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This activity is designed to introduce learners to sorting algorithms and computational thinking through real, significant snapshots in the history of te reo Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Learners will choose six milestone dates from the history of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, shuffle them, and use the sorting network diagram to compare the dates in pairs, moving the later date right and the earlier date left, repeating this simple rule pair by pair and round by round, until the whole set lands in chronological order. Along the way, they’ll see the story of te reo Māori unfold, its struggles and celebrations, one moment at a time. This Te Wiki, use computational thinking to get to know our history and keep the story moving! Ake, ake, ake!
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This activity is an extension that pairs with the Sorting Through History base project. Please be sure to use both guides together. This extension provides the te reo Māori-themed dates and discussion points, while the base project supplies the the sorting network diagram and step-by-step instructions for doing the sorting.
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[Image] | Stories of Te Reo
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p8o8w61cXcTeAkyvsWS2FPvW-FxQDYda/view?usp=drive_link
{External} https://www.storiesoftereo.nz/
Link to the project webpage, where everyone is invited to share their stories of te reo Māori.
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Following a fixed, repetitive, non-computerised algorithm to sort a data
Sequencing repeated rounds of comparison in order, progressing from a shuffled start to a fully sorted finish
Producing a chronologically ordered timeline by applying the same simple rule to every pair
Checking content against rules, making logical decisions, and correcting where needed
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social-sciences
See ‘Aotearoa NZ Histories’ link details below.
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Historical sequencing, arranging pivotal moments in the story of te reo Māori across nearly four centuries into chronological order
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Recreate the sorting network on the classroom floor or outdoors by assigning a date to each learner or group and having them physically move through each round of the sorting network, feeling the algorithm as they shift with the data, left and right from start to finish.
For learners who are new to sorting algorithms, help ease into the concept and keep the number of comparison rounds manageable by shrinking the starting set to four dates instead of six.
Work together as a class or in small groups, in order to take the time to talk through the reasoning behind every move before it’s made so that each decision is informed and supports broader understanding.
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Dig deeper into the Stories of Te Reo timeline online, to find and add three more dates that aren’t already included in the activity list.
Stretch the network to eight or ten dates instead of six, and work out how many extra rounds the sorting network needs to finish the sort.
Flip the challenge and build a sorting network diagram from scratch for a different data set, like important dates in your school year or perhaps your own whānau history, to test whether the same algorithm rules still work.
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Teachers should consider:
Material preparation ahead of the lesson, including printing and potentially also cutting the date cards and sorting network diagram so each group is prepared with their own set to shuffle and rearrange.
Date selection, including deciding whether to set the same six dates for the whole class or let each group choose and shuffle their own six from the sixteen offered, to control the level of challenge.
Facilitating sensitive content, including preparing to discuss with care each moment on the timeline.
Check in with the room before and after this part of the lesson. Some learners may have personal or whānau connections to this history. Invite reflection without compelling anyone to share.
Match depth to year level by sticking to the facts and changing only the questions you ask about them, where younger learners sequence and name what happened, while older learners try to explain why it happened and weigh it against the attitudes of the time.
The facts — this is what happened, to whom, and what it meant for them. These should stay essentially constant across year levels. We’re not entitled to simplify or omit the historical reality. Rather, we’re obliged to adjust what we ask learners to do with it.
The ask — this is the cognitive task you hand your learners once the facts are in front of them. This is what should adapt to year level, following the content structure of the Aotearoa NZ Histories “Do” element:
Notice & Sequence — This happened, then this happened, and here’s how long ago.
Explore Relationships — Why did one thing lead to the other; what changed as a result?
Evaluate Context — What attitudes and beliefs made this seem acceptable at the time; what does that tell us about who had power and how it was used?
Name harm without narrating it by describing what happened and what it meant for those affected, while avoiding the graphic detail of how it was carried out. This doesn’t trade away accuracy for comfort, it just declines to expose learners to distress while allowing for important historical understanding.
Identify and acknowledge agency by treating every date as the outcome of a decision someone made rather than something that simply happened.
Supporting te reo Māori pronunciation, including having a pronunciation guide or a confident speaker available, since several dates and terms on the timeline are given in te reo Māori.
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This activity itself is unplugged and device-free. The guidance below matters only if learners follow any extension or online research-based ideas, or if you choose to introduce Stories of Te Reo, the paired website for this theme.
Take steps to make sure device use is safe, supervised, and purposeful throughout.
Make sure that internet access is available, that classroom devices are connected, and that web browsers are up to date.
Stories of Te Reo is a free and publicly accessible website, with no account or login needed to browse it. It shows a standard cookie notice on entry and plays background audio and video, so check the volume and preview the content before opening it as a class.
See Notes for Kaiako above for guidance on facilitating sensitive historical content with care.
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>>> y4-6 | Y4-6 | 1 Lesson (Guided)
Introduction & Context — Introduce the sorting network diagram, and explain that computers can only follow instructions exactly as written, using “compare, move higher right, move lower left” as the rule to model.
Selecting the Dates — Choose six dates from the sixteen provided (or preselect a set for the whole class) and give each group a set of cards plus a copy of the sorting network diagram.
Sorting the Timeline — Guide learners through each round of the network, checking as a class that every pair has moved the right direction before continuing.
Debrief & Discussion — Bring the class together to look at the finished timeline, and talk through two or three pivotal moments, drawing out how the story of te reo Māori changed over time.
>>> y7-8 | Y7-8 | 1 Lesson (Independent)
Introduction & Context — Introduce the sorting network diagram and pose the challenge of working out and applying a rule a computer could follow to sort a shuffled set of dates.
Independent Sorting — Set learners loose in small groups to select six dates, shuffle them, and work through the network independently, checking their own reasoning each round.
Testing the Rule — Challenge each group to explain, in their own words, why comparing pairs and moving the higher value right eventually produces a fully sorted list.
Debrief & Extension — Compare finished timelines as a class, then pose an extension challenge, such as scaling the network beyond six dates, for groups that finish early.