Lesson at a Glance | He Tirohanga Whakamua
Ngā Whāinga Ako | Learning Intentions
Students will know
- Core Māori cultural concepts relevant to genetic technologies:
• Kaitiakitanga: Active guardianship and environmental duty.
• Mauri: Essential life force binding all species.
• Whakapapa: Interconnected ancestral lineage between humans and taonga species. - The significance of the Wai 262 Treaty Claim regarding indigenous flora, fauna, and genetic data sovereignty.
- That Māori perspectives are not monolithic: some iwi express deep concern over genetic alteration of mauri, while others support targeted genetic tools as kaitiaki to save taonga species from extinction.
Students will demonstrate
- By writing a culturally grounded analysis of gene editing under Te Ao Māori frameworks.
- By completing Section 4 of their Level 3 Biology Socio-Scientific Report Portfolio.
Do Now | Tīmatanga Whakaaro (10 min)
Cultural Perspectives Prompt:
"How might a kaitiaki (environmental guardian) view using CRISPR gene drives to eradicate stoats and possums from a sacred ngahere (forest)?"
Unpack: A kaitiaki faces a profound cultural dilemma: 1) Protecting the mauri of native taonga birds (kiwi, kererū) by removing invasive predators, OR 2) Protecting the mauri of natural genetic code from artificial human tampering. Both views reflect legitimate tikanga reasoning.
Māori Cultural Frameworks & Wai 262 (30 min)
Altering DNA permanently affects the mauri (life force) of a species line. Whakapapa links all living organisms through Tāne Mahuta.
The Wai 262 claim produced the Waitangi Tribunal’s 2011 report Ko Aotearoa Tēnei, which recommended Crown protections for mātauranga Māori and taonga species, including indigenous genetic material. Tribunal recommendations are not binding, and most have not been enacted — so this is a live argument about what te Tiriti requires, not settled law. Students citing Wai 262 must say which it is.
📁 Socio-Scientific Report Portfolio — Section 4: Te Ao Māori & Tikanga Analysis
Students open their Level 3 Biology Portfolio and complete Section 4:
Section 4 Requirements:
1. Cultural Concept Mapping: Define Kaitiakitanga, Mauri, Whakapapa, and Taonga in the context of gene drive pest control.
2. Wai 262 Alignment Evaluation: Write a 2-paragraph analysis of what Crown consultation and any co-governance arrangement would need to look like for your target issue, citing the specific Tiriti principle, legislation, or Wai 262 recommendation you rely on. Tribunal recommendations are not binding law, so state clearly which source establishes any obligation you claim.
3. Excellence Nuanced Perspective Synthesis: 1-paragraph explanation contrasting iwi concerns over genetic tampering with pragmatic kaitiakitanga urgency to save kiwi populations.
Exit Verification | Ka Mutu Hoki (5 min)
Exit Check:
"My Section 4 integrates Kaitiakitanga, Mauri, and Wai 262, citing the specific source for any claim about what Te Tiriti or Wai 262 requires in a genetic trial."
Teacher Planning & NCEA Alignment
NCEA Level 3 Biology Alignment (3 Credits Internal):
- Cultural Perspectives: Integrate Te Ao Māori concepts, tikanga, and Treaty of Waitangi principles into socio-scientific analysis.
- Indigenous Data Rights: Analyse the Wai 262 claim and the Waitangi Tribunal's Ko Aotearoa Tēnei (2011) recommendations on mātauranga Māori and taonga species, noting that Tribunal recommendations are not binding and the Crown has responded to only part of them.
Vocabulary: Te Ao Māori, Kaitiakitanga, Mauri, Whakapapa, Taonga, Wai 262, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, indigenous data sovereignty.