Description

Our A Week in New Zealand History resource explores key moments within Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. This resource serves as a bite-sized piece of Aotearoa’s history to stir discussion, pique interest, and get you started.

In this set, our Discussion Google Slides and Posters explore 16 events from the month of February (see the full list below). The resource has clear links to the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum for Year 4-6 and Year 7-8.

NEW UPDATE: We’ve added QR posters for each event. This gives you the option to use this resource as digital slides or as interactive posters displayed around your classroom/learning space.

Each slide contains:

a brief paragraph explainer
a discussion question
an inquiry prompt
two “Dig Deeper” links to websites, videos, and photos.

The events highlighted in our A Week in New Zealand History: February set are:

New Zealand Company Settlers Arrive in Nelson
The 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake
USS Buchanan Refused Entry to New Zealand
The Treaty of Waitangi is Signed
New Zealand’s Worst Shipwreck
The End of Free School Milk
First NZ Soldiers Arrive in WW2 at Maadi Camp, Egypt
Lance Cairns Hits Six Sixes at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Māori Soldiers Sail to World War One
Te Papa Museum Opens
First Frozen Meat Shipment Leaves New Zealand
New Zealand’s Last Execution
Christchurch Earthquake Kills 185
Troops Deployed in Waterfront Dispute
Kiwi Soldier Faces Firing Squad
The Return of the King Wins 11 Oscars

Please note that the dates of the weeks overlap as there were just so many great events to fit in (Feb 1-7, Feb 7-14, Feb 14-21)

Links to Aotearoa New Zealand Histories Curriculum:

Year 4-6 and Year 7-8: Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga | Culture and identity
Year 4-6 and Year 7-8: Tino rangatiratanga me te kāwanatanga | Government and organisation
Year 4-6 and Year 7-8: Kōwhiringa ohaoha me te whai oranga | Economic activity