In a democracy, the people hold the power. Citizens vote to elect leaders to represent them. If people don't like the decisions, they can vote for new leaders in the next election. Example: New Zealand.
A king or queen holds the power, which is passed down through their family. In a constitutional monarchy, an elected government makes most decisions. Example: United Kingdom.
One person (a dictator) has absolute power. They often take power by force and do not hold fair elections. Citizens have very few rights. Example: North Korea.
The government owns and controls everything. The goal is a society where everyone is equal and wealth is shared. In practice, a single political party holds all the power. Example: China.
Traditionally, Māori society was organised into iwi and hapū. Decisions were made collectively by the community, led by rangatira (chiefs) and kaumātua (elders). Example: Local iwi in Aotearoa.
Purpose: Use these station cards to help students compare and contrast governance systems through collaborative station rotations.
Students will engage with this resource to build understanding of systems, governance, and civic action in Aotearoa New Zealand, connecting to Te Ao Māori principles.
Traditional Māori governance through rūnanga and rangatira represents sophisticated governance built on consensus and mana. Include tikanga-based governance as a station to centre indigenous models alongside Western systems.
Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or word banks for students who need scaffold support. Extend capable learners by asking them to find a real-world NZ example connected to this resource. Support ELL students with vocabulary pre-teaching. Adapt for neurodiverse learners by offering choice in how they record their thinking.
Prior knowledge: Best used after the relevant lesson or as an introductory hook. No specialist prior knowledge required.