Summary
Students will learn about the Maori culture in the New Zealand area and play the Maori Stick Game.
Materials
Additional Resources
Media:
- Lummi Sticks for Kids CD, by Laura Johnson
(available from Kimbo
Educational, http://www.kimboed.com/, (800) 631-2187);
Item# KIM2014CD, ISBN 1-56346-049-1
- Utah Educators and Students can access CultureGrams by visiting Pioneer, Online Library.
Background for Teachers
Students should have an understanding of what culture means and
what it represents. Culture is a way of living. It can be your beliefs, a
form of art or dance, and/or certain traditions or customs of a group of
people. Each culture has certain traditions and cultural activities that we
may learn and participate in as we live in that culture. This particular
activity comes from the Maori culture. The Maori people live in the New
Zealand area and make up about 15 percent of the population. This
activity is a traditional game played by children and adults in the Maori
culture called Maori Stick Game. It has been said that in olden times,
stick games such as this helped train young men in spear fishing and
handling a spear. This game has changed and been adapted by many
other cultures throughout the world. Students will play an adapted,
simplified version of the Maori Stick game.
Intended Learning Outcomes
2. Develop social skills and ethical responsibility.
6. Communicate clearly in oral, artistic, written, and nonverbal form.
Instructional Procedures
Invitation to Learn
Display a picture of a Maori warrior
and the rhythm sticks. Ask the
students to think of ways that you could use the rhythm sticks. Students
will be using the sticks to play an old traditional Maori game that the
Maori warriors played to practice their spear handling skills.
Instructional Procedures
- Discuss where the warrior
pictured is from. Locate New Zealand
on the map or globe.
- Show students the rhythm sticks they will be using
for the game.
- Play a portion of the song E Papa Waiari and let the students
listen to the music.
- Have students sit on the floor with their legs crossed.
Practice
keeping a steady beat (3 counts) by tapping their legs, floor, etc.
- Give
each student two rhythm sticks and show them how to hold
them vertically with their hands on the lower bottom portion of
the sticks.
- Explain each move and its name. Call out moves while
students practice.
down—hitting both sticks on the floor at the same time
tap—hitting the tips of the stick on the floor in front of you
click—gently hitting sticks together at the tips
together—gently hitting both sticks together flush
cross click—gently hitting the tips of your sticks together
making an X, alternate each hit with right on top left on top
(quickly)
- Practice the various pattern combinations until the students
are
comfortable with the moves:
Combination A
down—hit both sticks on the floor in front of you (1 count)
tap—hit the tips of one stick on floor in front of you alternate
right hand left hand every other turn (2 counts)
Combination B
down—both sticks on the floor in front of you (1 count)
together—gently hitting both sticks together flush (2 counts)
Combination
C
cross click—gently hit the tips of your sticks together making
an X, alternate each hit with right on top left on top (12 fast
counts)
Combination D
down—hit both sticks on the floor in front of you (1 count)
click—gently hitting sticks together at the tips alternate
right hand, left hand every other turn (2 counts)
resting spot—a designated place to put your sticks when they
should not be making noise (both sticks resting on knees)
- Play the music
again. Practice each of the patterns numerous
times until students are comfortable. Have the students sit facing
a partner (leaving enough space to hit the floor in front of them).
- Practice
patterns A, B, C, and D with the music. As students
become proficient, have them gently tap a partner’s stick as they
do pattern A instead of tapping the floor.
- Follow the patterns and counts
on the chart as the music plays.
Extensions
- Students make up their own rhythms
for hitting the sticks.
- Practice hitting the sticks to a beat from other
pieces of music.
- Choose some faster, some slower.
- Learn the words to the E Papa Waiari song.
- Play various instruments
along with the E Papa Waiari song,
keeping the beat and rhythm on the song.
- Learn a new dance from another culture.
Family Connections
- Make Maori sticks with rolled
up newspaper and trying the
patterns at home.
- Discuss with your family the culture where your family
members
may have originated if it differs from where you grew up. Report
back to class.
- Graph the different areas of the world where students' families
originated (e.g., North America, South America, continents, far
from Utah/close to Utah, etc.).
Assessment Plan
- Show students a picture of a Maori warrior. Ask them
who they
think this man/warrior might be. Where do they think he lives?
Students predict what they might do with the rhythm sticks.
- Observe the students
to see that everyone is participating in the
activity.
- Watch for students who may need help finding the rhythm of the
game, monitor their progress, and assist as needed.
Bibliography
Research Basis
Suther, L., & Larkin,V. (1996). Early Childhood Arts Games (ERIC Education
Resource
Information Center) ED403-056
The arts are central to quality early childhood programs. Using
games, music, dance, and movement help develop physical skills such as
coordination, jumping, and ball handling. Cognitive skills such as
language development, problem solving, and social skills (cooperation,
sharing, and group negotiation) are enhanced through the arts.
Snyder-Sowers,
M.A., & Kariuki, P. (1997). Effects of Creative Dance Movement
Taught in
a Holistic Integrated Approach versus Creative Dance Movement Taught in Isolation.
(ERIC Education Resource Information Center) ED 432551
This study examined whether there were any significant differences in
academic performance between students taught creative dance movement
in a holistic integrated approach versus those taught creative dance
movement in isolation.
Wang, J.H.T. (2003). The Effects of a Creative Movement
Program on Motor Creativity of
Children Ages Three to Five. (ERIC Education Resource Information Center)
ED 479276
This study investigated the effects of a creative movement program
on the motor creativity of Taiwanese preschool children, hypothesizing
that there would be no significant difference in the motor creativity
between children participating the creative movement program and those
in the control group.