Understanding where I stand 

Mā te taiao, kia whakapakari tōu oranga.  
Let nature in, strengthen your wellbeing. 

 Tūrangawaewae explores ‘our place’ and our connection to that place. It recognises that being connected to the land and people around us is critical for understanding sustainability and global citizenship.  

Teaching and learning opportunities under this concept acknowledge the places learners are connected to, and from which they can feel empowered. Tūrangawaewae leads learners to dive deep into their own identity and the ways in which their wairua is connected to (or disconnected from) their natural environment and landscape. It leads learners to uncover the histories of the local place in which they stand, and how these are reflected in their world today.   

The activity sets in Pūtātara connect to learning in the social sciences. Use the carousel below to go to the Tūrangawaewae activity sets. 

Caring for people and place 

Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, haere whakamua.
Care for the land, care for the people, go forward.

 Kaitiakitanga is often understood as guardianship, but it is also about reciprocity. A natural resource will sustain us only if it is looked after. Our mauri will only be truly healthy when the awa | river run fresh, the ngahere are full of manu, and the moana is rich with ika.  

Kaitiakitanga examines our impact on and responsibility for the natural world as an intrinsic part of what it means to be human. It leads learners on a journey of both curiosity and reverence as they inquire and learn about the natural legacy that we have inherited in Aotearoa New Zealand. It encourages kinship, responsibility, and action on environmental and social justice issues, and provides tangible ways for schools to contribute positively to the regeneration of our collective mauri.  

Use the carousel below to go to the Kaitiakitanga activity sets.

Flourishing ever forward 

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini. 
Success does not come from the work of one, but the work of many.

 Whakapuāwai embraces future directions for humanity that are optimistic, and solutions focused. It promotes a shift from the linear economy to the circular economy and provides a base from which learners can explore popular culture, dominant economic mindsets, and the innovation required to move from where we are to where we need to be.  

Whakapuāwai encourages learners to be active citizens. Ākonga may uncover complex ethical questions around the changing role of technology and artificial intelligence. Equally, they may discover the multiple opportunities technology can offer for creative solutions to societal problems, as well as for new and exciting career directions.   

The activity sets in Pūtātara are aligned with the social sciences learning area. Use the carousel below to go to the Whakapuāwai activity sets.

How to use the toolkit

This section provides information and links on a range of resources that you and your learners will find helpful in teaching and learning about sustainability and global citizenship, regardless of which pathway or inquiry journey you are following. The resources are grouped in three categories. They are: Resources for Teaching and Learning, Articles and Research and Practical support.

Helping your ākonga connect with a broader community can bring depth and meaning to the context you are studying. There are lots of ways you can do this.  

At the same time, it’s essential you support students to connect respectfully and ethically and keep equity issues in mind. The resources ākonga may have at home or in their own whānau will vary.  

Connections to iwi and hapū  

Much of teaching and learning design requires schools to build productive and enduring partnerships with their local whānau, hapū, and iwi. 

These partnerships cannot and should not be instant, and your school may be at the beginning of your journey. Here are some tips for this situation: 

• Use the Te Kāhui Māngai map to identify which iwi and/or hapū have authority in your region, noting that some places in Aotearoa New Zealand have overlapping authorities. Encourage ākonga to share any connections they have to these iwi and hapū.  
• Find out about your school’s relationship with the local hapū and iwi. See the Productive partnerships with whānau, hapū, and iwi section in the Leading Local Curriculum Guide Part 1 for more information on growing this relationship.  
• Talk to your Kāhui Ako about their existing relationships or possible collaborations.  
• Visit the iwi or hapū website to see what resources they have made publicly available to share their stories. For example, Ngāi Tahu offers teacher resources, while Ngati Porou has a useful list of recommended sources. Always acknowledge your source when sharing these stories in your school or class.   
• Use the Te Ara iwi articles to find more information about the hapū and iwi that hold authority in your rohe.  

Video Calls 

Consider connecting with people online – this can be easier than organising an in-person visit. Organisations such as Skype a Scientist can provide relevant experts. You may have people in your own networks willing to provide an hour of their time where half a day to visit the school isn’t feasible.  

Other resources for finding information about the history of your local area  

These resources may be helpful when looking for the stories and histories of your rohe:  

• local museums and libraries (in-person visits or online repositories)  
• Local history links: A useful collection of local history resources, collated by NZ History and organised according to geographical region   
• DigitalNZ: A search tool for useful images of your region | rohe that show how it has changed over time. Filtering images by date is helpful if there are a lot of images to choose from.  
• Te Papa: A museum website with a search tool you can use to access information from the archives about your rohe or iwi.