Literacy: Matariki Harvesting

LI: To make a google draw on how the crops were harvested in the past.

The above google draw is created by Sakina, Florence and me and showcases our learning on how the crops were harvested in the past. We included the tools used by the cultivators or farmers at that time and also included the information about their mechanism. If we have a look the way harvesting is done today then we will see a huge difference. Now days farmers use the technology and use high tech machines which sow the seed, provide them water, add pesticides, harvest them and also thresh them. This reduces the labor and a lot of hard work. I enjoyed learning the different name of tools in Maori which are used to harvest crops.    

Literacy: Matariki Stars

LI: To create a google slide that covers all the important points on Matariki stars.

The above google slide showcases a group task by Florence, Sakina, Afatia and me on the topic of Matariki stars. It is a mixture of all the other google draws related to this topic and is a more advance version. First we included all the legends and beliefs related to the Matariki stars which were practiced in the past. Then we included the meaning of each star in the Matariki or Pleiades cluster which are Waiti, Waita, Waipunarangi, Tupu-a-nuku, Tupu-a-rangi, Uruarangi and Matariki. Then we added the information that how Matariki or Maori new year is celebrated now and then. We then finally added the information that how crops are harvested now days and ended our presentation. I learned a lot about the Maori New Year and many facts about Matariki and would love to learn more fun topics like this. 

Literacy: Matariki Venn Diagram

LI: To compare and contrast on how Matariki is celebrated now and then.

The above google draw showcases the learning of Florence, Sakina, Afatia and me as a form of a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast our learning. This Venn Diagram is comparing what people did in Matariki back in the days and what they do now which is different. We also wrote what people did same for Matariki. We all worked collaboratively to get four facts for each section. We enjoyed this activity as we could learn more about Matariki.  

Literacy: Navigation and Harvesting through the sky

LI: To use our smart searching skills to find the way sky was useful for the farmers and the navigators.

The above google draw showcases the learning of Florence, Sakina and me on the way the solar bodies like sun, star and moon help in harvesting and navigation. We have included the importance of the sun, moon and the star for both harvesting and navigation. We found interesting that the stars brightness was used as a way to find the coming seasons. The farmers believed that if the stars were dull then winters were going to come and they delayed their harvest but id the stars were bright they thought it as the right time for planting crops. The scientific reason behind it is that during winters the sky becomes foggy and during summers the sky is clear thus they see stars like that. We came to know a lot about the ways of navigation and farming, when people predicted it through nature in the old days after completing this google draw.  

Literacy: Summary of the Matariki stars

LI: To explain my learning on the Matariki cluster in a fewer words.

The above google draw showcases the learning of Florence, Sakina and me on the Maori New Year.  I think the system of making a summary is very innovative as we first remember all the important words while thinking of its sentences, then think about the most important among them and then develop the skill to create a sentence related to the topic and making sense out of the six words. We also came to know more about the topic and get an idea of the basic points. We found new that the Matariki cluster is also called the tiny eyes or the eyes of the god. I also liked working with Florence and Sakina as we could get a chance to discuss are point of views and ides to add in this google draw. We came to know a lot about the seven stars of the god after completing this google draw and would love to work together again.   

Literacy: Introduction to Matariki stars

LI: To use my smart searching skills and make a google draw on the Matariki cluster.

The above google draw showcases the learning of Florence, Sakina and me on the Matariki stars. We have included the meaning, celebration and the various legends related to this topic. We also came to know the names of the seven stars starting from the mother which is Matariki and the then the seven surrounding daughters which are Ururangi, Waiti, Waita, Tupu-a-nuku, Tupu-a-rangi and Whaipanarangi. It is called the mother with the seven daughters because they once visit their country or grandmother which is New Zealand during the month of June and that is when this festival is celebrated. We came to know a lot about the Maori New Year after completing this google draw.   

Welcome Sakshi