Click here to see He Mihi ki te Tai Rawhiti in slideshow format.
Teaching Ideas for using with He Mihi ki te Tai Rawhiti Booklet – looking at non-violent direct action for social change.
Purpose: to highlight the ways in which people use non-violent means to convey their views and work for change, using NZ’s Anti-Nuclear Campaign as a case study
Objectives: By the end of the unit participants will:
- Know that New Zealand became nuclear free in 1987 (http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/nuclear/nuclear-free-nz/anti-nuke-history-NZ) http://www.peace.net.nz/ http://www.facebook.com/PeaceFoundationNZ
- Know about at least one other non-violent protest action that has resulted in change eg. Te Reo Maori campaign resulting in Te Reo becoming an official language (See https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/history-of-the-maori-language); Womens’ Suffrage (https://teara.govt.nz/en/search/teara?keys=womens+suffrage)
- Know some of the features of non-violent direct action (https://peacepresence.org/learn-more/nonviolence)
- Have practiced language skills of reading, summarising, verbal communication
- Have presented ideas in visual form
- Have practiced positive relationship skills with one another
- Be open to awareness of social change movements in their own environment
Methods:
Pre-reading – ask children in pairs/groups then whole class what subjects people in our society worldwide are trying to achieve change in. Mindmap results.
Each pair/group choose one of these projects/movements and produce a poster about it.
Reading – children either read in pairs or have read to them the book “He Mihi ki te Tai Rawhiti” Children think of questions for discussion.
Processing – offer a range of ways in which children can respond to the text: eg.
- Children make a speech, poem,song , play or video about non-violence and change perhaps focussing on an issue in their own environment
- Children do their own illustration of one of the scenes from the book
- Children do a poster about peace and nonviolence
- Children find information on Nuclear Free NZ online (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand’s_nuclear-free_zone)
- Children research leaders who have emphasized non violent action for change eg. Te Whiti o Rongomai, Amiria and Eruera Stirling, Rua Kenana, Kate Sheppard, Princess te Puea, Whina Cooper, the Topp Twins.
Publication: Children can send their contributions to Pramazons.co.nz for publication on our website
Evaluation: Teachers can send feedback on the book and their ideas for lesson activities to Pramazons.co.nz.
