Te Papa helping children get creative this Matariki

Te Papa helping children get creative this Matariki

A new Te Papa educational resource is helping Early Childhood and Primary aged children learn more about the Māori New Year.

With assistance from Te Papa’s iwi in residence, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, the online resource tells a legend of the Matariki star cluster, and provides ideas for activities to help children learn more about the themes of this year’s celebration.

These activities include sprouting and growing kūmara, learning new Matariki waiata (songs), as well as turning classrooms or bedrooms into forests through the creation of animals and plants.

“This is a resource rich with information and activities that everyone with children can use to help explore the ideas and themes of this year’s Matariki,” says Te Papa’s Early Childhood Educator Rebecca Browne.

“From Kohanga Reo and Kindys, Cubs and Brownies groups, there are ideas everyone can use to help develop their own engaging Matariki programmes.”

Te Papa’s Senior Education Advisor Gabrielle Lawton says the resource also helps support teachers in their planning of Matariki units.

“It includes learning activities that teachers can use in the classroom, including the very popular Matariki waiata, a song made up of the words of each of the stars in the Matariki cluster. By giving students the language to draw upon, it makes it an authentic learning experience.”

Te Papa’s online digital education resource can be found through www.tepapa.govt.nz/blog

ENDS

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