Whenu: He Tangata#

Mokopuna are learning Pāngarau in 4 different learning strands called ‘whenu’.

Find out more about whenu.

Pāngarau whenu

Kaupapa: Tau (number)#

In their first 6 months at kura, mokopuna will be learning to:

• join in mathematical investigations and ask questions
• communicate whether sets are bigger or smaller, understanding the relationship between more than, less than and equal
• count to 10 and beyond to 20, forwards and backwards, from any number
• identify, read, and write numbers to 10.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Visit the beach and find and collect shells or other objects with mokopuna. Ask questions like:

• "E hia ngā mea kua kohia?" ("How many items have you collected?")
• "Me whakarōpū?" ("Shall we group them?").

Go on a bush walk and spot the kawakawa trees. How many did you count?

Visit the playground or local park and count the:

• swings
• seesaws
• bridges
• slides
• tables
• benches
• animals.

Interests and hobbies

• Weaving harakeke – how many rau harakeke do you need?
• Read stories together. Count how many characters, vehicles, houses or animals are in the story.
• Sing counting songs, like "Tahi, Rua, Toru, Whā" or "E rima ngā rakiraki".

Whenu: He Ākonga#

Kaupapa: Taurangi (algebra)#

By the end of their first 6 months at kura, mokopuna will have learned to:

• sort shapes and objects by a feature (colour, shape)
• represent patterns using materials, words, symbols, movements and pictures
• investigate repeating patterns in a range of contexts.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Rapu āhuahanga – finding shapes

Look around your home and neighbourhood for shapes like: 

• porowhita (clocks, light shades, speed signs)
• tapawhā (letterboxes, doors, windows)
• niho taniwha (leaves with serrated edges, kōwhaiwhai).

Kei te marae – at the marae

Compare shapes in whakairo, or tukutuku to shapes in the environment.

Whakarōpū – grouping

Organise books or toys on a shelf from tallest to shortest, biggest to smallest, or in colour groups.

Raranga – weaving

Weave harakeke or strips of paper with mokopuna.

Waiata – songs

Sing songs with actions about shapes, such as "porowhita, tapawhā, tapatoru".

Kaupapa: Ine (measurement)#

By the end of their 6 months at kura, mokopuna will have learned to:

• directly compare 2 objects from the world around them using an attribute
• compare objects using informal measurements
• name the units being used to measure an object (centimetres, metre)
• connect days of the week to familiar events and daily routines.

Ideas for whānau activities#

Nga tau – numbers

Practise counting, reading, and writing numbers using these Google slides.

Tākaro kēmu – playing games

Play with pāngarau words to develop their understanding of: 

• runga
• raro
• mua
• muri
• tuatahi
• tuarua
• tuatoru.

Whakanui i te pāngarau – be positive about pāngarau

Show mokopuna where you use pāngarau, such as counting things. This will help them build confidence in pāngarau. Praise their efforts.

Kaupapa: Āhuahanga (geometry)#

By the end of their first 6 months at kura, mokopuna will have learned to:

• explain the reasons for their groupings of shapes or objects
• identify, sort by 1 feature, and describe familiar shapes
• identify the position of an object and recognise that if the mokopuna changes position, then the object’s position and direction change
• use words to describe the orientation of objects such as whakamua (forward), whakamuri (backward), mauī (left), matau (right), whakarunga (upwards) and whakararo (downwards).

Ideas for whānau activities#

Whakarōpū – grouping

Sort a group of objects (for example, toys or leaves) according to length, shape, size or colour. Ask, "ko tēhea te mea roa rawa?" ("Which is the longest?")

Haere ki tātahi – go to the beach

Run up the sand dunes and when you and the mokopuna get to the top call out: "Kei runga tāua/tātou i te puke!" Run down again and say, "Kei raro tāua/tātou!"

Waiata – songs

Sing waiata ā-ringa with actions and words such as "titiro whakarunga, titiro whakararo, haere whakamua, hoki whakamuri".