Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Maui - One Man Against the Gods
SECTION 2
Maui: a legendary super hero of the Pacific.
 What happens when Maui wants to go fishing … or when he
tries to stop the sun?
 What attributes of Maui are captured in the show “Maui”?
 Where in the show does he reveal his weaknesses?
 How does Maui try to control forces that are bigger than us?
Resources required:
General
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Whiteboard
DVD player
CD Player
DVD of Maui - One Man Against the Gods
A version of the story of Maui fishing up the North Island or Maui and the sun e.g.
Gavin Bishop’s Taming the Sun: Four Maori Myths ISBN 1-86941-612-0.
TKI (www.tki.org.nz/r/maori/ngapakiwataia/index.e.ph) for the stories of Maui
Journal stories relating to Maui
Crayons/ pens and large paper
Resource Sheets E, F, G, H, I, J and K
Sound Arts: Music
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Soundscape for Lake and River by Douglas Lilburn (from Our Music by Elizabeth
Kerr, Learning Media resource)
A range of sound making instruments including tuned and untuned percussion,
found sounds and environmental sound makers
Drama
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Drama in the Classroom (Ministry of Education) unit: Maui and the Sun (Te Ra)
pages 22-23
Dance
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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Dance Wall Charts (Ministry of Education).
Dancing The Long White Cloud (Ministry of Education).
Discovering Dance – video and teaching notes on TKI (www.tki.org.nz) (Ministry
of Education).
Visual Arts
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Weaving Earth and Sky (2002, Robert Sullivan, illustrated by Gavin Bishop,
Random House).
Taming the Sun, four Maori myths (2004, Gavin Bishop, Random House).
Legends of the Outcast (by Robert Sullivan, illustrated by Chris Slane)
Ministry of Education resources:
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Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6 Design: refer to Gavin Bishop posters, artist interview
and questions for viewing his art. Design process steps also useful to display (page
29).
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Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6 Printmaking: refer to Gabrielle Belz, printmaker and
poster of Hinemanu – singing in the dawn, the artist interview and notes on monoprinting (page 26).
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Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6 Fabric & Fibre: Maori pattern (page 6).
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Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6 Painting: Maori pattern (page 22).
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Maori Visual Language Y7-10 : refer to Poster and Unit 4 on printmaking
Papatuanuku and her Patterns (page 36).
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Visual Arts Exemplar: A story from Italy - Design (Level 4)
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Visual Arts Exemplar: A slice of Aotearoa (Level 2)
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School Journal illustrations e.g.:
o Part 2 Number 2, 2003 p. 28: Tane me Te Whanau Marama illustrations
o Connected 1 , 2004 , p.26 : The winds of Tawhirimatea - story and
illustrations
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School Journals: Stories about illustrators and their design processes e.g.:
o Part 2 Number 3 2002 p.2 : Bringing stories to life – artist Ali Teo
o Part 1 Number 2 2003 p.2 : Wild and wacky – the art of Fraser
Williamson
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School Journals: Articles about customary Maori art forms, their context and
meaning e.g.:
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
o Part 2 Number 1 2001 p.16 Te Papa Tongarewa
o Part 1 Number 2 2001 p.8 Not just a house
o Part 1 Number 3 2003 p. 10 Patterns in Wood
Equipment:
Printmaking rollers, water-based printing inks, material for printing blocks and for
palettes on which to roll out ink (eg pieces of card or Perspex), paper, dry media
(pens, drawing pencils), paper towels, newspaper
Extension options:
Media for adding colour e.g. dye and brushes, coloured pencils; tools for mark
making directly onto the ink such as cotton buds, brushes, ripped paper, sponges
Connecting the Arts learning – you find the through lines that suit your
students best
Dance: Choreographing a dance sequence using movement ideas from the
‘Pou’ (ancestors) dance in the DVD of Maui
Drama: Maui and the Great fish, sibling rivalry
Sound Arts: Music: Creating a sound score for Maui and the Great fish
Visual Arts: Printmaking using the stories of Maui
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Learning Experience
1
Suggested Sequence of Learning
Printmaking: Maui the superhero
How could this printmaking connect with the
other arts learning?
This printmaking could:
 build on from the visual arts sequence
described in step 1 as students go on to
create their own images of the
superhero Maui.
 take place before or after students
attend Maui - one man against the
Gods
 build on the Section 2 music learning
sequence where students develop a
sound scape based on Maui and the
great fish .The sound-scape could
accompany a PowerPoint presentation
of the visual images students create to
re-tell the story.
 connect to the knowledge being
developed about Pou figures – the early
beings in the Section 2 dance learning
Teaching Notes
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Learning intentions:
Students will:
1 Generate and develop ideas for a monoprint through drawing and following the
steps in a design process, using imagination
and information from a traditional story
(DI, PK)
2 Identify the ways in which use of line,
scale, viewpoint and focal point impact on
communicating ideas and mood in selected
artists’ works (UC, CI, DI)
3 Describe how line, scale, viewpoint and
shape have been used in their composition
to communicate the heroism of Maui (CI,
DI)
4 Negotiate the layout of the class art works
to create a visual narrative and develop a
rationale for how they could be organised
(DI, PK,CI, UC)
Assessment:
1 Students will print their final design and
assess it in relation to the shared criteria
developed for a quality print and the design
process (PK)
>Sketches and ideas in the visual diaries also can
provide an assessment opportunity for the
delopment of ideas in the unit (DI)
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Further outcomes: could also include the
following if time and care is taken to research
the importance of pattern in customary Maori
visual culture and the considerations for
teaching about it. Refer to the supporting
material in Maori Visual Language Years 7 –
10 ( 2004, Ministry of Education) especially
pages 2-10.
Students will:
1 Explore and identify kowhaiwhai and
tukutuku patterns in the wharenui and in
contemporary artworks and research their
importance and meaning (UC, CI)
2 Explore ways to incorporate Maori visual
elements into their compositions to convey
meaning (UC, DI, PK)
Learning Sequence:
Understanding the visual
arts in context
Session 1: Exploring and building knowledge
of Maori visual culture
Teacher:
 Use questions and images to motivate
discussion and research about contexts for
traditional Maori designs (Refer to resource
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
list above including the School Journal
articles which students can read and
research)
 Display students’ findings or use
PowerPoint to share the research.
 List relevant language to use during the
unit.
Students:
 Research customary Maori visual language
– its context in the wharenui and values.
Visual diaries can be used to record draft
ideas, words and images.
 Practice using the associated language
when describing customary patterns and
forms.
 Sketch in visual diaries – with time to
practice accurate forms and patterns
Viewing and responding to
artworks
Session 2: Exploring how artworks
communicate
Teacher:
 Support students to discuss and compare the
importance of oral storytelling in customary
Maori society and visually in picture books
today
 Introduce Gavin Bishop’s mono-printed and
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
mixed media picture book illustrations in
books such as Weaving Earth and Sky and
Taming the Sun, four Maori myths
 Sequence questions for viewing this and
other relevant artworks and illustrations.
Give looking and thinking time. Students
could respond in groups or as a class and
offer evidence for their interpretations.
Students:
>The illustrators are art heroes!
 View work by artists discussing use of line,
focal point, viewpoint, shape, contrast and
scale in the composition to communicate
mood and meaning. Artists such as Gavin
Bishop, Gabrielle Belz, picture book
illustrators could all be suitable.
 Use visual diaries for recording ideas and
any sketches
Josh Smits’ illustrations for The Winds of
Tahirimatea (Connected 1 2004 p.26) are
particularly relevant when discussing variety of
viewpoint and use of scale, as well as creating
impact and focal points through leading lines in the
composition.
Teacher:
 Ask students about their prior knowledge of
the process for designing illustrations and to
speculate on possible steps a designer might
go through.
 Introduce the design brief and steps which
Gavin Bishop uses when creating
illustrations (Refer to Exploring Visual Arts
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Y1-6 Design: page 29).
Students:
 Could view the Visual Arts Level 4
exemplar (Responding to a design brief : A
Story from Italy) which also shows how
other students designed their illustrations by
working through the steps in a design brief.
 Could read School Journal articles about
illustrators to research their design
approaches (see resource list), and then
discuss similarities and differences.
Exploring techniques and
procedures
Session 3: Exploring mono-printing
Teacher:
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Introduce the reason for exploring monoprinting, linking to Gavin Bishop’s
illustrations and the way in which students
will design their own images based on
Maui as superhero.
Demonstrate the initial process for mono
printing. Have materials ready including
the paper cut to size. Card can be used as
the inked up block to print from as well as
smooth surfaces like plastic.
Show how much ink to use, the even
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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inking of the roller and how to check the
developing image.
Set up space to ink rollers, print, dry and
store work. Establish routines for using the
rollers and ink, and the clean-up
procedures ahead of time. (Refer to
Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6: Printmaking
notes on mono-printing, page 26)
Students:
 Explore mark-making with pen or pencil
and Maori pattern/symbols using the
mono-print process. Focus on variety in
line and shape.
 Review techniques that produce a ‘good’
print result using the relevant language for
techniques, tools and the
elements/principles.
 Keep these explorations for future
reference in visual diaries or as a class ‘in
progress’ display.
 Extension: explore variety of line quality in
the mark making when practising the
mono-print process using different drawing
tools such as card, finger pressure, crayon.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Generating ideas
Session 4: Developing a design brief
Teacher and students:
 Decide whether students will develop a
class storyboard to retell key events in a
Maui legend or work through an individual
design process to develop a composition of
Maui as super hero. (Refer to Exploring
Visual Arts Y1-6 Design notes on making
books page 24 -26)
 Record the possible design process steps
together. Success criteria to guide the
learning can be discussed and recorded
during each session and become a focus for
feedback and self/peer evaluation.
 Select activities to explore picture book
design from Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6
Design (page 22 -3) if the students are
going to eventually develop a class book.
>Plan time for the action-reflection cycle: pause,
review ideas, and set next steps, during the session.
Refer back to the design process steps throughout.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Session 5: Exploring the theme through
drawing
Students:
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>This could be drawn up as a chart to keep
Revisit the Visual diary notes and images
referring to.
from the Section1 Visual Arts learning, to
review ideas about heroes and how they are
depicted in a range of images.
Share prior knowledge about Maui in
groups and read/retell the selected
traditional story.
>You could link to the drama learning section at
Discuss Maui’s attributes and actions.
Identify the key events in the story that link this point as students reflect on Maui’s attributes.
to these.
Generate ideas through drawing for a
composition related to a heroic figure at a
moment of action or tension in the story.
Draw quick thumbnails (a series of small
sketches) of possible compositions around
a key idea, moment in the story or
message. Consider where Maui could be
positioned, the setting and any objects that
need to be included.
Discuss and analyse how the use of scale
and viewpoint can support the
communication of mood and message at a
moment of action or tension in the story.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
(Students could refer back to artist images
again eg Weaving Earth and Sky or Maui
and the Sun in Taming the Sun, four Maori
myths)
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Developing ideas and
applying knowledge of
elements and principles
Develop further ‘roughs’ or sketches that
show that scale and viewpoint have been
considered. Think about main shapes and
whether they might overlap or ‘bleed off’
the page.
Session 6: Refining the composition based on
research
Students
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Select and refine one composition through
further drawing.
Again ensure that the scale of the figure in
the composition adds to the
story/meaning/mood and think about how
to create a focal point.
More detail, pattern and background
information could be included.
Research any further aspects that might be
required for the subject matter such as the
background landscape or the physical pose
of the hero. A digital camera could provide
a useful record of the body position to refer
>Again plan time for the action-reflection cycle:
pause, view each others’ work and set next steps,
during the session.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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Using art-making
processes and procedures
to when drawing.
Incorporate Maori motifs that have been
researched to add to the meaning or
message.
Discuss the mood or message they want to
communicate and how the composition is
showing that.
Session 7: Printing the design
Teacher
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Review the mono-printing process and
routines with students
If possible plan for students to create more
than one print
Discuss the possible different approaches
of tracing a prepared drawing when
printmaking or using it as reference to redraw the image directly.
Students
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Set up the room for printmaking
Trace over the final drawing (it could be
enlarged on the photocopier) or re-draw the
design freehand with variations to make
mono-print (s)
Reflect on one or more prints in relation to
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
the design brief
Extending the art-making:
 Use selected colours of dye, watercolour,
felt tip, acquarelles or coloured pencils to
enhance mood and meaning in the monoprint once it is dry.
 Overprint the design in different colours (
refer to Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6
Printmaking notes on mono-printing , page
26)
 Work directly into the ink to explore mark
making with a variety of tools including
wiping away ink to make the image with
ink in a different way and print the result
(refer to Maori Visual Language Y7-10 :
Papatuanuku and her Patterns page 36)
Describing how the print
images communicate ideas
Session 8: Analysing and Presenting
Teacher:
 Refer to ideas for analysing and presenting
work in Exploring Visual Arts Y1-6 Design
(p.26) or to the questions provided with
these notes.
Students:
 Present their own artwork to the class and
discuss their print in relation to the Maui as
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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Another approach to
illustration
hero and the events in the whole legend
Could collate prints to create a class retelling of the traditional story in book or
slideshow format or as a group exhibition
of heroic action. Discuss the rational for
the layout of the work and the way it could
be viewed by others.
Extension: Students could also plan to
include text about Maui’s attributes and
consider the layout of words on the page to
complement the print images. This could
form a border (see Gavin Bishop posters
for The House that Jack Built in Exploring
Visual Arts Y1-6 Design) or follow more of
a picture book format.
Digital story telling:
An alternative art making process for re-telling
one of the Maui stories with a focus on the
superhero could be to adapt the Pasifika
Digital legends learning activities
(www.pasifikalegends.co.nz). (These can also
be accessed through TKI (
www.tki.org.nz) by selecting the Pasifika
community and searching for Digital legends.)
Here, teachers and students are guided through
a design process to create a sequence of
illustrations that re-tells a traditional story. A
series of help sheets have been created to
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
support the learning and show use of digital
tools. Resources include an opportunity to
view an illustrator’s work and useful websites.
This resource could be use in conjunction with
the learning experiences and Ministry of
Education resources in the mono-printing unit.
Possible questions to involve students in
reflecting on the art-making process:
 What have you found out about the monoprinting or design process that:
 Surprised you?
 Challenged you?
 You found interesting?
 Has been useful?
 What is the same/different about your work
and the artist’s work that you looked at?
Refer also to the useful ‘analysing and
displaying’ questions and suggestions page 12
and 19 in Exploring the Visual Arts –
Printmaking (Ministry of Education) e.g.:
 Talk about your use of shapes and colours
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
in the print
 Talk about your intentions when creating
the print, the print’s meaning, and the
feelings emotions it expresses
 Give a title to your print and explain why
you chose it
2
Either follow and /or adapt the unit plan for
“Maui and the Sun” resource Drama in the
Classroom (Ministry of Education) to allow
students to experience a section of the story
before viewing the DVD of the same section of
the show …
Or
Ideally teachers should guide their students
through an exploration of the story first before
viewing sections from the production Maui on the
DVD. Drama is about ‘being’ and ‘doing’ and
experiencing!
Follow the suggested learning sequence below
to explore the story of Maui fishing up the
North Island before viewing the extract from
the show Maui - One Man Against the Gods
named “Te Ika A Maui- Maui’s Great Fish”
Learning intentions:
The students will:
1. Use drama elements and techniques to
explore the conventions of mimed
action, overheard conversations, voices
in the head, spoken thoughts and whole
group role play (PK)
>N.B. If your students are going to see a live
performance of Maui then the intentions must also
include: students will understand the narrative
sequence of the stories in the show. See Resource
Sheets G, H & I.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
2. Develop a role as one of Maui’s
brothers and improvise dialogue to
explore aspects of sibling rivalry (DI)
3. Improvise and interact with the teacherin-role in a plot to leave Maui behind
(DI)
4. Initiate and develop ideas when Maui is
in the Hot Seat to explore his thoughts
and feelings
5. Present small sections of drama work
and respond to the work of others. (CI)
6. View a section of the show Maui - One
Man Against the Gods and discuss how
the role of Maui is interpreted and
presented. (UC)
Learning experiences:
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What do we know about Maui already?
Discuss prior knowledge as a whole class
and elicit what students think are his
special attributes. How is he like the super
heroes of popular culture?
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Read or retell the beginning of the story
(e.g. Gavin Bishop’s version Maui and the
Big Fish) where it is reported that Maui’s
brothers find him a nuisance and plot to
leave him behind on their fishing trip.
>Refer to programme notes “Who Is Maui?”
Resource Sheet E.
>You might guide students to construct a sentence
(or paragraph) to explain who Maui is after reading
and discussing the programme notes
>Students are usually fascinated by ‘naughtiness’!
Encourage them to speculate widely.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Discuss why Maui might be viewed as
such a problem by his brothers … and by
his extended family. List on WB.
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Build an imagined community with every
student knowing who they are (their role)
and what they are doing and thinking
(actions) – especially their thoughts
regarding Maui! Establish the roles of e.g.
the ‘brothers’ (or ‘the villagers’). “Let’s
pretend to be Maui’s family – his
‘brothers’ and show through mimed action
some of the work they do in the village
every day.
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Have half the class view the other
‘brothers’ at work in the village and offer
feedback on the clarity of the mimed action
> This may help with assessment
and the amount of belief shown in their
roles. End the session by asking students to
fill in the first parts of Resource Sheet F
reflecting on their role and their work in
the drama session.
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Whole Group role-play. Set up the village
in action again – use background music
e.g. Maui the DVD soundtrack of chapter
23 – Whakanuia – Fire Song to create
>This depends somewhat on the students’ prior
knowledge of early Maori village life You may
need to do an investigation of the types of jobs and
tasks early Maori might have had to do around the
village.
>Note: the girls can play male roles - explain that in
drama you can pretend to be anyone or anything!
> Teach the success criteria for using mimed action
and write up on the whiteboard e.g. clarity, larger
than real life, slowed down slightly etc.
>Look for students who move quickly into role,
using mimed action and showing belief and focus.
>Look for students who give perceptive responses
to viewing the villagers.
>Aim to build belief in their roles as the ‘brothers’.
> Look for students who show belief in their role
and who step into the world of ‘pretend’ readily.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
atmosphere. There may be some students
who will interact with other villagers
improvising a conversation as they go
about their work. During this whole group
role-play, you might be able to enter in and
conduct interviews-in-role with some of
the students to deepen belief in their roles.
Ask them if they have seen Maui lately and
complain what a nuisance he is. What do
they know about Maui? What’s he been
doing lately?
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De role and debrief on how they sustained
their roles in the interviews. Reflect on the
information that we now have about Maui
and why he is seen as such a nuisance. Ask
students to add their thoughts to the
reflection chart Resource Sheet F
> Or you could run the interviews later by asking
different students (in role) what they are doing and
what they know about Maui
>Which students are imaginative in their responses
and add in lots of detail when interviewed?
> You might turn the music up then fade it out and
ask students to come to a freeze to signify the end
of the drama then move students to e.g. the mat for
this discussion.
> This might be useful as part of assessment
>Some students may have defended him and may
well have presented another other point of view.
Explore that as well.
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Teacher in role as one of Maui’s older
brothers who is part of the fishing trip and
who knows of a plan to somehow leave
Maui behind deliberately. Ask the students
to watch you (they will be an audience)
and to listen carefully to discover who you
>Use a simple prop to show you are in role.
>Revisit the requirements to be a good audience
> Speak your thoughts out loud (an overheard
conversation) as you pretend to e.g. carve a
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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are pretending to be and what you are
planning to do. Let drop that there is an
exciting fishing trip coming up and that a
certain ‘brother’ wants to come but there is
a plot to trick him somehow and leave him
behind. You feel a bit sorry for Maui but
what can you do? The others (i.e. the
brothers or villagers) are all agreed on the
tricky plan.
fishhook in preparation for your voyage.
De role and debrief on what the students
have overheard. What do we now know of
the plan? Why are the brothers plotting?
What do we think ‘he’ (i.e. the teacher-inrole) will do? Ask students to add to the
appropriate part of the self- reflection
Resource Sheet F.
> Remove the prop to show that you are out of role
and back as their teacher!
The meeting. Explain that the scene is
going to move on to later that ‘night’ and
that the students will be in their roles as the
brothers of Maui (or the villagers). Agree
as to where and when the meeting is to take
place. Go back into role as the brother and
call your other ‘brothers’ over in a
secretive manner to discuss the plan. Ask
who has a good plan of how to avoid
taking Maui?
>Establish the parameters of a successful role-play
- stress how staying in their roles and how
contributing believable ideas to advance the drama
will be very important.
>Don’t enlarge upon what the plan actually is yet!
>Show ambivalence in your feelings towards your
‘brother’ Maui.
>The students find the issues of sibling rivalry and
groups excluding others from ‘play’ to be very
interesting as it is something they frequently have
to deal with in real life.
>Speak quietly so as not to attract attention to this
secret meeting!
> Encourage them to interact with you in role and
offer a plan.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
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De role and debrief by e.g. using a circle
reflection on the drama so far. You might
ask: “Why do the brothers want to exclude
Maui? … What may happen next? The
big question here could be: “In real life
does this sort of thing happen? Why?
Run a self-reflection of how well students
believe they stayed in role.
>End the meeting with a pre arranged signal e.g.
teacher–in-role says “So it is decided…go now and
make the waka ready”. Then count slowly
“5,4,3,2,1 freeze.” Move students back to the mat
Set up a hot seat to ascertain Maui’s
feelings re the fishing trip. You might coconstruct a list of questions that the
students would like to ask Maui and write
them up on the WB eg: What do you (i.e.
Maui) know about the plot? How do you
feel? What are you going to do about it?
>Refer to the Ministry of Education resource
Drama In The Classroom glossary of conventions
Pages 8-9 for a description of hot seating
View the Maui DVD chapter titled “Te Ika
A Maui- Maui’s Great Fish”. In this
section Maui has sneaked on board the
waka and he proceeds to pulls up the North
Island. Complete the last section of
Resource Sheet F
View the same section again and then place
>What aspects of the story are shown in the show?
What attributes does Maui appear to have in this
scene? What special powers?
> You might ask students to close their eyes and
raise a hand giving a rating with 1-5 fingers on how
well they did in staying in role.
> Either use teacher-in–role or a strong student in
role as Maui to be interviewed
>Issues of power and abuse of authority may come
up for discussion here. Consider Maui’s feelings.
Does he know of their plan?
>Ask the students to speculate and contribute lots
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
a student in role as Maui under a cloth (i.e.
hiding in the waka.) Add voices in the head
to explore what he may be thinking and
feeling; ask for 3-4 students to imagine
what may be running through his mind.
Then go on to shoulder tap the student-inrole (i.e. the convention of spoken
thoughts) to hear what he really is thinking.
of different ideas. Look for those who can ‘step into
Maui’s shoes’ and imagine what he might be
feeling at this time.

Debrief on Maui’s possible fears. What
other feats does he try? What forces does
he try to control? Why? What might he
have been afraid of when he … tried to
take fire … or when he tried to slow down
the sun? What do we feel afraid of in the
21st century? View other extracts on the
Maui DVD when he is in extreme peril!
Eg. Chapter 28 Fire Inferno.
>Focus here on his weaknesses and discuss the
fears that all humans have whether we are
‘heroes’… or not!

To prepare students for viewing the show
live or any other sections of the DVD Maui
- One Man Against the Gods, retell or read
the stories first (including the Maori myth
of Creation) and then give guided viewing
of the chapters. Introduce some Te Reo –
use Resource Sheet G to ensure students
understand the meaning of the characters
and objects. Do a ‘mix and match’.
Use Resource Sheet H (cut it into cards) to
>This might be an opportunity to integrate some
Maori language – Te Reo.

> Look at the glossary in Drama in The Classroom
for information on these conventions
> The correct ‘mix and match’ answers can be
found in Resource I that has the unabridged
programme notes.
> Use Resource I for the full version of the
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
help students understand the narrative
programme notes
sequence of the show as you guide students
through the DVD or in preparation for the
> You might link to Visual Arts learning sequence
live performance of Maui – One Man
Against The Gods.
> To view pictures from the show: Maui website
(www.mauitheshow.com)
3
Learning intentions:
Creating a SoundScape
The students will:
1. Explore sounds and musical ideas and
improvise with them to create an effect
2. Create a soundscape to the story of
Maui Tames the Sun, using a range of
musical conventions such as repetition
and contrast.
3. Represent soundscapes as a graphic
score
Learning experiences:
 Listen to Soundscape for Lake and River by
Douglas Lilburn (from Our Music by
Elizabeth Kerr, Learning Media resource)
 What do you notice about this music?
 Discuss the definition of soundscape (a
sequence of sounds with a particular linking
>If this example can’t be accessed use one of the
students examples from the Into Music books
(Fireworks-Into Music 1-Track30, Two-Day
Wonder-Into Music 2-Track 35, Wahine-Into Music
3-Track28))
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
theme or idea)
 Read through Maui and the Big Fish
(version by Gavin Bishop)
 Divide the story into four main sections e.g.
o Maui’s brothers sneaking away
and then finding Maui in the
waka.
o Maui catching and pulling up
the big fish
o Maui’s brothers ignore Maui’s
plea and start cutting up the
fish.
o The mountains and valleys of
Aotearoa
 Decide together as a class the main mood
and atmosphere of each section and discuss
ideas for how these effects could be created
i.e. what sound-makers would be
appropriate, what techniques and
conventions could be used? Link the moods
to the elements of music.
 Divide students into groups of 4 or 5 and
give each group a section of the story to
create a soundscape for.
 Groups to work on their own to plan their
soundscape. Let them know that they will
be presenting their first “draft” after 15
minutes.
>With the right motivation, guidance and
questioning, students will plan and shape their
soundscapes using contrasts in tone colour, texture,
dynamics and mood. The soundscape could include
repeated words or phrases from the story.
>Remind students here about the importance of
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
contrast and repetition.
 After 15 minutes each group shares their
“work in progress” and receives feedback,
both positives and advice, from their peers.
 Students refine their soundscapes in
response to the feedback they have received
and their own self-reflection. This process
could happen as many times as necessary.
Use Resource Sheet J as a reference to
guide their reflection.
4
 When the students are satisfied with their
soundscape they need to work together to
decide how they are going to represent it
using graphic notation. This score will need
to show the organisation of sounds and
musical ideas, the kinds of sounds made and
how the mood is created through contrast in
texture, dynamics, pitch and tempo. Use the
examples of graphic scores in the Into
Music books (last pages) as models.
 Allow time for feedback and refinement.
 Use the self-reflection sheet (Resource
Sheet K) as an assessment tool.
Learning intentions:
>Use these questions with the whole class to guide
the students’ thinking: What symbol could you use
to show a sound that changes from high to low or
loud to soft? How could you show the texture of
your piece changing from thick to thin? What
symbol could you use to represent a loud sound on
a tambourine?
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
Choreograph ‘Pou’ dance
sequence
The students will:
1. View the opening of Maui and learn
some dance motifs relating to the Pou
figures - the first ‘beings’/gods who
become the ancestors. (PK)
2. Explore own dance ideas using the
dance elements extending the
movements found in the DVD extract
(DI)
3. Develop additional ‘ancestors’
movements into a short dance sequence
by selecting and combining dance
ideas, working in pairs. (DI)
4. Present Pou dance sequence with focus
and respond to other students’ dance
using appropriate dance vocabulary
(CI)
5. Explore and describe the different
dance styles of kapa haka. (UC)
6. Identify where elements of traditional
kapa haka appear in Maui - One Man
Against the Gods. (UC)
Learning experiences:
 View the beginning section of Maui - One
Man Against The Gods (Te Ao Marama)
and discuss what is possibly being
presented and communicated. Accept all
Pou (pronounced ‘go’) are carved figures seen on
the front of marae meeting houses.
Note: For students attending a live performance of
the whole show, a learning intention to identify the
key stories of Maui and to understand the narrative
structure needs to be added.
> Use the video/DVD Discovering Dance (Ministry
of Education) and additional teaching notes on TKI
(www.tki.org.nz).
>What do you notice? What mood is established?
What are the colours used? What sorts of dance/
movements are used? Is there a story being told?
What images can you see? (Note bird and reptile
motifs).
>Discuss answers as a class and organise the first
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
answers and encourage students to
speculate. Use the Ministry of Education
Dance Wall Charts to provide suitable
vocabulary to describe what the dancers are
doing. Allocate Resource Sheet H (perhaps
cut up into cards) to small groups and ask
the students to choose 2 possible cards that
might describe the action on the DVD as
they watch the first section a second time.
Go on to discuss their prior knowledge of
the Maori story of creation. Read or retell it
so that all students are familiar.
cards into the correct order so that all students are
on the same track! The full programme notes are on
Resource Sheet I.
 Focus on the dance with the Pou figures the early ‘beings’ that will later become the
‘ancestors’ in the DVD chapter titled: The
Gods Awakening. Ask students to stand and
quickly make one of the shapes they saw in
this dance extract. They should be still
images – as though a photo has been taken
during the performance.
>You might add in paired work so that they capture
a moment for two dancers.
 View some of these ‘photos’/images and
encourage other students to describe what
the body is doing using the vocabulary
given on the Dance Elements wall chart.
Watch the DVD extract of the Pou/
ancestors again and identify the moments
that students have chosen. Refine some of
> You might ask the students to ‘action’ their
image and recreate the moment just after that
particular photo was taken.
> The Creation Story is the beginning section of the
show
>Aim for clarity in their shapes and be fussy about
how exactly the body is positioned!
> Ask them to “Find another moment … and
another moment …”
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
the students’ images working as a whole
class. Ask students to ‘save’ or remember
their favourite two moves from the DVD –
the dance ideas might be still (as in a photo)
or an actual movement.
Dance learning in pairs
 Ask students to work in pairs to create a
‘new’ movement for the Pou (i.e. moves not
seen on the Maui DVD) showing more of
the idea of reptiles or birds. Use the dance
elements to guide the exploration then ask
students to select one of their best moves (a
motif) and develop it into a short sequence
using the dance elements.
Model this process by asking another
student to be your ‘partner’ and have other
students call out commands from the Dance
wall chart to make you explore different
ways of doing your ‘bird’ or ‘reptile’
movement. Let them borrow moves off
other pairs.
Finally focus on the relationship of the two
dancers and direct students to try their new
movement e.g. side by side, in unison,
shadowing each other, travelling diagonally
around the room etc. Ask students to select
and refine their best new moves and put into
a sequence.
> Use the DVD Maui as a sound track as they
explore the possibilities. Put speakers on a laptop to
amplify the sound.
> There are already reptile and bird dance motifs
seen in this first chapter of the DVD.
>The teacher should guide this development by
calling out e.g. try using a different part of your
body…can you make your shape low to the
ground? … Can you make the movement get faster
and faster? Use the Dance Practical Knowledge
wall chart (Ministry of Education) for ideas.
> They are aiming for a short sequence that they
can learn, recall and repeat.
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
 Go back to the movements they learned
from the watching the Maui extract and ask
students to use one ‘favourite’ dance idea to
start their sequence, then add in their ‘new’
motif they have choreographed (see above),
then finish with another favourite moment
from the DVD.
>Again model this process with a ‘partner’ so
students get a clear idea of what you are expecting
of them.
> Use the ‘Pou’ music from the DVD of Maui
(Chapter 6) in the background.
 Establish criteria for success and display on
the White Board. E.g.:
o The Pou dance motif is ‘new’
and imaginative and relates to
reptiles or birds.
o The dancers can recall it
correctly
 The beginning and ending of the dance
sequence is a moment or dance idea from
the DVD.
 The dancers present it with focus and
expression.
 The dancers freeze at the end of their
sequence.
 Students will need time (5-10 minutes) to
practise their entire sequence.
> Monitor and suggest ways to simplify the
choreography if some are trying to do too much.
 Perform the new ancestors’ dance sequence
to others and offer feedback according to
>When viewing it is useful to direct students to
look for something in particular – refer back to the
Maui - One Man Against the Gods: Section 2
the criteria outlined on the WB. Encourage
the development of a dance vocabulary by
referring students to the Dance Element
wall charts.
success criteria for ideas.
> Use music from the show Maui in the
background or use the soundscapes that are
appropriate from the Sound Arts: Music section.
 Ask students to comment on their dance
sequences by filling in Resource Sheet L.
> Access the accompanying on line resources  Investigate and identify different types of
Maori dance: TKI
kapa haka by using the video/DVD
Discovering Dance (Ministry of Education). www.tki.org.nz/r/arts/dance/discover_dance/maori
Which dances do they already know? Learn
the names of the different dances. Describe
why these dances were/and still are
performed.
 View another section of Maui - One Man
Against The Gods on DVD (e.g. where
Maui is under the ocean with the sons and
daughters of Tangaroa). Ask students to
look for elements of Maori traditional
movement. Compare and contrast the two
sections they have seen.
>At Years 5 & 6, provide small extracts of the
show to view and let them watch it twice.
>Use Resource Sheet H and Resource Sheet I and
continue to sequence the scenes to guide students in
their viewing.
>Use Resource Sheet G to familiarise students with
names and significant Maori language