National events and The New Zealand Curriculum

February

Waitangi Day 6 February 2019
Waitangi Day provides an opportunity for students to examine social science concepts and values, and develop key competencies. Schools can also consider how the Treaty of Waitangi principle is used as a foundation for curriculum decision making.

Chinese New Year from 5 February 2019
By examining this celebration students can explore values such as diversity and respect, and develop conceptual understandings about culture, identity, and customs.

March

Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana 2–10 March 2019
Seaweek is New Zealand’s annual national week about the sea. Hosted by the NZ Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE), Seaweek is a time for us to get to know our ocean, its habitats, characteristics, and inhabitants better.

April

Earth Day 22 April 2019
Earth Day is a global event where people honour the natural environment and raise awareness of environmental issues that trouble the world. By taking part in Earth Day students have the opportunity to learn about the future focus issue of sustainability.

Anzac Day 25 April 2019
By examining this national event students can develop key competencies, explore values such as respect and honour, and examine the social science concepts of identity, continuity, and change.

May

New Zealand Music Month May 2019
By focusing on New Zealand Music Month you can explore the values of diversity and community and participation with your students. New Zealand Music Month provides a useful context for students to develop understandings in the arts and social sciences. 

New Zealand Sign Language Week 6–12 May 2019 
New Zealand Sign Language Week provides an opportunity for schools to reflect on the inclusion principle and explore the values of diversity and respect. Students can make use of key competencies, especially using language, symbols, and text and relating to others. Students will achieve learning outcomes described in the learning languages learning area.

Bullying Free NZ Week 13–17 May 2019
This event provides a week-long opportunity to raise awareness of bullying behaviour and promote what schools are doing to become bullying free.

Techweek 2019 20–26 May 2019
Techweek celebrates New Zealand’s fast growing technology and innovation sectors and raises awareness of the need for greater ICT skills and a "tech-savvy" culture for everyone.

Sāmoa Language Week 26 May–1 June 2019 
Sāmoa Language Week / Vaiaso o le gagana Sāmoa helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and to different beliefs and cultural practices. Everyone who learns gagana Sāmoa helps to preserve it as a living and rich language.

June

Matariki from 25 June 2019 
The pre-dawn rise of Matariki can be seen in the last days of May or during June every year. By celebrating Matariki at your school you can bring a range of NZC principles to life. Students can explore values, develop key competencies, and examine social science concepts.

August

Cook Islands Language Week 4–10 August 2019
Cook Islands Language Week /Te 'Epetoma o te Reo Kūki Airani celebrates the identity, languages, and culture of students from the Cook Islands and students whose families are from the Cook Islands; supporting this group of learners to engage and achieve success.

September

Tongan Language Week 1–7 September 2019
Tongan Language Week / Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga gives students of all ethnicities the chance to learn some basic Lea Faka-Tonga, and gives your students of Tongan origin the chance to be experts in the classroom.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori /Māori Language Week 9–15 September 2019
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori provides an opportunity to celebrate and learn te reo Māori, helping to secure its future as a dynamic and rich language.

Money Week 9–15 September 2019
Money Week provides the opportunity to integrate numeracy with other learning areas, such as literacy, social sciences, learning languages, and the arts. It also offers the chance to engage parents, whānau, and local businesses with learning experiences and conversations.

Conservation Week 14–22 September 2019 
Capture your students' natural curiosity about the world they live in, and raise awareness about Aotearoa/New Zealand, by involving them in this year’s Conservation Week. This week is all about getting out and discovering the conservation areas that are just outside your door.

Chinese Language Week 22–28 September 2019
New Zealand Chinese Language Week is a Kiwi-led initiative aimed at encouraging New Zealanders to discover Chinese language and culture. 

October

Tuvalu Language Week 29 September–5 October 2019
This special week gives speakers of the Tuvalu language the chance to be experts in the classroom, and allows whānau and the wider Tuvalu community to see their language and culture being treasured in New Zealand schools.

Fiji Language Week 6–12 October 2019
Fiji Language Week helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and into different beliefs and cultural practices.

Census 2018 6 March 2018
Every five years, a census is run – the official count of how many people and dwellings there are in New Zealand. By asking everyone to complete a set of questions about themselves and their household, we can capture a snapshot of who is living in, and visiting, New Zealand.

Commonwealth Games 4–15 April 2018
The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) will welcome more than 6600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories to the Gold Coast and event cities Brisbane, Cairns, and Townsville, to share in the celebration of sport, entertainment, and culture.

General Election 23 September 2017
The General Election provides a useful context to build students' understanding of Parliament and the voting process. This resource page provides ideas and resources to help you plan programmes of learning around this significant event.

International Languages Week 14–18 August 2017
This week provides an opportunity to showcase and promote languages and cultures in your school and communities. 

Rio 2016 Olympic Games
The Rio 2016 Olympic Games (5–21 August) and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (7–18 September) provide unique and vast learning opportunities for your students. Here is a collection of teaching ideas and resources to help you share the Olympic spirit with your school and community.