Indigenous Australia

Stage 2
Duration: One Term (10 weeks)

Unit description

Key inquiry questions

Indigenous Australia is a study of the traditions of Australias

first people. Students will explore Indigenous Australians
connectedness to Country and Place and the implications this
has on their daily life. They have the opportunity to visit local

Who lived here first and how do we know?

How has our community changed? What features have been

lost and what features have been retained?

sites and engage with local Indigenous people in order to

understand and explore the culture of the Wiradjuri language
group and other local groups.
This unit revises and extends their understanding of the local
area studied in the previous unit Community and
Remembrance. Furthermore it creates foundations for their

What is the nature of the contribution made by different

groups and individuals in the community?

What was life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
peoples before the arrival of the Europeans?

studies in the next unit First Contacts, which explores the

Indigenous peoples experience post British settlement.
Outcomes
HT2-2: describes
and explains how
significant
individuals,
groups and
events
contributed to
changes in the
local community
over time
HT2-3: describes
people, events
and actions

Historical skills
The following historical skills are integrated into the lesson
sequences:

Historical concepts
The following historical concepts are
integrated into the lesson sequences:

Comprehension: chronology, terms and concepts

respond, read and write to show understanding of historical
matters
sequence familiar people and events
use historical terms

Continuity and change: some things

change over time and others remain the
same

Analysis and use of sources

locate relevant information from sources provided
Perspectives and interpretations
identify different points of view within an historical context

Cause and effect: events, decisions or

developments in the past that produce
later actions, results or effects
Perspectives: people from the past will
have different views and experiences

related to world
exploration and
its effects
HT2-5: applies
skills of historical
inquiry and
communication

Empathetic understanding
explain how and why people in the past may have lived and
behaved differently from today
Research
pose a range of questions about the past
plan an historical inquiry

Empathetic understanding: an
understanding of anothers point of
view, way of life and decisions made in
a different time
Significance: the importance of an
event, development or individual/group

Explanation and communication

develop texts, particularly narratives
use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written)
and digital technologies
Cross Curricular Links
Science
ST2-5WT: applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that
address specific design criteria
Students generate and develop ideas by:
using creative thinking techniques, including brainstorming, mind-mapping, sketching and modelling
using a range of research techniques to access information relevant to the task
using techniques, including labelled drawings, modelling and storyboarding, for documenting and communicating design ideas
using digital technologies and multimedia for communicating design ideas
refining ideas in responding to feedback from others
ST2-10LW: describes that living things have life cycles, can be distinguished from non-living things and grouped, based on their
observable features
research ways that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples classify some plants or animals
ST2-11LW: describes ways that science knowledge helps people understand the effect of their actions on the environment and on
the survival of living things
predict the effect of natural changes in the environment on some relationships between plants and animals, eg drought and
fire
describe some examples of how science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions on the environment
and the survival of living things
English

EN2-1A: communicates in a range of informal and formal contexts by adopting a range of roles in group, classroom, school and
community contexts
Respond to and compose texts
interact effectively in groups or pairs, adopting a range of roles
use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a variety of
everyday and learned vocabulary and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume (ACELY1688, ACELY1792)
use information to support and elaborate on a point of view
demonstrate understanding of ideas and issues in texts through dramatic representation, role-play and simulations
EN2-6B: identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken texts, distinguishes between different forms of English and
identifies organisational patterns and features
listen to and contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas and negotiate in collaborative
situations (ACELY1676)
plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence (ACELY1677)
Content
The diversity and
longevity of
Australia's first
peoples and the
ways Aboriginal
and/or Torres
Strait Islander
peoples are
connected
to Country and
Place (land, sea,
waterways and
skies) and the
implications for
their daily lives
(ACHHK077)

identify the
original
inhabitants of

Teaching, learning and assessment

LESSON 1 Introduction
View Change the Game as a class. Discuss who and what the clip was
about. Why did the people in the video change costumes? How is it
related to Australias history?

K W L Extend the above discussion by brainstorming what students

know about the Aboriginal people. Write each suggestion on a separate
post it. Create a display in the classroom which can be added to as the
unit progresses.

Timeline activity- Create a physical timeline using students as

markers comparing Aboriginal occupation to British settlement to today.
(50000 years ago, 1788, 2014).

QTQLF : Background Knowledge, Connectedness

Diverse Learners: Visual, Kinaesthetic, Aural

Resources

Colli Crew- Change the Game

(Youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?NR=1&v=6gFQbo51DLs

Adjustments: Encourage the use of Pictorial aids in KWL chart

Australia and
create a
timeline
indicating their
longevity in
Australia of
more than
50,000 years

investigate,
drawing on
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander
community
representatives
(where
possible) and
other sources,
the traditional
Aboriginal way
of life, focusing
on people, their
beliefs, food,
shelter, tools
and weapons,
customs and
ceremonies, art
works, dance,
music, and
relationship to
Country

The importance
of Country and

LESSON 2 Connections to the land

View Welcome to Country as a class. Discussion What does this

video tell us about the Aboriginal peoples relationship with the land?
What do you think they mean when they talk about Country

Explain the notion of Country to students. Refer to Significant People

in Australias History (p. 16-17) and The Little Red Yellow Book
( p. 13)

Language groups - In small groups, students are to access the

Aboriginal Languages Map, they are to discuss how on the map
Australia looks different then to what it does now. They are then to think
of a number of places they have visited and identify where on the map
they are and which language group would have occupied them. Picking
one of these places they are to draw a sketch of a landmark or area and
how it looks now and one of how they think it may have looked prior to
British settlement.

Wirajuri people As a class identify the local area on the map and the
corresponding language group. Explain that each group may have
different languages, rituals, hunting practices etc. Ask students they
think this is? How does this relate to the Aboriginals connection with the
land?

QTQLF: Deep Knowledge, Deep Understanding, Engagement

Diverse Learners: Aural, Visual
LESSON 3 - Dreaming stories

Read Enora and the Black Crane to the class. Question what is
special about this story?

Welcome to Country
(Youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=7PUZ-DuTqng
Significant People in
Australias History (Book)
(Barrett, 2009)
The Little Red Yellow Book
(AIATSIS, 2008)
Aboriginal Languages Map
(ABC Website)
http://www.abc.net.au/indige
nous/map/

Enora and the Black Crane

(Book)
(Meeks, 2009)
Dust Echoes (Website
http://www.abc.net.au/dustec
hoes/
Dust Echoes (worksheet)
Appendix 1

Place to
Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait
Islander
peoples who
belong to a local
area. (This is
intended to be a
local area study
with a focus on
one Language
group; however,
if information
or sources are
not readily
available,
another
representative
area may be
studied.)
(ACHHK060)

identify the
original
Aboriginal
languages
spoken in the
local or
regional area

identify the
special
relationship
that Aboriginal
and/or Torres

Introduce concept of the Dreaming. Explain it refers to a time when

ancestral beings spread across the continent creating human society
and its rules for living, language and customs and laws. This way of
living is passed through generations through dreaming stories which are
told orally and through ceremony, dance, music and painting. Link back
to Enora by asking students what message they think the story was
conveying.

Direct students to Dust Echoes. They are to choose one of the stories
to view then complete the worksheet response. View one example as a
class and model response. Students then work independently before
bringing their findings back for a class discussion.

QTQLF: Deep Understanding, Metalanguage, Student Direction, Narrative

Diverse Learners: Aural, Visual
Adjustments: Role play of Enora and the Black Crane or Dreaming story from
Dust Echoes (Kinaesthetic learners).
LESSON 4 Way of life
View image Corroboree on the Murray River - Use as stimulus for
discussion of Aboriginal way of life. Key questions: What can you see
in this picture? How was Aboriginal peoples daily life different to our
lives now? Do you think there are still communities that live like this?

Revisit the idea of Country and how the Aboriginal people have the
belief that they have a responsibility to manage the land and its
resources. Discuss how this would have influenced their daily lives
making comparisons to the way we live today.

View Bush Foods.

Take students for a playground walk and ask them to note down
possible bush tucker in the local area. In small groups students will
then create a traditional bush tucker meal plan for 1 day (breakfast,

Corroboree on the Murray

River (Image)
http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/ite
m/itemLarge.aspx?
itemID=423229

Bush Foods (ABC Splash)

http://splash.abc.net.au/medi
a/-/m/154684/outback-house-

Strait Islander
peoples have
to Country and
Place

respond to
Aboriginal
stories told
about Country
presented in
texts or by a
guest speaker

lunch, dinner, snacks). This will be presented as a poster to the

class.

aboriginal-bush-foods

QTQLF: Substantive Communication, Engagement, Connectedness

Diverse learners: Aural, Visual, Kinaesthetic
Adjustments: Use of ICT to create poster, oral presentation in lieu of poster.
Challenge students to make another menu for a different region in Australia
how would it be different to the local area? What resources would they
have/not have?
LESSON 5 Way of life

Divide students into small groups. Pass around the images of Indigenous
Australian objects (Appendix 2) and ask groups to discuss
1. What they think the object is/would have been used for
2. What they think the object is made of
Each group must then choose one object to research and create a
presentation about. Direct students to the Indigenous Australian Objects
Website for more information. They may choose how they will present as
a group some ideas include using ICT to create a powepoint or prezi,
role playing or designing a poster.

QTQLF: Background Knowledge, Student Direction, Problematic Knowledge

Diverse learners: Visual, Aural, Kinaesthetic
Adjustments: Substitute images for tangible artefacts if available.
LESSON 5 Assessment 1

In this lesson students will consolidate their knowledge through

Assessment 1 in preparation for the excursion in the following lesson.

Assessment 1

Indigenous Australian
Objects (Australian Museum
Website)
http://australianmuseum.net.
au/Explore-IndigenousAustralian-Objects

Students will construct a summary chart to record information about aspects of

traditional Aboriginal life. They may choose to do this as a mindmap,
powerpoint presentation or negotiate another presentation method. A range of
texts will be provided for reference along with the KWL chart they have been
creating as a class. Students need to demonstrate that they understand the
interconnected nature of the Indigenous culture in that all aspects of Aboriginal
life stem from the beliefs in the Dreaming and their intimate relations with the
land.
QTQLF: Student Direction, Deep Understanding,
Diverse Learners: Visual
Adjustments: Provide a worksheet scaffold which identifies the various aspects
of Aboriginal life for students to elaborate on. Modelling and explanation of the
task to meet the needs of Aural and Kinaesthetic learners.

Texts
My Mob: They story of
Aboriginal Family Life
(Barlow & Hill, 2006)
The Little Red Yellow Black
Book
(AIATSIS, 2008)

LESSON 6 Excursion

Significant People in
Australias History

Prior to the excursion introduce the 2nd assessment activity. Students

must negotiate what information will be included in the text and which
groups will be responsible for certain pages. Discuss as a class sources
of information e.g. Local Aboriginal people, excursion, websites, books.
Extend discussion to cover the limitations of different sources.

(Barrett, 2009)

At the Wonga Wetlands students will have a guided tour on which they
will be required to sketch and label the campsite.

Playground

Australias Indigenous
Peoples
(Hill, 2008)

(Wheatley, 2011)

At Yeddonba they will have a worksheet to complete as they move along

the trail.

Lesson 7 Excursion Follow up/Assessment 2

Art walk to give students time to look at the campsite sketches of

other members of the class.

PMI assessment of both sites. Think pair share activity to share.

Facilitate students as they work in groups on assessment 2.

At conclusion of lesson students must generate relevant requestions for
the guest speaker in the next lesson. Encourage them to think of
questions related to the information they require for assessment task 2.

Lesson 8- Guest Speaker

Our World (Book)

(One Arm Point Remote

Community School, 2010)

Invite a local Wurajuri community member to make a presentation for

the class. Encourage them to bring artefacts, share stories and answer
questions.

QTQLF:
Diverse Learners: Aural, Visual, Kinaesthetic

Pencils, paper, clipboards.

Lesson 9 Assessment 2

Students continue to work on assessment 2. It will be bound and kept as

a resource for the school. It may include work samples from other KLAs
such as explanations of Aboriginal English from English or Aboriginal
Artworks from creative arts.

Lesson 10 Assessment 3
Assessment 3
Students must create a diary entry from the perspective of a local Indigenous
person prior to Colonisation. They will take on the role of a person of their
choice whether it be an elder, mother, father or child. They must then write an
entry based on that persons experiences, it may be focussed on a single event
or general movements throughout the day. They will be assessed on how they
can integrate their knowledge of the Aboriginal way of life into a literary text.
This assessment will prepare them for the next unit which explores the
reactions and impact of Colonisation on the Aboriginal people.

Yeddonba Worksheet
(Appendix 3)