hauora  

• Pakiwaitara  

• Tautoko traditional Māori sports (Tapuwae, Ki-o-Rahi) 

 

 

Approach/ Learning Content (for Class Teacher) 

• Possible odyssey/journey based in a traditional Māori area such as Whanganui River or Waikaremoana. 

• Study of Māori Astronomy 

• Biographies of remarkable Māori personalities 

• Stories of Chivalry in Māori context.