SBS: First Australians

Year 5 and Year 6 AC History- stories of immigration explored through Drama and role-play. 

Drama is an excellent way of teaching historical events as it forces the student to become the character in the situation. This resource outlines how the drama process could work in a Humanities lesson on immigration (as it was inspired by the Immigration Museum). It includes focus questions as well as goes through the history of settlement in Australia. I think this is an inspiring resource because it's innovative and engaging for the students. I'd use this drama resource in conjunction with other resources (such as videos, images, texts, etc) when teaching about this topic in my classroom.

An excellent resource for educators to use in their lesson planning.

A great resource to explain the origins of English culture and language of Australia.

Description of what is on this site:

Directed and produced by Rachel Perkins, an Arrernte woman from Central Australia, First Australians, specifically Episode 1, excellently  'explains changes in the community and family life' experienced by the Aboriginal peoples at the time of the arrival of the First Fleet and beyond. This episode 'evaluates the effects of these' changes 'on individuals' such as Bennelong. The information at http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/education/bennelong/bennelong_extracts.pdf could prove a useful follow-up resource. This is one of the resources selected using selection criteria such as whether the creator of the work is Aboriginal.

The effects of these changes on groups of Aboriginal people are illustrated, such as those experienced by the Aboriginal people of Warang (Sydney). It also enables the audience to evaluate the effects of these changes on 'environments' due to British settlement. Allen Madden from the Gadigal Clan, talking of Captain Philip, explains that "...immediately he orders trees to be chopped down and land to be cleared..." (Perkins, 2008).

A teaching idea:

Children could be asked to write down what stands out to them as they watch the episode, after which time they pair and share and then share their partners response with the class. Teacher can display mind-map of ideas on interactive whiteboard and students can research one of the first Australians mentioned in the episode and present some of the ideas in the mind map in relation to CCS2.2, from the perspective of that first Australian.

An idea for an assessment task:

In order to assess the learning of the students on how well they can fulfill the HSIE outcome CCS2.2, perhaps after giving them a few lessons to research the changes and their impacts, I would ask them to write a speech from the perspective of a particular Aboriginal person or group. 

Literacy strategy/links to English KLA:

This could also fulfill some of the outcomes for the English K-6 Syllabus such as EN2-6B in that writing a speech requires students to 'distinguish between different forms of English' as they 'plan and deliver short presentations'.

References:

Hunter, J. (1788). The Taking of Colbee and Bennalong.

Retrieved from the State Library of NSW website: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/terra_australis/education/bennelong/bennelong_extracts.pdf

Perkins, R. (Director and Producer). (2008). First Australians

[Motion picture]. Australia: Blackfella Films.

Sites like this UK one are a good way to help create a context for what life was like in another time. What was life like in the past? What would you have seen? How is this room  similar to your living room today? What's different- and why?

Pose questions but don't stop there- scaffold teaching and learning to ensure that students use historical skills (such as careful use of evidence) so that they are able to produce an EXPLANATION.