Families Past And Present: Stories And Histories Unit

Stage 1

10 weeks

Week Learning sequence

Outcomes

Resources

Identify and compare features of

objects from the past and present
(ACHHS035)

Grandmothers toy box

online story

1 Students will discuss themselves and their families. Students will focus on their attributes, interests and
facts about themselves such as when their birthday is. They will create an All About Me booklet that they
will use to refer back to throughout the unit.
2 Toys past and present
Read the online book Grandmothers Toy Box on the Museum Vicotoria website: http://
museumvictoria.com.au/education/learning-lab/little-history/teacher-guide/my-grandmothers-toy-boxactivities/
The class will then discuss the toys in the story- how they have changed/stayed the same.

Use a range of communication forms

(oral, graphic, written, role play) and
digital technologies (ACHHS038)

Students will then produce a piece of writing stating which of their toys they would put into the toy box
and why.

Pose questions about the past using

sources provided (ACHHS033)

The class will then share their ideas at the end of the lesson. The teacher will then ask the students to find
out what toys their parents, grandparents or carers liked to play with when they were a child.
3 Toys past and present
The class will collaboratively create a mind map of what their parents, grandparents or carers played with
when they were young. The class will then discuss what toys children still play with today and what toys
children dont play with anymore.

Explore a range of sources about the

past (ACHHS034)
Pose questions about the past using
sources provided (ACHHS033)

The teacher will demonstrate how to complete a venn diagram on the whiteboard. The students will then
Identify and compare features of
independently create their own venn diagram with the headings toys of the past and toys of the present. objects from the past and present
(ACHHS035)

Venn diagram

4 Family life: What makes up my family?

Initiate a class discussion on different families. Begin with the family portrayed in the story book and then
have students respond with examples representative of different families. Discuss:
- what makes up a family?
- what activities do the family on the story enjoy? Discuss
why these activities are important to the family in the story. Ask students to identify some
activities their own families participate in. Develop a list that includes social, sporting and cultural
activities. Students explain why these activities are important in their own families. Students
record and display this information.

5 Family History

Use a range of communication forms

(oral, graphic, written, role play) and
digital technologies (ACHHS038)

Differences and similarities between

students' daily lives and life during
- Students are to discuss with their parents, grandparents or carers what their daily lives were like when their parents and grandparents
they were a child, any traditions that the family had, as well as what social, sporting and cultural childhoods, including family traditions,
leisure time and communications.
activities they participated in.
(ACHHK030)
- Each student will share what they have found out with other students in small groups and write
information down on mini whiteboards. The class will then come together to discuss what they Differences in family structures and
roles today, and how these have
have learnt.
changed or remained the same over
time (ACHHK028)
- The students will then record this information next to the previous lessons list. Students will then
distinguish what aspects are similar and what has changed.

My family Forest book

Mini whiteboards

6 Family Life: Artefacts

Explore a point of view

(ACHHS036)

Select a story book examines what is of value to the character(s) in the story.
Introduce the concept of an artefact. With reference to the story book. What sort of artefacts would a
character in the story consider to be precious e.g. a medal. What sort of things would the
students collect to represent who they are? What would be precious? What would make them
laugh or cry? What would remind them of long ago? What would represent their family and the
culture of their family? List some items.

Ask questions to facilitate students understanding of things they value, such as:
-

what things or objects do you have that are special to you? How are they special?
who gave it to you?
how do you treat the objects that you treasure?
do we all value the same things? Why/why not?
what special things do you like to do with your family?

Develop a narrative about the past.

(ACHHS037)

A story book about an

artefact.

7 Family Timeline
Develop appropriate language about time and place. Shared reading of literary texts, When Frank was
four or When I turned six, illustrating personal heritage through common events changing over time.
During shared reading, point out words that refer to time and place in the text. Initiate discussion about
what events happened at different times in the characters lives. Discuss when the events in When Frank
was four occurred. Students are asked to recount similar personal experiences. Represent the events in
the text as a time line. Students sequence the events using textual and visual clues.

Perspectives and interpretations

Explore a point of view
(ACHHS036)
Use a range of communication forms
(oral, graphic, written, role play) and
digital technologies (ACHHS038)

How the present, past and future are

Students develop a personal time line. Teacher draws a time line on the whiteboard as a model. The time signified by terms indicating time such
line includes the present year and the students year of birth as well as parents and Grandparents as a long time ago, then and now,
now and then, old and new,
births. Some things that might prompt important events in a students life include birthday and
tomorrow, as well as by dates and
Christmas celebrations, additions to the family, getting a pet or a special toy, going on holidays
changes that may have personal
etc
significance, such as birthdays,
celebrations and seasons
(ACHHK029)
Sequence familiar objects and events
(ACHHS031)
Distinguish between the past, present
and future (ACHHS032)

When Frank was four book

When I Turned Six book

8 Different Cultures: greetings

Display images of people greeting each other. Include image from different cultures.
Display images and lead a discussion about greetings: what they are? what is their place in society as a
cultural ritual? e.g. shaking hands was to show that there was nothing in your sword hand.
Greetings convey respect for the person you are greeting and help to establish positive
relationships with people.

Discussion points: - why and when are greetings used e.g. at formal and
informal occasions
- how do people greet each other e.g. verbal/non verbal
greetings such as a hug, kiss, handshake, bow, rub noses or combinations. - how greetings differ
between different people e.g. teacher, principal, your parents, your aunt, uncles, grandparents,
friends
- how greetings differ in different situations e.g. in the
street, at a party, the local shopping centre, a wedding, at a church or temple
- how greetings vary between age groups e.g. adults and children.

In pairs, or small groups, students role play:

- how they greet someone in the morning
- how they greet someone in the evening
- how they greet their parents and grandparents.
- how people in another (specific) culture greet each other
formally and informally.

Record a list of different ways people say Hello to each other around the world.

Extension: Students select an artefact received from a cultural event to talk about.

Understand that spoken, visual and

written forms of language are
different modes of communication
with different features and their use
varies according to the audience,
purpose, context and cultural
background (ACELA1460)
Use a range of communication forms
(oral, graphic, written, role play) and
digital technologies (ACHHS038)

IWB with different images

of people greeting each
other

9 Different Cultures: Indigenous Australians

Introduce the stories to students one at time. For each story discuss features such as the title, cover
illustrations and author. Ask students to predict what they think the story will be about. Identify
what is the same and different in each story e.g. the use of pictures compared to photos,
Gumbayniggirr words are inside English sentences in Gamis place, and have been translated in
My mob. Both stories are told from a childs point of view about their family (the same family).

Identify some of the family members in each of the stories; both stories are about members of
the same extended family - parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins, refer to
information about the Muurraby Language Centre in Gamis place and background information
included on the tape of My mob.

Discuss what the term mob means to Aboriginal people e.g. family or language group. Who is
included in a mob of extended family members?

Create a word bank of words about family, include words from other languages that students are
familiar with and Gumbayniggirr words, where possible also include words from local Aboriginal
language(s) e.g. grandmother, Gami, Granny, Nan, Nana, Nona.

Assessment: Discuss: Are all families the same? how are they the same, what do they do that is
the same, how are they different, what do they do that is different?

Jointly construct a class chart to show how families are different and how they are the same,
include specific aspects of language, traditions, members, customs, practices, family celebrations
etc.

Respond to texts drawn from a range

of cultures and experiences
(ACELY1655)
Differences in family structures and
roles today, and how these have
changed or remained the same over
time (ACHHK028)

10

Families: Similarities and differences

Students reference the information in the Similarities and differences class chart to construct
their own illustrated (drawings and magazine cut outs) mind map, with labels to show features of
their familys identity and how their family is similar and different to others.

Students explain how their family is similar and different to other families with reference to their mind
map. Students discuss the language(s) of family members, family traditions, culture and
celebrations for their own family e.g. birthdays, anniversaries.

How the present, past and future are

signified by terms indicating time such
as a long time ago, then and now,
now and then, old and new,
tomorrow, as well as by dates and
changes that may have personal
significance, such as birthdays,
celebrations and seasons
(ACHHK029)