The indie film whale rider is an engrossing character drama with an inspirational message. Only 120 pages long, its a richly layered story dealing with several major social issues. Whale rider arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audiencegrabbers of recent years. In every generation since the whale rider, a male has inherited the title of chief. According to legend, the maori came to whangara when their great leader paikea led them by riding on a whale. Create your own storyboard using the template on the next page. In every generation for over 1,000 years, a male heir born to the chief succeeds to the title. They would mark the return of the whale rider, leader of their people from longago times. Learners recognize maori sayings, identify major characters, and discuss major story lines in the whale rider.
I have created these worksheets to accompany the book. Readers respond to chapters 17 and 18 of whale rider by witi ihimaera. Showing top 8 worksheets in the category whale rider. The whale rider themes what does the director suggest about the themes of culture, leadership and expectations. Students can examine their own concepts of gender roles as they watch entrenched sexism diminish through the course of the film. Whale rider offers young people the opportunity to learn about a different culture and to examine the difficulties that many traditional groups experience in facing change. The biggest whale, the founder of maori culture, has a special relationship with. The first greatgrandchild of the whanau, she was loved by all her relatives except the one whose love she needed mosther greatgrandfather. Whale rider is set in the maori community of new zealand. Her grandfather koro apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only.
Whale rider is an internationally successful new zealand film focusing on indigenous cultural issues. The southern right whale is a baleen whale and one of three species classified as right whales. The whale rider, by witi ihimaera, is rich in thematic concerns. It would take some pretty powerful words to make something like that happen but those are exactly the kind of words that make up whale rider. The mythical story of the whales told alongside the story of kahu discusses various important issues. The whale rider by witi ihimaera penguin books australia.
The students are asked to read two extracts carefully, one piece of nonfiction and one piece from the novel. While pai lives in present day whangara, new zealand with her grandparents, maori tradition maintains that the. Before you start, have a look at the sample frame below. Whale rider mat no 10 storyboarding read the following excerpt from the book the whale rider. It won the audience awards as the most popular film at both the toronto and sundance film festivals, played to standing ovations, left audiences in tears. Some of the worksheets displayed are comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale, whale rider teachers guide, whale rider, the whale rider by witi ihimaera, comprehension and discussion activities for the movie, lesson plan, contents, table grade of contents 6. Other examples relating to self sacrifice can also be seen in symbolic sacrifices of the body. Whale rider by witi ihimaera maori culture powerpoint this powerpoint s.
While pai lives in present day whangara, new zealand with her grandparents, maori tradition maintains that the leadership should only be inherited by males. Book whale watching, shark diving, caving, aeroplane tours. Use a resource based on the movie whale rider to learn more about the maori culture. Written in 1987, the whale rider is a deceptively short book.
Hopefully the following background on the author, summary of the book and suggested use in the classroom will give you the seed of a great lesson plan of your own. The bull whale is an ancient whale, about 65 feet long. Can you provide an example a scene character quote symbol from the film that shows this theme. He wrote it in the earlier portion of his writing career, having only penned three other novels prior to it. The new zealand film whale rider tells the story of 12year old pai, a maori girl whose ancestor paikea was the whale rider. The taniwha is the mythological whale or sea creature that paikea the ancestor rode on to lead the way to aeoteara new zealand originally. Whale rider book vs movie essay whale rider essay pai must overcome resistance as, aka kahutia te rangi in the book, the whale rider he who rode on. Using the whale rider in middle school classrooms one of my favorite books to use with my eighth graders is witi ihimaeras the whale rider.
Whale rider lesson plan for 7th 9th grade lesson planet. Resources resources home early years prek and kindergarten primary elementary middle school secondary high school whole. On either side the younger whales were escorting their leader through the surf. In the introduction to the book, he explains his inspiration.
It can be seen in the bible through jesus crucifixion. Pais mother died during childbirth and her artist father has left new zealand. They can be used in their entirety for a more intense study of the book or you can pick or chose those that suit your studentssituation best. I absolutely adore everything about it, and really do think theres something everyone can relate to in this story. Religious themes in whale rider sacrificial love sacrificial love describes the action of sacrificing oneself to stop torment or suffering of another person or group of people. Eightyearold kahu craves her greatgrandfathers love and attention. If youve ever felt discriminated against because of. See more ideas about whale, whale rider and whale art. Whale rider is a 2002 new zealandgerman family drama film written and directed by niki caro. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. With keisha castlehughes, rawiri paratene, vicky haughton, cliff curtis. Ihimaera published the whale rider in 1978 to critical acclaim. The whale mothers look over their young while the single leader whale the bull whale reminisces about his own youth so long ago, and the precious time he spent with the whale rider. The module consists of teachers notes and a handout with background information that.
Witi ihimaera s novel the whale rider is a tale of discovery and empowerment in the maori culture of new zealand. In a small new zealand coastal village, maori claim descent from paikea, the whale rider. The novel was set in whangara and it would almost have been heresy to shoot anywhere else. Plenty of rich themes are found in ihimaeras the whale. The whale rider starts a thousand years ago, with a pod of whales. The story follows a 12yearold maori girl named paikea apirana who struggles to. Based on the novel of the same name by witi ihimaera, the film stars keisha castlehughes as kahu paikea apirana, a twelveyearold maori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe.
Class members answer a variety of questions and listen to music from the soundtrack to further analyze and understand the maori culture and history. The whale rider ebook by witi ihimaera rakuten kobo. Only kahu understands that she is the whale rider, and that she must guide the whales back to the safety of the sea. Comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale. Worksheets are comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale, whale rider teachers guide, whale rider, the whale rider by witi ihimaera, comprehension and discussion activities for the movie, lesson plan, contents, table grade of contents 6. There are physical things that are described in the book the sweep of the bay, the island that looks. The whale rider is definitely in my top ten list of alltime favorite books. Comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale rider this module has been designed to accompany the film whale rider 2003. Ever since, the maori have been led by the descendants of that leader. I am always on the lookout for films with positive messages, and especially when they give kids insights to another country or culture.
Directed and written by niki caro, the film is based on witi ihimaeras novel the whale rider. The module consists of teachers notes and a handout with background information that you can copy and give to your students. The whale rider by witi ihimaera lesson plans and teaching resources antigone this unit plan includes a study guide and answers, a jeopardystyle game requires mspowerpoint or compatible application, other projects, tests, and an extension activity connecting antigone with the whale rider. You are in for a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with whale rider. Whale rider when talking about choosing the location to shoot whale rider, the films producer, john barnett says. Investigating culture provide the students with resource sheet 1.
Working in literature groups, they identify the climactic elements in the chapters, discussing the text and making inferences based on their reading. We, at whale rider adventures, believe in getting out of our comfort zone to taste the thrill and exhilaration that only travelling and adventure can bring. Youll find a guide for the movie inside, as well as a group assignment, note taking sheets and discussion prompts. Whale rider is a magical tale of survival, stubbornness and destiny. Using the whale rider in middle school classrooms book shelf. No prep worksheets for the book the snail and the whale by julia donaldson. The students are asked to summarize the whale rider story, combining information from the two sources in exactly one hundred words. Whale rider takes place in present day new zealand, where a 12yearold girl named pai keisha castlehughes is growing up in an allmaori community. In recent decades, maori have become increasingly urbanized and.
The arrival of the whales has been long prophesized. Pai is being raised by her loving grandparents, koro and nanny flowers rawiri paratene and vicky haughton. Whale rider 155 lesson 1 social studies geographyworld history the maori gradually recovered from population decline and, through interaction and intermarriage with settlers and missionaries, adopted much of european culture. Plot jumble three level guide maori word glossary with english equivalents introductory lesson comparing. If you move to new zealand, watch or read the whale rider 85 womens awakening and empowerment movies see related links to what you are looking for. The movie begins with the birth of twins, the latest in that line. Now, so many years after their separation, the nostalgia for their time spent together cuts away at the old bull whale. It is leading its herd in search of safer waters, but at the same time it struggles to come to terms with its deep love for the ancient whale rider, now long dead, who once had been its dearest companion. This module has been designed to accompany the film whale rider 2003. Ancestor of the people of te tai rawhiti, he travelled from hawaiki, the place of the ancients, to the east coast of new zealand. The chiefs eldest son, porourangi, fathers twins a boy and a girl.
A vocabulary list featuring whale rider chapters 12. Whale rider set in the east coast town of whangara, whale rider tells the tale of a young maori girl, pai keisha castlehughes, who challenges tradition and embraces the past in order to find the strength to lead her people forward. This pack includes all your students need to study the whale rider by witi ihimaera 1. Then, use the book excerpt and translate it into single frames. Niki caro based on the book by witi ihimaera prezi by. Astride the whale she felt the sting of the surf and rain upon her face. Whale rider adventures get out of your comfort zone and.
But he is focused on his duties as chief of a maori tribe in whangara, on the east coast of new zealand a tribe that claims descent from the legendary whale rider. This whale rider lesson plan is suitable for 7th 9th grade. The classic book that inspired the awardwinning, internationally released film whale rider, winner of best film at the 2003 sundance film festival and 2004 academy awards best actress nomination for keisha castlehughes. Blending legend with a reality thats both gritty and beautiful, this novel was made into a movie that was released in the united states just prior to the books publication here.
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