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  • Chinese Lantern Festivalexternal link

    This level 1–4 unit, intended for years 1–8, looks at the lantern festival celebrated as part of Chinese New Year in communities all over the world. There are online resources that support the activities and links to related information. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: AllCurriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Our Family, Our Cultureexternal link

    Students explore what is culture and how we express aspects of our culture and heritage through music, dance, stories, myths and legends, carving and painting, and clothing and personal decoration. This unit provides for a logical follow-on from the level 1–3 unit 'Living in Our Family'. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: AllCurriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Race Around Asiaexternal link

    This section of the wickED website contains interactive independent student activities that relate to the social studies curriculum document. Students take virtual tours of several Asian countries with follow-up activities developing their ICT skills. This web page was developed for the wickED website as part of the Digital Opportunities project. The site includes activities in te reo Māori. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: AllCurriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Celebrating Birthdaysexternal link

    Conduct an enquiry into birthday customs and traditions around the world and plan a classroom birthday party for Q-Bear. (Social Studies Online unit plan, years 1-3)

    Year groups: 0-3Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Village Life in Indiaexternal link

    This is a level 3–4 unit from the 'Educating for Asia' series. It gives students a brief insight into the lives of the Shishodia family in Milak village, India. They are then required to carry out research into a particular aspect of village life in India. This resource is supported by coloured images (available for printing) and interviews with the individual members of the family. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 0-3Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Playtime in South Korea, Playtime in New Zealandexternal link

    In this level 1 unit, students explore the similarities and differences between the ways children in South Korea and New Zealand spend their leisure time, and the games they play. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 0-3Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Why Celebrateexternal link

    Whether it is New Year, a wedding, a harvest or other festival, people all over the world celebrate in many different ways. Students explore a variety of these celebrations and learn about how they have similar purposes. (Social Studies Online unit plan, years 4–6)

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Leaders of Asiaexternal link

    This level 3 unit is intended for years 4-6. It has students consider how a person becomes a leader and contrasts different leadership styles. Students then identify significant leaders across Asia and characteristics of their leadership style. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Living in Our Familyexternal link

    This level 2–3 unit is intended for years 5–6. Students consider what it would be like to live in a culture different from their own. They identify significant features of their own culture and family life, as well as compare and contrast their culture with the Asian culture and family life they are studying. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Living in Seoul – Koreaexternal link

    In this level 3 unit, intended for years 5–6, students explore how people in Seoul live their daily lives in relation to the environment. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Destination: South Koreaexternal link

    In this level 3 unit, intended for years 5–6, students travel on a mock flight to South Korea to explore Korea's education system and way of life. It includes virtual tours of Kimch'on, P'ohang, Kyongju, Hahoe Folk Village, and Seoul. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Hindu Festival – Let's Share Diwaliexternal link

    This is a level 3–4 unit intended for years 5–8. Students learn about the Hindu festival of Diwali as it is celebrated in India and in New Zealand. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 4-6Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • A Long Way Homeexternal link

    A Long Way Home looks at refugees today and in the past. This Internet-based unit investigates how people organise themselves in response to challenge and crisis. It also focuses on the causes of those events and the ways they affect people's lives.

    Year groups: 7-8Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Classroom Trade Dayexternal link

    In this unit, students participate in a classroom simulation of an APEC Trade Fair. They will learn about how and why countries view and use resources differently as they trade, and the consequences of that.

    Year groups: 7-8Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Picking up the Piecesexternal link

    This unit explores the effects of a natural disaster by looking at the experience of the people of Gujarat in India, who faced a major earthquake in January 2001. Students look at the short- and long-term effects of the earthquake and describe how aid organisations helped to provide for people's needs after the earthquake.

    Year groups: 7-8Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Stories From the Pastexternal link

    This level 3 unit from 'Educating for Asia' is intended for years 7–8. Students consider a range of different ways in which stories can be told, both verbally and through artistic interpretation. Students are encouraged to look at their own history, or the history of someone close to them. The unit then focuses on the ancient Chinese story of Mulan. The unit gives a range of visuals for students to interpret. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 7-8Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Korea – A Divided Nationexternal link

    From 'Educating for Asia', this level 4 unit (intended for years 7–8) has students explore the causes and consequences of the division between North and South Korea, and encourages them to suggest ways of solving the conflict between them. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 7-8Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Fortune's Cookieexternal link

    Ever since the first Chinese goldminers arrived in New Zealand in search of 'fortune's cookies', they have been subjected to discrimination. This unit explores the impact of racist hysteria on Chinese New Zealanders from the 1860s until the present day.

    Year groups: 9-10Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Saying Sorryexternal link

    Helen Clark apologised in 2002, on behalf of the New Zealand government, to the Chinese community for the imposition of the poll tax from 1881 to 1941. Why was the poll tax imposed? What impact did this discriminatory policy have on the lives of early Chinese settlers? This unit uses the values exploration and social decision-making processes to explore the viewpoints of Chinese New Zealanders about the apology and its aftermath. (Social Studies Online unit plan, years 8–10)

    Year groups: 9-10Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Who's the Bossexternal link

    By examining Pol Pot's dictatorship in Cambodia, and democracy in New Zealand, students investigate how two different systems of government are organised and how they affect people's lives. The unit includes a social decision-making assessment activity.

    Year groups: 9-10Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Walk a Mile in my Shoesexternal link

    This is a level 5 unit intended for year 9. Students compare and contrast the culture and values of New Zealand society with those of Indonesia. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 9-10Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Killing Fieldsexternal link

    This level 5 unit, intended for years 9–10, is based on Borany's Story which follows members of a Cambodian family moving from their home in Phnom Penh, struggling to survive the 'killing fields', and ultimately beginning new lives as refugees in New Zealand. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 9-10Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Cultural Interaction: The Great Immigration Debateexternal link

    The presence, interaction, and differences between cultural groups in New Zealand is one of the biggest issues facing our nation. In this unit, events in the history of our immigrant nation are examined in the light of current responses to newcomer immigrants. Case studies of Chinese, Māori, and European migration are used and linked with the contemporary immigration debate. The impact of cultural groups on New Zealand society is considered in social studies achievement standard 2.2, AS90272 – Describe how people's actions influence society. Achievement standard 2.3, AS90273 – Conduct an advanced social studies inquiry, looks at the response of New Zealanders to newcomer immigration, and values positions taken in the immigration debate are examined in achievement standard 2.4, AS90274 – Describe responses to values position(s).

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Our Melting Potexternal link

    This unit was designed to introduce year 11 students in a richly multicultural school to senior social studies. It begins the process of preparing students for NCEA by gently integrating two formative achievement standards related tasks into the study of cultural change.

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Kiwi Kollaborationexternal link

    New Zealand has a number of commitments to a wide range of international organisations, for many different purposes. This unit, which prepares students for social studies achievement standard 2.5, AS90275 – Plan social action in relation to a social issue, explores these commitments in the past and currently. It is very topical due to ongoing media debate about our role in international affairs.

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Fields of Deathexternal link

    Landmines have killed and maimed (and continue to kill and maim) millions of people, many of them children, around the world. Students investigate the impact of landmines on people and places, and examine actions that are being taken to address this major global issue.

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • War and Peace – the Battle for Vietnamexternal link

    Nearly three decades on from the finish of the Vietnam War, the Americans, their allies (including New Zealand) and the people of Vietnam still feel its effects. This unit examines beliefs and ideas held during the time of the Vietnam War and how they changed society and continue to change it. It addresses social studies achievement standard 1.1, AS90215 – Describe change in society.

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Assessment Material: Blown Away – landmines (Word 263KB)external link

    Relates to New Zealand social studies achievement standard 2.5, AS90275 version 2 – Plan social action in relation to a social issue. Students prepare a detailed action plan to address the issue of landmines around the world and analyse the short- and long-term consequences of their action plan, on different groups of people. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

  • Assessment Material: Propaganda in the Vietnam War (Word 160KB)external link

    This material supports internal assessment for New Zealand history achievement standard 2.4, AS90468 version 2 – Examine perspectives and responses of, and demonstrate empathy for, people in an historical setting. Students examine the ideas/beliefs and actions of Ho Chi Minh between 1945–1969. [ Metadata record ]

    Year groups: 11-13Curriculum focus: Social sciences

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