Kaupapa: Tau (number)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna can plan how to use their pāngarau skills and knowledge to help with tasks that matter to whānau. They will:

• use different ways to solve number problems and use strategies that make sense to them to add, subtract, multiply, and divide
• evaluate, select, and apply mathematical strategies to add and subtract different types of numbers – such as fraction, decimals, integer, and powers – to solve and explain complex mathematical problems.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Dinner planning#

Plan a whānau dinner with mokopuna. Work out together what ingredients are needed, how much of each is needed and what the costs will be. Ask mokopuna to set a budget or try to work out the most affordable costs.

Plan a meal for manuhiri#

Discuss with mokopuna how to host a kaupapa at a marae and what tikanga determines how you show manaakitanga, such as catering needs. Some hui involve 10 people, while others involve 100 or more.

Ask mokopuna to plan 2 meals for at least 50 people. Think about what mokopuna need to buy and other kai sources like māra kai, community gardens, kai from whānau, etc. Information could be displayed in a table or spreadsheet.

Number games#

Card and dice games involve the use of tau (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Playing Uka or Rummikub can help to build these skills in pāngarau.

Kaupapa: Taurangi (algebra)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna can spot patterns in everyday life and describe them using equations, graphs, and rules. They will:

• use formulas and equations to find missing values, and explore how patterns and rules can be written like simple computer algorithms
• learn to use maths "rules" (expressions, equations, and inequalities) to describe how 2 things are related and how a change in 1 thing (a variable) affects the other.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Patterns

Wharenui are often adorned with traditional and contemporary versions of tukutuku, kōwhaiwhai, whakairo, raranga and more. Some patterns are repetitive, while others increase or decrease, following a rule.

Ask mokopuna to source some examples online or from your wharenui and then determine the type of pattern and the rule.

Mobile phone plan costs

As most mokopuna have their own phone, discuss what plan suits their budget and needs best. Do they need more data than phone call minutes or texts, or vice versa? Compare 2 or 3 plans to figure out which one is the best.

Telling stories in algebra

Here’s a short word problem that mokopuna can write as an algebraic equation and then solve:

Māia is working hard and saving up to buy tickets to see Stan Walker in concert. The tickets cost $120 each, and Māia already has $40. She will save $10 each week until she has the full amount. How many weeks (w) will it take for Māia to save at least $120?

What else are mokopuna saving for? How much do they need? How long will it take to save?

Kaupapa: Ine (measurement)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna are developing practical and cultural mathematical knowledge by mastering measurement and time. 

This learning connects accurate calculations, from everyday tasks like baking, to understanding traditional Māori knowledge of natural cycles, to build their ability to solve complex, real-world problems. 

They will:

• select and use appropriate units and tools to accurately estimate, measure, convert, and compare measurements of length, area, volume, capacity, mass, temperature, angles, time and data
• use area, perimeter, and scaling knowledge in kaupapa Māori contexts such as designing a māra kai.

Ideas for whānau activities#

From garden to plate

As a whānau, work together to explore what a planting calendar looks like at home or further afield at kura or perhaps your marae. 

Learn about mātauranga Māori, exploring maramataka and plant groups, what to plant and how to space out the planting.

Think about scaling up or down depending on who the māra is providing for, for example, whānau, kura, hapori, and so on.

Time indicators

Where do time indicators show up in our everyday lives? Time is reflected in ngā mata o hina (moon phases), in high-tides and low-tides, and seasons, to name a few. They exist as patterns in activities such as sports training, travel distance and time, and daily tasks such as preparing for kura or mahi.

Ask mokopuna to observe and discuss these indicators and patterns as a whānau, asking each other what they see and what this means.

Baking sweets

Ask mokopuna to follow a recipe to bake something sweet for your household or to take to a hui or event. 

Use measuring cups and spoons to measure the ingredients accurately. 

Ask them to think about how to double the mixture for more or halve it for less.

Kaupapa: Āhuahanga (geometry)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna can name, describe, and draw 2D and 3D shapes using their features. They will:

• design nets, work with scale, and use coordinates, directions, and angles to describe location and movement
• explore symmetry, like that found in kōwhaiwhai, follow sequences of transformations, and use ratios to calculate scale factors for enlarging shapes.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Design kōwhaiwhai

Kōwhaiwhai are mostly symmetrical patterns that can be repeated, rotated, reflected and enlarged.

Using graph paper, ask mokopuna to have a go at drawing a repeating kōwhaiwhai pattern that rotates and reflects. If they’re new to drawing kōwhaiwhai, find a pattern online with a straight manawa line.

My reflection

Fold an A4 piece of paper lengthwise and draw half of your face on 1 side. Have everyone in your whānau do the same. Then flip it over, drawing side down, and swap papers with someone else. Try to draw the other half of their face.

My bedroom in a shoebox

Work with mokopuna to use a shoebox and cardboard to build a replica of your bedroom to scale.

Kaupapa: Tauanga (statistics)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna can plan and solve problems by collecting and exploring data. They will:

• ask investigative questions for observational studies that can be answered by using data and the PPDAC (Problem, Plan, Data, Analysis, and Conclusion or Communication) cycle
• gather, sort, and display data in different ways to spot patterns, relationships, and trends
• describe what the data shows by connecting it to the context or situation it comes from.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Who’s the best?

A bit of healthy rivalry in your whare is one of the best ways to learn about statistics, without even using the word.

Ask mokopuna about their favourite kai, kapa haka, ANZ Netball team or State of Origin team. Whatever the kaupapa, ask them to gather data and display or present it in different ways.

Growing food, food for our whānau

With mokopuna, keep track of how your māra is growing by documenting the planting, growth, and harvest. They might like to do this through photos, drawings, or by writing a story. Maybe they can design a poster highlighting the benefits of māra kai or design a menu using the kai you've all grown.

Where we live

Take a whānau walk or bike ride and ask mokopuna to collect data from the taiao, birds heard, types of trees, dog breeds, types of homes (single or 2-storey), and so on. Record using tally marks. Mokopuna can present findings using bar graphs or pictograms. Ask each other, “What might this tell us about our environment?”

Kaupapa: Tūponotanga (probability)#

By the end of Tau 9, mokopuna can look closely at how statistical investigations are conducted and how results are interpreted. They will:

• explore situations that involve chance, run their own probability experiments (sometimes using digital tools)
• use models to help understand and explain the likelihood of different outcomes.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Raffles

Run a pretend raffle with multiple prizes. Ask mokopuna to decide on the cost per ticket, prizes, and the number of tickets. Use an online prize wheel to draw the winners.

When predicting the results, ask mokopuna to think about the number of entries, the chances of winning and what happens if the same whānau member enters multiple times – how does that impact the results?

Songs on shuffle

Ask mokopuna what music playlists they have on shuffle and ask:

• What’s the chance your favourite song plays next?
• If we listen to 10 songs, how often do you think the same song will play again?

Predicting the weather

Check the daily weather forecast together over a week on an app or TV (for example, “60% chance of rain”). Each day:

• record the predicted chance of rain
• ask mokopuna to observe what happens (Did it rain, or not?)
• at the end of the week, compare predictions to outcomes.