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.

This is a fun (somewhat strange) but more engaging resource to help teach younger years australian history. It is clear that todays generations are much more inclined ot watch a video or listen to  a song than ready a book, and from experience they are not worried about quality or subject.. they will iterally watch anything. I belive this video will be a great introductary resource for beggining to teach history to primary students and something that they will remember rather than go in one ear andout the other. 

History - early explorers