Challenge your pupils to use their atlas to find New Zealand towns, rivers, regions, mountains and other geographic features that have Maori names that include any of the following Maori words in any combination.

Using the 'meanings chart', have pupils define and write a general meaning for each place found.

tara

peak

kapua

clouds

paonga toi

fern root

wai

water

rangi

sky/heavens

Ao

world of

naki

to move with even motion

koura

crayfish

maunga

mountain

nui

big or plenty of

rua

two or hole

kai

food or to eat

kato

to flow

pehu

to explode

whanga

harbour    


Pupils now make pin 'signposts' indicating the meaning of each town or city found and place on a large wall map of Aotearoa New Zealand.




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